A portable testing device for examining biological samples in one embodiment comprises a support and a tubular member having a lens holder adjacent one end thereof rotatably mounted on the support. A light source is moveable axially within the tubular member between an on position where the light source is illuminated and an off position. A biological sample support surface is provided adjacent the lens holder on which a biological sample to be examined is placed. A lens through which a user can look to examine a biological sample placed on the biological sample support surface is removably supported by the lens holder. The light source and tubular member carry co-operating formations which are configured such that the light source moves axially within the tubular member upon rotation of the tubular member. In another embodiment the light source is stationary and is responsive to a light-sensitive circuit.

During health examinations, it is often necessary to examine blood samples, urine samples etc. in order to diagnose a patient. To-date, specialized equipment has been used to analyze biological samples of this nature. This specialized equipment is large and extremely expensive making it suitable for use only in large institutions such as for example hospitals.
The rise in living standards of people and escalating health-care costs has led to an increase in the desire for people to perform their own self-examinations prior to seeking professional help. Unfortunately, the nature of existing equipment to analyze biological samples, has to-date, made self-examinations of biological samples impossible.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel portable biological sample testing device.


To provide a fuel cell system that is advantageous for maintaining an S/C value in an appropriate region even when a rotational speed of the water pump is abnormal with respect to a target rotational speed region during a power generation operation of a fuel cell. When the rotational speed of the water pump is abnormal with respect to the target rotational speed region during the power generation operation of the fuel cell, the control unit repeats a short time increase and a short time decrease of the S/C value in a reforming reaction, by alternately repeating an increase in a short time (ΔT increase, within 10 seconds) and a decrease in a short time (ΔT decrease, within 10 seconds) of the rotational speed of the water pump with respect to an abnormal rotational speed, while continuing the power generation operation of the fuel cell, thereby averaging the S/C value.

In this type of fuel cell system, it has been requested that the reforming water be supplied to the evaporation unit with high accuracy to obtain a target amount of water vapor. Various techniques have been disclosed for this reason.
JP 2004-288505 A discloses a reforming device for a fuel cell that has a water tank configured to store the reforming water, and a water pump configured to supply the reforming water in the water tank to the evaporation unit. According to this, by detecting a change in water level in the water tank configured to store the reforming water, and by performing a feedback control of the change in water level to the water pump, the flow rate of the reforming water stored in the water tank is adjusted. This allows the flow rate of reforming water supplied to the reforming unit to be adjusted to a desired amount of water.
JP 2012-133915 A discloses a fuel cell system that avoids water wetting of a reforming catalyst (because introduction of the reforming water is too early) and caulking (because introduction of the reforming water is too late), by keeping the reforming water level in a place immediately before an inlet of the evaporation unit of the reformer at the time of the system startup, and by suppressing the variation of the timing of introducing the reforming water after igniting the reformer. In general, a water flow meter is used to detect whether the flow rate of the reforming water is normal, but since the flow rate is small, measurement accuracy of the flow rate is low. Moreover, the flow meter is very expensive, and there is also a problem in the durability. Therefore, in the above-described system, a water sensor configured to detect the presence of water has been used while abolishing the flow meter, and it has been considered that water supply accuracy of the reforming water to the evaporation unit is secured by satisfying the following items.
water is present in the water tank (detected by the water level sensor)
the water pump is normally rotating (detected by the pump rotational speed output)
water is present in the water supply passage (detected by the water sensor)
However, when the water pump is locked and enters a step-out (the water pump is locked by biting of foreign matter or the like) state, there is an output of the pump rotational speed, but the water pump is in a state of not being able to discharge the water. In this case, since the water pump cannot discharge the reforming water in the water tank to the evaporation unit side, the reforming water is not transmitted to the evaporation unit. However, even if the water does not flow, as long as the water is present in a sensing unit of the water sensor, there is a possibility that the water sensor erroneously detects the water presence state, that is, a state in which the water is flowing. Thus, in the state in which the reforming water is not supplied to the evaporation unit, a power generation operation of the fuel cell system may be continued. In this case, there is a concern about caulking (generation of hydrocarbon components of the raw material gas) of the reforming catalyst in the reforming unit, and damage to the fuel cell.


An automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle and a method for control of the transmission in which in an emergency operation of the transmission a maximum admissible engine torque and a maximum admissible engine rotational speed of a prime mover of the motor vehicle connected or connectable with the transmission and a maximum admissible transmission input torque and a maximum admissible transmission rotational speed are limited compared to a normal operation. After a change from emergency operation back to normal operation of the transmission, a starting performance of the motor vehicle is time limited, especially limited in time and gradually limited depending on events.

In motor vehicles having a modern automatic transmission or an automated mechanical transmission, the utilization of the intelligence in the electronic system finds its expression in the use of an electronic transmission control with which the known criteria relevant for customers, such as driving comfort and driveability, and the criteria relevant to safety are to a great extent satisfied. For gear or ratio selection, depending on the situation, the electronic transmission control steadily communicates with other control units and computers of different aggregates of the motor vehicle, especially with an electronic control, usually via a CAN (Controller Area Network) database.
In case of a defect in the transmission or in the transmission control, as well as malfunction of the CAN database, emergency programs or alternative programs (alternative functions) are laid out so that in an emergency operation, the motor vehicle can be operated in the widest possible speed range, but sufficient mechanical and technical transmission protection are ensured even under extreme operation conditions.
From the practice different drafts for reducing the mechanical and thermal load of one such transmission in an emergency operation are already known. DE 198 44 618 A1, for example, has disclosed a method for reducing the thermal load of an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle in an emergency operation in which during the emergency operation of the transmission, a program module of an electronic engine control, independently of the transmission presets an admissible maximum engine torque for the emergency operation. As an admissible maximum engine torque for the emergency operation, a constant value can be preset here. However, in a complex function, the admissible engine torque can also be preset, depending on an engine rotational speed, in such a manner that the admissible engine torque in a rotational speed range between zero or engine idling speed up to the stall rotational speed of the torque converter, is reduced to a defined stall speed value and in a range of the engine rotational speed between stall speed and a maximum engine rotational speed admissible for the emergency operation, a maximum engine torque corresponding to the normal operation is admitted and in a range above the maximum engine rotational speed admissible for the emergency operation is completely ruled out.
This definition of the driving torque of the vehicle which also leads to a definition of the vehicle speed constitutes an easy, but effective step against thermal overstress and wear due to heat of components of the automatic transmission and against premature thermal aging of the oil, both in relation to an electrohydraulically controlled multi-step automatic transmission of conventional type and in relation to a CVT transmission. It is clear to the expert that this can also be similarly transferred to an automated mechanical transmission, such as a double-clutch transmission, insofar as this transmission has at its disposal an emergency gear draft. In particular, this protective function can also be used in relation to a converter automatic transmission as mechanical protection in the emergency operation, in case the possible transmission input torque, as result of the torque increase specific to the converter, can exceed an admissible input torque specific to the transmission. An inadmissible overstepping of the admissible transmission input torque in normal operation of the transmission being prevented by a reduction of the prime mover torque initiated by the electronic transmission control, when needed.
Corresponding to the kind of the existing emergency operation of the transmission, that is, depending on whether there is a "genuine" emergency program with completely deficient electronic control with the consequence of an extensively restricted driveability of the motor vehicle or whether there has been activated only an alternative driving program specific to the deficiency or an alternative function specific to the deficiency with the consequence of a more or less limited driveability of the motor vehicle. Corresponding to the type of torque reduction of the prime mover, a reduction of the performance of the motor vehicle results in the emergency operation of the transmission, especially of the starting performance, clearly traceable by the driver.
When driving, the motor vehicle during emergency operation of the transmission, there arises the following problem: the driver naturally associates his accelerator pedal position with a performance appearing on the strength of the driver learning the relationship between accelerator pedal angle and performance in the normal driving operation. But, in the emergency operation of the transmission, the learned relationship no longer exists as a result of the torque limitation on the side of the prime mover. In a natural manner, the driver will automatically try, when starting the emergency operation, to immediately compensate the allegedly deficient engine performance related to his accelerator pedal position by a strengthened accelerator pedal actuation or a larger accelerator pedal angle. The driver also reacts similarly in natural manner to a reduced performance after starting in emergency operation. In emergency operation, he will always preset a somewhat larger accelerator pedal angle than in the normal operation of the transmission when the actually available performance does not correspond to his expectations.
Especially when the emergency operation is combined only with limitations of the driveability of the motor vehicle not significantly traceable for the driver (such as quite possible in an alternative driving program), this emergency operation can also be activated over a longer period of time or a longer distance with the consequence that the driver becomes accustomed to the reduced performance of the motor vehicle compared to the normal operation and also revises the originally learned interrelation between accelerator pedal actuation or accelerator pedal position and performance.
If there now occurs a sudden change from emergency operation back to normal operation of the transmission, the driver is startled, especially by the starting performance of the motor vehicle again available in full force. His accelerator pedal actuation or accelerator pedal position adapted to the previous emergency operation still activated produces an occasionally clearly higher vehicle acceleration than expected. A change from the emergency operation back to normal driving operation of the transmission can occur, for example, after a new start of the prime mover or after a supply voltage reset of the electronic transmission control, but also, for example, automatically during the driving operation with permanent voltage supply of the electronic transmission control in activated or not activated gear of the transmission. On account of the highest possible availability sought of the motor vehicle, a change from emergency operation back to normal operation of the transmission is suitable in itself and also desired and can result, for example, always when a previously diagnosed deficiency of the transmission, of the transmission control, or of the data communication between transmission control and engine control no longer exists. However, as shown, this can also lead to driving situations critical to safety.
The problem on which this invention is based is to provide an automatic or automated transmission of motor vehicle and a method for control of the transmission in which, in an emergency operation of the transmission, the performance of the motor vehicle is limited compared to a normal operation and in which, when changing from emergency operation back to normal operation of the transmission, driving situations critical to safety are prevented.

Automatic or automated motor vehicle transmission and method for control thereof with an emergency operation and a normal operation


A machine direction method of manufacture of reclosable packages is disclosed wherein a semi-circular or similarly shaped perforated pattern is punched in the web in registration with the package side seals. Continuous lines of perforation are punched in the web parallel to the top of the package. The web is folded and shaped into a package with a header which includes the semi-circular perforated pattern and the lines of perforation. A similar transverse direction method of manufacture is disclosed. When the top corner of the header is pulled, the header tears along the shaped perforation until it meets the horizontal line of perforation, thereby avoiding tearing through the area of the header that is sealed to the zipper flange, the header then tears along the horizontal perforation and finally follows the shaped perforation on the opposite end of the package.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reclosable packages and a method of manufacture thereof, wherein a semi-circular or similarly shaped perforated pattern is punched in the web in registration with the package side seals. Additionally, continuous lines of perforation are punched in the web parallel to the top of the package. The web is folded and shaped into a package with a header which includes the semi-circular perforated pattern and the lines of perforation. The method includes both machine direction and transverse direction embodiments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, methods of manufacture of reclosable packages with tear-away headers are well-developed and satisfactory for their intended purposes. In particular, form fill seal (FFS) methods are used to produce these reclosable packages which are very advantageous in that they are tamper-evident while maintaining a simple construction with relatively low manufacturing costs.
Typically, slider zipper packages are manufactured on vertical form fill seal (VFFS) machines using low density polyethylene (LDPE) films. The walls of the package extend above the slider to form a tamper-evident header and a line of perforations extends across the header at an elevation below the zipper profile. When the side seals of the package are made, the header becomes sealed to the flanges of the zipper at an elevation above the line of perforations, making it difficult to remove the header.
Additionally, slider operated reclosable packages with a removable header have typically been produced from relatively high cost laminate films as such films lend themselves to laser scoring. The laser scoring can be configured in that the resulting perforations are above the zipper profile in the area of the side seals and drops below the level of the profile along the area of the package top away from the side seals. The consumer can remove the package header to access the slider of the zipper without being impeded by the header film.
On the other hand, unsupported or non-laminate films tend to stretch and do not tear well when laser scored. These films are typically perforated in order to create a removable header. However, the perforations for removable headers for reclosable packages using such material have typically been limited to straight lines above the zipper. This has been acceptable for non-slider applications having a portion of the header above the zipper, but has been open to improvement for slider zipper applications where it is preferable to have the header tear off below the zipper to improve access to the slider.

Sculpted perforated header for reclosable packages


A selective call receiver comprises a receiver for receiving a signal, the signal comprising an address identifying the selective call receiver, a first information packet having a first information format, a second information packet having a second information format, and a control character. An output device presents the first information packet in a first output mode corresponding to the first information format in response to the control character, and the second information packet in a second output mode corresponding to the second information format in response to the address or a second control character.

Several protocols have been designed for transferring messages to selective call receivers. These protocols include POCSAG (Great Britain's Post Office Code Standardization Advisory Group) and GSC (Golay Sequential Code). A message comprises an address if the message is a tone only message, or an address and information if the message is a data message. The information in a data message conventionally comprised one of several output modes (transmitted in information formats) including numeric (transmitted by BCD), alphanumeric (transmitted by ASCII), or voice (transmitted by digital or analog).
A preamble of a POCSAG signal comprises a number of zero-to-one transitions for bit synchronization. The first word following the preamble is a sync code word which contains a predetermined binary sequence used for frame synchronization. Sixteen words of information, each comprising a selective call address and an associated message, follow before the sync code is repeated. The structure of the addresses and information may be referred to as the signalling format.
In a GSC selective call network, the receivers are divided into a plurality of groups and a twenty three bit code in the preamble selects one of the groups in addition to providing means for bit and frame synchronization. Following the preamble, a start code indicates that the preamble is finished and the information following contains selective call addresses of selective call receivers within the group and messages for those selective call receivers in a pattern of sixteen information words followed by one start code word.
However, in both POCSAG and GSC, as in other known protocols, the information following each of the addresses comprised only one information format. Each address would specify to the selective call receiver receiving that address whether its output mode following would be numeric, alphanumeric, or voice. The selective call receiver would thereby encode the proper information format as transmitted, e.g., BCD or ASCII.
Thus, what is needed is a selective call receiver signalling format having a single address and accommodating two or more information formats.

Multiple format signalling protocol for a selective call receiver


Snappable wheel holders for environmental control units such as radiators, heaters, fans and air conditioners. Wheel holders can attach wheels to brackets located underneath the units by mateably attaching male protruding ends into female slots. Plastic triangular pieces can snap into openings to lock the wheel holders to the brackets. The brackets can be attached underneath the units by clamping U-bars with wing nuts.

Portable heaters have been growing in popularity in recent years. Making these devices easily mobile is useful for their versatility. Many portable heaters must be physically lifted and carried in order to be mobile. The lift and carry requirement is not very desirable when the heaters are often moved from place to place.
Placing wheels on portable heaters has been done over the years. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,870,253 to De'Longhi and 6,595,200 to Dai. However, these device like many others requires generally large type wheels be permanently attached to axles underneath the heaters. The permanent type attachments do not allow for removing the wheels when needed. For example, the permanently attached wheels take up more space when the heater unit has to be packaged and shipped.
Even if these wheels were not initially attached to the heater, then the user must spend time to assemble the wheels by using tools such as but not limited to screw drivers, wrenches, and the like. So, later removing the wheels would also be a chore requiring additional manpower and time. Additionally, these large type wheels can be cumbersome to store. Additionally, these devices have many loose parts that can become lost overtime.
Attempts have been made to use smaller wheels underneath the portable heaters. See for example, U.S. Published Patent Application 2004/0245417 to De'Longhi, which describes a support for a radiator. Although these wheels are generally smaller than those referenced in the other devices above, these wheel are not intended to be removed from beneath the heater. Instead these wheels fold up underneath the heater, and still take up added space when the heater is to be shipped and stored. Additionally, the folding action can break or jam along one of the hinges. If only one hinge breaks or jams, the entire heater is no longer rollable over a ground surface.
Still furthermore, all of the prior art devices listed above require their wheels be fixed along side each of the heater units, which means they are not pivotable. These fixed wheel orientations do not allow for the heaters to be easily turned as they are being rolled.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Schmitt trigger with rail-to-rail or near rail-to-rail hysteresis. In some embodiments, a method includes switching an output of a Schmitt trigger from a first logic state to a second state in response to an input meeting a threshold, where the threshold is applied to a first transistor of a first doping type and the input is applied to a second transistor of the first doping type, the first and second transistors operably coupled to each other through a current mirror of a second doping type. The first doping type may be an n-type, the second doping type may be a p-type, and the threshold may be a rising threshold having a value within 10% of a supply voltage. Alternatively, the first doping type may be a p-type, the second doping type may be an n-type, and the threshold may be a falling threshold having a value within 10% of ground.

A "Schmitt trigger" is an electronic circuit whose output stays constant until its input reaches one of two distinct threshold levels. Particularly, when the circuit's input signal overcomes a "high threshold level," the output is switched from a first logic state to a second logic state. The output remains in this second logic state so long as the input voltage stays above a "low threshold level." Then, when the input signal drops below the low threshold level, the output of the circuit returns to the first logic state.
In a non-inverting configuration, when an input voltage is higher than the high threshold level, the output of the circuit is at a logic high (e.g., "1" or "Vdd"). When the input voltage is below the low threshold level, the output of the circuit is at a logic low (e.g., "0" or ground). Moreover, when the input voltage is between the high and low threshold levels, the output of the circuit retains whichever of the two logic values it may already be in. In an inverting configuration, the complementary scenario is true—that is, when the input is higher than the high threshold level, the output is at a logic low, and, when the input is below the low threshold level, the output is at a logic high. The Schmitt trigger's "dual threshold action" is often referred to as "hysteresis."
A conventional Schmitt trigger circuit suffers from process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variations when it operates near the rails—that is, close to the supply voltage (e.g., Vdd) or to the ground voltage (e.g., 0 V). Particularly, when a conventional Schmitt trigger's high and low threshold levels are set at values close to the rails (and therefore far from Vdd/2), the circuit tends to operate improperly. The inventors have determined that this problem is due, at least in part, to the fact that a conventional Schmitt trigger operates based upon voltage and/or current comparisons that are performed by a combination of P-type Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (PMOS) and an N-type MOS (NMOS) devices, each of which has different physical characteristics. Nonetheless, it would be desirable to provide a Schmitt trigger circuit having trigger thresholds with voltage values near the rails that is insensitive to PVT variations.

Schmitt trigger circuit with near rail-to-rail hysteresis


A preferred photographic printer (10) includes light filters (52, 54, 56) which can be shifted to selected positions for filtering respective spectral components from selected portions of a light beam (100) in order to vary the spectral make-up of the light beam, and further includes a preferred metal halide lamp (48) which produces a spectral output with substantial portions in the visible band.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of photographic printers. Additionally, the invention is concerned with a lamphouse having a lamp in which a significantly greater percentage of the spectral make-up of the light beam therefrom is contained within the visible band as compared to a conventional tungsten lamp, and having light filters which can be shifted over a range of positions for selectively varying the respective intensities of the spectral components of the light beam.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical photographic printer of the prior art includes a lamphouse from which a beam of light is directed through photographic film onto photographic paper for producing a print. For conventional color prints, the photographic paper includes three layers of photosensitive dyes each of which responds to a different primary color, i.e., red, green and blue. Additionally, each dye responds with a different sensitivity to its respective primary color. To produce a high quality photograph, the printer exposes the dyes to the primary colors of the light beam for different lengths of time or different intensities in order to compensate for the different sensitivities of the dyes, for under or over exposure of the negative, and for variations in the dyes from one batch of paper to the next.
Three light filters cyan, magenta and yellow are included in the lamphouse to control the spectral make-up of the light beam emanating therefrom in order to achieve the desired exposure of the photographic paper to the three primary colors. A typical light filter is in the form of a "filter flag" comprised of a sheet of filter material extending from a solenoid controlled arm. Each light filter is operable to subtract or filter a primary color from the light beam, that is, a respective red, green or blue fractional portion the visible spectrum. This is known as subtractive or variable time mode printing.
During the first part of an exposure, unfiltered light, that is, white light, is directed through the negative onto the photographic paper in order to expose all of the dyes to the full spectrum. At the end of this time, the solenoid controlling the first filter is activated and this filter drops into the path of the beam in order to filter its portion of the spectrum from the beam. After an additional time, the second filter drops into place and an additional portion of the spectrum is subtracted. At the end of the exposure time, the third filter drops into place which subtracts the remaining portion of the spectrum from the beam which marks the end of the exposure time.
The typical prior art lamphouse of the printer described above uses an incandescent lamp having a tungsten filament. Use of such a lamp presents a number of problems because only about ten percent of the light output is in the visible band with the remaining ninety percent being in the infrared band among other losses. In addition to representing low power efficiency, the low level of visible light output requires longer exposure times which results in low productivity. Furthermore, the heat generated by the infrared must be dissipated so that the film negative and photographic paper are not damaged which requires ventilation and heat sink construction of the lamphouse adding to its cost. Increasing the wattage of the lamp is not a practical solution for increasing the intensity of the usable visible light because this also increases the amount of heat generated and merely adds to the inefficiency of the unit.
The spectral make-up of the visible light generated by the prior art incandescent lamp also represents inefficiency because the photographic paper dyes present peaks of sensitivity in their primary color portion of the spectrum, but the output of the lamp is continuous across the visible band. Additionally, the sensitivities of the dyes present cross-over areas which are affected by the generally uniform lamp output over the visible band.
The prior art filter flags also present problems because they experience "bounce" when they drop into position. During the bounce, unfiltered light leaks through which alters the intended spectral make-up of the beam and thereby affects the exposure. This problem becomes more acute with short exposure times in the range of 300 milliseconds, for example.
The prior art lamphouse described above also presents limited utility because it can only be operated in the "subtractive" mode. This means that each primary color is delivered at full intensity for part of the exposure time and then filtered, i.e., subtracted, entirely from the beam by the associated flag filter for the remainder of the exposure time. This results in an "average" level of exposure for each primary color, but such does not present the same photographic results as "additive" or variable intensity operation which exposes the dyes to all three colors at differing intensities for the entire exposure time. This difference comes about because of the time sensitivities of the dyes and because of the cross-over characteristics of dye sensitivities.
One prior art lamphouse which can operate in an additive mode uses three white light sources. Each light source is filtered so that the output represents a primary color which is then trimmed using trim filters to produce the desired level of primary color intensity. The respective primary color outputs are then combined into a single beam. As can be appreciated, the additive lamphouses are even less power efficient than subtractive lamphouses because only one-third of the visible spectrum from each lamp is used. Additionally, the trim filters often cannot be adjusted quickly and reliably enough for efficient production.
Another prior art lamphouse is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,824 which is concerned with a lamphouse having three dichroic filters which are operable to partially intercept a white light beam. These filters are manually adjustable and use a cam arrangement to produce a selected filter position. The filters engage the light beam from one side and can be progressively inserted in the beam to increase the filtering action. When low spectral component intensity is selected, only a small sliver of the periphery of the beam passes by the filter unattenuated. This presents a problem, however, in that the intensity of the beam diminishes outwardly from the center in a nonlinear fashion and as a result, it is very difficult to control and repeat a desired intensity at very low levels.

System for selectively controlling the spectral make-up of visible light from a source thereof


The present invention provides culture media and methods for culturing organisms, preferably microorganisms, more preferably fastidious microorganisms. Also provided are methods of isolating and detecting organisms using the inventive culture media.

Traditional approaches for isolating pathogenic agents have been unsuccessful in a substantial number of disease conditions where an infectious etiology is suspected, e.g., Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Wegener's granulomatosis, rheumatoid arthritis, tropical sprue, systemic lupus erythrematosus, Kawasaki's disease, and other chronic diseases (Costeron et al., (1999) Science 284:1318; Relman, (1999) Science 284:1308). Use of broad range PCR or other molecular approaches (e.g., microarrays) have been suggested to identify the causative agent underlying infectious disease states (Fredricks et al., (1999) Clin. Infect. Dis. 29:475; Relman, (1999) Science 284:1308; Cummings et al., (2000) Emerg. Infect. Dis. 6:513; Diehn et al., (2001) Curr. Opin. Microbiol 4:95). However, these approaches do not result in isolation of the organism for use in further studies and are cumbersome for many experimental applications (e.g., antimicrobial and disease studies and/or vaccine development).
Microorganisms may be introduced into mammalian subjects by a variety of mechanisms, including inhalation, ingestion, severe or persistent insect bites, injections, prolonged use of saline needles, implantation of medical devices, or exposure during surgical techniques. The introduced organisms may have an affinity for red blood cells (RBCs) or nerve cells and may even grow in these cells. Infections may be particularly severe in the case of immunocompromised patients, such as those on immunosuppressive drugs, infected with HIV, or having particular genetic conditions. In addition, certain patients, such as those with diabetes or cystic fibrosis, are particularly susceptible to infection (Ahkee et al., (1995) J. Ky. Med. Assoc. 93:511; Costeron, (2001) Trends Microbiol 9:50; Costeron et al., (1999) Science 284:1318). For example, it is known that cystic fibrosis patients, who suffer a defect in the chloride transport system, are susceptible to infection with Ps. aeruginosa, as well as other microorganisms. In these patients, antibodies to alkaline phosphatase, exotoxin A, and elastase of Ps. aeruginosa have been detected (Costeron, (2001) Trends Microbiol 9:50; Costeron et al., (1999) Science 284:1318).
Various gram-negative urinary tract or local skin flora may gain entrance into the body, e.g., due to insect bites, wounds, injuries and the like, causing infection in synovial fluids and joint inflammation. Moreover, Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. are frequently linked to disease (Costeron et al., (1995) Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 49:711). Infections by some agents are facilitated by insect transmission, for example, Bartonella spp. infections transmitted by fleas, lice or ticks are introduced into cats, dogs, humans and other mammals (see, e.g., Shaw et al., (2001) Trends Parasitol. 17:74; Munana et al. (2001) Infect. Immun. 69:564; Breitschwerdt et al., (2000) Clin. Microbiol Rev. 13:428).
Microorganisms may cause pathology in multiple organs or tissues in the host, not because of direct invasion or growth in the affected tissues, but rather as a result of molecular mimicry between self-antigens and microbial cell antigens, which induces immune-mediated tissue destruction. Molecular mimicry between bacterial or viral proteins and endogenous molecules has been implicated in various autoimmune diseases, including insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, Gillian Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis and autoimmune herpes stromal keratitis (Relman, Science 284:1308). After initiation of the disease, epitope spreading leads to the maintenance and progression of inflammation.
Bartonella are vector-transmitted, blood-borne, intracellular gram-negative bacteria that can induce prolonged infection in the host. Persistent infections in domestic and wild animals result in a reservoir of Bartonella in nature that can serve as a source for human infection. The prevalence can range from 50–95% in selected rodent, cat, deer or cattle populations. Considering the extensive animal reservoirs and the large number of insects that have been implicated in the transmission of Bartonella spp., both animal and human exposure to these organisms may be more substantial than is currently realized.
Recent observations support a role for Bartonella as animal as well as human pathogens. Dogs infected with Bartonella spp. can develop lameness, endocarditis, granulomatous lymphadenitis and peliosis hepatis, lesions that are also reported in association with human infection. In felines, recent reports describe a correlation between Bartonella seroreactivity and renal disease, stomatitis, or lymphadenopathy.
The spectrum of diseases attributable to Bartonella spp. now includes lymphadenopathy (i.e., cat scratch disease or CSD), bacillary angiomatosis, bacillary peliosis, bacteremia, endocarditis, myositis, retinitis, endocarditis, bacillary angiomatosis, osteolysis, polyarthritis, leukoclastic vasculitis, fever of unknown origin (Trench Fever) and hemolytic anemia (South American bartonellosis). Bartonella bacilliformis, B. quintana, B. elizabethae, B. vinsonii subspecies arupensis., B. clarridgeiae and B. henselae have been associated with these disease manifestations in human patients (Anderson et al., (1997) Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 10:203).
In addition, a new α-2 proteobacterium, provisionally designated Rasbo bacterium, has been isolated from a human patient with evidence of myocardial disease. B. quinitana, which is transmitted by the human body louse, is the infectious agent underlying epidemics of trench fever during World War I. There also appears to be a correlation between Bartonellosis and renal disease in human patients.
Recently, a novel Bartonella subspecies, designated as B. vinsonii subspecies berkhoffi (ATTC strain 51672) has been identified. In one study, cardiac arrhythmias, endocarditis, or myocarditis was observed in 12 dogs, 11 of which were seroreactive to B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffi antigens. It appears that B vinsonii subsp. berkhoffi and closely-related species of alpha-proteobacteria may be an important, previously unrecognized, cause of arrhythmias, endocarditis, myocarditis, syncope, and sudden death in dogs.
There is also increasing evidence that several Bartonella spp., including B. quintana, B. elizabethae, B. vinsonii and B. henselae are responsible for cases of culture-negative endocarditis in human patients. A retrospective study from France identified patients with bartonella endocarditis that had not previously been diagnosed using conventional microbiologic techniques. To date, bartonella endomyocarditis in dogs has only been associated with B. vinsonii (berkhoffii); however, the inventors' laboratory has obtained molecular evidence of B. henselae infection in a dog with peliosis hepatis (Kitchell et al., (2000) J. Am. Vet Med. Assoc. 216:519), a liver lesion that has recently been associated with either B. henselae or B. quintana infection in human patients. Not only does this observation provide the first microbiologic or molecular evidence for persistent B. henselae infection in dogs, it also indicates that B. henselae might be implicated in future studies of culture-negative endocarditis in dogs.
In human patients, bartonella endocarditis has been reported in children and in adults, particularly homeless individuals with exposure to B. quintana as a result of louse infestation. Bartonella endocarditis has also been reported in association with immune-complex glomerulonephritis. Recently, it has been reported that infection due to Bartonella weisii species in North Carolina beef cattle (Breitschwerdt et al., (2001) J. Clin. Microbiol 39:879).
Further, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ch. psittaci, and Ch. pneumoniae have been linked to heart disease. Infection with Ch. trachomatis has been reported to result in the production of auto-antibodies to heart muscle specific epitopes. Other Chlamydia spp. bear epitopes that are similar to heart proteins (Bachmaier et al., (1999) Science 283:1335). Similarly, in patients with multiple sclerosis, antibodies to C. pneumoniae are routinely detected, but this microorganism has not yet been isolated from these patients. Further, in patients with Crohn's disease or ankylosing spondylitis, Klebsiella pneumoniae antibodies are directed against collagen types I, III, IV and V.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved media for culturing and isolating microorganisms. Moreover, there is a need in the art for improved methods of culturing, detecting and identifying these, and other, microorganisms that are associated with animal and human disease.

Media and methods for cultivation of microorganisms


A thermal detector includes a thermal detection element, a support member, and a fixing part supporting the support member. The support member mounts and supports the thermal detection element on a second side thereof with a first side thereof facing a cavity. The support member includes a first layer member disposed on the second side and having a residual stress in a first direction, and a second layer member laminated on the first layer member on the first side and having a residual stress in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A thermal conductance of the first layer member is less than a thermal conductance of the second layer member.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a thermal detector, a thermal detection device, and an electronic instrument or the like.
2. Related Art
Known thermal detection devices include pyroelectric or bolometer-type infrared detection devices. An infrared detection device utilizes a change (pyroelectric effect or pyroelectronic effect) in the amount of spontaneous polarization of a pyroelectric material according to the light intensity (temperature) of received infrared rays to create an electromotive force (charge due to polarization) at both ends of the pyroelectric body (pyroelectric-type) or vary a resistance value according to the temperature (bolometer-type) and detect the infrared rays. Compared with a bolometer-type infrared detection device, a pyroelectric infrared detection device is complex to manufacture, but has the advantage of excellent detection sensitivity.
A cooling device is usually not included in the structure of a thermal detection element. It is therefore necessary to adopt a structure in which the element is housed in an airtight package, the element is placed in a reduced-pressure environment and thermally separated from the substrate or the peripheral layers, and heat evolved by received light (infrared rays or other light) is kept as much as possible from diffusing into the surrounding area. An example of an effective means of preventing prevent heat from dissipating into the substrate, and of suppressing reductions in the detection characteristics of the thermal detection element, is to employ a structure in which a cavity for thermal separation is provided between the substrate and the thermal detection element (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-205944 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-214038, for example). Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-205944 discloses a thermal infrared array sensor which has a cavity for thermal separation, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-214038 discloses a pyroelectric infrared detection element which has a cavity for thermal separation.

Thermal detector, thermal detection device, and electronic instrument


To provide a device searching client which can extract, for example, dynamic search conditions which are peculiar to a printing matter (print job), search a device, and correctly print, in a printer as a device searching client, a CRT has search condition input means for allowing the user to input not only static data but also dynamic data as search conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device searching method, a device searching client, a device, a device searching server, a device searching system, and a device searching apparatus for searching a device connected to a network and to a storage medium in which a control program for controlling them has been stored.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, as a method of efficiently searching and using various resources (printer, server, scanner, and the like) on a network, a method called a directory service has been proposed.
The directory service is a so-called telephone directory regarding a network and used to store various information. As a specific example of the directory system, for example, there is an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). The regulation of the LDAP has been disclosed in RFC (Request for Comments) 1777 issued by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). As a description, for example, "LDAP Internet Directory Application Programming" has been issued by Prentice Hall in Nov. 1, 1997.
A list of network addresses of the device which can be used on the network can be obtained by, for example, searching a device connected to the network by using the directory service.
In the above conventional technique, however, in case of a network printer, for example, as a device, at the time of searching it, various attributes regarding a static ability of a printer main body such as presence or absence of a stapling function, presence or absence of support of a double/single printing, and the like are designated and the device is searched. In case of actually printing, there is such a problem that a leakage occurs in search conditions which are changed every printing matter (print job) and are peculiar to a printing matter (print job) such that 100 or more sheets of papers need to be set on the printer main body side in order to print 100 pages, so that in spite of the fact that the device was searched and the printer was specified, the printing cannot be performed because the printing operation is actually stopped during the operation or the like.

Device searching method, device searching client, device, device searching server, device searching system, device searching apparatus, and storage medium


A system to allow a conferee defined as a nuisance source to respond to an automatic nuisance decision of a Multipoint Control Unit is disclosed. For example, a conferee placing a conference on hold may generate on hold music, which may be identified by a nuisance detector. The nuisance detector sends an indication of the nuisance condition to a control unit in the MCU. The control unit mutes the signal coming from this conferee and sends an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) message to the conferee. The message may inform the conferee that he has been muted and requests the conferee for example to press one of a plurality of touch tone keys depending on his situation. For instance, the conferee can select particular keys if he is returning from the hold condition, if he is experiencing a noisy line/environment and needs to reduce the sensitivity of the nuisance detector algorithm, or if he wishes to disable the nuisance detector algorithm.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of multipoint audio/video conferences, and more particularly to improving the quality of the conference by reducing nuisance signals.
2. Description of Background Art
Multipoint conferences of audio, video, and/or multimedia involve communication between more than two participants. Commonly, conference calls may be established over a communications network, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network ("PSTN"), an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), an Internet Protocol (IP) network, etc. The network contains Multipoint Control Units (MCU) and/or audio bridges that route and compose the communications of the participants in the call. The operation of MCUs and audio bridges are well known to those skilled in the art, and exemplary audio bridges are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/072,081 and 10/144,561, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. It should be noted that the terms "MCU" and "audio bridge" may be used interchangeably herein.
A common MCU may receive audio signals from a plurality of conferees, analyze the signals and create control information such as, but not limited to, VAD (Voice Activity Detection), signal energy, and signal quality measures. Based on the control information, decisions may be made regarding whose signals will be mixed and distributed among the other conferees, or whose signal will be muted due to a conclusion that the signal is below acceptable quality. Un-Acceptable Signal (UAS) is an objective criteria and may depend on the type of the conference. Exemplary criteria may be non-voice signals such as: music, DTMF, background noise, etc. The terms "noisy signal," "nuisance," and "UAS" may be used interchangeably, and the term "nuisance" may denote all of these terms.
There are known methods for generating information regarding signal energy, VAD, and quality. Exemplary algorithms for creating such information are disclosed in G723.1 (used in Annex A for the same standard); G729.1 Annex B; and GSM AMR (GSM 06.71) using the VAD algorithm GSM 06.94. A simple algorithm for a Nuisance Detector (ND) may define a signal as "nuisance" when the signal energy (SE) is above a certain level, while the VAD indicates that the signal is not voice.
The quality of a conference depends on the automatic decisions made by such methods. For example, a sensitive ND algorithm may disconnect a valid participant, while a less sensitive algorithm may add a noisy connection to the conference mix, i.e., the composed audio signal of the selected conferees. The selection is based on the conference setup parameters and on the automatic decisions made from analyzing the signals of the current speakers. There are cases where an automatic decision may frequently reach an erroneous result. For example, in the case where a conferee places the conference call on hold and accepts another call, the private branch exchange (PBX) to which the conferee is connected may play "music on hold" over the conferee's connection, disturbing the rest of the conference's participants. "Music on hold" may be music, broadcast radio, advertising or other signals to the on-hold conferee. Generally "music on hold" may have the same properties as speech and therefore it may pass the criteria of common VAD and/or ND algorithms and therefore may erroneously be transmitted to the other parties in the conference. On the other hand, a sensitive ND that is not properly tuned to the connection quality of a certain conferee may harm/disconnect a valid conferee. Therefore, it is difficult to pre-tune the ND algorithm to different conferee's conditions.
Thus, it is evident that current technologies of automatic nuisance detection in audio/video conferencing may make wrong decisions that reduce the quality of the conference. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a new nuisance detection method to overcome these deficiencies.

Method and apparatus for improving nuisance signals in audio/video conference


A method and apparatus for producing bulk single crystals of AlN includes a crystal growth enclosure with Al and N2 source material therein, capable of forming bulk crystals. The apparatus maintains the N2 partial pressure at greater than stoichiometric pressure relative to the Al within the crystal growth enclosure, while maintaining the total vapor pressure in the crystal growth enclosure at super-atmospheric pressure. At least one nucleation site is provided in the crystal growth enclosure, and provision is made for cooling the nucleation site relative to other locations in crystal growth enclosure. The Al and N2 vapor is then deposited to grow single crystalline AlN at the nucleation site.

The present invention relates to the growth of single-crystal Aluminum Nitride (AlN), and more particularly, to relatively large, single-crystal AlN, which are grown by sublimation-recondensation at growth rates exceeding 0.5 mm/hr.
Status of III-Nitride Technology Using Commercially Available Substrates
Several types of materials are routinely used to form semiconductor substrates. Sapphire is popular, because relatively high-quality, inexpensive sapphire substrates are commercially available. However, sapphire is far from being an ideal substrate for GaN epitaxy. Its lattice mismatch to GaN is large (about 16%), it has little distinction between the + and xe2x88x92[0001] directions which can give rise to +/xe2x88x92c-axis domains in epitaxial films of GaN, and its differential thermal expansion can lead to cracking during the cooling process after the device fabrication process. In spite of those problems, recently, Nichia Ltd (Japan) has announced the production of the first violet laser with commercial possibilities (more than 10,000 hours of operating life) using sapphire substrates. Currently, LDs (Laser Diodes) are selling for around $2,000 apiece. Using sapphire substrates leads to a costly fabrication process since it requires growing buffer layers and using Lateral Epitaxial Overgrowth techniques (LEO). Even though this announcement is very promising, Nichia""s lasers still have problems. Some sources claim that heat builds up in these lasers as they shine. Sapphire, with a very low thermal conductivity, traps that heat, a fault that may trigger burnout down the road. To build an even more durable blue laser, Nichia and others are investigating other alternatives such as free-standing substrates. In this technique, the substrate is removed after a thick GaN layer is grown atop the sapphire. This method leaves the GaN as the base for building the laser. This base should be better at dissipating heat, in addition to matching the alloy layers above. However, this alternative may increase fabrication cost.
Single-crystal substrates of SiC are attractive due to their close lattice match to AlN/GaN in the plane perpendicular to the c-axis (the so-called c-plane) and high thermal conductivity. In addition, SiC substrates can be made electrically conducting, which is attractive for some applications (such as LEDs and LDs). However, 2H SiC (to match the 2H crystal structure of GaN) is not available and the lattice mismatch along the c-axis between GaN and both 4H and 6H SiC is substantial. In addition, the chemical bonding between the Group IV elements of the SiC and the Group-III or Group-V elements of the nitrides is expected to create potential nucleation problems leading to electronic states at the interface.
For devices that use GaN or Ga1xe2x88x92xInxN, nominally the most desirable substrate would be large area GaN single crystal wafers. Several methods to grow bulk GaN crystals have been proposed. While this possibility has become more attractive in the last few years, it does not appear to be commercially feasible to fabricate large bulk crystals of GaN in the short term.
It may therefore be desirable to provide alternative substrates such as AlN, for fabricating nitride-based (e.g., GaN) commercial devices. A sublimation-recondensation technique was developed for AlN crystal growth by Slack and McNelly (G. A. Slack and T. McNelly, J. Cryst. Growth 34, 263 (1976) and 42, 560 (1977), hereinafter the xe2x80x9cSlack referencexe2x80x9d). In this technique, polycrystalline source material is placed in the hot end of a crucible while the other end is kept cooler. The crystal nucleates in the tip and grows as the crucible is moved through the temperature gradient. This approach demonstrated relatively slow crystal growth of 0.3 mm/hr while the crystal growth chamber was maintained at 1 atm (100 kPa) of N2. To make such substrates commercially feasible, it would be desirable to increase the growth rate. A number of researchers skilled in art have examined the possibility.
However, most artisans in this field have based their work on rate equations derived by Dryburgh (Estimation of maximum growth rate for aluminum nitride crystals by direct sublimation, J. Crystal Growth 125, 65 (1992)), which appear to overestimate the growth rate of AlN and, in particular, suggest that the maximal growth conditions are near stoichiometric vapor conditions, i.e., the Al and N2 partial pressures should be adjusted so that the Al partial pressure is twice that of the N2. This for example, is a significant teaching of U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,858,085; 5,972,109; 6,045,612; 6,048,813; 6,063,185; 6,086,672; and 6,296,956; all to Hunter. In addition, the art teaches that the N2 partial pressure should be maintained at less than atmospheric pressure.
Unfortunately, however, most attempts at increasing the growth rate of AlN crystals under such stoichiometric and/or sub atmospheric pressure conditions have met with limited success. In addition, it appears to be impossible to achieve the growth rate, or the electronics-grade quality Hunter discloses in his patents with the nitrogen pressure below one atmosphere.
Additional AlN work was completed by Segal et al. (A. S. Segal, S. Yu. Karpov, Yu. N. Makarov, E. N. Mokhov, A. D. Roenkov, M. G. Ramm, Yu. A. Vodakov, xe2x80x9cOn mechanisms of sublimation growth of AlN bulk crystals,xe2x80x9d J. Crystal Growth 211, 68 (2000)). While this work was published subsequently to the conception of the present invention, it appears to be the first peer reviewed publication to suggest that Dryburgh""s growth equations are incorrect. Segal et al., however, teach growth conditions and experiments that are open, which allows the Al vapor to escape. Disadvantageously, it would be difficult to grow large boules of AlN this way since: (i) control of growth would be difficult (since it would be non-uniform across the surface), (ii) a large amount of Al would be wasted, (iii) the excess Al in the rest of the furnace would create problems because of its high reactivity, and (iv) it would be difficult to maintain high differences in temperature (T) between the source and growing crystal surface.
A need therefore exists for electronics-grade AlN substrates that address the aforementioned drawbacks.
An aspect of the invention includes an apparatus for the growth of bulk single crystal aluminum nitride. The apparatus includes a housing defining a growth chamber, the housing including a gas outlet configured for selectively evacuating and venting the growth chamber, a gas inlet configured for pressurizing the growth chamber, and a viewing port configured for pyrometric monitoring of crystal growth temperatures within the growth chamber. A radio frequency (rf) coil is disposed within the growth chamber and configured for inducing an electromagnetic field therein. A quartz tube is disposed coaxially within the coil. A first set of shielding is disposed coaxially within the quartz tube, including from about 5 to about 7 concentric pyrolytic boron nitride (pBN) cylinders, each of the pBN cylinders having a wall thickness of greater than about 0.05 inches (0.13 cm), each of the cylinders having a length dimension along the longitudinal axis greater than the length dimension of the coil. A second set of shielding is disposed coaxially within the first set of shielding, the second set of shielding including two concentric, open joint tungsten cylinders, each of the tungsten cylinders having a wall thickness of less than about 0.005 inches (0.013 cm); each of the tungsten cylinders having a length dimension along the longitudinal axis less than the length dimension of the rf coil. A push tube is disposed coaxially within the second set of shielding; the push tube having a proximal side and a distal side, the distal side including a set of metallic baffles having a center hole which provides for the pyrometric monitoring of crystal growth temperatures, the proximal side including another set of metallic baffles. A crucible is disposed coaxially within the push tube, the crucible having a conically shaped distal end and a proximal end; the crucible defining a crystal growth enclosure; the proximal end including a high purity, polycrystalline aluminum nitride source material, the distal end being configured for growth of the bulk single crystal aluminum nitride. The push tube is disposed on a push rod assembly configured for sliding the crucible and the push tube along the longitudinal axis. The first set of shielding and the second set of shielding are configured to provide a thermal gradient axially within the cavity of the crucible of greater than about 100xc2x0 C./cm.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method for growing bulk single crystals of aluminum nitride. The method includes utilizing the apparatus described above, purging the growth chamber by evacuating the growth chamber to a pressure less than or equal to about 0.01 mbar (1 Pa), and refilling the growth chamber with substantially pure nitrogen gas to a pressure of about 1 bar (100 kPa). The growth chamber is then evacuated to a pressure less than or equal to about 0.01 mbar (1 Pa), and then pressurized to about 1 bar (100 kPa) with a gas including about 95% nitrogen and about 5% hydrogen. The chamber is heated to a first temperature, the heating including ramping the temperature of the conical upper end of the crucible to about 1800xc2x0 C. in a period of about 15 minutes. The growth chamber is then pressurized to about 1.3 bar (130 kPa) with the gas including about 95% nitrogen and about 5% hydrogen, and heated to a growth temperature. A distal end of the crucible is then ramped to about 2200xc2x0 C. in a period of about 5 hours. The push tube and the crucible are moved axially through the growth chamber at a rate of about 0.6 to about 0.9 millimeters per hour, wherein single crystals of aluminum nitride are grown.
A further aspect of the invention includes a method for growing bulk single crystals of aluminum nitride. The method includes evacuating a growth chamber, pressurizing the growth chamber to about 1 bar with a gas including about 95% nitrogen and about 5% hydrogen, and placing source polycrystalline AlN in a proximal end of a crystal growth enclosure. The method further includes placing a distal end of the crystal growth enclosure in a high temperature region of the growth chamber, ramping the high temperature region to about 1800xc2x0 C., maintaining pressure in the growth chamber at about 1.3 bar, and ramping the high temperature region to about 2200xc2x0 C. The distal end of the crystal growth enclosure is moved towards a low temperature region of growth chamber at a rate of about 0.6 to about 0.9 millimeters per hour, wherein a single crystal of aluminum nitride grows at the distal end of the crystal growth enclosure.
A still further aspect of the invention includes a method of producing bulk single crystals of AlN, which includes providing in a crystal growth enclosure Al and N2 vapor capable of forming bulk crystals, maintaining in the crystal growth enclosure a N2 partial pressure which is greater than the stoichiometric pressure relative to the Al, maintaining the total vapor pressure in the crystal growth enclosure at super-atmospheric pressure, and providing at least one nucleation site in the crystal growth enclosure. The method also includes cooling the nucleation site relative to other locations in the crystal growth enclosure, and depositing the vapor under conditions capable of growing single crystalline AlN originating at the nucleation site. A variation of this aspect includes producing a prepared substrate by cutting a wafer or a cylinder from the bulk single crystal; preparing a surface on the wafer or cylinder receptive to an epitaxial layer; and depositing an epitaxial layer or a complete crystal boule on the surface.
The invention also includes a system for producing bulk single crystals of AlN. The system includes a source of Al and N2 vapor, a crystal growth enclosure for containing the vapor, and at least one nucleation site in the crystal growth enclosure. The crystal growth enclosure has a selective barrier configured to permit migration of N2 therethrough, and to substantially prevent migration of Al therethrough. A pressurization system is configured to maintain in the crystal growth enclosure, a N2 partial pressure greater than stoichiometric pressure relative to the Al, and to maintain the total vapor pressure in the crystal growth enclosure at super-atmospheric pressure. A selective heating system is configured to maintain the nucleation site at a temperature lower than at other locations in the crystal growth enclosure.

Method and apparatus for producing large, single-crystals of aluminum nitride


A turbine generator regenerative braking system may be used to slow or stop a rotating shaft or wheel, wherein energy may be recovered as electricity generated by a turbine generator and stored in batteries, ultra-capacitors, or other storage systems. The turbine generator may be fluid-jet powered, the fluid-jet being provided by at least one hydraulic fluid pump linked to the rotating shaft or wheel. A braking actuation system operatively connects/starts the pumping action, and controls may be provided to adjust the flowrate through the fluid-jet nozzle. In some versions of the system, a hydraulic pump, a clutch, and an adjustable-flow nozzle will be dedicated to each ground engaging wheel of the vehicle. In a vehicle, braking is preferably initiated by the driver by actuation of a brake master cylinder that provides hydraulic pressure to cause each hydraulic pump to engage with its corresponding pump. The pressurized fluid output of each pump is then fed to the turbine through the adjustable-flow nozzle. Energy recovery may be optimized by adjusting the direction of the nozzle spray or the location of the nozzle, and/or by providing a multi-stage turbine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to braking systems, and, more particularly, to regenerative braking systems for vehicles. This invention relates to a regenerative braking system that slows a vehicle by operatively connecting a hydraulic pump system to the vehicle's rotating wheels to pump fluid to a turbine for electric generation.
2. Related Art
The prior art is replete with approaches to extracting, storing and beneficially using the energy usually dissipated during vehicle braking. These approaches in part include many combinations and interconnections of flywheels, hydraulic and pneumatic accumulators, motors, pumps, and the like. None of the known prior art, however, incorporates a turbine generator for regenerative braking and electrical energy generation, as in the present invention. The following brief review of some of the prior art will be useful in establishing the novelty and utility of the present invention.
Bultmann (U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,734) has disclosed a braking system having a hydrodynamic coupling driven by the vehicle, wherein the operating fluid is conducted into an external circulatory system by way of a cooler or radiator. This hydrodynamic coupling also serves as a feed pump for the operating fluid and is operatively connected with a turbine to drive a separate cooling fan. In this manner, heat removal from the braking system may be facilitated.
Jerome (U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,948) discloses a motor vehicle propulsion system including a liquid-filled flywheel to store kinetic energy. When motor vehicle acceleration is desired, the flywheel liquid is coupled to a turbine which is connected through a drive train to drive the rear wheels.
Smitley (U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,371) also teaches a flywheel approach to storing and supplying energy for vehicles. The flywheel is selectively connected to the power train of a vehicle and absorbs energy from the vehicle's ground engaging wheels during the deceleration of the vehicle. This process provides at least a degree of vehicular braking. A clutch is also provided to selectively engage/disengage the flywheel connection to the wheels.
Chang (U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,053) employs a vehicle's engine to compress air when the vehicle decelerates and reuses the air thus-compressed to drive an air motor which assists in moving the vehicle when it is underway again.
Gray et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,527) provides a vehicular power train with regenerative braking having a pump/motor combination connected to the vehicle's drive wheels. In the vehicle's braking mode, the pump comes into play and charges an accumulator. When it is desired to accelerate the vehicle, the accumulator releases its stored energy by providing hydraulic power to the motor which, in turn, drives the vehicle's wheels. Controls and switches are provided to implement and coordinate the various functions of the components.
Ellis et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,249) disclose a kinetic energy storage system that uses a flywheel with a motor generator to store energy. The flywheel rotates at a high speed in a vacuum. The flywheel may also be used to power the vehicle.
Martin-Gerez (U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,351) teaches an axle-driven pumping mechanism used to pressurize a volume of hydraulic fluid in response to a braking command. The fluid thus-pressurized activates a turbine that is used to drive a cooling fan directed at a radiator used to dissipate heat in the hydraulic fluid.
Gardner, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,078) discloses an electro hydraulic vehicle drive system, and Bullock (U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,587) discloses a hybrid propulsion system for road vehicles.
Thus it is a primary objective of this invention to provide a braking system that generates electrical energy while facilitating braking of the vehicle. It is another object of this invention to include a turbine generator in such a system that is powered by a fluid-jet driven by the vehicle's wheels. It is a further object of this invention to store the generated electrical energy for the later use by the vehicle. Another object of this invention is to provide a turbine generator regenerative braking system that is applicable to any apparatus requiring braking independent of the primary motive power.

Turbine generator regenerative braking system


A resealable transfer assembly for a container such as a bottle or vial featuring a membrane for selectively opening or sealing a fluid path between the bottle and a medical delivery device introduced into the assembly. The assembly includes a body disposed on the bottle, and a luer connector hub which may be separately provided with the body or formed integrally therewith. A free plug rests in a cavity defined within the luer connector hub. The free plug includes an orifice dimensioned to accept a luer tip associated with the medical delivery device. A membrane, preferably formed from an elastomeric material, is secured across both the opposed end of the luer connector hub and the open top of the bottle, and may be retained between the top surface of the bottle and the body. The membrane preferably includes a central area sealing the opposed end of the luer connector hub from the open top of the bottle, with one or more fluid openings defined on a portion of the membrane outside of the central area. When the luer tip is inserted into the orifice of the free plug, a force is exerted onto the central area to deflect the membrane towards the interior of the vial, urging the membrane from sealing contact with the body and, hence, opening the fluid path between the interior of the bottle and the medical delivery device. The membrane is resealed with the body prior to removal of the luer tip from the orifice to prevent fluid splashback from the container.

Dry drugs such as powdered or lyophilized drugs are typically stored in sealed vials. In practice, the drug is accessed shortly prior to use by rupturing or piercing the seal. A solvent solution such as saline is then introduced into the vial to reconstitute the powdered or lyophilized drug. Once reconstituted, the drug solution is extracted from the vial for use.
Some prior art vials of powdered or lyophilized drugs include a pierceable membrane secured across the open top of the prior art vial. The membrane is normally pierced by a needle in communication with the solvent. However, care must be taken to avoid the separation of membrane fragments when the seal is pierced, as these may be accidentally delivered to the patient. Typically, these seals must be pierced each time access to the solvent is desired, heightening the problems associated therewith.
Other prior art vials include rubber stoppers that are either removed from or urged into the vial when delivering the solvent for reconstituting the drug. While in general these assemblies work well to safely store the drug prior to use, one drawback of these stoppers is that they cannot be accessed after they have fallen into the vial. Hence, the vial cannot be resealed employing the stopper originally provided. Accordingly, the structure of these prior art vials is not readily adapted to a vial capable of repeated opening or closing. Where a practitioner may not desire or need to administer the entire dose of reconstituted drug held in the vial, the vial would typically need to be resealed against the ambient environment to preserve the sterility of the drug remaining in the vial.
The stopper employed with a particular drug is typically formulated from a material compatible with the drug held in the vial. While the stopper normally poses no harm to the safety of the reconstituted drug, there may be a perception--however flawed--that the presence of the stopper in the interior of the vial somehow adversely affects the drug held therein. Also, there may be the perception that the presence of the stopper in the vial may interfere with the subsequent flow of the drug solution.
One way to address the foregoing concerns is to employ a membrane construction as part of the transfer assembly. The membrane may feature one or more fluid openings which are selectively operated by a practitioner by the attachment or removal of a medical delivery device to the transfer assembly. In such assemblies, the membrane is configured for self-sealing operation interim repeated uses of the vial. However, during use a slight over-pressure may build within the vial. The slight over-pressure may cause some splashing of medicament from the vial as the medical delivery device is removed from the transfer assembly.

Transfer assembly for a medicament container having a splashless valve


The bus circuit of a master electronics card in a backplane-based communications system adaptively grants the upstream bus to the slave electronics cards by the early termination of a scheduled number of grants to a slave electronics card when the bus circuit on the master electronics card detects idle cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a master electronics card in a backplane-based communications system and, more particularly, to a master electronics card with an adaptive bandwidth circuit that substantially increases the throughput efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
A backplane-based communications system is a system that electrically connects together a number of electronics cards, such as xDSL line cards, via a multi-drop transmission line (MDTL) that runs through the backplane. Each of the electronics cards includes transceivers that receive information from, and transmit information to, the MDTL.
The electronics cards send information to, and receive information from, the MDTL in accordance with the rules defined by a communications protocol. One common communications protocol is the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) protocol. The ATM protocol defines the rules for transferring data across a network in 53-byte cells that include a 48-byte data field and a 5-byte header.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view that illustrates a prior-art, backplane-based communications system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, communications system 100 includes a backplane 110, and a number of electronics cards 112 that are plugged into backplane 110. The electronics cards 112, in turn, include a master electronics card 112A, and a number of slave electronics cards 112B. (Only one slave electronics card 112B is shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity.)
Master electronics card 112A, in turn, includes a bus circuit 112C that generates master data and control signals, and receives slave data and control signals. Similarly, the slave electronics cards 112B include a bus circuit 112D that generates the slave data and control signals, and receives the master data and control signals.
Backplane 110 also includes a first MDTL 114 that has a number of metal lines, and a second MDTL 116 that has a number of metal lines. First MDTL 114 supports a downstream bus, while second MDTL supports an upstream bus. In addition, backplane 110 has a number of connecters 118 that are connected to the first and second MDTLs 114 and 116. The connectors 118 are uniformly distributed along the length of the first and second MDTLs 114 and 116 to have, for example, a 2.54 cm (one inch) spacing. As shown in FIG. 1, master electronics card 112A and the slave electronics cards 112B are plugged into the connectors 118.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram that illustrates bus circuit 112C of master electronics card 112A. As shown in FIG. 2, bus circuit 112C has a clock driver 210 that outputs a downstream clock signal DSCLK, and a framing driver 212 that outputs a framing signal FSYNC to the slave electronics cards 112B. The framing signal FSYNC has a series of framing pulses that are referenced to the downstream clock signal DSCLK.
As further shown in FIG. 2, bus circuit 112C of master electronics card 112A also includes 16 downstream data drivers 214 that output 16 downstream data signals DSD0-DSD15 to 16 corresponding slave electronics cards 112B such that each slave electronics card 112B receives a different downstream data signal DSD during each framing period.
Each data driver 214 serially outputs a downstream data signal DSD such that each byte of data has bits of data that are output during different periods of the downstream clock signal DSCLK. The data drivers 214 can be implemented as inverting backplane transceiver logic (BTL) drivers.
In addition, bus circuit 112C of master electronics card 112A also has a grant driver 216 that drives a bus grant signal USGNT to the slave electronics cards 112B during each framing period. The bus grant signal USGNT grants a slave electronics card 112B control over the upstream bus to transmit eight upstream data signals USD[7:0] during the next framing period.
FIGS. 3A-3F show timing diagrams that illustrate the operation of bus circuit 112C of master electronics card 112A. In addition, FIGS. 4A-4D show timing diagrams that further illustrate the operation of bus circuit 112C. As shown in the figures, clock driver 210 outputs the downstream clock signal DSCLK, which has a period T, while framing driver 212 outputs the framing signal FSYNC with a series of pulses. The series of pulses define a series of time slots where each pair of adjacent pulses defines a time slot.
In the present example, the downstream clock signal DSCLK is output with a frequency of 77.76 Mhz, and the framing signal FSYNC is output as a pulse that has a logic high that lasts for seven downstream clock periods, and a logic low that lasts for 212 downstream clock periods.
Further, each downstream data signal DSD has 424 bits of data (b′0-b′423) that are transmitted during the 212 downstream clock periods that the framing signal FSYNC is low. The 424 bits of data equal 53 eight-bit bytes which, in turn, is the required size of an ATM cell. As a result, each driver 214 outputs a data signal DSD between framing pulses that represents one ATM cell.
As shown in FIGS. 3A-3F, each data driver 214 outputs the first data bit b′0 of the 424 data bits following the rising edge of the downstream clock signal DSCLK that immediately precedes the falling edge of the framing signal FSYNC. As a result, the leading edge of first data bit b′0 slightly trails the rising edge of the clock signal DSCLK, but is substantially coincident with the falling edge of the framing signal FSYNC.
In addition, each data driver 214 outputs the second data bit b′1 following the next falling edge of the downstream clock signal DSCLK. This sequence continues until the last data bit b′423 of the 424 bits is output following the falling edge of the downstream clock signal DSCLK that immediately precedes the rising edge of the framing signal FSYNC.
As a result, the leading edge of last data bit b′423 slightly trails the falling edge of the clock signal DSCLK, while the trailing edge of the last data bit b′423 is substantially coincident with the rising edge of the framing signal FSYNC. The rising edge of the framing signal FSYNC indicates the end of one ATM cell, while the falling edge of the framing signal FSYNC indicates the beginning of the next ATM cell.
Thus, each driver 214 outputs a bit of data during each half period of the downstream clock signal DSCLK, following both the rising and falling edges of the clock signal DSCLK. As a result, since each driver 214 outputs two bits during each of the 424 clock periods, and data is transferred every 424 clock periods out of every 431 clock periods (no data is transferred during the seven clock periods that the framing signal FSYNC is high), each driver 214 has a serial data rate of approximately 152 Mbps.
Included within the 424 bits of data is a header error control (HEC) that detects errors in the header of the ATM cell. Each driver 214 computes the HEC for all of the to-be-transmitted ATM cells. The HEC is computed per the ATM protocol on the first four bytes of a cell, and is inserted as the fifth byte of the cell.
Returning to FIG. 2, bus circuit 112C of master electronics card 112A also has eight data receivers 220 that receive the eight upstream data signals USD[7:0] over the upstream bus from the slave electronics cards 112B. The data receivers 220 receive the upstream data signals USD[7:0] in parallel such that each byte of data has bits of data that are all received during the same period of the downstream clock signal DSCLK.
Master electronics card 112A further includes a clock receiver 222 that receives an upstream clock signal USCLK from the slave electronics cards 112B. The upstream clock signal USCLK is used to receive other upstream signals. In the present example, the data receivers 220 utilize the upstream clock signal USCLK to clock the incoming upstream data signals USD[7:0].
Further, bus circuit 112C of master electronics card 112A includes a grant engine 224 that identifies a slave electronics card 112B from a number of slave electronics cards 112B that is to receive control over the upstream bus during a subsequent framing period. Once identified, grant engine 224 outputs a bus grant signal USGNT that identifies the slave electronics card 112B to grant driver 216. As noted above, grant driver 216 drives the bus grant signal USGNT to the slave electronics cards 112B.
With respect to FIG. 3D, the bus grant signal USGNT generated by driver 216 includes 32 bits of grant data bg′0-bg′31 that are output following each falling edge of the framing pulse FSYNCH. Each bit of grant data, in turn, corresponds with a slave electronics card 112B. In addition, only one bit of the grant data has a logic high during each framing period.
Thus, when the first grant bit bg′0 corresponds with a first slave card 112B that has been configured to be identified as slot 0 on backplane 110, the first slave card 112B is granted control of the upstream bus by grant engine 224 for the next framing period by outputting the first grant bit bg′0 as a logic high and the remaining grant bits bg′1-bg′31 as logic lows during the current framing period.
Similarly, when the second grant bit bg′1 corresponds with a second slave card 112B that has been configured to be identified as slot 1 on backplane 110, the second slave card 112B is granted control of the upstream bus during the next framing period by outputting the first grant bit bg′0 as a logic low, the second grant bit bg′1 as a logic high, and the remaining grant bits bg′2-bg′31 as logic lows during the current framing period.
Returning to FIG. 2, master electronics card 112A also has a grant table 228 that is connected to grant engine 224. Table 1 illustrates an example of grant table 228.
TABLE 1Slot Number133. . .2
Each row of Table 1 corresponds with a time slot. In the present example, Table 1 has 40 rows that correspond with 40 time slots. Each row/time slot, in turn, has an associated slot number that identifies a slave electronics card 112B on backplane 110. Thus, grant engine 224 reads from Table 1 and grants the upstream bus in cycles of forty time slots (framing periods), from time slot 0 to time slot 39 (see also FIG. 4A).
In the Table 1 example, the slave electronics card identified as slot 1 receives the first grant, the slave electronics card identified as slot 3 receives the 2nd and 3rd grants, and the slave electronics card identified as slot 2 receives the 40th grant. During this forty-frame cycle, grant engine 224 can alternately grant the bus to a single slave forty times, zero times, or any number of times in between.
In operation, during time slot 0 (frame 0), grant engine 224 reads the associated slot number from the first row of grant table 228. Thus, in the present example, grant engine 224 reads during time slot 0 that the slave electronics card identified as slot 1 is to receive a frame. In response, grant engine 224 generates a bus grant signal USGNT that grants control over the upstream bus during a subsequent framing period to the slave electronics card 112B that is identified as slot 1.
During time slot 1 (frame 1), grant driver 216 drives the grant signal USGNT to the slave electronics card that is identified as slot 1. Further, grant engine 224 reads from the second row of grant table 228 that the slave electronics card identified as slot 3 is to receive a frame. In response, grant engine 224 generates a bus grant signal USGNT that grants control over the upstream bus to the slave electronics card 112B that is identified as slot 3.
During time slot 2 (frame 2), the slave electronics card that is identified as slot 1 transmits upstream data signals USD[7:0] over the upstream bus to the data receivers 220. Further, grant driver 216 drives the grant signal USGNT to the slave electronics card that is identified as slot 3.
In addition, grant engine 224 reads from the third row of grant table 228 that the slave electronics card that is identified as slot 3 is to again receive a frame. In response, grant engine 224 again generates a bus grant signal USGNT that grants control over the upstream bus to the slave electronics card 112B that is identified as slot 3.
During time slot 3 (frame 3), the slave electronics card that is identified as slot 3 transmits upstream data signals USD[7:0] over the upstream bus to the data receivers 220. Grant engine 224 continues to grant control over the upstream bus to the slave electronics card 112B that is associated with each succeeding time slot until grant engine 224 has stepped through each row in Table 1. After this, grant engine 224 returns to the top of Table 1 and again reads the slot number from the first row of grant table 228.
When a slave electronics card 112B receives a grant and takes control of the upstream bus, the slave electronics card 112B outputs ATM data cells to the data receivers 220 when data is present, and outputs ATM idle cells to the data receivers 220 when all of the data has been previously output and data is no longer present.
An idle cell can include, for example, all zeros. Further, an idle cell has a virtual path indicator (VPI) and a virtual connection indicator (VCI) that are both set to zero. As a result, an idle cell passes through an inverting BTL driver as a high logic level, which is the off state or low power state for an inverting BTL driver.

Master electronics card with an adaptive bandwidth circuit


The present invention aims to provide a golf ball resin composition excellent in resilience and flexibility, and a golf ball having excellent properties in terms of resilience and shot feeling. The present invention relates to a golf ball resin composition, including: (A) at least one selected from the group consisting of: (a-1) a binary copolymer of an olefin and a C3-C8 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid; (a-2) a metal ion-neutralized product of a binary copolymer of an olefin and a C3-C8 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid; (a-3) a ternary copolymer of an olefin, a C3-C8 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester; and (a-4) a metal ion-neutralized product of a ternary copolymer of an olefin, a C3-C8 α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, and (B) a compound containing a hydrocarbon chain, a cationic moiety, and an anionic moiety in its molecule.

Golf balls of various structures have been proposed such as one-piece golf balls which consist of a golf ball body; two-piece golf balls which include a core and a cover; three-piece golf balls which include a core having a center and a single intermediate layer covering the center, and a cover covering the core; and multi-piece golf balls which include a core having a center and two or more intermediate layers covering the center, and a cover covering the core.
Widely used materials for golf balls are ionomer resins because such resins provide golf balls which have high rigidity and which fly a long distance; in particular, highly resilient materials are desired. Ionomer resins having an increased degree of neutralization are known to enhance resilience. They, however, tend to increase the hardness simultaneously, which results in lower flexibility and a poorer shot feeling.
In this respect, a method of decreasing the hardness while enhancing resilience is proposed. In this method, a large amount of a fatty acid (metallic soap) is added to a highly neutralized ionomer resin; however, the acid component in the fatty acid consumes metal ions used for neutralization, and therefore the effect of enhancing resilience due to a high degree of neutralization is not sufficiently achieved. Thus, the method has an insufficient effect in enhancing flexibility and resilience in order to provide a golf ball that simultaneously achieves a good shot feeling and resilience. In addition, the method requires a large amount of the metal component.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a golf ball material prepared using an ionomer resin and a compound that contains both acid and amine functional groups in the same molecule. This golf ball material, however, should still be improved from the viewpoint of simultaneous enhancement of flexibility and resilience.

Golf ball resin composition and golf ball


A putter having a hollow tubular member extending rearward from the putter blade with the shaft connected to said hollow tubular member.

This invention is directed toward golf putters and more particularly, to the construction and function of the blade or head and the manner in which the shaft is attached or connected to the blade.
Because of the importance of putting to scoring well in the game of golf, serious golfers spend a great deal of time practicing putting and looking for and using a variety of putters which may help improve their putting stroke and thereby improve their score. As a result there have been a large number of putters designed, some of which are patentedxe2x80x94some of which are not, but which have been advertised and promoted as being an improved tool in the putting game. Typically is U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,733 by Szokola. Szokola somewhat generally describes many of the frustrations and concerns relating to putters along with the terminology that is used and recognized by serious golfers regarding the problems they encounter with their putters. Parenthetically a serious golfer can range from a once-or-twice a week summertime only golfer to the full-time touring professional. Without getting into detail, the Szokola patent deals with the hosel for mounting or attaching or connecting the shaft to the putter blade in combination with the shaft location with respect to the blade for use by the golfer in aligning the putter blade to the ball for striking the ball and moving it in the right line.
Another prior art putter is U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,910 by Raines which is a little unusual. It is directed toward making the putter blade out of a tubular material or casing and then filling the casing and closing off the ends and combining that with a double goose-neck type of connection to the shaft.
Yet another prior art putter patent is U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,528 by Tsao. This patent talks about the xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d of the putter to the golfer somewhat along the same lines as the Szokola patent referred to previously. Tsao deals in part with the weight or feel of the putter somewhat based on the nature of the blade material that is made in part with a low density material and in part with a relatively heavier or high density material which relates particularly to the feel of the club. In addition, Tsao combines a sighting device for use by the golfer to align the club face with the ball to impact the ball at the right spot to move it in the proper line. This apparently is achieved by attaching the shaft in such a fashion that when aligning the putt the golfer""s head and eye are slightly behind the ball.
Other U.S. putter patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,795,246 and 5,382,019 which deal with the shape of the putter blade and the attachment of the shaft to the blade, sometimes referred to as the hosel attachment. Still others are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,709,613 and 5,542,665 which deal with adjustability of putters for shaft attachment angles and/or adding or removing weight.
Applicant is aware of other putter patents but they are not at all related to the instant invention except that they are aimed at the ultimate result of providing the golfer with a putter that can be relied upon to help in scoring. In addition, of course, there are a large number of various putters of various designs which are commercially available, many of which are not patented.
The present invention is aimed at widening the xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d on the ball-striking face of the putter blade or head by minimizing twist of the blade when the ball is impacted, even if off-center of the putter blade. In the preferred form a hollow member is attached to and extends rearward from the back surface of the putter blade. The hollow bore of this member is located behind the preferred ball-striking area on the face of the blade. The shaft is attached or connected to the hollow member. The hollow member may be rectangular or circular in form or may take the form of other geometric shapes. It is preferred that the width of the hollow member be about equal to the diameter of a golf ball and perhaps even slightly larger.
The back side of the putter blade may contain a recess at the ball-striking area which conforms generally to the hollow area. It has been found that eliminating some mass behind the ball-striking face of the putter in the ball-striking area may also help to reduce twist or turning of the blade should the golfer strike the ball somewhat off center. In other words, the sweet spot, the perfect spot at which the ball should be impacted with the putter blade, may be effectively somewhat enlarged thereby allowing the golfer a greater margin of error in the striking or impacting the ball with the putter blade to keep the ball in line while rolling to the hole.
As an added feature, the width of the cavity and/or extension member can be used by the golfer to frame the ball when lining up the putt to help accurately position the ball with respect to the xe2x80x9csweet spotxe2x80x9d or preferred ball-striking area on the putter blade.