An outboard engine comprises an engine having a crankshaft (36) extending vertically, a flywheel 56 provided on the crankshaft (36) below the engine body, an oil pump (58), and a flywheel chamber (59) defined by a pump body (65) of the oil pump (58) united to coupling walls 61, 62 of the engine body to accommodate the flywheel 56; and a mount case (4) having a support wall 64 for uniting the engine body. The engine body is united with its coupling walls (61, 62) to the support wall (64) via an outer circumferential wall (63) of the pump body (65) such that the coupling walls (61, 62), outer circumferential wall (63) and support wall (64) overlap in the direction of a rotation axis of the crankshaft (36). Such outboard engine permits a connecting portion between the engine body and the mount case, which are united together via the oil pump body, to be decreased in size and weight.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an outboard engine in which a flywheel chamber for accommodating a flywheel located below an engine body of an engine is made up of a pump body of an oil pump.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a known outboard engine in which a flywheel driven by a crankshaft of an engine is disposed under the engine body between its bottom and amount case. For example, in an out board engine disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. hei 10-231734, a cylinder block and a crankcase forming the engine body of an engine having a vertically extending crankshaft is united with its coupling portion at a lower end portion thereof to a support portion formed as apart of amount case. The fly wheel provide data lower end portion of the crankshaft is positioned below the engine body, and an oil pump is positioned below it. The flywheel is accommodated in a flywheel chamber made up of the pump body of the oil. pump united to a lower end portion of the engine body, and the coupling portion of the engine body and the support portion of the mount case are united together to surround the pump body from radially outward thereof.
In the prior art technique, a gap in the radial direction is formed in a radial space from the pump body to the coupling portion of the engine body and the support portion of the mount case along the entire circumference. Therefore, the coupling portion and the support portion inevitably increase in outer diameter and weight, and a cover covering the engine and the mount case becomes large. As a result, the outboard engine becomes bulky and heavy.
The present invention has been made under the circumstances, and its main object is to provide a compact, lightweight outboard engine by reducing the size and weight of the connecting portion between the engine body and the mount case that are united together via the pump body of the oil pump. Another object of the invention is to provide an enhanced support strength of the engine body.
According to the invention, there is provided an outboard engine including: an engine having an engine body, a crankshaft extending vertically in the engine body, a flywheel provided on the crankshaft below the engine body, an oil pump driven by a driving power of the crankshaft, and a flywheel chamber defined by a pump body of the oil pump to accommodate the flywheel; and amount case having a support portion for uniting the engine body, characterized in that: the engine body is united with a coupling portion thereof to the support portion via an outer circumferential portion of the pump body such that the coupling portion, the outer circumferential portion of the pump body and the support portion overlap in the direction of extension of a rotating axis of the crankshaft.
According to the invention, since the coupling portion of the engine body, outer circumferential portion of the pump body and support portion of the mount case are united together such that they overlap in the direction of the rotation axis of the crankshaft, it is not necessary to provide the coupling portion and the support portion so as to surround the pump body from radially outward, and outer diameters of the coupling portion and the support portion can be minimized within a range sufficient for the pump body forming the flywheel chamber to accommodate the flywheel.
In addition to that, since the mount case is disposed such that the outer circumferential wall of the pump body overlaps the coupling portion and the support portion in the rotation axis direction, regardless of the coupling portion being united to and supported by the support portion via the pump body, weight of the engine acting upon the outer circumferential portion via the coupling portion is withheld by the support portion of the mount case via the outer circumferential portion, and it is prevented that a bending moment caused by the weight acts on the pump body.
As a result, the following effects are produced. That is, since the engine body is united, with its coupling portion for uniting the pump body defining the flywheel chamber, to the support portion of the mount case via the circumferential portion of the pump body, outer diameters of the coupling portion as the connecting portion between the engine body and the mount case, and of the outer circumferential portion and the support portion, can be minimized and decreased in weight within a range sufficient for the pump body to accommodate the flywheel, and therefore, the outboard engine can be decreased in size and weight. At the same time, since the weight of the engine acting upon the outer circumferential portion of the pump body through the coupling portion is withheld by the support portion of the mount case, it is prevented that a bending moment caused by the weight deforms the pump body. And, since the pump body need not be increased in rigidity to prevent such deformation, this also contributes to decreasing the weight of the pump body and hence the weight of the outboard engine.
The outboard engine may be mounted to a boat stern by a mounting device having a swivel shaft, and the outer circumferential portion may form a circumferential wall of the flywheel chamber. The circumferential wall may have single-wall portions, and a left wall portion and a right wall portion of the circumferential wall may be made of the single-wall portions. Outer diameters of the coupling portion and the support portion in the right and left direction may be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the circumferential wall in the left and right direction as regulated by the left wall portion and the right wall portion.
In this manner, the left wall portion and the right wall portion of the circumferential wall of the flywheel chamber defined by the outer circumferential portion of the pump body are made of singular walls, i.e. single-layered walls in the radial direction of the flywheel, and at the same time, outer diameters of the coupling portion and the support portion in the right and left direction are substantially equal to the outer diameter of the circumferential wall in the right and left direction as defined by the left wall portion and the right wall portion. Therefore, outer diameters of the coupling portion, outer circumferential portion and support portion in the right and left direction can be limited to small values based on minimum values necessary for making the circumferential wall of the flywheel chamber.
As a result, the following effects are produced. That is, since outer diameters of the coupling portion, outer circumferential portion and support portion in the right and left direction can be minimized within a range sufficient for the pump body defining the flywheel chamber to accommodate the flywheel, the cover covering the connecting portion made up of those portions can be decreased in size in the right and left direction, and it is prevented that the outboard engine interferes with other external members in the right and left direction of the connecting portion during right and left rotation of the outboard engine about the swivel shaft. This is effective for increasing the right and left rotatable range of the outboard engine upon steering and for improving the steering efficiency.
The circumferential wall may also include double-wall portions, and a front wall portion and a rear wall portion of the circumferential wall may be made of said double-wall portions. Additionally, outer diameters of the coupling portion and the support portion in the front and rear direction may be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the circumferential wall in the front and rear direction as regulated by the front wall portion and the rear wall portion.
Since the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the circumferential wall made of the outer circumferential portion of the pump body are made of double-wall portions, i.e. double walls distant in the radial direction of the flywheel, and outer diameters of the coupling portion and the support portion in the front and rear direction are substantially equal to the outer diameter of the circumferential wall in the front and rear direction as regulated by the front wall portion and the rear wall portion, the support strength is enhanced, and the region of the engine body supported by the support portion increases.
As a result, the following effects are produced. That is, the structure configuring the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the circumferential wall defined by the outer circumferential portion of the pump body to be double-wall portions and substantially equalizing outer diameters of the coupling portion and the support portion in the front and rear direction to the outer diameter of the circumferential wall in the front and rear direction, regardless of the outer diameter of the support portion being small in the right and left direction, the support strength is enhanced, a sufficient support strength of the engine body is ensured, and the region of the engine body supported by the support portion increases. Thus the engine body can be supported more reliably.


Method and computer program product for recommending cost effective upgrades for a computer system. At least one performance parameter is determined for an existing computer system. Up to date performance specifications for available upgrade components are obtained. A variety of potential systems are modeled utilizing at least one upgrade component, and at least one component from the existing system to create upgrade scenarios. At least one performance parameter is predicted for each upgrade scenario. The performance parameters for the upgrade scenarios are compared to the performance parameters of the existing computer system. The cost-effectiveness is determined for each upgrade scenario, and upgrade recommendations are made when the cost-effectiveness meets or exceeds a target value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for identifying upgrades for a computer system configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Our society has become very dependent upon the ability of computers to handle complex tasks and automate routine processes. The drive to harness this ability has led to a pervasive use of computers in all aspects of modern life. Personal computer systems are used to produce documents, run complex mathematical problems, send and receive email, access the Internet, control manufacturing processes, and so much more. Server systems must store and quickly access huge amounts of data, run complex databases, handle Internet and other communication tasks, and participate in various and changing system management protocols. In a scalable environment, multiple individual computer processors or systems must work in concert to handle the required tasks. The demands placed on these computers can change rapidly as new applications are adopted and whole generations learn to rely upon them for everyday tasks.
Regardless of sophistication, computer systems are comprised of a combination of inter-related components. Whether the system is a personal computer (PC) or a server in a business environment, the system may be upgraded through the substitution or replacement of its component parts or by the inclusion of additional components. Upgrade components may also vary in scope from individual subcomponents, like a memory chip, to groups of complete computer systems. The availability of new technology has lead to large leaps in computer performance and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. As a result, an established computer system can quickly become outdated and perform poorly as demand increases.
The load on a computer system is the set of tasks the system is instructed to complete. When the load is known or predictable, the performance of an existing computer system with upgraded components may be modeled to predict performance. However, the point at which businesses can benefit the most from upgrading existing systems is difficult to determine and complicated by ever-changing component types, specification and costs.
Rapid advances in technology offer many opportunities for increased efficiency in the workplace. However, due to the number of vendors and the array of computer hardware and software products available in today's market, it is often difficult to determine when any particular upgrade is desirable or cost-effective. Still, there exists a need to predict the performance of a computer system under various conditions and to identify ways of improving that performance. It would be desirable to have a method of predicting this performance that could recommend ways of improving performance of the existing computer system. It would be even more desirable if the method could identify one or more of the most cost-effective ways to achieve the improved performance at any particular point in time.

Method for recommending upgrade components for a computer system

International Business Machines Corporation


Devices and methods are disclosed for the treatment or repair of regurgitant cardiac valves, such as a mitral valve. An illustrative annuloplasty device can be placed in the coronary sinus to reshape the mitral valve and reduce mitral valve regurgitation. The disclosure also provides improved techniques for cardiac pacing.

Traditional mitral valve annuloplasty requires open heart surgery with a sternotomy or thoracotomy and cardiac arrest and cardio-pulmonary bypass. For example, the annuloplasty procedure is performed through a surgical incision in which the effective size of the valve annulus is reduced by attaching a prosthetic annuloplasty ring to the left atrial aspect of the mitral valve annulus. A variety of rigid and flexible annuloplasty rings have been developed for this purpose, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,917,698; 5,041,130; 5,061,277; 5,064,431; 5,104,407; 5,201,880; and 5,350,420. Although very effective, this open-heart procedure is accompanied by substantial morbidity and prolonged convalescence. As a result, the procedure often is not offered to patients who are insufficiently symptomatic to justify the surgical risk and morbidity, or to patients who suffer advanced disease, or to patients with substantial co-morbidity.
Percutaneous approaches to mitral valve repair have been developed to reduce the clinical disadvantages of the open-heart procedures. But, these procedures suffer from various drawbacks. International Application No. PCT/US2017/031543, filed May 8, 2017, related to the present disclosure, presents considerable improvements over the state of that prior art. In some aspects, the present disclosure provides still further improvements over the prior art.
In other aspects, the present disclosure provides improvements in the area of pacing. Since a pacemaker was first introduced by Furman and Rovinson in 1958, the pacemaker has been used as an important device for treating patients with bradyarrhythmia. Pacemakers are usually used in treatments for arrhythmia such as complete atrioventricular block, high degree atrioventricular block, and sinus node dysfunction accompanied by symptoms. A treatment using a pacemaker is a method that artificially provides an electrical stimulus when an electrical stimulus is not normally transmitted to a heart, and/or when an incorrect stimulus is transmitted to the heart.
FIGS. 1A-1C are views of a conduction system of a human heart, in which FIG. 1A shows a flow in a conduction system, FIG. 1B shows a waveform in an electrocardiogram, and FIG. 1C illustrates the relationship between a conduction process and a waveform. As discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/328,046, filed Jun. 16, 2015 (incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for any purpose whatsoever), an electrical stimulus is transmitted to the overall ventricles through a conduction pathway after passing through a sinoatrial (SA) node, an atrioventricular (AV) node in the atriums and then passing through the bundle of His and a bundle branch in the ventricles.
In an electrocardiogram, a QRS-complex is generated by a depolarization process of ventricular muscles. The first downward wave following a P-wave is called a Q-wave, the first upward wave is called an R-wave, and the downward wave following the R-wave is called an S-wave. The width of the QRS indicates the time taken for electricity to be conducted throughout the ventricles. The width of the QRS is typically within about 0.12 seconds (around about 90 ms) in a normal state, but when it is 0.12 seconds or more, it indicates the presence of an interventricular conduction defect.
A pacemaker is generally composed of a generator and a lead. The generator supplies power and includes a controller with processing circuitry as well as detection circuitry for detecting operational aspects of the heart. The pacemaker typically supplies power or suspends power, depending on the state of operation of the heart. Power is selectively applied to the heart by way of the lead, which terminates in an electrode. Pacemakers typically operate in a bipolar manner, meaning that the lead actually includes two electrodes—one for delivering electrons (anode) and one for absorbing electrons (cathode). However, the cathode is typically considered to be the hot lead for purposes of convention. In the event the anode breaks or ceases to function, the pacemaker controller will detect this and then operate the device as a monopolar device, wherein the anode becomes the casing and the "hot" lead continues to act as a cathode.
According to a common treatment that is performed by a pacemaker at present, the tip of the lead of a pacemaker is inserted and fixed in the apex of the right ventricle (RV apex) of ventricles and then electrical stimulus is provided. This is called right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP). In RVAP, the electrical stimulus at the RV apex is not transmitted through the conduction system of the heart that quickly transmits electrical stimulus in a ventricle. It is instead transmitted through cariomyocytes of the ventricle that relatively slowly transmit electrical stimulus. Consequently, it can take a relatively long time for the electrical stimulus to spread through the entire ventricle. This can be expected to (and typically does) result in an increase of QRS width, which results in ventricular desynchronization, and reduces the pumping efficiency of the heart. Ideally, the ventricles are contracted at the same time for better efficiency.
To address this, attempts have been made to position the electrode of the pacemaker lead at a right ventricular basal septum and applying electrical stimulus around the nerve bundles that precipitate ventricular contraction. This is referred to as right ventricular septal pacing (RVSP). The RVSP is most usually used at the interventricular septum of a right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). RVSP theoretically compensates for the defects of the RVAP, but in the actual operation it is difficult to accurately position the lead of a pacemaker at the interventricular septum around the RVOT and the lead may be separated or moved, so the operation itself is difficult and accordingly it is not generally used. The RVSP has another characteristic that positions the lead tip at an interventricular septum, but stimulates not the inside, but the outer side of the interventricular septum, and it is known that the RVSP is less effective than the method of stimulating the endocardium or the center of an interventricular septum.
Another method of obtaining a narrower QRS is applied to a case when a patient with heart failure accompanied by ventricular insufficiency has a wide QRS in an electrocardiogram. This method uses two leads, and positions a lead at an RV apex and applies electrical stimulus and positions the other lead at a left lateral vein and applies electrical stimulus to a side of the left ventricle. This treatment seeks to obtain a narrower QRS by simultaneously applying electrical stimulus to the RV apex and the side of the left ventricle. This is referred to as "Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT)". CRT is a very effective treatment when a patient with heart failure has LBBB (left bundle branch block). However, CRT has a deficiency in that it needs to use two leads for stimulating ventricles in order to obtain a narrower QRS.
Intraseptal pacing that can apply direct electrical stimulus to an interventricular septum has been attempted. For example, methods by forcibly positioning the lead of a pacemaker into the interventricular septum directly through the left ventricle from the right ventricle have been disclosed in US2010/0298841 and US 2013/0231728. These methods have high invasion depth that causes an artificial loss of interventricular septum between the left and right ventricles, have a high possibility of tearing surrounding tissues during the operation, and have a high possibility of causing an embolism due to air or blood clots. Further, these methods have many dangers and limits, for example, it can locally approach the middle portion or the apex of ventricles rather than the base which is preferable. U.S. Ser. No. 15/328,046 attempts to improve on the state of the art by a further approach intended to address the deficiencies in the aforementioned approaches. The present disclosure provides additional improvements over the state of the art.

Annuloplasty procedures, related devices and methods


A method and a scheduling system are disclosed for processing medical scheduling data which relates to the job planning for a medical appliance and of which each scheduling data item is associated with a data level. In at least one embodiment of the method a data level association is determined for each scheduling data item to be displayed, wherein the data level association relates to the data level associated with the scheduling data item, the data level or data levels currently to be displayed are ascertained, the data level association of the scheduling data item to be displayed is compared with the data level or data levels which are currently to be displayed, and the scheduling data item to be displayed is displayed if the data level association corresponds to at least one data level which is currently to be displayed.

Great expectations are placed on the appointments management in radiology. For example, the appointments management needs to support a plurality of appliances, needs to be clear and needs to permit changes.
The appointments management should provide for the allocated appointments to be visible so that a user can tell at a glance where there are still gaps which can be filled with new appointments.
The appointments management should also be able to support the allocation of appointments by taking into account the presence and absence of various doctors, other internal appointments, appliance preparation for specific examinations, the functions available on the appliance, etc.
The desire for optimum workload and an optimum order for the examinations in order to minimize appliance conversion times or avoid the cleaning time for contagious patients likewise determines the requirements that are placed on the appointments management.
Further requirements are the comprehensibility of changes in the appointments allocation, e.g. in the event of last-minute appointment cancellations or nonattendance by the patient, and a comparison of the scheduled sequence of appointments with the actual sequence of appointments on the appliance. This is used not only for the purposes of control by the radiology management, but rather is needed on the date of the appointment in order to incorporate emergencies into the sequence, and for information for patients (waiting time).
In a piece of appointments management software or a scheduling system, various tasks are performed by various people:                examination planning/workload planning—e.g. radiology management        general allocation of appointments—e.g. telephone service/allocation of appointments        control of workload—e.g. radiology management        information for patients/allocation of appointments for emergencies—e.g. reception
In this case, the following problem needs to be solved: A limited space (for example a normal monitor) is intended to be able to be used to implement the tasks described above taking account of all the necessary supporting information.
In many places today, it is customary for appointments management to be in a paper appointment book into which the presence and absence of different doctors are entered. The scheduled and actual sequences of appointments can be compared only by way of a telephone query.


An azeotrope-like mixture consisting essentially of chlorotrifluoropropene and at least one component selected from the group consisting of a C1-C3 alcohol, a C5-C6 hydrocarbon, a halogenated hydrocarbon, methylal, methyl acetone, water, nitromethane, and combinations thereof.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to compositions comprising 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene. More specifically, the present invention provides azeotrope-like compositions comprising 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene and uses thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Fluorocarbon based fluids, including chlorofluorocarbons ("CFCs") or hydrochlorofluorocarbons ("HCFCs"), have properties that are desirable in industrial refrigerants, blowing agents, heat transfer media, solvents, gaseous dielectrics, and other applications. For these applications, the use of single component fluids or azeotrope-like mixtures, i.e., those which do not substantially fractionate on boiling and evaporation, are particularly desirable.
Unfortunately, suspected environmental problems, such as global warming and ozone depletion, have been attributed to the use of some of these fluids, thereby limiting their contemporary use. Hydrofluoroolefins ("HFOs") have been proposed as possible replacements for such CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs. However, the identification of new, environmentally-safe, non-fractionating mixtures comprising HFOs are complicated due to the fact that azeotrope formation is not readily predictable. Therefore, industry is continually seeking new HFO-based mixtures that are acceptable and environmentally safer substitutes for CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs. This invention satisfies these needs among others.

Azeotrope-like compositions comprising 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene


The present invention provides a drawing tool for an artist, draughtsman or hobbyist etc., the drawing tool comprising a handle and a retaining means disposed on the handle. The retaining means being adapted to releasably retain an elongate drawing material, such as a graphite lead, in an orientation substantially transverse to the axis of the handle. In use, manipulation of the handle and selective application of pressure to the elongate drawing material enables the drawing material to be applied to a drawing surface to thereby control the degree of shading on the drawing surface. The hand tool has particular application to reliably rendering gradients when shading with graphite and chalk etc. To be accompanied, when published, by FIG. 1 of the drawings, deposit varying thicknesses of graphite on the paper to modify the gradient of the shading.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to implements for artists and craftsmen, and particularly relates to a hand tool for holding drawing materials while drawing.
Description of the Prior Art
The use of graphite for drawing purposes is well known to artists and craftsmen, and is much the preferred drawing material for many modern artists. One reason for this is that graphite is relatively convenient to work with, while still producing aesthetically pleasing results of high artistic standing. Another reason for the popular use of graphite is that it is relatively cheaper compared to other artistic materials, such as water colours and oil paints etc.
Conventionally artists working in graphite tend to use graphite leads (i.e. elongate cylinders of pressed graphite) of varying thicknesses or natural charcoal sticks, which can be applied to a drawing surface, such as paper, either by way of a "sharpened" tip at the end of the graphite lead or by pressing the cylindrical body of the graphite lead against the paper and dragging it across the surface. In practice, both techniques are commonly used to create the drawing, the former technique to principally delineate detail within the drawing, while the latter technique can be used to fill larger areas and to produce gradient shading to give an apparent depth and realism to a drawing.
Although many artists tend to use graphite leads or charcoal sticks by simply holding them between their fingers, it can be difficult to hold and manipulate the leads/sticks, particularly when attempting to create gradient shading effects, as the artist must then place the body of the lead/stick against the paper and drag it across the surface. Moreover, since most graphite leads are typically quite thin, e.g. between 3 mm to 10 mm, they can be quite prone to snapping if too much pressure is applied to the body of the lead/stick, or otherwise, if it is held in an inappropriate manner.
To address some of these problems, the prior art provides an artists tool commonly referred to as a "clutch pencil holder", which is similar in function and operation to a conventional retractable pen or pencil. Therefore, the graphite lead is held within the cylindrical body of the holder, whereupon the lead can be extended by way of an actuating button at the distal end of the holder. The actuating button releases a gripping "clutch" at the proximal end of the holder, which thereby allows a tip of the graphite lead to be extended and exposed. The artist can then sharpen the tip (using a craft knife etc.) and commence drawing by using the holder in the manner of a conventional pen or pencil.
However, although such tools are useful to an artist, they only allow the graphite lead to be used to delineate detail in the drawing and to shade only relatively small areas via the sharpened tip, as it is not possible to make use of the body of the lead, along its full length, as the lead is enclosed within the holder. As a result, the use of these tools can be restrictive to an artist, as it may prevent the artist from achieving a particularly desired result. In many cases therefore, an artist may be forced to remove the graphite lead from the holder and to consequently hold the lead between their fingers, thereby potentially exposing him/her-self to some of the above problems. Moreover, if an artist desires to change the grade of the hardness or blackness of the graphite lead, he/she must again remove the lead from the holder and replace it with the required lead, which may be a fiddly and time consuming task.


A playing surface may include a first boundary wall, a second boundary wall, a first zone separator and a second zone separator. The second zone separator may be spaced apart from the first zone separator in order to provide a first zone area residing between the first zone separator and the second zone separator. The zone separators may each have an angled surface which are positioned so that a sphere may be rolled toward the angled surface of the zone separator, roll over the zone separator and into a zone area.

Game playing surfaces exist in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,090 to Nelson discloses a bowling target for use in a bowling game. The bowling target has a groove (feature #13) of an irregular circular shape in which a ball may roll and rest. A first slight ramp (feature #15) is placed before the front portion of the groove to deflect a ball over that portion of the groove and into the central area of the target face where a concave recess in the center of the target face will retain a ball which barely rolls into the recess. A second slight ramp (feature #16) is placed opposite the first ramp on the other side of the groove. The second slight ramp is contained within the irregular circular configuration of the groove and deflects a rapidly rolling ball over the central recess. Such games may not be challenging enough for frequent game players because the ball may enter the groove without traversing either of the ramps.

Game surface and method of using a game surface


A fabric softener composition is provided by melt mixing a fabric softener component and a carrier component to provide a fabric softener composition exhibiting a melting point greater than 90° C. The weight ratio of the fabric softener component to the carrier component can be between about 1:19 and about 19:1. Methods for manufacturing the fabric softener composition and using the fabric softener composition to soften fabric while drying laundry in a dryer are provided.

Several types of dryer fabric softeners have been available. One type of dryer fabric softener is available as a dryer sheet. The dryer sheet is placed in the dryer along with wet laundry. The sheet is often a nonwoven fabric containing a solid composition that includes a fabric softener and a fragrance. During the drying cycle, the temperature increases as the laundry dries, causing the fabric softener to melt and transfer from the nonwoven sheet to the laundry. Dryer sheets are generally provided for a single use. If the dryer sheet becomes entangled with an article of laundry, excessive deposition onto that piece of laundry may result in "spotting." Spotting is the condition where concentrated fabric softener causes a dark spot on a laundry item. For certain dryer sheet products, it is believed that dispensing of the fabric softener is primarily caused by the heat of the dryer melting the fabric softener on the dryer sheet. It is believed that this mostly takes place near the end of the drying cycle when the temperature within the dryer increases.
Dryer sheets containing fabric softeners are described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,692 to Gaiser; U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,025 to Morton; U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,895 to Cook et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,230 to Borcher, Sr. et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,595 to Morris et al.
Another type of dryer fabric softener is available as a pouch containing a fabric softener composition. The pouch can be attached to the dryer drum. During the drying cycle, the increase in temperature can melt a portion of the composition inside the pouch. The melted composition then passes through the pouch and transfers to the laundry. The pouch type dryer fabric softener can be available for multiple uses. An example of the pouch type dryer fabric softener was available under the name "Free 'N Soft" from Economics Laboratory of St. Paul, Minn. Examples of pouch type dryer fabric softeners are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,145 to Mizuno; U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,008 to Mizuno et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,937 to Mizuno et al.
Additional fabric softener compositions are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,131 to Rudy et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,307 to Fry et al.

Fabric softener composition and methods for manufacturing and using


A vehicle door latch device configured so that the pivoting of a gear which is performed by motor drive reliably moves a lock lever to a lock position and an unlock position. When a lock lever is at a lock position, if a worm wheel is rotated in one direction by a motor, a first engagement protrusion section makes contact with a first engagement arm in the direction of the pivoting thereof, the lock lever is pivoted to an unlock position, and after that, a second engagement protrusion section makes contact with a pivoting end section of a second engagement arm to cause the worm wheel to stop at a first stop position. Also, when the lock lever is at the unlock position, if the worm wheel is rotated in the other direction by the motor, a second engagement protrusion section makes contact with the second engagement arm in the direction of the pivoting thereof, the lock lever is pivoted to a lock position, and after that, a first engagement protrusion section makes contact with a pivoting end section of the first engagement arm to cause the worm wheel to stop at a second stop position.

An actuator in a vehicle door latch device comprises a motor, a worm wheel turned by the motor, and a locking lever (active lever) movable between a locking position and an unlocking position by manually operating means such as a key cylinder and a locking knob on a door and by a motor. One rotary surface of the worm wheel is rotatably supported on a casing and the other rotary surface of the worm wheel is selectively engagable with the locking lever to allow the locking lever to turn to the locking and unlocking positions with rotation of the worm wheel as described in Patent Literature 1.


An improved adjustable mounting bracket for a moldboard snow plow includes a horizontal box beam, cross member which is attached by lugs to the back side of the plow and a third hitch connection which is attached to a bracket mounted on the box beam member. A support arm for a yoke fits over the mid-point of the box beam and is pivotally connected by a pin. The support arm is attached to a first frame member which overlays a second frame member mounted on the truck. The frame members are linked to one another and the first frame members may be moved vertically relative the second by an hydraulic cylinder. The construction is especially compact and lightweight.

Moldboard snow plows are typically mounted to the front end of a truck or vehicle by means of a bracket or hitch mechanism which permits easy removal of the plow for repair or replacement or storage. The hitch mechanism for a moldboard plow often includes hydraulics which effect adjustment of the angle of the plow by pivotal movement about a vertical pivot axis so that the plow may be centered or tilted to the left or right of the direction of vehicle travel. Typically, in plowing operations, especially in the United States where driving occurs on the right-hand side of road, the plow will be canted or tilted so that the right-hand side of a straight moldboard plow trails the left-hand side. In this manner, snow is pushed or ejected to the right as the vehicle moves forward advancing the plow through snow. Of course, in certain circumstances the angle or inclination of the plow about its vertical axis must be adjusted. Additionally, the plow may need to be raised or lowered. For example, when plowing on an upward incline it may be necessary to raise the plow and tilt the plow so that the plow will move appropriately up the incline. Similarly, when plowing downhill, it may be desirable to lower the plow and perhaps tilt the plow downwardly.
There are various straight moldboard snow plows and associated mounting brackets available in the marketplace. For example, the Gledhill Road Machinery Company of Galion, Ohio manufactures various moldboard plow models. Valk Manufacturing Company of Carlisle, Pa. also makes similar snow plow constructions. Lawtons' Equipment, Inc., of Paris, Ill. also makes similar snow plow constructions.
The support bracket available from these companies for holding a plow on the front of a vehicle also has a variety of constructions. Typically the support bracket includes a forwardly extending support mounted on a frame. The support may be pivotally attached to the frame. The frame may include an actuator and guide member which imparts angular movement to the support bracket on the frame about a vertical pivot. The construction is typically made from steel angle iron.
While the known prior art moldboard snow plows and associated mounting brackets work well, a need persists for a snow plow brackets support construction which is more compact and is a lighter weight mechanism for attaching a moldboard plow to a vehicle. Additionally, a need for improved maneuverability persists with respect to such plows and associated mounting brackets. Also, when using hydraulic cylinders to effect a change in the angle of such a plow mounted on a bracket, two cylinders have been required typically to effect operation. A need, therefore, to provide a mounting bracket mechanism for moldboard snow plows which utilizes a single cylinder for plow angle control persists inasmuch as a single cylinder will be less costly and will operate more quickly and effectively because less hydraulic pumping will be required in order to effect operation of a single cylinder.
The effect of the weight of the plow and support bracket on the front end of a plow vehicle tends to cause the vehicle to tip forward. For this reason, it is often necessary to load or weight the rear end of a vehicle. By providing a plow construction which has a lighter weight and a bracket attachment mechanism which has a lighter weight and which permits positioning of the plow closer to the vehicle, the center of gravity of the snow plow and the bracket associated therewith may be maintained closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle. This is a desirable objective.
Thus, there are many reasons to provide an improved plow construction and more particularly a mold board plow construction and bracket for attachment thereof to a vehicle.


The current invention provides method and apparatus for managing a professional practice application over the Internet or other wide area network (WAN) or local area network (LAN). The application includes a range of integrated features: for tracking clients/customers/patients and their matters/cases/histories; for time keeping and billing; for docketing/calendaring of key events; and for accounting. The application is accessible to individual or group users, with each group able to customize the application views that are presented to each user of a group depending on the role assigned to each individual user by a manager within each group.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a web application for a professional practice and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for managing application usage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Service professionals such as: accountants, doctors, entertainers, lawyers, consultants, brokers, architects, etc. require professional practice applications to help organize their business. Traditionally these software applications are sold in modular form on a stand alone or networked basis. A professional might buy a first application for tracking clients/customers/patients and their matters/cases/histories. Another application would handle time keeping. Still another application would handle calendaring or docketing of key events. Other applications would handle accounting functions such as: accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, general ledger and journal.
Traditionally, the use of each module, e.g. case management, time keeping, docketing, accounting, was limited to selected members of the firm or service business depending on their role in the organization. Thus, the bookkeeper for a given service profession would be the only within the organization with access to the accounting software application. Attorneys, or doctors for example would be given access to the time-keeping application, but not their staff. A docket clerk would be in control of a docketing/calendaring application and so forth. As employees of each service business are hired they are given access to the appropriate application(s) by means of loading the application on their computer, with or without a password. When an employee leaves a service business they no longer have access to the computer on which their application was loaded.
Recently, several of the above named applications, e.g. time keeping and billing have been offered on the Internet. Typically these are offered to single users on a subscription basis. While such offerings may be of use to sole practitioners, they do not meet the needs of larger service profession businesses because they are not set up for service professionals operating in a group.
What is needed is a professional service application suitable for use over the Internet by individual service professionals or service professionals operating in groups.

Method and apparatus for a professional practice application


A semiconductor device (10) includes a lead frame (12) having tie bars (16). In one form of the invention, the tie bars are used to support a semiconductor die (20) to alleviate package cracking problems caused by stress and to provide a universal lead frame which is suitable for use with many different die sizes. In another embodiment, a semiconductor device (45) includes a lead frame (40) having a mini-flag (42) to accomplish these same objectives.

Package cracking is a common problem in plastic encapsulated semiconductor devices. The problem arises from a combination of factors. One factor is an internal delamination between the plastic encapsulant material and a flag of a lead frame. The flag is a plate-like member of a conventional lead frame which supports the die. The flag, like the rest of the lead frame, is usually made of copper, a copper-alloy, or an iron-nickel alloy, and therefore has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) which in most instances is different than that of the surrounding molding compound or plastic. As a result of this CTE mismatch, stress is created at the plastic-flag interface as the semiconductor device experiences temperature changes. The stress, upon reaching a maximum threshold, is relieved through delamination of the plastic-flag interface. Another factor involved in package cracking is moisture absorption. After the plastic-flag interface becomes delaminated, moisture from the environment diffuses through the molding compound to the delaminated area. Once moisture accumulates in the package, rapid temperature increases will cause the moisture to vaporize and expand, thereby creating an internal pressure pocket in the delaminated area. To relieve the pressure and associated stress, the surrounding plastic cracks. The most common occurrence of package cracking occurs when a user attaches a plastic semiconductor device to a substrate using a solder reflow operation. The rapid increase and high temperatures associated with solder reflow are often sufficient, depending on the moisture content of the device, to cause the plastic to crack.
There are numerous existing methods of dealing with the problem of package cracking. One method is dry-packing, which involves baking plastic encapsulated semiconductor devices sufficiently to reduce moisture content and packaging the devices into moisture resistant packets. Device users then attach the device before a sufficient amount of moisture to cause cracking can be absorbed into the package through exposure to ambient conditions. This method is effective, but significantly increases the costs of semiconductor devices. Moreover, device users must keep track of how long devices have been exposed to the ambient conditions to assure that any absorbed moisture is insufficient to cause cracking problems.
Other known approaches have tried to decrease the possibility of internal delamination through improved adhesion between flag and the plastic. For example, some manufacturers have "roughened" the metallic surface of the flag to improve adhesion. Others have formed small holes or dimples in the flag to provide anchoring mechanisms. Another approach used to improve adhesion is use of a window-frame flag. A window-frame flag is more or less a hollowed-frame that supports the die, rather than a solid paddle.
The methods described above do, to some extent, decrease the possibility of delamination by providing better adhesion to the plastic encapsulating material. Similarly, the present invention has the advantage of reduced delamination, albeit through a technique not previously used. But in addition, the present invention addresses another manufacturing problem which the above methods do not address, namely the need for semiconductor manufacturers to use a different or customized lead frame design for each of its products. Having a different lead frame design for each die size and die functional pin-out necessitates a large inventory of piece-parts and requires additional time and human resources to design a new lead frame before each product introduction. In addition to costs associated with inventory and design, the cost of the lead frames themselves are undesirably inflated because of insufficient volume to lower the cost to a minimum. Several small orders for lead frames, each requiring separate tooling, is more costly than one order for the same total number of lead frames. Thus, the cost of semiconductor manufacturing could be significantly reduced by the use of a lead frame design which could be used in conjunction with several different die sizes. The present invention achieves this goal by utilizing a lead frame in a semiconductor device which can be used with various die sizes, while at the same time improving adhesion between the lead frame and the encapsulating material to alleviate package cracking problems.

Semiconductor device having universal low-stress die support and method for making the same


Projected ABSs (air bearing surfaces) are formed on a disk facing plane of a slider. Three-dimensional corners constituting the corners of ABSs are chamfered. Two-dimensional corners constituting side edges of ABSs are not chamfered and has sharp edges. Damages of a disk surface and breakage of the slider are prevented when the slider collides with the disk surface by external shock.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head slider and its manufacture, and more particularly to a magnetic head slider and its manufacture capable of preventing accidental breakage of the head and variation of the flying characteristics of a slider.
b) Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 2A, a slider 10 having magnetic heads is supported by a suspension 12 over a magnetic disk 14 loaded in a hard disk drive. As the magnetic disk 14 rotates, the slider 10 flies over the disk 14 to record information in the disk 14 or reproduce it from the disk 14. If an external shock is applied to the flying slider 10, the position of the slider 10 changes.
As shown in FIG. 2B, if the slider 10 together with the suspension 12 jmps up from the disk 14 by external shock, it lands thereafter onto the disk 14 by reaction as shown in FIG. 2C. In this case, the magnetic head slaps the surface of the disk 14. This head slap may cause damages of the disk surface or breakages of the slider.
In order to avoid surface damages of the disk 14 and breakages of the slider 10, a countermeasure as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B has been used. FIG. 3A is a bottom view of a slider, and FIG. 3B is a cross sectional view taken along line IIIB--IIIB in FIG. 3A. Air bearing surfaces (ABSs) 18 and 20 of rails formed on a disk facing plane 16 of the slider are chamfered and rounded at their entire peripheries 28 to form chamfered portions 22. These chamfered portions 22 relax local impact to be applied to the surface of the disk 14 when head slap occurs, to thereby prevent surface damages of the disk 14 and breakages of the slider 10. In contrast outermost edges 29 of the slider 10 are not chamfered at all.
An edge blend method has been used as a method of forming chamfered portions. As shown in FIG. 4, an abrasive tape 24 is softly pushed against ABSs 18 and 20 of the slider 10 and the whole surfaces 28 of ABSs 18 and 20 are rubbed to form the chamfered portions 22.


A material separator apparatus for obtaining refined material subjected to a first grind reduction which is moved into the separator where the large and/or heavier particles of the material are separated out and returned by gravity to fall back into the first grind reduction for further reduction while the finer ground material is subjected to a second separation by a rotary separating device having an array of spaced members which allow the passage of particles smaller than the spacing between members and the larger particles are refused passage and fall back for further reduction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for separating the output of material grinders into fine material while returning coarse material that requires further reduction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the reduction of coarse material, like rock, coal and similar substances, the grinding apparatus has a tendency to discharge the product before it has been reduced to a uniform desired size. Heretofore the grinding apparatus has been provided with product separation means for the purpose of allowing the desired fines to pass on to the outlet while returning the coarse fractions for further reduction. In some instances the coarse returning fractions accumulate in a large enough mass to obstruct the fine discharge from the grinding apparatus. This latter situation is undesirable as the output is obstructed and the power to drive the apparatus is increased in order to be able to move the mass of material which has considerable density.
When the mass of material increases there is a lack of effective separation from two standpoints. One is that when the air flow is too high the larger particles are carried along with the fines and get into the conduit and drift along as an impedement to uniform flow. When the outlet conduit connects into a burner, the large particles reach the combustion zone and fail to burn completely. In the second case, the power to drive the rotating blade elements increases rapidly when the mass of material becomes dense, and greater horse power is required.


During a period in which a clutch is in a partially engaged state at the time of start of a vehicle, a transmission ECU calculates load acting on the clutch (clutch-absorbed energy). When this load is large, generation of a shift signal based on a gear shift map is prohibited, and the initial gear position is held. The clutch-absorbed energy is obtained through integration of the product of clutch transmission torque and the difference between rotational speed of an engine and rotational speed of the clutch. The clutch transmission torque is determined with reference to a clutch transmission torque map provided in the transmission ECU.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanical automatic transmission apparatus for a vehicle which prohibits upshift and maintains a gear position, when running resistance at the time of start of the vehicle is large, to thereby prevent acceleration failure and downshift because of a drop in vehicle speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, mechanical automatic transmissions in which actuators are added to a transmission gear mechanism and a clutch mechanism, which are similar to those used in manual-transmission vehicles, in order to enable automatic gear shift have been developed and put into practice, and applied mainly to large-sized vehicles such as trucks and buses.
In such a mechanical automatic transmission, in general, gear-shift control is performed on the basis of a gear-shift map as shown in FIG. 6. Specifically, upshift and downshift are performed on the basis of accelerator opening information and vehicle speed information.
For example, at the time of start, as shown in the gear-shift map of FIG. 6, the gear position is automatically shifted from 1st to 2nd when the vehicle speed reaches about 10-plus km/h, from 2nd to 3rd when the vehicle speed reaches about 20-plus km/h, and from 3rd to 4th when the vehicle speed reaches about 40 km/h. Each of the vehicle speeds for automatic upshift is shifted toward a higher speed as the accelerator opening increases.
However, when automatic shift control is performed on the basis of such a gear-shift map, a problem may arise when the vehicle starts with a large running resistance acting thereon; i.e., when the vehicle is on a steep uphill or carries a heavy load. That is, in the case where automatic shift control is performed by use of a gear-shift map, even when the vehicle is on a steep uphill or carries a heavy load, upshift control is automatically performed at a constant vehicle speed; e.g., upshift from 1st to 2nd is performed when the vehicle speed reaches 10-plus km/h, and upshift from 2nd to 3rd is performed when the vehicle speed reaches 20-plus km/h. However, in such a case, because of a large running resistance, drive force after upshift becomes insufficient, and the vehicle cannot be accelerated to a sufficient degree, so that a hunting phenomenon associated with gear position occurs in which the vehicle speed decreases and downshift is performed, and then upshift is again performed as a result of an increase in the vehicle speed.
A conceivable method for solving such a problem is estimating running resistance from acceleration and engine torque during traveling, and prohibiting upshift after start. According to this method, running resistance cannot be calculated unless the vehicle travels a certain distance or more after the start. Therefore, even in the case where upshift is desired to be prohibited immediately after the start, upshift may be performed because running resistance is calculated too late, and the above-described problem may occur.

Mechanical automatic transmission apparatus

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation


A method and system for creating and maintaining multiple document versions in a data processing system implemented library. Selected documents within a data processing system implemented library are uniquely identified as root documents and a version-root identifier for each successor version of a particular root document is established. Thereafter, a selected version-root identifier is automatically associated with each created successor version of a root document. Upon the creation of a successor version of a root document and a second predecessor document, the version-root identifier associated with the root document is automatically associated with the successor version and the second predecessor document. Upon the creation of a successor version base upon multiple non-root predecessor documents a particular non-root predecessor document is automatically selected as a root document and a version-root identifier is established and associated therewith. Thereafter, the newly established version-root identifier is automatically associated with all non-root predecessor documents and the successor version based thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to data processing system implemented libraries and in particular to a method and system for creating and maintaining multiple document versions within a data processing system implemented library. Still more particularly the present invention relates a method and system for creating and maintaining multiple predecessor and successor versions of a document within a data processing system implemented library.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronically implemented "libraries" are rapidly surpassing more traditional forms of information storage in the world today. It is quite common for data processing system implemented libraries to maintain and control thousands of different objects, or documents. The rules by which such documents may be altered and/or maintained are typically governed by various standards such as the International Standard ISO/IEC 10166, Document Filing and Retrieval (DFR).
One problem which exists in such electronic libraries is the management and control of multiple versions of a selected document in a so-called "Conceptual Document" wherein all documents therein are related. Many systems exist for governing relationships between multiple versions of a single document in a linear relationship. That is, a relationship wherein a selected document may have single predecessor document and a single successor document. While the need for a method and system which permits each document to have multiple predecessors and successor documents has been generally alluded to, no current library system permits such a relationship to be created and maintained.
It should therefore be apparent that a need exist for a method and system which permits multiple predecessor and successor versions of a document to be created and maintained within a data processing system library.

Method and system for creating and maintaining multiple document versions in a data processing system library

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a new method for producing a structure having a three-dimensional network skeleton. The method includes providing a film including a first material and a second material and removing the second material contained in the film by dry etching. The first material contains a noble metal and is dispersed in the second material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure having a three-dimensional network skeleton composed of a material including a noble metal, a method for producing the structure, a membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell including the structure, and a fuel cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
A porous noble metal has widely been studied with the expectation that it can be applied to an electrode of a fuel cell.
A method for producing such a porous noble metal is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-221601 (a U.S. equivalent is US2005/0079374A1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-221601 describes a technique in which nanometer-sized silica particles are used as a template (adsorbent) in the production of a porous noble metal. Specifically, a noble metal compound is adsorbed onto an aggregate of the silica particles. After the noble metal compound is reduced into a noble metal, the silica particles are dissolved away with NaOH to produce a porous noble metal.
In the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-221601, a porous noble metal is produced by a wet process. The present inventors accomplished the present invention through a study on a new method for producing a porous noble metal by a dry process.

Structure having three-dimensional network skeleton, method for producing the structure, and fuel cell including the structure


A method for microfluidic printing comprising pumping and mixing colored inks which comprise a mixture of colorants, fluids, and gel-forming or gel-initiating ingredients to form ink pixels and to transfer such ink pixels to a receiver transferring position; and transferring the ink pixels to a reflective receiver which contains gel-forming or gel-initiating ingredients so that the ingredients in the transferred ink pixels and in the receiver react to form a gel and the viscosity of the transferred ink rapidly increases to limit the flow of ink pixels whereby such ink pixels are fixed to the receiver and overprinting of colors is minimized.

The present invention relates to printing high quality continuous tone images by microfluidic pumping of colored inks onto receivers.
Microfluidic pumping and dispensing of liquid chemical reagents is the subject of three U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,585,069, 5,593,838, and 5,603,351, all assigned to the David Sarnoff Research Center, Inc. The system uses an array of micron sized reservoirs, with connecting microchannels and reaction cells etched into a substrate. Electrokinetic pumps comprising electrically activated electrodes within the capillary microchannels provide the propulsive forces to move the liquid reagents within the system. The electrokinetic pump, which is also known as an electroosmotic pump, has been disclosed by Dasgupta et al., see xe2x80x9cElectroosmosis: A Reliable Fluid Propulsion System for Flow Injection Analysesxe2x80x9d, Anal. Chem. 66, pp 1792-1798 (1994). The chemical reagent solutions are pumped from a reservoir, mixed in controlled amounts, and them pumped into a bottom array of reaction cells. The array may be decoupled from the assembly and removed for incubation or analysis. When used as a printing device, the chemical reagent solutions are replaced by dispersions of cyan, magenta, and yellow pigment, and the array of reaction cells may be considered a viewable display of picture elements, or pixels, comprising mixtures of pigments having the hue of the pixel in the original scene. When contacted with paper, the capillary force of the paper fibers pulls the dye from the cells and holds it in the paper, thus producing a paper print, or reproduction, of the original scene. One problem with this kind of printer is the tendency of the ink to dry out and plug the small openings which deliver the ink to the paper. Another problem is that of controlling the density of the print. The force of capillary attraction can pull more ink than is needed from the printing apparatus, leading to excessive density in the print, as well as color bleeding and incorrect colors.
It would be desirable to have a compact, low powered printer which uses an ink that is highly effective in microfluidic printing and overcomes the above problems.
An object of this invention is to provide an rapid way to print a high quality continuous tone image.
It is another object of this invention is to provide improved ink which can be used in microfluidic printing and which does not dry out and plug in the printer and is highly effective for being fixed to a receiver.
These objects are achieved by a method for microfluidic printing comprising:
a) pumping and mixing colored inks which comprise a mixture of colorants, fluids, and gel-forming or gel-initiating ingredients to form ink pixels and to transfer such ink pixels to a receiver transferring position; and
b) transferring the ink pixels to a reflective receiver which contains gel-forming or gel-initiating ingredients so that the ingredients in the transferred ink pixels and in the receiver react to form a gel and the viscosity of the transferred ink rapidly increases to limit the flow of ink pixels whereby such ink pixels are fixed to the receiver and overprinting of colors is minimized.
The present invention provides high quality microfluidic prints by using an ink which does not clog or plug through the effective use of gel-forming ingredients and gel-initiating ingredients and permits the ink pixels to be readily fixed to a receiver. As the ink pixels are transferred, the viscosity of the ink rapidly increases, limiting ink flow and preventing color bleeding. The increasing viscosity prevents the printing of overly dense colored pixels. The prevention of overly dense colored pixels provides for improved image quality. The use of inks in accordance with the present invention does not effect the power requirements of the printer and permits fast printing since all the pixels are printed simultaneously.
Another feature of the invention is that the printer may be operated under a wide variety of conditions and temperatures without color bleeding and excess print density.

Microfluidic printing with gel-forming inks


Matrix metalloproteinases are major mediators of tissue destruction in various chronic inflammatory disorders. The present invention demonstrates that over-expression of intracellular isoform of IL-1 receptor antagonist confers to recipient cells resistance to signaling pathways of proinflammatory cytokines (such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1 beta) that induce matrix metalloproteinase and subsequent tissue degradation. Hence, over-expression of intracellular IL-1 receptor antagonist may inhibit tissue destruction in various inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, other arthritides, degenerative intervertebral disc disease and chronic skin ulcers that occurs in diabetes mellitus and bed-ridden patients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to inflammatory cytokines, matrix metalloproteinases and maintenance of extracellular matrix and discloses use of intracellular interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonists in the inhibition of degradation of extracellular matrix. More specifically, the present invention discloses the use of peptides of intracellular isoform of IL-1 receptor antagonist in the inhibition of tissue degradation and treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders.
2. Description of the Related Art
IL-1 is a cytokine which stimulates cells to release pro-inflammatory proteins resulting in joint inflammation and destruction. Because of its central role in causing joint destruction, interleukin-1 is now a target for the treatment of arthritis. IL-1 has a naturally occurring inhibitory protein called IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). This inhibitory protein has two isoforms, a secreted isoform (sIL-1ra) and an intracellular isoform (icIL-1ra), which results from alternate splicing of RNA encoding the amino-termini. The role of the secreted isoform of IL-1 receptor antagonist in the inhibition of inflammatory effects of IL-1 is due to its ability to occupy the receptor without transducing a signal.
The ability of sIL-1ra to ameliorate the development of arthritis has been well established. However, almost nothing is known about the function or mode of action of the intracellular isoform of IL-1 receptor antagonist, especially in the regulation of inflammation and degradation of extracellular matrix and the utility of such IL-1 receptor antagonists. The present invention fulfills this long-standing need and desire in the art.

Intracellular interleukin-1 receptor antagonists

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation


Non-destructive manipulation of images in a web development environment (WDE) is disclosed. The WDE provides an image preview component for operating on the original source image data of an image desired for placement on a web page under development in the WDE. Image manipulation tools, such as cropping and scaling, are provided in the image preview component allowing the designer to adjust the appearance of the original source image data that will be presented by the web image object placed on the design canvas of the WDE. The web image objects are defined having a link to the original source image data by maintaining the display modification instructions used to manipulate the original image defined by the original source image data into the display of the web image object.

From its simple beginnings as a broad network for exchanging information among scientists and researchers, the Internet and World Wide Web (Web) have grown into an integral and essential part of various aspects of personal and business existence. Advancing technology has helped transform the Internet from simple text based information, to a vast array of rich visual and interactive user experiences. In order to create this visual content, designers and developers use a variety of software tools.
In a typical workflow for web designers, the images, which will eventually be displayed in web content, are designed using specialized graphical development environments, such as Adobe Systems Incorporated's PHOTOSHOP® and FIREWORKS®, and the like. The resulting images are typically stored to a compression format such as PHOTOSHOP® Document (PSD), Portable Network Graphics (PNG), Graphics Interchange Format (GIF), a low-compression Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), or the like. These original source graphics files are intended to maintain a great amount of detail for the designed images. Therefore, because of bandwidth restrictions and guidelines for adequate loading times, these original source files are impractical for use directly in the code defining the web page or web application. Typically, web designers will use the original source files to create web images in a format that is more compatible with web display, such as higher compression JPEGs, GIFs, or the like. Using web-optimized file formats helps to maintain efficient loading of the web images onto the users' browser windows.
Another technique generally used by web designers is to take only a portion of the original source file for an image and create some modified version of that image for the web file. For example, the original image source file may contain an image of an automobile. However, the web designer only wants an image of a license plate on a bumper for the web page under design. In order to generate this web image, the designer would convert the original source file into a web-optimized file format and insert this web image onto the design view of a web development environment (WDE), such as Adobe Systems Incorporated's DREAMWEAVER® and GOLIVE®, Microsoft Corporation's FRONT PAGE®, or the like. Many WDEs provide a dialog window that opens the original source file of the image and presents a number of options to the designer to select to determine how the designer would like the source file to be processed into the web image file. For example, the dialog may allow the designer to select the compression format, the type of compression, and possibly any filtering that the designer would like to use. When the designer is satisfied with his or her selections, he or she will select to insert the image file into the web page under development. This selection to insert would execute a conversion component to generate a new image file for the web image by converting the original source image file according to the designer's selections.
The image will then be displayed by the WDE on the design canvas and associated with a new web image file in the selected format. By working in the design view of the WDE, the designer may then apply a cropping feature to the web image which cuts out and deletes those portions of the larger image that the designer does not wish to use. In a typical crop operation, the user places a crop rectangle (a "crop rect") onto the image and moves or shapes the crop rect to surround the area of the image that the designer wishes to keep. Upon executing the crop function, the WDE deletes all image data outside of the perimeter of the user-positionable crop rect and resaves the file representing the web image which now only includes the data from inside the crop rect. The cropped web image can now be manipulated further as the designer wishes.
As with other design endeavors, the designer may make a mistake with the cropped web image or may change his or her mind with regard to how the image has been modified or the amount of the original image that he or she desires to use in the resulting web page. For instance, maybe the designer would rather use an image of the license plate on an automobile that includes the image of the auto's headlamp, or, perhaps, the designer may not be satisfied with a particular result of a filter that has been used on the web image data. Because the WDE operates directly on the web image file, the designer typically is forced to delete the web image completely and start over from the original source file. While this restarting process may not be that inconvenient to the designer if the designer only needs to restart a few times, if the designer is making detailed modifications or applying complex filters to the web image, he or she may need to restart often in order to obtain just the desired effect. This restarting process, then, can be quite inconvenient and cost a great deal of design time, which costs the designer money and efficiency.

Non-destructive manipulation of images in web development environments


The method comprises the following steps: connecting each client (5) to a respective one of said servers (3) and establishing a data communication between each client (5) and the respective server (3), thus forming a multi-client/multi-server network; 5 calculating a figure of merit for rejection (FoMR) for at least one client (5) con-nected to at least one of said servers (3), each figure of merit for rejection (FoMR) determining a probability of rejection of the relevant client (5) by the server (3); rejecting at least one client (5), which is connected to a server (3), and placing 10 said client in a non-connected condition; wherein the client to be rejected is selected on the basis of the figure of merit for rejection (FoMR); connecting the rejected client (5) to a server (3) again.

Generally speaking, a multi-client/multi-server system is an aggregate comprised of several electronic devices operating as clients, which are in data communication with a plurality of electronic devices operating as servers. Each client is in a data communication relationship with at least one server. Each server is in turn in data communication relationship with at least one client, and usually with a plurality of clients. Servers can be connected to a gateway for communication with a remote monitoring center station. The servers are connected to the gateway through a fast and reliable communication channel, e.g. a TCP/IP network, which permits managing a high data bandwidth to forward information to the gateway. A wireless or a wired network is provided for connecting clients and servers.
Examples of multi-client/multi-server systems of this kind can be found e.g. in the field of renewable energy installations, such as wind turbine installations, fields of photovoltaic panels, fuel cells, and the like. The use of low-power devices, e.g. micro-inverters, involves the use of a large number of such inverters, e.g. up to several hundreds of inverters, which are distributed on the field. Each inverter represents a client of the multi-client/multi-server system. Each client is connected to a server and, due to the large number of clients, a plurality of servers are needed.
The channels connecting the clients to the servers must be managed carefully to prevent overload of communication data or problems related to the available bandwidth, for instance.
The physical positioning of the electronic devices (e.g. inverters connected to photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, fuel cells, or other renewable energy resources) on the field is not always predictable. Sometimes the photovoltaic panels, and therefore the electronic devices connected thereto, are installed on asymmetric roofs. In other situations they are spread over extensive fields.
One critical aspect of a multi-client/multi-server system concerns balancing the communication load between clients and servers in terms of data traffic bandwidth.
In some cases, clients are connected to the network through respective servers when they are powered by a renewable energy resource and leave the network when no energy is available. For instance, in solar power plants the inverters will connect to the network at sunrise and will leave the network at sunset. Similarly, inverters coupled to wind turbines will connect to the network only when wind is available. When the clients require connection to the network again, e.g. at sunrise, or when wind starts blowing again, the communication between each client and the respective server must be re-established correctly.
Especially when a wireless network is used to connect clients to servers, environmental factors can adversely affect client-server communication. In some cases, client-server connection can be lost. A client-server re-assignment may become necessary in such situations.
Various criteria have been developed to assign clients to servers in a multi-client/multi-server environment, to achieve proper load balancing. These criteria proved to be unsatisfactory.
A need therefore exists, for a more efficient criterion to manage load balancing in a multi-client/multi-server system.

Multi-client/multi-server managing method and system with a routine of rejection of already connected clients for balancing the system


A method and apparatus for draining a component of a beverage forming system such as a coffee brewer. A tank used for holding and/or heating a beverage precursor liquid may be automatically drained. A beverage forming machine including a drain system may be self-contained in that the liquid drained from the tank is held by another tank that is part of the beverage forming machine. The tank into which the drained liquid is deposited may be removable from the beverage forming machine.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for draining a component of a beverage forming machine.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Draining a beverage forming machine, such as a coffee brewer, before storing the machine can help prevent spills, protect the machine from freezing damage and/or reduce the weight of the machine. For example, some commercial coffee brewer machines include a tank that is used to heat and store water before it is used to prepare coffee. Before storing the machine, the tank may be manually drained into a sink or a floor drain with a drain tube, e.g., by removing a plug from a drain line. In some smaller machines, such as single serve coffee brewer machines, draining the hot water tank cannot be done by a consumer.


A system and a method for measuring scale deposition in a process system are provided. Also, a tuning fork used as a sensor for measuring scale deposition and the process that is used with the system and method are also set forth. The tuning fork detects vibrations which have a virtually linear relationship with the scale deposition on the tuning fork. The change in frequency of vibration is, therefore, measured and may be monitored and used to change a signal which, in turn, may run or control a pump for adding necessary components, such as anti-scalant products, to the process stream. The resulting measurement is conducted in real time and, therefore, scale formation in a mineral processing system or other system in which the tuning fork is implemented may also be conducted in real time.

The present invention generally relates to a system and method for measuring scale deposition as well as a tuning fork used with the system and method. More specifically, the present invention relates to measurement of scale deposition in a liquid or process stream and controlling input of product, such as an anti-scalant, based on the deposition that is measured in the liquid or the process stream.
It is, of course, generally known to use tuning forks in many industries. One common use of a tuning fork is to use the same as a digital switch. In certain industries, the tuning fork may be used to measure liquid in tanks or other closed systems where it is necessary to determine liquid levels.
In many industrial applications, such as mineral processing, scale or other components are deposited within the system. Such deposits may often become problematic. For example, fouling of the system and components or causing conditions of low flow in the system may often result.
A need, therefore, exists for a system and a method for measuring scale deposition as well as an instrument to implement the same within certain applications, such as, but not limited to, mineral processing applications. Further, a need exists to automatically add products, such as anti-scalants, to a process stream as a result of such measurements.

System and method for measuring scale deposition including a tuning fork for use in the system and the method


A hydraulic system 10 of the present invention has a hydraulic pump driven by a driving source 14, a hydraulic pump motor 52 driven by an operating oil discharged from the hydraulic pump and flowing in an oil path 50, an inertial body 60 connected to a rotary shaft of the hydraulic pump motor, an oil path 62 connected between an outlet port of the hydraulic pump motor and a load 22, an unloading oil path 64 branched from the oil path 62, and an on-off valve 68 inserted in the unloading oil path. In this configuration, as the on-off valve is opened and closed, a high pressure is generated in the oil path 62 by making use of kinetic energy of the inertial body. The inertial body is driven by hydraulic power and the inertial body is separated from the driving source, which also provides an effect of increasing degrees of freedom for an instrument layout.

Examples of the hydraulic systems of the above type include those disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open No. 6-287952 and Laid-Open No. 2003-130006.
The hydraulic system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-287952 relates to a press-in pile driver and is characterized in that an unloading oil path is branched from an oil path between a hydraulic pump as an oil pressure source and a hydraulic cylinder as a load and an on-off valve is inserted in the unloading oil path. The Application Laid-Open No. 6-287952 describes that in this configuration the on-off valve is instantly opened and closed to apply an oil impact to an operating oil flowing from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic cylinder, whereupon the pressure of the operating oil can be made higher than the discharge pressure from the hydraulic pump. However, the hydraulic system making use of the oil impact causes a considerable loss and has a limit to increase of pressure, and thus it is considered not to be practical.
In contrast to it, the hydraulic system disclosed in the Application Laid-Open No. 2003-130006 is not one making use of the oil impact but is configured to utilize energy storage in an inertial body. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic system 1 described in Laid-Open No. 2003-130006 has a hydraulic pump 4 driven by a driving source 3 having an inertial body 2 like a flywheel, and a load, e.g., a hydraulic motor 6 to which the operating oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 4 is supplied through an oil path 5a. An accumulator 7 is connected to the oil path 5a and a check valve 8 is inserted in the oil path 5a between the accumulator 7 and the hydraulic pump 4. Furthermore, an unloading oil path 5b is branched from the oil path 5a between the check valve 8 and the hydraulic pump 4, and an on-off valve 9 is inserted therein.
In the hydraulic system 1 of this configuration, in a state in which, while the on-off valve 9 is kept open, the hydraulic pump 4 is driven by the driving source 3 and the operating oil is circulated from the oil path 5a via the unloading oil path 5b, the outlet port of the hydraulic pump 4 is in an unloaded condition, and thus the energy outputted from the driving source 3 is stored up as kinetic energy (½)·I·ω2 of the inertial body 2, excluding losses in the hydraulic circuit system, the mechanical system, and so on. Here I is the moment of inertia of the inertial body 2, and ω the angular velocity of the inertial body 2. When the on-off valve 9 is closed at this moment, the operating oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 4 is supplied via the check valve 8 to the load 6; even if the magnitude of the load pressure after the check valve 8 is larger than a pressure of the operating oil that can be discharged from the hydraulic pump 4 driven by a drive torque (Qm) as a potential output of the driving source 3, the operating oil can be supplied at a greater pressure to the load 6 by virtue of a torque resulting from addition of a torque from the kinetic energy of the inertial body 2 preliminarily having stored the energy, to the drive torque (Qm) of the driving source 3, i.e., a torque (Qp) to drive the hydraulic pump 4.
As described above, the hydraulic system 1 disclosed in Laid-Open No. 2003-130006 provides the excellent effect of capability of supplying the operating oil at the higher pressure to the load 6, but also has a problem that usage and application ranges are limited.
For example, there are cases where the distance between the driving source 3 and the on-off valve 9 becomes very long because of an instrument layout. If the range between the driving source 3 and the on-off valve 9 is arranged variable, the oil paths 5a, 5b between the driving source 3 and the on-off valve 9 cannot be constructed of pipes with high rigidity such as steel pipes, but are replaced with rubber hoses or the like in some cases. In such cases, the rubber hoses or the like expand and contract to lower efficiency, and it is difficult to adopt the hydraulic system 1. In addition, in cases where there are a plurality of loads 6 and desires for individual control of the loads, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of hydraulic systems 1 and it is difficult to reduce the number of parts by common use of components.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a hydraulic system making use of the energy storage in an inertial body, which can be widely used in a variety of applications and fields.