A reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus and method of making the same includes a substrate carrying a plurality of reaction surfaces, a plate and a gasket, each having a plurality of through bores, alignable with one of the reaction surfaces and forming a fluid tight well about each reaction surface when the gasket and the plate are sealingly affixed to the substrate to form a stack. Clamp members engage opposite side edges of a stack to compress the gasket. A plurality of side-by-side disposed clamped stacks of plates, gaskets and substrates are mounted in a tray in the standard footprint of a microtiter plate. Alternately, the plate and the gasket are combined into a single plate formed of a flexible material having an adhesive on one surface.

In situ diagnostic techniques have evolved into a high speed, highly automated process. Standard size test chambers in the form of microarrays of columns and rows of individual wells are formed by means of a microtitre plate or plates on a substrate to which the microtitre plate(s) is attached. The standard matrix of columns and rows is available in different sizes to suit different automated equipment. However, a common format is the use of microarrays on 1 mm thick, 25 mm×75 mm glass microscope slides.
The standard microtiter plate is approximately 86 mm×128 mm. Wells in microtitre plates are provided with standard spacing, such as a 9 mm spacing in a 96 well plate, which has the wells arranged in 12 columns and 8 rows. A 4.5 mm spacing between the centers of adjacent wells is used in a 384 well plate which has the wells arranged in 24 columns and 16 rows. A 2.25 mm spacing is used in a 1536 well plate, with the wells arranged in 48 columns and 32 rows.
It would be desirable to provide a simple and expedient means for creating a plurality of reaction surfaces on microscope slides in the footprint of a standard microtitre plate for use in automated in situ diagnostic apparatus. It would also be desirable to provide a reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus which provides an easy assembly of the individual apparatus components; yet an assembly which is easily disassembled. It would also be desirable to provide a reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus which includes means for securely retaining the apparatus components together during use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reaction surface array diagnostic apparatus


An electromagnetic relay includes: a pair of fixed contact terminals, each of which has a fixed contact; a movable contact spring having a pair of movable pieces and a coupler coupling the pair of movable pieces, each of the movable pieces having a movable contact that contacts and is separated from the fixed contact; an armature having a flat plate to be adsorbed to an iron core and a hanging portion bent from the flat plate and extending downward, and moves the movable contact spring by a rotation operation; and an electromagnetic device driving the armature, wherein the hanging portion has a projection to fix the movable contact spring on a face thereof facing the electromagnetic device and a pulling portion that extends downward more than the projection and pulls the movable contact spring when a current flows between the fixed contact and the movable contact.

It is known that an electromagnetic repulsion force may occur at a contact spot between a movable contact and a fixed contact of an electromagnetic relay because of a direction of a current flowing between the movable contact and the fixed contact. The electromagnetic repulsion force operates such that the movable contact gets away from the fixed contact. Therefore, there is known electromagnetic relays to generates a contact force of a movable contact and a fixed contact during energization of an overcurrent (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications No. 2013-41815, No. 2013-25906, No. 2012-256482, No. 2013-84425, No. 2012-199112, No. 2010-10056 and No. 2012-199133 and Japanese Laid-open utility model Publication No. 8-2906). And, there is known an electromagnetic relay that has a divided movable spring and an armature (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-100275).


The embodiments of the present invention disclose a backplane and backplane system. The backplane includes at least two service slots with the same function and an exchange slot. Among the pins of different service slots with the same function respectively connected to the exchange slot, at least two pins are arranged to resemble a stepped form. When arranged in this manner, the distribution and orientation of the connection lines connecting the pins of the service slots with the same function to the exchange slot may be adjusted, and wiring density within a single wiring layer may be increased, which therefore enables the connection lines between the service slots and the exchange slot to be staggered from each other in less wiring layers or even one wiring layer, and as a result, decreases the number of the wiring layers to be used, and reduces the costs of the backplane.

A backplane is an important component of a communication device. It provides an electrical connection and physical support for each single board, module, etc. A backplane is made up of plural layers of print circuit boards and connectors. It usually comprises a plurality of slots of different functions. Each single board is inserted into a slot for providing services.
The arrangement manner of the slot pins of a backplane interfacing with single boards is called backplane PINMAP. The pin arrangement manner directly affects the interface design of the single board and the backplane and decides the wiring scheme of the backplane.
The arrangements of pin positions of the service slots for achieving the same function in a backplane are usually consistent. These pin positions are deployed on the same wiring layer, and the connection lines between pins of each slot and corresponding pins of other slots should not intersect.
In studying and practicing the prior arts, the inventors of the present invention encounter the following problems:
Because the backplane area is limited, especially in areas where slot pins are relatively densely distributed, to prevent the connection lines between pins of each slot and other slots from intersecting with each other, it is necessary to use plural wiring layers to isolate each connection lines into different planar layers, which as a result increases the costs of the backplane.

Backplane and backplane communication system


The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkanes by heterogeneous acid-catalyzed reaction of aromatic hydroxy compounds with ketones in reactors connected in series, which in the direction of advancing conversion are operated with rising temperature and optionally with increasing loading.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkanes by heterogeneous acid-catalyzed reaction of aromatic hydroxy compounds with ketones in reactors connected in series, which are operated with rising temperature and optionally with increasing loading in the direction of advancing conversion.
It is known in a process for the manufacture of bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkanes from phenols and ketones to distribute the required amount of ketone to several reactors connected in series. U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,620 describes a process catalyzed with mineral acid in the homogeneous liquid phase; a heterogeneously catalyzed process with an acid ion exchanger in a fixed bed reactor follows from U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,555 (EP-A 342 758). Both documents show that by dividing up the amount of ketone the proportion of by-products is reduced, this proportion being less in the case of HCl catalysis than in the case of catalysis by ion exchangers. This is only demonstrated however, for an educt mixture of phenol and acetone. In a continuously operated production plant, however, the mother liquor obtained after separation of the bis(4-(hydroxyaryl)alkane from the reaction mixture is as a rule returned to the process. In the course of this, isomers and by-products can concentrate, which leads to disturbances in the process, e.g. worse crystallization of the bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkane and lower product quality.
It is therefore desirable to develop processes in which under the conditions of a continuously operated plant the lowest possible proportions of isomers and by-products are formed.
A process has now been discovered for the manufacture of bis(4-(hydroxyaryl)alkanes by heterogeneous acid-catalyzed reaction of aromatic hydroxy compounds with ketones in at least two fixed bed reactors connected in series which are operated with temperature rising in the direction of advancing conversion,. wherein the total amount of ketone is divided up over the individual reactors and is distributed homogeneously in the reaction mixture before the particular catalyst beds are entered.
Suitable aromatic hydroxy compounds for the process according to the invention are not substituted in the p position and contain no second-order substituents such as cyano, carboxy or nitro groups; there may be mentioned for example phenol, o- and m-cresol, 2,6-dimethylphenol, o-tert-butylphenol, 2-methyl-6-tert-butylphenol, o-cyclohexylphenol,o-phenylphenol,o-isopropylphenol,2-methyl-6-cyclopentylphenol, o- and m-chlorophenol and 2,3,6-trimethylphenol. Phenol, o- and m-cresol, 2,6-dimethylphenol, o-tert-butylphenol and o-phenylphenol are preferred; most preferred is phenol.
Suitable ketones contain at least one aliphatic group on the carbonyl function; there may be mentioned for example acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl propyl ketone, methyl isopropyl ketone, diethyl ketone, acetophenone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, methyl-, dimethyl- and trimethylcyclohexanone, which also can have geminal methyl groups, like 3,3-dimethyl-5-methylcyclohexanone (hydroisophorone). Acetone, acetophenone, cyclohexanone and its homologues bearing methyl groups are preferred; most preferred is acetone.
Preferred educts for the process according to the invention are particularly also the mother liquors remaining after separation of the bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkanes, which, after addition of the hydroxy compounds consumed and optionally removal of a certain proportion to avoid the enrichment of unwanted by-products, are returned to the process; in the case of the synthesis of bisphenol A such mother liquors contain about 78-88 wt. % phenol and 12-22 wt. % bisphenol A and by-products, which have the following composition:
The molar ratio of aromatic hydroxy compound to ketone is in general 5:1 to 25:1, preferably 7:1 to 20:1, most preferably 8:1 to 18:1, relative to the overall reaction.
The educt mixture used can contain small amounts of water, preferably less than 1, most preferably less than 0.6 and especially less than 0.3 wt. %.
The ion exchanger resins used as catalysts and the mercapto compounds used as cocatalysts are well known to the person skilled in the art (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,468,982; 2,623,908; 2,775,620; DE-OS 3 619 450; 3 727 641).
In continuous operation, before each reaction cycle the amount of aromatic hydroxy compound consumed in the preceding cycle is readded to the reaction mixture. The amount of ketone required for the adjustment to the required molar ratio of hydroxy compound and ketone is divided up over the n reactors of the production plant, approximately the nth part of the total amount of ketone being added to the reaction mixture before each reactor. The deviation from this value for the individual reactors can be absolutely xc2x115%, preferably xc2x110% and most preferably xc2x15 %.
The number of reactors is at least 2 and for economic reasons is as a rule not more than 8, preferably not more than 6, most preferably not more than 4.
The loading, defined as the amount (in kg) of educt mixture per liter catalyst in the operating condition (swollen) and per hour, is about 0.1 to 2.0 per reactor, preferably 0.15 to 1.7, most preferably 0.19 to 1.5 kg/lxc2x7h. The loading should as a rule be so chosen that the conversion of acetone after the last reactor is at least 75%, better xe2x89xa783%, preferably xe2x89xa790% and most preferably xe2x89xa795%.
It is not necessary to operate all reactors with the same loading. Rather, it is advantageous for a further increase in selectivity to raise the loading of the reactors from reactor to reactor in the direction of increasing conversion. For example in a plant with three reactors, the first reactor can be operated with 0.3, the second reactor with 0.6 and the third reactor with 0.8 kg/lxc2x7h.
For an effective reduction of the amount of by-product it is very important that before a particular catalyst bed is entered the ketone is distributed completely homogeneously in the reaction mixture, which can be achieved by the use of nozzles, static mixers, stirred tanks, centrifugal pumps or other mixing apparatuses familiar to the person skilled in the art.
The reactors connected in series are operated with temperatures rising in the direction of advancing conversion. Between start and end of the reactor cascade a rising temperature profile is set in the temperature range of 40 to 100xc2x0 C., preferably 45 to 90xc2x0 C., most preferably 50 to 85xc2x0 C. The temperature differences from one reactor to the next are as a general rule the smaller the more reactors have to be passed through. It is also possible to operate two successive reactors with the same temperature.
Since no intermixing occurs in fixed bed reactors and dissipation of the heat of reaction from the reaction mixture is difficult, such reactors are as a rule operated adiabatically, which leads to the heating of the reaction mixture. It is therefore usually expedient to cool the reaction mixture between the individual reactors, care having to be taken that the crystallizing-out of bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkane, which would lead to a blockage of the tubing, is avoided.

Process for the manufacture of bis(4-hydroxyaryl)alkanes


A clean wipe device for cleaning an optical surface, like the cover glass on a charge coupled device (CCD) imager surface, and the method to make the same, comprises an elongated support, an absorbent swab attached to an end of the elongated support, and a cleaning element. The cleaning element is secured to the end of the support so as to cover the swab and to present an elongated side as a broad cleaning surface. In addition, the elongated side extends between two acute angle end sections of the cleaning element, thus presenting two corner cleaning surfaces to the optical surface.

Optical surfaces, like optically coated glass on charge coupled device (CCD) imager surfaces which are located inside the body of a camera, require periodic cleaning. These surfaces are often placed in areas which are difficult to reach. In particular, the human finger with a piece of cloth attached is sometimes unable to reach these critical optical surfaces. Typical cleaning devices are unable to adequately reach all portions of the optical surfaces requiring cleaning and provide thorough cleaning of them.
It is well known to use a knit fabric swab as a cleaning device for cleaning optical surfaces. These cleaning devices are made by attaching the knit fabric swab atop an elongated support. These types of swabs are shown in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,239,723 entitled Gelatinous Elastomer Swabs, U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,821 entitled Low Contamination Swab Employing Tubular Knit Fabric, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,955 entitled Applicator Swab and Method of Making the Same. It is also known to have an applicator mounted atop an elongated support for applying substances, e.g. polishes to an object. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 2,346,782 entitled Methods of Manufacturing Applicators or Daubers. It would be useful to have a cleaning device which is able to clean difficult to reach surfaces and to clean the surfaces thoroughly.


A fluid recovery tool for forming an opening in a pipe, tube, or other fluid-carrying conduit includes a pair of pliers having two handle portions pivotally attached and moveable with respect to each other. Each handle portion of the pliers terminates in a jaw portion, and the jaw portions are located in opposed moveable relation to one another. A piercing valve assembly is removably mounted to the pair of pliers for penetrating the pipe. The piercing valve assembly includes a pair of housing members pivotally attached to each other. One of the pair of housing members receives one of the jaw portions and is removably mounted thereto, while the other of the pair of housing members receives the other of the jaw portions and is removably mounted thereto. The piercing valve assembly further includes a piercing element mounted in the upper housing member for piercing the pipe, and a conduit for fluidly connecting the piercing element with a remote storage container or vessel. The lower housing member is designed to receive and locate the pipe such that the handle portions of the pliers can be manually manipulated together to bring the housing members together and force the piercing member through the wall of the pipe.

In an era of increased awareness for the environment, emphasis has been directed toward recovering and/or reusing materials which can be harmful to the environment. For example, some appliances, such as refrigerators, are manufactured using chlorofluorocarbons (e.g., freon) in the refrigeration coils as a means for cooling food products. However, when the useful life of the refrigerator has passed and the refrigerator -must be disposed, the freon must be recovered from the refrigerator to prevent harm to the environment. It is believed that freon can have a detrimental affect on the environment when it seeps into the ground, as well as when it evaporates and reacts with oxygen molecules in the ozone layer.
Certain tools have been developed to recover fluids flowing through a closed pressure system, such as in the refrigeration coils of a refrigerator. One such tool is shown and described in Tura, U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,419. Tura discloses a pair of locking pliers of the Vise-Grip.TM. type having modified jaws which can be clamped around a fluid-carrying pipe. The pipe is located and supported in one V-shaped jaw of the pliers, while a needle-like assembly soldered to the other jaw pierces the pipe when the pliers are squeezed. The fluid is then extracted through a hollow needle and directed to a remote storage vessel or container.
A similar tool is shown and described in Hamel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,724. Hamel discloses a pair of blocks which are integrally attached to the jaws of a pair of locking pliers. A pipe or tube is located between semi-circular recessed sections formed in the two blocks and the locking pliers are brought together to clamp and hold the pipe. A handle is then manually manipulated to force a pointed element through the wall of the pipe and thereby pierce the pipe. Fluid can then be introduced into or withdrawn from the pipe using external conduits.
Although the above-described tools provide a certain amount of benefit in being able to puncture a pipe or tube and withdraw the contents therefrom, these tools require the servicer to purchase an additional tool for his or her collection of tools, which thereby increases the servicer's cost of doing business.
Moreover, the above tools appear to modify an existing pair of locking pliers, e.g., "Vise Grips.TM.", such as by interrupting the commercial manufacturing process of the pliers, removing the pliers from the assembly line, and modifying the jaws of the pliers; or by fixedly securing (e.g., soldering) additional structure onto the finished pliers. In any case, the tool is limited in flexibility in being able to be used for other purposes, such as in general use as a pair of locking pliers. This can also increase the servicer's over-all cost of doing business.


This invention is directed to a novel quick action crimping tool. More particularly, this invention pertains to a novel high leverage tool which can be used to crimp metal rings onto piping joints. A quick-action crimping tool comprising: (a) a first jaw means with a portion of a crimp opening in a side thereof adjacent a second jaw means; (b) a second jaw means with a portion of a crimp opening in a side thereof adjacent the first jaw means; (c) a jaw constraint arm means, the first jaw means being rigidly connected to the jaw constraint arm means, the second jaw being pivotally connected to the jaw constraint arm means; and (d) a leverage arm means pivotally connected to the jaw constraint arm means and during pivotal movement relative to the jaw constraint arm means reciprocally moves the second jaw means between an open position and a closed position relative to the first jaw means.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,624, Haughian, is directed to a novel pipe ring crimping tool which is adapted for crimping a ring over plastic plumbing pipe onto a fitting. The crimping tool comprises a first jaw component constructed to have a concave semi-cylindrical opening on one side, and at a first end, an elongated protrusion adapted for receiving an arm, and at the second end, part of a hinge member; a second jaw component constructed to have a concave semi-cylindrical opening on one side, and at a first end, an elongated protrusion adapted for receiving an arm, and at the second end, part of a hinge member; a connecting link member adapted to connect together in a pivotal manner the second end of the first component removed from the protrusion and the second end of the second component removed from the protrusion; an elongated bar adapted to removably fit over the protrusion of the first component; and a second elongated bar adapted to removably fit over the end of the protrusion of the second component.
Said crimping tool requires four separate actions in order to crimp a ring onto a pipe joint. The tool is first placed over the ring, the ring is then crimped tight, the tool is then opened, and finally the tool is removed. Sometimes, it is awkward in confined conditions for the user to efficiently place the tool over the pipe and to apply enough compressive force to the handles to crimp the ring properly. In such conditions, a greater mechanical leverage would be helpful.


An intake control system for an internal combustion engine is capable of ensuring a differential pressure across an EGR valve, and controlling an EGR amount with high accuracy. A target fresh air amount is set based on a demanded torque calculated according to operating conditions of the engine. A differential pressure across an EGR valve is set as a target differential pressure. When it is determined that the across-valve differential pressure is not in a state in which the target differential pressure can be ensured, an opening degree of the EGR valve is controlled to limit an EGR amount. An opening degree of a throttle valve is controlled based on the target fresh air amount, so as to ensure the target differential pressure.

A conventional intake control system for an internal combustion engine of this type is disclosed in PTL 1. This internal combustion engine is e.g. a diesel engine, including an intake throttle valve that is disposed in an intake passage, an EGR passage that is connected to an exhaust passage and a portion of the intake passage downstream of the intake throttle valve, for recirculating part of exhaust gases discharged into the exhaust passage, and an EGR valve that is disposed in the vicinity of an outlet of the EGR passage to the intake passage, for adjusting the EGR amount.
Further, in this intake control system, a differential pressure across the EGR valve is calculated, and if the calculated across-valve differential pressure is not more than a predetermined value, the intake throttle valve is throttled to thereby increase the across-valve differential pressure. As a consequence, the differential pressure across the EGR valve is ensured, and a degree of change in EGR amount with respect to an opening degree of the EGR valve is made moderate to thereby perform control of the EGR amount by the EGR valve with high accuracy.

Intake control system for internal combustion engine


An optical unit includes an optical element serving as a light guide path, which includes an incident entrance, an emitter, a light coupler which is arranged in the case where a plurality of incident entrances are arranged, and which couples a primary light, and a light separator which is arranged in the case where a plurality of emitters are arranged, and which separates the primary light to each of the emitters. The optical unit further includes a detector which directly or indirectly detects a leakage light leaking outside of the light guide path from the light guide path.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an optical unit and an endoscope system.
2. Description of Related Art
For example, in an optical connector disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2005-49820, a coupler is arranged between a light source and an endoscope head portion. The coupler and the light source are connected each other by a first fiber, and the coupler and the endoscope head portion are connected each other by a second fiber. In such configuration, in order to detect the amount of light that transmits through the coupler, a third fiber connected to the coupler and a monitor connected to the third fiber to detect light intensity are further arranged.


The invention is related to an electrical powered tail rotor (1) of a helicopter comprising a housing (2) around the tail rotor (1), and at least one permanent magnet energized synchronous motor with a stator (6, 7) with an increased number of poles (9). Said at least one synchronous motor is integrated as a torus (8) around an opening of the housing (2) encompassing the tail rotor (1). Blades (4) of the tail rotor (1) are fixed to at least one rotating component (10, 11) of said at least one synchronous motor. Supply means provide for electric energy to said at least one synchronous motor. Blade pitch control means are provided at the torus (8).

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention is related to an electrical powered tail rotor of a helicopter with the features of the preamble of claim 1.
(2) Description of Related Art
The power consumed by a tail rotor of state of the art helicopters is supplied from a central energy generator via a main gear box, a plurality of intermediate gears and a tail rotor shaft. By removing the main gear box and the rigid mechanical coupling between energy generator and tail rotor more design flexibility for the helicopter may be attained. One of the keys to realise an electrical powered tail rotor of a helicopter is a suitable electrical motor.
The document US 2004051401 A1 discloses an electric motor for rotating an object around a central axis. The electric motor includes a motor casing. A circular segmented rail element is disposed within the motor casing about the central axis. The circular segmented rail element includes metallic non-ferrous segments interleaved with non-metallic segments. Each of the metallic non-ferrous segments has a predetermined segment length. At least one coil element is connected to the motor casing. The circular segmented rail element is disposed adjacent the at least one coil element. The at least one coil element has a predetermined coil length that is less than or equal to the predetermined segment length. The at least one-coil element is configured to apply electromagnetic energy to the circular segmented rail element, such that the circular segmented rail element rotates around the central axis.
The document WO 0184063 A2 discloses a stator assembly for a brushless DC ring motor for a cooling fan piloted on the stator assembly. A ring supports a plurality of fan blades for sweeping an area inside the shroud. A rotor assembly for the brushless DC ring motor is attached to the ring of the cooling fan. The rotor assembly confronts the stator assembly around an outer diameter of the stator assembly. The cooling system is controlled by an electronic controller to rotate the cooling fan to provide appropriate cooling for the vehicle.
A hybrid helicopter drive has been proposed in the document "The Hybrid Helicopter Drive, . . . " by Peter Jänker et al. at Europ. Rotorcraft Forum, September 2010" with an integration of an electrical motor for a Fenestron tail rotor. The electrical motor is realised by so called disc shaped electrical "Trans-Flux-Motors" with increased pole numbers. The electrical "Trans-Flux-Motor" for the Fenestron tail rotor is conceived as a torus around the Fenestron opening, the blade tips of the tail rotor being fixed to its rotating component. An electrical "Trans-Flux-Motor" is presented in document DE 10 2007 013 732 A1.
The document DE 102007013732 A1 discloses a direct drive with a stator and one or multiple support rings 3 that are made of plastic. The support rings supports the permanent magnets that are arranged in two or more concentric rings. The annular or sector shaped stator logs, made of plastic, are arranged in axial direction adjacent to the concentric rings of the support rings in such a way that a magnetic flux is allowed in radial direction between adjacent concentric rings.
The document "The Hybrid Helicopter Drive, . . . " by Peter Jänker et al. at Europ. Rotorcraft Forum, September 2010" further discloses such electrical "Trans-Flux-Motors" with two disks for the main rotor.
The document WO 2005/100154 A1 discloses a rotor for mounting on a helicopter drive shaft, comprising a hub for location on the shaft and a plurality of blades mounted to and extending out from the hub, wherein a pitch angle ([phi]) of at least one of the blades is controllable with respect to each other blade by an electrical stepper motor mechanism arranged at the hub. Also disclosed is a method for determining a pitch angle ([phi]) of the blades of the rotor, a computer program arranged to, when loaded onto a computing system, utilise an algorithm for determining blade pitch angle ([phi]) values for the blades, an alternator for providing power to motors that control the pitch of the blades and a control method for implementation by a computer in controlling the pitch of the blades in real time.
The document US 2009/140095 A1 discloses a rotary-wing aircraft with an electric motor mounted along an axis of rotation to drive a rotor system about the axis of rotation.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,811 A discloses a helicopter engine turning a tail rotor while it is turning the main rotor. Tail rotors, while essential components, take power from the engine, introduce a drag force, add weight, and increase rotor noise. Since the engine is as close as possible to the main rotor, the complexity, number of parts, weight and efficiency of the remote tail rotor have gone unchanged. Those parts and hence their added weights have been eliminated. A self-driving tail rotor for a helicopter is provided.
The document WO 2009/129309 A2 discloses a wind generator in which superconducting ring generators are utilized without the need for a load bearing drive shaft and other mechanical components allowing for the use of variable geometry blades, a decrease in the overall weight, and an increase in the overall efficiency of the wind generator system.
The document US 2006/049304 A1 discloses a hover aircraft with an air impeller engine having an air channel duct and a rotor with outer ends of its blades fixed to an annular impeller disk that is driven by magnetic induction elements arrayed in the air channel duct. The air-impeller engine is arranged vertically in the aircraft frame to provide vertical thrust for vertical takeoff and landing. Preferably, the air-impeller engine employs dual, coaxial, contra-rotating rotors for increased thrust and gyroscopic stability. An air vane assembly directs a portion of the air thrust output at a desired angle to provide a horizontal thrust component for flight maneuvering or translation movement. The aircraft can employ a single engine in an annular fuselage, two engines on a longitudinal fuselage chassis, three engines in a triangular arrangement for forward flight stability, or other multiple engine arrangements in a symmetric, balanced configuration. Other flight control mechanisms may be employed, including side winglets, an overhead wing, and/or air rudders or flaps. An integrated flight control system can be used to operate the various flight control mechanisms. Electric power is supplied to the magnetic induction drives by high-capacity lightweight batteries or fuel cells. The hover aircraft is especially well suited for applications requiring VTOL deployment, hover operation for quiet surveillance, maneuvering in close air spaces, and long duration flights for continuous surveillance of ground targets and important facilities requiring constant monitoring.

Electrical powered tail rotor of a helicopter


A cosmetic fluid dispenser, comprising in combination a generally tubular body, a generally tubular body extension forming a cosmetic fluid container, a longitudinally elongated wand received endwise into the container, the wand having a fluid applicator at one end of the wand to contact the fluid, and means responsive to manual relative rotation of the body and extension to progressively bodily displace the wand endwise to a removal position in which a portion of the wand projects from the body, for grasping and pull-out of the wand from the body, whereby the removed wand may be used to cosmetically dispense fluid from the applicator, following which the wand is returned to the body, and endwise retraction into the body and body extension.

This invention relates generally to dispensing of cosmetic fluid, and more particularly to controlled and metered dispensing of such fluid.
There is need for means to control and thereby conserve cosmetic fluid use and dispensing, via a wand and also to enable controlled metering dispensing by means of apparatus that is easily usable and storable in readily dispensing mode, for simple, reliable instant use of the dispensing wand.

Cosmetic fluid dispenser with container controlled wand positioning


An apparatus, method, and program accesses a USB memory in accordance with a request from a PC on a network using a USB host interface, a USB device interface, a network interface, a network manager which inputs, via the network interface, a file access command which requests access to a memory card connected to the USB host interface, a memory manager which inputs the file access command generated inside an apparatus, a file access controller which performs exclusive access control between the file access commands input by the network and memory managers, a SCSI analyzer which converts the file access command selected by the file access controller into a SCSI command, and a memory card access controller which performs exclusive access control between the SCSI command generated by the conversion, and a SCSI command input via the USB device interface and requests access to the memory card.

An MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) having a plurality of image processing functions, such as a printer and scanner, is conventionally known. One type of MFP can connect to a PC or an external memory by using USB, and can perform reading and writing to the memory (to be referred to as a USB memory hereinafter) connected by USB from an operation unit of the MFP or from the PC (USB-PC) connected by USB. This makes it possible to, e.g., store an image read by a scanner into the USB memory, store data received from the USB-PC into the USB memory, print an image stored in the USB memory by the MFP, and read out data from the USB memory and transfer the readout data to the PC. An MFP having a network I/F is also known, and this MFP can be operated as a network printer and a network scanner (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-114769).
In the conventional MFP, however, the USB-PC alone can access the USB memory, and no PC on the network can access the USB memory.

Image processing apparatus and control method of the same


A manufacturing process of a high-strength aluminum alloy wire/strip includes the following steps: A. subjecting an alloy to smelting and spray forming to obtain a high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy blank; B. subjecting the blank to semi-solid upset forging to form an ingot; C. subjecting the ingot to hot extrusion and then to vacuum annealing to form a coiled material; D. subjecting the coiled material to hot continuous rolling to obtain a wire blank; and E. subjecting the wire blank to solution heat treatment, multiple stretching treatments, annealing, and multiple continuous stretching treatments to obtain the high-strength aluminum alloy wire/strip. The high-strength aluminum alloy wire/strip has the characteristics of fine and compact grains, uniform structure, clear grain boundaries, no precipitates, and no layered structure affecting the stretching performance.

High-strength aluminum alloys are widely used in aerospace, oil drilling, automobiles, electronics, ships, nuclear power, and other fields. At present, aluminum alloys used in structural materials of civil aircraft around the world are 70% to 80% by weight, most of which are high-strength aluminum alloys. With the rapid development of the modern aerospace industry, high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloys have broad application prospects. The high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloys can be machined into components of different shapes for different application fields, and thus the research on processing and shaping technology for aluminum alloys is valuable in practical applications.
The high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy has a high specific strength, but faces large difficulties in processing and shaping (especially in welding) due to the poor plastic toughness and weldability. Specifically, the disadvantages are as follows. (1) It is difficult to produce high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy wires (strips) that can be used for welding and additive manufacturing. Stretching is the main plastic deformation method for obtaining a metal wire. High-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloys have difficulty in plastic deformation and are prone to cracks (causing fragmentation) during extrusion and stretching processes due to high Zn content and high brittleness. A high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy blank with fine grains, uniform structure, clear grain boundaries, and without precipitate can be obtained by spray forming, which improves the plasticity and toughness. However, using the spray forming method fails to get a compact blank, such that a layered structure is easily formed, which affects the performance. (2) High-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloys have poor weldability, such that it is hard to form welding seams and it is obviously prone to hot cracking. Especially, since there is no corresponding available high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy welding wire, in a welding process of high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy, the 5-series aluminum alloy wire or aluminum alloy wires of other series having different structures and mechanical properties from a base metal are typically used for welding, and obtained welding seams have poor mechanical properties, which limits the application of high-strength aluminum alloys, especially ultra-high-strength aluminum alloys. Further, the above defects greatly limit the processing and application of high-strength Al—Zn—Mg—Cu aluminum alloy components. (3) In the field of metal additive manufacturing, fused filament additive manufacturing is an effective way to improve the quality and production efficiency of high-strength aluminum alloy components. However, such materials and additive manufacturing of components are restricted due to the lack of corresponding aluminum alloy wires at present.

Manufacturing process of high-strength aluminum alloy wire/strip


In general, those who are right in front of each other can share actual world events that are generated in the same working space. For example, when an audio or a light of a wave form pattern is generated, by recognizing such an actual world event, both communication apparatuses share the actual world event. Also, a shock wave generated when one communication apparatus is hit with the other is shared by both. One of the communication partners searches a network for a communication partner who is right in front with the actual world event as a clue. Thus, it is possible to perform data communications with a communication partner whose location in the actual world is clear, such as being right in front, but whose identification information in the communication medium is unknown.

In modern times, where information processing technology and information communications technology are highly developed, information devices such as personal computers and mobile information terminals are ubiquitous in the actual world such as offices and households. In such an environment, the realization of "ubiquitous computing" where desired information can be obtained anytime and anywhere by inter-connecting devices is anticipated.
The concept of ubiquitous computing is that the available computer environment is the same wherever people move to. In other words, since it is "anytime and anywhere," the ultimate ubiquitous computing does not necessarily require information terminals such as computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones and the like, necessarily.
However, when one tries to specify a computer or peripheral device which is to be a data transmission destination (in other words, a target) in a network, or when one tries to obtain information related to an object in the actual world, even if it is a partner that is right in front, there is a need to know the name thereof (or resource identification information, such as an ID, network address, host name, URL (Uniform Resource Locator), that is unique to the device). In other words, with respect to user operations, computers are only coordinated indirectly, and are lacking in intuitiveness.

Data communication system, data communication apparatus, and data communication method for generating or detecting an event


An improved reservoir is provided for use in a medication infusion device for operating the reservoir to administer a fluid to a patient. The reservoir comprises a hollow barrel adapted to receive a supply of fluid for delivery through infusion tubing or the like to the patient, in combination with a reservoir plunger. The reservoir plunger is designed to engage a motor-driven lead screw of the medication infusion device. The reservoir plunger has an integral split nut connector formed on the end of the plunger, which is in co-axial alignment with the lead screw whereby the split nut connector can be engaged directly to the lead screw.

Infusion devices and systems are relatively well known in the medical arts, for use in delivering or dispensing a prescribed medication such as insulin to a patient. In one form, such devices comprise a relatively compact housing adapted to receive and support a reservoir carrying the prescribed medication for administration to the patient through infusion tubing and an associated catheter or the like. The infusion device includes a small drive motor connected via a lead screw assembly for motor-driven advancement of a reservoir piston plunger to deliver the medication to the patient. A programmable controller can be provided for operating the drive motor continuously or at periodic intervals to obtain a closely controlled and accurate delivery of medication over an extended period of time. Such infusion devices are utilized to administer insulin and other medications, with exemplary device constructions being shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,562,751; 4,678,408; 4,685,903; 5,080,653; 5,097,122; and 5,505,709, which are incorporated by reference herein.
Infusion devices of the general type described above have provided significant advantages and benefits with respect to accurate delivery of medication or other fluids over an extended period of time. The infusion device can be designed to be extremely compact as well as water resistant, and may thus be adapted to be carried by the user, for example, by means of a belt clip or the like. As a result, important medication can be delivered to the user with precision and in an automated manner, without significant restriction on the user's mobility or life-style.
These devices often incorporate a drive system that uses a lead screw coupled to motors. The motors can be of the DC, stepper or solenoid varieties. These drive systems provide an axial displacement of the reservoir or reservoir piston to dispense the medication to the user. Powered drive systems are advantageous since they can be electronically controlled to deliver a predetermined amount of medication.
FIG. 1 shows a lead screw arrangement that is known in the art. Located in a housing 107, a motor 101 drives a lead screw 102 that has threads, which are engaged with a drive nut 103. Thus, the rotational force of the lead screw 102 is transferred to the drive nut 103 that causes it to move in an axial direction d. Because the drive nut 103 is fixably attached to a reservoir piston 104, it likewise will be forced in an axial direction d′, parallel to direction d, thus dispensing the fluid from the reservoir 105 into the infusion set 106.
FIG. 2 shows a different lead screw arrangement that is also known in the art. In this arrangement, a motor 201 (or a motor with an attached gear box) has a drive shaft 201a that drives a set of gears 202. The torque is then transferred from the gears 202 to a lead screw 203. The threads of the lead screw 203 are engaged with threads [not shown] in a plunger slide 204. Thus, the torque of the lead screw 203 is transferred to the slide 204 which causes it to move in an axial direction d′, parallel to the drive shaft 201a of the motor 201. The slide 204 is in contact with a reservoir piston 205 which likewise will be forced to travel in the axial direction d′ thus dispensing fluid from the reservoir 206 into the infusion set 207. The assembly can be contained in a housing 208.
In the operation of these infusion device systems, the reservoir piston will be fully advanced when virtually all of the fluid in the reservoir has been dispensed. In certain infusion device mechanism (e.g. DC motor and/or stepper motor configurations), the axial displacement of a piston engagement with the motor lead screw (e.g. a nut) is also typically fully displaced when the reservoir is near empty. In these devices, to insert a new reservoir that is full of fluid, it is necessary to reverse the direction of the lead screw until the piston engagement returns back to the starting position. Thus, the drive system must be able to be reversed in direction. On the other hand, in solenoid based drive systems, the piston engagement must be reset manually when placing in a new full reservoir. Both types of reset methods are problematic. For example, in motor rewind configurations, the motor must be capable of being reversed requiring additional switches and more complex circuitry. In addition, home positioning "sensing" is required to shut off motor at home position, extra battery energy is consumed, such configurations do not accommodate a partially filled reservoir, etc. Similarly, manual reset configurations also have inherent problems. Typically, manual reset configurations require a more complex housing to accommodate an access to the lead screw/nut area (e.g. a hatch or a slot paralleling the lead screw). In addition, the disengageable nut is both difficult and costly to design and manufacture, the disengagement function must be safeguarded from any inadvertent actuation, additional wear issues must be considered, manual dexterity limits exist, etc.

Lead screw driven reservoir with integral plunger nut and method of using the same


A phase difference between a first periodic signal, and a sample signal corresponding to a second periodic signal and having a predetermined signal resolution M is calculated in a phase comparing method. The sample signal is obtained by sampling the second periodic signal at a sampling frequency fs for one signal cycle of the second periodic signal when a frequency of the second periodic signal is not greater than an allowable sampling signal frequency fab equal to fs/M or by conducting at least one of sampling the second periodic signal at fs for more than one signal cycle of the second periodic signal, and generating interpolated values for the sample signal after sampling the second periodic signal at fs in accordance with whether or not M/N yields a remainder and whether or not N is a prime number when the frequency of the second periodic signal is greater than and is N times fab.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to phase comparing method and apparatus, more particularly to phase comparing method and apparatus in which a sampled periodic signal has a predetermined resolution.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phase comparison between two periodic signals is commonly applied to a phase-locked loop, and a servo loop in an optical recording apparatus, such as CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM. At present, a digital signal processor (hereinafter referred to as DSP) is used to conduct phase comparison between two periodic signals. An allowable sampling signal frequency for a DSP depends on a sampling frequency of the DSP and a signal resolution, i.e., the allowable sampling signal frequency=the DSP sampling frequency/the signal resolution. For example, if the sampling frequency is 1 kHz, the allowable sampling signal frequency is 100 Hz when a sample signal obtained by sampling the periodic signal has 10 sampling points. Therefore, when the DSP sampling frequency is fixed, the higher the frequency of the periodic signal frequency, the lower will be the signal resolution of the sample signal, which can result in error during phase comparison.

Phase comparing method and apparatus in which a sampled periodic signal has a predetermined resolution


Intraocular lenses or contact lenses 20 are placed on a lower spindle 34 and held there by a vacuum in conduit 34. Noble and reactive gases 56, 58 are introduced and a voltage is applied across upper spindle 32 and lower spindle 34 to plasma treat one surface of the lens. The lens is transferred to the other spindle and the process is repeated.

Contact lenses and intraocular lenses made from silicone-containing materials have been investigated for a number of years. Such materials can generally be subdivided into two major classes, namely hydrogels and non-hydrogels. Non-hydrogels do not absorb appreciable amounts of water, whereas hydrogels can absorb and retain water in an equilibrium state. Regardless of their water content, both non-hydrogel and hydrogel silicone medical devices tend to have relatively hydrophobic, non-wettable surfaces that have a high affinity for lipids. This problem is of particular concern with contact lenses.
Those skilled in the art have long recognized the need for modifying the surface of such silicone contact lenses so that they are compatible with the eye. It is known that increased hydrophilicity of the contact lens surface improves the wettability of the contact lenses. This in turn is associated with improved wear comfort of contact lenses. Additionally, the surface of the lens can affect the lens's susceptibility to deposition, particularly the deposition of proteins and lipids from the tear fluid during lens wear. Accumulated deposition can cause eye discomfort or even inflammation. In the case of extended wear lenses (i.e. lenses used without daily removal of the lens before sleep), the surface is especially important, since extended wear lens must be designed for high standards of comfort and biocompatibility over an extended period of time.
Silicone lenses have been subjected to plasma surface treatment to improve their surface properties, e.g., surfaces have been rendered more hydrophilic, deposit resistant, scratch-resistant, or otherwise modified. Examples of previously disclosed plasma surface treatments include subjecting contact lens surfaces to plasma comprising an inert gas or oxygen (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,055,378; 4,122,942; and 4,214,014); various hydrocarbon monomers (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,949); and combinations of oxidizing agents and hydrocarbons such as water and ethanol (see, for example, WO 95/04609 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,844). U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,575 to Peyman et al. discloses a process for providing a barrier coating on a silicone or polyurethane lens by subjecting the lens to an electrical glow discharge (plasma) process conducted by first subjecting the lens to a hydrocarbon atmosphere followed by subjecting the lens to oxygen during flow discharge, thereby increasing the hydrophilicity of the lens surface.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,168,112, 4,321,261 and 4,436,730, all issued to Ellis et al., disclose methods for treating a charged contact lens surface with an oppositely charged ionic polymer to form a polyelectrolyte complex on the lens surface that improves wettability. U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,175 to Katz discloses a method of wetting a contact lens that comprises inserting a water-soluble solid polymer into the cul-de-sac of the eye. The disclosed polymers include cellulose derivatives, acrylates and natural products such as gelatin, pectins and starch derivatives. U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,848 to Yang et al. discloses a method of incorporating hydrophilic constituents into silicone polymer materials for use in contact and intra-ocular lenses. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,700,559 and 5,807,636, both to Sheu et al., discloses hydrophilic articles (for example, contact lenses) comprising a substrate, an ionic polymeric layer on the substrate and a disordered polyelectrolyte coating ionically bonded to the polymeric layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,583 to Bowers et al. discloses biocompatible polymeric surface coatings. The polymeric surface coatings disclosed include coatings synthesized from monomers bearing a center of positive charge, including cationic and zwitterionic monomers. European Patent Application EP 0 963 761 A1 discloses biomedical devices with coating that are said to be stable, hydrophilic and antimicrobial, and which are formed using a coupling agent to bond a carboxyl-containing hydrophilic coating to the surface by ester or amide linkages.
Plasma treating operations are performed in large, batch process reactors. In one prior art method, contact lenses requiring surface treatment are dry-released from the anterior mold and edged polished, if necessary. The lenses are placed manually by a worker concave-side up into a transfer tray. The transfer tray contains a plurality of cylindrical cavities with flat bottoms and is typically made from white polystyrene having a matte finish. The lens diameter is typically smaller than the diameter of the cavity so that the lens is easily placed and retrieved from the tray. The lenses are taken to a different workstation for surface treatment. At the surface treatment station (e.g. using commercial Metroline Plasma Deposition Model Number 7100 Series Chamber), lenses are inverted onto a surface treatment tray such as the removable shelf supplied with the Metroline Plasma Chamber. The Metroline shelf has a plurality of small, spaced perforations located at predetermined intervals, each of the perforations having diameters substantially smaller than any one of the lenses. Each lens is placed on the shelf, concave-side down. The lenses are plasma reacted and inverted, e.g. using a manual method or using a semi-automated device such as an air knife as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,515 (Moorehead, assigned to Bausch & Lomb Incorporated). Unfortunately, it has been found that when lenses are initially inverted from the transfer tray onto the Metroline shelf, placement of the lenses is random with the individual lens not necessarily over a perforation as intended. If an individual lens is not situated over a perforation, the lens will not invert. Instead, a worker must use tweezers to turn the lens over. The other side of the lens is then subjected to a plasma reaction. The surface treatment requires two cycles of plasma reaction. The lenses are then picked up by a worker using tweezers and transferred for other processing such as extraction. The worker is integral to this whole process, especially in making sure all the lenses invert over the air knife and transferring the surface treated lenses for extraction.
Others have shown apparatus for individually handling lens. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,969,793 and 6,502,879 show apparatus for removing individual lenses from molds and for transferring the lenses to other process apparatus. It is also known that a lens may have its edge polished while the lens is supported on a spindle and the edge polishing tool is moved in relation to the spindle. See U.S. Pat. App. Pub. 2002/0115389 published Aug. 22, 2002.
Thus, it is desired to provide a plasma process for treating the surfaces of silicone hydrogel contact lens with an optically clear, hydrophilic surface film that will not only exhibit improved wettability, but which will generally allow the use of a silicone hydrogel contact lens in the human eye for extended period of time. There is also an unmet need for a more efficient process that plasma treats lenses one at a time in sequence with the edge polishing step. In the case of a silicone hydrogel lens for extended wear, it would be desirable to provide a contact lens with a surface that is also highly permeable to oxygen and water. Such a surface treated lens would be comfortable to wear in actual use and would allow for the extended wear of the lens without irritation or other adverse effects to the cornea. It would be desirable to manufacture such a surface treated lens without the need for an oxidation step such as plasma treatment or corona discharge treatment.

Plasma treatment of contact lens and IOL


A new illuminatable bag for enabling a user to locate items disposed within the bag. The inventive device includes a bag portion having a hollow interior. The bag portion has a battery chamber formed therein. A pair of lights are secured within the hollow interior of bag portion. The pair of lights have wiring extending downwardly therefrom to couple with connectors of the battery chamber. Batteries are removably positioned within the battery chamber. The batteries communicate with the connectors of the battery chamber for powering the pair of lights.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to purse lights and more particularly pertains to a new illuminatable bag for enabling a user to locate items disposed within the bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of purse lights is known in the prior art. More specifically, purse lights heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art purse lights include U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,926 to Myers; U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,605 to Rivera; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 361,855 to Jones et al.; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 339,229 to Lopez; U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,111 to Teal; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,611 to Lyle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new illuminatable bag. The inventive device includes a bag portion having a hollow interior. The bag portion has a battery chamber formed therein. A pair of lights are secured within the hollow interior of bag portion. The pair of lights have wiring extending downwardly therefrom to couple with connectors of the battery chamber. Batteries are removably positioned within the battery chamber. The batteries communicate with the connectors of the battery chamber for powering the pair of lights.
In these respects, the illuminatable bag according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of enabling a user to locate items disposed within the bag.


Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) protein plays a crucial role in the bacterial cell division machinery and is a validated drug target for antibacterial agents. The present invention relates to FtsZ-interacting compounds that possess a 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrimidine scaffold. Some of these compounds possess potent anti-staphylococcal properties and potent antibacterial activities against clinically isolated MRSA strains. Compounds have been identified to exhibit low spontaneous frequency of resistance, low toxicity as well as the ability to rescue G. mellonella larvae infected with lethal dose of the MRSA ATCC 43300 strain. Characterization by saturation transfer difference NMR, light scattering assay and GTPase hydrolysis assay with purified S. aureus FtsZ protein verified the interaction of 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrimidine with the FtsZ protein, further confirmed by observations of iconic filamentous cell phenotype and mislocalization of the Z-ring formation. Taken together, these pyrimidine derivatives have the potential as effective treatment of staphylococcal infections.

The inexorable rise in the incidence of serious bacterial infections caused by multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria in healthcare and community associated settings has become a pressing threat of public health worldwide.1 Of particular concern is the rise in incidence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. MRSA is a human pathogen that can cause a wide range of illnesses, from mild skin and wound infections to pneumonia and bloodstream infections that cause sepsis and death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of United State estimates that over eighty thousand severe MRSA infections occur annually, resulting in eleven thousand deaths.2 This scenario has driven the search for novel classes of anti-staphylococcal agents which act on novel bacterial drug targets.
The bacterial cell division machinery has been considered as an important field for exploring potential novel drug targets of antibacterial agents.3 The filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) protein undoubtedly represents one of the well-characterized and exploitable antibacterial drug targets.4 FtsZ is a cytoplasmic protein and highly conserved tubulin-like guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase), playing an important role in bacterial cell division. In order for bacteria to carry out cell division, FtsZ monomers are required to localize mid-cell through the precise positioning of cell division site positioning protein and self-polymerize into single stranded straight protofilaments by means of head-to-tail association that curve upon hydrolysis of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) molecules.5 Consecutive lateral contacts between FtsZ protofilaments produce FtsZ bundles, which eventually lead to formation of a contractile ring called Z-ring at the mid-cell. Following subsequent involvement of other downstream cell division proteins, Z-ring contraction and depolymerisation completes the cell division process to furnish identical daughter cells. Small molecules interfering initial stage of FtsZ polymerization are capable of blocking bacterial cell division, causing abrogation of bacterial cell viability eventually. These types of compounds have great potential to be developed as efficacious antimicrobial agents with a novel mode of action for clinical application. Several high resolution X-ray crystal structures of FtsZ homologs have been reported.6 These results contributed to the knowledge regarding the general organization of FtsZ protein structure, which is known to comprise two independent folding domains (FIG. 1). The N-terminal domain forms a nucleotide binding site (GTP binding site, upper red circle of FIG. 1), while the C-terminal domain contains a flexible loop (T7 loop). Both domains were interconnected via a long central helix 7 (H7) of high rigidity.
Many FtsZ-interacting compounds have been discovered and reported to bind either the GTP binding site or a cleft formed by the H7 helix, T7 loop and C-terminal β sheet (FIG. 1, lower circle). Some exhibit potent antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at micromolar range. PC190723 (FIG. 2)7 and its pro-drugs 1a8 and 1b9, and benzamide 210 have been demonstrated to exhibit in vitro and in vivo efficacy in a murine infection model. Moreover, X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that PC190723 binds to a narrow cleft formed by the H7 helix, T7 loop and C-terminal β sheet (FIG. 1, lower circle).11 However, analysis of PC190723 drug resistant mutants across various MRSA strains revealed that all PC190723 drug resistant isolates had multiple mutations, resulting in amino acid substitutions that mapped to the FtsZ protein.12 These mutations mainly occurred at amino acid positions 193, 196 and 263 (FIG. 1), which accounted for over 90% of PC190723 drug resistant mutants. These results suggested that amino acid substitutions can alter slightly the overall shape of the binding pocket without interfering normal function of FtsZ. Nevertheless, this change resulted in PC190723 no longer binding to this pocket, therefore causing drug resistance. Such findings may hinder the potential of PC190723 and other related compounds13 from being developed into agents that exhibit the potential to target the same binding pocket for further clinical development. On the other hand, several compounds targeting the GTP binding site of FtsZ have also been demonstrated to exhibit potent antibacterial activity, including natural product chrysophaentin A 3,14 C8-substituted GTP analog 415, berberine analog 516 and naphthol derivative 617 (FIG. 2). Surprisingly, among these inhibitors, no drug resistant mutants have been reported in the literature so far presumably due to the fact that the GTP binding site is very important for recognizing the GTP molecule. Amino acid substitutions at this binding pocket may cause improper recognition of GTP molecule and thus hinder normal GTP hydrolysis process; therefore losing energy source to drive polymerization of FtsZ monomers.
Chan et al. identified a new class of FtsZ inhibitors exemplified by structure 7 bearing a 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrimidine and a chiral aminoquinuclidine moiety (FIG. 2).18 Molecular docking study of compound 7 and the GTP molecule using S. aureus FtsZ revealed that the 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyrimidine moiety of 7 occupied exactly the same binding pocket as the guanosine moiety of GTP molecule through an extensive network of hydrogen bonds with FtsZ protein, suggesting that the pyrimidine moiety is crucial for binding.18 This class of compounds has been demonstrated to inhibit GTPase hydrolysis activity of S. aureus FtsZ at low micromolar IC50 value with moderate antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli. Interestingly, compound 7a also exhibited strong synergistic effect against various MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) strains when combined with clinically used β-lactam antibiotics.19 However, structural complexity of the chiral quinuclidine scaffold and limited availability of compound have prevented further development. Accordingly, specially designed small molecules able to mimic and compete with GTP molecules to bind the GTP binding site of FtsZ may have greater potential to be developed as antimicrobial agents without acquiring drug resistance.

Pyrimidines for treatment of bacterial infections

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING/MCGILL UNIVERSITY


A fail-safe signal transmitting apparatus including a power supply which does not let a transmission output signal generate an error that would allow a dangerous situation to arise even when a multiple failure has occurred in circuits constituting the signal transmitting apparatus. In particular, the present invention includes a source failure monitoring function and in order to monitor the power supply, a fail-safe window comparator and a fail-safe ON delay circuit are employed. An output signal constituted of the logical product of source monitoring signal and a signal to be transmitted and a carrier signal is used as a transmission signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fail-safe signal transmitting apparatus and a constant voltage power supply. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fail-safe signal transmitting apparatus which ensures that no error is generated in the output transmission signal which would allow a dangerous situation to arise, even when a multiple failure has occurred in circuits that include the power supply and that constitute a signal transmitting apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background
In areas such as railway technology, press control, aircraft control technology and nuclear power technology which require a high degree of safety, a completely fail-safe signal transmitting apparatus, which operates in support of its safety function without error in the case of a circuit failure is absolutely necessary. Fail-safe signal processing technology is disclosed in publications such as, U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,880, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,114, U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,138, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 23006/1989 and Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 2948/1993. By adopting the technology disclosed in these publications of prior art, signal transmission can be fail-safe under limited conditions. However, these publications of prior art do not disclose a means for securing fail-safe transmission in case of a circuit failure in the signal transmitting apparatus accompanied by a failure in a constant voltage power supply that delivers power to the signal transmitting apparatus.
Normally, a commercially available constant voltage power supply is provided with an excess current detector and a protection circuit that shuts down the output current if an excess current should be supplied to the load. Such a constant voltage power supply is provided with a constant voltage circuit which may be a so-called series regulator. However, in a constant voltage power supply provided with an excess current protection circuit, there is no provision for a failure mode that will disable the function for cutting off excess current when there is a failure in the excess current detection circuit. A fail-safe source monitoring apparatus, which cuts off the output current from the constant voltage power supply or the output from the processing apparatus that uses the output of the source voltage when a failure occurs in the excess current protecting apparatus, does not exist in the prior art. In addition, a fail-safe source monitoring apparatus that cuts off the output if there is a failure in the constant voltage power supply does not exist in the prior art.
This means that even when the signal transmitting apparatus itself has a fail-safe circuit structure, the fail-safe aspect of the entire signal transmitting apparatus including the power supply is lost in case of a circuit failure in the power supply.

Fail-safe signal transmitting apparatus producing a logical product of an input signal and a carrier signal


A bridge coupling on a hydrodynamic converter comprises a piston deflectable in the axial direction and connectable via at least one friction lining to the converter housing. A cavity is provided in the friction lining for the passage of hydraulic fluid from the converter's hydraulic fluid circuit. The cavity, in a transition area to the friction surface of the friction lining includes a stamped region to create an edge-free transition.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bridge coupling for a hydrodynamic torque converter which provides a friction coupling between the impeller and the turbine of the hydrodynamic torque converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Germian reference DE 44 32 624 A1 discloses a prior art bridge coupling on a hydrodynamic torque converter which comprises an axially deflectable piston and is connectable via friction linings to the converter housing. At least one cavity is provided on the friction lining for the passage of hydraulic fluid from the converter hydraulic circuit.
Cavities of this type may be produced in the friction lining by the removal of friction material from the locations where cavities are planned. The friction material may be removed by a mechanical, thermal or chemical process to the desired depth, even to a depth that corresponds to the thickness of the friction lining. A template which leaves only those locations where cavities are desired uncovered is placed on the friction surface of a friction lining for this removal purpose. The uncovered locations are then subjected to the mechanical, physical or chemical process to remove material. In this type of material removal to create cavities, material remnants are left in the transition area of the cavities. When the piston is disengaged and the friction lining is thus separated from the converter housing, the material remnants may still frictionally contact a friction surface, such as the connector housing, and thereby produce an undesired drag, moment. This reduces the efficiency of the converter in an undesired manner. Moreover, frictional heat is created.
Cavities of this type may also be produced by pure stamping in the friction lining. Although this method creates no material remnants that result in unwanted drag moment, the depth of the cavities is limited to a fraction of the friction lining thickness. The cavities can therefore allow only a low volume flow of coriveiter fluid, which limits the desired cooling effect.

Bridge coupling for a hydrodynamic torque converter having a friction lining with cavities


The invention relates to a cover cap (10) for an airbag module (12), especially for a driver airbag module, comprising a front panel (14) including an outer face (16) as well as an opposed inner face (18) which in the assembled state of the airbag module (12) faces a folded airbag (20), and an emblem (22) which is arranged and fastened at the inside of the front panel (14), wherein in the area of the emblem (22) the front panel (14) has an emblem opening (24) through which the emblem (22) is visible from the outer face (16) of the front panel (14), wherein the front panel (14) includes a tear line (26) along which the cover cap (10) tears upon activation of the assembled airbag module (12), and wherein the tear line (26) opens into the emblem opening (24) at an edge point (28) of the emblem opening (24). Furthermore, the invention also includes an airbag module (12) comprising said cover cap (10).

The invention relates to a cover cap for an airbag module, especially for a driver airbag module, as well as to an airbag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising said cover cap.
Driver airbag modules usually are accommodated in the hub area of a vehicle steering wheel and, as a rule, comprise a module cover facing the occupant including an emblem fastened to the module cover. An emblem in this context is understood to be a logo of the car manufacturer, a lettering and/or any other decorating element, for example, which is attached to the cover cap of the airbag module.
From prior art numerous emblems are known which are attached to an outer face of the cover cap facing the occupant and are fixed there tightly and reliably so that they will not come off a front panel of the cover cap upon activation of the airbag module.
In order to achieve a defined reproducible deployment behavior of the airbag upon activation of the airbag module, the front panel of the cover cap usually has a so-called tear line, i.e. a weakened zone at which the front panel tears in a controlled manner when pressure is applied. This tear line defines front panel portions which can be pivoted like flaps and which enable the airbag to exit and deploy in the direction of the occupant. Usually, the tear line is guided around the emblem so that the emblem remains safely fastened to one of the flap-type front panel portions.
Apart from safeguarding reduced resistance to deployment as well as defined deployment behavior of the airbag, the tear line also has to be sufficiently robust so that it will not inadvertently tear, for example, upon actuation of the horn during normal driving operation. Moreover, the tear line of the cover cap is intended not to be visible for the occupant.

Covering cap for an airbag module and airbag module having such a covering cap


A display device includes a display panel and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) connected to the display panel. The FPC includes a first region and a second region, the second region having greater flexibility than the first region.

Field
The present disclosure relates to a display device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a flexible printed circuit (FPC) electrically connected to a display panel.
Description of the Related Technology
In a display device, various integrated circuits are electrically connected to a display panel to drive it. The display panel displays an image.
The integrated circuits can be electrically connected to the display panel through a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The integrated circuits may be mounted on the FPC and connected to the display panel.
For a large display device, an FPC having a size corresponding to the display panel of the large display device is provided. In this case, a combination state of the FPC and the display panel may affect reliability of the display device.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A method of controlling a permanent magnet synchronous machine including a stator and a rotor. The method includes determining an estimated position of the rotor, and determining a second in-phase voltage setpoint that, in alternation, is equal either to a first in-phase voltage setpoint or else to the first in-phase voltage setpoint plus a predetermined periodic signal. The determining an estimated position of the rotor includes determining a coupling term, determining a speed of rotation of the rotor as a function of the coupling term, and determining the estimated position of the rotor by integrating the speed of rotation of the rotor.

The present invention relates to controlling a permanent magnet synchronous machine.
In order to control a permanent magnet synchronous machine, it is known that it is necessary at all times to know the position of its rotor. Conventionally, position sensors are used to measure the position and to calculate the speed of the machine. The main drawback of using such sensors (and the processor cards that accompany them) is a reduction in the reliability of the system, where reliability is paramount in the field of aviation. Other drawbacks of that solution are the increases in the weight, in the volume, and in the total cost of the system.
A large amount of research work has therefore been performed in order to do without such a position sensor, and thus to estimate mechanical variables solely on the basis of measuring stator currents.
Several methods have already been proposed and validated for controlling a synchronous machine at medium and high speeds without using a position sensor. Those methods are based on estimating the no-load electromagnetic force (EMF) vector on the basis of imposed voltages, of measuring currents, and of equations describing the machine. Since EMF is directly proportional to speed, speed can also be estimated, as can position, which is then obtained merely by integrating the speed. Nevertheless, since the EMF is zero when the machine is stopped and since it is buried in measurement noise at low speeds, it is no longer observable in such operating ranges. Methods based on estimating EMF are therefore not suitable for applications in which position control is required.
In order to estimate position at low speeds and when stopped, the only remaining solution is to use variations in the values of stator inductances as a function of the position of the rotor. Several methods have already been proposed that make use of the variations in inductances:                In a first type of method, the principle is to switch off control even ten or twenty periods of pulse width modulation (PWM) and to inject a high frequency signal (at a frequency higher than the passband of the current regulators). The ratio of the injected voltage over the measured variation of current makes it possible to estimate inductance, and since inductance depends on position, it is also possible to estimate position. An example is described in the document by J. Kiel, A. Bünte, S. Beineke, "Sensorless torque control of permanent magnet synchronous machines over the whole operation range", EPEPEMC, TP-053, Dubrovnik & Cavat, September 2002.        In a second type of method, the error in the position estimate is itself estimated in an initial stage. This error is regulated towards zero with the help of a corrector. The output from the corrector provides an estimate of speed, and by integration it is possible to obtain the estimated position of the rotor. In order to calculate the error of the estimate, a measure of the current immediately after injecting the high frequency (HF) signal is compared with the current that would theoretically be obtained if no HF signal had been injected.
The methods of the first above-mentioned type have the following drawbacks:                The estimated position is calculated directly, so it therefore suffers from discontinuities each time it is calculated. Since the voltage references are calculated on the basis of the position of the rotor, the references will also be subjected to discontinuities, which gives rise to jolts of torque that can be harmful.        The need to stop control in order to make an estimate. Every ten or twenty periods of the PWM (depending on desired accuracy), one such period is devoted solely to injecting a high frequency signal for estimation purposes.        Under such circumstances, it is necessary to oversample the stator current when making the estimate.
The methods of the second above-mentioned type suffer from the following drawbacks:                In those methods, a measured current is compared with a current that ought to be obtained theoretically. In order to be able to do that, it is necessary to have an accurate model of the motor if the methods are to converge properly. They therefore become dependent on uncertainties concerning the parameters of the machine, and also on variations in those parameters.        Furthermore, those methods apply only to smooth rotor machines.
There therefore exists a need to improve the control of a synchronous machine at low and zero speeds.

Control of a permanent-magnet electric machine


An optical device capable of concentrating and spectrum splitting electromagnetic radiation for solar energy conversion systems. Two interfaces of the optical device, designed by ray tracing methods, focus the electromagnetic radiation by refraction and chromatic dispersion, such that focal areas of different wavelengths, relative to one another, are not parallel to electromagnetic radiation incident upon the optical device. Energy conversion devices, such as solar photovoltaic cells, may be placed at or near the focal areas to efficiently convert radiation of different wavelengths to other forms of energy. Interfaces may be flat or curved and may be composed of multiple discontinuous surfaces on one or both interfaces in one or two axes. Interfaces composed of multiple discontinuities may be designed such that there is no shading of electromagnetic radiation of selected wavelengths. The optical device may be composed of one material or multiple materials with different Abbe numbers.

There are conventional designs that use an optical device to concentrate electromagnetic radiation onto an electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device. However, these devices are limited from widespread use by their conversion efficiency and cost.
Some conventional designs concentrate electromagnetic radiation onto a single electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device, such as a solar cell. Such designs are limited by the conversion efficiency of the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device. The electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device may be efficient in converting electromagnetic radiation to energy of another form over some portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, the overall efficiency of the system may be limited by the fact that a single electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device may be unable to achieve a high conversion efficiency from electromagnetic radiation to another form of energy over the entire electromagnetic spectrum or large portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Other conventional designs use multiple electromagnetic energy conversion devices in tandem or in layers, such as multi junction cells. Such designs improve the overall conversion efficiency of the system by using multiple electromagnetic energy conversion devices to efficiently convert multiple portions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum into other forms of energy. However, the efficiency of such systems may be limited by the fact that there are reflective losses introduced by each electromagnetic radiation device, interface, or layer that is added. These reflective losses reduce the amount of electromagnetic radiation reaching some of the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices or layers. These reflective losses also reduce the overall conversion efficiency from electromagnetic radiation to another form of energy.
Some conventional designs use an optical device or optical devices to concentrate and disperse electromagnetic radiation onto multiple electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices that are not in tandem or layers, but are placed next to one another in order to improve efficiency. Such designs use multiple electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices to convert multiple portions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum into other forms of energy. Such designs also reduce some of the reflective losses that plague designs, which use multiple electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices in tandem or in layers, since the electromagnetic radiation, after concentration and dispersion, reaches each electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device without passing through other devices, layers, or interfaces. However, these designs may be limited by the design of the concentrating and dispersing optical device or devices. The design of the optical device or devices in the conventional systems may use multiple optical devices to disperse and concentrate electromagnetic radiation onto electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices. Reflection and absorption losses may be increased by using multiple optical devices, reducing the overall efficiency of the system, for such designs.
The design of the optics according to some conventional designs may use a single optical device to concentrate and disperse electromagnetic radiation onto electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices. Such conventional optical device designs, such as Fresnel lenses, focus each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation onto the optical axis of the optical device, as shown in FIG. 1A. In such conventional optical device designs the optical axis of the optical device is parallel to the electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon the optical device. FIG. 1A illustrates ray tracing of a conventional system, including the focal points 122, 124, and 126 of three wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation 116, 118, and 120 that are dispersed and concentrated. The optical axis of a conventional optical device is represented by a vertical line 140 in FIG. 1A. The ray trace of the three wavelengths 116, 118, and 120 of electromagnetic radiation shown in FIG. 1A shows that the focal points 122, 124, and 126 for the three wavelengths 116, 118, and 120 of electromagnetic radiation fall along the optical axis 140 of the optical device, which is parallel to the electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon the conventional optical device. The focal points 122, 124, and 126 of three different wavelengths, 116, 118, and 120 of electromagnetic radiation, relative to one another, are parallel to the electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon the conventional optical device. The positioning of the focal points 122, 124, and 126 for the three wavelengths 116, 118, and 120 along the optical axis 140 of the optical device may limit the conversion efficiency of the system. If electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices are positioned at or near the focal points 122, 124, and 126 of the three wavelengths 116, 118, and 120 along the optical axis 140, the off-normal incident angle of the electromagnetic radiation on the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices may be large. A large off-normal incident angle of electromagnetic radiation on the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices may result in large reflection losses at the surface of the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices. If the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices are angled away from the optical axis to reduce the reflection losses caused by the large off-normal incident angle of the electromagnetic radiation on the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices, the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices are no longer positioned at or near the focal point for each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. If the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices are not at or near the focal point of each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, a blurring effect of the dispersed wavelengths will occur. If the dispersed wavelengths suffer from a blurring effect or decreased spectral separation, the overall efficiency of the system may decrease because all of the electromagnetic radiation of a given wavelength will not reach the electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device that is most efficient in converting that wavelength of electromagnetic radiation to another form of energy.
Conventional designs that use an optical device to concentrate electromagnetic radiation onto electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices may suffer from limited efficiency due to the use of a single electromagnetic radiation energy conversion device, multiple electromagnetic radiation energy conversion devices positioned in tandem, multiple optical devices, or an optical device, which concentrates and disperses electromagnetic radiation such that the focal point for each wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is positioned along the optical axis of the optical device.
Conventional designs that use multiple discontinuous surfaces to reduce the thickness and the amount of material needed to produce an optical device may experience shading losses due to electromagnetic radiation being reflected and absorbed by draft surfaces, which connect the multiple discontinuous surfaces, and the corner sections where the draft surfaces meet the discontinuous surfaces. These losses may reduce the performance of the optical device and are especially significant for conventional designs that concentrate electromagnetic radiation in two axes.
Conventional designs that use a negative draft angle to reduce the absorption and reflection of electromagnetic radiation at the draft surfaces of an optical device with multiple discontinuous surfaces may face financial and design limitations. Producing negative draft angles for the draft surfaces of an optical device with multiple discontinuous surfaces may require the use of multiple mold pieces, which may add to the cost of the optical device. Conventional designs may have negative draft angles for the draft surfaces of an optical device with multiple discontinuous surfaces without using multiple mold pieces. It may be difficult to produce these negative draft angles without using multiple mold pieces, using injection molding techniques, with a curvature that is symmetric about the optical axis, which may be desirable. Machining negative draft angles for the draft surfaces of an optical device with multiple discontinuous surfaces may be expensive.
Producing negative draft angles for the draft surfaces of an optical device with multiple discontinuous surfaces without the expense of using multiple mold pieces may limit the curvature of the optical device that has multiple discontinuous surfaces. Limiting the curvature of the optical device may limit the size and concentration that can be achieved by the optical device, which may have a negative financial and performance impact.

Concentrating and spectrum splitting optical device for solar energy applications


The present invention relates to an electronic mechanical protector system for vehicle door latches during crash conditions, vehicle door equipped with such a system, and methods for operating the system.

Safety features have assumed an ever greater aspect of automotive vehicle manufacture. Governmental regulations and consumer preferences have directed all manufacturers of automobile vehicles to design safety feature to promote greater vehicle occupant safety in the event of a crash event. Active and passive safety systems, blindspot detection systems, and adaptive cruise control are all very important safety features that are designed to promote greater vehicle occupant safety in the event a pre-crash or crash event occurs. One area where improvement may be had is in the area of vehicle door condition during crash events.
There is a continuing effort to improve vehicle door safety so that the vehicle doors do not open during a crash event, yet will open after a crash event has occurred. It has been a challenge to reliably define crash and non-crash events and to translate such events to vehicle door safety mechanisms and systems. The present invention is an improvement in vehicle door safety during pre-crash and crash events that uses the Restraint Control Module (RCM) to receive input from various sensors and safety devices and to use that information to determine when to latch and control the latch mechanism during pre-crash threat events and crash events, and release the door latch during post crash events.

Electro-mechanical protector for vehicle latches during crash conditions and method for operating the same