The present disclosure relates to a 5G or pre-5G communication system for supporting a higher data transmission rate after a 4G communication system such as LTE. In a wireless communication system of the present disclosure, a method for receiving, by a base station, a measurement result of a terminal includes: a process for allocating at least one of a plurality of measurement gaps, set for measuring a licensed band, for the measurement of an unlicensed band; a process for transmitting activation instruction information that instructs the activation of a measurement gap for the allocated unlicensed band measurement; and a process for receiving, from the terminal, a measurement result for the unlicensed band measured in the activated measurement gap by the terminal.

In order to meet the demand for wireless data traffic, which has been increasing since the commercialization of a fourth-generation (4G) communication system, efforts are being made to develop an improved fifth-generation (5G) communication system or pre-5G communication system. For this reason, a 5G communication system or pre-5G communication system is referred to as a beyond 4G network communication system or a post Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.
To achieve a high data transmission rate, implementing a 5G communication system in an extremely high frequency (mmWave) band (for example, a 60 GHz band) is considered. To relieve the path loss of signals and to increase the transmission distance of signals in an extremely high frequency band, beamforming, massive Multiple-Input And Multiple-Output (massive MIMO), Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beamforming, and large scale antenna techniques are under discussion for a 5G communication system.
Further, to improve the network of the system, technical development in an evolved small cell, an advanced small cell, a cloud Radio Access Network (cloud RAN), an ultra-dense network, Device to Device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, a moving network, cooperative communication, Coordinated Multi-Points (COMP), and interference cancellation is progressing for the 5G communication system.
In addition, an Advanced Coding Modulation (ACM) scheme including Hybrid Frequency Shift Keying and Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (FQAM) and Sliding Window Superposition Coding (SWSC) as well as an advanced access technique including Filter Bank Multi Carrier (FBMC), Non Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA), and Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA) are developing in the 5G system.
As the amount of mobile traffic has explosively increased with the introduction of smartphones, communication services are provided using an unlicensed band that is not licensed for a specific mobile network carrier, such as a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or Bluetooth. A WLAN established with low costs uses an unlicensed band and thus is viewed as a major solution for cellular companies that have difficulty in dealing with traffic only with a cellular network.
For reference, a "licensed band" refers to a frequency resource licensed for a specific mobile network carrier, which is a frequency resource allocated for a particular purpose, that is, exclusively for LTE. Meanwhile, an "unlicensed band" refers to a communication frequency band that is not licensed for a specific mobile network carrier and is a shared band reserved for the general public. An unlicensed band may be used representatively for industrial, scientific, and medical communications. A WLAN (Wi-Fi) and Bluetooth are representative communication services using unlicensed bands. An unlicensed band may be available for any device that satisfies prescribed regulations and conditions for the use of the unlicensed band.
That is, when it is difficult to accommodate subscriber traffic in an area with a large floating population only with cellular base stations, most cellular network carriers induce subscribers to be provided with communication services through a WLAN Access Point (AP) by directly establishing a WLAN or in partnership with existing WLAN operators.
Meanwhile, a WLAN installed by a mobile network carrier to relieve traffic is a network that is basically different in feature from a cellular network. Therefore, the WLAN is insufficient to provide telecommunications subscribers with mobility or security, as if installing a cellular base station. Thus, a method is being studied that enables mobile network carriers to provide subscribers with mobile communication services by directly using a cellular radio technology in an unlicensed band that is not licensed to the mobile network carriers, instead of using an initial method of installing a WLAN AP, and discussions on Long Term Evolution-Unlicensed (LTE-U) are being conducted based on this concept.
An LTE-U system is a system in which a user equipment (UE) and a base station use carriers or channels existing in both a licensed band and an unlicensed band.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the concept of a UE using both a licensed band and an unlicensed band in LTE-U.
Referring to FIG. 1, the cellular UE 101 may use both the licensed band 103 and the unlicensed band 105. Further, a carrier in the licensed band 103 and a carrier in the unlicensed carrier 105 may coexist 107 using a carrier aggregation (CA) method 107.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving data in wireless communication system supporting unlicensed band


An endovascular device (1,100,200,300) having a distal end (2), a proximal end (4) and a body portion (3) therebetween. The body portion is made of a multiple filament helically wound row (A) of wires (5), provided with a sealing coating (14) on the inside surface or the outside surface or both. The device may be a catheter (1), a sheath, an introducer, a delivery device, a pusher (100), an embolization coil delivery device (300), or a receptacle (208) for an expandable prosthesis (220) used with a delivery device(200). From 2 to 12, and preferably from 4 to 8, wires (5) are used in the row, and fewer wires may be used proceeding toward the distal end (2) for greater flexibility. The helically wound row of wires transmits torque and provides pushability to the device while resisting kinking, and enables a small outside diameter for reaching very small vessels and extending through very tortuous vessels.

This application claims priority of the following European applications:
Serial No. 00610012.7 filed Jan. 28, 2000
Serial No. 00610013.5 filed Jan. 28, 2000
Serial No. 00610014.3 filed Jan. 28, 2000
Serial No. 00610015.0 filed Jan. 28, 2000
The present invention relates to the field of medical devices and more particularly to vascular devices such as catheters and delivery systems for implantable devices.
Catheters for medical diagnostic or therapeutic use are well known. A catheter has a distal end and a proximal end, with a body extending therebetween and a lumen extending therethrough from end to end. A wide variety of catheters exists for percutaneous insertion by the Seldinger technique into the vascular system to accomplish diagnostic or therapeutic objectives. The vessels of the peripheral vasculature have a relatively large diameter and low tortuosity, the coronary vasculature is somewhat smaller and more tortuous, and the vasculature in the soft tissue of the brain and liver is of small lumen and is very tortuous.
In order to be able to access the various parts of the vasculature, the catheter needs to be flexible and to maintain its column strength when it follows a tortuous path. The contradictory requirements for flexibility and column strength are particularly pronounced in catheters for intracranial catheterizations used in a variety of diagnostic and interventional neurological techniques including delivery of contrast fluids, drugs or a vasoocclusive agent, treatment of tumors, aneurysms, AVS (arteriovenous shunts) and so forth.
When a central member is to be moved within a catheter or sheath to perform an activity at or beyond the distal end of the catheter, after the catheter has been positioned, the central member is to be pushed through the catheter lumen. The more tortuous the path and the smaller the catheter the more difficult it is to advance the central member through the catheter lumen. This difficulty is in particular pronounced in coaxial systems for intracranial use. Where the central member is a delivery device for an embolization coil and must be rotated to disconnect from the coil upon release at the treatment site, the central member must be capable of transmitting torque to its distal end for assured coil disconnection; one such prior art coil delivery system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,136; but it is a common problem that such prior art coil delivery members have relatively high rigidity which is problematic in small or tortuous vessels with aneurysms. Where the device is a pusher to push a device such as a stent from the distal end of the catheter, the pusher must have substantial column strength as well as great flexibility.
Where a catheter is to be used for delivery of an endovascular prosthesis to a treatment site, such as a stent, a stent graft, a valve member, or a filter, where the prosthesis is compressed to pass through the catheter and then selfexpand upon release therefrom within a body lumen, the prosthesis must be constrained while within the catheter and imposes significant forces against the surrounding catheter body.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a medical device that includes a distal area that is very flexible and yet easily pushable and capable of transferring torque in an assured, controllable manner.
It is another objective to provide a catheter system that makes it easier to advance the central member through the catheter also in cases where the catheter exhibits sharp turns.
It is further an objective to provide a catheter that resists the substantial radially outward forces of a compressed endovascular prosthesis contained within the distal end thereof, and yet be very flexible and capable of transferring torque.
It is yet another objective to provide a central member for movement within a catheter lumen that is very flexible, has substantial column strength and/or is capable of transferring torque.
The foregoing and other problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved in an illustrative medical device for passage along the vasculature of a patient, having a body portion comprising primarily a plurality of coils or turns of a plurality of wound filaments or wires. The medical device may be a catheter or may be one or more components of a delivery system for endovascular devices, such as a central member within a catheter, for example, a pusher or delivery device for an embolization coil. Two to twelve filaments such as wires, and preferably from four to eight wires, are preferably helically wound adjacent to each other as a group or row with a pitch corresponding generally to the aggregate width of the adjacent wires in the row.
The wound wires transfer torque and also force components directed in the axial direction of the medical device to the distal end thereof, and this construction is found to give a very high resistance to kinking of the medical device. When a catheter according to the present invention is heavily bent, the cross-section of the catheter maintains a circular shape. This provides a distinct advantage over prior art catheters which are deformed into an oval shape in cross-section when bent leading to kinking. The catheter surprisingly maintains its capabilities for transferring torque and push when it follows a tortuous path involving two or more loops, probably because of the excellent kinking resistance. These qualities facilitate placement of the catheter at the desired position in the vascular system, and by making the catheter system so that the inner surface of the catheter is mainly undeformable by a central member moving axially therewithin, it is virtually impossible for the central member to get stuck in the catheter wall, even in situations where the catheter is heavily curved. This is in contrast to prior art coaxial systems where the catheter is made of a soft material such as a resin, the inner surface of which is readily deformable in a local area, causing the formation of a small bead in front of the tip of the central member bearing against the wall of the curved catheter. It is an advantage of the catheter according to the present invention that the wall is primarily made of wires that provide a hard and relatively slippery inner surface resulting in low resistance to advancing the central member through the lumen of the catheter.
The inventive catheter maintains three valuable characteristics of very high flexibility, pushability and torqueability even when set in a very tortuous pattern involving two or more tight loops, and the catheter can thus be of use in very small and distant vessels such as deep brain sites accessed by intracranial catheterization. Preferably, a thin sealing coating of elastic, low-friction material, or adhesive material may be provided over the outwardly directed surfaces of the coiled wires or along the inner surfaces that define a lumen, or at least in recesses between abutting wires or in interstices between nonabutting turns between the groups of wires, thus sealing the interstices between the wires so that the catheter wall is leakproof especially where the device is a catheter or sheath.
Further, wires may have the same diameter in the group and extend the entire length of the device, or the device may have portions with wires of different diameters, lessening toward the distal end and thereby decreasing gradually in outer diameter; the device may also have a noncoiled part in the proximal region such as a supplementary cannula or tubing.
In the present context, the term xe2x80x9ccatheterxe2x80x9d is to be understood in the sense that it can be an ordinary catheter, but also a sheath, which is a short catheter, and in the latter case the central member can be a catheter, e.g., a catheter according to the present invention. The sheath can have a check-flow valve or a fitting at the proximal end in order to stop bleeding out of the puncture site. In one aspect, the catheter may be utilized without a guidewire. When intended for use in a soft tissue region, it is preferred that the distal end of the catheter is provided with a buffer member, such as a soft obturator, that distributes the force from the catheter tip over a large area so that damage to the vascular wall is avoided. The term xe2x80x9ccentral memberxe2x80x9d can be a member that simply blocks the distal opening of the catheter during inflation of a balloon for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; it may also be an embolization means such as a sack containing several occlusion coils, or a stent for expansion on a balloon, a sensor body for measuring pressure or temperature or the composition of blood, a physical shunt member, a retrieval wire or a forceps used to retrieve another member from a vascular site; or it can be a central member of some other kind.
In another aspect, the number of wires may vary along the length of the catheter, such as reducing the number of wires in the row during the winding operation in the distal direction, enabling a larger pitch angle and increasing the flexibility of the catheter proximate to the distal end.
In a second embodiment, the medical device may be a delivery system for a prosthesis such as a stent, a stent graft, a valve member, or a filter, wherein the prosthesis is compressible to be placed within a receptacle at the distal end of the delivery catheter and is then radially expandable upon delivery to a treatment site after being urged from receptacle. The delivery system has a catheter shaft with a receptacle that may be simply a distal end portion of the catheter shaft, but the receptacle may also be a separate tubular member that extends from the distal end of the catheter shaft, or optionally partially within the distal end. The receptacle, whether integral with the catheter shaft or a separate member, is primarily defined by a group of wires wound about a lumen, thus having the same advantageous properties of high flexibility and kink resistance as the catheter shaft; optionally and preferably, when the receptacle is a separate member, the catheter shaft may also be of the inventive type hereinbefore set forth. The receptacle may have a larger lumen dimension than the lumen of the catheter shaft, such as by having a smaller wall thickness through use of smaller diameter wire or grinding away an innermost portion of the coiled wires of the distal tip when integral with the catheter shaft, since the wall thickness required for resisting the outward pressure from the radially compacted prosthesis is smaller than the wire thickness required to transmit axial thrust over a long shaft distance, such as 80 cm or more, enabling the outer diameter to remain the same as that of the catheter shaft portion.
In a third embodiment, a prosthesis receptacle is a separate member and is fixed to the helically wound multiple filament row of wires of the catheter shaft, in axial extension thereof. This allows the prosthesis receptacle to be designed and manufactured independently of the shaft portion. The mounting in direct extension of the wire or wires of the catheter shaft makes the prosthesis receptacle follow torsional actions on the shaft portion. Although the prosthesis receptacle can be designed in any manner capable of resisting the outward pressure applied to the inside of the receptacle by the compressed prosthesis, it is preferred that the prosthesis receptacle be a tubular segment of multiple filament construction, such as a braided wire construction providing the prosthesis receptacle with a high flexibility. More preferably, the receptacle is a construction of a second helically wound group or row of multiple wires; this makes it possible to obtain a very diminutive outer diameter as only a single layer of wires is required.
In yet another embodiment, the medical device may be a pusher for use in a delivery system of the type described above, where the pusher is primarily comprised of multiple wires that are helically coiled, resulting in a hollow construction with torqueability and pushability similar to the shaft portion of the delivery device and with slightly greater flexibility due to the smaller outer diameter of the row of wires.
In still another embodiment, the medical device may be used in an introducer for an embolization device, where the delivery member comprises primarily a plurality of wires to provide the advantageous torqueability of the present invention. The distal end of the delivery member thus is able to be rotated from rotation of the proximal end thereof, and thus being disconnectable through unscrewing from the embolization device, a technique that causes only negligible influence on the vasculature while enabling precise maintenance of the embolization device in its desired position during detachment even in very tortuous paths to treatment sites such as intracranial locations.

Endovascular medical device with plurality of wires


A method for predicting an amount of distortion experienced by turbine components due to the replacement of an upper turbine portion, such as an upper casing, is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a horizontal plane is defined by reference to support points for the turbine casing or shell. From this plane, the relative elevations of support points for a component being aligned is measured, as are elevations along the turbine lower casing at the same axial location as the component. From these relative elevations, vertical and/or transverse offset values are calculated using a predictive algorithm. These offset values may then be used to adjust the aligned component to compensate for the predicted amount of vertical and/or transverse displacement that occurs when the upper casing(s) is/are replaced.

One or more embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of steam turbines. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to the servicing of such turbines, such as the disassembly, reassembly, and alignment of components as a turbine is serviced.
Steam turbines are typically constructed using one or more removable upper portions (e.g., upper shells or casings) to allow access to components within the generator itself. The components within the turbine may include a large number of stationary and rotating components. Rotating components may include one or more wheels, shafts, bearings, etc. that rotate during the operation of the turbine. Stationary components may include one or more stationary wheels, diaphragms, support pads, deflectors, etc. that remain stationary during operation of the turbine. Turbines may also include one or more lower portions (e.g., lower shells or casings) that generally serve as a support for the other turbine components, and may also assist in sealing the steam path to prevent leakage.
Close tolerances among the various components of a turbine directly affect its efficiency. To illustrate, a large steam turbine weighing several tons may have tolerances for internal components measured in millimeters (mm), or in thousandths of an inch (mils). If stationary and rotating components are too close to one another, rubbing between the components may occur during operation. This rubbing makes it difficult to start the turbine after a servicing or overhaul, and generates excessive vibration. The rubbing also wears away the seals between the rotating and stationary components, and after the components have worn themselves free, excessive clearance will then exist in the areas in which rubbing occurred.
If stationary and rotating components are too far apart from another, steam leakage may occur between the components, reducing the efficiency of the turbine. Accordingly, great care is desirable when servicing or maintaining a turbine to ensure that the various components are aligned and positioned correctly.
During an offline servicing or overhaul of a turbine, various components of a turbine may be accessed by removing the upper casing or casings, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctopsxe2x80x9d. With the tops off, stationary and rotating components of the turbine may be inspected, adjusted, cleaned, repaired, replaced, and/or otherwise serviced. One type of inspection may determine the amount of displacement suffered by various components due to turbine operation. For example, certain stationary components might have shifted in alignment. Components that have become misaligned may then be realigned as a part of this inspection. Upon completion of the servicing or overhaul, the upper casings may be replaced, and the turbine returned to operation.
Unfortunately, an alignment problem commonly occurs when the tops are placed back on the turbine. The upper casings may weigh one ton or more, and the placement of these upper casings onto the turbine may cause an additional amount of displacement or distortion among the previously-aligned components. Such displacement may generally be referred to herein as tops on displacement. For example, a lower casing might bow or sag between support points when in the tops off condition, and one or more stationary components connected to the lower casing may shift as well. If the components are aligned with the tops off, they may shift when the tops are placed back on, and may actually shift out of alignment.
To address this problem, it is conventional to conduct a tops on/tops off alignment procedure. In this procedure, the upper casings are first removed and the various components are serviced and/or aligned as needed. After these components are serviced, the upper casings are replaced, and the various components are measured for position both vertically and transversely with respect to the centerline of the unit. Then, the upper casings are once again removed, and a tops off line is measured. The tops off line measures the transverse and vertical positions of the internal components with the upper casings and/or components removed. Then, these measurements are compared to determine an ideal line for the internal components when in the tops off condition.
Then, with the upper casings removed, the components are then adjusted to account for the tops on displacement. When the tops are placed back on, the components are then expected to shift into alignment. For example, a set of tops on and tops off measurements might show that a particular component shifts upwards 10 mils when the tops are placed on. This component may be aligned, in the tops off condition, to be 10 mils low to account for this rise.
The tops on/tops off procedure described above helps to ensure that various turbine components are in optimal alignment at the completion of the servicing. However, the tops on/tops off procedure is time consuming. Many hours are required to perform the various measurements, as well as removing and replacing the upper casings, resulting in higher costs for personnel time and a greater amount of lost revenue due to the turbine being offline. Consequently, there is a need for a turbine servicing procedure that can reduce the time needed to align various components of a turbine.
One or more embodiments of the present invention help to reduce the time needed to align turbine components, and will be summarized below. Briefly, in one embodiment, a series of measurements are taken to determine a relative displacement exhibited by various components in their tops off state. With these measurements, a predictive algorithm is employed to determine one or more predicted offset values to compensate for the tops on displacement. The various components may then be adjusted, while the turbine remains in a tops off state, to account for the anticipated tops on displacement. When the tops are then replaced, the components may displace themselves into alignment, reducing the need for a separate series of tops on measurement, removal of tops, and realignment of components.
In a further embodiment, a topographical distortion map may be generated using a reference plane through one or more support points located on a lower casing or shell. From this plane, the vertical displacements at one or more points in the turbine may be measured, and from these displacements, predictions of vertical and/or transverse displacements may be calculated. These predictions may then be used to adjust one or more components in the tops off condition to account for displacement occurring when going to the tops on condition.
These and other embodiments and features are described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings and the descriptions appearing below.

Method for steam turbine halfshell alignment


A lift device capable of performing an activating motion having a part suspension device for training an upper limb capable of easily and surely performing an upper limb activating motion and easy to handle and use such that it is free to pass over a sill height difference, comprising leg parts (3a, 3b) with a caster (2) having a sliding run-over plate (1), an equipment storage part (4), wheels (5), a lifting guide (6) installed erectedly on the equipment storage part by fixing one end thereof to the storage part, a lifting part (7) provided inside the lifting guide, a lifting drive part (9) drivingly lifting the lifting part, a lifting drive control part (10) controlling the lifting drive part, an operation towing arm (8) installed on the lifting part, part suspension device mounting devices (11) and (12) for training an upper limb, installed on the equipment storage part, a mounting hole (13) for the pan suspension device for training an upper limb provided in the lifting guide, and a part suspension device (14) for training an upper limb, installed on the mounting device for part suspension device for training an upper limb.

Many kinds of lifting aids as a handicapped person's care devices have been provided in multiple needs such as bathing assistance.
The lifting aids are used as an assistant device to make handicapped persons sit up and move easily.
However it is the most desirable that a care should effect handicapped people independent, but its realization has been difficult.
At the same time, lifts aids with wheels did not come into practical use in the situation where gaps and steps were obstacles. It is known popularly that lifting aids of ceiling tying type has been in wider use.
This inventor is applying the device for a motivative exercise of lower extremities.
The motivative exercise of lower extremities enables to prevent the contracture of equines position by the after effect of cerebrovascular disease.
And/or the motivative exercise is able to control the appearance of the spasticity by both using of the paralyzed part of the nervous system and the inhibition mechanism of controlling the mover and antagonist in order to the patients who became the condition of contracture of equines position.
It is also rational to think that the motivative exercise of upper extremities enables to=control the appearance of the spasticity by both using of the paralyzed part of the nervous system and the inhibition mechanism of controlling the mover and antagonist in order to the patients who became the condition of contracture of equines position.
This invention is intended to offer the combination device of both a motivative exercise device of upper extremities and a lifting aid;    the motivative exercise device can be used for making the handicapped people be independent form care reliance and    the lifting aids can be used and handled easily in the situation where the thresholds and gaps are obstacles and to get over the obstacles without any difficulties.
This device is useful for both a care and an independence of handicapped people at home.
And, the name of the combination device of both the lifting aids and upper extremities function training device is to be "motivative exercise and lifting aid dual device."

Motivative exercise and lifting aid dual device


In synthesizing a foreground picture and a background picture in accordance with a key signal, for example, by soft chroma key processing, a preview screen 102 as a picture as a result of processing by the key signal and a key parameter setting screen 101 for setting characteristics of the key signal are displayed. Characteristics of the key signal are changed on a three-dimensional space by information obtained through the key parameter setting screen 101, and the picture as a result of processing is changed on the preview screen 102. Thus, even when the range of key signal setting is adjusted on the three-dimensional color space, desired processing may be carried out by simple operation.

Conventionally, in chroma key processing using an editing device at a broadcasting station or the like, picture synthesis is carried out by inserting a background picture into a foreground picture.
Specifically, at a broadcasting station or the like, for example, an announcer is imaged with a screen of blue color as a background (so-called blue back), thereby generating an image signal of a foreground picture. Also, a desired object to be allocated to the background of the foreground picture is imaged, thereby generating an image signal of a background picture.
In an editing device or the like, in response to the operation by an operator, a color to be extracted from the foreground picture is preset by setting a reference signal level with respect to color-difference signals. In the case where picture synthesis is to be carried out by using a soft chroma key, in the editing device, lower limit and upper limit signal levels (that is, threshold values) are set with reference to a center color of the color to be extracted.
The editing device generates a key signal by sequentially comparing the threshold values with the image signal of the foreground picture. Specifically, with respect to the foreground picture generated with the background of blue color screen, the editing device generates a key signal by setting the upper limit and lower limit threshold values so that a value 0 is obtained in the background part while a value 1 is obtained with colors other than the blue color of the background. With respect to other bluish colors, a key signal is generated within a range of the value 1 to the value 0 corresponding to the upper limit and lower limit threshold values so that a value corresponding to the degree of blueness is obtained.
Thus, the conventional editing device generates a key signal by sequentially discriminating the color of the foreground picture, using a two-dimensional color space expressed by color-difference signals (that is, a color space with UV signals as coordinate axes). The editing device synthesizes the foreground picture and the background picture with reference to the key signal thus generated, so as to generate a synthetic picture such that the background picture is inserted in the background of the foreground picture.
Meanwhile, in the conventional editing device, it is difficult to discriminate a portion of a high luminance level and a portion of a low luminance level with the same color. Therefore, with respect to a synthetic picture generated by the conventional editing device, there arises a problem such that the contour of the inserted background picture is displayed in an unnatural manner, thus lowering the definition in comparison with the case where no chroma key processing is carried out.
As a method for solving this problem, it may be considered to express and process each pixel of the foreground picture on a three-dimensional color space. In this method, however, the range of key signal setting must be adjusted on the three-dimensional color space instead of the conventional two-dimensional color space, and therefore the operation to adjust chroma key processing might be complicated.

Video signal processing device and method, image synthesizing device, and editing device


A depriming device and a relative method for the removal of the primer from the head of cases of cartridges for firearms are described. The device includes a depriming mechanism, a device for positioning and restraining at least one case on a surface plate, at the depriming mechanism, and a movement device to shift the depriming mechanism from a raised position, in which the latter is moved away from the case to be deprimed, to a lowered position, in which it comes into contact with the primer of the case and push it thereby causing its detachment from the case itself.

As is known, firearm cartridges may comprise a bullet, or a plurality of bullets, such as pellets, which are associated to a case that defines a combustion chamber containing gunpowder and a primer that, once actuated, ignites the gunpowder, whose burning triggers the expulsion of the bullet. Generally, the case is closed at one end by means of a base or head; the primer is inserted in the head, in a specific cavity having a hole, named flash hole, which communicates with the combustion chamber. The flame produced by the activation of the primer passes through the flash hole and initiates the combustion of the gunpowder.
Depending on the type and dimensions of the firearm in which they are used, the cartridges, and more specifically the cases, have different calibers, i.e. different diameters.
In the field of sporting or hunting weapons, some users recharge the cartridges used. The cartridge must be deprimed by removing the primer from the head of the case to perform this operation. The case is then recalibrated, equipped with a new primer and recharged with the gunpowder. Then, a new bullet is assembled.
The depriming operation is carried out by means of manual tools, such as pliers, in which the case is positioned, equipped with a pin element mounted on a relative support and pushed inside the flash hole so as to push the primer outside of the cavity of the head. Such depriming devices, also referred to as deprimers, are however manual and require rather long depriming times as each cartridge has to be positioned, deprimed and then removed before proceeding with the next depriming; moreover, such devices must be equipped with pin-holder supports of different dimensions depending on the caliber of the cartridge to be deprimed.
Thus, they are not suitable for depriming quantities of cases in series and in little time.

Depriming device and method to deprime firearm cases


A pillow assembly that utilizes a hood to inhibit certain movements of the head. The pillow assembly utilizes a pillowcase having a top surface and a bottom surface. The pillowcase can be stuffed to become a pillow or can be used to cover a preexisting pillow. A hood structure is sewn onto the pillowcase. The hood structure is sewn onto the pillowcase along a single main seam. The sewing of the hood to the pillowcase along a single seam creates features in the hood structure that are beneficial to the comfortable restraint of the user's head. Furthermore, the hood structure has a forward opening, a hood apex, and a rear seam that extends from the apex down to the single main seam. The rear seam also helps to reinforce the hood structure so it can better prevent unintentional movements of the user's head.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to the structure of pillowcases or pillows that are retained within pillowcases. More particularly, the present invention relates to pillowcases and pillows that contain a secondary hood that can be worn about the head.
2. Prior Art Description
By nature of human physiology, it is difficult for a person to sleep comfortably when seated upright in a chair. As a person falls asleep in a sitting position, the body initially holds the head straight and upright. However, as the body falls into a deeper sleep, the muscles of the head and neck involuntarily relax. This causes the head to tilt to the side or fall forward. Often this tilting of the head to the front or side occurs rapidly. Consequently, as the head tilts, it jerks to a stop as it reaches the anatomical limits of movement. The jerk often momentarily wakes the person, causing the person to again straighten their head and neck as they quickly fall back to sleep. The cycle of falling asleep, having the head fall to a jerk, and correcting the position of the head, can occur multiple times in a short period of time.
If a person sleeps with their head titled or fallen forward, or if a person sleeps and experiences multiple jerks, then that person has a significant likelihood of developing a neck strain or pinched nerve in the neck. This causes pain in the neck when a person wakes and tries to turn his/her head. The pain can last for days.
Healthy people are usually only forced to sleep in a sitting position due to environmental circumstances. For example, a person may be required to sleep on a long airplane flight or on a long car ride. People also commonly fall asleep in a sitting position by accident, such as when they fall asleep sitting on a couch watching television. However, some people have medical conditions that require them to sleep in a sitting position. Such medical conditions include people with severe sleep apnea, people with digestive track diseases, and the like.
Traditional pillows are designed to support the head of a person when that person is sleeping while lying flat in a bed. If such a pillow is used by a person sleeping in a sitting position, then the traditional pillow would only increase the likelihood that a person's head would tilt to the side or fall forward.
Neck pillows are often used to support a person's neck as they sleep in a sitting position. However, traditional neck pillows are typically U-shaped and support only the back and sides of the neck. Traditional neck pillows provide no support in front of the head. Consequently, the use of a traditional neck pillow does not prevent a person's head from falling forward as they sleep. In fact, due to the presence of a pillow behind the user's neck, the use of a neck pillow may actually increase the likelihood that a person's head will fall forward and a neck injury will occur.
The present invention attempts to create a better pillow for those who sleep in a sitting position by connecting a unique hood structure to the pillow. In the prior art, pillows have been invented that include hoods. Consider the traditional pillow types shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,554 to Brown, and U.S. Pat. No. D270,320 to Smith. Also consider the neck pillow shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,954 to Bunkers.
In the prior art pillow systems that are cited, hoods are connected to pillows. However, the purpose of the hood is merely to cover the eyes and/or ears of a sleeping person so they can sleep better in a loud or bright environment. The hoods used in such prior art systems are not designed to stabilize the user's head and physically inhibit the user's head from either tilting to the side or falling forward. As such, the prior art pillows that have hoods, if used, would not prevent the neck injuries that commonly afflict people who sleep in sitting positions.
A need therefore exists for a pillow and hood assembly that can be comfortably borne by a person sleeping in a sitting position, wherein the pillow and hood are specifically designed to deter movement of the head and neck during sleep. In this manner, a person can sleep more comfortably in a sitting position without having their heads tilt to the sides or fall forward during sleep. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.

Pillowcase with integral secondary hood structure


A trailer tipper is disclosed for dumping material from the rear of a trailer which includes a main frame, a tipping deck mounted at one end of the main frame for supporting the trailer during pivotal movement of the tipping deck from a lowered position to a raised position for dumping the material from the back end of the trailer, a spill chute for receiving material discharged onto the tipping deck during pivotal movement thereof and a shape-modifiable transition chute connected to the tipping deck and the spill chute modifiable by pivotal movement of the tipping deck from a first configuration when the tipping deck is in the lowered position to a second configuration when the tipping deck is pivoted to the raised position.

The present invention relates to so-called xe2x80x9ctrailer tippers,xe2x80x9d apparatuses designed for simultaneously hoisting and tilting a trailer backward so that material in the trailer is discharged or dumped from its back end. Trailer tippers generally take the form of large, welded steel structures which include an elongate main frame for supporting a tipping platform or deck which is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the main frame, movable between a first lowered position to a second tilted or raised position. The tipping deck is dimensioned for receiving a large trailer loaded with material, such as refuse, to be dumped, and the sequence of operation is generally as follows.
The driver of a tractor-trailer rig backs the trailer onto the tipping deck when it is lowered, unhooks the trailer to leave it there and drives the tractor off. An operator (which may or may not be the driver) operates power-driven actuators connected to the tipping deck to pivot it upwardly to a tilt angle of approximately 60-70xc2x0 relative to the horizontal so that material from the trailer is discharged through its open-doored back end and dumped onto the ground at a selected dump site. Trailer tippers have found successful application for discharging loads from refuse trailers at large landfills and other refuse sites, as well as for dumping aggregate and other materials at construction and building sites and staging areas.
Examples of trailer tippers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,548; 5,344,271; 5,458,451 and 6,019,568. In the ""568 patent, there is disclosed a spill gate for a trailer tipper which is connected to the rear of the tipping deck operable for being selectively positioned to engage the spill chute on the main frame when the tipping deck is tipped upwardly. The purpose of the spill gate disclosed in the ""568 patent is to direct material spilled from the trailer and accumulated on the tipping deck to the spill chute, as the deck is raised into dumping position. The spill gate design serves as a supplemental chute to guide material away from the main frame when the tipping deck is raised to the dumping position. The spill gate disclosed in the patent is a flat, nondeformable, rigid plate which is pivotally mounted at a bottom edge thereof to a cross beam at the rear of the tipping deck, and spans across the width of the spill chute. A hydraulic cylinder connected to the cross beam has its rod connected to the spill gate, and is operable for pivoting the spill gate about its pivot connection to the cross beam.
The spill gate disclosed in the ""568 patent operates to remove spillage from the tipping deck and main frame generally as follows. The tipping deck is initially positioned in its stowed or lowered position and a trailer is backed thereonto, after which the tractor is uncoupled and driven off the tipping deck. The hydraulic cylinder which operates to position the spill gate is retracted to orient the spill gate substantially vertically. As the tipping deck is pivoted upwardly, an operator must sequentially actuate the hydraulic cylinder to extend its rod so that the spill gate is pivoted about its pivot connection, in an opposite sense to the tipping deck, to engage the top of the upper end of the spill chute. As the tipping deck continues to be raised, the operator continuously extends the rod of the spill gate actuator so that the spill gate maintains a path for directing any overflow material from the tipping deck onto the spill chute.
While the spill gate construction disclosed in the ""568 patent provides an adequate way for disposing of material inadvertently built up or spilled onto the tipping deck from being subsequently spilled onto the main frame, it does require operator attention for trouble-free operation. Not only must an operator control the spill gate during raising of the tipping deck, but also must sequentially retract the spill gate from its extended position during lowering of the tipping deck. If the operator neglects to actuate the spill gate to rotate it away from the spill chute during lowering, the spill chute will be forced against the spill gate.
Because of the significant weight of the trailer and tipping deck, and because the spill chute is rigidly mounted on the main frame, the spill gate can be damaged, or in the extreme, torn away from its mounting to the tipping deck. And two operators may be necessary; one to control raising and lowering of the tipping deck about its pivotal connection to the main frame, and another simultaneously to operate the spill gate actuator for extension and retraction of the spill gate. Because the spill gate and its actuator are both pivotally connected to the tipping deck, and because movable parts such as a hydraulic rod are involved, material which has accumulated on the tipping deck can foul these components over time. Maintenance and repair of the hydraulic components and the pivot connections must be ongoing, particularly in applications where refuse is being dumped.
The present invention is directed to providing a novel shape-modifiable transition chute formed of flexible material to replace the spill gate shown in the ""568 patent and facilitate transfer of accumulated spillage from the tipping deck to the spill chute. In accordance with the present invention, the transition chute includes a flexible member connected both to the rear of the tipping deck and to the upper end of the spill chute. The flexible or shape-modifiable nature of the transition chute enables it to remain continuously connected to the tipping deck and the spill chute during all phases of pivotal movement of the tipping deck from its lowered to its raised positions.
When the tipping deck is in its stowed or lowered position, the transition chlute is partially deformed or bent to a collapsed configuration, owing to the flexible nature of its material. As the tipping deck is raised or tilted upwardly, it moves about its pivot connection to the main frame, simultaneously swinging the end of the transition chute, connected to the tipping deck, along an arcuate path. As the tipping deck finally reaches its ultimate diagonal or tilted position, relative to the ground, the shape of the flexible transition chute has expanded from its initial, partially collapsed first configuration to a second configuration, defining a substantially planar expanse which presents a smooth, inclined and somewhat resilient surface for receiving and directing material which has been spilled onto the tipping deck to be directed downwardly onto the spill chute for further egress.
The flexible or shape-modifiable nature of the transition chute enables it to be easily installed and readily maintained, as well as being retrofitted onto existing trailer tippers. If for some reason the transition chute becomes torn or otherwise damaged and needs repair or replacement, it can readily be detached and a substitute installed. The flexible nature of the transition chute also provides the additional advantage of shock absorption. As heavy and large chunks of material, such as refuse material, collide with the transition chute in its intermediate or raised positions, the transition chute may flex or give, and provides a resilient, as opposed to rigid, surface.
The shape-modifiable transition chute of the present invention may be made of readily available materials, such as rubberized conveyor belt material or rubber or vinyl belts could be used, so long as they were sufficiently thick and resilient to withstand material impact.

Shape-modifiable transition chute for trailer tipper


What is described is a polymeric hydrogel of a polymeric anhydride or acid, e.g. maleic anhydride or maleic acid polymer, or copolymer thereof, crosslinked with a crosslinking agent containing at least 2 crosslinkable groups, particularly, xe2x80x94OH or xe2x80x94NH2, or both. The reaction product is a crosslinked polymeric ester or amide/imide, or both, suitably having a mole ratio of xe2x80x94OH, or xe2x80x94NH2, to xe2x80x94COOH, of 1:10 to 10:1, preferably 2:10 to 7:1. The hydrogel is particularly swellable in water, e.g.  greater than 100% in 1 hour in aqueous media; and forms a thin, tacky layer on a substrate, which property is useful in bioadhesive products.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hydrogels, and, more particularly, to polymeric hydrogels which are crosslinked polymeric esters or amides/imides, or both, of a polymeric anhydride or acid, or copolymers thereof, which are very swellable in water, and form thin, tacky layers on a substrate, and bioadhesive products thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydrogels are polymeric materials which can swell appreciably in water. However, what is described as hydrogels can be viscous polymeric solutions without the swelling characteristic of a true hydrogel. Such hydrogels also are not tacky, a necessary property for making bioadhesive products. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,740,365; 4,990,551; 5,135,753; 5,336,501; and 5,846,214. Accordingly, it is desired to provide new and useful polymeric hydrogels having exceptional swelling properties in water, and which are tacky; and bioadhesive products of such hydrogels.


A feeder for bulk solids has a rotatable bin with an open bottom and an open top and is tilted so that one side of the bin is substantially vertical. A rotating auger is located within the bin having a vertically oriented exposed helical fin. Longitudinal ribs are secured on an inner surface of the bin and spaced radially. Material is loaded into the open top of the rotating bin, tumbling the material toward the bottom of the bin causing the material to constantly contact the rotating auger. The auger then feeds the material through the open bottom of the bin. Ribs engage the material in the bin enhancing tumbling and feeding.

Bulk solids, such as biomass, are notoriously difficult to feed reliably. Auger feeder systems tend to form holes where material is removed in the vicinity of the auger but bridges above the hole, preventing feeding. Bin feeder systems tend to bridge at the outlet of the bin, preventing the material from feeding out of the bottom of the bin.
Current biomass analytical sample analysis equipment requires manual feeding of biomass into the mill, requiring a large amount of labor. Systems to automatically feed biomass samples are unable to handle a variety of biomass materials or to feed reliably.
The ability to reliably and consistently feed biomass material into a subsequent process is also a major problem with biomass processing, particularly where herbaceous biomass is to be used. Herbaceous biomass tends to be stringy and fluffy, resulting in difficulty in maintaining continuous feeding.


Various example embodiments of the disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for providing a service based on context information in an electronic device. In this case, a portable electronic apparatus may include a communication module, an air pressure sensor configured to measure air pressure, a processor electrically coupled to the communication module and the air pressure sensor, and a memory electrically coupled to the processor. The memory may store instructions, when executed, for configuring the processor to determine whether the electronic device is located in a first geofence using the communication module, start monitoring of the air pressure by using the air pressure sensor at least in part on the determining that the electronic device is located in the first geofence, deactivate at least one part of the communication module when the monitored air pressure satisfies one or more of a first range and a first change rate, and re-activate the deactivated at least one part of the communication module when the monitored air pressure satisfies one or more of a second range and a second change rate after the at least one part of the communication module is deactivated. Other example embodiments may also be possible.

1. Field
Various example embodiments of the disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for providing a mode change and/or a service based on sensing data in an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic device may recognize a plane taking-off or landing situation using at least one of an accelerometer and an air pressure sensor. For example, the electronic device may determine that a plane is in a taking-off state when an acceleration greater than or equal to a reference signal is detected using the accelerometer and is maintained for a reference time. The electronic device may determine that the plane is in the taking-off state on the basis of an absolute air pressure value detected using the air pressure sensor.

Method for providing service based on awareness and an electronic device thereof


A resist pattern (51) is formed only on buried silicon oxide films (2) on the whole surface of an alignment mark area (11A) and a trench (10C). With the resist pattern (51), preetching is performed by dry etching, to remove the silicon oxide film (2) on the whole of a memory cell area (11B) and part of a peripheral circuit area (11C) by a predetermined thickness. After removing the resist pattern (51), a silicon oxide film (3) and a silicon nitride film (4) are removed by CMP polishing, to provide a height difference between the highest portion and the lowest portion of the silicon oxide film (2A) which serves as an alignment mark. Thus, a semiconductor device with trench isolation structure which achieves a highly accurate alignment without deterioration of device performance and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device can be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to an alignment mark used for superimpose the first electrode on an element active region with high accuracy in a semiconductor device with trench isolation structure.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIGS. 45 to 51 are cross sections showing steps for manufacturing a semiconductor device with trench isolation structure in the background art. The manufacturing method will be discussed below, with reference to these figures.
First, a silicon oxide film 3 and a silicon nitride film 4 are formed on a silicon substrate 1 in this order. With a field mask, the silicon oxide film 3 and the silicon nitride film 4 are patterned. The resist used for the patterning is removed and a dry etching of 2000 to 4000 .ANG. is performed to form trenches 10 (10A to 10C) having a predetermined depth in the silicon substrate 1 as shown in FIG. 45. Specifically, relatively wide trenches 10A are formed in an alignment mark area 11A, narrow trenches 10B are formed in a memory cell area 11B and wide trenches 10C are formed in a peripheral circuit area 11C. Thus, the trenches 10A and 10C in the alignment mark area 11A and the peripheral circuit area 11C are formed in a loose pattern and the trenches 10B in the memory cell 11B are formed in a dense pattern.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 46, side surfaces and bottom surfaces of the trenches 10A to 10C are oxidized by thermal oxidation and then a silicon oxide film 2 is deposited by CVD. While the silicon oxide film 2 on the wide trenches 10A and 10C is as thick as the deposited film, the silicon oxide film 2 on the narrow trench 10B is thicker than the deposited film since the insulating film is buried into the narrow trenches at an early stage of deposition. In other words, there is a difference in thickness between the silicon oxide film 2 on the trenches 10B and that on the trenches 10A and 10C. The difference is referred to as a thickness difference of silicon oxide film on trench.
In order to reduce the thickness difference of silicon oxide film on trench, a resist pattern 5 is formed only on the buried silicon oxide films 2 on the wide trenches 10A and 10C with a mask which is different from the field mask, as shown in FIG. 47, and then a dry etching is performed to remove part of the silicon oxide film which is convex. Hereinafter, this step is referred to as preetching in some cases.
After removing the resist pattern 5, the whole surface is entirely polished by CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing), as shown in FIG. 48, to remove the silicon oxide film on the silicon nitride film 4 and part of the silicon oxide film on the trenches 10A to 10C.
Next, as shown in FIG. 49, the silicon nitride film 4 is removed with phosphoric acid and the silicon oxide film 3 is removed with hydrofluoric acid, to form a buried silicon film 2A in the alignment mark area 11A, a buried silicon film 2B in the memory cell area 11B and a buried silicon film 2C in the peripheral circuit area 11C which constitute a trench isolation structure.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 50, a gate oxide film 6 is formed by thermal oxidation and a polysilicon film 7 doped with phosphorus and a tungsten silicide film 8 are formed on the gate oxide film 6 in this order.
Next, as shown in FIG. 51, with the buried silicon oxide film 2A (alignment mark) which is formed on the step of forming the isolation structure in the alignment mark area 11A, a pattern for superimposing a gate electrode on an isolation region is formed by photolithography, and gate electrodes 14 are formed in the memory cell area 11B and the peripheral circuit area 11C through partially removing part of the tungsten silicide film 8 and the polysilicon film 7 by dry etching.
The semiconductor device and the method for manufacturing the same in the background art as discussed above have the following problem.
In patterning of the gate electrode 14 made of the first electrode material, to form a pattern in a predetermined portion of the active region, it is necessary to superimpose it on the active region. For this superimposition, the alignment mark 2A which is formed in the step of forming the isolation structure in the alignment mark area 11A is used.
In the semiconductor device with trench isolation structure, however, it is difficult to detect the mark by the height difference of surface since there is little difference in height of the alignment mark. Moreover, since a silicide film which is part of the gate electrode material reflects light (monochromatic light (wavelength: 633 m)) and white light (wavelength: 530 to 800 m), not passing light, it is also difficult to detect the mark by image recognition.
With difficulties of the mark detection, the accuracy of alignment becomes lower and therefore it disadvantageously becomes impossible to achieve accurate superimposition of gate masks for formation of gate electrode.

Semiconductor device having a trench isolation structure and an alignment mark area


There is provided an information processing apparatus including: an image specification condition setting section that sets an image specification condition for an imaging apparatus; and an image specification instruction section that issues an image specification instruction to the imaging apparatus when the image specification condition is satisfied by the imaging apparatus.

The present technology relates to an information processing apparatus, an imaging apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing program, and an imaging system. The related art has proposed video camera apparatuses that have a remote control function. For example, there has been proposed a video camera apparatus that performs photography on the basis of control data transmitted from a remote controller through wireless communication and transmits a photographed image to a remote controller side (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-331434).
Further, there has been proposed a system that performs remote photography control of a digital camera by performing wireless communication with the digital camera and using an information processing apparatus (smartphone, mobile phone terminal, or the like) equipped with an application that has a function capable of remote photography control.

Information processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, information processing method, and imaging system


A stick structure. The stick structure is resiliently extensible and adjustable in length. The adjustment of length of the stick can be easily achieved by both right-handed and left-handed users. The stick includes multiple fitting tubes nested in each other and an adjusting/locating device and a resilient extensible device disposed at the fitting sections of the fitting tubes. When rotating clockwise or counterclockwise any of the fitting tubes, the rotary body is rotated to forcedly stretch apart the damper to tightly abut against the inner circumference of another fitting tube so as to easily adjust the length of the stick and fix the stick. In addition, depending on use in different environments, the stick is freely and resiliently extensible to a certain extent.

The present invention is related to a stick which is resiliently extensible and adjustable in length. The adjustment can be easily achieved by both right-handed and left-handed users.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-49004 discloses a stageless adjustment device for a stick. A rotary shaft is integrally disposed on top end of the lower fitting tube of the stick. The rotary shaft has a central conic body formed with conic circumference. A resilient cylindrical damper and an eccentrically rotatable circular palate are screwed on the outer circumference of the rotary shaft. When rotating the lower fitting tube to press the circular plate against the inner circumference of the upper fitting tube, the damper is outwardly stretched by the rotary shaft to abut against the inner circumference of the upper fitting tube. Under such circumstance, the upper fitting tube is adjustably fixed with the lower fitting tube.
In the above stageless adjustment device, the circular plate is necessary. Such structure is complicated so that the manufacturing cost is relatively high. Moreover, the circular plate is likely to detach from the damper so that the adjustment device can be hardly durably used.
When fastening the upper fitting tube with the lower fitting tube, it is necessary to rotate the lower fitting tube in a fixed direction which is generally designed for a right-handed user. Therefore, it is inconvenient for a left-handed user to use the stick.
Furthermore, the stick with the above stageless adjustment device cannot be adjusted in accordance with the environment. Therefore, it often takes place that a user cannot conveniently and comfortably use the stick.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a stick structure which has a stageless adjusting/location device and is resiliently extensible and adjustable in length. When clockwise or counterclockwise rotating a daughter fitting tubes, the daughter fitting tube will tightly abut against the inner circumference of a mother fitting tube so as to easily adjust the length of the stick and firmly fix the stick at the length. The adjustment of length of the stick can be easily achieved by both right-handed and left-handed users.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:


An apparatus is provided for indicating if the temperature of a fluid within a machine has surpassed a critical temperature. An integrally formed support of a rigid material able to withstand the critical temperature includes a head and a cavity formed within the head. The head provides a hexagonal nut such that a standard socket wrench or other wrench may be used to engage and rotationally drive the head of the device. An engagement shaft extends from the head and provides an external machine screw thread that enables engagement of the shaft within a complimentary threaded hole in the machine. The shaft further includes an axial bore that extends from a distal end of the shaft, through the shaft, and terminates adjacent to the cavity within the head. A temperature indicator is made of a material having a melting temperature equal to the critical temperature and is bonded within the cavity such that the support means and the indicator means are in good thermal contact. As such, when fitted into the machine, the indicator is maintained at the temperature of the fluid. If the fluid temperature exceeds the critical temperature, the indicator will melt, thereby indicating to a person looking into the cavity that the fluid in the machine had surpassed at least the critical temperature.

Warranties for machines, such as engines, typically become void if it can be shown that the operator of such a machine was negligent in its operation. For example, combustion engines require a minimum level of circulating lubricating oil, or the like, flowing through the engine for the engine to operate at a proper temperature. In the event that the engine is low on oil, the engine components can overheat to the point of causing irreversible damage. Since such an event is the result of neglect on behalf of the operator, and not the fault of engine manufacturers and service personnel who warrant such engines, warrantors would like to prove neglect was the cause of the damage to the engine in such cases. Clearly if neglect can be proven, fraudulent warranty claims can be significantly reduced.
Hastings Co. markets a product called "Heat Tabs" that comprises a disk that is adhered to the engine. The disk includes a heat sensitive material that melts upon reaching a certain critical temperature, such as 250.degree. F., thereby providing visual evidence that the temperature of the engine reached at least 250.degree. F. With such a device installed upon the engine, a person may observe the heat sensitive material to see if it has melted. One drawback to such a device, however, is that it must be adhered to the engine with an adhesive, and is therefore prone to being removed either inadvertently or purposefully. Removal of such a device does not disable the engine. Further, such a device indicates only if the exterior surface of the engine has exceeded the critical temperature. The fluid inside the engine may have reached much higher temperatures. Consequently, in instances where the fluid inside the engine has reached the critical temperature, but the outside surface of the engine has not, such prior art devices will not indicate that the engine temperature reached the critical temperature.
Clearly, then, there is a need for a temperature indicator that indicates if the temperature of fluid within an engine has surpassed a critical temperature. Such a needed device, if removed from the engine, would quickly disable the engine. Further, such a needed device could readily be used in conjunction with a tamper-proof seal that indicates if the device has been removed from the engine. Such a needed invention would not be easily removed from the engine. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.


An improved process for preparing a silver-supported catalyst for use in the production of ethylene oxide by catalytic vapor phase oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen, which comprises impregnating a porous inorganic carrier with a solution of a silver compound containing a reducing compound, subjecting the impregnated product to a reducing treatment at 50.degree. to 200.degree. C. to disperse and deposit metallic silver on the external surface of the carrier and the internal surfaces of its pores, washing the silver-supported carrier with water, a lower alcohol or both, drying the washed product at a temperature of 50.degree. to 150.degree. C., impregnating the dried product with a solution containing a promoter, and evaporating the liquid ingredients.

This invention relates to a process for preparing a silver-supported catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide. More specifically, it relates to a process for preparing a silver-supported catalyst which when used in the catalytic vapor phase oxidation of ethylene with a molecular oxygen-containing gas, can afford ethylene oxide with a high level of catalytic activity.
Catalysts for use in the commercial production of ethylene oxide by catalytic vapor phase oxidation with molecular oxygen are required to have a long catalytic lifetime in addition to a high activity and selectivity. Many silver-supported catalysts have been suggested heretofore in an attempt to improve these properties. For example, the inventions disclosed in British Pat. Nos. 1,300,971, 1,020,759, and 1,413,251, U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,259, and British Pat. No. 1,489,335 are known. These patent documents disclose that a silver-supported catalyst is prepared by depositing silver or a silver compound together with an alkali metal compound, an alkaline earth metal compound or another metal compound as a promoter on a suitable inorganic carrier by a coating method or impregnating method, and then reducing or heat-treating the product. Such known catalysts attain industrially required levels of conversion of ethylene and selectivity to ethylene oxide, but are still not satisfactory and require further improvement with regard to the method of supporting silver or a silver compound, the selection of the promoter, the method of adding the promoter, the selection of the carrier, and the method of activating the catalyst. For example, the catalytic activity of supported metallic silver is greatly affected by the method of preparing metallic silver, the method of its supporting, the method of activation, etc. The reducing treatment and heat-treatment at a temperature of 250.degree. C. or higher and at times more than 300.degree. C. which are suggested in these documents as improved methods never give stable highly active silver, and moreover involve a danger of explosion and combustion. The type of the promoter compound, the time of its addition and the method of its addition markedly affect the activity of the resulting catalyst. Further, the properties of the carrier, i.e. the specific surface area, the pore distribution, etc. greatly affect the activity or selectivity of the catalyst.
It is an object of this invention therefore to remedy these defects of the prior art in silver-supported catalysts.

Process for preparing silver-supported catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide


A control is provided for controlling reengagement of a master clutch (16) in a vehicular automated mechanical transmission system. A nominal reengagement rate (CLU.sub.-- RATE) is determined as a function of engine lag (K.sub.1), throttle position (THL), engine acceleration/deceleration (dES/dt) and/or input shaft acceleration/deceleration (dIS/dr). To provide smoother shifting during braking (BRK=1, THL=0) and/or coasting (THL<30%) downshifts, the clutch is reengaged at a rate slower than the nominal reengagement rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a master clutch reengagement control for an automated mechanical transmission system of the type having a clutch actuator operated by the system controller. In particular, the present invention relates to a master clutch control for controlling the rate of reengagement of a vehicular automated mechanical transmission system master clutch upon completion of a downshift.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Change-gear mechanical transmissions (i.e., transmissions shifted by engaging and disengaging selected jaw clutches), both synchronized and nonsynchronized, are well known in the prior art. Examples of such transmissions may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,497,396; 3,221,851; 4,754,665 and 4,735,109, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Automatic and partially automatic mechanical transmission systems wherein the operation of mechanical transmissions is at least partially automated, usually by means of sensors providing input signals to a central control unit (usually microprocessor based) which processes the signals in accordance with predetermined logic rules to issue command output signals to actuators, are also well known in the prior art as may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,081,065; 4,361,060; 4,648,290 and 4,595,986, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Controls for controlling the rate of engaging the vehicle master clutch, both for start-from-stop and for dynamic shifting, are well known in the prior art. Typically, the controls involved a rapid movement to the "touch point" or point of "incipient engagement," and then a modulated continuing engagement thereafter. Examples of such controls may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,081,065; 4,638,898; 4,646,891; 4,766,967; 5,184,301; 5,316,116 and 5,335,174, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Briefly, in automated mechanical transmission systems of the type having non-manually controlled clutch actuators, a downshift is accomplished by the "double clutching" technique comprising disengaging the master clutch, shifting to neutral, engaging the master clutch and accelerating the engine and transmission input shaft to synchronous for the current output shaft speed and target gear ratio (ES=IS=OS * GR.sub.T), disengaging the master clutch, engaging the target gear ratio, and then reengaging the master clutch.
The prior art clutch controls were not totally satisfactory, as downshifting during rapid deceleration (i.e., during braking) and/or coasting conditions (i.e., light throttle conditions) was not as consistently smooth as desired. By way of example, during a braking operation, the vehicle speed (i.e., output shaft speed (OS)) will change rapidly and the engine speed (ES) will often go to a higher-than-desired value due to lag time and the fact that typical diesel engines, as used in heavy-duty trucks, will respond quicker to increasing fuel than to decreasing fuel. The clutch actuator is normally relatively quickly responsive to disengage the master clutch, allowing the input shaft (IS) to coast to synchronous for completion of the shift, whereupon the input shaft speed (IS=OS * GR) will continue to decelerate. Upon reengagement of the master clutch, the slip (i.e., ES-IS) will be reduced to zero. The greater the slip upon reengagement of the master clutch, the harsher the clutch reengagement.

Main clutch reengagement control for a double clutch downshift


Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode. The organic light-emitting diode comprises at least one light-emitting part between an anode and a cathode, wherein the at least one light-emitting part has at least one organic layer and an emissive layer. The at least one organic layer is composed of a compound having one or more heteroatoms, and the compound has an energy level due to the heteroatoms and conductive characteristics due to the energy level.

Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to an organic light emitting diode. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an organic light emitting diode which can decrease driving voltage and improve lifetime by having an n type-charge generation layer (n-CGL) or electron transporting layer that is capable of injecting more electrons.
Discussion of the Related Art
In recent years, as the demand for flat panel displays is growing, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices are drawing attention. An OLED is a device that uses organic materials to convert electrical energy into light energy, and includes a layer of organic materials capable of emitting light, disposed between an anode and a cathode. OLEDs may form a variety of structures. Among those OLEDs, research on tandem organic light-emitting diodes with a plurality of emissive layers stacked is underway.
A tandem organic light-emitting diode is formed of a plurality of light-emitting parts, each having a hole injection layer, a hole transporting layer, an emissive layer, an electron transporting layer, and an electron injection layer stacked between an anode and a cathode. An n-type charge generation layer and a p-type charge generation layer are formed between each of the light-emitting parts of the tandem organic light-emitting diode. As electric charges are generated between the n-type charge generation layer and the p-type charge generation layer, electrons flow to the electron injection layer adjacent to the n-type charge generation layer, and holes are transported to the hole injection layer adjacent to the n-type charge generation layer. In this case, device efficiency depends on the interface characteristics and the difference in the energy level between the p-type charge generation layer and the n-type charge generation layer, and the interface characteristics and the difference in the energy level between the n-type charge generation layer and a doped alkali metal.
As the difference in energy level between the n-type charge generation layer and the p-type charge generation layer becomes larger, more charges are generated at the interface of the hole injection layer adjacent to the p-type charge generation layer, making electron injection into the n-type charge generation layer difficult.
Moreover, in the case of an n-type charge generation layer doped with an alkali metal, the alkali metal diffuses into the p-type charge generation layer, causing leakage current. The leakage current decreases the lifetime of the device.
A related art example of a compound for an organic photoelectronic device, an organic light-emitting diode including the same, and a display including the organic light emitting diode is provided in Korean Laid-Open Patent No. 2013-0079237.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method and test means for determining a specific binding substance, such as an antigen or hapten, in a liquid sample wherein a solid, nonspecific adsorbent is contacted, preferably in sequence, with the sample and a labeled form of a binding partner for the substance to be determined, such as a labeled antibody. The amount of label which becomes associated with the adsorbent by binding of the labeled binding partner to the adsorbed substance to be determined, i.e., in a sandwich fashion, is a function of the amount of the substance to be determined in the liquid sample. Preferably, the adsorbent is an ion exchange material, and the assay steps are carried out under pH conditions between the isoelectric points (pI values) of the substance to be determined and the labeled binding partner. The method and test means are particularly suited for the detection of hepatitis B surface (HB.sub.s) antigen, especially where the label is a radioactive material and a column format is employed. The resultant radioimmunoadsorbent (RI-Ad.sup.TM) assay and test means for HB.sub.s antigen offers significant manufacturing and user advantages over the prior art methods and test means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and means for determining a substance in a liquid based on its affinity for a specific binding partner. In one aspect, therefore, the present invention relates to binding assays of the immunological type for determining antigens and haptens or their antibodies. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods and means for detecting hepatitis B surface (HB.sub.s) antigen in serum and plasma samples.
There is an ever increasing interest in improving specific binding assay techniques and test means. Classical RIA techniques involve competition between sample antigen and radiolabeled antigen for binding with a specific antibody. The amount of radioactivity which becomes associated with the antibody is a function of sample antigen concentration and can be determined by precipitating, and thereafter separating, the radioactive antigen-antibody complex, or more conveniently, by using an insoluble form of antibody such as antibody coupled to solid particles or matrices. Recently, several alternative labeling materials have been reported for replacement of radioisotopes, including enzymes, coenzymes, enzyme substrates, fluorescent molecules, molecules capable of participating in light producing reactions, and enzyme modulators.
There is a particular need for a more advantageous specific binding assay technique for detecting hepatitis B surface (HB.sub.s) antigen in samples of serum or plasma. It is well accepted that a patient can contract hepatitis after receiving a transfusion of blood containing HB.sub.s antigen. Until recently, a wide variety of techniques were used routinely by hospital laboratories and blood banks to detect HB.sub.s antigen in blood drawn for transfusion purposes. Such techniques included immunodiffusion, complement fixation, counterelectrophoresis, latex agglutination, hemagglutination, and RIA. Recently, it has become a requirement in the United States that blood drawn for transfusion be tested for hepatitis by the most sensitive assay techniques available. RIA methods have since become the most widely used for detecting HB.sub.s antigen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several specific binding assay techniques have evolved which make use of nonspecific binders or adsorbents. Such specific binding-adsorbent assays fall into two distinct categories:

Specific binding-adsorbent assay test means


A sheet tray includes a first tray and a second tray each including a first friction portion or a first contact portion, and a second friction portion or a second contact portion. In a process of movement of the second tray from a first position to a second position, the first friction portion contacts the first contact portion to deform the first contact portion and starts returning the first contact portion from a deformed shape to an original shape when the second tray is located at a position spaced apart from the second position in a second direction. The second friction portion contacts the second contact portion when the second tray moved from the first position in a first direction has reached the second position, and the second friction portion deforms the second contact portion when the second tray is moved from the second position in the first direction.

The following disclosure relates to a sheet tray for supporting a sheet.
Many image recording apparatuses such as printers are provided with a sheet tray for supporting a sheet on which an image is recorded. Some sheet trays can be extended and contracted in a plurality of steps so as to support sheets of various sizes.
For example, there is known an image recording apparatus including a sheet-output tray and a subsidiary tray movable with respect to the sheet-output tray. The subsidiary tray is movable to (i) a retracted position at which the subsidiary tray is stored in the sheet-output tray, (ii) a small protruding position at which the subsidiary tray protrudes from the sheet-output tray by a small amount, and (iii) a large protruding position at which the subsidiary tray protrudes from the sheet-output tray by a large amount.
Each of the subsidiary tray and the sheet-output tray is provided with a protrusion. These protrusions contact each other to keep the subsidiary tray at the small protruding position. This contact also applies a click feeling to a user when the subsidiary tray is moved from the retracted position to the small protruding position. When one of the protrusions is moved beyond the other, the subsidiary tray is movable from the small protruding position to the large protruding position.


A method and apparatus for separating a residual crude oil into a light oil fraction and a heavy oil fraction in which the oil is first separated into a first light oil fraction and a first heavy oil fraction, the first heavy oil fraction is further separated into a second light oil fraction, an intermediate oil fraction and a second heavy oil fraction and the intermediate fraction is recycled to the first separation step.

The present invention relates to the separation and processing of crude oil. More specifically the present invention relates to the separation and processing of crude oil to maximize the production of gasoline.
The first step in processing almost all petroleum or crude oil is to distill the oil to remove the major portion of the more volatile components and leave a residual oil or residuum ofter referred to as a reduced crude, a topped crude and by various other terms depending upon the specific separation technique. The process by which this is accomplished is often referred to as stripping, skimming, topping or the like and normally involves fractionation of the volatile components into the various preliminary classifications of products. Such fractionation is accomplished in a pipe still or fractionating tower which separates fractions or cuts according to their boiling range. In one specific instance the fractionator is operated at atmospheric pressure and steam is used as a stripping medium.
Generally this preliminary classification or separation follows a somewhat similar pattern for all crude oils. Specifically, a gas is taken off as an overhead, which ultimately may be treated, separated and utilized, in part, as feed for the production of chemicals, a light blending stock of gasoline, etc. and a gasoline fraction, usually referred to as straight run or virgin gasoline is separated as a top side cut from the fractionator and, of course, is useful as an automotive fuel, usually after upgrading as by reforming to higher octane product. From this point it is possible to produce any number of side cuts having different boiling ranges depending upon the type of crude and the ultimate products desired. However, in general, the next lighter side cut is usually a kerosene fraction utilizable as a furnace oil, jet fuel or the like, then a middle distillate often referred to as virgin or straight run gas oil which may be used as a source of lube oil and/or waxes or as a cracking stock for the production of gasoline, depending upon the type of crude oil processed. Finally, all crudes produce a bottoms cut, heretofore referred to as a reduced crude or topped crude, which may be processed to produce asphalt, lube oils, wax products, and the like or at least a portion thereof can be cracked to produce additional gasoline.
The present invention is directed to the separation of a crude oil in an atmospheric tower with stripping steam, the production of a straight run gas oil, which is ultimately cracked, and cracking of the residual crude oil. While in some cases the virgin or straight run gas oil and the residual crude oil are cracked in a single cracking operation, it is preferable to separately crack the virgin gas oil and the residual crude oil since the virgin gas oil is more refractory than the residual crude oil and is best cracked under more severe conditions, particularly a higher temperature than the cracking of the residual crude oil.
To the extent that the crude oil contains significant amounts of sulfur, it is the usual practice to desulfurize the residual crude oil before subjecting the same to cracking.
Irrespective of whether desulfurization is practiced it is also common practice to further separate the residual crude oils into a light gas oil fraction is fed to a cracking step along with the virgin gas oil and a heavier reduced crude which is fed to the less severe cracking step. Such separation, preliminary to cracking, has the additional advantage that the light gas oil fed to the more severe cracking step is essentially freed of contaminants, particularly asphaltic materials, and such contaminants are retained in the reduced crude which is subjected to less severe cracking conditions.
The separation of the residual crude oil can be practiced as a two-step operation in which the residual crude oil is passed to a first fractionating step wherein it is separated into a light gas oil and a heavy crude oil and the heavy crude fraction to a second separation step where a clean gas oil is removed and combined with the virgin gas oil and the light gas oil from the first fractionator and fed to the clean oil or high severity cracker. The reduced crude from the second separator, containing the major portion of the contaminants, is then fed to the dirty oil or less severe cracker. In accordance with the present invention, the second separation step is carried out in a vacuum tower wherein vacuum is drawn on the top of the tower, clean vacuum gas oil is removed as an upper side cut and the vacuum reduced crude is withdrawn as a bottoms product. In such a vacuum tower operation a dirty gas oil fraction may be withdrawn from a lower trapout tray above the locus of the feed to the tower and recycled back to the vacuum tower at a point below the point of introduction of the feed.
Where the residual crude oil is desulfurized, particularly where hydrodesulfurization is utilized, the desulfurized residual crude oil can be fed directly to the first fractionating step without intermediate heating since the oil is heated during the desulfurization step.
While the two-step separation of residual crude oil, in which the second separation step involves vacuum distillation, produces larger quantities of cracked gasoline than other techniques it has been discovered, in accordance with the present invention, that problems still exist which prevent the production of maximum quantities of cracked gasoline. For example, contaminants, such as asphaltic materials, are often carried over with the vacuum gas oil and result in contamination of the catalyst in the high severity cracker as well as other operational problems. It has also been found that significant quantities of light gas oil are retained in the vacuum reduced crude and are thus sent to the less severe cracking step. This results in insufficient cracking of the lighter gas oils and thus a substantial reduction in the volume of cracked gasoline ultimately produced. It has also been found that lack of control over the nature of the residual crude oil from the crude oil stripping step also reduces the ultimate volume of gasoline which can be produced. Further, and related to such imprecise control of the residual crude oil fraction, is the lack of control over the amount of stripping steam employed. This of course often results in a waste of stripping steam and ultimately a waste of energy in a crude oil stripping step.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the separation and processing of crude oil which overcomes the above-mentioned and other problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for separating and processing crude oil.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the separation and processing of crude oil wherein increased volumes of gasoline are produced.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for separating crude oil wherein the production or virgin gas oil is increased.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for separating crude oil wherein the volume of residual crude oil is reduced.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the separation of crude oil wherein the energy requirements are reduced.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the separation of crude oil wherein a thermal property of residual crude oil is controlled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for separating crude oil wherein the energy requirements for such separation are reduced and a thermal property of the residual crude oil produced is controlled.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the separating and processing of crude oil wherein the volume of virgin gas oil is increased, the volume of residual crude oil is decreased and the volume of gasoline produced is increased.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for separating and processing a residual crude oil.
Another and further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for separating and processing a residual crude oil wherein the volume of gasoline produced is increased.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.