A media detection system includes a light source mounted within a cartridge receiving chamber defined by a cartridge engaging assembly. A cartridge referencing member has an arm portion mounted to the cartridge engaging assembly and a head portion located within the cartridge receiving chamber at a position adjacent the light source. The cartridge referencing member is deflected by a data cartridge within the cartridge receiving chamber so that when no data cartridge is located within the cartridge receiving member, the cartridge referencing member is not deflected and the cartridge referencing member blocks light from the light source. When a data cartridge is located within the cartridge receiving member, the cartridge referencing member blocks less light from the light source. A detector assembly mounted within the cartridge receiving chamber detects whether light from the light source is blocked or not blocked.

Media storage systems are well-known in the art and are commonly used to store data cartridges at known locations and to retrieve the desired data cartridges so that data may be written to and/or read from the data cartridges. Such media storage systems are often referred to as autochangers or library storage systems.
A typical autochanger or media storage system may include one or more different types of cartridge-receiving devices. For example, one type of cartridge-receiving device may comprise an individual cartridge storage location (e.g., for holding a single data cartridge) or a storage rack or "magazine" (e.g., for holding a plurality of data cartridges). Another type of cartridge-receiving device may comprise one or more cartridge read/write devices for reading data from and/or writing data to data cartridges. Yet another type of cartridge-receiving device is a cartridge-engaging assembly or "picker." The cartridge-engaging assembly is provided for transporting the data cartridges in the media storage system (e.g., between the storage magazines and the read/write device).
In operation, it is often useful to know whether a data cartridge is present in any of the various cartridge-receiving devices. At start-up, for example, it may be necessary to know whether there is already a data cartridge in the cartridge-engaging assembly which should be returned to a storage magazine before the media storage system will be ready for service.
One way to determine whether a data cartridge is present in a cartridge-receiving device is by monitoring mechanical switches. When a data cartridge passes into or out of the cartridge-receiving device, a switch is thrown (e.g., turned "on" or "off") to indicate the presence or absence of the data cartridge. However, mechanical switches have finite tolerances; a smaller data cartridge may pass into or out of the cartridge-receiving device undetected. This especially occurs if different sizes of data cartridges are to be used in the same media storage system.
It may also be useful to know which size data cartridge is present in the cartridge-receiving device. For example, if a smaller linear tape open (LTO) data cartridge is being retrieved for a read/write operation, it may be necessary to deliver the data cartridge to a read/write device designed for smaller LTO data cartridges. Alternatively, if a larger digital linear tape (DLT) data cartridge is being retrieved for a read/write operation, it may be necessary to deliver the data cartridge to a different read/write device designed for larger DLT data cartridges. Current approaches rely on separation of the different types and sizes of media into physically different media storage systems.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Disclosed is a knee pad that is configured to properly stabilize a wearer's patella. The knee pad preferably includes a body that has a generally convex outer surface and a generally concave inner surface. A patella stabilizer is preferably positioned on the inner surface of the body of the knee pad. In combination with the body of the knee pad, the patella stabilizer prevents the displacement of the wearer's patella during use.

For many years, knee pads have been used in industrial, athletic and orthopedic applications to protect the wearer's knee from hard surfaces, impact or uncontrolled movement. With developments in orthopedic medicine, the causes of certain types of knee injury have become better recognized. It is also clear that many existing knee pads are incapable of properly protecting the knee during various activities. In some cases, improper knee pads can actually exacerbate injury and increase recovery time. The dislocation of the patella and associated soft tissue damage can be a common knee injury often attributable to inadequate knee protection.
For example, existing industrial knee pad designs fail to adequately stabilize the knee of the wearer during use. Traditional knee pads are constructed from a rigid pad that is held onto the wearer's knee with suitable straps. The interior of the knee pad fails to provide a contoured surface that will ergonomically support the kneecap. During use, the wearer's patella is permitted to laterally displace within the interior portion of the knee pad.
With increased focus on providing safe work environments, it is critically important to provide a properly designed knee pad that stabilizes and supports the wearer's patella during use. It is to these and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.


A connector is disclosed with an insulating body. A plurality of contacts are positioned in the insulating body. The plurality of contacts include a group of first contacts with a first length, and a group of second contacts with a second length less than the first length. Each second contact is positioned in a gap between two adjacent first contacts.

Hybrid USB connectors are compatible with Micro USB connectors, such as Micro USB2.0, and USB3.0. The hybrid USB connectors have a group of first contacts for transmitting Micro USB signals and a group of second contacts for transmitting USB3.0 signals.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional hybrid USB connector having an insulating body 10 and a plurality of contacts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 positioned in the insulating body 10. Although not shown, the conventional hybrid USB connector further includes a metal shield enclosing the insulating body 10.
FIG. 2 shows the plurality of contacts of FIG. 1, where a group of first contacts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 transmits Micro USB signals and a group of second contacts 1, 2, 8, 9 transmits USB3.0 signals.
The group of first contacts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are positioned in a row. The group of second contacts 1, 2, 8, 9 have a first pair of differential signal contacts 1, 2 and a second pair of differential signal contacts 8, 9 positioned on opposing sides of the group of first contacts, respectively.
Each of the first contacts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 have a length larger than a length of each of the second contacts 1, 2, 8, 9.
Since the lengths of the first and second contacts are limited to the overall size of the connector, only the contacts for transmitting USB signals are provided in the conventional hybrid USB connector. No additional function contacts such as signal detection contacts or signal test contacts are used, which limits the utility of the conventional hybrid USB connector.


A display apparatus is formed from sheet of stock having an image portion separable from a support portion wherein an image is printed on a display side of the image portion and the two portions assembled together to form an integral frame free-standing display. The sheet is provided with die cut and score lines so that no cutting or pasting is required. A computer program enables the combination of digital photographs, simulated picture frame images, clip art and text for processing through a personal computer printer.

The present invention relates generally to printable paper products and methods for producing them and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for printing images integral with a frame.
The availability of low-cost, high-quality digital cameras has enabled users of these cameras easy and quick access to the images captured by the cameras. The availability of low-cost, high-quality color printers has enabled users of digital cameras to print photographic-quality images directly from a personal printer.
While printing the images captured by the digital cameras has been made easier, it remains desirable to provide a frame for mounting and displaying the images once printed or for presenting the images as a gift or the like. Conventional picture frames, however, can be both heavy and expensive.
There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,854 a picture frame formed of a unitary blank formed in three sections that may be folded to form the picture frame. The frame includes an aperture formed in one of the sections for displaying a separate photograph.
There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,936,862 a computer program for generating picture frames from a single sheet of paper along with a pattern with fold and cut lines to create the picture frame. The frame includes a window that the user may remove, or may choose to place art, an imported picture, or design patterns on the window. The frame is assembled by cutting and pasting various portions of the frame and/or picture.
There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,061 a foldable picture frame that permits direct printing of a picture and a border. The specification recites that a first side of a flat sheet is utilized to print a digital photograph or picture and is then turned over to print graphics on the other side of the sheet. In addition, a center panel is then removed in order to form a viewing window for the picture.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a picture frame with a picture display area formed from a single sheet of stock that does not require removal of a window and can be printed in a single pass.

Apparatus and method for printing images with integral frame


A pneumatic tourniquet adapted for self application by an injured person in a military or emergency situation to stop arterial blood loss in an injured arm or leg comprises: a bladder having a width dimension and having a length dimension greater than the circumference of an injured limb of a subject at a selected location; and clamp means for securing the bladder around the limb at the selected location and adapted for sealing the bladder across the bladder width to establish an inflatable portion of the bladder to be the portion of the bladder that encircles the injured limb at the selected location.

Loss of blood is a major cause of death in military combat and emergency situations in which the injured person is alone or medical assistance is not immediately available. The use of a tourniquet to stop blood loss from an injured arm or leg is a well-known technique for preventing death in these situations. Once the primary objective of preventing death due to blood loss is achieved, it is desirable to prevent further injury to the limb due to excessive pressure and time of tourniquet application. To minimize mechanical injury to the tissues under the tourniquet, the pressure applied by the tourniquet should be only slightly higher than that required to stop blood flow and the pressure should be applied evenly and uniformly around the limb beneath the tourniquet, without localized regions of very high or very low pressures. To help prevent gangrene and other complications related to the lack of arterial blood flow into the portion of the limb distal to the tourniquet, it is widely accepted that the tourniquet pressure should be released for a period of 5-10 minutes and then reapplied after each two hour period of stoppage of arterial blood flow, also called arterial blood flow occlusion. When more sophisticated care becomes available (such as emergency medical personnel arriving at the scene or evacuation to a field hospital), it is advantageous to have the emergency tourniquet compatible with more sophisticated pneumatic tourniquet systems (such as the pneumatic systems described by McEwen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,099) which allow precise control of tourniquet cuff pressure and application time.
Published US Army research (Calkins et al, xe2x80x98Evaluation of possible battlefield tourniquet systems for the far-forward settingxe2x80x99, Military Medicine Vol. 165, 5:379, May 2000) defines the need for a light, compact, yet rugged tourniquet for far-forward battlefield use. The victim must be able to apply the tourniquet to his or her own arm or leg and occlude blood flow using only their non-dominant hand. In the Calkins study, a variety of prior art pneumatic and non-pneumatic tourniquets and other non-pneumatic devices adapted for use as a tourniquet (such as ratcheting cargo straps) were tested and found to have disadvantages or to be ineffective in occluding arterial blood flow, particularly when self-applied. Calkins et al reviewed issued patents and found no suitable devices disclosed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,039, Aginsky discloses an emergency tourniquet consisting of a strap and ratchet-type tensioning device, including a tension indicating device and a pointer intended to be set by the user to indicate the time of tourniquet application. In the Calkins study a similar ratchet type devices did not successfully occlude arterial blood flow in all cases and the noisy operation, pinching of the skin, and questionable durability of these types of device was criticized. The pointer device disclosed by Aginsky in the ""039 patent requires the victim to set the pointers at the time of tightening the tourniquet and then monitor the current time using separate means to determine when to release the tourniquet. This is a disadvantage in the battlefield or emergency situation because the user, who may be injured and under extreme stress, must have a reliable separate means of measuring time, must remember to set the pointers immediately after tightening the tourniquet the limb, and must be alert enough to monitor the time throughout the maximum desirable period of continuous arterial occlusion.
There are many other non-pneumatic constricting devices (such as elastic and non-elastic straps) in the prior art. For example the emergency bandage described by Grau in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,723 is intended to be wrapped tightly around the limb as a pressure dressing, but may be used as a tourniquet by using a windlass to twist the wrapped bandage and generate sufficient inward radial pressure on the limb to stop arterial blood flow. However the Calkins study showed that these types of devices were generally not capable of stopping arterial blood flow in the limb, particularly when self-applied by the victim. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,437, Holtsch describes a constricting device for body parts in which a non-inflating band encircles the body part. When the band is pulled tight, the resulting tension activates a rocker clamp which locks the band at a fixed circumference. Although this device may be easier to self-apply due to the automatic clamp, it is intended for venous occlusion only and it would be difficult or impossible for the victim to generate sufficient tension in the band to occlude arterial blood flow. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,666, Marsden describes a constricting strap and fastener device with a battery powered timer and alarm system activated by closure of the fasteners at one or more discrete circumferences. However this non-pneumatic device is a venous tourniquet to assist in various intravenous procedures and is not suitable for arterial occlusion.
Non-pneumatic strap type tourniquets such as those described above generate inward radial compression on the limb by being put into high levels of circumferential tension when wrapped around the limb. In ratcheting strap devices (such as that described by Aginsky in the ""039 patent) and other strap and buckle type devices (such as that described by Holtsch in the ""437 patent and the cargo strap device tested by Calkins), tension is generated by shortening the strap wrapped around the limb. As the pressure on the limb increases, the friction between the strap and the limb also increases, causing the underlying soft tissue to move with the strap as it is drawn tight. This tends to draw soft tissues underlying the strap into the ratchet or buckle device, pinching the soft tissue and creating a region of very high localized pressure which will cause unnecessary injury. This effect may also create high shearing stresses in the underlying soft tissues, increasing the probability of nerve and tissue injury. Friction between the strap and the limb may also create regions of low pressure by preventing tension from being distributed evenly in the strap around the entire limb circumference, and as a result arterial blood may still flow through these low pressure regions although overall strap tension is very high. In general, the uneven or non-uniform application of pressure around the limb resulting from the use of non-pneumatic strap type tourniquets leads to the need for unnecessarily high overall tourniquet pressures to reliably and predictably stop arterial blood flow, and this need for unnecessarily high pressure increases the probability of a range of unnecessary injuries to nerves, muscles and limb. Using a pressure transducer as described by McEwen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,265, the inventors of the current invention have found that pressure distribution under non-pneumatic strap type tourniquets is difficult to regulate and can vary significantly between different locations around the limb circumference and between the proximal and distal edges of the strap. In particular, pressures actually applied to the limb can be dangerously high in certain areas (such as the pinched areas described above) with corresponding increased risk of soft tissue and nerve damage. Areas of low pressure can allow arterial blood flow past the tourniquet and lead to higher overall strap tensions being used to maintain arterial occlusion. Furthermore, none of the non-pneumatic devices described above are compatible with typical operating room or field hospital tourniquet systems allowing precise control of tourniquet pressure.
Pneumatic tourniquet cuffs have been proven to be effective and safe devices for stopping arterial blood flow and are the standard of care in modern surgery. A pneumatic cuff was the only device tested that successfully stopped arterial blood flow in all trials in the Calkins study. When a pneumatic tourniquet cuff is in use, an inflatable bladder completely encircles the limb and is inflated, causing the bladder to expand and apply inward radial compression to the limb around the entire limb circumference. In contrast to the non-pneumatic devices described above, pneumatic tourniquets apply pressure to the limb that is very closely related to the inflation pressure of the cuff, and this pressure is applied evenly around the entire limb circumference. It is therefore easy to control the pressure applied to the limb by monitoring the cuff inflation pressure, and low pressure areas are minimized. Because the inward radial pressure on the limb is provided by the inflation pressure in the bladder rather than circumferential tension, the cuff does not need to be applied with great tension and the problems of pinching and shearing of the soft tissues (as described in the preceding paragraph) are minimized and self application is easier. A pneumatic tourniquet cuff must, however, be snugly applied around the limb and secured at a fixed circumference to be effective.
The pneumatic cuff tested in the Calkins study was similar to the overlapping occlusive cuffs for surgical use described by McEwen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,954 and 5,741,295. These cuffs consist of an inflatable bladder portion longer than the circumference of the largest limb expected to be occluded with the cuff, such that the bladder overlaps upon itself when wrapped around the limb. To help maintain an even pressure distribution around the limb and to reduce the likelihood of slippage of overlapping regions of the cuff along the limb, the amount of overlap in surgical tourniquet cuffs is generally limited to a range of roughly 1 to 5 inches, meaning that different cuff sizes are required to accommodate the arm and leg circumferences of different individuals. Overlapping pneumatic tourniquet cuffs are intended for use in the surgical setting where a source of compressed gas is available and the cuff is applied by a skilled technician. Typically the appropriate size of cuff is selected and wrapped around the limb and secured by hook and loop type fastening straps. The cuff is then inflated, and the full length of the bladder (both the portion contacting the limb and the overlapping portion) inflates. This type of cuff is undesirable in the battlefield or emergency situation because:
It is difficult to wrap these cuffs and close the fasteners with one hand (particularly on one""s own limb),
Hook and loop type fasteners can become unreliable when wet and fouled with dirt,
The inflated volume of these overlapping cuffs is always large enough for the largest limb in the recommended size range, even when the cuff is applied to the smallest limb in the range. This is a disadvantage when the user must inflate the cuff quickly with a manual pump, and
The limb size range of these overlapping cuffs is typically too narrow for a single cuff type to be applied to either an arm or a thigh, and so several different cuff sizes would have to be carried.
A non-overlapping tourniquet is described by McEwen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,175. This cuff has a sliding clamp that secures the cuff snugly around the limb before inflation, and the excess length of the bladder hangs loose from the clamp. The bladder is inflated from the end of the excess bladder portion, and the clamp therefore allows air inside the bladder to pass through from the excess bladder portion into the bladder portion encircling the limb such that the full length of the bladder inflates; the cuff will not function if the clamp seals the bladder into separate sections. The inflated bladder portions on both sides of the clamp prevent the bladder from sliding through the clamp and therefore help maintain a fixed bladder circumference around the limb. However the additional inflated volume of the excess bladder length is a disadvantage in military and emergency situations, as described above. Furthermore, the clamp described in the ""175 patent is intended to be applied by a skilled technician and is not adapted to single-handed operation; specifically the ends of the bladder are held in one hand and the clamp is slid down to the limb and closed using a second hand.
Pneumatic tourniquet cuffs require a source of pressurized gas to inflate the bladder, but the weight, bulk, and power requirements of surgical type pressure regulation and time monitoring systems (such as the pneumatic systems described by McEwen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,099) make them impractical for emergency self-use. Manual inflation means such as a hand pump or bulb (as shown with the overlapping pneumatic cuff tested by Calkins) is a practical alternative. However, even with manual inflation means, elapsed inflation time and cuff pressure should be monitored and indicated to the user to allow for minimization of the injuries and complications described in the opening paragraph. These monitoring and indicating functions ideally require minimal input from the user, who is likely under extreme stress while using the tourniquet.
There is no prior art pneumatic tourniquet for stopping arterial blood flow known to the inventors of the current invention which provides for self-application of the cuff with one hand, is suitable for a range of circumferences allowing application to the upper or lower limb, and inflates only in the region encircling the limb to which the cuff is applied. Furthermore there is no prior art pneumatic tourniquet cuff as described above known to the inventors of the current invention which also includes inflated time indication means automatically activated by manual pressurization of the tourniquet.

Emergency and military tourniquet for pre-hospital use


A photocatalyst for the preparation of hydrogen consisting of a catalytically active ingredient, cesium (Cs), impregnated in a support, K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17, represented by Formula I as follows: EQU Cs (a) /K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17. wherein a is an amount of the catalytically active ingredient impregnated in the support and has a value of between 0.05 to 5.0% by weight based on total weight of the support. Such a catalyst is prepared by combining K.sub.2 CO.sub.3 with Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 in a mole ratio of 2:3; sintering the combination at a temperature of about 1,200.degree.-1,300.degree. C. to produce the support, K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17 ; and impregnating the support with the catalytically active ingredient, Cs. Hydrogen is efficiently produced by illuminating an ultraviolet light on an aqueous solution added with an oxygen-containing organic promoter at a reaction temperature of about 15.degree.-80.degree. C., under a reaction pressure of about 0.1-3.0 atm, in the presence of the photocatalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel photocatalyst useful for a photoreaction in which hydrogen is produced from water and to a method for the preparation of the same.
Also, the present invention is concerned with production of hydrogen with the photocatalyst in combination with a promoter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydrogen is an industrially very useful material over a wide range. For example, synthesis of ammonia and production of hydrogen chloride require hydrogen. It is essential for hydrogenation reactions for the conversion of unsaturated compounds into saturated compounds. In addition, hydrogen is used in the hydrotreating processes, such as hydrogen addition, desulfurization, denitrogenation and demetallization, with the aim of improving the quality of petroleum products. Hydrogen is also ecologically useful. For example, carbon dioxide, a compound which causes the warming of the globe, can be reused by application of the contact hydrogenation of carbon dioxide for which hydrogen is indispensable. Further, hydrogen occupies a powerful position of a pollution-free energy source, substituting the existing fossil fuels.
Many methods have conventionally been undertaken in order to obtain hydrogen, for example, acquirement from fossil fuels, modification of natural gases, reaction of iron with steam, reaction of water with metals, electrolysis of water and etc. Such conventional methods, however, are uneconomical because an enormous quantity of thermal or electric energy is consumed. In addition, oxygen and carbon oxide, the by- products, are produced in large quantities, giving rise to a danger of explosion as well as pollution of environment. Further, the conventional methods are generally poor in production yield and purity of the product. The complexity of process in above-mentioned methods gives another disadvantage. The production of hydrogen by the conventional techniques is carried out at relatively high temperatures, which requires thermal-resistant and thus very expensive gas furnaces and facilities. Accordingly, such high expenditure of facility investment is an obstacle in industrializing the techniques.
Most hydrogen is in a form of water or inorganic substance. Hydrogen gas easily frees itself from the gravity field due to its low mass and thus is present in a very small amount in the air. It is therefore very important to develop a technology for preparing hydrogen from water in high purity and efficiency, in a view of solving the urgent problem of substitute energy source and securing the material of chemical industry.
As efficient techniques for preparing hydrogen from water, there are photoreactions of water using photocatalysts, which have recently been developed. Not much of prior techniques concerning photocatalyst for preparing hydrogen are known.
Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. Sho. 62-191045 discloses that hydrogen is generated by the photolysis of a Na.sub.2 S aqueous solution in the presence of a photocatalyst of rare-earth element compound. This photocatalyst is advantageous in its catalytic activity with visible ray.
Japanese Patent Publication Laid-Open No. Sho. 63-107815 uses a composite oxide of niobium and alkali metal as a photocatalyst. Hydrogen is produced by a photolytic reaction in methanol aqueous solution in the presence of the photocatalyst. There is also an advantage that the catalyst is active to visible ray. However, the above-cited patents are disadvantageous in that the amounts of hydrogen generated are very small.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei. 1-208301 reveals an advantage of high efficiency for hydrogen generation by thermal-reacting water with aluminum. However, a large quantity of thermal energy is consumed as the thermal reaction occurs at high temperatures of more than 600.degree. C.

Photocatalyst, method for preparing the same, and production of hydrogen using the same

Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology


A is a vibration damper suppresses squeaks of a disk brake by positively damping vibrations of the brake. It is a high-performance, highly reliable vibration damper with no accurate machining required. This vibration damper has pressing pistons received in brake pistons so that brake fluid pressure acts thereon. It further includes a vibration detector for detecting brake vibrations through one of two pads, and a vibration imparter for vibrating the other pad based on detection signals of the vibration detector so as to cancel out the vibrations detected by the vibration detector. They are pressed against the back of the respective pads by the respective pressing pistons. By pressing them at a suitable pressure against the pads, it is possible to detect vibrations and vibrate the pads with high reliability. When replacing the pads, they never protrude from the pad pressing surfaces, so that they are less likely to be damaged or destroyed.

The present invention relates to a vibration damper for use in a disk brake to prevent the disk brake from squeaking by damping its vibration, a leading cause of squeaking, in a positive manner.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publications 4-54324 and 4-54325 disclose such vibration dampers for positively preventing squealing of the disk brake in a positive manner. Either of these vibration dampers has a piezoelectric element for detecting the vibration of the pads and vibrating the pads in such a direction as to cancel out their vibration based on the detection signals, thereby damping the vibration of the brake.
If in such a prior art device a piezoelectric element is used to directly detect the vibration of the pads and directly vibrate the pads, the piezoelectric element 1 is buried in a caliper 2 as shown in FIG. 1A so as to press one of the pads 3.
In this arrangement, the force with which the piezoelectric element 1 presses the pad 3 depends upon the length A of the portion of the piezoelectric element buried in the caliper. If the length A is too long compared to the thickness of the piezoelectric element, it is impossible to press the pad 3 with the piezoelectric element 1 and thus detect the vibration and impart vibration to the pads. If too short, the pad 3 is pressed solely by the piezoelectric element, causing stress concentration in the piezoelectric element 1. Such stress concentration may lead to the destruction of the piezoelectric element 1. As described above, in the conventional arrangement, the length of the portion of the piezoelectric element 1 buried in the caliper largely influences the vibration detecting and imparting function of the vibration damper as well as its reliability. Thus, it is necessary to machine this portion with an accurate length.
Also, as shown in FIG. 1B, in the prior art arrangement, the piezoelectric element 1 buried in the caliper protrudes from the pad pressing surface of the caliper when the pads are removed. Thus, it tends to be caught by a pad and broken when replacing the pad.
An object of the present invention is to solve these problems.


A press assembly for use in a paper-making machine includes a roll, a first air press backing assembly and a second air press backing assembly. The first air press backing assembly and the second air press backing assembly each include an inner wall, an outer support structure and a plurality of inflatable hoses interposed between the inner wall and the outer support structure. The inner wall is positioned adjacent to and defines an air chamber with the roll.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paper-making machines, and, more particularly, to air presses within a paper-making machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A paper-making machine receives a prepared fiber suspension and manufactures a fiber web therefrom. A paper-making machine may in general include a head box, forming section, press section and drying section. The press section typically includes a plurality of press assemblies which apply pressure to the web for the primary purpose of expressing water therefrom. Press assemblies are typically configured as mechanical press assemblies, such as extended shoe nip presses, etc. It is also known to configure a press assembly as an air press including an air chamber which exerts pressure against the fiber web for the purpose of expressing moisture therefrom. Examples of air presses which may be utilized on a papermaking machine are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/409,287, entitled xe2x80x9cPressing Apparatus Having Semi-Permeable Membranexe2x80x9d now U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,631, and 09/408,691, entitled xe2x80x9cPressing Apparatus Having Chamber and Sealingxe2x80x9d, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,303, each of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Although air press assemblies as described above provide effective pressing of a fiber web, a need still exists to provide a higher capacity air press while at the same time occupying less physical space.
The present invention provides an air press assembly for a paper-making machine, including a single roll which defines two separate air presses.
The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a press assembly for use in a paper-making machine including a roll, a first air press backing assembly and a second air press backing assembly. The first air press backing assembly and the second air press backing assembly each include an inner wall, an outer support structure and a plurality of inflatable hoses interposed between the inner wall and the outer support structure. The inner wall is positioned adjacent to and defines an air chamber with the roll.
An advantage of the present invention is that two separate air presses are provided using a single roll.
Another advantage is that the structure of each air press assembly is simple and easy to manufacture.
Yet another advantage is that the deflection of the inner wall adjacent the roll may be relatively easily controlled using pneumatic hoses between the inner wall and the outer support structure.

Air press assembly for use in a paper-making machine


The invention relates to methods and products for manipulating plant metabolism and resistance to infection.

Modem agriculture faces the ever-increasing challenge of meeting the nutritional and industrial demands for high quality food stuffs and plant derived products. For example, approximately one-half of the world's farm land is dedicated to the production of cereal crops. When the direct (e.g., cooked rice and bread) and indirect consumption (e.g., as animal feed for the production of milk, eggs, and meat) of cereal crops are combined, cereals account for about two-thirds of all human caloric intake. Since 1984, the rate of the world's population growth has out paced world cereal production. Thus, there is a need for improved methods of crop production.
Analysts point to the need for increased reliance on artificial crop fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides in order to meet the world's demand for cereal and other crops. (See, e.g., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:5929 (1999).) Attempts to increase crop production have mainly focused on one of two proposed approaches. First, there have been attempts to produce more effective fertilizer and nutrient compounds for application (i.e., foliar spraying) to growing crop plants (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,976). In an alternative approach, various compounds, typically organic acids and natural and synthetic plant hormones, have been used to increase crop production and fruit ripening. It is well known that organic acids are useful in stimulating the growth of plants. It has been theorized that much of the action of organic fertilizers, such as manure, is due to the presence of organic acids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,255 describes compositions comprising a mixture of N,N-dimethyl piperidinium salt, hexitol, and optionally, a cytokinesis promoter. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,177, describes a process for increasing plant growth and productivity comprising treating the roots, stems and/or foliage with gamma-aminobutyric acid and succinic acid as metabolizable carbon sources.
Each of these basic approaches requires repeated applications for eliciting the desired effect in crop plants. Thus, the material and application costs of these approaches is high. These approaches inherently result in the application of extraneous and often excessive levels of organic and inorganic nutrients and compounds to farm land, which leads to increased probability of nutrient leaching and eutrophication of adjacent riparian environments. Additionally, application of additional nutrient loads of crop plants does not elevate crop and biomass production where the nutrients are already in sufficient abundance and balance in the soil.
What is needed are cost effective methods and compositions for increasing crop production and controlling plant metabolism and durability (e.g., to environmental stresses) that do not require time consuming and expensive maintenance and repeated applications.

Compositions and methods for regulating metabolism in plants

The Regents of the University of Colorado


A novel apparatus for and method of acquisition and tracking bank cooperation in a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) within an all digital phase locked loop (ADPLL). The acquisition bits of the acquisition bank are used as an extension of the modulation range. The PLL and TX tuning data are broken up (i.e. apportioned) into acquisition components and tracking components. This permits the use of two different capacitor banks (i.e. the tracking and acquisition banks) for modulation rather than just a single capacitor bank as in the prior art schemes. Incorporating the tracking and acquisition bit varactors, the cooperation scheme of the present invention permits the re-centering of the tracking bank to handle natural frequency drift of the DCO and the widening of the modulation range.

In a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) based RF frequency synthesizer, the frequency oscillation is typically set by switching on an appropriate number of varactors in the oscillator circuit. For frequency range coverage and frequency resolution purposes, the varactors are typically organized in one or more banks. For example, there may be separate banks for acquisition and tracking modes of operation of the synthesizer in addition to very coarse PVT varactor bank. For a desired output frequency, an appropriate command word is generated and applied to the varactor banks. In this example, the DCO command word is divided between acquisition bit and tracking bits.
Modulation of the data is typically achieved using tracking bank. Both the acquisition and tracking range, however, are of a finite width. If the input tuning word exceeds the range of the varactor banks, then the PLL loop within the frequency synthesizer becomes nonlinear and the output becomes corrupt. Thus, it is important that the DCO input tuning word never exceeds the available linear range of the varactor banks.
Drifting of the center frequency caused by temperature, etc. poses a problem if the drift causes the DCO to creep towards the limits of its tracking range. When the desired center frequency hits the limits of the dynamic range, the tracking bits can no longer track those frequencies resulting in loss of lock and modulation distortion. A similar result occurs if the modulation range is larger than the entire tracking range. This may occur in the implementation of wireless standards requiring very wideband modulation, e.g., WCDMA or Wireless LAN, wherein the required modulation range exceeds the tracking range.

Apparatus and method for acquisition and tracking bank cooperation in a digitally controlled oscillator


An operating unit (2) sets ventilation parameters of a control unit (11) of a ventilator (1) that includes a gas dispensing device (10) for ventilation gases. The operating unit includes a display unit and an ventilation parameters input element (23, 24). Two or more of the parameters are linked via a relation condition stored in a relation storage module (40). A relation monitor (3) includes a deviation detector (31) detecting a transgression of the relation condition during parameter setting, and outputs warning information via a warning unit (32). This avoids a need for an operator to note the sometimes complicated connections and dependencies expressed in the relations during the parameter setting. The warning may be sent before the new setting value is sent from the operating unit to the control unit. Operating safety is increased and a risk of setting errors is minimized.

Ventilators and anesthesia devices for supplying patients with breathing gas as well as possibly with other medical gases are known. Patients are connected to these devices, and ventilation parameters and ventilation modes are set at the devices. The devices have, for this purpose, a control unit with an operating unit, by means of which the ventilation parameters and ventilation modes can be set and monitored. In practice, these are often touch-sensitive flat display screens (touchscreens) which are possibly combined with a physical input element, for example, a rotary knob, a button, a rotary actuator/pressure actuator or the like.
Provisions may be made, for example, for the operation such that the user first selects a ventilation parameter to be changed at the operating unit by means of a menu structure, e.g., selects by means of a rotary actuator, selects the ventilation parameter to be changed by pressing on a confirmation switch, changes the selected ventilation parameter in terms of value as desired and then finally confirms the ventilation parameter reset in this way by pressing on an input element, as a result of which it is accepted as a new setting value for the ventilator. Such an operating unit is known, e.g., from DE 195 00 529 A1 and has proved successful in practice.
However, often not only one parameter, but a plurality of parameters have to be adjusted. For faster adjustment, it has been proposed to optionally dispense with an acknowledgment and use the value set at the rotary actuator immediately, see DE 10 2004 03879 B3. Skipping over acknowledgment saves times, which is advantageous especially in case of a rapid consecutive input of a plurality of parameters.
However, especially in case of setting a plurality of parameters, it should be noted that these can be set individually separately from one another, but there are frequently certain dependencies between the parameters. The result is that the individual parameters may not be changed in relation to one another as desired. For example, certain restrictions between the ventilation parameters FiO2 and PEEP should thus be noted for a sufficient oxygenation of ventilated patients. For example, certain lower limits and upper limits for the setting of the PEEP should thus be noted in case of a certain FiO2. Such relations between ventilation parameters are determined by expert committees and have been published, e.g., by the US-American ARDSnet Committee (see FIGS. 13 and 14). For the sake of patient safety, these values, i.e., especially the relations described therewith should be met during the setting of the ventilation parameters.
Since the setting of individual ventilation parameters may already be critical for the patient, there is a risk that the operator of the ventilator does not have a full view in all directions and possibly does not observe the sometimes complicated connections between the different ventilation relations in case of manual setting. This may lead to considerable risks to the health of the patient.

Operating unit for a ventilator with a gas dispensing device for ventilation gases


The disclosure relates to a pump assembly for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with or without transmission or electric motor with transmission or for an oil supply having a double-pipe pump, wherein the two pipes are separated from each other and a second pipe can be connected to a first pipe, wherein the pump has at least one input drive point for an electric machine and also for a drive motor, including, for example, via a gearbox.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
The reduction of the fuel consumption in the case of vehicles will be a central development focus in the automotive industry in the future. In addition to the development of novel technologies, the optimization of existing components is given an increasing significance. Here, significant saving potentials can be realized, without the immense costs which novel systems can cause. The keywords here are "demand-oriented auxiliary units".
The oil pump is one example and is an important constituent part of the engine and the transmission. A malfunction of the pump leads within a very short time to the failure of the complete assembly. The oil pump has to overcome the three tasks: lubricating, cooling, controlling of various hydraulic actuating elements. Said actuating elements are actuated from the engine control unit. The pressure which is necessary for this purpose is to be provided by the oil pump.
It is generally known that the viscosity of oils drops greatly as the temperature increases. The consequence of this is a corresponding increase in the necessary volumetric flow as the temperature rises, in order to make the build up of the required pressure possible. In order for it to be possible for a volumetric flow to be changed in a manner which is dependent on the temperature, there are in principle two different approaches. Either the rotational speed or the delivery volume of the pump is regulated in a manner which is dependent on the temperature. The pump can also be of stepped configuration instead of a variable adjustment of the delivery volume.
Here, the double flow switching pump is one proven embodiment. This is a double action vane cell pump, in the case of which the outlets can be separated, with the result that two flows arise. Below the switching temperature, one of the two flows is switched into the circulation to the suction duct. The volumetric flow of the second flow is also fed to the system pressure only after the valve is switched. On account of the motor design, it was appropriate in the prior art for the pump to be designed in such a way that it conveys only one flow in normal driving operation (Toil<90° C.).
The purely mechanical drive of pumps of this type makes the pump output dependent to a certain extent on the rotational speed of the engine and/or transmission, and loads the energy balance of the internal combustion engine.
A purely electric drive is of course also possible, which presupposes powerful and therefore complex electric motors, however.
Pump assemblies as in DE 10 2006 048 050 A1 are likewise known from the prior art, a first mechanical drive and a second electric drive being assigned to the same pump. U.S. Pat. No. 8,714,942 B2 has disclosed one exemplary embodiment of a dual-drive pump with a reduction gear mechanism.

Pump assembly for a vehicle, and control system for a pump assembly and method


A waste storage device includes a waste storage cassette receiving chamber for receiving a cassette rotatable within the chamber and containing tubing for enveloping waste. The chamber includes a rotatable portion (602) mounted on a fixed portion (604) of the device, the rotatable portion (602) being rotatable with the cassette. The device further comprises a deformable portion (601) mounted on the fixed portion (604) and moveable between an undeformed position to prevent rotation of the cassette and a deformed position to allow rotation of the cassette.

One known waste storage device is disclosed in GB Patent No. 2206094 and described here with reference to FIG. 1. The device is particularly useful for the storage for subsequent disposal of waste such as babies' nappies or other personal waste material. A plastics container 21 is formed with an internal flange 22 from which a cylinder 23 extends upwards. A pack consisting of a tubular core 1 inside a profusely circumferentially pleated length of flexible tubing 2 is located in the container 21 with the core 1 resting on the flange 22 and rotatable on the cylinder 23. To begin using the pack to form a series of packages of objects, which in this particular example will be considered to be babies' disposable nappies, the top of the flexible tubing 2 is pulled upwards and tied into a knot 24. This closed end can then form the bottom of a package to be formed along the length of part of the tubing. This is effected by pushing the closed end downwards inside the core 1 and cylinder 23 by the object to be packaged. As this is being done the flexible tubing 2 from the pleated length slides over the top edge 25 (FIG. 1) of the core 1 which is made sufficiently smooth to prevent the flexible tubing from being damaged. The core 1 may be approximately four inches (10.16 cm) diameter but, of course, the diameter of the flexible tubing 2 is substantially more than this.
When the object has been thrust well into the concentric core 1 and cylinder 23, the package is closed by twisting the flexible tubing 2 above the object as at 30 (FIG. 1). This is done by turning the core 1 with remaining pleated tubing thereon about the core axis. A unit 31 is formed for this purpose in that it has a depending annular flange 50 formed with an outer surface that is a taper fit in a frusto-conical inner surface 51 at the top of the core 1. The package is prevented from turning about the axis of the core during this manual twisting action by springs 52 fixed to the container 21 and projecting radially inwards to engage the package. These springs are equidistantly spaced round the container 21. Shallow grooves dividing upwardly extending ridges are formed on the frusto-conical inner surface 51 to stop slippage of the flexible tubing during the twisting operating.
By the aforesaid means, a series of connected closed packages 35 are formed and this can be continued until the pleated tubing 2 is exhausted. In the arrangement of FIG. 1 the packages collect in a bin portion 36 of the container closed at the bottom by a hinged base 53 normally held closed by a manually operable catch of suitable type. When it is desired to remove the packages from the bin portion 36 for transport to a waste disposal facility, the uppermost package is severed above its upper twisted closure 30 and the hinged base 53 opened for the removal of the packages through the end of the bin portion. Even if the twisted seals between the packages become loosened, the lid and the newly formed topmost twisted seal with prevent the escape of odours, vapours and gases to the ambient atmosphere. However, it has been found that when the tubing 2 is made of high density polyethylene the twisted joints remain remarkably tight.
A development of this arrangement is disclosed in GB 2292725 and described here with reference to FIG. 2. It will be seen that an outwardly flared funnel 12 having an inlet edge 15 is detachably connected to the top of the core 1 by a taper joint 16. The funnel improves the hygiene of the device yet further because the flexible tubing 2 is drawn from the pack as an object is pushed down, over the inlet edge 15 of the funnel 12 to present a fresh and hygienic layer of tubing in the flared part of the funnel. The funnel 12 is twisted to obtain the twisted closure 30. An alternative spring arrangement 14 is shown in FIG. 2 and described fully in GB 2292725.
GB 2206094 and GB2292725 both additionally disclose a cutting arrangement for severing the tubing when it is desired to remove the packages for disposal. Referring to FIG. 3, the severing means is incorporated in the unit 31 which is a bipartite unit comprising an outer ring 55 formed with a flange 50 that locks into the top of the core 1 or funnel 12 and a disc 56 which is freely rotatable in the ring 55. The disc 56 comprises a circular transparent sheet 57, through which the user can see the twisted flexible tubing, set in an angle section ring having a horizontal flange 58 and a vertical flange 59 (FIG. 1) located between narrow flanges inside the relatively stationary flange 50. In the angle of the ring 58, 59 three finger pieces 60 are fixed 120° apart above the transparent sheet 57. A cutter unit 61 is fixed beneath the flange 58. This device has an upper actuate part 62 and a lower tapered shoe 63 with a gap between them along the major portion of their length. Close to the closed termination of this gap a metal cutter blade 64 is fixed as close as possible to the relatively stationary flange 50 so that the blade is shrouded against doing any damage to a person's fingers when the lid 31 is removed. The predominant material for the lid may be plastics material or metal.
To operate the cutter unit 61, the disc 56 is turned by means of the finger pieces 60 or any other suitable finger pieces through a full revolution. In this movement the tapered shoe 63 pierces through the radially pleated taut portion 65 of the flexible tubing that flares outwards from the topmost twist 30 to the core 1. Further rotation of the disc 56 causes the cutter blade 64 to cut round the tubing material, cleanly separately the uppermost package from the flexible tubing remaining on the core 1. The cutter unit further includes a finger releasable detent operable at 120° intervals.
In a further improvement, WO99/39995 describes a cutter of similar type to that described above with reference to FIG. 3 but formed integrally with a hinged lid for a waste storage container. The hinged lid swings down to close the container and as a result the cutter automatically engages the tubing allowing a simplified cutting arrangement.
One further known device which is designed for the storage of nappy waste is described in WO2005/042381 (Sangenic International Limited). According to WO2005/042381 a waste container is provided for housing a waste storage cassette as described above. The container includes gripping means to hold a waste package in place whilst the cassette is rotated with respect to the waste package. This forms a twisted seal in the top of the waste package, wherein the twisted seal also acts as the base of a length of tubing for packaging the next waste item to be disposed of.


An adjustable test stand for holding ballistic samples during testing, the est stand having trusses carrying specimen holding members the trusses having curved arms which cooperate with the specimen holders to hold the specimens at various angles of incidence relative to the vertical to allow testing over a variety of incident angles.

1. Field of the Invention
In one aspect this invention relates to test stands for holding samples to be subjected to testing. In a further aspect this invention relates to the testing of ballistic materials.
2. Prior Art
In general ballistic samples are clamped in a fixed frame and the desired projectile fired at the sample. For many samples, it is desired to test samples where the projectile path has a variety of different angles of incidence which requires the sample to be firmly held at various angles to the vertical when being tested.

Adjustable test stand for ballistic sample testing

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


The invention is relates to a method of producing aryl-substituted, amino-acylated phosphonic-acid derivatives with the aid of metal complexes of chiral amphiphilic ligands in that according to the invention .alpha.-N-acyl-protected, .beta.-substituted alkene phosphone derivatives are asymmetrically hydrogenated in the presence of a chiral rhodium catalyst in a solvent or a suspension. The use of the micelle-forming catalyst makes possible the hydrogenation of unsaturated phosphonic-acid derivatives in water with a high reaction rate with the obtainment of very good enantiomeric excesses.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a method of producing .alpha.-amino-acylated, aryl-substituted phosphonic-acid derivatives in optically active form with the aid of chiral, amphiphilic metal-complex catalysts by means of novel, micellar, asymmetric, catalytic hydrogenation of suitable precursors.
2. Prior Art
Methods for asymmetric, catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of amphiphilic metal-complex catalysts are known only for two-phase reactions.
Micelle-forming, chiral metal complexes are also known as catalysts in asymmetric hydrolysis reactions ((a) P. Scrimin, U. Tonellato, "Ligand Surfactants: Aggregation, Cations Binding and Transport, and Catalytic Properties" in Surfactants in Solution, vol. 11, editors K. L. Mittal and D. O. Shah, Plenum Press, New York, 1991; (b) P. Scrimin, P. Tecilla, U. Tonellato, J. Org. Chem. 1994, 59, 4194; (c) A. Bunton, P. Scrimin, P. Tecilla, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2 1996, 419; (d) J. Budka, F. Hampl, F. Liska, P. Scrimin, P. Tecilla, U. Tonellato, J. Mol. Cat. 1996, 104, L201).
Furthermore, a number of reactions catalyzed by chiral rhodium phosphane complexes in the presence of achiral detergents in water are known in which the formation of the micellar systems is brought about by the detergents added. Thus, in the hydrogenation of dehydroamino-acid derivatives enantioselectivities of up to 97% ee can be achieve ((a) G. Oehme, E. Paetzold, R. Selke, J. Mol. Catal. 1992, 71, L1; (b) I. Grassert, E. Paetzold, G. Oehme, Tetrahedron 1993, 49, 6605; (c) A. Kumar, G. Oehme, J. P. Roque, M. Schwarze, R. Selke, Angew. Chem. 1994, 106, 2272; (d) G. Oehme, I. Grassert, H. N. Flach, "Asymmetric Complex Catalysis in Micellar Systems" in Aqueous Organometallic Chemistry and Catalysis, editors I. T. Horvath, F. Joo, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1995, p. 245; (e) H. N. Flach, I. Grassert, G. Oehme, M. Capka, Colloid Polym. Sci. 1996, 274, 261).
It is also known that surface-active, chiral, sulfonated bisphosphanes can be used in the form of their rhodium complexes in water or water mixtures with organic solvents with moderate success with regard to the stereoselectivity and activity for the asymmetric hydrogenation of amino-acid precursors (H. Ding, B. E. Hanson, J. Bakos, Angew. Chem. 1995, 107, 1728).
It is furthermore known that chiral, .alpha.-amino-acylated phosphonic-acid derivatives can be produced by means of the asymmetric hydrogenation of appropriate dehydroprecursors in the presence of optically active rhodium-complex catalysts as well as analogous racemic compounds with known achiral catalysts, during which high reaction rates and selectivities .gtoreq.90% ee are achieved only in organic solvents (U. Schmidt, G. Oehme, H. W. Krause, Synth. Commun. 1996, 26, 777 and German patent application 195 19 983.9).
Thus, Schollkopf et al. (U. Schollkopf, I. Hoppe, A. Thiele, Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1985, 555-559) achieved optical yields of 76% ee by means of the hydrogenation of .alpha.-N-formyl-.alpha., .beta.-dehydrophosphonic-acid dimethyl esters with the known, optically active DIOP-Rh catalyst in the synthesis of AlaP. In another method (U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,153) the Z-protected .alpha.-amino-.alpha., .beta.-dehydrophosphonic-acid esters are hydrogenated with a DIPAMP-Rh- complex catalyst to the saturated compounds with optical yields of approximately 90%.
The .alpha.-amino-acylated-.alpha., .beta.-unsaturated precursors necessary in all these instances are produced according to known synthesis routes ((a) U. Schollkopf, I. Hoppe, A. Thiele, Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1985, 555-559; (b) V. S. Brovarets, K. V. Zyuz, L. N. Budnik, V. A. Solodenko, B. S. Dratsch, Zh. Obsch. Khim. 1993, 63, 1259; (c) U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,153).
In addition to racemate separations, various stoichiometric methods are known which all use optically active auxiliaries and likewise result in the production of optically active .alpha.-aminophosphonic acids ((review articles: (a) B. Dharwan, D. Redmore, Phosphorous, Sulfur and Silicon 1987, 32, 119; (b) V. P. Kukhar, V. A. Soloshonov, V. A. Solodenko, Phosphorus, Sulfur and Silicon 1994, 92, 239).

Method of producing aryl-substituted, amino-acylated phosphonic-acid derivatives with the aid of metal complexes of chiral, amphiphilic ligands


A screw based coupler mechanism can include a head, a shank, and/or a helical ridge wrapped around the shank. The shank can include an electronic connector with one or more electronic pin outs. The shank can be configured to be physically and electronically mated to an electronic device. The electronic device can include a base and a hollow region surrounded by a matching helical ridge which securely mate the component to the shank. In one embodiment, the electronic device can be a panoramic camera which can be secured to a screw based coupler of a mounting platform.

The present invention relates to the field of electronic coupling and, more particularly, to a screw coupler enabling direct secure fastening between communicating electronic components.
Electronic devices such as cameras are rising in popularity within the sporting industry and activities. Cameras have traditionally been used to present a third person view of a sporting event. However, there is an increasing demand for first person and second person views of a sporting event since these views capture the audience's attention easily. For example, a car of a racing driver is often outfitted with several cameras which allow audiences to view the driver's activities during the race. These cameras are typically mounted using a variety of attachment systems such as clamps and suction mounts. However, these mechanisms are prone to breaking and uncoupling during critical activities. For example, when an athlete has an accident, the camera attached to the helmet of the athlete can be ripped off.
Other solutions include quick release mechanisms which traditionally include a release mechanism which can be used to mount and dismount the camera rapidly. However, while quick release mechanism are designed to securely hold a camera, they can be accidentally disengaged causing the camera to fall out. This can result in damage to the camera and/or physical harm to a user from the camera impacting the body of the user.

Screw coupler enabling direct secure fastening between communicating electronic components


A makeup kit comprising a reservoir for cosmetic product containing one opening, a first closure for the reservoir which has an inner surface and an outer surface forming a compartment having an open upper end within the first closure, affixed to the inner surface of the first closure an applicator for cosmetic product, a second closure for the compartment within the first closure, the second closure having an inner surface and an outer surface, and attached to the inner surface of the second closure, an accessory for use with the cosmetic product.

Many cosmetic products are designed to be used together, such as lipstick and lipliner, mascara and brow products, and so on. Or often it is desireable to apply cosmetic and then use various grooming devices to enhance the applied cosmetic. For example, many women apply mascara and then use brushes to brush the lashes or groom the brows. Because companion products and grooming devices are separately purchased by consumers, consumers will often carry the most important item and leave the accessory device or companion product at home in their makeup case to avoid having to carry many small items. Thus, single makeup kits which contain the products commonly used together, or in the alternative, grooming devices for use with the cosmetic products that are applied are very helpful. However, if these kits are too large and unwieldy consumers will find them inconvenient. Ideally, the kits should be as close as possible to the shapes and sizes that consumers are currently accustomed to.
For example, mascara is sold in containers comprised of a reservoir for holding mascara, a lid, and an applicator brush secured to the under side of the lid. When the lid is in the closed position, the brush is immersed into the mascara product in the reservoir. When the user desires to apply mascara to the eyelashes, the lid is removed and the brush is extracted from the reservoir through the wiping system. A certain amount of mascara product adheres to the brush and is applied to the eyelashes.
Often, it is necessary to further groom the eyelashes after applying mascara. Sometimes eyelashes stick together causing mascara to cake or glob on the lashes. Mascara users have been known to use a variety of objects such as safety pins, tweezers, and the like, to separate the eyelashes after mascara has been applied. Obviously this is not safe or hygienic. Additionally, it may also be desired to groom the eyebrows at the same time mascara is being applied. Mascara wands are generally not optimal for brow grooming.
Also, products like lipstick and lipliner are often used together. Most women carry lipstick in their purse, but will often not bother to carry lipliner. However, if a lipstick kit is designed to be of a convenient size and shape and contains both items, women would carry both items.
Thus, there is a need for a makeup kits when enable carrying of companion products or products and grooming devices in one single unit.
The object of the invention is to provide an eye makeup kit which enables application of mascara and at the same time provides an accessory device for brow grooming and combing of the lashes.
The object of the invention is to provide an eye makeup kit for application of mascara to the eyelashes, combing of the eyelashes, and brow grooming.
The object of the invention is to provide a mascara applicator containing a comb in the lid of the container for use in brow grooming and lash combing.


A cell site configured to perform group user equipment (UE) handoffs. The cell site comprises an application stored in a non-transitory memory that when executed by a processor of the cell site determines that a first UE is to be handed-off, determines that the first UE is a member of a UE group, wherein the UE group comprises the first UE and at least one other different UE, determines radio resources consumed by the UE group, identifies a second cell site that has sufficient idle radio resources to provide the radio resources consumed by the UE group, and sends a handoff message via the radio transceiver to the second cell site, wherein the handoff message identifies each of the UEs that are members of the UE group, whereby the plurality of UEs that are members of the UE group are handed-off as a group to the second cell site.

A user equipment (UE) may be provided with mobile wireless communication service by the UE attaching to a first cell site, the UE receiving a first wireless communication link from the first cell site, the UE conducting communications via the first wireless communication link, the first cell site handing the UE off to a second cell site, the UE receiving a second wireless communication link from the second cell site, and the UE continuing conducting communications via the second wireless communication link. The handing off of wireless links between cell sites to maintain an in-progress wireless communication session of the UE is typically done transparently to the user of the UE. Occasionally hiccups occur, as for example when a call may drop during a handoff. But in the absence of such a call drop, most users would say they cannot discern when their calls are handed-off between cell sites, such is the robust reliability of conventional UE handoff.


The present invention is directed to a system and method which discovers or identifies a type of device associated with an input/output (I/O path). Preferred embodiments define a type of device by a property file. The property file is utilized to identify executable code that determines whether the device associated with a particular I/O path is the type of device defined by said property file.

Enterprise resource planning systems and other sophisticated corporate data processing systems have gained substantial importance in recent years. Specifically, many corporate management theories posit that the success of an organization is directly related to the ability to gather and process enterprise information in an efficient and organized manner. To fulfill these goals, certain software companies have produced information management products. These types of software systems manage enormous amounts of information. Management of inventory levels, customer purchasing information, accounting data, employment information, and various other databases requires significant storage capacity. In addition, e-commerce has placed a premium upon transferring ordinary business operations to electronic work flows, thereby creating further storage capacity requirements. In addition, increased processing speed and capacity places greater demands upon storage resources.
To provide significant storage capacity for information management and other applications, storage area networks (SANs) have been developed. A storage area network typically separates storage capacity from the communication medium utilized in a computer network. For example, client devices and server devices may be communicatively coupled via a communication medium such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and/or the like. The clients may access various applications on the servers to perform organization activities such as accounting, payroll, ordering, and other tasks. The servers may utilize data stored on various storage devices to implement these applications. To avoid unduly taxing the bandwidth of the communication medium utilized for the clients and the servers, another communication medium is utilized for communication between the servers and the storage devices. For example, a Fibre Channel network may be utilized. In such an arrangement, the input/output operations associated with accessing data on storage devices do not impact the clients.
Although this approach does produce performance increases in terms of application efficiency, the arrangement necessarily involves a degree of complexity. In general, the process of structuring and managing a SAN can be quite intensive. For SAN administrators, adding new devices into a heterogeneous storage network typically requires an update/upgrade to the management software to allow the new devices to be discovered and managed by the software, this process can be time consuming and expensive.

System and method for identification of devices associated with input/output paths

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.


A compact, modular and fully integrateable apparatus for recycling volatile cleaning solvents which can be utilized independently as a stand-alone recycler unit in conjunction with any typical parts washer apparatus (e.g., sink-on-a-drum or immersion type units) in common use. The core modular recycler component can also be fully integrated with a wash basin component and a docking base that is specifically designed to be docked to standard drums containing cleaning solvent, thereby providing a fully integrated recycler/parts washer apparatus that has a significantly reduced footprint. The core modular recycler component includes an outer housing surrounding a distillation chamber with heaters, a condenser and cooling fan, a vacuum/fluid pump, a clean distillate reservoir and a residue discharge port. Periodically, during continuous recycling operations, batches (e.g., 1 to 2 gallons) of contaminated cleaning solvent are transferred from the drum to the core recycler component to remove contaminants and produce clean solvent that is returned to the drum for further use in parts washing operations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular apparatus for recycling cleaning solvents used to wash parts with modular add-on components to provide for a fully integrated recycler/parts washer.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
During maintenance, repair and rebuilding operations in virtually all industrial and commercial environments, it is necessary to wash a wide variety of parts and articles in order to remove grease, oil, dirt and other contaminants. Typically, volatile solvents are used in almost all small parts cleaning operating as they have been found to be most effective in removing grease and other accumulated residue from metal parts and other articles. A well known and widely used means for washing automotive, aviation, marine, industrial and general parts, components and tools during service, maintenance, repair, rebuilding operations etc. involves using a sink-on-a-drum apparatus in which a sink basin is placed on top of and installed to a drum containing a cleaning solvent (e.g. a 16 or 30 gallon drum). A pump is provided which pumps the solvent from the drum to a spigot in the sink basin, where the solvent is used to rinse and clean parts. The solvent then leaves the sink basin and returns to the drum (along with any contaminants removed from the parts). The contaminated solvent is continuously used (and therefore becomes more and more contaminated) during cleaning operations until it is eventually replaced with a clean drum of solvent (e.g. on a monthly basis). The method for replacing the drum involves manually lifting the sink basin off of the drum, replacing the drum with a new drum, and then reinstalling the sink basin on the new drum. The contaminated drum of solvent must then be taken away and disposed of in a manner complying with EPA contaminant disposal guidelines.
The conventional sink-on-a-drum apparatus has two major drawbacks. First, the volatile solvent in the drum becomes progressively contaminated as it is used more and more, and by the time the drum is replaced, the solvent has become so contaminated that it is less effective as a cleaning agent and inefficient to use by mechanics and other workers. Second, the method of replacing the drum can be unsafe and hazardous because service personnel who replace drums can injure themselves (e.g., back injury) while lifting the heavy sink basins off of and onto the drums. This results in the filing of worker's compensation claims that can be very costly to solvent service providers.
In light of the shortcomings associated with the prior art, there remains a need for an apparatus for recycling cleaning solvent and for washing parts which allows for an easier and safer method of replacing a solvent-containing drum.

Modular recycler and parts washer apparatus


A new and distinct Euphorbia plant cultivar is disclosed, characterized by a compact, upright, slightly outwardly spreading plant habit; free branching and free flowering habit; small, dark green foliage; and small, pure white flower bracts.

The new cultivar 'GL Hip Hop' is a product of a selection of seed from Euphorbia chamaesyce, (not patented). The exact parent plants are unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single plant by Eelco van Staalduinen in a controlled environment in Worms, Germany in May of 2007.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'GL Hip Hop' by terminal cuttings was performed in Oxnard, Calif., and has shown that the unique features of this new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations.


A system and method for determining estimated departure and arrival rates. The system and method including receiving predicted airport constraint information for a predetermined time period, querying historical airport data to determine historical time periods having similar constraint information and determining an estimated arrival rate and an estimated departure rate for the predetermined time period based on corresponding arrival rates and departure rates for the historical time periods having similar constraint information.

The goal of every airport is to provide as many take-off and landing slots as possible so that the greatest number of aircraft can take off and land. In order to provide the most efficient slot scheduling, it would be very helpful if the airport operator can determine the expected demand at any particular time during the day and smooth out any demand/capacity imbalances. However, there presently is no manner of determining such demands to be able to smooth out the imbalances

System and method for providing predictive departure and arrival rates for an airport


Provided is a position detecting apparatus, including: a scale including pattern arrays formed in different cycles in a movement direction; an obtaining unit configured to obtain signals in accordance with a the plurality of pattern arrays; a phase calculator configured to calculate a phase of signals; a synchronism calculator configured to calculate a relative positional relationship between the obtaining unit and the scale by performing synchronism calculation of the phases calculated by the phase calculator; a synchronization error calculator configured to calculate a synchronization error in the synchronism calculation; and a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the synchronism calculation is normal by comparing the synchronization error and a predetermined threshold value with each other.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position detecting apparatus configured to detect a position of a movable member, in particular, a position detecting apparatus configured to detect a position of a movable member based on a plurality of signals, and to a lens apparatus and an image pickup apparatus including the position detecting apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
As an apparatus for measuring a distance of movement of an object, besides an incremental encoder for measuring a distance of relative movement, there is hitherto known an absolute encoder capable of detecting an absolute position.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-304113 discloses a Vernier type absolute encoder. The Vernier type absolute encoder disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-304113 has a configuration including a main track and at least one sub track, which are formed by grid patterns having different pitches. Based on a slight shift between detected signals, which is generated due to a difference in pitch between the tracks, a position in a section over which the Vernier type absolute encoder circulates once is identified (hereinafter also referred to as "absolute position detection" or "absolute position calculation").
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-45151 discloses timing of switching to an absolute counting operation in the Vernier type absolute encoder. The Vernier type absolute encoder has a configuration in which tracks are formed at smaller pitches and at larger pitches. As the timing of switching to the absolute counting operation based on the tracks described above, when a speed is lowered to a speed at which erroneous detection does not occur in an incremental measurement at the smaller pitches, an operation of the Vernier type absolute encoder is switched to the absolute counting operation.
The above-mentioned related-art absolute encoders are configured to calculate an absolute position based on a slight shift between detected signals, which is generated due to a difference in pitch between the tracks, and hence are sensitive to scratches and motes on a scale. However, although an error can be found during inspection, there is no method of finding an error during absolute position detection.
In particular, when motes adhere to the scale after the inspection, there is a problem in that a different position may be detected erroneously during the absolute position detection.

Position detecting apparatus, and lens apparatus and image pickup apparatus including the position detecting apparatus


An electronic, programmable device for controlling the motion of compressor valve elements, wherein the device receives an incoming signal from a velocity sensor located on a compressor valve; filters, amplifies, and processes the incoming signal by a control algorithm; and responds to the incoming signal by creating an output signal that produces an actuator force that is applied directly to a moving valve element and associated methodology.

In order to transport gases over great distances, pipeline and oil companies operate and maintain hundreds of thousands of miles of pipelines. Compressed gases are needed to take part in chemical reactions in refineries and petrochemical plants. To provide forces that move and compress the gases, operators install gas compressors at key points in the process chain The gas compressors are typically reciprocating compressors. It costs a lot of money if a gas compressor valve is damaged and/or fails.

Programmable device for compressor valve

Southern Gas Association Gas Machinery Research Council


Systems and methods for reducing the impact of defects within a crossbar memory array when performing multiplication operations in which multiple control lines are concurrently selected are described. A group of memory cells within the crossbar memory array may be controlled by a local word line that is controlled by a local word line gating unit that may be configured to prevent the local word line from being biased to a selected word line voltage during an operation; the local word line may instead be set to a disabling voltage during the operation such that the memory cell currents through the group of memory cells are eliminated. If a defect has caused a short within one of the memory cells of the group of memory cells, then the local word line gating unit may be programmed to hold the local word line at the disabling voltage during multiplication operations.

Semiconductor memory is widely used in various electronic devices such as cellular telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, medical electronics, mobile computing devices, and non-mobile computing devices. Semiconductor memory may comprise non-volatile memory or volatile memory. A non-volatile memory allows information to be stored and retained even when the non-volatile memory is not connected to a source of power (e.g., a battery). Examples of non-volatile memory include resistive RAM (e.g., ReRAM), flash memory (e.g., NAND-type and NOR-type flash memory), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), ferroelectric memory (e.g., FeRAM), magnetoresistive memory (e.g., MRAM), and phase change memory (e.g., PRAM). In recent years, non-volatile memory devices have been scaled in order to reduce the cost per bit. However, as process geometries shrink, many design and process challenges are presented. These challenges include increased variability in memory cell I-V characteristics over process, voltage, and temperature variations.
A non-volatile memory device may include a cross-point memory array. A cross-point memory array may refer to a memory array in which two-terminal memory cells are placed at the intersections of a first set of control lines (e.g., word lines) arranged in a first direction and a second set of control lines (e.g., bit lines) arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In some cases, each memory cell in a cross-point memory array may be placed in series with a selector element or an isolation element, such as a diode or threshold switch, in order to reduce leakage currents. In cross-point memory arrays where the memory cells do not include an isolation element, controlling and minimizing leakage currents may be a significant issue, especially since leakage currents may vary greatly over biasing voltage and temperature.

Methods to tolerate programming and retention errors of crossbar memory arrays


In an image forming method having primarily transferring step for transferring to an intermediate transfer member a toner image formed on a photosensitive member, secondarily transferring step for transferring to a transfer material the toner image held on the intermediate transfer member, and, after the secondary transferring step, cleaning step for removing the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member by bringing a cleaning means into contact with the intermediate transfer member, the cleaning means is a fur brush or a charging roller, and the intermediate transfer member has a specific maximum displacement quantity (Sb) and has a specific elastic deformation percentage (Eb) (%); a toner which forms the toner image has a specific average circularity, has a specific maximum displacement quantity (St), and has a specific elastic deformation percentage (Et) (%); and the elastic deformation percentage of the intermediate transfer member and the elastic deformation percentage of the toner satisfy the following conditional expression:75≦Eb+Et≦135.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an intermediate transfer member and an image forming method applied to the image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Image-forming apparatus making use of an intermediate transfer belt are effective as full-color image forming apparatus or multi-color image forming apparatus in which a plurality of component-color images corresponding to full-color image information or multi-color image information are sequentially superimposingly transferred to a transfer medium to output an image-formed material on which a full-color image or multi-color image has synthetically been reproduced, or as image forming apparatus made to have the function of full-color image information or the function of multi-color image information.
Compared with image forming apparatus in which toner images are transferred from a first image bearing member (photosensitive member) to a second image bearing member (transfer medium) stuck or attracted onto a transfer belt (see, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S63-301960, etc.), the image forming apparatus making use of an intermediate transfer belt have an advantage that a great variety of second image-bearing members (transfer mediums) can be selected without regard to their width and length, including thin paper (40 g/m2 paper) and up to thick paper (200 g/m2 paper) such as envelopes, post cards and labels. This is because it is unnecessary to make any processing or control for the second image-bearing member transfer medium (e.g., to hold the transfer medium with a gripper, hold it by attraction, and make it to have a curvature).
In addition, taking the form of an intermediate transfer belt enables effective utilization of space to make the apparatus main body compact and achieve cost reduction, because the freedom in disposing it inside the image-forming apparatus can be greater than a case in which a rigid-body cylinder such as an intermediate transfer drum is used.
Further proposed is a system in which an intermediate transfer belt having an elasticity is used. This enables securement of a sufficient transfer region, what is called a transfer nip, at a primary transfer zone between the first image bearing member such as a photosensitive member and the intermediate transfer belt and at a secondary transfer zone where the toner images are transferred to the second image bearing member.
In particular, in the case of full-color images on which toners are laid in a large quantity over the whole image areas, the above system can solve the problems that partial faulty transfer tends to occur when conventional intermediate transfer belts having no elasticity are used, color tones may differ, and white-hollowed images, or "blank areas caused by poor transfer (or hollow characters)" may occur in which center areas of lines of character images are not transferred and only edge areas thereof are transferred.
For example, Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. H11-231683 and No. H11-024429 disclose intermediate transfer belts having an elasticity. However, although transfer performance and hollow characters have certainly been improved or remedied in both the primary transfer and the secondary transfer, coarse images due to transfer have not been remedied.
Now, in the cleaning of toner carrying members, a blade method or a fur brush method is commonly used. The blade method is a method in which a cleaning blade such as a rubber blade is pressed against the toner carrying member to scrape toners off mechanically. As for the fur brush method, it is a method in which a cylindrical substrate with a fur brush stuck to its surface is brought into contact with the object member while being rotated and at the same time a potential difference is provided between the fur brush and the object member to be cleaned so as to attract the toner towards the fur brush side, to remove the toner from the object member mechanically or electrostatically.
In the cleaning of an elastic intermediate transfer belt, the use of the blade method causes the cleaning blade to have a large contact load against the elastic intermediate transfer belt, and the cleaning blade comes into contact with the elastic intermediate transfer belt at so strong a frictional force that the former may come to eat into the latter. This tends to, e.g., cause an increase in torque at the time of start, make the blade caught in, cause streaks due to friction scratches and make the belt move to one side because of non-uniform friction, any of which can be one of the causes that make the belt have a short lifetime. Without limitation to such an elastic intermediate transfer belt, intermediate transfer belts are component parts which require a relatively high cost. Hence, a shorter lifetime of intermediate transfer belts results in shorter intervals at which the intermediate transfer belts are to be replaced, to exercise a great influence on the cost of image formation. The intermediate transfer belts are component parts which are replaced at regular intervals, and it follows that the cost of the intermediate transfer belts is added to the cost of image formation. In recent years, it is highly required to reduce the cost of image formation also in regard to color image formation, and hence it is required to make the intermediate transfer belt have a longer lifetime. Accordingly, in order to clean the elastic intermediate transfer belt, a cleaning method that may give a small contact load is preferred. In comparison of the above two methods, the fur brush method is more suited than the blade method.
Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. H10-254251, No. H8-292623 and No. 2002-229344 disclose methods of belt cleaning performed by the fur brush method. All of these can enjoy a small contact load, and no longer make the elastic intermediate transfer belt have a short lifetime. However, these have not been satisfactory for the cleaning of elastic intermediate transfer belts in high-speed electrophotographic equipment.

Image forming method and image forming apparatus


An apparatus for audibly outputting a series of numbers represented by words and divided into blocks includes a voice data memory group for storing voice data. The voice data memory group includes a commonly used memory for storing voice data which may be utilized for any of the blocks, word ending memory for storing voice data corresponding to word endings which have a distinct intonation dependent upon for which block they are to be used and a block only memory for storing block specific voice data. A block voice selecting unit selects the memory from which the voice data is to be output from among the common use memory, word ending memory and the block only memory in accordance with the block type and the number to be output.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for electronically outputting a voice, and in particular, audio compilation within a voice output apparatus adapted to audibly output numbers.
Electronic audio output devices are known in the art as exemplified by Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-4239 which discloses a system for Japanese audio time notification for an electronic clock. In this system each output is divided into word blocks such as, hours and minutes. Voice data is stored in a dedicated voice data memory provided for each unit block. Data is then output for each distinct block. In the Japanese language, the system has two "ju" (ten) word sounds for outputting numbers containing a tens digit, using the appropriate "ju" word sound depending on the placement of the tens digit. For the numbers 20 through 50, the same "ju" word sound is commonly used within the hour and minute blocks. However separate dedicated memories are provided for the word sounds of both the hour values and the minutes values which are to be audibly output.
The prior art electronic voice output device has been satisfactory. However, providing voice data for the different voice sounds for the hours and minutes numbers requires a considerable memory capacity resulting in large chip size leading to a more expensive integrated circuit design. Additionally, voice data must be extremely concise before it can be stored in a memory having limited capacity. Because voice data and tone quality are closely related, the need for conciseness leads to deterioration in tone quality or so severely limits the amount of voice data which may be used that the device becomes impracticable. This becomes even more true in the case of German and Spanish language outputs. Because of the linguistic nature, these languages require an enormous amount of data before they can be used as a medium for electronic audio notification. Accordingly, the prior art system, which only provides for placing data which is directed to the same digit in a single common place, cannot be adapted to a small sized application such as a wrist watch.
For example, if audio time notification is done in the German language, having editing libraries separately provided for the hour numbers and the minute numbers, the amount of data required will then be approximately forty eight words even if word components such as "zig" and "zehn" are stored in a common source such as the use of the "ju" in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-4239. If this data is prepared at a bit rate of 6Kbit/sec, the memory capacity required may be as large of 300Kbit. However, it is only practicable to utilize a device having a 170Kbit memory capacity to provide a system useable in small sized applications.
Accordingly it is desired to provide an electronic audio device which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art described above by placing the majority of the voice data in a communal data base for several blocks.

Apparatus for electronically outputting a voice and method for outputting a voice