A process for producing borazane from boron-nitrogen and boron-nitrogen-hydrogen containing BNH-waste products. The process includes reacting the BNH-waste products with a hydrogen halide, having the formula HX, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, and combinations thereof, to form any of the following: a boron trihalide, having the formula BX3, an ammonium halide, having the formula NH4X, and hydrogen. The boron trihalide is then reacted with the hydrogen to form diborane, having the formula B2H6, and hydrogen halide. The ammonium halide is then converted to ammonia, having the formula NH3, and hydrogen halide. The diborane is then reacted with the ammonia to form borazane, having the formula BH3NH3.

The storage of hydrogen is a necessary prerequisite for the introduction of hydrogen-propelled vehicles. Current storage technologies, e.g., Compresses Gaseous Hydrogen ("CGH2") or Liquid Hydrogen ("LH2") pose a severe limitation on the driving range of such automobiles.
Solid state storage systems (e.g., classical or complex metal hydrides, e.g., FeTi2, NaAlH4 and/or the like) might be a viable alternative but will face severe heat management challenges for fundamental thermodynamic reasons. In terms of storage capacity, those compounds usually reveal a lower performance than adequate chemical hydrides (e.g., methanol, borazane, and/or the like).
The use of chemical hydrides requires a hydrogen-release and a subsequent recycling strategy of waste products. Hydrogen can be liberated from borazane (i.e., BH3NH3) by thermal decomposition, which produces a solid hydrogen-nitrogen residue hereinafter called BNH-waste.
Applicability of borazane as fuel for hydrogen-propelled vehicles is dependent on the availability of borazane in industrial scale quantities. To date, the most common synthesis routes of borazane start either directly from ammonia and diborane or from complex borohydrides, such as NaBH4, and ammonium salts. Generation of borohydride and ammonia related products are energy costly procedures. Because the residue of the dehydrogenated borazane contains the valuable materials boron and nitrogen, it would be advantageous to recycle (re-hydrogenate) the BNH-waste back to borazane. Unfortunately, a system for the re-hydrogenation of BNH-waste does not currently exist.
Accordingly, there exists a need for simple and efficient processes for the re-hydrogenation of BNH-containing waste products.

Procedure for the hydrogenation of BNH-containing compounds


A surgical buttress loading assembly includes a surgical buttress applicator, an anvil buttress, and a cartridge buttress. The surgical buttress applicator includes an anvil buttress loading unit defining a buttress cavity and a strap cavity therein, and a cartridge buttress loading unit defining a buttress cavity and a strap cavity therein. The anvil buttress includes a tubular body disposed within the buttress cavity of the anvil buttress loading unit and a strap extending from the tubular body and positioned within the strap cavity of the anvil buttress loading unit. The cartridge buttress includes a tubular body disposed within the buttress cavity of the cartridge buttress loading unit and a strap extending from the tubular body and positioned within the strap cavity of the cartridge buttress loading unit.

Surgical stapling apparatus are employed by surgeons to sequentially or simultaneously apply one or more rows of fasteners, e.g., staples or two-part fasteners, to body tissue for the purpose of joining segments of body tissue together and/or creating anastomoses. Linear surgical stapling apparatus generally include a pair of jaws or finger-like structures between which the body tissue to be joined is placed. When the linear surgical stapling apparatus is actuated, or "fired", longitudinally moving firing bars contact staple drive members in one of the jaws. The staple drive members push the surgical staples through the body tissue and into an anvil in the opposite jaw which forms the staples. If body tissue is to be removed or separated, a knife blade can be provided in one of the jaws of the apparatus to cut the body tissue between the lines of staples.
Surgical supports, e.g., meshes or buttress materials, may be used in combination with surgical stapling apparatus to bridge, repair, and/or reinforce tissue defects within a patient such as those occurring, for example, in the abdominal wall, chest wall, diaphragm, or musculo-aponeurotic areas of the body. The buttress material reinforces the staple line as well as covers the juncture of the tissues to reduce leakage prior to healing. The buttress material can help promote proper staple formation while reducing twisting/malformation caused by any misalignment of tissue and/or unusual or non-uniform tissue. The buttress material can also provide support to weakened tissue, or help address differences in the thickness of tissues.


The present disclosure relates to an updating method for configuration parameters of an electronic device, a device and a computer-readable medium, wherein the updating method includes: acquiring fingerprint information collected by a fingerprint sensor at the electronic device; determining whether the fingerprint information is collected in a trusted mode; acquiring, in response to determining that the fingerprint information is collected in the trusted mode, a target configuration parameter of the electronic device for anti-spoofing detection according to the fingerprint information; and updating, in response to that the target configuration parameter of the electronic device and/or a current configuration parameter of the electronic device satisfies a preset condition, the current configuration parameter of the electronic device based on the target configuration parameter of the electronic device, wherein the current configuration parameter is used by the electronic device for anti-spoofing detection of a fingerprint in fingerprint information to be recognized. The solution of the present disclosure can update configuration parameters of the electronic device under certain conditions, thereby realizing high precision of anti-spoofing detection.

With the widespread use of various electronic devices (including smart terminals) in daily life, safe access by the user has become an important factor to be concerned. To ensure security during operation of the devices, various schemes for authenticating the user have been proposed, wherein fingerprint features have become an effective means for security authentication due to their uniqueness.
In the development stage of the electronic device, some devices are usually selected to collect a great deal of real hand and fake hand fingerprint information, from which detection parameters for anti-spoofing detection are formed. Due to the fact that the number of electronic devices used for acquiring detection parameters and the amount of collected fingerprint information are insufficient, and problems such as an unexpected tolerance of some hardware elements and hardware differences of individual electronic devices, the detection parameter may be not applicable to all electronic devices, and therefore, when the anti-spoofing detection is carried out on a specific electronic device, the recognition accuracy may be not high enough.

Updating method for configuration parameters of electronic device, device and computer-readable medium


A heat spreader includes an electromagnetic soft iron sheet and a plating layer formed on the surface of the sheet. The plate is made of a rustproof metal. An electronic component is mounted on an aluminum base with an HITT substrate and the heat spreader in between. The heat spreader is manufactured at low cost and has a favorable property as a heat dissipating material.

The present invention relates to a heat dissipating material and a method for manufacturing the material. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a heat dissipating material suitable for heat dissipating substrate, on which electronic components such as semiconductor devices are mounted.
Since electronic components such as semiconductor devices produce heat during operation, such components need to be cooled so that the performance will not lowered. Accordingly, methods for implementing semiconductor devices on a heat dissipating board (heat dissipating substrate) have been proposed. These methods include a method using a heat sink and a method using a heat spreader.
A heat sink using method is shown in FIG. 4. A heat sink 42 is fixed to an aluminum base 41, which forms a case, with screws (not shown). The heat sink 42 may be soldered to the aluminum base 41. An insulated substrate 43 is fixed to the heat sink 42. The insulated substrate 43 has metal (Al) layer 43a on each side. An electronic component 44 such as a semiconductor device is implemented onto the upper metal layer 43a of the insulated substrate 43. The insulated substrate 43 is made of aluminum nitride (AlN). The heat sink 42 is made of a material having a low expansion coefficient and a high thermal conductivity. Specifically, the heat sink 42 is made of metal matrix composite, which has ceramics dispersed in a metal matrix layer. For example, a composite having SiC particles dispersed in an aluminum main component is used.
Aluminum nitride of the insulated substrate 43 and the metal matrix composite of the heat sink 42 are expensive. Therefore, an inexpensive method using a heat spreader has also been proposed.
A heat spreader using method is shown in FIG. 5. A high insulated thermal technology (HITT) substrate 45 is secured to the upper surface of an aluminum base 41, which forms a case, with silicone grease. The HITT substrate 45 includes an aluminum main body 45a, an epoxy resin insulating layer 45b, and a metal (copper) layer 45c. The insulating layer 45b is adhered to an opposite side of the main body 45a from the aluminum base 41. The metal layer 45c is laminated on the insulating layer 45b. A heat spreader 46 is soldered onto the HITT substrate 45. An electronic component 44 is soldered onto the heat spreader 46. Currently, heat spreaders are made of Cu, Mo or a three-layer laminated material of Cu/Invar/Cu. Invar is an alloy containing 36% of weight of Ni. The remaining portion of Invar is substantially Fe.
However, Cu has a relatively great linear expansion coefficient of 17xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0 C. Therefore, matching between Cu and the electronic component 44, the linear expansion coefficient of which is 4xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0 C., is not satisfactory. Also, since Mo has a relatively low linear expansion coefficient of 4xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0 C. to 5xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0 C., matching between Mo and the HITT substrate 45 is not satisfactory.
On the other hand, the three-layer laminated material of Cu/Invar/Cu, which is used nowadays, has a linear expansion coefficient of 10xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0 C. to 11xc3x9710xe2x88x926/xc2x0 C. Thus, the laminated material has satisfactory matching with the electronic component 44 and the HITT substrate 45. However, Invar contained in the laminated material has a significantly small thermal conductivity. Thus, although Invar is held between Cu layers having a relatively high thermal conductivity (390W/(mxc2x7K)), the heat expansion of the heat spreader 46 in the direction of thickness is as small as 30W/(mxc2x7K). As a result, if considered as a uniform material, the heat conductivity of the three-layer laminated material is as small as 60W/(mxc2x7K), which is not sufficient for dissipating heat. Further, since Invar is held between Cu layers, the cost is increased.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an inexpensive heat dissipating material that can be used as a heat spreader.
To achieve the foregoing and other objectives and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a plate-shaped heat dissipating material is provided. The main component of the material is an iron-based metal, and at least the surface of the material is covered with a rustproof metal.
The present also provides an electronic module including a plate shaped heat dissipating material and an electronic element. The main component of the material is an iron-based metal, and at least the surface of the material is covered with a rustproof metal. The electronic element is mounted on the heat dissipating material.
The present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a heat dissipating material. The method includes: placing metal shaving in a mold; pouring a molten aluminum-based metal or molten copper into the mold and impregnating the metal shaving with the molten aluminum-based metal or the molten copper; and taking out the molded material as the heat dissipating material from the mold after the aluminum-based metal or the copper is solidified.
The present invention provides another method for manufacturing a heat dissipating material. The method includes: forming a porous sintered compact with powder of an iron-based metal; placing the sintered compact in a mold; pouring and pressurizing a molten aluminum-based metal or molten copper into the mold, and impregnating the sintered compact with the molten aluminum-based metal or the molten copper; and taking out the molded material as the heat dissipating material from the mold after the aluminum-based metal or the copper is solidified.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Heat dissipating material and manufacturing method thereof


A combined light and fan assembly wherein a fan and light are combined into a single component and mounted in the electrical light socket in the interior of a conventional domestic oven so that when the oven is being heated, and the oven light switch is turned on, the light is illuminated, and the fan runs producing a convection current inside the oven, so that the conventional oven is converted into a convection oven.

Standard domestic ovens are provided with lights which are threaded into an electrical socket on the interior side wall of the oven.
To improve the efficiency of the oven by reducing the cooking time to thereby save energy, fans are installed in the interior of the oven to provide a convection oven wherein the hot air is circulated around the food being cooked. In conventional convection ovens, the fan assembly is built into the oven at the factory, and the light is installed as a separate component.
While these convection ovens have been satisfactory for their intended purpose, after considerable research and experimentation, the combined light and fan assembly of the present invention has been devised wherein a fan and light are combined into a single component and adapted to be threaded into an electrical socket in the interior of a standard domestic oven so that when the oven is on and the oven light switch is turned on, the light is illuminated, and the fan runs producing a convection current inside the oven, whereby a standard oven is converted into a convection oven.


A roller chain transmission comprises a sprocket having at least first teeth and second teeth having different tooth forms, the first teeth and second teeth being randomly arranged, and the number of the second teeth not exceeding four times of the number of the first teeth. The roller chain may also have pins of slightly differing diameters, randomly arranged along the length of the chain.

In recent years, metal roller chains have come into increasing used in power transmissions, in automobile engines and in other machines, as a result of high loads, high speeds, and the demand for maintenance-free operation. Roller chain transmissions have displaced toothed belt transmissions to a large extent.
A typical roller chain transmission device comprises a roller chain including inner and outer links. Each inner link comprises a pair of inner link plates, two bushings, ends of which are press-fit into bushing holes formed in the inner link plates, and a roller rotatable on the outside of each bushing. Each of the outer links comprises a pair of outer link plates and two pins press fit into the outer link plates. The outer link plates of each outer link are in overlapping relationship with the inner link plates of two adjacent inner links, and a pin of each outer link extends loosely through a bushing of an adjacent inner link, whereby the inner and outer links are connected articulably in alternating relationship along the length of the chain. In the power transmission, the roller chain is typically in mesh with a drive sprocket and one or more driven sprockets.
Roller chains used in such a roller chain transmission device, include "A series" roller chains, which satisfy the relationships 0.59≦D/P≦0.64, and 0.28≦d/P≦0.38, and "B series" roller chains, which satisfy the relationships 0.57≦D/P≦0.67, and 0.28≦d/P≦0.38, D being the outer diameter of the roller, d being the outer diameter of the pin, and P being the chain pitch. These chains are chosen based on demands for a size balance and standardization (See Japanese Industrial Standard JIS B 1801).
Sprockets, having tooth forms which smoothly move at engagement with and disengagement from a roller chain and efficiently transmit rotational torque to a rotating shaft, are standardized, and a sprocket may be selected in accordance with the particular roller chain with which it is to be used.
To reduce noises generated at engagement between a chain and a sprocket, various approaches have been proposed. One is a low noise roller chain transmission device in which a roller and a chain are engaged with each other at a random pressure angle, by use of a roller chain in which two or more kinds of rollers having different outer diameters are randomly disposed along the length of the chain. Another uses a sprocket in which teeth having different shapes of flank surfaces are randomly disposed on the periphery of the sprocket. These approaches are described in Japanese laid-open Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 5-59014 and Japanese laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-266988.
However, it has not been shown that the above-mentioned conventional low noise roller chain transmissions reduce engagement noise to any significant degree. Thus, to obtain an optimum reduction effect, it was necessary to use trial and error repeatedly.
Furthermore, it has been shown that a particularly large engagement noise between the roller and the chain occurs in specific regions of rotational speeds. However, in previous approaches to noise reduction, these abnormal noises, which occur at specific ranges of rotational speeds were not avoided.
Accordingly, taking the problems of the above-mentioned conventional roller chain transmission device into consideration, an object of the invention is to provide a roller chain transmission which reproducibly reduces engagement noises between a roller chain and a sprocket without the need for design by trial and error. Further, another object of the invention is to provide a roller chain transmission device, which suppresses abnormal noises which occur in specific regions of rotational speeds.


An improved rotor blade used in combination with a submersible electrical generator comprises a rotor base with width W, a leading edge, a tip, and a trailing edge. The leading edge and the trailing edge are defined as elliptical curves having a radius of 8.0(W). A straight line drawn from the front of the base to the lip forms a forty five degree angle with respect to the rotor base. The rotor blade is functionally connected to a rotor shaft through a pivotal support axial which allows the pitch of the blade to be set and maintained. The pitch is set to harness the kinetic energy of flowing water thereby generating electricity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the generation of electrical power from submerged generators using tidal currents to turn the generators, but it may be adapted to more powerful ocean current applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The decrease in the amount and production of world crude oil, and North America natural gas, presents a potential catastrophic problem for the industrial world. While the amount and location of crude oil reserves are not well documented, it is acknowledged that there is limited amount of the fossil fuels in reserve. In addition, many feel that the combustion of the fossil fuels for transportation and energy production contributes to global warming. It would therefore be a worthwhile thing to switch from fossil fuels for energy production to energy sources which are self-sustaining and non-polluting. Other recently investigated possibilities for renewable resources include wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. A couple of these show real potential, and are either in use or under further development. Ocean wave and tidal currents are probably the last of the large natural resources not yet fully investigated for the production of energy, and in particular, electricity. This disclosure relates to using tidal currents to generate electricity.
The United States, with coast lines on both sides and a network of inland rivers and lakes, has significant amounts of ocean wave and tidal power energy resources. These resources are renewable and emission free for energy production. With proper system design and deployment, ocean wave and tidal power could become one of the most environmentally friendly methods for generating electricity yet developed. The Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) has projected that as much as 10% of the national energy demand (400 trillion watts per year) could be harnessed from US wave and tidal current energy resources.
Waves are created by winds blowing over large bodies of water; tidal changes in the sea are generated by solar and lunar gravitational forces. As the earth rotates the elliptical envelope shape of the ocean floor causes the water level to rise and fall. Ocean waves and tides contain tremendous amounts of kinetic energy which could be harnessed to turn generators for the production of electricity. Water is several hundred times denser than air, therefore, has more kinetic energy per unit speed.
It is the eastward rotation of the Earth which generates the winds which cause the waves. The Gulf Stream and the Kuroshio are two significant natural currents resulting from the Earth's rotation. The Gulf Stream starts just south of the Florida Keys and continues north for about 400 miles. The current has an average speed between 4-7 miles per hour depending on width. So long as the Earth rotates eastward, there will be winds generating waves and currents, and tidal changes will result from lunar and solar gravitational forces. This enormous power, if appropriately harnessed, is fuel cost-free, non-polluting, and self-sustaining. Furthermore, tidal currents are predictable for the indefinite future: wave patterns are predictable for days in advance. Predictability is an important characteristic for an energy source used in electrical generation which is inputted into an electric grid where the supply equals demand.
Oceanlogists calculate wave power in watts per unit wave length in meters which is a function of wave period in seconds and the square of the wave height in meters squared. The harnessing of wave energy is complex and several devices have been proposed including: point absorbers, oscillating water columns, overtopping terminators, and linear wave absorbers. Since this disclosure does not focus on wave energy, these devices are noted but not discussed in detail.
Oceanologists calculate tidal current power in watts per unit cross-sectional area in meters squared which is a function of the density of the water and the cube of the speed in meters per second. For example, the EPRI calculated the annual depth average power density of the tidal flows under the Golden Gate Bridge to be in the order of 3 Kilowatts per meter squared. The average US home uses 1.3 kW per day. The EPRI estimates that the total tidal and river potential to be in the order of 149 trillion watt hours per year or about 3.5% US national electricity demand.
The present disclosure is concerned with harnessing tidal power, which as previously discussed, is generated by lunar and solar gravitational forces as the Earth rotates eastward. The tidal currents are to be distinguished from the powerful currents occurring in the Gulf Stream which are caused by winds, uneven temperatures, and the shape of existing land masses. Tidal currents are the periodic motion of water caused by the different lunar and solar gravitational attractive forces on different parts of the eastward rotating Earth. As these gravitational forces change, tides rise and fall causing periodic horizontal movement of water, the tidal currents. The tidal current speed varies from place to place depending on the shape of the coastline being strongest in inlets, sounds, coastal waterways, and related. Since the amount of electricity generated depends on the speed and steadiness of the water driving the generating device, the tidal currents can produce electricity only between high tides and low tides.
For the above reasons, the "capacity factor" for the tidal currents is somewhat less than, for example, powerful ocean currents as in the Gulf Stream which are constant at 4-7 MPH 24 hours per day. The EPRI has estimated that with tidal units and wind units the average power is typically between 30-40% of the "rated power" which is based on a capacity factor of 24 hours per day of continuous year long operation. While the extraction rate is somewhat low, it is well worth the effort since the energy is self sustaining, non-polluting and fuel cost-free.
Tidal kinetic energy extraction is an extremely complex operation and several devices have been proposed as discussed below. Prior art most often discusses the design of these devices in terms of their physical arrangement. Water turbines, as well as wind turbines, are generally grouped into two types: 1. Vertical-axis devices in which the axis of rotation of the water/wind driven rotor is vertical to the ground and perpendicular to the energy stream, and 2. Horizontal-axis devices in which the axis of rotation of the water/wind driven rotor is horizontal with respect to the ground and parallel to the energy stream. An example of the former is the Blue Energy Ocean Turbine located in Canada. An example of the latter is the presently used wind mills in which the axis of rotation is parallel to the ground.
Generators are well known in the prior art, and similar in design and function when used in hydro-electric, wind, or ocean currents. Several models are available commercially, usable in either wind or water, provided the water unit has a water-proof housing. The kinetic energy of the water turns a rotor blade which is attached to a rotor shaft which extends into the generator. A series of step-up gears increase the rotational speed such that electricity is generated.
The rotor blades of prior art wind turbines tend to be long and narrow. The reason for this long and narrow design is that the rotors are easier to tie down and secure during violent wind storms, not that they are more efficient in capturing kinetic energy. These long and narrow rotor blades have been tried in water turbine systems, but have encountered several problems. The two major problems are they destroy fish and other marine species, and the blades are damaged by sea weeds and other submerged debris in the water.
Prior art turbines tested to date destroyed fish and other marine species to the extent that the devices have been nicknamed "chum machines". The long, sweeping motion of the rotor blades tend to attract fish and injure them as they swim by in the sweep path of the rotor blades. In addition, these blades generate a lot of bubbles in the water. This is caused by cavitation, which is caused by difference in pressure gradients which forms vapor bubbles on the blade surfaces. While not lethal to fish, they are unsightly and may have some environmental impact.
A recent prototype test in the East River at New York demonstrated the second aforementioned problem. The weeds, debris, and other submerged material caused a failure of the prototype test when the rotor blades broke.
Prior art publications can be divided into documents disclosing designs for tidal currents and designs for stronger ocean currents; recalling tidal currents are caused by lunar and solar forces occurring in the more shallow inlets and sounds while the stronger ocean currents are in deeper water as the Gulf Stream. U.S. Pat. No. 7,378,750 issued to Herbert L. Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 6,967,413 issued to Ramez Atiya, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,069 issued to Peter T. Redemackerl relate to system designs for the tidal currents. The system disclosed in 750 uses a rotor design which includes hinged vanes attached to a cylindrical drum. The hinged vanes capture the water current turning the drum thereby turning the generator. The 413 disclosure involves an artificial lagoon formed by a series of support columns with a retaining wall to direct the water current toward the generator increasing its force. Patent 069 discloses a rotor with an open center with blades between an inner rim and an outer rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,385,302 issued to Stanley C. Johnson discloses a wind turbine having individually pivotal airfoils mounted on a rotatable frame; US 20080138206 published Jun. 6, 2008 discloses a rotor design with anti-foiling tip for shedding seaweed and other submerged debris.
Examples of patent documents disclosing tethered systems for deeper currents such as in the Gulf Stream include U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,291,936, 6,531,788, and published application 20070257492 published Nov. 8, 2007, John Robson inventor. These systems use two counter-rotating full-bladed (16 blades) rotors to turn the generators. Other examples include U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,439 issued to Amir S. Mikhall et al and U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,161 issued to James G. P. Dehlsen et al. The 439 disclosure includes a plurality of blades which can be varied in length to increase or decrease the rotor diameter. The 161 disclosure discusses variable pitch rotor blades, where the pitch is controlled by an ascend-descend protocol for controlling depth. U.S. Pat. No. 7,279,803 issued to Kenneth Randall Boslley discloses a different system design where an impeller is set in a frame and rotates around a non-moving shaft. Electromagnetic coils on the impeller and the frame generate electrical current.
The above references fail to at least teach or suggest the design of the presently disclosed and claimed invention. Other references are cited in the Information disclosure Statement.

Rotor design for submersible electronic generator


An optical element microstructure detects changes in the propagation angle of an optical beam on a local basis. The optical element microstructure preferably comprises an array of structures which are small compared to the size of the beam. Detection is done on a local basis, with each optical element in the microstructure array perturbing the optical beam in a predictable manner. By virtue of the number of optical sensing elements, the microstructure array is less sensitive to flaws in the optical elements, as compared to a single optical component placed in the path of the light. In addition, the microstructure lends itself to mass production by replication, and other low cost methods such as injection molding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of collimation and angle sensing structures. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward devices capable of detecting and measuring small changes in the propagation angle of an optical beam.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a conventional optical disc memory system, a beam of light from a light source is caused to converge on the surface of an optical disc by an objective lens. The surface of the optical disc has recorded thereon information in the form of depressions, pits, ridges, or other optically detectable changes in the reflective or transmissive properties of the disc. In a reflective type system, the beam is reflected from the disc in such a manner that it is modulated in accordance with the information recorded on the disc. The reflected laser beam is then directed onto the detecting face of a photodiode or other light detector which transforms the optical signal into an electrical signal. In this manner, the electrical signal carries the same information recorded on the disc and contained in the modulated light beam. This electrical signal is further processed, and ultimately results in the audio sounds or video images represented by the information recorded on the disc.
For accurate reading of the information stored on the disc, it is necessary that the beam of light be accurately focused on the recorded surface of the optical disc. When the light beam is focused on the disc, the information recorded thereon will be properly modulated onto the light beam.
Most of the methods that yield focus error signals rely on basic optical principles. In general, if the laser beam is in focus on the disc, the scanning spot reflected by the disc will be imaged back onto itself. For example, in one method, a collimated optical light beam is focused by an objective lens onto the optical disc such that a portion of the incident light beam is reflected from the disc back along the same optical path as the incident light beam. If the incident light beam is properly focused on the disc, then the reflected light beam will also be collimated after it passes through the objective lens in the reverse direction. By introducing some asymmetry into the light path of the reflected beam, it is possible to detect deviations from the optimum focus of the light beam on the disc. Many of such detection and measurement techniques utilize a lens or a prism to deflect or otherwise sample the reflected beam. The reflected light beam is then analyzed for characteristics indicative of focus errors.
In one class of methods, focus errors can be detected by measuring the degree to which the collimation of the reflected beam differs from the collimation of the incident beam. These measurements are often performed by detecting and measuring small angular deviations within the reflected light beam. Detecting and measuring small changes in the propagation angle of an optical beam may also be useful in many other fields. In optical memory systems, these techniques can be used to detect focal errors produced by changes in the distance between an objective lens and the media surface of an optical disc. Such focal errors are generally caused by warped or slightly eccentric discs. The objective lens is generally mounted on, and its position controlled by, a servo mechanism which moves along a direction parallel to the optical axis of the light beam, i.e., either increasing or decreasing the distance along the optical axis, between the objective lens and the optical disc. Movement of the objective lens with respect to the disc adjusts for any out-of-focusing conditions of the light beam on the surface of the disc which may occur. A focus error detection device is placed in the path of the reflected beam to detect focus sensitive changes and to produce correction signals which can be used as input to the servo mechanism.
Focus error detection systems have been previously proposed for controlling the movement of the objective lens with respect to the media surface of the optical disc. U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,098 to Maeda, for example, describes a focus control device in which an element, comprising alternating absorbing parts (which prevent the transmission of light) and transmitting parts (which allow light to pass through the structure), is positioned in the light path of the reflected beam. Each absorbing part forms a predetermined angle with respect to the optical axis, while each transmitting part is defined by its adjacent absorbing parts. A split detector is positioned behind the element and generates an output signal which is proportional to the difference of the quantity of light incident on each half of the detector. The quantity of light received by each half of the detector thus depends on the degree to which the absorbing parts of the optical element eclipse the incident light.
Ohsato, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,437 is directed toward a focus error detecting device which utilizes a compound lens, consisting of first and second lens regions, each having different focal lengths. The first region of the compound lens has a focal point which converges in front of a photodetector, while the second region of the compound lens converges to a point behind the photodetector. The photodetector is positioned midway between the focal points of the two lens regions. The photodetector comprises first and second photodetecting elements for receiving light which has passed through the first region of the compound lens, and third and fourth regions for receiving light which has passed through the second region of the compound lens. The difference between the sum of the signals from the first and fourth elements and the sum of the signals from the second and third elements produces a focus error signal. When the light beam is properly in focus on the disc, the difference of these sums will be zero. Conversely, if the light beam is not properly focused on the disc, one of the sums of the signals will be larger than the other, indicating the degree and direction of the focal error.
Many such previous methods have been found disadvantageous in that the focusing techniques require the beam to propagate over quite some distance before a measurement can be made. This distance requirement intrinsically puts a minimum limit on the size of the optical system. In addition, focusing systems that utilize prisms or lenses are typically larger than the reflected beam, occupying a large amount of space and increasing the weight of the system. Further, the manufacturing costs involved in producing optical components of at least moderate quality can be prohibitive.


A phosphate-free automatic dishwashing cleaning composition comprising a protease wherein the protease has at least 80%, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90% and especially at least 96% identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 or with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 and wherein the protease comprises amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of:                (i) at least two amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of: X198G/A/K/L/Q/R/T/V/S/L, X207Q, X211Q/N and X212Q in combination with at least three amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of: X039E, X074D, X099R, X126A, X127E and X128G; or        (ii) X039E-X074D-X099R-X116R-X126A-X127E-X128G-X211Q; X039E-X074D-X099R-X126A-X127E-X128G-X211N; X039E-X074D-X099R-X126A-X127E-X128G-X211Q; X039E-X074D-X099R-X126A-X127E-X128G-X207Q; or        (iii) any of the proteases of (i) and (ii) further comprising at least one amino acid substitution selected from X242D and X256E; or        (iv) X039E-X074D-X099R-X126A-X127E-X128G-X256E;                    using the SEQ ID NO:2 numbering.

There is a permanent desire to improve the performance of automatic dishwashing. Dishwashers present a plurality of programs that the user can chose from. The programs vary on temperature, number of cycles and length of the cycles. Proteases can be susceptible to temperature. Proteases designed to withstand high temperatures usually have a slow kinetic rate as temperature robustness is often driven by structural rigidity.
Automatic dishwashing products can be designed to have optimum performance under certain in-use conditions, for example a composition can be designed to have optimum performance in a hot long cycle, however a composition that has optimum performance in a hot long cycle might not have optimum performance in a short cold cycle and vice versa.
The object of the present invention is to provide a phosphate-free automatic dishwashing composition that provides better cleaning in a plurality of programs, including hot long programs and cold short programs.

Automatic dishwashing detergent composition comprising a protease


In an image forming apparatus, when some of a plurality of image supporters which are preceded by another image supporter on an upstream side of the carrying direction are referred to as downstream side image supporters, a control section derives a toner supply amount for each of positions in a main-scanning direction for each of downstream side image supporters based on image data for the downstream side image supporters and image data for an upstream side image supporter, and thereafter generates patch image data that represents the derived toner supply amount, and the exposure section further scans each of the downstream side image supporters in the main-scanning direction with an optical beam modulated according to the patch image data generated by the control section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which employs an electrophotographic system and a tandem system.
2. Description of Related Art
In the electrophotographic system, a charged image supporter is irradiated with modulated light, whereby a latent image is formed. This latent image is developed with a toner, whereby a toner image is formed. The toner image is transferred from the image supporter to a transfer medium.
In the tandem system, image supporters are provided in a casing for respective ones of a plurality of colors (e.g., Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), K (black)). These image supporters are arranged in parallel along a predetermined carrying direction. On these image supporters, toner images of corresponding colors are concurrently formed. The toner images are transferred to an intermediate transfer medium such that the toner images are superposed on one another, whereby a full-color composite toner image is formed. The composite toner image, which is supported on the intermediate transfer medium, is carried in the carrying direction.
In an image forming apparatus which employs both of the above-described systems, toners and the like remain on the surfaces of the image supporters after transfer of the toner images from the image supporters to the intermediate transfer medium. The image forming apparatus includes a cleaning member configured to remove the transfer residual toners and other deposits from the image supporter surfaces. The cleaning member is, for example, a cleaning blade which is configured to touch the surface of the image supporters and mechanically remove the transfer residual toners and the like.
In recent years, to reduce the downtime of the image forming apparatus, extension of the life of the image supporters and the cleaning member (hereinafter, "the image supporters and other members") has been demanded. A bottleneck in the life extension is the abrasion loss of the image supporters and other members. The image supporters and other members are to be replaced by new ones when the abrasion loss exceeds a predetermined threshold. Therefore, the life extension requires suppressing abrasion of the image supporters and other members. To this end, the technique of forming a coating of a solid lubricant (hereinafter, "lubricant") over the surface of the image supporters has been put into practice. According to this technique, smoothness is given to the image supporter surface, so that the frictional force between the image supporter surface and the cleaning member is reduced, whereby abrasion of these components is suppressed.
However, the lubricant coating is abraded when the transfer residual toner reaches a gap between the image supporters and the cleaning member. Therefore, the thickness of the lubricant coating is different between an image portion in which the toner adheres to the image supporter surface and a non-image portion in which no toner adheres. Due to the variation in thickness of the lubricant coating, conventional image forming apparatuses have deteriorated image quality. A specific example of this problem is described below.
In the image forming apparatus, if transfer residual toners adhere and fix to a thin portion of the lubricant coating during continuous printing of a plurality of copies, the transfer residual toners sometimes cannot be removed from the image supporter surface even using the cleaning member. In this case, a potential variation would not occur even if the toner-fixed portion is irradiated with modulated light in a subsequent exposure process. As a result, in some cases, white spot noise is produced on the copies.
In image forming apparatuses for office use which are rarely used for continuous printing of a large number of copies of the same material, the above-described deterioration in the image quality has not been considered as a critical problem. However, this has been considered as a major problem in the field of industrial printing because a large number of copies of the same material are continuously printed and/or the required image quality level is high.
In view of the above problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-58732 discloses the technique of applying a lubricant to an image supporter while controlling exposure and a bias voltage which is to be applied to a lubricant application brush according to image formation history information. Meanwhile, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-225240 discloses the technique of forcibly consuming toners according to the number of printed pixels in the main-scanning direction of the image supporter.
However, in an image forming apparatus which employs the electrophotographic and tandem systems, toners are reversely transferred via an intermediate transfer medium as well known in the art. The reverse transfer means that, relative to a certain image supporter, a toner transferred from an image supporter on the upstream side of a carrying direction of a toner image to an intermediate transfer medium is transferred to a surface of an image supporter on the downstream side. Due to the reversely transferred toner, the amount of toner that reaches a gap between the image supporter and the cleaning member increases. However, since the increase of the toner amount which is attributed to the reversely transferred toner is not considered in the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. 2009-58732 and 2008-225240, there is a probability that a relatively large amount of toner adheres to the image supporter surface. As a result, there is a problem that the toner fixes onto the lubricant coating so that the image quality can deteriorate.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that is capable of suppressing deterioration of the image quality which is attributed to a reversely transferred toner.


A two-stage statistical calibration and measurement method and system is disclosed for performing photoplethysmographic measurement of blood analyte concentrations. Concentrations in a tissue sample of MetHb, O.sub.2 Hb, RHb and COHb are estimated by first estimating a concentration of MetHb (in a first stage) and subsequently, if the concentration of MetHb is within a predetermined range, then the estimated concentration of MetHb is assumed to be accurate and this estimated concentration of MetHb is utilized as a "known value" in determining the concentrations of the remaining analytes O.sub.2 Hb, RHb and COHb (in a second stage). That is, by eliminating one "unknown" from the system of equations, these remaining analytes can be calculated with increased accuracy. Each stage is performed using data obtained by transmitting light through the tissue sample (typically a finger or earlobe). The transmitted light is generated by four discrete light emitters, each emitter having a distinct spectral content.

In spectrophotometric analysis, estimates of the concentration of various analytes in a sample are determined by (a) transmitting light from one or more emitters through the sample, (b) measuring the amount of light transmitted through the sample from each emitter, and (c) using the measured light in a calibration equation to obtain the analyte estimates. To maximize the information obtained from the sample-under-test, each emitter typically emits light having distinct spectral content and center wavelength.
Typically, theoretical relationships along with statistical regression techniques are used to develop a calibration equation. In particular, a pre-specified equation form is chosen which relates the measured light to the analytes of interest. Constants present in this equation, called calibration coefficients, are then determined from a test collection of measured light vectors corresponding to known quantities of the analytes, as one skilled in the art will understand. However, to effectively utilize such a methodology the analytes must be distinguishable at the center wavelengths of light used. That is, the contribution of any one analyte to the measured light from all emitters cannot be a linear combination of the corresponding contributions of one or more other analytes. Moreover, no subcollection of the analytes should absorb light so strongly that absorption of light due to other analytes in the sample cannot be measured. Additionally, to cost-effectively provide such spectrophotometric analysis, there is an emphasis on minimizing the number of emitters used. It is well known, however, that there must be at least as many distinct emitters (each with its own unique spectral content) used as there are analytes whose concentrations are to be determined. Furthermore, in order to obtain accurate concentration estimates, additional emitters are often used, thereby creating a mathematically over-determined system. Thus, in conventional spectrophotometry, there is a cost versus accuracy tradeoff, wherein both cost and accuracy increase with an increase in the number of emitters used in such systems.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method and system for increasing the accuracy of such spectrophotometric analysis without incurring the cost associated with increasing the number of emitters. In photoplethysmography, maintaining a high degree of accuracy at a low cost is particularly important. That is, a high degree of accuracy is required in order to ensure patient safety and alert the clinician of critical situations, while cost containment pressures on the medical community necessitate low cost monitoring devices.

Two stage calibration and analyte measurement scheme for spectrophotomeric analysis


Systems and methods are disclosed for permitting higher transmit power at a mobile device. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed, comprising: receiving, at a base station, an emergency request from a mobile device; sending, from the base station to a neighboring base station, a high power reservation message to reserve one or more radio resource blocks at the neighboring base station for non-use; and sending, from the base station to the mobile device, a resource allocation including the one or more radio resource blocks and a power control message requesting high transmit power.

Small cells and mobile base stations are being considered for many applications, including first responder and public safety applications. These cells are capable of bringing LTE access directly to the site of a disaster or emergency, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/183,176, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. However, it is well-known that many LTE bands are at high frequencies, such as 1900 MHz, 2400 MHz, or even higher. As higher frequencies have worse penetration with more attenuation, these small base stations have the problem that even when deployed to the site, they may not be able to provide access and coverage areas deep into buildings or into basements. As well, when buildings are on fire or when buildings are collapsing, it is conceivable that the people who need to make emergency calls will be in the interior of such buildings. Further, when a building is on fire, the residents inside need to reach as wide a coverage area as they can to seek emergency support. To support scenarios like these, high-power transmission from the user equipment (UE) may be enabled.
A need therefore exists to provide improved quality of radio coverage to those emergency users.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A transceiver includes a transmitter configured to transmit a first radio frequency signal, a switching device connected to the transmitter and configured to receive and transmit the first radio frequency signal to an antenna, a receiver connected to the switching device via an input and configured to receive a second radio frequency signal from the switching device, the receiver including an electrostatic discharge protection device connected to the input, and a biasing device connected to the electrostatic discharge protection device and configured to forward bias the electrostatic discharge protection device.

During the past years, the interest in radio access technologies for providing services for voice, video and data has increased. The communication devices that support these services, for example, mobile cellular units, include a transmitting component for transmitting information associated with voice, video and/or data to a base station (for example the base station of a telecommunication network) and a receiving component for receiving information associated with voice, video and/or data received from the base station.
FIG. 1 shows a communication device 10 that includes such a transmitting component 12 and a receiving component 14. The two components may be connected to a circulator 16. The circulator 16 may switch a connecting path of either the transmitter or receiver to a common antenna 18. The circulator 16 passes a transmit signal to the antenna with low attenuation, but should not pass the transmit signal to the receiver. A limitation of using such a circulator is that transmit power reflected by the antenna or leaked directly from a power amplifier of the transmitter may be conducted by the circulator 16 to the receiver as the circulator cannot completely close a communication path between the transmitter and the receiver. This may damage the receiver because the receiver is not designed to handle the high energy signals generated by the transmitter.
To protect the receiver from such high energy signals, a low-ohmic switch 19 may be used in addition to the circulator 16, to prevent the high energy signal entering the receiver 14. The switch 19 may be implemented by using a large MOSFET. However, a drawback of this solution is that the MOSFET might introduce losses in the signal path that degrade the receiver characteristics when the receiver is on, which is undesirable. In addition, another drawback is the amount of space needed to accommodate the large MOSFET and the cost for adding the MOSFET, especially since modern mobile communication devices have limited amounts of available space and are sensitive to cost.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide devices and methods for insulating the receiver from the transmitter that avoid the afore-described problems and drawbacks.


A drain guard, for use in sinks having a drain, a bottom wall and a side wall, wherein the drain guard includes a screen for holding debris away from the sink drain. A seal, which abuts sealingly against the sink side wall, is disposed between the screen and the sink side wall to prevent debris from passing between the side wall and the screen, the seal and the screen being fixed in a frame which holds the screen a predetermined distance from the sink bottom. The frame includes a pair of arched bands which are useful as handles for moving the drain guard into, and out of the sink. In addition, the arched bands of a sink installed drain guard support heavy pots and other utensils away from the screen.

A common problem, experienced in restaurants and in other institutions, where large numbers of people are fed, is the handling of animal and vegetable wastes that are produced in the preparation of the food. Such wastes are varied in nature and may range in size from large vegetable substances, such as lettuce leaves, to very small substances as wet rice or tomato seeds. Clogged drains are often a result of a process that occurs in the sinks of restaurants, and other commercial establishments, where busy cooks dump substantial amounts of vegetable matter into the sinks.
In this regard, for example, in a typical hotel or restaurant, one or more pre-rinse sinks are utilized to prepare dishes for the table. Large amounts of leaves, husks, rinds and other debris are washed into these sinks as the dishes are prepared. Serious drain occlusions can occur unless these material are prevented from passing into the sink drain. Conventional screens are sometimes utilized in an attempt to keep these undesirable materials out of the sink drain, but these techniques are frequently unsatisfactory because surface tension across the screen openings effectively restricts water flow into the drain. As a result, because of their limitations, some conventional screening devices have little utility.
Thus, in the absence of effective drain protective techniques, large amounts of waste material accumulate and occlude commercial drain systems, often requiring regular and costly plumbing services to keep drains open. In addition, such accumulations can have public health consequences because of putrefaction occurring in drainage systems. In some cases, accumulated wastes cause drain system grease traps to overflow, ultimately degrading municipal water supplies.
In view of the foregoing, it is evident that a need exists for a device that could efficiently and effectively prevent waste material from entering sink drains. Desirably, such a device would be sturdy in construction and reliable and convenient to use.


In an embodiment, a processor includes a decode logic to receive and decode a first memory access instruction to store data in a cache memory with a replacement state indicator of a first level, and to send the decoded first memory access instruction to a control logic. In turn, the control logic is to store the data in a first way of a first set of the cache memory and to store the replacement state indicator of the first level in a metadata field of the first way responsive to the decoded first memory access instruction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

In a processor-based system, a cache memory is used to temporarily store information including data and instructions to enable more rapid access by processing elements of the system such as one or more processors, graphics devices and so forth. Modern processors include internal cache memories that act as depositories for frequently used and recently used information. Because this cache memory is within a processor package and typically on a single semiconductor die with one or more cores of the processor, much more rapid access is possible than from more remote locations of a memory hierarchy, which include system memory.
To enable maintaining the most relevant information within a cache, some type of replacement mechanism is used. Many systems implement a type of least recently used algorithm to maintain information. More specifically, each line of a cache is associated with metadata information relating to the relative age of the information such that when a cache line is to be replaced, an appropriate line for eviction can be determined. While such least recently used schemes work reasonably well, they are not appropriate for certain types of data. One such data type is streaming data (which is typically accessed only once) that is not typically stored in a cache memory. However there are instances where this data is accessed again, which can cause an undesirable delay to again re-access the data. Another type of data is so-called strongly resident data that is desirable to be maintained in a cache memory for longer than possible using a least recently used scheme.

Providing extended cache replacement state information


A device for capturing an individual's breath as a keepsake includes a hollow blow-pipe insertable through an aperture through a neck fitted into an aperture of the vessel. After introducing one or more individual's breath into the vessel, the vessel is sealed, such as by using a plug removably attached to an end of the blow-pipe disposed within the vessel and configured to engage the neck as the blow-pipe is removed from the vessel and disengaged from the plug.

The present invention generally relates to mementos and keepsakes. More particularly, the present invention resides in a method for entrapping an individual's breath for keeping as a memento or keepsake.
There are many well-known and diverse ways to express one's love to another and to memorialize a loved one. For example, on special occasions greeting cards and the like are often exchanged. Love letters, photographs, may also be exchanged and kept for safe-keeping and later reviewed.
When a loved passes on, these mementos and keepsakes can have additional meaning and importance as they are a link to the deceased individual.
In some instances, the deceased individual is cremated and the ashes, or at least a portion thereof, are kept in a decorative vase or the like for display in the relative's or loved one's home. The keeping of the ashes of the deceased loved one brings peace to the surviving relative as the relatives feel they have maintained a presence of the deceased loved one in their home. The urn can also serve as a reminder of the deceased individual.
However, there is a continuous need for a memento or keepsake which actually captures the essence of the individual while he or she is still living. Such a memento or keepsake can become a touching moment at the time that it is given. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.

Device and method for entrapping an individual's breath as a keepsake


A semiconductor device includes a tunnel insulation film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode formed on the tunnel insulation film, an inter-electrode insulation film formed on the floating gate electrode, a control gate electrode formed on the inter-electrode insulation film, a pair of oxide films which are formed between the tunnel insulation film and the floating gate electrode and are formed near lower end portions of a pair of side surfaces of the floating gate electrode, which are parallel in one of a channel width direction and a channel length direction, and a nitride film which is formed between the tunnel insulation film and the floating gate electrode and is formed between the pair of oxide films.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, nonvolatile memories, such as NAND flash memories, have widely been developed and manufactured. A memory cell transistor of the nonvolatile memory includes a tunnel insulation film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode formed on the tunnel insulation film, an inter-electrode insulation film formed on the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode formed on the inter-electrode insulation film.
In normal cases, since a silicon oxide film is used for the tunnel insulation film, an oxidizing agent easily enters the tunnel insulation film during a fabrication process. As a result, so-called bird's beak oxidation occurs, leading to an increase in operation voltage of the memory cell transistor and degradation in reliability.
It is possible to suppress progress of bird's beak oxidation by providing nitride films on the upper and lower surfaces of the tunnel insulation film. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-353343, for instance, discloses a structure in which oxinitride films are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the tunnel insulation film. However, if nitride films are provided, charge trap density and positive fixed charge density increase, leading to degradation in characteristics and reliability.
The above-described problem may similarly occur with respect to the inter-electrode insulation film of the memory cell transistor. Furthermore, the above-described problem may similarly occur with respect to gate insulation films of a peripheral circuit transistor and a select gate transistor in a NAND flash memory.
As has been described above, in the prior art, no effective solution to the problems with the bird's beak oxidation has been proposed, and it has been difficult to obtain a semiconductor device with excellent characteristics and reliability.

Semiconductor device having nitride film between gate insulation film and gate electrode


A method of detecting a substance, wherein the method includes functionalizing a plurality of sensors, wherein the functionalizing the plurality of sensors comprises depositing a first material using a piezoelectrically actuated pipette system, wherein the first material includes a polymer, a receptor, and a solvent, wherein the solvent comprises dimethylformamide. The method further includes evaporating a solution of the first material wherein a residue after the evaporation comprises a functionalized chemical. Additionally, the method includes introducing a control material to a first set of sensors of the plurality of sensors using the piezoelectrically actuated pipette system. Further, the method includes introducing a test material to a second set of sensors of the plurality of sensors using the piezoelectrically actuated pipette system, wherein the test material comprises an analyte. Moreover the method includes determining a difference between a first resonant frequency shift in the first set of sensors of the plurality of sensors and a second resonant frequency shift in the second set of sensors of the plurality of sensors.

Piezoelectrically transduced resonant microsystems have emerged as a promising detection tool. Their high sensitivities make them excellent candidates for the mass-based detection of substances such as biomarkers, metals, biological compounds etc. Detection of some of these substances can help diagnose certain diseases and medical conditions, or even be helpful in other industries.


A sensor device is provided for determining a pressure of a medium located inside a housing of an electrochemical energy storage. The sensor device includes a detection unit which may be or is inductively coupled to an electrically conductive layer, which is deflectable by the pressure of the medium to be determined. The detection unit is designed to inductively detect a distance, which is dependent on the pressure of the medium to be determined, between the layer and the detection unit, to determine the pressure of the medium from the distance.

The present invention relates to a sensor device for determining a pressure of a medium located inside an electrochemical energy store, an electrochemical energy store, a method for manufacturing an electrochemical energy store, a method for determining a pressure of a medium located inside an electrochemical energy store, and a corresponding computer program product.
With the demand becoming ever larger for alternative drive concepts for vehicles, the electric drive is entering the focus of consideration more and more. In this case, in particular lithium-ion batteries may in the future become the key technology for modern vehicle drives.
German Patent Application No. DE 10 2009 000 504 A1 describes a battery module, including a number of at least one battery cell and a device for detecting a status of the at least one battery cell.

Sensor device and method for determining a pressure of a medium located inside an electrochemical energy store, electrochemical energy store, and method for the manufacture thereof


The invention relates to a method for producing a dental prosthesis from a prosthesis base and a plurality of prosthesis teeth, characterized by the following chronological steps:                providing the prosthesis teeth and the prosthesis base, wherein the prosthesis base comprises a plurality of tooth sockets for locating the basal surfaces of the prosthesis teeth;        applying a plastically deformable connecting means onto the tooth sockets and/or basally onto the prosthesis teeth;        locating the prosthesis teeth into the tooth sockets of the prosthesis base and in this situation connecting with the aid of connecting means to the prosthesis base in such a way that the prosthesis teeth, after locating in the tooth sockets, are movable in relation to the prosthesis base, wherein the position and the alignment of the prosthesis teeth to the prosthesis base remain retained if no external force effect is exerted onto the prosthesis teeth;        changing the position and/or the alignment of at least one prosthesis tooth in the prosthesis base; and        hardening the plastically deformable connecting means, and securely connecting the prosthesis teeth in this situation to the prosthesis base, wherein the position and the alignment of the prosthesis teeth in relation to the prosthesis base are retained.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for producing a dental prosthesis from a prosthesis base and a plurality of prosthesis teeth. The invention also relates to a dental prosthesis produced with such a method and a set for carrying out such a method.
Related Technology
The conventional method is the analog production of dental prostheses. To produce the prosthesis base, therefore, at the present time in most cases an analog method is used, with which an impression is first taken of the toothless jaw of the patient. From this impression, a plaster model of the patient's situation is prepared. Next, a function model of the prosthesis made of wax is built up on the plaster model, and fitted with prosthesis teeth. This wax prosthesis goes to the dentist in order for a test fit to be carried out on the patient, during which the settings of the artificial prosthesis teeth can be corrected. This corrected setup then goes back to the laboratory, which then removes the wax base and the setting of the artificial teeth is transferred into a final base made of plastic. To do this, a hollow mold or cast mold of both these parts is built up, in which the prosthesis teeth are already integrated. As a result, the prosthesis teeth are already inserted into the hollow mold. The mold is cast from a gum-colored plastic, and during the casting process the prosthesis teeth are connected to the prosthesis base. After the curing or hardening of the plastic, it undergoes subsequent processing in order to obtain the desired form.
Finished prosthesis bases can also be produced from a hardening plastic with an intermediate base of wax. In this situation, after the test fit and a possible adjustment of the artificial prosthesis teeth a front occlusion rim of silicone or gypsum plaster is produced in order to secure the position and alignment of the artificial teeth. After this, the wax base is removed, the ensuing cavity is, as a rule, filled out with auto-polymerizates and the artificial prosthesis teeth are therefore fixed on the solid prosthesis base, or, respectively, polymerized into place.
For the production of the dental prosthesis, prosthesis teeth are therefore placed manually and individually on a wax base on a plaster model of the toothless jaw. In the next step, this wax prosthesis is embedded in a flask with gypsum plaster, silicone, or gel (depending on the later processing technique), in order then, after the hardening of the embedding material, to release the wax base from the mold, in order to create a cavity for the prosthesis plastic. In this situation the prosthesis teeth remain in the embedding material. An appropriate plastic is injected or cast into the cavity, from which, after the hardening of the plastic, the dental prosthesis is obtained. During the setting up of the prosthesis teeth, they are adjusted and ground to match the particular oral situation of the patient by the dental technician and, if appropriate, also by the dentist.
Such a method is altogether very time-intensive, and therefore cost-intensive, and is based on a large number of skilled manual procedure steps. In the course of digitalization, the expense and effort is shifting to the production, setting up, and designing of the prosthesis bases and the prosthesis teeth in the CAD model, and the actual production is being taken over by machines (CAM machines).
Digital production methods are becoming increasingly important in the dental sector. Dental restoration elements, such as crowns and bridges, have for some years been produced by means of CAD/CAM technologies subtractively with milling methods (CAM—Computer-Aided Manufacturing, CAD—Computer-Aided Design). The problems of the connection, including the possibility of correction, however, arise in both conventional as well as in digital methods and processes.
A CAD/CAM method for producing a dental prosthesis is known from WO 91/07141 A1, wherein, with this method, a prosthesis base, based on an impression, is milled out of a plastic block.
Likewise, generative CAM methods such as SLM (Selective Laser Melting) for the production of crown, bridges, and models are steadily growing in importance, as well as stereolithography and DLP (Digital Light Processing) for dental products on a polymer base, such as temporary fittings, prostheses, gnatho-orthopedic apparatus, bite rails, drilling templates, or dental models. In this situation, the production of restoration elements on an acrylate base by means of RP methods (Rapid Prototyping methods) has hitherto still been subject to substantial restrictions. The production of multicolored restorations or restorations made of various different polymer materials (such as for melt compounds and dentin compounds) for the production of high quality and aesthetic dental restorations has previously only been possible by means of elaborate and expensive RP machines with a considerable number of material chambers, or by means of adhesive and jointing techniques.
Likewise, the production of material combinations (such as CoCr and polymer) by means of RP methods has hitherto been very elaborate and not implemented in a manner suitable for series production. The generative production of aesthetically demanding artificial teeth for part prostheses or total prostheses is at the present time not possible, since by means of stereolithography only one material or one color can be printed. The printing of multicolored artificial teeth is at the present time not possible. For this reason, the prosthesis base is produced by means of CAM methods (such as milling or printing) and previously made-up prosthesis teeth are adhesively bonded to the prosthesis base.
From EP 2 571 451 B1 and EP 2 666 438 A2 methods are known with which prosthesis teeth are embedded in a holding element in wax and then basally milled down. The milled-down prosthesis teeth are freed from the wax and then inserted into a prosthesis base and adhesively bonded there in order to produce a dental prosthesis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,322 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,253 A1 disclose methods with which two or three parts of a full prosthesis can be moved relative to one another in a wax base, in order to be able to adjust the full prosthesis to the shape of the oral cavity of the patient.
In particular with such new manufacturing methods for prosthesis bases made of plastic, which were prepared by milling or by additive methods, a correction of the tooth set-up cannot be carried out simply without further ado, as is the case with the conventional analog methods. This possibility of correction directly in contact with the patient is practical, however, since the transfer of the occlusal position and the set-up of the prosthesis teeth from the toothless jaw of the patient into an analog or also a digital model is otherwise prone to error. With these production methods, the prosthesis base is produced completely and irreversibly. The jaw ridge of the prosthesis base is already provided with tooth sockets in the form of precisely matched recesses to receive the artificial prosthesis teeth. These prosthesis teeth can already be inserted in precise match into the prosthesis base. Securing is carried out with an adhesive or a polymer. With this technique, however, the possibility of correction is lost.
Such methods therefore have the disadvantage that minor corrections of the position and the alignment of the individual prosthesis teeth in the prosthesis base by the dentist or dental technician can only be carried out with considerable effort. The prosthesis teeth must be processed occlusally or removed, wherein the prosthesis base is then ground, or the prosthesis teeth are ground basally, in order to adjust their position and location.

Method for producing a dental prosthesis

Abstract: The invention also relates to a dental prosthesis produced by such a method, and a set for carrying out such a method.


The present invention provides a tractor which can prevent leaking of oil. In a tractor which forms a transmission casing by communicably connecting a plurality of cylindrical casings in the fore-and-aft direction, a shaft-support-wall forming body is detachably mounted on an inner peripheral portion of an end portion of one cylindrical casing, and end surfaces of the cylindrical casing are brought into face contact with each other and are connected with each other without interposing the shaft-support-wall forming body therebetween.

Conventionally, as one mode of a tractor, there has been known a tractor in which a clutch housing and a transmission casing are connected with each other by way of a shaft support wall forming body, and various kinds of power transmission shafts are laterally extended between the clutch housing and the transmission casing in a state that the various types of power transmission shafts penetrate the shaft support wall forming body (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open 2002-127766).
Further, a clutch is arranged in a front portion of the inside of a clutch housing, a main transmission mechanism is arranged in a rear portion of the inside of the clutch housing, a sub transmission mechanism is arranged in a front portion of the transmission casing, and a differential gear mechanism is arranged in a rear portion of the transmission casing.
Here, a rear-end peripheral portion of the clutch housing, a peripheral portion of a shaft-support-wall forming body and a front-end peripheral portion of the transmission casing are connected with each other by integrally fastening together using a connecting bolt which has an axis thereof extended in the fore-and-aft direction.
Here, in the above-mentioned tractor, the rear-end peripheral portion of the clutch housing, the peripheral portion of the shaft-support-wall forming body and the front-end peripheral portion of the transmission casing are connected with each other by integrally fastening them together using the connecting bolt which has the axis thereof directed in the fore-and-aft direction and hence, when the sealing property between the rear end surface of the clutch housing and the front-face peripheral portion of the shaft-support-wall forming body and the sealing property between the rear-surface peripheral portion of the shaft-support-wall forming body and the front end surface of the transmission casing are not favorably ensured, there arises a drawback that the leaking of oil occurs.
Further, in connecting the clutch housing, the shaft-support-wall forming body and the transmission casing together, it is necessary to perform the connecting operation such that parts which are arranged in the inside of the clutch housing and the inside of the transmission casing are respectively preliminarily assembled and, thereafter, the clutch housing, the shaft-support-wall forming body and the mission case are fastened together using the connecting bolt in a state that the clutch housing, the shaft-support-wall forming body and the transmission casing are respectively and individually supported, whereby the connecting operation becomes extremely cumbersome.


Disclosed is a method of producing an organic compound. The method uses a metathesis catalyst in a coupling reaction of an olefin. The method comprises the steps of introducing the olefin into a container; either placing the container under vacuum or bubbling a gas through the olefin; adding an additive with the olefin; mixing the olefin and the additive, the mixing creating a mixture; adding an amount of the metathesis catalyst to the mixture, the amount being less than about 100 ppm by weight of the mixture; and optionally heating the mixture to a temperature, the temperature being greater than room temperature.

Olefin metathesis is an emerging commercial technology that may allow access to new classes of organic compounds, several of which could be used as raw materials to more efficiently and cost-effectively produce useful organic products.
A particular area of research related to metathesis reactions has been performed by a group of researchers at the California Institute of Technology. Two publications, authored by Kevin M. Kuhn et al., describe some of the research related to metathesis reactions using ruthenium-based catalysts. A publication by Xavier Bantreil et al. discloses the synthesis of several ruthenium indenylidene complexes that may be used in olefin metathesis reactions.
Further research in the art has related to the additives that may be added to metathesis reactions to inhibit isomerization. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,507,854, to Lee et al., discloses an invention related to the use of isomerization inhibitors in olefin metathesis reactions. The inhibitors are low molecular weight organic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, benzoic acid, and the like.
Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient, cost-effective method of performing olefin metathesis reactions. Desirably, the method would provide high yield of desired product with minimal isomerization. More desirably, the method would minimize metathesis catalyst load, thereby significantly reducing cost.

Method of producing olefins via metathesis


The present invention relates to improvements in the design and construction of apparatus for dispensing microwaveable hot melt adhesives and other heat sensitive materials. The apparatus comprises a dispenser which is heated by microwaves and then used to dispense a material therefrom. The dispenser is specifically designed to convert microwave energy into heat and to transfer the heat to the material to be dispensed in a more efficient and/or safe manner.

Conventionally, hot melt adhesive was applied using hot melt adhesive applicators (glue guns). These glue guns were designed to be connected to a wall socket by an electrical cord and plug for continuously applying electrical power to the glue gun, thereby melting the adhesive In the glue gun. This meant that the range over which the glue gun could physically operate was determined by the length of the electrical cord coupling the glue gun to the wall socket. Moreover, the cord at times presented a physical obstacle for the user to maneuver around when using the glue gun.
To solve these problems, a cordless glue gun was designed. A cordless glue gun is a glue gun that can be detached from its source of electricity so that it can operate without an electrical cord. In designing a cordless glue gun, significant attention needs to be paid to the support structure for the gun. The support structure must conveniently support the glue gun and enable the glue gun to be electrically energized (heated) while It is on the support structure. Moreover, the support structure and the glue gun need to be designed to enable convenient release of the glue gun from the support structure and from the source of electricity when it is desired to use the glue gun. Toward these purposes, the support structure includes a socket for transmitting electrical energy to the glue gun and a release mechanism enabling the glue gun to be disconnected from the socket when it is released from the support structure.
Despite the improvements that a cordless glue gun offers over a conventional glue gun, a cordless glue gun still has drawbacks. Although the cordless glue gun does not require continuous electrical power, It must be initially electrically heated while on the support structure and may require intermittent electrical heating to maintain the hot melt adhesive in a state of low viscosity. Additionally, both the conventional glue gun and the cordless glue gun require hot melt adhesive sticks or other forms of bulk adhesive to be inserted into the glue gun. This requires the purchase of the hot melt adhesive separate from the purchase of the glue gun itself and the handling of the hot melt adhesive before each use of the glue gun. Moreover, both the conventional glue gun and the cordless glue gun are bulky, relatively expensive to purchase, need a relatively long preheating time before glue can be dispensed, and a relatively long cool down period before being stored away.
A marked improvement and innovation in the dispensing of heat sensitive materials, specifically hot melt adhesives, was made by Nottingham et al. in the aforementioned U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,256), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, of which the present application is a continuation-in-part. Specifically, Nottingham et al. disclose a dispenser for heat sensitive materials comprising a first material which changes from a solid state or a state of high viscosity to a state of low viscosity when heated above a predetermined temperature, a second material which is adapted to be heated above a predetermined temperature when subjected to microwave energy for at least a predetermined time, a container enclosing the first and second materials, and an outlet through which the first material can be dispensed from the container when in the state of low viscosity. In the specific embodiment described therein, a hot melt adhesive is encased within a container, the inner surface of which has been coated with a microwave susceptor material .

Nottingham-Spirk Design Associates, Inc.


A system for accounts payable management whereby vendor payment priority criteria are defined and data associated with one or more vendors and/or vendor invoices is obtained along with data indicating funds available to make vendor payments. The data: indicating vendor payment priority criteria, associated with one or more vendors and/or vendor invoices, and indicating funds available to make vendor payments is then analyzed and used to automatically generate a proposed vendor payment plan. The proposed vendor payment plan is then displayed to one or more users associated as part of a user interface display and the one or more users are provided the opportunity to edit and/or approve the proposed vendor payment plan. Once the proposed and/or edited vendor payment plan is approved, one or more payments are automatically made to one or more vendors in accordance with the approved vendor payment plan.

For many businesses, and particularly small businesses, the payment of invoices from vendors and/or other suppliers of services and/or products is a time consuming and critical task.
Currently, in order to process and/or pay vendor invoices a business must typically first determine what funds are available to make the payment. This process often involves checking balances of multiple accounts, either via "hard-copy" statements from one or more financial institutions, that are often dated and therefore inaccurate, or by logging onto one or more accounts via on-line banking sites associated with one or more financial institutions. In either case, in order to determine what funds are available to make payments, either the business owner, an employee of the business, or a third party agent of the business, must expend considerable time determining what funds are available for paying invoices.
In addition, in order determine what funds are available to make the payment, a business must further determine all payments that are in process, but not yet completed. This typically involves first determining all payments that are authorized, and for which the process of making the payments has started, but the actual check issuance, funds transfers, etc., have not taken place. In addition, payments already made but that are in transit, for instance checks that are in the mail or fund transfers that have not been recorded yet, must also be identified, tracked, and then taken into account. Once again, either the business owner, an employee of the business, or a third party agent of the business, must expend considerable time making these determinations to establish what funds are available for paying invoices.
Once a business has invested the time and energy to determine what funds are available to make payments, the business must then review all invoices from vendors and/or other suppliers to determine an order of payment to the vendors and/or other suppliers. For many businesses, this is a critical analysis. This is because many businesses, and particularly small businesses, must closely monitor their cash flow and therefore must often make decisions as to the priority of payments to vendors and/or other suppliers. In many cases, these cash flow issues dictate that payments to vendors and/or other suppliers be made as late as possible. In addition, in cases of larger businesses where perhaps cash flow is not as big an issue, it is still often in the businesses' best interest to pay vendor invoices as late as possible in order to collect interest on the funds as long as possible.
Despite the potential importance of the prioritization of payments to vendors and/or other suppliers, many businesses, and particularly small businesses, currently fail to prioritize payments to vendors and/or other suppliers at all, or they prioritize payments to vendors and/or other suppliers in an inconsistent manner, and often based on no discernable or consistent payment prioritization criteria. In short, in many cases, these often critical decisions regarding prioritization of payments to vendors and/or other suppliers are currently often made on an ad-hoc and uninformed basis, often with little or no discernible methodology or consistency.
In addition, in cases where a business does take the time to perform a careful analysis of prioritization of payments to vendors and/or other suppliers, this process is extremely time consuming and resource intensive. This is because, currently, prioritization of payments to vendors and/or other suppliers typically involves generating accounts payable reports and then comparing the accounts payable reports with the funds that were determined to be available for paying invoices as described above. Then, using current systems and methods, the analysis to determine prioritization of payments to vendors and/or other suppliers often involves one or more business owners, and/or one or more employees of the business, and/or one or more third party agents of the business, manually generating multiple hypothetical vendor payment plans, each including multiple hypothetical vendor payments. In this process, whenever a hypothetical payment to a given vendor and/or other supplier is proposed, a "mini-reconciliation" must be performed whereby the funds determined to be available for paying invoices must be updated to reflect the proposed payment. Currently, these mini-reconciliations must be performed for each hypothetical, or actual, payment made. Consequently, this part of the process is also often a time consuming and resource intensive process.
To further complicate matters, and add to the inefficiency of current methods and systems, even after significant resources are used to create the hypothetical vendor payment plans, the hypothetical vendor payment plans must then typically be reviewed by a higher authority within the business, such as an owner or a supervisor. Consequently, even more time and resources are used, and, often, this supervisory review results significant delays and often in major revisions and/or new hypothetical vendor payment plans being generated that must then again be reviewed by the higher authority. In addition, this process typically must be repeated on a regular basis, such as bi-weekly or monthly.
Finally, once a business has invested the considerable time and energy to: determine what funds are available to make payments; review all invoices from vendors and/or other suppliers; and to determine an order of payment to the vendors and/or other suppliers; the business must then typically generate paper checks, and mail/pay the postage for the paper checks. The business then typically treats the payment as having been made, and the payment money gone, despite the fact that the payment amount may still be shown as being present in the businesses bank account balance until the payment check actually clears.
In addition, due, in large part, to the emergence of numerous electronic payment methods, in many cases, multiple possible payment methods are available to a given business such as, but not limited to: online payment systems; electronic funds transfer systems; traditional paper/printed checks; credit accounts; etc. Since many businesses use two or more of these possible payment methods each payment cycle, the task of accurately determining what funds are available to make payments is even more difficult than it was in the past when virtually all payments where made by traditional paper/printed checks.
As discussed above, current methods and systems for payment of invoices from vendors and/or other suppliers of services and/or products are extremely time intensive and do not provide businesses the information and/or capability to make prioritization of payment decisions in an informed, methodical, and/or consistent manner.

Method and system for accounts payable prioritization and management


A data storage cartridge includes a first housing and a second housing forming an inner chamber with an open front end and an open rear end. An information storage device is positioned within the chamber. A pair of intermediate strips are positioned lengthwise between the first housing and the second housing which hold together the first and second housing. A front end cap is positioned in the open front end to close the chamber. A rear end cap is positioned in the open rear end to close the chamber.

Infonnation storage devices, especially hard disk drive mechanisms, are very sensitive to vibration and a mechanical shock. When such a hard disk drive mechanism is incorporated into a removable cartridge it can be easily dropped and damaged when it is removed or transported. Significant mechanical shock or vibration could damage either the read/write head mechanism and/or the rotatable disk of the hard disk chive mechanism.

Removable information storage device enclosure

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.