A plain bearing 1 comprising a hollow-cylindrical plain bearing body and a first flange arranged at a first end of the plain bearing body and extending radially outwardly, as well as a plain bearing system comprising the plain bearing and a bearing receiving means and a method of assembling the plain bearing system.

Plain bearing systems of the general kind set forth with a plain bearing and a bearing receiving means are used for example as mass-produced articles in vehicle construction wherein the plain bearing is arranged with a press fit in a receiving opening of a receiving means to carry radially and axially acting forces and moments. So that the plain bearing is securely fitted in the receiving means, the receiving opening must be machined very accurately with close tolerances in order to achieve a tight fit between the plain bearing and the receiving means. That is highly problematical particularly in mass production as here deviations in the dimensions of usual metal plates from which the receiving means is made easily occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,127 B1 discloses a pivotal bearing system for pivotably fixing pivotable components such as for example a seat arrangement which can be leaned back. A disadvantage is the complicated and expensive structure of the pivotal bearing system. Furthermore the fit of the plain bearing in the bearing receiving means is not sufficiently firm.

Slide bearing, slide bearing system and assembly of a slide bearing system

Abstract: To provide a plain bearing which for a press fit in a bearing receiving means allows greater dimensional tolerances in respect of the bearing receiving means, a ring of axially extending and peripherally spaced collar portions is provided at the second end of the plain bearing body, which is in opposite relationship to the first end, which collar portions can be bent over outwardly to afford a second flange.


A system for use with a consumable beverage includes a container having a mouth. A lid is detachably engaged with the container. A collar is adapted to be seated in the mouth of the container. The collar defines an opening therein. A thermal energy storing member is detachably engagable with the opening in the collar and/or the lid. A collar for supporting an end of a thermal energy storing member; a lid for a container adapted to engage a thermal energy storing member; and method of providing a chilled consumable beverage are each separately detailed herein.

The present invention is directed to devices and methods for enhancing the quality of consumable beverages and, more specifically, to a system for use with a consumable beverage and a method of providing a chilled consumable beverage. Beverages are typically chilled using ice cubes to maintain a desired beverage temperature. However, the use of ice cubes results in the dilution of the beverage due to the introduction of water resulting from the melting of ice cubes. Additionally, some people will spill beverages or find filled beverage bottles to be unwieldy due to a sudden shift in the bottle's center of mass caused by unexpected movement of ice cubes when the beverage container is tilted.
To overcome this difficulty, re-freezable inserts have been developed for use with drink bottles. These re-freezable inserts can be placed in drink bottles to maintain a beverage in a chilled condition. However, a method for satisfactorily securing a re-freezable insert in a drink bottle has not been developed.
Clearly, what is needed is a method and system for use with a consumable beverage that securely mounts a thermal energy storing member within a container; that preferably mounts the thermal energy storing member to either a collar or a lid of the container; that preferably incorporates an easy to operate twist lock connection for securing the thermal energy storing member; that preferably allows easy removal of the thermal energy storing member without requiring the removal of other system components; and that is that fun and easy to use by children.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for use with a consumable beverage


Computer-implemented systems utilizing sensor networks for sensing temperature and motion environmental parameters, and performing at least operations of electronically establishing, based on pattern recognition criteria, correspondence of a plurality of representative features a plurality of characteristics of an occurrence, where a first instance of the occurrence occurred within a first time period of a plurality of time periods; electronically discovering, based on the correspondence, a second instance of the occurrence in an environment during a second time period of the plurality of time periods; and electronically causing, based on the discovery of the second instance of the occurrence, a change in the environment via an electronically-controlled device.

The present era of computing has introduced an array of small devices that perform a variety of specific functions. Cellular phones, pagers and portable digital assistants are common examples of these. As technology progresses, however, devices will continue to become smaller and more specialized. One class of small device that is beginning to emerge is a tiny, sensor, sometimes known as a "mote" that is often implemented in a networked configuration.
Networked sensor nodes, sometimes referred to as sensor devices, are undergoing significant advances in structure and low power technology. In some applications, sensor nodes may utilize micro-electromechanical systems, or MEMS, technology. Sensor nodes may include more than one component, such as an embedded processor, digital storage, power source, a transceiver, and an array of sensors, environmental detectors, and/or actuators. In some cases, sensor nodes may rely on small batteries, solar-powered cell, or ambient energy for power, and run for long periods of time without maintenance.
Communication characteristics of nodes may be determined by physical design characteristics and intended use scenarios or both. In some applications, sensor nodes may act as a data source, and it may also forward data from other sensors that are out of range of a central station.
The practical applications of such mini-devices range from environmental monitoring to micro-robots capable of performing microscopic scale tasks. While functionality of an individual sensor node may be limited, a grouping of nodes working together can accomplish a range of tasks, including high level tasks. The tasks of a grouping may include operations such as general information gathering, security, industrial monitoring, military reconnaissance, or biomedical monitoring.
The integration of computation, storage, communication, and physical interaction in silicon has shrunk some sensor nodes down to microscopic scales. The ability to create sensors and actuators with IC technology and integrate them with computational logic has created an abundance of low-power, tiny sensor nodes. Combining these tiny sensor nodes with low power wireless communication networks aids in developing economical, distributed sensors networks. The number of sensor nodes used in a network is increasing as their cost decreases and functionality increases. As a result, the sheer volume of data created by sensor networks, particularly distributed sensor networks, is rapidly increasing.

Computer-implemented systems utilizing sensor networks for sensing temperature and motion environmental parameters; and methods of use thereof


Dual function compounds are provided that may be inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and activators of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM). Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are also provided that utilize such compounds.

A variety of diseases are known in the field to elude common treatment methods. For example, certain diseases and disorders that implicate the histone deacetylase (HDAC) proteins have continued to evade known therapeutics and treatment methodologies.
Accordingly, a need exists in the field for compounds, compositions, and methods for treating such elusive diseases and disorders, including certain cancers and neurological disorders.

Dual function molecules for histone deacetylase inhibition and ataxia telangiectasia mutated activation and methods of use thereof


A d.c. signal controlled oscillator includes a frequency-determining network having a control input and a modulation input. A phase regulating loop includes the oscillator and components that provide a control signal to the control input. A circuit apparatus for driving the oscillator includes a modulation generator that provides a modulation signal to the modulation input, and a circuit arrangement that autonomously generates a signal depending on and representing a slope of the modulation and provides this slope signal to the modulation generator, which generates the modulation signal dependent on the slope signal. A method of operating the oscillator involves switching a frequency divider successively to two different frequencies, respectively sampling and holding the two different arising control voltages, forming a difference between the two control voltages, and activating the modulation generator so that a modulation swing of the modulation signal is determined by this difference between the control voltages.

Conventional circuit arrangements and methods of the above-mentioned general type are known. In fact, this type of frequency generation is typical in practically all present-day circuit arrangements for generating a frequency modulated transmission signal with several channels. The oscillator provides a carrier frequency that is modulated by an information signal. In this context, the modulation swing or range of the modulation of the signal refers to the deviation of the frequency of the modulated signal relative to the carrier frequency.
The d.c. signal for controlling the oscillator can be a d.c. control voltage or a d.c. control current. The frequency-determining components of the network of the oscillator may comprise especially capacitances and/or inductances, i.e. physically capacitors and/or inductors. A phase regulating loop, and particularly a phase-locked loop (PLL), used in such a circuit arrangement typically consists of the oscillator, a phase/frequency detector to which the signal of the oscillator and a reference frequency are provided, and a loop filter that filters the output signal of the phase/frequency detector and forms thereof a d.c. signal as a control signal for the oscillator. In the circuit loop, the components cooperate in such a manner so that the oscillator frequency approaches and approximates the reference frequency.
In principle, frequency modulated transmitters can be driven or operated over a wide range of various differently-dimensioned frequency swings. However, the signal-to-noise ratio of the demodulated signal becomes ever worse as the frequency swing gets smaller. That means that the transmission range diminishes for the same transmitting power, or viewed alternatively, more transmitting power is required to achieve the same transmission range. On the other hand, as the frequency swing gets larger, the ratio between the transmission range or distance and the transmitting power becomes evermore advantageous. However, in this context, simultaneously the spectral bandwidth occupied by the transmitter increases sharply, especially above the transition from narrow band to wide band frequency modulation (FM). As a result, the arising adjacent channel interference becomes unacceptably strong, or the interchannel spacing or separation must be substantially increased in view of these effects, so that as an ultimate consequence, the number of useable channels in the allocated frequency band is sharply reduced.
In view of the above effects and the results thereof, the ability to maintain the modulation swing as exactly as possible is a very important quality criterium for evaluating every frequency modulating transmitting arrangement. Moreover, the maximum and minimum limits or boundaries of the permissible modulation swings are very often prescribed or regulated in the applicable industry standards, for example especially in connection with the present-day typical digital modulation processes such as frequency shift keying (FSK) and its variants.
In connection with the above considerations, it is generally known that the fabrication tolerances in the production of the components such as capacitors, coils, varactor diodes, etc. used in such circuit arrangements generally are not adequate in order to ensure a sufficient accuracy of the modulation swing. In the past, it was typical to provide for the adjustment of the modulation swing by manual trimming of the circuit arrangement through the use of a trimming potentiometer. Today it is typical to install digitally adjustable amplifying elements or damping elements at suitable locations within the modulation signal path for carrying out the required adjustment, or to digitally adjust the amplitude of the modulation signal already in the generation of the signal. In this context, the adjustment value is typically stored in an EEPROM. In other words, the scatter or spread of the modulation swing caused by production tolerances and the like has typically been reduced by additional adjustment or balancing, either by hand or by digitally storing adjustment values in connection with the final testing of the device, so that the required device specifications would be met and maintained by new devices.
It is disadvantageous in the above described conventional approaches to achieve the required modulation swing, that the manual adjusting or the testing and storing of digital adjustment values necessitate additional work steps in the production of the device, which lead to additional costs of the device. Furthermore, the parameters adjusted to achieve the required modulation swing of the device at the end of the manufacturing process can never match the true optimal values for the actual real world application or use of the device in the field. For example, this is true already because reserves must be provided, or an over-adjustment must be carried out, in order to allow for long time drift, temperature dependence, supply voltage dependence, dependence on the actual present selected channel frequency, and the like in the actual utilization of the device. Even if such factors are taken into account, there can be no absolute assurance that the assumed drift values and the like will actually apply to a particular sample of a device. In other words a particular sample of the device may significantly overshoot or undershoot the expected nominal drift behavior.

Method and apparatus for driving a direct current or voltage controlled oscillator with modulation slope feedback


A method of manufacturing an inverse-staggered self-aligned thin film transistor on a substrate having a front surface and a back surface is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) forming a gate electrode over the front surface of the substrate,(b) forming a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode,(c) forming a semiconductor active layer over the gate insulating layer adjacent the gate electrode. The method further includes the steps of (d) forming an impurity-doped semiconductor layer over the active layer and (e) radiating a laser beam from the back side of the substrate using the gate electrode as a mask to substantially crystallize portions of the active layer and the impurity-doped semiconductor layer to define source and drain regions in the active layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a thin film transistor (TFT), and more particularly, to a method of fabricating a self-aligned TFT in which the structure thereof is fabricated in a self-aligned manner.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a large sized high-resolution TFT liquid crystal display, a self-aligned TFT is used as a pixel switching element to increase the aperture ratio and decrease the power consumption. The self-aligned TFT has a smaller overlap portion between the gate electrode and the source electrode than a conventional inverse staggered TFT. Thus, for a fixed channel width-to-length ratio (W/L), parasitic capacitance Cgs of the self-aligned TFT is smaller than that of the inverse staggered TFT. Pixel voltage shift level .DELTA.Vp, which causes flickers and gray level errors, is proportional to parasitic capacitance Cgs. Accordingly, it is important to decrease the parasitic capacitance Cgs in order to reduce pixel voltage shift level .DELTA.VP.
If the self-aligned TFT having a smaller pixel voltage shift level .DELTA.Vp is used as a pixel switching element, the aperture ratio can be improved and power consumption is decreased. Furthermore, with the self-aligned TFT, process tolerance does not affect its fabrication, and accordingly, it is possible to manufacture a TFT that has a very short channel. The shorter channel length requires smaller drain-source current Ids to charge a capacitor. Thus, the channel width can also be decreased with the reduction of the channel length since drain-source current Ids is proportional to W/L. This further decreases parasitic capacitance Cgs. For reference, parasitic capacitance is proportional to W(L/2+.DELTA.L), where .DELTA.L is an overlap length, a constant.
FIGS. 1A to 1F are cross-sectional views showing a conventional method of fabricating a self-aligned TFT. Referring to FIG. 1A, a conductive material, such as Al or Cr, is deposited on a glass substrate 10, and patterned to form a gate electrode 11. Referring to FIG. 1B, a silicon oxide layer (SiO.sub.2) and/or silicon nitride layer (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4) is deposited on the overall surface of the glass substrate including gate electrode 11 to form a gate insulating layer 12 in a single- or double-layered structure. An amorphous silicon is deposited on gate insulating layer 12 to form an active layer 13. Thereafter, a silicon oxide layer, silicon nitride layer or insulating layer is formed on a predetermined portion of active layer 13 to form an ion-implantation stop layer 14.
In forming the above structure of ion-implantation stop layer/active layer/gate insulating layer, the silicon oxide layer (or silicon nitride layer), amorphous silicon layer, and the insulating layer (silicon oxide layer, silicon nitride layer, or insulating layer having photosensitivity) are sequentially formed, and the insulating layer and amorphous silicon layer are patterned. Here, in patterning the ion-implantation stop layer, a photolithographic process is performed by exposing a photoresist or the insulating layer having photosensitivity from the backside of the glass substrate 10 using gate electrode 11 as a mask. Referring to FIG. 1C, ion shower doping is performed to the exposed portions of active layer 13 to form shallow n.sup.+ regions. Referring to FIG. 1D, a metal layer 15 for forming a silicide, such as W or Mo, is deposited on the entire surface of the glass substrate 10 including ion-implantation stop layer 14, portions of active layer 13a in which the n.sup.+ regions are formed, and exposed portions of gate insulating layer 12.
Referring to FIG. 1E, annealing is carried out to form a silicide layer 16 at the interface between the metal layer and the portions of active layer 13a in which the n.sup.+ regions are formed. The metal layer 15 remains unchanged on the other regions. Subsequently, the metal layer 15 is etched. Since the metal has etch selectivity to silicide, silicide layer 16 formed on active layer 13 a remains as it is when etching the metal. Referring to FIG. 1F, a metal, such as Al or Cr, is deposited on the overall surface of the glass substrate 10, and selectively removed to form source and drain electrodes 17, 18 contacting silicide layer 16 on the respective sides.
The above-described self-aligned TFT fabrication method requires more masks than a conventional TFT fabrication method, resulting in a complicated manufacturing process. Furthermore, since exposure is performed from the backside of the glass substrate in a self-aligned manner to form the ion-implantation stop layer, longer exposure time is necessary, and accordingly, throughput is sacrificed.
To form a perfect silicide layer, the annealing should be carried out at a temperature of above 600.degree. C. When the self-aligned TFT is applied to a liquid crystal display, silicide cannot completely and uniformly be formed, since the upper limit in processing temperature exists when using a glass substrate. Thus, it is difficult to achieve uniform characteristics of TFT over the entire area of the substrate. In the case of a quartz substrate, the formation of perfect silicide layer is possible but fabrication cost becomes high.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, because the n.sup.+ region is formed on the active layer using ion shower doping, its resistance is larger than that of a normal n.sup.+ -amorphous silicon layer. Accordingly, the n.sup.+ regions act as series resistors during the device operation. These series resistances affect the measured effective mobility of the amorphous silicon forming the active layer. The effective mobility can be calculated using a current relation formula modified according to the resistance of the n.sup.+ regions, as follows: ##EQU1##
Where, .mu. is the effective mobility to be measured, .mu..sub.0 is the mobility of amorphous silicon TFT itself, R.sub.s is the series resistance of n.sup.+ regions, W/L is ratio of channel width W to channel length L, V.sub.G is the gate voltage, and V.sub.T is the threshold voltage of the TFT. As shown in formula (1), the measured mobility .mu. decreases as the channel length L becomes shorter. FIG. 3 is a characteristic graph showing the relation between the channel length and the measured mobility. This shows how mobility .mu..sub.lin in the linear region and mobility .mu..sub.sat in the saturation region decrease with the channel length L (Ion dose 1.times.10.sup.16 cm.sup.-2 in n.sup.+ region, channel width W=40.mu.m). So, the charging cannot be improved as much as inversely-proportional to the channel length.

Method of fabricating self-aligned thin film transistor using laser irradiation


Disclosed are apparatus and method for time division multiplexing of a dedicated channel. In one aspect, the apparatus and method are configured to assign a common spreading code to two or more User Equipments (UEs); encode a downlink (DL) dedicated channel (DCH) with the common spreading code; time-division multiplex a Dedicated Physical Data Channel (DPDCH) data for each of the two or more UEs on the encoded DL DCH; and transmit the multiplexed data on the DL DCH to the UEs.

1. Field
Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to apparatus and method for time-division multiplexing of a dedicated channel.
2. Background
Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, and so on. Such networks, which are usually multiple access networks, support communications for multiple users by sharing the available network resources. One example of such a network is the UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN). The UTRAN is the radio access network (RAN) defined as a part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a third generation (3G) mobile phone technology supported by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The UMTS, which is the successor to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technologies, currently supports various air interface standards, such as Wideband-Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Time Division-Code Division Multiple Access (TD-CDMA), and Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA). The UMTS also supports enhanced 3G data communications protocols, such as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), which provides higher data transfer speeds and capacity to associated UMTS networks.
The talk time of UTRAN User Equipment (UE) still lags that of 2G devices considerably. Any technique that allows a UE to turn off the receiver and transmitter during a voice call, leads to UE modem battery savings. Furthermore such opportunities should not come at the expense of degrading link efficiency or coverage performance. Accordingly, there is a need to improve talk time of UTRAN UE devices.

Apparatus and method for time-division multiplexing of dedicated channel


A vehicle door assembly including an outer contoured panel, an inner contoured panel, the panels being connected at their side and bottom edges, and a glass and regulator track assembly adapted to being assembled through the adjacent upper edges of the panels into the space between the panels and secured to the inner panel. A majority of the inner trim is molded integrally as the surface of the inner panel, with a separately applied trim element secured to the upper edge portion of the inner panel, and an arm rest secured to the inner panel at a central portion thereof, where no integrally molded trim exists.

Heretofore, vehicle door assemblies have conventionally included full outer and inner panels, and full interior trim panels, wherein assembly of the interior components is accomplished prior to assembly of the inner door trim panel, and access to the interior components for repair requires removal of the full interior trim panel. Full interior trim panels are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,693; 3,989,275; 5,040,335; 5,048,234; 5,095,659; 5,102,163; and 5,297,842; in Japanese patent nos. 4-87832; 4-197842; 5-310082; and 5-330343; and in European publication 0 579 535 A1.
Japanese patent no. 5-330343 discloses an inner door panel having first molded trim panel mounted thereon, a separate trim panel mounted on the latter, and an arm rest mounted on the separate panel.
Grimes U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,335 discloses an inner substrate covered by a foam backing layer, which is, in turn, covered by an inner shell.


Disclosed is a pesticide residue detection data platform based on high resolution mass spectrum, the Internet and data science, and a method for automatically generating a detection report. The platform includes allied laboratories, a detection result database of the allied laboratories, four basic sub-databases, a data collection system and an intelligent data analysis system. The intelligent analysis system reads data according to conditions set by a user, performs various statistical analyses according to a statistical analysis model, generates charts, obtains a comprehensive conclusion, and returns an analysis result to the client ends of the allied laboratories.

At present, in pesticide residue detection reports published by quality supervision departments, the detection data is mainly represented by data tables and only a few statistical charts. Generation of these reports takes time and is not terribly timely. Moreover, statistical data and charts are difficult to understand for the public, and lacks timely management and early warning functions. In addition, as non-target pesticide residue detection techniques are implemented in a high degree of digitization, informatization and automation, massive analytical data have been generated, which is also a challenge to traditional data statistics and analysis methods. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a system which can provide innovative big data acquisition, transmission, statistics and intelligent analysis. In recent years, with the development of electronic information and Internet, new approaches and methods are provided for multi-dimensional expression, sharing and analysis of big data of pesticide residue detection.
It is desirable to construct a pesticide residue detection data platform based on interdisciplinary integration of Internet, advanced high-resolution mass spectrometry, and data science to realize timely acquisition, management and intelligent analysis of pesticide residues data, generate pesticide residue detection reports automatically in a short time, provide real-time online service for the traceability and risk assessment of pesticide residue, to realize scientific management and use of pesticides. However, until now, no such method and system exists.

Pesticide residue detection data platform based on high resolution mass spectrum, internet and data science, and method for automatically generating detection report


The present invention includes a horizontal foam fractionation protein skimmer for removing organic waste material (dissolved organic compounds) from organic loaded water. The protein skimmer includes a horizontal reaction chamber connected to a foam collection chamber in which protein-loaded foam containing organic waste material is collected. The reaction chamber is comprised of a series of horizontally-directed, nested, concentric tubes for increasing the number and decreasing the size of bubbles to facilitate efficient removal of dissolved organic compounds. Each horizontal tube has either one or several small openings that are offset from the openings on the adjacent tube at a small angle, typically 10°. The openings are formed by either a single slit that runs along the length of each tube, or by a series of holes that runs along the length of each tube. Organic-loaded water is pumped through tubing into the reaction chamber. As water moves through the tubing, gas (e.g., air) is drawn in by eductors, creating a gas/water mixture. The gas/water mixture is distributed into the horizontal reaction chamber through a lateral manifold that tangentially injects the gas/water mixture at approximately equidistant points along the length of the reaction chamber. The gas/water mixture enters the largest of the nested horizontal tubes and is forced through the small opening(s) into the next smaller diameter tube.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a horizontal foam fractionation protein skimmer comprised of a horizontal reaction chamber for removing organic waste material from organic loaded water such as in aquaria, lagoons, wastewater, or other organic-loaded water sources, to methods of making such a horizontal protein skimmer, and to water purification methods utilizing such a horizontal protein skimmer.
2. Introduction to the Invention
Improved means of purifying water from a variety of organic loaded water sources are necessary. Methods of water purification and maintenance of good water quality are essential in purifying water from aquaria, lagoons, and from any organic-loaded water source, such as in wastewater treatment applications. This invention could also be useful for the pretreatment of effluent from agricultural wastewater applications such as in pig or chicken farms. The present invention is in the field of foam fractionation protein skimmers which are used to remove organic waste material from any organic loaded water source. For example, maintenance of water quality in aquarium tanks is a continuous and substantial challenge, particularly in public aquaria that have many large volume tanks. Organic waste contamination of water is a common and recurrent problem in aquaria. Foam fractionation protein skimmers help purify this contaminated water by using a naturally occurring foam fractionation action to produce a protein-loaded foam which contains the organic waste material extracted from organic loaded water. Protein skimmers are known and have been proven to be effective in helping maintain water quality in aquarium tanks.
A properly functioning protein skimmer effectively oxygenates water that passes through the body of the skimmer by introducing a large number of small gas or air bubbles into the water. A protein skimmer also serves as a method for water purification by allowing introduced bubbles to react with surrounding water molecules and pollutants to attach to surfaces of bubbles. The bubble-water mixture becomes foam which can be readily separated from the considerably more pure water that is produced by the protein skimmer. The bubbles are directed out of the reaction chamber of the skimmer and collected, along with adherent pollutants, in a collection vessel. In this manner, organic waste material can be permanently removed from a water system.
Several features can make some protein skimmers more effective than others. Overall water flow rate through the protein skimmer is important. The more water that is processed per unit time generally means more waste material is removed and more gas exchange occurs. The amount of contact time between air bubbles and water and the quality of this contact time is important as well. If bubbles are immediately withdrawn from the skimmer as soon as they are introduced, they may not be fully saturated with waste material. If bubbles react with water in a laminar, non-turbulent fashion, contact time between bubbles and waste material is reduced and bubbles may not be fully saturated with waste material. In either case, maximum efficiency can be compromised.
The number and size of bubbles is also important. A large number of bubbles increases the amount of waste material that can be skimmed out using a protein skimmer. Numerous small bubbles afford greater surface area for the air-water interaction than do the same volume of large bubbles. These are important aspects of protein skimming which contribute to a given protein skimmer's efficiency and success. In general, the goal is to maximize the number and to minimize the size of the bubbles, and to maximize the length of time the bubbles are in contact with water.
Typical protein skimmers in public aquaria are very tall (e.g., greater than 8 feet in height), very bulky, and difficult to maintain. Limited space, both floor space and headspace, is often a major concern in public aquaria, particularly in aquaria in which displays are frequently added, changed, or remodeled. These frequent alterations result in typical protein skimmers being too tall and too bulky to fit in many of the areas where they are needed. Additionally, most typical protein skimmers require substantial maintenance, which is difficult and often treacherous on very tall protein skimmers, particularly as structures are built around existing protein skimmers and space becomes increasingly more limited.
The primary applications of the current invention have been conducted using salt or brackish water (15 ppt–38 ppt), but the invention will likely function in freshwater.

Horizontal reaction chamber comprised of nested, concentric tubes for use in water purification

Abstract: Water travels circumferentially through adjacent tubes in a counter-current movement. The most central concentric tube carries the water out of the reaction chamber into the foam collection chamber. The water left behind is considerably more pure and free of contaminates and exits through tubing in the bottom of the foam collection chamber. The horizontal protein skimmer of the present invention is sectioned into individual components that facilitate transport and on-site assembly.


The present invention provides a medical grasping device including an an elongate control member, an outer sheath, and an actuation section. The elongate control member includes an atraumatic distal tip section, a proximal end portion, and a grasping portion positioned between the proximal end portion and the distal tip section. The outer sheath includes a distal end and a proximal end, and has a passageway that extends between the distal and proximal ends. The elongate control member is slidable within the passageway and its proximal end portion is connected to the actuation section. The actuation section is operated to move the grasping portion in and out of the distal end of the outer sheath and includes a retraction mechanism that biases the actuation section and hence the grasping portion toward a retracted state.

There is a current trend in medicine to minimize surgical and interventional procedures, concomitant with the development of minimally invasive tools to access, visualize, infuse, treat, medicate, sample, and interact with internal structures of the body. Occasionally, devices such as catheters, balloons or wires are inadvertently severed in a blood vessel, cavity or organ. Depending on its location, the severed device or fragment must be retrieved. Frequently, a surgical approach is dangerous and costly. In many cases, access has already been established to the severed device, fragment, or foreign body in question, and it is just a matter of locating and removing the foreign body without doing harm to surrounding tissue or forcing it further out of reach.
Certain medical devices are known that are utilized in the ducts and vessels of a human or veterinary patient for retrieval of bodies from the patient. For example, retrieval devices are known for removing calculi such as kidney stones or gallstones from a patient, where the retrieval device is delivered to the target site via the urethra or biliary duct, respectively. The device's distal tip is adapted to deploy at the site to form a basket shape to trap the calculi after which the basket is collapsed to grasp the calculi. Both the device and the grasped calculi are then withdrawn from the patient.
One such stone retrieval device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,266,in which several loops of wire are caused to emerge from the distal end of a sheath that has previously been delivered through the renal or biliary system of a patient to the site of the stone. The stone becomes trapped within the loops, after which the loops are pulled proximally mostly into the sheath, grasping the stone firmly, after which the sheath, loops and stone are withdrawn from the patient. The loops are disclosed to be made from a superelastic alloy such as nitinol to automatically form the loops when caused to emerge from the sheath's distal tip. Other similar stone retrieval devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,057,114; 5,064,428; 5,133,733 and 5,484,384.
However, use of such devices is not satisfactory for grasping such an object within the vascular system of a patient for repositioning of that object, or for removal of objects from within the vascular system of a patient. For example, in certain situations it is desired to reposition a stent or stent graft within the vasculature, or to retrieve or reposition a malpositioned or misplaced embolization coil. And during delivery and deployment of a bifurcated stent graft at the site of an abdominal aortic aneurysm when surgical access has been obtained through the femoral arteries on both sides of the groin, it is desirable to grasp the distal tip of a guide wire extending into the aneurysm from the contralateral iliac artery, to be pulled into the ipsilateral iliac artery at the vessel's aorto-iliac bifurcation, for eventual placement of the contralateral leg extension of the stent graft.
For vascular use, another known device is a suture loop on a catheter distal tip. Yet another is a guide wire that has been doubled over and extended through a catheter so that its distal end forms into a loop that extends axially from the catheter's distal end to be utilized as a retriever when it is pulled proximally to capture an object and hold it against the catheter distal end for withdrawal, sold as the Curry Intravascular Retriever Set by Cook, Incorporated, Bloomington, Ind. A version of the stone basket device, having helical loops, has been utilized for intravascular retrieval, the Dotter Intravascular Retriever Set also sold by Cook, Incorporated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,233 is disclosed a snare-type probe for intravascular use. After a catheter is inserted into the patient's vascular system to the site of the foreign object, an elongate member having a loop-shaped distal segment is inserted into the proximal end of the catheter's lumen until the loop-shaped distal segment emerges from the catheter's distal tip at the site. Then the loop-shaped segment extends at an angle to the adjacent portion of the member and opens into a loop. Once a free end of the foreign object is snared within the loop-shaped distal segment as determined by fluoroscopic equipment, the loop-shaped distal segment is pulled proximally into the catheter distal end, collapsing about the ensnared foreign body fragment and holding the foreign body at the distal tip of the catheter during withdrawal. The elongate member is preferably disposed within an outer sheath and is disclosed to be one wire, or two gripped-together wires, of a shape memory material such as a superelastic nitinol alloy, with a single preformed loop shape at the distal segment defined by two wire portions. The use of nitinol enables the wire segments defining the distal segment to be straightened and collapsed upon one another into an elastically deformed configuration to pass through the lumen of the catheter and yet automatically open into a loop and extend at a substantial angle upon emerging from the catheter distal tip. One characteristic of this design is that during retraction after grasping, the loop quickly changes, or "flips," between the angled orientation and a generally axial one, and this results in less assured control over the item during grasping; and commonly will result in escape of the item thus requiring redeployment of the loop for another grasping attempt.
It is desired to provide a medical grasping device for grasping and repositioning an object within the vascular system of a patient, such as a stent or stent graft or embolization coil or such as the distal tip of a catheter or a guide wire; or to grasp a stent or embolization coil, or a fragment from a catheter or guide wire or a pacemaker lead, for its removal from the patient.
It is also desired to provide a low profile, medical grasping device that is conformable to the vascular anatomy while generating a substantial tensile force.
It is further desired to provide such a device that is trackable through the vascular system over a guide wire already in situ.
It is yet further desired to provide such a device that is atraumatic to the patient.
It is yet further desired to reduce physician fatigue during the operation of the device.


A substrate treating apparatus adapted for treating a substrate with treating fluid therein, the substrate treating apparatus includes a processing bath; a baffle plate with a plurality of holes disposed therein for dividing the processing bath into an upper region and a lower region, the holes allowing communication of the treating liquid between the upper region and the lower region. The baffle plate is composed of a material exhibiting a property that the contact angle of a bubble generated in the treating liquid with respect to the baffle plate is smaller than a predetermined value.

This invention relates to a substrate treating apparatus in which a certain treatment such as cleaning is conducted to front and rear surfaces of substrates such as semiconductor substrates and glass substrates for liquid crystals by immersing the substrates in a certain treating liquid.
In a process of manufacturing substrates such as semiconductor substrates and glass substrates for liquid crystals for use in precision electronic products, there has been known a conventional technology of a substrate treating apparatus wherein a substrate is immersed sequentially in a number of processing baths each filled with a certain type of treating liquid to conduct a surface treatment onto the front and rear surfaces of the substrate.
An example of such conventional apparatus is described below. The conventional substrate treating apparatus is provided with a liquid supply system. With use of such liquid supply system, a treating liquid is continuously supplied to a processing bath in which substrates to be treated are immersed in the treating liquid overflowing the processing bath. Thereby, any contaminants generated during the surface treatment or adhered on the surfaces of the substrates are discharged out of the processing bath together with the overflowing treating liquid. The thus discharged treating liquid is subjected to filtration with a filter or equivalent to remove the contaminants therefrom. Then, the treating liquid free of such contaminants is introduced to the processing bath again. In this way, the treating liquid is purified (refined) and circulated for repeated use after having been removed of the contaminants by the filtration.
Generally, in the above-mentioned apparatus using the liquid overflow method, the processing bath is equipped with a nozzle at a bottom portion thereof to supply a treating liquid. The treating liquid is supplied to the processing bath through the nozzle. However, merely providing the nozzle in the processing bath and causing the treating liquid to be supplied through the nozzle into the processing bath cannot supply the treating liquid in a stable manner, because the stream of treating liquid in the processing bath becomes disturbed with the supply of liquid. In other words, the surface treatment for the substrate becomes uneven (portion by portion) on the front and rear surfaces of the substrate due to an unstable stream of liquid, which may result in a failure of uniformity in the surface treatment on the substrate.
In order to eliminate the above drawback, generally, the processing bath is internally provided with a baffle plate in a plate form with a number of holes therein. The baffle plate is adapted for regulating the unstable stream of treating liquid supplied from the nozzle and allows the treating liquid to uniformly flow upward in the processing bath through the number of holes.
Generally, the baffle plate is composed of a resin material which is excellent in chemical resistance (resistance to corrosion). An example of such resin is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). By using a baffle plate made of such a resin, the generation of contaminants resulting from erosion of the baffle plate caused by a chemical reaction with the treating liquid in the processing bath is prevented.
Due to the overflow of the treating liquid and other various factors, bubbles are likely to be introduced in the treating liquid which is being continuously supplied to the processing bath. Such bubbles are normally moved upward in a floated state by buoyancy and discharged in the air during the overflow of liquid. However, in the above constructed substrate treating apparatus provided with the baffle plate, some of the bubbles does not flow upward through the holes of the baffle plate due to the existence of the baffle plate and are adhered to an underside surface of the baffle plate. As the surface treatment is carried on, the adhered small bubbles are accumulated on the underside surface of the baffle plate. When the bubbles collect beyond a certain limit under the baffle plate, they abruptly depart from the underside surface of the baffle plate and move up in the treating liquid above the baffle plate through the holes during the surface treatment.
It should be noted that a non-negligible amount of contaminants which have been generated during the surface treatment are floating in the treating liquid. As the above mentioned bubbles proceed upward, these contaminants are also carried upward with bubbles. The contaminants carried by the bubbles proceeding upward are transferred onto a surface of the substrate and stay on the surface, and then oxygen contained in the bubbles is reacted with the substrate to generate contaminants which are likely to be adhered on the surface of the substrate. In this way, when bubbles, however small they may be in size, are trapped under the baffle plate and suddenly move upward through the holes of the baffle plate in a mass state, they adversely affect the surface treatment of the substrate beyond a permissible range.

Dainippon Screen Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


In a gas insulation switchgear, an earthed tank 40 contains only a circuit breaker 1; and current transformers 3, 3 to be disposed adjacent to the circuit breaker 1 for detecting over current, are provided in expansion joints 80, 80 to make a length L.sub.5 of the earthed tank 40 short.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas insulation switchgear wherein a circuit breaker is provided in an earthed tank filled with insulation gas.
2. Description of Related Art
A gas insulation switchgear which was previously proposed by the inventors of this application and not published prior to Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 1-10538 which is the base of priority claiming, is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. FIG. 2 is a connection diagram of a typical gas insulation switchgear and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the gas insulation switchgear of related art.
In the figures, the gas insulation switchgear comprises at least one circuit breaker 1, disconnectors 2, 2, current transformers 3, 3, which are provided in an earthed tank 4 containing the circuit breaker 1, shield members 5, 5 for holding the current transformers 3, 3, at least a cable head 6, at least one set of buses 7 and expansion joints 8, 8.
The current transformers 3, 3 are generally disposed adjacent to the circuit breaker 1 for detecting an accidental over current which flows on a bus line of load side or bus side. And the circuit breaker 1 is operated for breaking the current when the current transformer 3 detects the fact that the value of the current becomes larger than a predetermined level. Recently, the current transformers 3, 3 are provided in the earthed tank 4, for miniaturizing the size of the gas insulation switchgear. In such case, the current transformers 3, 3 are fixed to the shield members 5, 5, in order to be contained in the earthed tank 4. Other apparatuses such as the disconnectors 2, 2, the buses 7, the cable head 6 and so on are contained in pressure vessels 9, 10 and 11. As the circuit breaker 1 is especially larger than the other apparatuses, expansion joints 8, 8 are generally provided between the earthed tank 4 and the pressure vessels 9 and 10, to make assembly and disassembly of the gas insulation switch gear easy.
In the circuit breaker 1 of the above-mentioned conventional type, the current transformers 3 and the expansion joints 8, 8 are lined up in a straight line, and the total length L.sub.2 of the earthed tank 4 and the expansion joints is relatively long, so that a great space in necessary to install the gas insulation switchgear of the related art.


The input of a source-follower, or equivalent amplifier sub-circuit, utilizing a low-transconductance, low-reverse-leakage, low-capacitance, junction field-effect transistor, with its gate-source junction forward biased, is directly connected to the input of a charge-integrating preamplifier. This provides an attractive alternative to a high-ohm resistor which is typically used as a discharge element in low-noise charge-integrating preamplifiers in nuclear-particle, x-ray, and gamma-ray spectroscopy.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for detecting and amplifying weak impulses of energy absorbed from incident x-ray photons, gamma ray photons, or nuclear charged particles.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
A silicon PIN photodiode or similar photo-active device is often used as a detector for X-ray or gamma-ray photons, electrons (beta particles) or nuclear charged particles. The process of detection may be through direct conversion of collisional energy within the depleted junction region of the diode, or indirectly through intermediate conversion of particle kinetic energy into a flash of light within a scintillating crystal which, in turn, is optically coupled to the photodiode.
In any case, each distinct particle collision imparts a quantity of absorbed energy to the detector producing, in turn, a corresponding quantity of electronic charge. For example: 3.6 electron volts (ev) of absorbed energy are required to produce 1 hole-electron pair in silicon. Thus, a 60 KeV x-ray photon which is completely absorbed produces a pulse containing (60,000/3.6).times.1.6.times.10.sup.-19 =2.667.times.10.sup.-15 coulombs of electronic charge.
Charge-Integrating Preamplifier
In order to measure such small quantities of charge, each charge-pulse is first converted to a voltage signal by means of a charge-integrating preamplifier. An idealized model of a charge-integrating preamplifier--familiar to those skilled in the art--is shown in FIG. 1:
The photodetector is modelled by the parallel combination of a pulsed current-source 11 in parallel with a capacitor 12--typically the junction capacitance plus stray capacitance of the detector diode and its wiring.
The active gain-element of the preamplifier is represented by an idealized, wideband, infinite-gain, low-noise inverting amplifier 2. This preamplifier configuration exploits the well-known "Miller Effect", wherein the infinite-gain, inverting amplifier causes the charge produced by the detector to be deposited in an integrating capacitor 4 (whose capacitance is designated C.sub.int) which is deliberately made much smaller than that of detector capacitance 12. For a given amount of detector charge, Q, the voltage signal amplitude at the output of the amplifier is Q/C.sub.int.
Pulse-Height Spectroscopy
In practice, particle detectors are not used to detect only singular events, but rather a stream of incident particles which, in turn, produces a stream of signal pulses. The amplitude distribution, i.e.--the number of pulses per unit amplitude interval--is termed the "pulse-height spectrum". The intention is to record a pulse-height spectrum which is a true replica of the pulse-amplitude distribution from the detector.
The discharge resistor 5 serves to discharge the integrating capacitor. Without such a discharge element, the voltage on the output of the preamplifier would continue to increase with time due to the sum of leakage currents plus signal currents accumulating as stored charge in the integrating capacitor, causing eventual circuit saturation and amplifier malfunction.
Unfortunately, the discharge resistor may also add substantially to overall system noise. In order to minimize this noise contribution, one must utilize very high values of resistance; 10's, 100's, or even 1000's of megohms are employed for best low-noise performance.
Problems with high-value resistors
However, there are some practical disadvantages to using such high-value resistors. They include:
1. High-value resistors entail long procurement lead times, require "custom" or special-order production and handling, and are relatively high in cost. PA0 2. High-value resistors may still produce "excess noise" above theoretical (thermal noise ) due to "dielectric effects", often requiring selection of individual components for best performance. PA0 3. High-value resistors are not compatible with monolithic integrated circuit fabrication techniques. PA0 4. Active device (FET and PIN diode) leakage currents increase dramatically at elevated temperature. These increased currents, passing through very high value resistors, produce correspondingly large offset voltages, leading to eventual circuit malfunction.
Elimination of the Discharge Resistor
Various methods for performing the discharge function, while eliminating the physical resistor, have been presented in the technical literature. Some solutions entail discharging the integrating capacitor periodically by means of an electronically-actuated switch (Landis, Goulding, et al, "Pulsed Feedback Techniques for Detector Radiation Spectrometers", IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Vol. NS-18,1972), or a photo-active switch (Goulding, Walton, and Malone, "An Optoelectronic Coupling Feedback Preamplifier for High-Resolution Nuclear Spectroscopy", Nuclear Instruments and Methods vol. A322 p. 538, 1992). These solutions, while providing excellent, low-noise performance, are rather complex for the application at hand.
Other solutions for effecting a steady--rather that periodic--discharge function, while eliminating high-ohm resistors and still maintaining very low-noise performance, have been put forward by various workers, including Bertuccio, et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,231), and Fazzi, et al, ("Charge-Sensitive Amplifier Front-end with NJFET and Forward-Biased Reset Diode" IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 43, No. 6, December 1996).
The former approach utilizes the gate-source junction of a preamplifier's first JFET input stage, operating in a constant forward-biased mode, to effect the discharge function. The latter approach utilizes a forward-biased PN junction diode connected across the input of an amplifier's first JFET.
Both of these utilize a "folded cascode" configuration in order to achieve a high gain-bandwidth product in a relatively simple and compact circuit. As a practical matter--and, as pointed out in the above references--in this type of circuit, where the reset, or discharge function applies only at the amplifier's input terminal, the DC voltage gain is kept low in order to remain reasonably well-centered on a stable, quiescent operating point.
The forward-biased JFET solution of Bertuccio, et al, is effective with small-area diode detectors whose capacitance is on the order of a few picofarads, used in conjunction with small-area JFET devices such as the type NJ26/2N4416 as the first amplifying stage.
However, for larger-area detectors utilizing 1 cm.sup.2 or larger Si PIN diodes such as the Hamamatsu S3590-08, whose capacitance is on the order of 50 picofarads, or more, a larger-area first JFET is required to obtain optimum, low-noise performance. In general, for lowest noise, the input capacitance of the preamplifier's first JFET should match the junction capacitance of the detector diode. This, in turn, requires the use of large-area JFET devices (such as Interfet, Inc. type IF 4501 or equivalent) of quite high transconductance and--as a consequence--impractically large quiescent drain currents when such JFET's are operated in the forward-gate-bias mode.
In the circuit presented by Bertuccio, et al, which is reproduced in FIG. 2, the first JFET is operated in the "triode" or unsaturated region at a drain-source voltage of approximately two volts in order to maintain a reasonable drain current with the gate-source junction forward-biased. However, for the larger JFET's being considered in the present work, the zero-bias saturation drain current is so large (.about.100 milliamperes) and the shunt "on" resistance in the triode operating region so low (a few tens of ohms or less), as to render this approach impractical.
The forward-biased PN junction diode approach of Fazzi, et al, wherein the diode is integrated onto the same monolithic substrate along with the JFET and preamplifier, also utilizes a relatively small-area detector, first JFET, and junction diode. In either case, these solutions are not readily adaptable to a new type of non-inverting charge-integrating preamplifier currently under development.
A Non-Inverting Charge-Integrating Preamplifier
The search for an alternative concept is motivated by the need to develop a discharge method which is compatible with our implementation of a new type of non-inverting charge-integrating preamplifier which, in turn, is the subject of a currently-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/834,089, filed Apr. 14, 1997. The original, idealized concept presented in the aforementioned application is reproduced in FIG. 3:
The detector is once again modelled as a pulsed current source 11b in parallel with a capacitor 12b, but instead of being connected to the inverting input of a high-gain amplifier, the detector is now connected between the output and the input of a unity-gain, non-inverting amplifier 3b. The discharge resistor 5b and integrating capacitor 4b are connected between the input of the amplifier and ground, or circuit common 8.
For an equivalent set of values for the various parameters and components--the charge Q, detector capacitance C.sub.d, integrating capacitance C.sub.int, discharge resistance R.sub.d, etc. the performance of this implementation is exactly equivalent to that of FIG. 1, as suggested by the identical voltage waveforms.
Practical Embodiment of Non-Inverting Preamplifier
A practical embodiment of the, non-inverting charge-integrating preamplifier presented in App'n Ser. No. 08/834,089, filed Apr. 14, 1997, is reproduced in FIG. 4.
As a practical matter, the circuitry comprising the detector and preamplifier assembly is housed in an opaque, metallic enclosure 30 to provide shielding against unwanted ambient light and stray electromagnetic fields. A thin metallic membrane 34 keeps out unwanted light and electromagnetic fields, but allows X-ray photons, gamma-ray photons, or charged particles to impinge on the detector.
Cascode JFET's 61 and 62 comprise the input stage of a unity-gain, non-inverting preamplifier. Diode 59 is back-biased. In this embodiment, the anode of 59 is connected to the gate of JFET 61. Resistor 29 is connected between the cathode of 59 and the detector power supply bus 27. In addition to the bias connection, 29 also provides signal isolation, or decoupling. Resistor 29 has a resistance of 1 megohm or more. The cathode of 59 is also AC coupled to the source (output) terminal of JFET 61 through capacitor 67. For best gain and low-noise performance coupling capacitor 67 must have high capacitance to insure efficient signal-coupling: In this embodiment the capacitance of 67 should be a factor of 100 or more greater than the junction capacitance of 59.
JFET 60 plus resistor 64 function as a high-impedance (current source) load for JFET's 61-62. Capacitor 68, comprising the input capacitance of the amplifier, plus stray wiring capacitance, functions as the integrating capacitor, C.sub.int. The charge-signal, Q'" produces a voltage pulse whose amplitude is (Q'"/C.sub.int). This voltage pulse is applied to the gate of JFET 63, whose source is bypassed to ground by capacitor 66. JFET 63 consequently functions as a high-gain transconductance (voltage-to-current) amplifying stage. The resulting pulsed-current signal I.sub.sig from the drain terminal of 63 is then transmitted to a remote "signal-receiver" and post amplifier by means of a coaxial cable of arbitrary length.
The preamplifier circuit in FIG. 4 utilizes a high-ohm discharge resistor 65. The signal current and leakage current produced in diode 59, plus reverse-gate-leakage current from 61 are all discharged to "ground", or signal common, through resistors 65 and 64.
This circuit has been employed successfully in variety of radiation detector applications. However, its performance can be substantially improved by eliminating the high-ohm discharge resistor.
Objects and Advantages of the Invention
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to implement a steady reset or discharge function in a charge-integrating preamplifier, equivalent to that provided by a high-ohm resistor, but without requiring a physical high-ohm resistor.
A further object of the invention is to achieve low-noise performance in a charge-integrating preamplifier that is substantially equivalent to the low-noise performance employing a high-ohm discharge resistor, but without requiring a physical high-ohm resistor.
Another object of the invention is to implement a discharge element for a charge-integrating preamplifier used in conjunction with relatively large-area (and, in consequence, large-capacitance) diode detectors, and correspondingly large-area first-JFET preamplifier stages.
Another object of the invention is to implement a discharge element which is compatible with a new, non-inverting type of charge-integrating preamplifier which, in turn, is the subject of a currently-pending patent application.
Another object of the invention is to implement a discharge element for a charge-integrating preamplifier which can help mitigate the degradation in circuit performance which occurs at higher ambient temperatures, due to increased detector-diode and preamplifier-input JFET reverse-leakage currents.
Another object of the invention is to implement a discharge element for a charge-integrating preamplifier which is compatible with both discrete-component and monolithic integrated-circuit fabrication techniques.
Other features, advantages, and novel aspects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specifications and drawings illustrating the underlying concept and examples of practical embodiments.

Discharge element for charge-integrating preamplifier


A user key storage unit stores at least one user key corresponding to usage authorities of image data. A first encryption unit encrypts the image data using a first encryption key. A second encryption key creation unit creates a second encryption key assigned to each usage authority. A key-storage data creation unit creates a key-storage data for each usage authority by encrypting the first encryption key and authority information using the second encryption key. A user-supplementary data creation unit creates user-supplementary data for each user key. A device-supplementary data creation unit creates device-supplementary data for at least one usage authority and for at least one device key. A data output unit outputs encrypted image data with the key-storage data, the user-supplementary data and the device-supplementary data.

The present invention relates to an image data processing device such as an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) and an image data processing program capable of processing, for example, encrypted PDF (Portable Document Format) files.
A general image data processing device such as an MFP is configured to obtain image data by reading (scanning) a document, and to convert the image data into an encrypted PDF file. Such an encrypted PDF can be attached to an electronic mail, stored in an external storage device connected to the MFP via an USB port, or transferred to a server connected to the MFP via network.
For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-277736 discloses a system that creates an encrypted PDF file by encrypting scanned image data.
In the conventional system, when the MFP (i.e., the image data processing device) creates the encrypted PDF file, the MFP needs to have a public key of a requester (who requests to create the encrypted PDF file).
For example, when the MFP decrypts the PDF file having been encrypted using the public key, the MFP needs to obtain a secret key (corresponding to the public key) from another device via network. Therefore, if a communication error occurs between the MFP and the device having the secret key, security may not be ensured.
Therefore, it is demanded to enhance security in processing encrypted data (for example, an encrypted PDF file).

Image data processing device and image data processing program


Inherent reflectances and scattering coefficients of color materials to be used in producing a print are calculated, and target printing base solid predicted reflectances are calculated using the calculated inherent reflectances and scattering coefficients, and the spectral reflectance of a target printing base, according to the Kubelka-Munk theory. Colorimetric values are calculated from the target printing base solid predicted reflectances. Differences are determined between calculated target printing base solid predicted colorimetric values and standard printing base solid calorimetric values obtained from a color chart, whereupon target printing base halftone differential predicted calorimetric values are calculated from the determined differences. The target printing base halftone differential predicted colorimetric values and standard printing base halftone colorimetric values of the color chart are added, and a print predicting profile is generated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for predicting the print colors of a print produced by a printing press.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prints are produced by generating original film plates in various colors including cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), for example, producing PS plates (presensitized plates) from the original film plates by exposure and development, mounting the PS plates on a printing press such as a rotary press or the like, and adjusting various printing conditions, including printing pressure, dampening water, temperature, etc.
Therefore, complex steps are involved in producing prints. In order to produce a print in desired colors, it has been customary, prior to the production of the print, to generate a proof sheet using a simple output device such as a color printer or the like, and then to confirm the generated proof sheet and adjust the printing conditions.
Since the colors of prints differ depending on the physical properties of the printing bases (printing sheets) and color materials (printing inks) used to produce the prints, it is necessary to generate a proof sheet while taking into account the combinations of such printing bases and color materials.
According to the related art disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-121124, a certain number of color patches are printed on a target printing base and the color patches are calorimetrically measured, whereby a profile for generating a proof sheet for the prints to be printed using a reference printing base is corrected based on the colorimetric values.
The disclosed process requires a large expenditure of time and labor for correcting the profile, because a number of color patches are required to be printed on the target printing base and colorimetrically measured each time the target printing base and the color materials are changed.

Method and system for predicting print colors


Attrition mills and propeller shaft assemblies therefor are described having features for enhanced installation and maintenance. Some embodiments include propellers having enhanced material processing characteristics.

Attrition systems used in some aggregate processing operations generally induce particle-on-particle forces in order to reduce levels of contamination, staining, or turbidity and/or to enhance appearance as may be desired to meet product specifications. The term "attrition" is used in the art to describe, for example, friction or abrasion between particles and/or between particles and a foreign object, e.g., for liberation and/or removal of contaminants, or cleaning, of particles. For example, attrition mills (also known as attrition scrubbers) are sometimes used to remove contaminants such as clays and other undesired materials or staining from aggregate products such as sand (e.g., silica particles, industrial sands, glass sands, or proppants such as frac sand). Attrition processes may also result in rounding of sharp edges of particles to increase sphericity.

Aggregate attrition systems, methods, and apparatus


Removal and breakage of fuel piping during a vehicle front collision is prevented for an engine mounted longitudinally in an engine compartment. Embodiments include a side structure of the engine having an alternator in front of an intake manifold and fuel piping behind the intake manifold so as to extend in the vertical direction. The intake manifold includes a plurality of independent intake pipe portions each having one end portion connected to one side of the engine in a vehicle width direction, and a surge tank portion to which the other end portions of the independent intake pipe portions are connected. As seen from the rear side, a portion of the fuel piping closer to the surge tank portion is located closer to the one side of the engine in the vehicle width direction than the surge tank portion.

It is conventionally considered that a problem that occurs at the time of a collision of a vehicle is addressed by devising the structure of an intake manifold to be connected to an engine.
For example, Japanese Patent Document JP-A-2012-158994 discloses the front structure of an engine mounted transversely in an engine compartment so that the cylinder bank direction is aligned with the vehicle width direction, in which an intake manifold made of resin is fastened on the vehicle front side of the engine via the upper portion and the lower portion thereof, fuel distribution piping extending in the direction of the crankshaft line is disposed below the upper mount portion of the intake manifold, the intake manifold is separately formed by the side closer to the engine and the side farther from the engine and configured by a plurality of joined split bodies, the base split body closer to the engine is formed to have a strength higher than the base split body farther from the engine, an oil separator cover made of resin is provided on the vehicle front side of the engine, and the base split body and the oil separator cover are provided with retract restriction portions that make contact with each other when the base split body is displaced at the time of a collision.


The present invention provides methods and apparatus for interconnecting disparate communications systems. A call request that originates from a communications network is directed to a network interface. The network interface consequently redirects the call request to a communications entity, such as a radio or a cellular radio system that serves the user associated with the call request. The network interface may support address translation functionality for identifying the communications entity, control conversion functionality for generating control and signaling with the communications entity, transmission content conversion functionality for converting the transmission content during the call, and security functionality for encrypting and decrypting the transmission content. Also, the present invention enables non-networking communications entities to interact with applications that are being executed on another terminal through the network, enables network management systems to manage non-networking communications entities through a network, and enables non-networking communications entities to utilize networking routing services.

The explosive growth of telecommunications has been accompanied by the deployment of communications systems in accordance with different technologies. This fact is exemplified by wireless communications. There are numerous cellular radio standards, including advanced mobile phone service (AMPS), which is a North American standard utilizing analog technology, total access communications system (TACS), which is an analog standard used in the United Kingdom, global system for mobile communications (GSM), which is a time division multiple technology used in many parts of the world, and code division multiple access (CDMA), which is a spread spectrum technology. There are additional standards for the upcoming third generation (3G) generation of cellular radio, including cdma2000, which is an evolution of CDMA and universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS). In the future, new generations of cellular radio services will occur, and thus the variety of technologies will increase. Moreover, wireless communications also incorporates non-cellular radio communications including land mobile radio service (LMRS) and satellite services. One can quickly conclude that the number of different wireless technologies is numerous and is getting larger with the passage of time.
A user, nevertheless, expects to communicate with another user regardless of the technology that is serving the user. Substantial capital has been invested in existing communications systems, and consequently the usage of these systems will continue even though communications systems with new technologies are being introduced. With wireless technologies, a converter is typically deployed with a base station radio in order to reconcile technology differences between the base station radio and the user's wireless terminal. With LMRS operation, for example, dedicated cabling between radios or radio control consoles are typically required. Furthermore, the user expects connectivity between wireless communications systems and wireline communications systems such as the Internet and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). There is certainly a need to facilitate the interconnection of disparate communications systems regardless of the underlying technology that is serving the user.

Science Applications International Corporation


The invention relates to the increase (improvement) of the effectiveness of antiseptics and/or disinfectants administered in a mixture with hydrolytic or proteolytic enzymes to a mucous membrane, a skin of a mammal or inanimate surfaces in the form of a solution, gel, paste, capsules or other as an agent. The use of the mixture is also stated.

Antiseptics are substances intended for application to a living tissue of a mammal, which is an animal or human, to a mucous membrane in order to suppress the risk of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction.
Disinfectants are substances intended for application to non-living materials in order to destroy micro-organisms. Given the nature of the definition of antiseptics and disinfectants, some substances may simultaneously perform both antiseptic and disinfectant roles, according to their use. Depending on the concentration of the used substance with antiseptic or disinfectant activity, the given substances may have bacteriostatic or bactericidal effect. Substances with antiseptic or disinfectant activity may be prepared via chemical synthesis or isolated from plants, animals or their products (for example propolis or herbal products).
Antiseptics and disinfectants act using a non-specific mechanism against a wide spectrum of bacteria G+ and G−, fungi, viruses and yeasts.
Typical disinfectants and antiseptics include substances derived from quaternary ammonium salt (e.g., cetylpyridinium chloride), chlorhexidine and its salts (e.g., digluconate), phenolic compounds, sodium bicarbonate, terpenes, hypochlorite (calcium, sodium), peroxides, boric acid, and acetic acid. Widely used antiseptics include Povidone iodine, Benzalkonium, Aminotridecan, Benzydamine, Dichlorobenzyl alcohol/Amylmetacresol, hexetidine, and other substances with a proven disinfectant or antiseptic activity.
Natural antiseptics and disinfectants include for example extracts of Agrimonia eupatoria, Peppermint, Matricaria chamomilla, cloves, fennel, Salvia officinalis, Potentilla erecta; and other substances with a proven disinfectant or antiseptic activity.
One of the most typical antiseptics and disinfectants is chlorhexidine, a substance included in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, it has long been used for its excellent antibacterial activity. This may be, depending on the concentration, either bacteriostatic or bactericidal.
In gynaecology, chlorhexidine is used, due to its high effectiveness, to treat vaginal discharges and mixed infections (bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis), (Pokorny M., New EU Magazine of Medicien 1-2/2013). In obstetrics, it is used for the treatment of umbilical cord of newborn babies. In veterinary medicine, chlorhexidine is used as a disinfectant of the skin, wounds and instruments.
In dentistry, it is used primarily for its ability to inhibit plaque formation and to suppress inflammation of the gums (gingivitis, parodontosis) in the oral cavity. Moreover, chlorhexidine is in dentistry used as the "gold standard" in testing of other substances, which are expected to inhibit plaque formation or suppress inflammation of the gums (gingivitis, parodontosis) (Jones C. G., Chlorhexidine: is it still a gold standard? Perio2000; 1997:15:55-62). Chlorhexidine acts on the bacterial wall in a non-specific manner, when it even at low concentrations disrupts the osmotic balance of the cell wall and the cytoplasmic membrane through the formation of non-selective pores. Cytoplasmic fluids then escape through these pores and this leads to necrosis.
The chlorhexidine molecule consists of two symmetrical 4-chlorophenyl rings and two bisguanide groups connected by a central hexamethylene bridge. It is a strongly basic molecule. At pH higher than 3.5, it has two positive charges carried on both sides of the hexamethylene bridge (Albert A., Surgeant E. R.; In: ionization constants of acids and bases. London; 1962:Methuen, P.173).
Primarily, according to the art, chlorhexidine is used in the form of salt (hydrochloride, acetate or digluconate).
Chlorhexidine has a broad-spectrum of activity against micro-organisms. This includes gram negative and gram positive bacteria, viruses (including HIV and HBV), yeasts, fungi, dermatophytes. Chlorhexidine is used in the form of gels, mucoadhesive gels, mouthwashes, sprays, chewing gums, toothpastes and other. Furthermore, it is used in dressings intended for postoperative conditions in the oral cavity (Othman S., Hauge E., Germo P.; The effect of chlorhexidine supplementation in periodontal dressing. Acta Odont Scand 1989:47:361). In addition, chlorhexidine is used in locally administered agents with controlled release of the active substance at the site of affliction (e.g. Periochip) (Killoy W. J., The use of locally delivered Chlorhexidine in the treatment of periodentitis. Clinical results. J Clin Periodontol, 1998:25:953-958).
Clinical indications of chlorhexidine are stated by, for example (Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol. 2011; 1(2): 45-50; Chlorhexidine: The gold standard in chemical plaque control, http://www.scopemed.org/?mno=8252).
Chlorhexidine is widely used as an antiseptic for treatment of mucous membranes or soft tissues, both in humans and animals. For short-term use, for example in oral cavity, chlorhexidine is used as:
1) A supplement to a mechanical plaque removal when brushing teeth and during professional prophylaxis to maintain good oral hygiene;
2) After oral surgery, including periodontal surgery or the root treatment;
3) As an immediate prophylactic agent for the prevention of postextraction bacteremia;
4) An agent for recurrent mouth ulcers;
5) An agent for treatment of stomatitis caused by dentures and for treatment of dry sockets;
6) An agent during the treatment of oral infections and acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
It is known that chlorhexidine can significantly reduce oral bacteria and prevent oral infection.
Chlorhexidine is used in intermittent short or medium term for:
1) Oral hygiene of physically and mentally disabled;
2) Physically compromised patients predisposed to oral infection;
3) Patients with high risk of dental caries;
4) Patients with extensive prosthetic reconstruction of abutment teeth with reduced periodontal support;
5) Patients with a dental implant.
However, the main limitation of a long-term administration of chlorhexidine, for example in preventive dentistry, is its side effect of teeth surface discolouration, back of the tongue, temporary deterioration in taste perception, reversible swelling of the parotid gland, burning and the formation of painful lesions.
However, a long-term administration of chlorhexidine is commonly used:
1) In patients with reduced tolerance to bacterial infection because of serious health problems, or as a result of a medicamentous treatment, which would include patients who have, for example agranulocytosis, leukaemia, haemophilia, thrombocytopenia, renal disease, allergy, underwent bone marrow transplantation, AIDS and another;2) In patients who are treated with cytotoxic drugs, radiotherapy or immunosuppressants;3) In patients with intermaxillary anchorage;4) In patients who are mentally unwell;5) In patients with physical disabilities or impaired motor functions;6) In geriatric patients.
The main local adverse effect of chlorhexidine in dentistry is exogenous discolouration of teeth. As early as after a few days of use of chlorhexidine, dark yellow or brown spots appear on own or false teeth. Intensity of staining is mainly related to the used concentration of the chlorhexidine and the differences in the structure of the enamel in individual patients. Other side effects include c, buds for the perception of salty taste are affected most significantly (ref 25 of the same). Sometimes burning and the formation of painful lesions of the oral mucosa are reported which appears to be an idiosyncratic reaction and is dependent on the concentration used (ref 26 of the same). Supragingival calculus may form increasingly more. Chlorhexidine on its own has a bitter taste, which is very difficult to disguise. Irritation of the oral cavity with local allergy symptoms may also occur. During the placebo-controlled clinical trials in adult patients, the following adverse effects were reported with a frequency of less than 1%: Mouth ulcers, gingivitis, trauma, ulcerations, erythema, desquamation, a coated tongue and keratinisation.
Side effects of the use of chlorhexidine digluconate in relation to mucous membranes are mentioned by, for instance (J Am Dent Assoc. 2008 February; 139(2):178-83. Adverse events associated with chlorhexidine use: results from the Department of Veterans Affairs Dental Diabetes Study. McCoy L C, Wehler C J, Rich S E, Garcia R I, Miller D R, Jones J A.)
The following side effects are associated with chlorhexidine gluconate mucous membrane:
Common side effects of chlorhexidine gluconate mucous membrane:
Tooth discoloration;
Increase of tartar formation on the teeth;
Discoloration of the mouth;
Taste problems;
Rare but serious side effects of chlorhexidine gluconate mucous membrane:
Inflammation of the salivary glands;
Inflammation of skin caused by an allergy;
Life threatening allergic reaction;
Reaction due to an allergy;
Rare side effects of chlorhexidine gluconate mucous membrane:
Reduced sensation in the mouth;
Abnormal redness of the lining of the mouth;
Inflammation of the salivary gland;
Dry mouth;
Canker sore;
Mouth irritation;
Painful, red or swollen tongue;
Sore tongue.
From the art according to published international application WO 90/10434 (filed Mar. 15, 1990) it is known, that some of these chlorhexidine deficiencies can be addressed by adding physiologically acceptable copper salt. Among other things, however, the copper compounds are physiologically acceptable to the organism with relative difficulty.
Therefore, it is clear that there is a need to partially or entirely suppress the aforementioned existing disadvantages of antiseptics, such as chlorhexidine.
The aim of the invention is that at lower concentrations, of for example chlorhexidine, in the mixture, the above negative effects are suppressed or substantially eliminated, while its antiseptic and/or disinfectant properties are maintained.

Mixture to increase the effectiveness of antiseptics and/or disinfectants, an agent containing the mixture, and the use of this mixture


Recline assemblies for stroller seats are disclosed. In some examples, a recline assembly for a stroller seat includes a seat base, a seat back connector rotatably coupled to the seat base, and a napper bar connector rotatably coupled to the seat base. In some examples, the napper bar connector is releasable from a locked position in response to rotation of the seat back connector relative to the seat base. In some examples, the napper bar connector is rotatable relative to the seat base in response to being released from the locked position.

Conventional stroller seats commonly include one or more recline mechanism(s) that enable(s) a seat back (e.g., a backrest) of the stroller seat to be reclined relative to a seat base of the stroller seat. In some examples, the recline mechanism is configured to selectively lock the seat back in one of a plurality of available locking positions corresponding to different degrees of recline of the seat back relative to the seat base of the stroller seat.
Certain examples are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. In describing these examples, like or identical reference numbers are used to identify the same or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic for clarity and/or conciseness.


A method for manufacturing a lead frame comprises the steps of covering, with a cover film, a die to which an electronic device is attached and a conducting section of a lead section to be electrically connected to the die, covering the whole of the die and lead section and the cover film with an inorganic protective film, and removing the cover film and the protective film formed over the cover film to partly expose the die and the conducting section for electric connection.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a lead frame or substrate, and in particular, to a method for manufacturing a lead frame or substrate for an electronic device such as a DIP or Flat Pack Package wherein a semiconductor or the like is mounted on the lead frame or substrate or the like in the electronic device and sealed in a molding material.
The present invention also relates to a member such as a lead frame and to an electronic device which comprises a lead frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows the cross section of one part of a conventional electronic device. In FIG. 1, a lead frame 1 is made of a metal such as a copper, 42 ALLOY or the like, and comprises a die 1a for mounting a semiconductor chip 3, and a lead section, that is an inner lead 1b and an outer lead 1c. The semiconductor chip 3 is die-attached e.g. by printing gold onto the surface of the die 1a, so that a gold-silicon alloy is formed at 300.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., and the semiconductor chip 3 is mounted using the gold-silicon alloy as an adhesive 5. In place of the gold-silicon alloy, it is also possible to use an adhesive such as an organic resin of a polyamide type or of an epoxy type, or a silver paste containing an organic material, or the like. An excess 5a of the adhesive is squeezed out during the mounting operation as shown in the drawing. The semiconductor chip 3 and the inner lead 1b are wire-bonded using a gold wire 9, after which the entire package is sealed in a plastic molding 7 with the exception of the outer lead 1c which is to be exposed.
When an organic adhesive is used as the adhesive 5, the adhesive in the flowable state is hardened by a chemical or thermochemical reaction, so that the semiconductor chip is mounted to the die 1a. This method has the advantages that it is inexpensive and easily adaptable to mass production. However, on the other hand, the adhesive 5 and the excess adhesive 5a are gradually vaporized and moved as indicated by the arrow 5b when heated in the range of 100.degree. to 300.degree. C., and an adhering material 5c is formed on the surface of the semiconductor chip 3 and lead frame 1. In addition, natural oxide and a suboxide 15 are formed on the lead frame 1. The adhering material 5c and the suboxide 15 are extremely easy to strip from the surface of the lead frame and therefore end up damaging the adherence of the subsequently-applied molding and protective film to the lead frame 1.
At the rear surface of the lead frame 1, it is easy for moisture to permeate into the plastic molding 7 from outside and to be accumulated thereon. When the device is usually dipped into molten solder, due to heat distortion or sudden expansion of vaporizing water, stress is produced causing the molding to expand. For this reason, cracks 11 and voids 13 are produced at the boundary between the die 1a and the molding 7 in areas where the adherence is poor.
FIG. 9 shows the cross section of one part of another conventional electronic device. In FIG. 9, a lead frame 101, 105 and 102 (reference numeral 102 designates a die to which an IC chip 100 is attached) is made of a metal such as copper, 42 ALLOY or the like. The surface thereof is printed with a good conductor such as gold. The IC chip is die-attached, e.g., by printing gold onto the surface of the die 102, so that a gold-silicon alloy 104 is formed at 300.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., and the IC chip is mounted using the gold-silicon alloy as an adhesive. In place of the gold-silicon alloy, it is also possible to use an adhesive such as a silver paste, a glass insulating material or an organic substance heated to 100.degree. to 400.degree. C. In case of an organic silver paste, an electronic device such as an IC chip is fixed on the die 102 of a metal lead frame with a bond 104 of a silver paste comprising a polyamide or epoxy organic resin and a silver mixed therein. In this case, the electronic device can be fixed on the lead frame by providing a liquid bond 104 between the electronic device and the lead frame and subsequently solidifying the liquid bond 204 by chemical reaction or thermochemical reaction. However, by making a package 103 made of organic resin after the fixing step to enclose the electronic device and the lead frame, an adhering material 106 which easily peels off and a suboxide 107 are produced between the organic resin of the package and the copper or 42 ALLOY. For this reason, moisture permeates into the plastic molding package 103 through the adhering material and the suboxide and collects at the rear surface of the die 102 or the like under usual conditions as well as under severe conditions such as in water or in a high humid atmosphere. This moisture is rapidly vaporized to produce cracks 108 and 109 and a void 110 by soldering at 260.degree. C. for 3 to 10 seconds, for example.
Although a conventional method of fixing the electronic device with organic bond or organic silver paste bond is very suitable for mass production at a low cost, components vaporized from the organic bond are absorbed on the lead frame or the die in an atmosphere at room temperature to 300.degree. C., resulting in a poor adhesion between the lead frame and a molding resin or a protective film.
Further, so-called lead on chip (LOC) structure as shown in FIG. 9 has the advantage that high integration and large scaling of package chips are possible; however, there is the probability that the lead frame undesirably comes in contact with the surface of the chip since the lead frame 101 is located above the chip, that is, there is the probability that short circuit is formed by the contact. In order to prevent the contact, an insulating tape is usually inserted between the lead frame and the chip in the LOC structure. However, the use of such a tape complicates the production process. Further, there is the probability that the chip may suffer mechanical damage from contact between the chip and the insulating tape.

Electronic device and a manufacturing method for the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


An adjustable hand grip that can slide along the vertical supports of an orthopedic crutch is provided. The hand grip can be easily fixed to the supports at different vertical elevations to accommodate the user by providing a sleeve that surrounds and slides over each vertical support. Each sleeve has an aperture that can be aligned with the apertures in the vertical support. A bracket that extends between the vertical supports rigidly connects the sleeves. A locking member for locking the sleeve to a vertical support is provided and comprises a generally U-shaped clamp that surrounds a portion of the sleeve and a pin that can be inserted through aligned apertures in the sleeve and vertical support so that the hand grip is firmly fixed to the vertical support.

The present invention relates to an adjustable hand grip for an orthopedic crutch.
Many different orthopedic crutches have been designed and manufactured to assist injured and handicapped individuals. Since individual users vary in height, efforts have been made to design and construct orthopedic crutches which are adjustable to the height of the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,533 discloses a crutch having an adjustable hand grip with locking buttons biased outwardly by a spring to engage holes located in an adjustment mechanism.
For the most part such orthopedic crutches tend to require complex adjustment mechanisms and procedures to accomplish the hand grip adjustment. Moreover, in some cases, the hand grip when adjusted does not provide a feeling of security and stability for the user. Accordingly, while the hand grip should be adjustable it must also be stable.
The present invention provides an adjustable hand grip for an orthopedic crutch which is simple and easy to operate by the user without the need of assistance and which is stable and secure.

Adjustable hand grip for orthopedic crutch


Message synchronization in network processors includes passing data from a producer processor to an inter-processor ring structure, while setting a bit in a register and reading the register by a consumer processor, while clearing the register. Messages are passed by removing data from the ring with the amount of data removed from the ring corresponding to a number of bits set in the register.

This invention relates to message synchronization between multiple processors.
It is often necessary to synchronize messages passing between processors. Fast and successful synchronization of messages is vital for high performance systems such as network devices that include network processors. Network processors typically include multiple microengines, and often a core processor to manage the microengines. Often these microengines share work on a common task and are required to pass messages between the microengines.
Some network processors include a type of register that is known as a self-destruct register. A read from the register returns the current register state (all bits that were set following the last read operation to the register or after a reset) and atomically clears the register.