A Unified Dildo and Bottom Open Anatomically Contoured Harness Plate that includes a harness plate with an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the harness plate is contoured, at least one elongated member with a base and a tip, the base extending outward from the outer surface of the harness plate; the elongated member includes cavity enclosed by the outer surface and opens to the inner surface; an opening in the inner surface and outer surface of the harness plate, positioned underneath the base of the elongated member; and at least one upper connection mount and at least one bottom connection mount on the harness plate for securing the harness plate to a user.

Field of the Invention
The invention broadly relates to sexual aids, more specifically to a unified dildo and bottom open anatomically contoured harness plate.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, a dildo is an object used during sexual activity for anal, vaginal, or oral stimulation. Dildos are made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to silicone, rubber, plastic, wood, glass, metal, etc., and are generally phallic and elongated in shape. Dildos incorporate design features imitative of a human penis or are shaped as other objects including artificial and natural designs that often enhance sexual stimulation. In some cases, the distal end of a dildo, the base, has a handle, clip, fastener or other means for attachment to a stationary or moving object, or to the surface of a partner's body or a machine. Many dildos incorporate various massagers, vibrators and textured surfaces, either directly or indirectly.
In use, dildos are inserted into an orifice, such as a mouth, vagina, and/or anus of a person, either by the individual user, a partner or partners, or in conjunction with a machine. Dildos provide stimulation from friction through manipulation upon sexual organs and erogenous zones and by pressure upon a cavity and surrounding organs and tissue when inserted into an orifice. Dildos are often used with natural and artificial lubrication depending on the application, use, and desired sensation by the users.
Dildos are used in a variety of circumstances. Dildos are used by two or more people to share sexual pleasure with each other, either in lieu of or in addition to other methods of sexual activity. Dildos are also used individually by either sex for masturbation, stimulation, or exhibition. In addition to their use for pleasure and entertainment, dildos are used for other purposes such as contraception, disease avoidance, disability, erectile dysfunction, temporary fatigue, medical treatment, and training.
Dildos are typically rigid, semi rigid, solid, or non-rigid and optionally include beads, liquids and gels. Some dildos provide a hollow internal shaft and an opening at the distal end adapted to receive a user's penis. Such dildos are known as extenders, extensions, penis sleeves and hollow plugs. The user, who may, for example, suffer from medical conditions including but not limited to micropenis or erectile dysfunction, may wear a penis sleeve over his penis by inserting his penis into the sleeve's opening to achieve an increased effective penis length and girth to provide increased sexual pleasure with or without a partner.
Using a user's hand to control a dildo interferes with various methods of sexual activity since it occupies the user's hand. A "strap-on" dildo, as it is commonly referred to, solves this problem by providing a means to attach the dildo to a user's body, thereby allowing hands-free manipulation of the dildo during sexual activity. A strap-on dildo commonly attaches to a harness that has one or more straps that attaches the dildo to the body of the user. The dildo portion of the strap-on is screwed into the harness, snapped on, or inserted through an opening in the harness. The harness is attached to various body parts including, but not limited to, the pelvis, elbow, knee, foot and head.
Strap-on dildos are made in a wide variety of styles, with variations in how the harness is contoured to fit the user, how the dildo attaches to the harness, as well as various features intended to provide stimulation of the user or a sexual partner of the user. In one example, a strap-on dildo is attached to the user's pelvic region, inserted into a partner's orifice, and manipulated by the user through varying pelvic thrusts.
Various types of harnesses are used with strap-on dildos. Many harnesses utilize common strap configurations that include two or more straps to hold the strap-on on the user. However, there are also forms of strapless, "strap-on" dildos that attach using strings or that plug into the user's anal and/or vaginal orifices.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,603 (issued to "Kain") discloses an ergogenic stimulator that features a bulb at one end adapted to fit inside of a vagina or anus and serves to secure the ergogenic stimulator to the user's pubic region.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,620 (issued to "Droznin, et al.") discloses a strapless male sexual aid that features a hollow dildo coupled to a strap that wraps around the testicles of the user to secure the sexual aid to the user's genitalia.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/673,893 (applied by "Thomlinson") criticizes these devices because they are uncomfortable, fail to accommodate a male user's testicles, and do not provide adequate support and stability.
Thomlinson's solution is a variation of a pelvic harness, including: "a tab having a first surface that is adapted to secure to at least a portion of a superior pubic skin region, the tab positioned at a first end of the pelvic harness; and a saddle having a first surface adapted to secure to at least a portion of a perineal-anal region, the saddle positioned at a second, opposite end of the pelvic harness." However, Thomlinson's harness, when used with a dildo, fails for similar reasons.
However, prior to the instant invention, many problems existed with current dildo/harness systems. Namely, current dildo/harness systems have multiple pieces that separate during use in sexual activities. Moreover, the use of multiple pieces allows for the collection of unwanted dirt and bacteria between the various pieces that is unhygienic. Plus, bodily fluids and artificial lubricants collect in joints and voids in current dildo/harness systems. Cleaning these collection areas is often quite difficult, thereby creating dirt and bacteria that are unhygienic for use in sexual activity, especially given the propensity for infections in genital regions.
Also, the design of current dildo harnesses often fail to stimulate a user's perineum, leaving the user with a desire for better control, stimulation, and massage of the perineum.
When current dildo harnesses are attached to a sexual partner's pelvic region, strap on dildo harnesses interfere and block access to the partner's genitals.
Another drawback of current dildo harnesses is that they are uncomfortable to wear and to use by a user with male genitals. The dildo harness sits on top of the male genitals, which creates uncomfortable pressure that sometimes injures the user's genitals during sexual activity and intercourse.
As can be derived from the variety of devices strap-on devices for sexual activity, many means have been contemplated to accomplish the desired end, i.e., multi-piece dildo harnesses. Heretofore, tradeoffs between comfort and cleanliness were required. Thus, there is a long-felt need for an improved strap on device for sexual activity. There is a further long-felt need for a unified dildo and bottom open anatomically contoured harness plate.

Unified dildo and bottom open anatomically contoured harness plate


In a head-mounted display device equipped with a display section, through which an external world can visually be recognized, the head-mounted display device includes a superimposition image display control section adapted to make the display section display a predetermined image so as to be superimposed on the external world to visually be recognized in a see-through manner, an imaging section adapted to capture an image of at least a predetermined range out of the external world visually recognized in a see-through manner, a partial image determination section adapted to determine a partial image of a predetermined range, which corresponds in position to the predetermined image, out of the captured image obtained by the imaging section, and a visibility correction section adapted to correct visibility of the predetermined image displayed by the superimposition image display control section in accordance with color information related to the partial image determined.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a head-mounted display device equipped with a display section through which the external world can visually be recognized, a method of controlling the head-mounted display device, and a computer program.
2. Related Art
In recent years, a technology called augmented reality (AR) for attaching information provided by a computer to an object in the real space has attracted attention. As one of the methods of realizing the augmented reality, there can be cited a see-through type head-mounted display device through which the external world can visually be recognized. According to the see-through type head-mounted display device, by reflecting image light generated by a light modulation element such as a liquid crystal panel by an optical system and so on disposed in front of the eyes of the user, it is possible to superimpose an image as the augmented reality on the external world visually recognized in a see-through manner (e.g., JP-A-2013-186641).
However, in the technology of the related art described above, in the case in which a color of the external world visually recognized in a see-through manner and a color of the image (hereinafter referred to as an "AR image") as the augmented reality are similar to each other, there has occurred a problem that the AR image blends into the color of the external world, and therefore it is difficult for the user to see the AR image. Besides the above, in the head-mounted display device of the related art, there are desired an improvement in convenience of the user, an improvement in detection accuracy, downsizing of the device configuration, cost reduction, resource saving, easier manufacturing process, and so on.

Head-mounted display device, method of controlling the same, and computer program


The present invention is to provide liquid crystalline compounds which exhibit a negative dielectric anisotropy value, have an extremely high voltage holding ratio and a low threshold voltage, are remarkably small in their dependency on temperature, hardly exhibit smectic phase, and are excellent in miscibility with other liquid crystal materials; to provide liquid crystal compositions comprising the liquid crystalline compound; and to provide liquid crystal display devices fabricated by using the liquid crystal composition; the liquid crystalline compounds are expressed by the following general formula (1) ##STR1##. wherein Ra, Rb, Y.sub.1 to Y.sub.6, Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 are herein defined.

Display devices comprising liquid crystalline compounds (the term "liquid crystalline compounds" is used in this specification as a general term for the compounds which exhibit a liquid crystal phase and for the compounds which do not exhibit a liquid crystal phase but are useful as a component of liquid crystal compositions) have widely been utilized for the display of watches, tabletop calculators, word processors, or the likes. In connection with the display devices, researches on in-plane switching (IPS) mode and vertical alignment (VA) mode by which characteristics of viewing angle can be improved at a low manufacturing cost are extensively conducted in recent years.
In liquid crystal compositions for the IPS mode or VA mode, those having a negative dielectric anisotropy value are preferable, and such physical properties as a high voltage holding ratio, low threshold voltage, their small temperature dependency, wide temperature range of liquid crystal phase, excellent miscibility with other liquid crystal materials, and low viscosity are sought for the compositions.
As a component of such liquid crystal compositions, many liquid crystalline compounds in which fluorine atom substituted at their lateral position were investigated and, for example, the following compounds are disclosed in the literatures. ##STR2##
However, they have such problems that the compounds of 1) are high in threshold voltage and that the compounds of 2) and 3) are low in transition temperature to isotropic phase or tend to exhibit smectic phase, and thus the compounds of 2) and 3) hardly from a stable nematic phase particularly at low temperatures when used as component of liquid crystal compositions.

Liquid crystal compounds exhibiting negative anisotropy of permittivity, liquid crystal compositions, and liquid crystal displays


The present invention relates to a method for preparing a spray-dried dairy powder for forming a milk beverage when dissolved in a beverage medium, the method comprising: forming a dairy composition by: (i) adding a sugar composition to a dairy liquid; or (ii) blending a sugar solution with a dairy liquid, and spray-drying the dairy composition to form a spray-dried dairy powder comprising amorphous sugar, wherein the sugar composition or the sugar solution provides from 10 to 40 wt. % sugar by weight of the spray-dried dairy powder and wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, lactose and a mixture thereof.

It is known to prepare milky beverages, such as coffee, hot chocolate, or simply milk itself, by reconstituting dairy powders. These dairy powders may be provided in sachets for manual dissolution and stirring, or in sealed capsules for use in a beverage preparation machine. It is known to provide soluble mixtures including sugar with a dairy powder to provide a desirable sweet taste in the resulting beverage. An additional powdered ingredient is, of course, required to provide a coffee or chocolate flavour as desired.
Conventional dairy powders typically have poor rehydration properties, that is to say, it is difficult to achieve good dissolution in a beverage medium. This is particularly problematic in low-flow, low-pressure (up to 3 bar) beverage preparation machines, where conventional powders can form wet lumps, "fish-eyes" (wet lumps with dry powder inside), or remain non-hydrated during the brew. This results in a high amount of residue left in the capsule, which is undesirable because the beverage in the cup has low solids and becomes watery with less flavour and texture. The foam and mouthfeel produced from such dairy powders is often unappealing to consumers.
WO 2006/130698 discloses chocolate confectionary products that include amorphous sugar. The replacement of crystalline sugar with amorphous sugar is said to achieve a cost reduction, a decrease in calories, a higher resistance to oil migration, and/or a higher resistance to water migration.
GB 1,280,051 relates to an oxidation resistant milk powder as an additive for chocolate. GB 1,280,051 discloses heating a mixture of sugar and milk to a temperature of between 100 and 140° C. for between 5 and 45 minutes in order to cause a Maillard reaction between the sugar and amino acids in the milk.
GB 2,154,422 relates to a drink composition in the form of a powder.
GB 2,383,515 relates to the use of a by-product acid whey to produce a cheaper milk powder without compromising the physical, chemical, and organoleptic properties of the milk powder products.
IE 84134 relates to a process for preparing a milk powder comprising a substantial lactose component.
EP 1,613,715 relates to a protein powder suitable for reconstitution to form a protein containing liquid, wherein the protein comprises about 3 to about 30% by weight pectin.
EP 2,123,164 relates to granulated dairy products. EP 2,123,164 discloses an alternative to spray drying for producing agglomerated powders.
US 2010/0028495 discloses a method and apparatus for forming beverages using a beverage cartridge containing a substantially soluble beverage precursor, such as a hot chocolate mix.
WO 2016/008742 relates to creamers for food products and methods for making the creamers in powder form.
WO 2014/191404 relates to a method and system for providing a heat treated liquid product.


A system and method of manufacturing a system are disclosed. An embodiment of the system includes a first packaged component comprising a first component and a first redistribution layer (RDL) disposed on a first main surface of the first packaged component, wherein the first RDL includes first pads. The system further includes a second packaged component having a second component disposed at a first main surface of the second packaged component, the first main surface having second pads and a connection layer between the first packaged component and the second packaged component, wherein the connection layer connects a first plurality of the first pads with the second pads.

The consumer market demands for smaller, thinner, lighter and cheaper electronic devices with more diverse functionality and enhanced performance continues unabated. Chip-scale package (CSP) types and various versions of 3-dimensional (3D) integration of devices such as Silicon-on-Chip (SoC), Silicon-in-Package (SiP), or Package-on-Package (PoP) have been developed to minimize or further reduce package footprint. Wafer level packaging (WLP) techniques reduce manufacturing costs by extending wafer fab batch processes to include device interconnect formation and device protection processes. The shrinkage of pitches and pads at the chip-to-package interface has happened significantly faster than the shrinkage at the package-to-board interface, requiring larger-than-chip sized packages to provide sufficient area to accommodate an increasing number of second level interconnects. In consequence, so-called fan-out WLP (FO WLP) techniques have been developed to overcome limitations in interconnect count by chip size.

Integrated system and method of making the integrated system


Provided are: an expression vector for secreting a protein (Z) to be recovered or a fusion protein having the protein (Z) moiety therein; a method for producing a transformant using the expression vector; the transformant; and a method for producing a protein using the transformant. An expression vector comprising an expression cassette containing a structural gene sequence (y) encoding a protein (Y), a structural gene sequence (z) located downstream from the structural gene sequence (y) and encoding a protein (Z) that is a protein to be recovered, and a promoter sequence and a terminator sequence for expressing a fusion protein containing the protein (Y) moiety and the protein (Z) moiety, characterized in that the protein (Y) is a full-length protein of protein disulfide isomerase 1 (PDI1), a partial protein of PDI1, or a mutant protein of the full-length protein or the partial protein.

Heretofore, production of foreign proteins by using gene recombination technology has been actively carried out by using microorganisms including Escherichia coli, budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), a microorganism of the genus Bacillus, etc., animal cells, plant cells, or insect cells. Proteins derived from various organisms are considered as objects of the production, and many proteins have already been produced industrially by using such organisms and have been used for pharmaceuticals, etc. Particularly, the secretory production of a foreign protein is preferred from the view point of easiness in purification as compared with a case wherein produced foreign proteins are accumulated in inside of a cell, and is advantageous since proteins produced by secretion enter into a secretory pathway of a host cell and are subjected to an appropriate treatment such as disulfide bond formation or saccharide chain formation thereby to form a conformational structure quite similar or identical to that of natural proteins.
By producing a foreign protein in a state where a secretion signal peptide is added to its N-terminal, the foreign protein can be produced by secretion. For example, as a secretion signal recognized by fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (hereinafter referred to as S. pombe), a polypeptide derived from a secretion signal of a mating pheromone (P-factor) precursor involved in the mating of S. pombe may be mentioned (refer to Patent Document 1). When cultivating a S. pombe transformant introduced with a structural gene encoding a fusion protein having the polypeptide at the N-terminal of a foreign protein, the produced fusion protein is separated into a signal peptide and the foreign protein in the Golgi apparatus or the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and accordingly, the foreign protein will be secreted from the host cell into a culture broth.
Further, with regard to the increase in the production amount of secretory proteins, it has been known that co-expression of a foreign secretory protein with PDI1 increases the secretory production amount (the amount of a secreted protein, among the proteins produced by the host) of the secretory protein (refer to Non-Patent Document 1). PDI1 (Protein disulfide isomerase 1) has a molecular chaperone function, and is a protein localized to the ER.

Expression vector and method for producing protein


A virtual machine start method and apparatus is presented, where the method includes determining N types of virtualized network function components (VNFCs) according to a first service; obtaining a distribution relationship between the N types of VNFCs and virtual machines, where the distribution relationship indicates a quantity of each type of VNFC distributed in each virtual machine; selecting at least one to-be-started virtual machine from unstarted virtual machines according to the distribution relationship, so that a total quantity of each type of VNFC included in a started virtual machine and the at least one to-be-started virtual machine meets a corresponding preset quantity; and starting the at least one to-be-started virtual machine. In the present disclosure, types and a quantity of VNFCs running on each virtual machine are first obtained.

For an operator, a data center, a cloud computing service provider, and a large network enterprise, deployment and application of NFV play an increasingly important role. In Network Function Virtualization (NFV), universal hardware such as an x86 processor, and a virtualization technology are used to carry software processing to implement many functions, so as to reduce high device costs in a network. In NFV, by means of software and hardware decoupling and function abstraction, a network device function is no longer dependent on special-purpose hardware, and a resource can be fully and flexibly shared. In this way, rapid development and deployment of a new service are implemented, and automatic deployment, auto scaling, fault isolation, self-healing, and the like are implemented based on an actual service (a network mentioned in this field refers to a network service) requirement.
According to an NFV technical principle, a network service may include at least one Virtualised Network Function (VNF), and each VNF may be decomposed into a group of Virtualised Network Function Components (VNFCs). That is, an NFV network includes one or more VNFs, and a VNF includes one or more VNFCs. The VNFCs are a group of processes or software modules of a software package providing a specified network service function. Correspondingly, from a physical perspective, the VNFCs include an interface board, a software package, a switch board, a service processing board, a main control board, and the like. Correspondingly, from a software perspective, the VNFCs include an interface process, a switch process, a service processing process, a main control process, and the like. VNFCs of a same type can implement a same function, and each VNFC is finally mapped to a virtual machine (VM). Generally, a same type of VNFC may run on multiple virtual machines (so as to provide a stronger service processing capability or higher service reliability), and multiple different virtualized network function components may also run on a same virtual machine. When a virtual machine is started, virtualized network function components running on the virtual machine simultaneously start and run.
Generally, one VNF may have several types of VNFCs, and each type of VNFC implements a different function. In a complete NFV network, there are X0 VNFs of a same type, and correspondingly, there are also X0 VNFCs of each type for this type of VNF. There may be multiple VNFCs of a same type, and only start time of a VNFC or a virtual machine on which a VNFC runs is different. It should be noted that VNFCs are randomly distributed in a virtual machine.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic distribution diagram of VNFCs in virtual machines. A VNF0 and a VNF1 are used as examples. VNFCs included in the VNF0 are a VNFC000, a VNFC001, and a VNFC002, and VNFCs included in the VNF1 are a VNFC010 and a VNFC011.
In FIG. 1, a VM0 and a VM4 indicate that all VNFCs of a same VNF may run on a same virtual machine and VNFs running on different virtual machines may be different.
In FIG. 1, a VM1 indicates that only some VNFCs of one VNF may run on a virtual machine.
In FIG. 1, a VM2 and a VM5 indicate that some VNFCs of one VNF may run on a virtual machine, and there may be one or more VNFCs of each type.
In FIG. 1, a VM3 indicates that VNFCs of different VNFs may run on a virtual machine.
At least one specified VNFC set needs to work normally, to enable an NFV network to normally provide a service, and the VNFC set generally includes VNFCs of different VNFs. VNFC sets of services of different types or with different priorities may be different.
A large quantity of virtual machines may run on a large NFV network. These virtual machines share physical resources, such as storage, network, and host resources. During starting, these virtual machines need to read data, such as an operating system (OS) and a VNFC process, from a shared storage, and a large quantity of storage input/output (I/O) operations may be generated. If excessive virtual machines are started simultaneously, a virtual machine boot storm is generated, overloads of resources such as shared storage I/O may be caused, and each virtual machine needs a very long time to be started, or is even abnormal, for example reset or hanging. Therefore, a virtual machine management system on the NFV network may limit a quantity of virtual machines starting simultaneously, so as to avoid the overloads of the resources such as the shared storage I/O when the virtual machines are started.
When the virtual machine management system limits the quantity of virtual machines starting simultaneously, a low-reliability problem is caused correspondingly. In the prior art, a virtual machine management system starts virtual machines according to an order of hosts or VNFs (virtual machines deployed on hosts are started one by one or virtual machines of VNFs are started one by one). Because a quantity of virtual machines starting simultaneously is limited and not planned, all virtual machines cannot be quickly started to run all VNFCs required by a specified network service. Because not all VNFCs required by the specified network service run, the network service cannot be normally provided in a start period, and efficiency of providing the network service is low.

Virtual machine start method and apparatus


A fishing pole tip, including a main tubular shank portion for glued attachment to the tip end of a pole such as a cane pole, and a front end cap, having a diametrically disposed hole in its front wall, opening into an enlarged interiorly threaded chamber for threaded engagement onto an exteriorly threaded, longitudinally diametrically slotted front end nose portion of the main tip portion. The front end of the nose portion and the interior front end of the cap are complimentarily tapered in a manner whereby a fishing line, extending inwardly through the front end cap hole, through the nose slot and outwardly between a rear edge of the cap and a shoulder rearwardly of the nose portion, will be securely locked against longitudinal adjustment when the cap is tightened on the nose portion while permitting a length adjustment of the usable portion of the fishing line when the cap is loosened.

U.S. Pat. No. 58,833, to R. N. Isaacs illustrates a fishing rod tip which includes no line adjustment means. U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,825, to D. F. Tjernlund pertains to a fishing rod tip devoted to an anti-tangling means. U.S. Pat. No. 2,735,208, to J. E. Bartletti illustrates a rod tip to wipe an antifreeze solution on a fishing line and is related to icefishing.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,056,229, to V. B. Haney and 3,736,690, to Sigmund Witkowski pertain to fishing floats and bobbers and are not related to the inherent problems of providing a fishing rod tip to a type of the instant invention.
A variety of mechanical devices utilizing adjustment means to adjust the length of relatively heavy cables are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 969,195, to S. Rothstein; 1,010,301, to H. S. Neats; and 2,130,825, to M. D. Bergan. None of these devices are applicable to adjusting the length of a fishing line.
Cane pole fishing is conventionally accomplished by tying a fishing line to the end of the pole. Generally the line is tied a second time further down the pole to prevent loss of the line in the event the pole is bent in the process of catching a fish, and monofilament line, most often used for fishing, is difficult to securely tie to a cane pole.
The length of the line from the pole tip to the hook is often changed for different fishing conditions, such as the height above the water level at which the pole is held, as is often determined by the height of a boat deck or a bank bordering a body of water. This normally necessitates retying the line to the pole tip periodically, or starting with a new line each time.


A number of modified nucleosides are disclosed composed of modified sugar moieties which contain substituents at C1 and C4 positions, or branched substituents at C3 and C5 positions of deoxyribose or ribose. Each nucleoside is converted to or properly protected and then converted to the corresponding phosphoramidites. These phosphoramidites are used to assemble oligonucleotides in which there is at least one of the forenoted nucleosides. These sugar modified oligonucleotides have the potential to be used as antisense therapies since they are expected to enhance nuclease resistance and cellular uptake while they maintain sequence-specificity and affinity to nucleic acid targets in vitro or in vivo.

The therapeutic use of oligonucleotides is a field of great significance and is described, for example, in, (1) Zamecnik, P. C. and Stephenson, M. L. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1978, 75, 280, 285."; (2) Uhlmann, E. and Peyman, A. Chemical Reviews, 1990, 90, 543-584; (3) Goodchild, J. Bioconjugate chemistry, 1990, 1, 165-187; and (4) Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B. "Antisense Research and Applications", CRC Press (1993)). The specific binding of antisense polynucleotides to the DNA or RNA targets of interest may inactivate the functions associated with the DNA or RNA such as replication, transcription, or translation, thereby providing a mechanism for controlling diseases such as cancer and viral infection. Therefore, the binding of an antisense oligonucleotide to a target can be used to alter gene expression, in a variety of circumstances, e.g., to interfere with viral life cycles, or the growth of cancerous cells (Stein, C. A., Cheng, Y. C. Science, 1993, 261, 1004-1012). In addition, some oligonucleotides also bind tightly to protein targets, thereby acting as enzyme inhibitors. Bock et al. describes oligonucleotides that inhibit human thrombin-catalyzed fibrin-clot formation in vitro (Bock, L. C., Griffin, L. C., Latham, J. A., Vermaas, E. H., Toole, J. J. Nature, 1992, 355, 564-566). Ecker et al describes several oligonucleotides that inhibit human herpes simplex virus at below 1.0 .mu.mol. Polynucleotides that have enzyme inhibiting properties can readily be found by using combinatorial technology (Ecker, D. J., Vickers, T. A., Hanecak, R., Driver, V., Anderson, K. Nucleic Acids Res. 1993, 21, 1853-1856).
An oligonucleotide containing a 5'-C-methyl branched nucleoside has been reported to show enhanced nuclease resistance (Saha, A. K. et al., a poster in 206th ACS Meeting, Chicago, 1993). An oligonucleotide containing 2'-O-methyl nucleosides has also been reported to show improved stability to nucleases and enhanced binding affinity to RNA (a. Inoue, H., Hayase, Y., Imura, A., Iwai, S., Miura, K., Ohtsuka, E., Nucleic Acids Res. 1987, 15, 6131; b. Shibahara, S., Mukai, S., Morisawa, H., Nakashima, H., Cobayashi, S., Yamamoto, N. Nucleic Acids Res. 1989, 17, 239). An oligonucleotide containing 1'-substituted nucleoside has been reported to show some nuclease resistance (Ono, A., Dan, A., Matsuda, A. Bioconjugate Chemistry, 1993, 4, 499-508).
Besides having a specific binding affinity to a complementary target polynucleotide sequence, antisense oligonucleotides desirably meet the requirements for therapeutic purposes, e.g., potency, bioavailability, low toxicity, and low cost. Since oligonucleotides having the natural phosphodiester backbone are labile to nucleases and do not readily penetrate the cell membrane, researchers have attempted to make polynucleotide backbone modifications that improve nuclease resistance and cellular uptake. A major shortcoming of oligonucleotides analogs used for antisense is that the modified internucleotide linkages eliminate the RNase H activation of antisense oligonucleotides, which degrades the RNA strand to which the oligonucleotide analog binds. Therefore, it is desirable to provide polynucleotide analogs with enhanced nuclease resistance and cellular uptake, while retaining the property of activating RNase H.


A drive system suitable for a bicycle and capable of providing various drive ratios comprising first and second pairs of conical members, each pair including primary and secondary conical members, both of which are rotatable about a first or second transverse axis. The conical members each comprise a series of evenly spaced sectors with the sectors of the primary conical member being slidable between the sectors of the secondary conical member in each pair. There is a first shaft for rotating the first pair of conical members. The primary conical member of the first pair is slidably mounted on the first shaft. The secondary conical member of the first pair is fixedly mounted on the first shaft . The conical members of the second pair are mounted on a second shaft. The secondary conical member of the second pair is mounted for axial sliding movement relative to the primary conical member. A continuous V-shaped drive belt extends about both pairs of conical members. A control mechanism is used to simultaneously cause relative sliding movement of both pairs of conical members whereby the annular region of engagement between the drive belt and each pair of conical members can be varied.

This invention relates to a drive system capable of providing various drive ratios and to a bicycle employing such a drive system.
Multi-speed bicycles are well known and have been in use for a number of years. One common type of multi-speed bicycle employs a derailer system used in conjunction with a number of sprockets to provide a number of "speeds" or drive ratios. Typically, for example, in a known ten speed bicycle, there are two sprockets of different sizes for a chain drive mounted on the pedal drive axle and five sprockets of varying size mounted on the axle for the rear wheel. The derailer permits the drive chain of the bicycle to be moved from one sprocket to another either at the location of the pedal drive or at the axle for the rear wheel.
Although the known drive systems for a multi-speed bicycle work reasonably well, there are several known and apparent difficulties with them. Firstly, they require the use of a number of metal sprockets and a metal drive chain and these require the use of messy lubricants which are prone to collect dirt. The known mechanism can cause damage to clothing which can get caught in the mechanism. The mechanism employs a multiplicity of moving and sometimes delicate parts which can break or stretch or fail from time to time. This mechanism is not aerodynamic which can be important in some bicycles, particularly those designed for racing. Because the various parts are made of metal, they can be relatively expensive to manufacture and the parts are subject to rust or oxidation. The known multi-speed drive system also generally requires that a standard spoked bicycle wheel, including tube and tire, be used.
Drive systems which employ V-shaped belts are also known for a variety of applications but, as far as the applicant is aware, such drive systems have never been employed to provide a multi-speed or variable speed drive suitable for a bicycle. One advantage of these drive systems is that they employ a reinforced rubber or synthetic rubber belt which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost and which does not require the use of greasy and messy lubricants.
It would be advantageous to provide a variable speed drive suitable for a bicycle that is relatively simple in its construction and that can be manufactured at a lower cost than the existing known multi-speed drive systems. Preferably, such a drive system would be made with parts or components that would be primarily or substantially non-metallic and that would employ materials such as inexpensive plastics, composites or ceramics. Drive system components made of plastics or ceramics are non-corroding, non-rusting, and easier to recycle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and relatively inexpensive drive system capable of providing various drive ratios and employing a continuous V-shaped drive belt in combination with first and second pairs of members that engage this drive belt and that are conical on one side.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive drive system capable of providing various drive ratios wherein major components thereof can be made of inexpensive non-metallic materials such as plastics. In at least one form thereof, the drive system is suitable for use on a bicycle.


Visible built-in component for the interior fittings of an aircraft, comprising a partially transparent stone layer or glass layer and a luminous layer arranged thereunder for backlighting the stone layer or glass layer, wherein the luminous layer comprises a plurality of luminous strips and a partially transparent intermediate layer is provided between the luminous layer and the stone layer or glass layer.

Aircraft, and in particular the interior fittings of aircraft, are sometimes designed to be very individual. For example, aircraft are fitted with special aircraft seats, entertainment systems, shower cubicles or the like. For this purpose, some of the interior fittings of the aircraft are newly designed and produced from scratch.
In this case, both the high requirements in terms of quality, aesthetics and functionality and the high aeronautical requirements in terms of stability and safety need to be met at all times. These requirements are high primarily in the case of VIP aircraft, which are not fitted for normal scheduled air services, but are available to presidents or heads of government, for example.
In these aircraft, the visible surfaces of interior fitting components are often designed to have special wooden veneers. DE 198 59 195 C2 also discloses backlighting such decorative layers which are designed as wooden veneers. For this purpose, an electroluminescent film is provided as a luminous layer and is installed directly under the veneer. The patent specification further discloses that the decorative layer could theoretically also be made of stone.
It has, however, become clear that electroluminescent films for backlighting stone layers do not allow bright enough backlighting. The overall visual impression of the backlit visible built-in components does not meet the imposed requirements and thus aircraft cannot be completely fitted as required.
The thickness of the stone layer also cannot readily be reduced as desired in order to increase the backlit effect by the desired degree in a simple manner, since it must also be accordingly robust and break-resistant in order to meet the aeronautical crash requirements.
This problem of the sufficient combination of stability and aesthetics cannot be sufficiently solved by the known visible built-in components or the known aircraft comprising visible built-in components of this type.
The same problem arises when, as an alternative to a stone layer, partially transparent glass is intended to be used, in particular in the case of frosted glass. This may also be designed glass, which may be provided with patterns or decoration.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing a visible built-in component for the interior fittings of an aircraft and a correspondingly fitted aircraft in which the problems described are reduced.

Built-in optical component for the interior fittings of an aircraft and correspondingly fitted aircraft


A network functions virtualization management and orchestration system with a VNF descriptor (VNFD) including a information element that allows an instance created based on the VNFD to be distinguished by name. The information element includes an information element of a VM name that describes a naming rule for a virtual machine (VM).

There is known NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) or the like configured to implement a network apparatus and so on in software, using a virtualization technology that virtualizes hardware resources (computing, storage, network functions and so on) of a server by a virtual machine (VM: Virtual Machine) implemented on a virtualization layer (Virtualization Layer) such as a hypervisor (HyperVisor) on the server. The NFV is implemented, based on a MANO (Management & Orchestration) architecture, for example. FIG. 1 is a diagram cited from FIG. 5.1 (The NFV-MANO architectural framework with reference points) on page 23 of Non-Patent Literature 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, VNF (Virtualized Network Function) corresponds to an application or the like running on a virtual machine (VM) on a server, and implements a network function in software. As VNF, MME (Mobility Management Entity), S-GW (Serving Gateway), P-GW (PDN Gateway), and so forth on EPC (Evolved Packet Core) that is a core network of LTE (Long Term Evolution) network may be implemented by software (virtual machine). In the example of FIG. 1, a management function referred to as EM (Element Manager: element management) is provided for each VNF, for example.
NFVI (Network Functions Virtualization Infrastructure) that constitutes an implementation infrastructure of each VNF is an infrastructure that allows hardware resources of a physical machine (server) such as computing, storage, and network functions to be flexibly handled as virtualized hardware resources such virtualized computing, virtualized storage, virtualized network, and so on which have been virtualized using a virtualization layer such as a hypervisor.
NFV MANO (Management & Orchestration) includes an NFV-Orchestrator (NFVO), a VNF-manager (VNFM), and a Virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM).
The NFV-Orchestrator (NFVO) performs orchestration of NFVI resources and lifecycle management (such as Instantiation, Scaling, Termination, and Update of each NS instance) of NSs (Network Services). The NFV-Orchestrator also performs management of an NS catalog (NSD/VLD/VNFFGD) and a VNF catalog (VNFD/VM images/manifest files, etc.), and includes a repository of NS instances and a repository of the NFVI resources.
The VNF-Manager (VNFM) performs VNF lifecycle management (such as instantiation, update, query, scaling, termination, etc.) and event notification.
The virtualized Infrastructure Manager (VIM) performs control of the NFVI (such as computing, storage, network resource management, fault monitoring of the NFVI being the implementation infrastructure of the NFV, and monitoring of resource information) through the virtualization layer.
OSS (Operations Support Systems) are a generic term for systems (such as apparatuses, software, and schemes) necessary for telecommunications carriers (carriers) to construct and manage services, for example. BSS (Business Support systems) are a generic term for information systems (such as apparatuses, software, and schemes) to be used for accounting for and charging of a usage charge and handling of a customer by the telecommunications carriers.
The NS Catalogue (NS catalog: an NS Catalogue in FIG. 1) represents repository of network Services. NS Catalogue supports creation and management of NS deployment templates (Network Service Descriptor (NSD), Virtual Link Descriptor (VLD), and VNF Forwarding Graph Descriptor (VNFFGD)).
The VNF catalog (VNF catalog: a VNF Catalogue in FIG. 1) represents repository of VNF packages. The VNF catalog supports creation and management of each VNF package of a VNF Descriptor (VNFD), a software image, a manifest file and so forth.
The NFV instance repository (NFV instance Repository: NFV Instances in FIG. 1) holds information of all VNF instances and Network Service instances. Each VNF instance and each NS instance are represented respectively by a VNF record and by an NS record. Those records are updated during a lifecycle of the respective instances, reflecting changes resulting from execution of NS lifecycle management operations and/or VNF lifecycle management operations.
The NFVI resources repository (NFVI Resources Repository: NFVI Resources in FIG. 1) holds information on available/reserved/allocated resources as extracted by the VIM across operator's infrastructure domains.
Referring to FIG. 1, a reference point Os-Nfvo is a reference point between the OSS (Operations Support Systems)/BSS (Business Support Systems) and the NFVO, and is used for forwarding a lifecycle management request of each network service, a VNF lifecycle management request, state information associated with NFV, exchange of policy management information, and so on.
A reference point Vnfm-Vi is used for a resource allocation request from the VNFM and exchange of virtualized resource configuration and state information.
A reference point Ve-Vnfm-em is used between the EM and the VNFM for VNF instantiation, VNF instance retrieval, VNF instance update, VNF instance termination, VNF instance scaling-out/in, VNF instance scaling-up/down, forwarding of configuration and events from the EM to the VNFM, and notification of configuration and events regarding the VNF from the VNFM to the EM, and so on.
A reference point Ve-Vnfm-Vnf is used between the VNF and the VNFM for VNF instantiation, VNF instance retrieval, VNF instance update, VNF instance termination, VNF instance scaling-out/in, VNF instance scaling-up/down, forwarding of configuration and events from the VNF to the VNFM, and notification of configuration and events regarding the VNF from the VNFM to the VNF, and so on.
A reference point Nf-Vi is used for VM allocation with indication of compute/storage resource, update of VM resources allocation, VM migration, VM termination, creation and removal of connection between VMs, etc., virtual resources allocation in response to a resource allocation request, forwarding of virtual resource state information, exchange of configuration and state information of hardware resources, and so on.
A reference point Vn-Nf indicates an execution environment to be provided to the VNF by the NFVI.
A reference point Nfvo-Vnfm is used for a resource-related request (of validation, reservation (reservation), or allocation, etc.) by the VNF-manager (VNFM) and forwarding of configuration information to the VNFM, and collection of VNF state information.
A reference point Nfvo-Vi is used for a resource reservation request and a resource allocation request from the NFVO, and exchange of virtual resource configuration and state information (for details, reference may be made to Non-Patent Literature 1).
FIG. 2 is cited from FIG. 6.2 (Information elements in different context) on page 40 of Non-Patent Literature 1. An instantiation input parameter is input.
Referring to FIG. 2, a network service descriptor (Network Service Descriptor: NSD) is a network service deployment template for referencing other descriptors that describe components constituting a network service (NS).
A VNF descriptor (VNF Descriptor: VNFD) is a deployment template that describes a VNF in terms of deployment and operational behavior requirements.
The VNFD is mainly used by the VNFM in VNF instantiation (instantiation) and VNF instance lifecycle management. The VNFD is used for a network service and management and orchestration of virtualized resources on the NFVI (automation of deployment/setting/management of a computer system/middleware/service) by the NFVO. The VNFD also contains connectivity, interface and KPIs requirements that can be used by NFV-MANO functional blocks to establish appropriate Virtual Links within the NFVI between its VNFC instances, or between a VNF instance and the endpoint interface to the other network functions.
A VNF Forwarding Graph Descriptor (VNFFGD) is a deployment template that describes a network service topology or a part of the topology by referring to the VNFs, PNFs, and Virtual Links connecting those VNFs and PNFs.
A virtual link descriptor (Virtual Link Descriptor: VLD) is a deployment template that describes resource requirements necessary for links between the VNFs, between the PNFs, and between NS endpoints (endpoints) that can be used by the NFVI.
A physical network function descriptor (Physical Network Function Descriptor: PNFD) describes connectivity (connectivity), interface and KPIs requirements of a virtual link, for a function of an attached physical network. The PNFD is needed when a physical device is incorporated into an NS, and facilitates addition of a network.
The NSD, the VNFFGD, and the VLD are included in the NS catalog (Network Service Catalogue in FIG. 2), and the VNFD is included in the VNF catalogue (VNF Catalogue in FIG. 2) as the VNF package.
An NS or a VNF instantiation operation is performed from the OSS/BSS or the VNFM to the NFVO. As a result of the instantiation operation, each record indicating a newly created instance is created. Each record to be created based on information to be given by each descriptor and additional runtime information related to a component instance provides data for modeling a network service (NS) instance state, for example.
As types of the instance records (of NFV Instances) to be created, there may be listed the following types, for example:
Network Service Record (NSR);
VNFFG Record (VNFFGR);
Virtual Link Record (VLR);
VNF (Virtualized Network Function) Record (VNFR); and
PNF (Physical Network Function) Record (PNFR).
Information elements of the NSR, the VNFR, the VNFFGR, and the VLR provide a data item group necessary for modeling states of an NS instance, a VNF instance, a VNFFG instance, and a VL instance.
The PNF Record (PNFR) indicates an instance related to a pre-existing PNF which is part of an NS and contains a set of runtime attributes regarding PNF information (including connectivity relevant to the NFVO). An overview of each element of the NFV is summarized as lists in Tables 1 and 2.
TABLE 1Functional EntityDescriptionOSS/BSSComprehensively performs operations/businesssupport.A plurality of EMSs and Orchestrator are deployedon a low-order layer of OSS/BSS.OrchestratorOrchestration across a plurality of VIMsManagement of NS(Network Service) deploymenttemplates and VNF packagesManagement of instantiation and lifecyclemanagement of NSsManagement of instantiation of VNFMManagement of VNF instantiation in coordinationwith VNFMValidation and authorization of NFVI resourcerequest from VNFMManagement of integrity and visibility of NSinstances through their lifecycleManagement of relationship between NS instancesand VNF instances, using NFV instances RepositoryTopology management of NS instancesAutomated management of NS instancesVNF-ManagerPerforms VNF lifecycle management * and eventnotification management.* Instantiation, Auto-Scaling, Auto-Healing,Update, and so onVirtualizedPerforms resource management and control ofInfrastructureNFV infrastructure as follows:Manager (VIM)Management of computing, storage, and networkresourcesResource allocation in response to a requestMonitoring of a fault state of NFV InfrastructureMonitoring of resource information of NFVInfrastructure
TABLE 2Functional EntityDescriptionService VND andDefines information templates that becomeInfrastructurenecessary for deploying each Network ServiceDescriptionand each VNFNSD: a template that describes requirements andconstraint conditions necessary for deployment ofthe NSVLD: describes resource requirements of alogical link connecting VNFs or connectingPNFs that constitute NSVNFGD: a template that describes a logicaltopology for and assignment of NSVNFD: a template that describes requirementsand constraint conditions necessary for deployingVNFPNFD: describes, for a physical networkfunction, connectivity, external interface, andKPIs requirements of aVL.NS CatalogueRepository of NSsManagement of NS deployment templates (NSD,VLD, VNFFGD)VNF CatalogueDescribes repository of each VNF.Management of each VNF package (VNFD,software images, manifest files, etc.)NFV InstancesHolds instance information of all the VNFs andRepositoryall the NSs.Information on each instance is described inRecord.Record is updated according to lifecycle of eachinstance.NFVI ResourcesHolds information of NFVI resources (NFVIRepositoryresources as abstracted by VIM acrossoperator's Infrastructure Domains) that areavailable/reserved/allocated, for abstractionVNFRefers to a virtualized Network Function andrefers to a VM (e.g., MME, SGW, PGW or thelike) in which an EPC application is installed,being configured with VNF.EMSPerforms management of FCAPS (FCAPS: Fault,Configuration, Accounting, Performance andSecurity) of VNF.NFVIA resource infrastructure in which VNF isexecuted. Comprises computing, a storage, anda network. Physical resources are abstracted byhypervisor and abstracted resources are managedand controlled by VIM and are provided to VNF.

Network functions virtualization management and orchestration method, network functions virtualization management and orchestration system, and program


A device for the interlocking of two positively guided elements adjustable relative to one another is designed to the effect that, with respect to the open state, there is a position of readiness which has to be canceled by the elements running toward one another, before a transfer into the interlocking position is possible via the actuating drive.

The invention relates to a device for the interlocking of two positively guided elements adjustable relative to one another in an interlocking position according to the preamble of claim 1.
A known device of the abovementioned type (DE-C 15 05 721) serves for interlocking a motor vehicle folding top in its closed position, in which the folding top is braced at the front against the cowl of the windshield. For this purpose, the folding top is provided with a countermember which is equipped as a lug and which is assigned as an interlocking member, on the cowl, a hook which is articulated on the cowl via a guide mechanism and is capable of being adjusted by means of an actuating drive in the form of a hydraulic cylinder. In this case, as a rule, the hook assumes a position countersunk into the cowl, specifically when the folding top is both closed and open, and, via the adjusting drive, for the purposes of interlocking the folding top said hook is pivoted out of the cowl, when the folding top approaches the latter, into a position of readiness, in which it can grasp the lug, move it into the interlocking position and hold it in this. The outward movement of the hook into the position of readiness is triggered by a tracer assigned to the folding top, when the folding top approaches its interlocking position in relation to the cowl, the tracer acting upon a control valve, via which the hydraulic cylinder serving as an actuating drive is activated. The hydraulic cylinder is incorporated into the hydraulic circuit in such a way that the actuating piston is constantly loaded with pressure on the piston-rod side, with respect to the opposite side which is assigned the piston surface of larger cross section, but is connected to the hydraulic circuit, so as to be capable of being cut in and cut out, via a valve. In the known solution, the retracted position of the hydraulic cylinder corresponds to the position of readiness of the hook and the extended position corresponds to the interlocking position, so that, during transfer into the interlocking position, the operation is conducted counter to the working pressure prevailing constantly on the piston-rod side and separate securing of the interlocking position must be carried out.
In view of the fact that the position of readiness constitutes an extended position for the hook as an interlocking member and this position of readiness can be approached only as long as the countermember, that is to say the lug, does not lie in the path of adjustment of the hook, the trigger pin must either project relatively far and/or be offset to the hook and lug. This results, overall in a relatively complicated construction, in which, because of the transmission ratios of the actuating drive, it is also necessary for the latter to have relatively high-value dimensioning.
The object on which the invention is based is to provide a device of the type initially mentioned, which makes it possible to have a makeup simplified according to the invention and on the basis of which a simple control for pulling-shut closures can be implemented.
This is achieved, according to the invention, by means of the defining features of claim 1, the pulling-shut or interlocking operation being initiated automatically when the elements to be interlocked approach one another, in that, in the course of the approach, near the end position of the elements in the interlocked state, a position of readiness initially provided, specifically, provided as a blocking position, is triggered and adjustment is thereby enabled via the actuating drive, via which the interlocking member is consequently transferred into the interlocking position. Since the interlocking member, in its position of readiness, is initially blocked with respect to forces introduced in the pulling-shut direction via the actuating drive, that is to say cannot be moved correspondingly via the actuating drive, the actuating drive can be xe2x80x9cprestressedxe2x80x9d in the pulling-shut direction, for example, by the actuating drive being designed as a hydraulic cylinder which is permanently connected in the pulling-shut direction to the delivery side of the hydraulic supply. For this purpose, the hydraulic cylinder is installed in such a way that the piston-rod side of the cylinder is openly connected to the pressure source, so that controlled activation is necessary only in the opposite direction, that is to say, for example, for opening or for erection, since, with the pressures being the same, the counterforce acting on the piston-rod side is lower as a result of the surface differences.
Adjustment out of the position of readiness, as blocking position, in the direction of the interlocking position, may be carried out via the counterelement, or a part assigned to this, in particular, the countermember, so that this function does not necessitate any additional parts.
With a view to securing the position of readiness, as blocking position, positive blocking proves to be particularly advantageous, but, depending on the magnitude of the forces exerted via the counterelement on the interlocking member in the approach to the interlocking position, nonpositive support, for example support by means of a spring stop, as an overrideable stop, may also be sufficient. The latter possibility is adopted, for example, in the case of heavy lid parts which, when being pivoted in onto the element carrying the interlocking member, are to be absorbed by braking, so that the interlocking operation as such can be accurately controlled.
In this respect, too, inter alia, particularly diverse and expedient possibilities are afforded, within the scope of the invention, in the design of the guide mechanism as a link mechanism, since this provides particularly good preconditions for securing the position of readiness in a direction of adjustment, for example, by means of a beyond dead center position as a blocking position, and, where appropriate, for also securing the interlocking position in a corresponding way, so that, in both positions, corresponding mechanical safeguards are achieved, without additional measures, purely on the basis of the mechanism functions, this being essential, particularly for the interlocking position, so that the interlocking position can be maintained independently of the pressure supply.
Particularly in conjunction with an embodiment of this kind, it is also possible, while the actuating force applied by the actuating drive remains the same, to vary the force component acting on the interlocking lever, in such a way that, starting from the position of readiness, said force component increases in the direction of the interlocking position and reaches a maximum within the region of the interlocking position. Such a profile proves to be expedient, inter alia, also in terms of safety aspects for example as pinch protection, especially since, in conjunction with such a step-up, a rise in the closing speed, starting from the position of readiness, can be achieved.
Within the scope of the invention, a link mechanism which proves expedient is, in particular, a link mechanism which forms a four-bar linkage, and which, in the position of readiness and/or in the interlocking position, has end positions which, for example, preferably constitute beyond dead center positions. For this purpose, of the links connecting the base and coupler of the four-bar linkage, one is approximately in alignment with the coupler, in the position corresponding to the position of readiness, and the other is approximately in alignment with the coupler, in the position corresponding to the interlocking position, and this also makes it possible, in the case of an appropriate assignment of the interlocking lever to the link mechanism, to have a flat mechanism makeup in the direction of the pivoting plane.
For this purpose, and for simplifying the overall makeup, it proves expedient to connect the interlocking member to the link mechanism at the articulation point of one link on the coupler and to select the articulation point of the other link on the coupler, for the articulation of the actuating drive on the link mechanism. This dispenses with separate articulation points and also results in particularly favorable force conditions.
According to the invention, for controlling the pivoting travel between the position of readiness and the interlocking position, the connecting member is assigned a positive sliding coupling at a guide point fixed in position in relation to the base of the four-bar linkage, and it proves to be simple and expedient for the guide point of the positive sliding coupling to be formed by one of the base-side articulation points of the link mechanism. It is particularly expedient if the base-side guide point of the positive sliding coupling is formed by the base-side articulation point of the link, at whose articulation point on the coupler the actuating drive engages, so that the articulation points of the four-bar linkage assume a double function in terms of the articulation of the actuating drive and the articulation of the interlocking member, thus simplifying the overall makeup.
With a view to the interlocking of the elements, the interlocking member and the countermember are each assigned a coupling member, and the coupling members provided may expediently be, on the one hand, a coupling pin and, on the other hand, a coupling mouth.
In view of the fact that, in conjunction with the coupling members running onto one another when the elements approach one another, the blocking position provided in the position of readiness must first be canceled, it proves expedient if the coupling mouth has a design and is arranged, in conjunction with the coupling pin assigned to the interlocking member, such that one flank of the coupling mouth forms for the coupling pin a catching surface, from which the coupling pin changes so as to come to bear against the other flank, which forms a detaining surface, in the course of the further adjustment of the interlocking member in the direction of the closing position, the flank which contains the catching surface extending beyond the detaining flank in the opposite direction to the jaw of the coupling mouth, so that, in the case of a flat pivoting travel of the interlocking lever, it is possible, in the region of the coupling pin carried by the latter, to have a secure grasp of the coupling pin via the coupling mouth.
Within the scope of the invention, the assignment of the coupling pin to the interlocking member and of the coupling mouth to the countermember forms a preferred embodiment particularly when the interlocking member is assigned to the fixed element, against which the countermember assigned to the counterelement is pivotable. The countermember may be formed, for example, by a holder for a trunk lid or else by a trunk lid, while the interlocking member together with the associated guide mechanism is assigned to the other element, that is to say, for example, to the body of a vehicle. Depending on the respective application, however, it is also possible to assign the coupling pin to the countermember and the coupling mouth to the interlocking member.
Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it proves expedient if the plane of the coupling mouth is approximately perpendicular to the coupling pin and the pivoting plane of the parts to be interlocked coincides approximately with the pivoting plane of the interlocking member. Within the scope of the invention, however, this is not mandatory, but on the contrary the pivoting plane of the elements may also lie transversely to the pivoting plane of the interlocking member.
As stated above, a hydraulic adjusting mechanism, in particular a hydraulic actuating cylinder, proves expedient for the actuating drive. The connection between the respective driving element of the actuating drive and the interlocking member may be made as a function of structural conditions, but also via separate linkage connections, Bowden cables or the like. Furthermore, an electrical embodiment of the actuating drive is also possible within the scope of the invention.
The interlocking member is referred to above in terms of its interaction with the countermember for the purpose of a pulling-shut function. With the sequence reversed, however, the interlocking member may also be used, after the release of the interlock, for transferring the countermember and the counterelement assigned to the latter into a position which corresponds to the position of readiness of the interlocking member, that is to say into a slight opening position for the counterelement, for example in a function as an actuating aid.
The embodiment according to the invention of the interlocking device also proves to be expedient from the point of view of tolerance, since both setting possibilities, for example by an increase or reduction in the beyond dead center position, are possible with respect to the end positions and the interaction of the coupling mouth and coupling pin allows tolerances both in the longitudinal direction of the coupling mouth and transversely thereto, such as are expedient, in particular, in the vehicle construction sector for adjusting and regulating work, especially in repair situations.

Device for the interlocking of two positively guided elements adjustable relative to one another


A gastric band adapted for laparoscopic placement around the stomach and a method for deploying the band is described. The band is useful for creating a small pouch with a reinforced stoma in the stomach for the treatment of obesity. A first cannula is introduced into the abdominal cavity. Following gas insufflation, a camera for observing the placement of the band is introduced into the abdominal cavity by means of the first cannula. Two additional second and third cannulas are placed within the abdomen. The gastric band, which has a head end, a tail end and a body portion therebetween, is introduced into the abdomen by means of the second cannula. As the band emerges from the second cannula, an endoscopically-guided snare passed through the third cannula grasps one end of the band and pulls it into an encircling position around the stomach. The tail end of the band is adjustably attached to the head end to form a loop around the stomach. The band is tightened until the stoma has the desired size. The band is then secured against slippage. In a preferred embodiment, the body portion of the band has an inflatable balloon on its stomach-contacting surface. Following implantation, the stoma size in the stomach may be adjusted by removal or injection of fluid into the balloon by means of an injection reservoir.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a laparoscopic surgical procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity and, more particularly, to a novel gastric band and a method for the laparoscopic placement of the band.
2. Prior Art
Methods that have been used in the prior art to treat morbid obesity include gastric bypass and small bowel bypass surgery. Stapling of portions of the stomach has also been used to treat morbid obesity. This includes both vertical and horizontal stapling and other variations which will reduce the size of the stomach and make a small stoma opening. Many problems have been associated with the use of staples. First, staples are undependable. Second, they may cause perforations in the stomach wall. And third, the pouch or the stoma formed by the staples may become enlarged over time making the procedure useless.
A more promising method employs the placement of a band around a portion of the stomach by open surgery thereby compressing the stomach and creating a stoma that is less than the normal interior diameter of the stomach. The constricted stoma restricts food intake into the lower digestive portion of the stomach. Such a band has been described by Kuzmak et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,339. In its simplest form the gastric band comprises a substantially nonextensible belt-like strap which constrictively encircles the outside of the stomach thereby producing a new stoma and preventing it from expanding.
Although the banding procedure has great promise due to its simplicity and the fact that it retains the desired diameter of the stoma once established, it is necessary to establish a proper stoma size. To overcome this problem, Kuzmak in U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,288, describes a calibrating apparatus and method for using with a gastric banding device. The calibrating apparatus facilitates controlling the size of the stoma with the gastric band.
In the above-cited '339 patent Kuzmak et al also describe a band which includes a balloon-like section that is expandable and deflatable by injection or removal of fluid from the balloon through a remote injection site. The balloon-like expandable section is used to adjust the size of the stoma both intraoperatively and postoperatively. Such a device is referred to as a stoma-adjustable gastric band.
To facilitate the removal of a gastric band without the need for major surgery, Kuzmak, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/562,391, filed Aug. 3, 1990, describes a gastric banding device with means thereon for removal of the band without the necessity for major surgery. The gastric band of the '391 patent application (referred to herein as a "reversible gastric band") has a actuator cord, one end of which (the distal end) is implanted in the right anterior rectus sheath of a patient, the other end being in contact with a means on the band for severing the loop about the stomach. In practice, the reversible gastric band is operatively placed to encircle the stomach by means of open major surgery. Once in position about the stomach, the reversible gastric band is held securely with sutures on the outside of the stomach thereby prohibiting the encircled stoma from expanding. If, following implantation, it becomes necessary or desirable to remove the reversible gastric band, a remotely actuated releasing portion on the band is activated by means of the actuator cord thereby permitting the removal of the gastric band without major surgery. In addition to having a remotely actuated releasing portion, most preferred embodiments of the reversible gastric band include a flexible substantially non-extensible band portion having an expandable, balloon-like section that is in fluid communication with a remote injection site. The expandable section is used to adjust the size of the stoma either during or following implantation.
Although the ability to adjust and/or remove the gastric band from the abdomen of a patient without the need for open major surgery is a great improvement in the art, it would be especially desirable (particularly from the patient's point of view) to provide a gastric band which may be both deployed in an encircling position around the stomach of a patient and removed from the abdomen without the need for open surgery.
Laparoscopy is a frequently used, relatively conservative modality for gaining entry to the abdominal cavity for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. The recent popularity of laparoscopic cholecystectomy ("Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: An Initial Report" by B. A. Salky, et al Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Volume 37 No. 1, pp 1-4 (1991)) has further stimulated interest in laparoscopic surgical techniques and the development of surgical laparoscopic instruments.
The major patient benefits of laparoscopic surgical procedures are less trauma, less risk of pneumonia due to immediate ambulation, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery time. Laparoscopic surgery eliminates the large abdominal incision and significantly decreases post-operative pain. Patients may be discharged the next day or even the same day and can resume normal activities within a week.
A laparoscopic surgical procedure is different than an open procedure because all manipulations are done using instruments through small diameter cannulas inserted into the peritoneal cavity through the abdominal wall. The procedure is technically more demanding than through an open incision, and, at least initially, may take longer as the team is learning the new technique. Not only are novel instruments needed for working through a cannula but the work itself must be observed on a 2-dimensional video display. Thus, the surgeon is unable to use the sense of touch and must perform surgery using novel instruments without the benefit of depth perception.
A major problem associated with inserting a prior art band laparoscopically around the stomach is the fact that the stomach is adhered to tissues posterior to the stomach and dissection of these posterior tissues laparoscopically appeared formidable. Potential problems include poor visibility, possible perforation of the stomach, damage to the surrounding organs, hemorrhage and vagus nerve damage. Placing and securely attaching prior art gastric bands laparoscopically would be very difficult or impossible These challenges have encouraged the present inventor to develop both a gastric band suitable for laparoscopic placement and a procedure for its deployment around the stomach. A stoma-adjustable gastric band adapted for laparoscopic placement about the stomach will be referred to herein as a "SLAP gastric band" or, alternatively, as a "SLAP band." Such a SLAP gastric band must be capable of being introduced into the abdominal cavity by means of a trocar cannula portal and deployed in an encircling position around the stomach by laparoscopic techniques.


An electron emitting element capable of preventing pollution of the emitter due to absorption of gas thereon, to thereby ensure stable emission of electrons over a long period of time even in a low vacuum atmosphere. The electron emitting element is constructed so as to permit a part of electrons emitted from one of emitters to impinge on the other of the emitters being ready for emission to clean it.

This invention relates to an electron emitting element of the field emission type, and more particularly to an electron emitting element suitable for use as an electron source for various kinds of display devices, a light source, an amplifier element, a high-speed switching element, a sensor or the like.
A vertical-type electron emitting element which is typical one of an electron emitting element of the field emission type is generally constructed in such a manner as shown in FIG. 11. More specifically, it includes a substrate 100 doped with impurities in high concentration, resulting in being provided with high conductivity. On the substrate 100 is arranged an insulating layer 101 made of SiO.sub.2, which is formed therein with cavities 102. In each of the cavities 102 is arranged an emitter 103 made of molybdenum (Mo) so as to serve as an electron emitting section. Also, the electron emitting element includes a Mo thin film deposited on the insulating layer 101 in a manner to surround the emitter 103 so as to function as a gate electrode 104.
In the electron emitting element constructed as described above, when the gate electrode 104 is biased within the range of tens to hundreds V against the substrate 100, an electrical field as high as 10.sup.6 to 10.sup.7 V/cm is caused to be produced between the distal end of the emitter 103 and the gate electrode 104, so that electrons of hundreds mA in all may be emitted from the distal end of the emitter 103.
FIG. 12 shows a conventional display device in which the so-constructed electron emitting element is used as an electron source. The conventional display device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 221783/1986.
The conventional display device is constructed in such a manner that a plurality of conductive films 112 are arranged on an insulating substrate 110 so as to extend in the direction of columns 111. On the conductive film 112 are provided cone-like emitters 113 of the field emission type and an insulating layer 114. On the insulating layers 114 are arranged a plurality of grids 116 in a manner to extend in the direction of rows 115. The grids 116 each are formed at the portion thereof opposite to each of the cone-like emitters 113 with an aperture or hole.
The display device also includes a transparent substrate 117. On the surface of the transparent substrate 117 opposite to the insulating substrate 110 are deposited a transparent conductive film 118 and a phosphor layer 119 in a manner to be laminated in order. The conductive film 118 and phosphor layer are arranged all over the substrate 117. The insulating substrate 110 and transparent substrate 117 cooperate with side plates (not shown) to form an envelope, which is then evacuated to a high vacuum.
Now, the manner of operation of the conventional display device constructed as described above will be described hereinafter.
A positive potential is constantly applied to the transparent conductive film 118. In response to a display signal, a predetermined potential difference is applied between the conductive film 112 of each of the rows 115 and the grid 116 of each of the columns. This causes a suitable electric field to be formed between the grid 116 to which the potential difference is applied and the cone like emitter 113, resulting in electrons being emitted from the pointed distal end of the emitter 116. The so-emitted electrons travel through the hole of the grid 116 and then impinge on the phosphor layer 119, leading to light-emission or luminance of the phosphor layer 119.
Thus, an image is displayed depending upon the display signal.
FIG. 13 shows a horizontal-type electron emitting element which is another one of an electron emitting element of the field emission type, which is disclosed in, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 33833/1989.
The horizontal-type electron emitting element includes an insulating substrate 200, on which an emitter 202 provided at the central portion thereof with a triangle projection 201 is arranged. Also, the substrate 200 is provided thereon with a gate 204 in a manner to be adjacent to the emitter 202. The gate 204 is formed with an aperture or hole 203 at the portion thereof corresponding to the projection 201. Also, the electron emitting element includes a secondary electron-emitting electrode 205 in a manner to interpose the gate 204 between the emitter 202 and the electrode 205 and be in parallel to the gate 204.
In the horizontal-type electron emitting element constructed as described above, when predetermined potential differences are applied between the emitter 202 and the gate 204 and between the gate 204 and the secondary electron emitting electrode 205, respectively, electrons emitted from the pointed distal end of the emitter 202 impinge through the aperture 203 of the gate 204 onto the secondary electron-emitting electrode 205, so that secondary electrons are emitted from the secondary electrode 205.
Unfortunately, when the conventional electron emitting element of each type described above is driven in an airtightly or hermetically sealed envelope or at a vacuum atmosphere as low as 10.sup.-6 to 10.sup.-7 Torr, it causes some disadvantages. More specifically, mounting of the electron emitting element in an airtight envelope causes the emitter to be polluted during the mounting operation, so that the emitter may be significantly increased in emission threshold. Also, driving of the electron emitting element in a low vacuum atmosphere causes the emitter to absorb any gas in the atmosphere, resulting in the electron emitting element being increased in work function in a short period of time. This leads to disadvantages of causing an emission efficiency of the element to be reduced and/or its emission threshold to be increased. The disadvantages are remarkably exhibited particularly when the electron emitting element of the field emission type is used while being mounted in the airtight envelope. Use of a filed emission (FE) cathode in the form of being mounted in a hermetic envelope is never realized unless the disadvantages are solved.


A three-dimensional position locating system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the three-dimensional position locating system includes a housing including a substantially planar surface. The housing includes a first antenna element under the substantially planar surface. A stylus including a second antenna element is coupled to the housing. A processor is electrically coupled to the first antenna element and the second antenna element, and a three-dimensional structure overlies the first antenna element. An antenna coupling element is associated with the three-dimensional structure and an output device can be coupled to the processor.

When learning about a particular subject, it is helpful for a student to have the assistance of an adult. For example, a young child will often learn to read by looking at a book containing pictures and corresponding words while an adult reads the words. The child follows the words and looks at the associated pictures as the adult reads. The child can study a word within a particular grammatical structure and can gather its meaning, either from the pictures and/or through additional explanation provided by the adult. At any point, the adult can discuss any word or its meaning with the child, or draw the child's attention to a similar word. The adult could also provide a further explanation if needed.
In addition to personalized instruction, instructional aids can assist the child in the learning process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,176 describes a system for interacting with a book. The book rests on a housing. A user uses a stylus to select a word or picture in the book. In response, the system can produce an output corresponding to the selected word or picture. For example, after the user selects a picture of an elephant in the book, the system can say the word "elephant," and can produce a sound associated with an elephant.
While systems of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,176 are effective, improvements could be made. For example, the books that are used in the systems are two-dimensional. Two-dimensional books have limited ability to convey concepts to a user. For example, a user may not fully appreciate what an elephant looks like in real life by viewing only a two-dimensional picture of the elephant. For example, the user cannot fully appreciate the size proportions of the different body parts of an elephant by viewing only a two-dimensional picture of an elephant.
It would be desirable if the presentation of words or pictures to the user was not limited to two-dimensions. It would also be desirable to provide for a three-dimensional interactive system where a user could select points in three-dimensions and receive some feedback. This would make learning more enjoyable and effective.
Embodiments of the invention address the above problems and other problems, individually and collectively.


The invention relates to a ball poppet valve, in particular an electromagnetically actuated ball poppet valve, having a valve body, an accommodating aperture disposed in the valve body for a ball poppet, and a valve bore also disposed in the valve body, a ball poppet for closing the valve bore and a control stem acting on the ball poppet. The accommodating aperture of the valve body, starting from a cylindrical wall part of constant diameter in which the ball poppet sits, widens at an end opposite the control stem in at least approximately a funnel shape.

The present invention relates to poppet valves and in particular to ball poppet valves which are generally known from the prior art and are employed as directional control valves or shutoff valves having a freely movable ball poppet as a shutoff element. Ball poppet valves are distinguished by simplicity of construction and a high degree of freedom from leakage and are therefore very well suited to many applications.
In a ball poppet valve according to the prior art, control action is achieved in that an annular flow area A established by lifting of a control stem between a ball poppet and a control edge on the valve aperture is smaller than the maximal flow area Amax bounded by the control stem and the valve bore. However, because this flow area between the ball poppet and the control edge reaches the maximal flow area Amax when the ball poppet is lifted even very slightly, adequate control action can not be achieved with ball poppet valves according to the prior art.
A problem with prior art ball poppet valves is that, because of their structural form, they enable a relatively large flow when the ball poppet is lifted even a small amount off the valve aperture. Electromagnetically actuated ball poppet valves for example exhibit a large flow for even a small current flowing in an exciter coil. In electromagnetically controlled ball poppet valves of the kind identified above, this relationship manifests itself in a steep Q-I characteristic (flow-current characteristic) and has the disadvantage that only slight control of the flow is possible with such a ball poppet valve.
Gate valves are also known wherein the ports are connected to or separated from one another by a sliding element, the so-called gate. The movement of the gate here can be axial or rotational, a flow control action being achieved with individual chambers or channels. Gate valves are characterized by good control behavior and, in the example of electromagnetic actuation, by a flat Q-I characteristic. Such gate valves have the disadvantage that 100% freedom from leakage cannot be achieved because of manufacturing tolerances and the functional construction of the valves.
There is a need for a ball poppet valve that exhibits both a high degree of freedom from leakage and a configurable control characteristic. In the case of electromagnetically actuated ball poppet valves in particular, the flow-current characteristic should be adjustable over a wide range.

Ball poppet valve having valve body widening in funnel shape


A dishwasher and assembly method thereof are disclosed, by which an overall height of the dishwasher is reduced, by which water can stably flow and by which assembly efficiency can be enhanced. The present invention includes a sump accommodating water therein and a wash pump assembled to the sump in a lateral direction to circulate the water within the sump.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a dishwasher and assembly method thereof. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for providing a wash pump having a new structure.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a dishwasher is a device for washing and drying tableware in a manner of spraying water at high pressure.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a dishwasher according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, a dishwasher consists of a tub 1, an upper spray arm 4, a lower spray arm 5, an upper rack 6, a lower rack 7 and a drive module 10.
A wash space is provided within the tub 1 to wash tableware therein. And, the upper and lower spray arms 4 and 5 are provided to upper and lower parts within the tub 1, respectively. Moreover, the tableware washed by water sprayed from the upper and lower spray arms 4 and 5 is accommodated in the upper and lower racks 6 and 7.
Meanwhile, the water sprayed via the spray arms 4 and 5 is pumped by the drive module 10 that consists of a sump and a pump. Water is stored in the sump. The water stored in the sump is pumped by the pump to move to the spray arms 4 and 5 along upper and lower guide pipes 2 and 3, respectively.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective diagram of a drive module of a dishwasher according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 2, a drive module 10 consists of a sump 20, a heater 30, a wash pump and a drain pump 50. Water is stored in the sump 20, the heater 30 is provided over the sump to heat the water. After completion of washing, the water is externally discharged by the drain pump 50.
The wash pump consists of a motor 40, an impeller 42 and an impeller housing 60. The impeller 42 is accommodated in the impeller housing 60 provided over the sump 20 and is connected to the motor 40 provided under the sump 20 via a rotational shaft 41.
A garbage chamber 70 is provided over the impeller housing 60. If the impeller 42 is rotated by the driven motor 40, the water is introduced into one side of the garbage chamber 70 and then moves away into a garbage passage or a spray arm selectively according to a switching of a control valve 26. The water having moved to the spray arm is used in washing tableware. The water introduced into the garbage passage is purified in a following manner. In this case, the impeller housing 60 is formed of a separate part and the garbage chamber 70 is assembled to a circumference of the impeller housing 60. A cover portion 75 projected upward is provided to a central part of the garbage chamber 70 to cover the impeller 42. And, the cover portion 75 enables a total volume of the garbage chamber to be reduced.
A filter frame 80 is provided over the garbage chamber 70. A multitude of holes 82 are formed at an outer rim of the filter frame 80. A filter housing 90 is provided over the filter frame 80. And, a filter 94 is provided to the filter housing 90 to filter off garbage from the water. In this case, the filter 94 is provided over the garbage chamber 70. Preferably, the filter 94 is configured to cover a part except the cover portion 75 projected from the central part of the garbage chamber 70 to effectively purify the water containing garbage.
So, the water introduced into the garbage passage overflows onto the filter 94 to be purified and is then recovered to the sump 20 via the holes 82 provided to the filter frame 80.
And, a guide pipe support member 96 is assembled as a separate part to a central part of the filter housing 90 to be connected to a lower guide pipe ('3' in FIG. 1)
However, the related art dishwasher has the following problems.
First of all, the motor and impeller of the wash pump used for the dishwasher are assembled or dissembled in a vertical direction, thereby having difficulty in being assembled. In particular, since the impeller housing is provided as the separate part, a sealing between the impeller housing and the garbage chamber is configured unstable. Hence, the leakage of water brings about a pressure loss.
Secondly, since the garbage chamber is provided along the circumference of the impeller housing, the volume of the garbage chamber is reduced due to the cover portion projected upward from the central part. Hence, limitation is put on increasing a quantity of the water purified by the filter in overflowing through the garbage chamber.
Thirdly, since the impeller and the motor are connected in a vertical direction, a total height of the drive module is raised. Hence, the wash space within the tub is reduced.
Fourthly, since the motor is provided under the sump, it is difficult to stably fix the sump and the motor thereto.


A pneumatic trip system for a turbine includes a valve member; a valve stem connected to the valve member; and an actuator assembly connected to the valve stem. The actuator assembly includes a cylinder; a piston connected to the valve stem, the piston dividing the cylinder into a first chamber and a second chamber; a biasing element disposed in the second chamber of the cylinder; and a pneumatic circuit in communication with the second chamber of the cylinder. The pneumatic circuit is configured to pressurize the second chamber of the cylinder to actuate the piston to move the valve stem and the valve member to an exercised position between the open position and the closed position while the first chamber is pressurized.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pneumatic trip system for a steam turbine and, in particular, to a pneumatic trip system that includes an actuator assembly that exercises the trip valve via a pneumatic circuit without requiring a shutdown of the steam turbine.
Description of Related Art
A trip valve for a steam turbine is a safety device that must close quickly to shut off a flow of steam to the turbine during an emergency situation. Turbines typically run for long periods of time without shutting down, so the trip valve will typically remain in an open position for an extended period of time. When the trip valve remains in the open position for an extended period of time, scale and corrosion often build up between the valve stem and bushings in the steam chest trip valve assembly. This scale and corrosion may bind up the trip valve and prevent proper operation during an emergency situation.
Pneumatic trip systems provide a vital safety function for steam turbines. Proper maintenance and testing are necessary to ensure safe and reliable equipment operation. However, many mechanical trip systems are not tested as frequently as recommended, if at all.
Typically, trip valves require a complete closure, i.e., a complete valve actuation between open and closed positions, to determine if the trip valve is operational. This complete closure requires the turbine and driven equipment to be completely shut down, thereby disrupting the operation of the steam turbine. An available RCS (Redundant Control System) provides a means to exercise solenoid valves, but the RCS does not exercise a trip valve.

Pneumatic trip valve partial stroking arrangement