A vessel (10) for placement on a land site for sanitary treatment of wastewater, in which an inlet communicates wastewater and suspended solids through a mixing chamber (30) to an aeration zone (34) that receives air from nozzles (37) for biological digestion of the suspended solids and conversion to activated sludge. The activated sludge communicates through an airlift (70) to the mixing chamber (30) for facilitating treatment. The air from the nozzles (37) creates an upflow of wastewater and activated sludge to secondary clarifiers (42) having sludge receiving plates (48) on which the sludge settles, accumulates, and falls from resulting in treated water in the secondary clarifier (42). The treated water discharges in a trough (62) from the vessel (12, 92). A method of sanitary treating of wastewater is disclosed.

The present invention relates to wastewater treatment facilities. More particularly, the present invention relates to modular wastewater treatment apparatus for treating wastewater while reducing the amount of sludge produced per unit of wastewater treated.
Conventional wastewater treatment facilities are large complexes for handling tens of millions of gallons of wastewater annually. These facilities produce clean water, yet also produce significant volumes of solidified waste sludge. Disposal of the waste sludge requires handling and disposal such as in landfills or other sources.
In a typical wastewater treatment plant, the influent passes through a series of treatment processes to remove large objects and then reduce the solids and waste particles before separating residual solids from the water. A headworks provides screening and grit removal. Screening removes roots, rags, cans and large debris from the flow of influent. A low-flow section facilitates removal of grit and heavy particulates. Primary treatment includes pre-aeration with air to freshen the wastewater and help remove oils that form scum on an upper surface of the water. This primary treatment accordingly combines sedimentation and floatation in order to remove settleable and floatable materials. Thereafter, secondary treatment removes suspended and dissolved solids. The secondary treatment typically involves treatment of wastewater with activated sludge in which biologically active microorganisms assimilate waste materials. Subsequently, disinfection kills pathogenic organisms in the clarified wastewater. The resulting effluent is then generally discharged to surface waters.
In treatment facilities that use activated sludge for wastewater treatment, raw wastewater is mixed in a first aeration tank with return activated sludge. This activated sludge typically comprises relatively high concentrations of biologically active microorganisms. These organisms consume the waste products to reduce the volume of solids in the wastewater. The term xe2x80x9creturn activated sludgexe2x80x9d comes from the source of such, a secondary clarifier, in which the microorganisms become highly concentrated. In the secondary clarifier, microorganisms and waste collect into large clumps of material known as floc. Activated sludge floc separates from the water by gravitational force and sinks towards a bottom portion of the secondary clarifier. A portion of the activated sludge is returned to the first aeration tank for mixture with raw highly concentrated influent wastewater. Finally, the separated clear water is removed to a disinfecting tank for disinfection and subsequent discharge with microorganisms to surface waters.
Activated sludge is typically measured in terms of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in terms of milligrams per liter (mg/l). This measures the strength of the wastewater and the primary food source for the microorganisms. The clarity of the wastewater is also evaluated in terms of total suspended solids (TSS). Domestic wastewater typically is about 250 mg/l BOD and 200 mg/l TSS. However, return activated sludge solids concentrations typically ranges between 2000 and 6000 mg/l TSS. Plant effluent is typically 10 mg/l for both TSS and BOD.
Periodically, the accumulated sludge is discharged to a dewatering facility such as a sludge lagoon or a drying bed. My U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,420 describes a vertical drainage drying bed for waste sludge. Drying beds in accordance with that invention significantly reduce the time required to remove excess water from the sludge. Dried sludge is removed from the drying bed with heavy equipment and may be used as a low-grade fertilizer.
While large scale water treatment facilities have met the need for major metropolitan areas to satisfactorily treat wastewater prior to discharge to streams and lakes, these large scale facilities are significantly expensive. In recent years, environmental concerns have increased the regulatory oversight and rules governing wastewater treatment and discharge. Smaller communities are now finding it imperative that wastewater be treated prior to discharge into streams and rivers. Natural percolation of wastewater is no longer satisfactory. However, the expense of construction and operation of large scale wastewater treatment facilities has significantly increased the costs of such.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an low capacity modular wastewater treatment apparatus. It is to such that the present invention is directed.
The present invention meets the need for an improved modular wastewater treatment facility by providing an integrated vertical wastewater treatment apparatus for placement as a modular unit on a land site to treat influent wastewater. The modular apparatus comprises a vessel having a closed bottom and an open upper end. The lower portion of the vessel defines an aeration zone for receiving a flow of influent wastewater with suspended solids for sanitary treatment. The influent wastewater communicates from an inlet through a mixing chamber into the aeration zone. A plurality of nozzles disposed within the aeration zone communicate with a supply of low-pressure air for injecting oxygen into the aeration zone to facilitate biological digestion of the suspended solids in the wastewater for sanitary treatment and the conversion of the suspended solids into activated sludge. An airlift has an inlet at a first end that communicates with a portion of the aeration zone in which the activated sludge gathers in concentration. The airlift has an outlet at a second opposing end. The airlift communicates with a supply of pressurized air to create a flow of concentrated activated sludge by a plurality of air bubbles moving from an air inlet through an uplift tube of the airlift. The mixing chamber in the vessel receives the flow of the wastewater with the suspended solids from the inlet and the concentrated activated solids from the aeration zone from the uplift tube. A secondary clarifier in a portion of the vessel superior to the aeration zone receives a flow of wastewater and sludge from the aeration zone by influence of the plurality of air bubbles introduced through the nozzles in the aeration zone. The secondary clarifier comprises a pair of opposing baffles and each baffle has a sludge receiving plate disposed at an oblique angle relative to the respective baffle and downwardly extending towards the opposing baffle to define a gap between lower distal end portions through which the wastewater and activated sludge flow into the secondary clarifier. One of the receiving plates extends past the opposing receiving plate to define a threshold to the secondary clarifier. The baffles cause a stilling of the wastewater in the secondary clarifier while the sludge deposits settlingly on the receiving plates where it accumulates and falls by mass into the aeration zone, resulting in treated water separated from the activated sludge. A trough disposed in the secondary clarifier for receives treated water separated from the sludge in the secondary clarifier which treated water communicates through an outlet outwardly of the treatment apparatus.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of treating sanitary and industrial wastewater in an integrated vertical-processing apparatus placed as a modular unit on a land site, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing through an inlet a flow of influent wastewater having at least suspended solids for sanitary treatment into an aeration zone in a lower portion of a vessel having a closed bottom and an open upper end;
(b) injecting a plurality of air bubbles through a plurality of nozzles disposed in the aeration zone, the nozzles communicating with a supply of low-pressure air to facilitate biological digestion of the suspended solids in the wastewater for sanitary treatment and the conversion of the suspended solids into activated sludge;
(c) communicating a flow of concentrated activated sludge and wastewater from a portion of the aeration zone in which the activated sludge gathers in concentration through an airlift having an inlet at a first end therein and an outlet at a second opposing end, the airlift communicating with a supply of pressurized air to create the flow of concentrated activated sludge by a plurality of air bubbles moving from an air inlet through an uplift tube of the airlift;
(d) introducing into the mixing chamber the concentrated activated solids from the aeration zone from an outlet of the uplift tube, whereby the activated solids mix with the influent wastewater;
(e) communicating the wastewater and the activated sludge to a secondary clarifier in a portion of the vessel superior to the aeration zone by influence of the plurality of air bubbles introduced through the nozzles in the aeration zone, the secondary clarifier comprising a pair of opposing baffles and each baffle having a sludge receiving plate disposed at an oblique angle relative to the respective baffle and extending towards the opposing baffle to define a gap between lower distal end portions for the wastewater and sludge to flow into the secondary clarifier, with one of the receiving plates extending past the opposing receiving plate to define a threshold to the secondary clarifier, the baffles causing a stilling of the wastewater in the secondary clarifier with the sludge being deposited settlingly on the receiving plates where it accumulates and then falls by mass into the aeration zone, resulting in treated water separated from sludge; and
(f) communicating treated water separated from the sludge in the secondary clarifier to an outlet.

Integrated vertical wastewater treatment vessel and method


In a twin-drum type continuous casting machine including a pair of drums having rotary shafts supported in parallel to each other from a pair of frames via chocks and rotating in the opposite directions to each other with a gap space held therebetween, and a depressing device for the drums, a method for detecting a sheet thickness of a thin sheet being cast is improved so that detection of a sheet thickness can be carried out reliably at a high precision without delay. A gap space distance between the drums is calculated by detecting a depressed position from the depressing device. A correction value for the gap space distance is calculated from a deflection of the frame by detecting a depressing force of the depressing device. A correction value for the gap space distance is also calculated from a thermal deformation of the frame by detecting a temperature of frame coolant water of the frame. A correction value for the gap space distance is further calculated from a thermal deformation of the drums by detecting a temperature of drum coolant water of the drums. The calculated gap space distance is corrected with the respective calculated correction values. Thereby the sheet thickness of the thin sheet being cast can be detected precisely. An apparatus favorably available for practicing the above-mentioned method for detecting a sheet thickness of a thin sheet being cast, is also disclosed.

1. of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a sheet thickness in a continuous casting machine, in which a cast piece is continuously cast between a pair of drums.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At first, the prior art will be described with reference to FIG. 3.
In a twin-drum type continuous casting machine, molten metal 3 such as molten steel fed from a tundish 2 is poured into a gap space between a pair of rotating water-cooled drums 1, and after having been cooled, a casting piece 4 is continuously cast. The casting piece 4 is delivered by means of pinch rolls 5 and wound into a coil 6. Reference numeral 7 designates a sheet thickness detector which detects a sheet thickness of the casting piece 4, and the detection signal is used as a feedback signal in a sheet thickness control system. More particularly, while a molten metal level in the tundish is kept constant, a rotational speed of the drum is corrected in accordance with a deviation of the above-described detected value from a target value of the sheet thickness of the casting piece. Practically, the sheet thickness is controlled to have a predetermined sheet thickness by increasing the rotational speed in the event that the really measured sheet thickness is thicker than the target sheet thickness but decreasing the rotational speed in the event that the former is thinner than the latter.
However, the above-described sheet thickness detector in a twin-drum type continuous casting machine in the prior art involved the following problems because of the fact that it was installed behind the drums and it was used for detecting a sheet thickness of a casting piece at a high temperature:
(a) In the case where the drums have been opened due to any troubles during casting, there is a possibility that the sheet thickness detector may be covered by molten metal.
(b) Because of the above-mentioned reason, employment of a sheet thickness detector of radiation type is difficult.
(c) Also, even with respect to sheet thickness detectors of the other types (for instance, a sheet thickness detector of differential transformer type, pneumatic micrometer type, laser type or the like), in the event that they have been covered by molten metal, there is a possibility that they may be damaged.
(d) In the case where the detector is installed behind so as not to be subjected to damage by molten metal if possible, delay in detection becomes large, and a controllability for the sheet thickness becomes poor.

Method and apparatus for detecting a sheet thickness in a continuous casting machine


A method and devices comprise a low frequency high energy ultrasound system having at least one sonotrode projecting into a reactor vessel through which the liquid passes via at least one inlet orifice and at least one outlet orifice. To avoid cavitation at the sonotrode, in a close region of the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface a pressure/amplitude combination close to or above the pressure-amplitude characteristic line is generated at which considerably reduced or no cavitation occurs and in the adjacent region in the vessel at least in a region and at least at times a pressure/amplitude combination is maintained below the pressure-amplitude characteristic line at which cavitation is generated. A device has an inlet orifice arranged such that the liquid impacts directly onto the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface, and is shaped that in the close region of the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface a pressure close to or above the pressure-amplitude characteristic line prevails.

Low-frequency high-energy ultrasound refers to ultrasound having an operating frequency of 15 to 100 kHz, preferably 15 to 60 kHz, e.g., 20 kHz, and a sound output above 10 Watts, preferably 100 Watts to 20,000 Watts, e.g., 8,000 Watts. For example, piezoelectric or magnetorestrictive systems are used to generate ultrasound. Linear sound transducers and planar or arcuate plate-type vibrators or tube resonators have been known. Low-frequency high-energy ultrasound is mostly used in the treatment of liquids such as, for example, foodstuffs, cosmetics, paints and nano-materials. The effect of low-frequency high-energy ultrasound on treated liquids is predominantly based on cavitation occurring in the liquid. During the sonication of liquids, cavitation occurs. As is known, this results in the wear or erosion of the surface(s) of the sonotrode(s) which transmit vibrations of a higher amplitude (oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface) into the liquid medium.
The eroded material of the sonotrode material, e.g., titanium, is released into the sonicated liquid. Thus, the erosion results in replacement costs for the sonotrodes and in the contamination of the liquid that is to be sonicated.
From the past, various methods for reducing or suppressing material erosion have been known.
Referring to document DE 199 38 254.9, a pressure that completely or largely suppresses cavitation in a reactor vessel is generated in a reactor vessel by sonication of said reactor vessel with low-frequency high-energy ultrasound. As a result of this, wear and material erosion are significantly or completely reduced; however, also the cavitation effect on the liquid is considerably or completely reduced.
Referring to document DE 2004 025 836 A1, a method has been known with which the erosion due to cavitation on the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface itself is to be reduced considerably or completely by means of a layer between the sonotrode and the sonicated medium. However, erosion occurs on the oscillation-transducing layer, thus necessitating a contouring/replacement of this layer.
Also known have been solutions for focusing the low-frequency high-energy ultrasound on a region that is far remote from the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface. The disadvantage is the large spatial expansion of the device used for focusing.
Inasmuch as, for example, the wavelength of sound in water at 20 kHz is, for example, 60-80 mm, and the reasonable size of a lens should be at least 10 times the wavelength, an ultrasound lens for focusing would have a diameter of more than 600 mm. In addition, cavitation would interfere with the sound field.
It is possible to inject low-frequency high-energy ultrasound in a coupling liquid such as, for example, water; see, e.g., DE 102 43 837.4. This coupling liquid transmits the vibrations to a vessel wall, e.g., glass, whereby the liquid to be sonicated is located on the opposite side of said vessel wall. This leads to a loss of efficiency and thus to a reduced intensity of sonication. Wear/erosion occurs on the vibrating vessel wall.
Coating or hardening the surface of the sound-transmitting surface achieves a delay or a reduction of wear. However, any coating is expensive and its effect is limited by time. In addition, anything that is worn off the applied material ends up in the liquid.

Method and devices for sonicating liquids with low-frequency high energy ultrasound


An information recording and reproducing apparatus is provided with a probe electrode supported by a probe plate and arranged to face a recording medium supported by a recording medium plate, drive elements for relatively moving the recording medium and the probe electrode, voltage application circuit for applying a voltage between the recording medium and the probe electrode and an electric wire take-out portion for taking out an electric wire provided on at least one of a plane of the probe plate opposite to the probe electrode and a plane of the recording medium plate opposite to the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording and reproducing apparatus for performing at least one of recording and reproducing of information, which uses a principle of a scanning tunneling microscope or a scanning interatomic force microscope.
2. Related Background Art
Recently, a scanning tunneling microscope (hereinafter referred to as STM) capable of directly observing an electron structure of a surface atom of a conductor, and an interatomic force microscope which applies the technology of the STM, have been developed and various applications thereof have been proposed. Particularly, applications for a recording apparatus which writes information into a recording medium at a high resolution and a reproducing apparatus for reading the information written in the recording medium at a high resolution have been developed. In an apparatus which applies the STM, it has been proposed to manufacture components thereof by a known technology called micromechanics or micromachining (see, for example, K. E. Petersen, Proc. IEEE, 70, 420 (1982)). An example is described below.
As shown in FIG. 1, a probe board 114 for supporting a plurality of probe electrodes 113 and a lead wire board 119 are provided on a probe base board 115, and the probe electrodes 113 and the lead wire board 119 are electrically connected with respect to the respective probe electrodes 113 by connecting wires 118 such as wire bonding. On the other hand, a recording medium 116 supported by a recording medium plate 117 is arranged to face the plane of the probe plate 114 on which the probe electrodes are provided. A pulsive voltage for writing a record bit on the recording medium 116 by a recording/reproducing voltage application circuit (not shown) is applied between the recording medium 116 and each of the probe electrodes 113, and a read voltage for reading the written information is applied to record and reproduce the information.
However, in the conventional recording and reproducing apparatus described above, the probe plate and the recording medium are in a very close position in the recording and reproducing modes. As a result, unless the electric lead wires from the probe plate are optimally designed, the connecting wires which are connecting parts with the lead wire plate interfere with the recording medium plate or the recording medium, so that there will arise a problem that the connecting wires are shorted each other or the connecting wires are broken. This problem is serious, particularly when the probe electrodes and the recording medium are relatively moved in a plane by a large distance.

Information recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing information by using a probe electrode


In a processing method, an electronic device may detect, in a locked state, an operation performed on a fingerprint sensor, and determine a result of matching a fingerprint collected by the fingerprint sensor with a preset fingerprint, where the matching result is matching or not matching. When an included angle between a direction of a screen and a gravity direction falls beyond a preset range, the electronic device skips executing a response corresponding to the matching result. When an included angle between a direction of a screen and a gravity direction falls within a preset range, the electronic device executes a response corresponding to the matching result.

Currently, a fingerprint sensor is disposed at a designated position (for example, a side edge or a rear side) of an electronic device. When the electronic device is in a locked state and the electronic device matches a fingerprint collected by the fingerprint sensor with a preset fingerprint, the electronic device may exit the locked state. In daily life, a user easily touches the fingerprint sensor by mistake when holding the electronic device during running, walking, or the like. The electronic device obtains, by means of fingerprint recognition, a result of matching the fingerprint collected by the fingerprint sensor with the preset fingerprint, and executes a response corresponding to the matching result. However, the user does not expect the response to be executed in a practical operation process.


A method of removing a water insoluble surface coating from a surface comprising applying to the coating a liquid comprising between about 0.25 weight percent to about 99.9 weight percent of a fatty acid selected from the group consisting of unsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and mixtures thereof, an organic or inorganic alkaline builder present in an amount effective to saponify the fatty acid and still maintain the constituents in solution, and the balance of the liquid is water.

The invention is directed to a method of removing a water insoluble surface coating from a surface wherein there is applied ho the coating a liquid, and more specifically, to such a method wherein the liquid comprises a fatty acid, an alkaline builder reactive with the fatty acid to provide a saponified fatty acid, and, optionally, a surfactant.
In the case of applying liquid surface coatings, such as paints, varnishes or stains, a brush is oftentimes utilized to accomplish the application. As can be appreciated, after the completion of the application the brush remains saturated with the coating material. In view of the cost of the brush, especially in the case of higher quality brushes, the user typically will not discard the brush, but will, instead, attempt to clean the brush by removing the coating material therefrom. In the past, this has been accomplished in a number of ways.
In the case of water based coatings, such as modern Latex paints, the brush can be cleaned by immersion into water, or preferably, hot soapy water. The use of water or water containing soap has proven to provide a satisfactory way in which to remove water based (water soluble) liquid coatings from the applicator brush. However, these water immersion techniques have not proven satisfactory in removing hardened water based coatings from brushes.
In the case of oil based or solvent based coatings, which are water insoluble, the user has been required to use a solvent based cleaner to remove these types of liquid coatings from the brush. Although these types of cleaners have performed satisfactorily in removing these liquid coatings, problems exist with respect to the storage, usage and disposal of these cleaners. For example, solvent and oil based cleaners are typically highly flammable, and consequently, certain precautions must be taken in storing these cleaners. Further, due to their solvent based nature, these cleaners when exposed to the atmosphere emit odorous fumes which in some cases cause user discomfort as well as can be hazardous to the user absent proper ventilation. As a further disadvantage, the user must take certain special precautions in discarding spent cleaning solution in view of its flammability and toxicity.
It should now be appreciated that problems exist with removing hardened dried water based surface coatings, which have now become water insoluble on drying, from brushes since solvent based types of cleaners must be utilized. However, as previously mentioned, the use of solvent based cleaners have certain problems associated with their use. Further, as can be appreciated, there exist problems associated with removing both liquid and solid oil based or solvent based surface coatings, which are water insoluble, from brushes since solvent-based types of cleaners must be used with their attendant problems as described above.

Method of removing a water insoluble surface coating from a surface


A new cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla plant named ‘Hokomafata’ that is characterized by its picotee flowers with creamy white centers and a red-pink margin, its very floriferous blooming habit, its green leaves with a hint of brown, and its suitability as a potted plant.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Hokomafata'. 'Hokomafata' represents a new bigleaf hydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use and as a potted plant.
'Hokomafata' derived from an ongoing controlled breeding program directed by the Inventors. An objective of the breeding program included developing a new cultivar of Hydrangea with picotee flowers, a good flowering habit and other desirable traits.
'Hokomafata' arose from a controlled cross made by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands in June of 2011 between unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants in the Inventor's breeding program; reference no. 07-120-09 as the female parent and reference no. 09-001-04 as the male parent. 'Hokomafata' was selected as a single unique plant from amongst the resulting seedlings in June of 2013.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by one of the Inventors in August of 2013 in Boskoop, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A MOS-type FET (field effect transistor) amplifier includes a pair of P-channel and N-channel output stage MOS-type FETs which are ON-OFF controlled by a pulse signal and an inductive load. Each reverse current caused by the inductive load is shunted by a diode connected between the drain and source of each of the MOS-type FETs. An additional pair of diodes are provided in the drain-source circuits of the MOS-type FETs so as to prevent each reverse current flowing through respective substrates of the MOS-type FETs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a MOS-type FET amplifier, and more particularly relates to a MOS-type FET amplifier which has an excellent switching speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the art, a class-D amplifier using a field effect transistor has been proposed by the same assignee of the instant application.
For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,748 entitled in "Amplifier with Field Effect Transistors having Triode type dynamic characteristics" shows such a class-D power amplifier.
However, as such a triode type field effect transistor is normally a depletion type transistor, it would have a rather complicated drive stage. On the other hand, a MOS-type field effect transistor has recently developed for a power amplifier use which has large drain current capability and higher drain breakdown voltage. Such a MOS-type FET is known as an enhancement type transistor, in which it would be possible to simplify a drive circuit as compared to that of the depletion type FET. In general, a MOS-type FET is also required to electrically connect its substrate to the source electrode in order to stabilize the potential thereof. Such a connection would provide a PN junction between drain and source electrodes through a substrate so as to deteriorate the switching speed thereof in the case of class-D amplifying mode.


The present invention relates to a data recovery technique for recovering unrecoverable data from a sector having a synchronization field damaged after formatting time or a synchronization mark that has been written improperly. The present invention may try conventional or traditional data recovery techniques first, but if these techniques are ineffective, these techniques can be bypassed in favor of an additional recovery mode. Based upon overall design parameters of a disk drive system and the recording medium format, the disk drive firmware estimates a synchronization mark starting position, analyzes the accuracy of that position and when re-synchronization has not yet occurred, the firmware makes iterative estimates within a window relative to the starting position, and analyzes these subsequent positions for accuracy as well. Once a synchronization mark is located, the data in the sector can be recovered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the recovery of data from a damaged recording medium or a recording medium with a writing error.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
Previously, conventional or traditional data recovery techniques have required that a synchronization mark be readable. Errors in synchronization marks have traditionally been minimized during the format of a recording medium by providing a flag before bad or unreadable sectors of a disk. In this fashion, a disk drive controller is able to skip any sector likely to yield errors in data reading and writing.
For situations when a synchronization mark becomes damaged or unreadable after format of the recording medium, alternate techniques have been developed. For example, fault tolerance techniques can be used to read marks which have not been destroyed beyond recognition. With these techniques, the correction capability is encoded into the mark itself. For example, a mark can be encoded with numerous bits, which can be sub-divided into different regions. One method allows for a certain number of these regions to be in error i.e., unreadable. A controller instructs the system to continue as if no error in reading the mark occurred within a pre-defined error tolerance. Another method that has been used is the encoding of synchronization marks with redundant or duplicate data, so that if one portion of the mark is unreadable, the head can still read a copy of the information.
Another previous fault tolerance technique involves the movement of the recording/reading head to one side or another by a predefined per cent. For example, if a synchronization mark is determined to be unreadable, the head can be moved offtrack by 10%. If the mark is still unreadable, the head can be moved off track by 15%. If the mark is still unreadable, the head can be moved off track by 20%. In this sequential manner, if the synchronization mark is unreadable due to debris, asperities, skewed positioning relative to the head, translated positioning relative to the head, or the like, the movement of the head away from the traditional recording path may yield readable mark information. Other techniques can utilize the remapping of data where possible, so that once recovered, data can be moved to a readable position. Still other techniques involve moving the head by seeking to a different adjacent track and then returning to the previously unreadable mark. The physical movement of the head itself can, for example, dislodge obstructive debris allowing the track to be read.
Sometimes, however, the synchronization mark becomes unreadable after format time, and these conventional data recovery techniques may be ineffective. In these circumstances, there is a problem that the synchronization of data may not be possible due to the unreadability of the synchronization mark. If the synchronization mark is not readable, the retrieval of subsequent data sectors becomes a difficult task.
The present invention relates to a data recovery technique for recovering unrecoverable data from a sector having a synchronization mark damaged after formatting time or a synchronization mark that has been written improperly. The present invention recognizes that conventional or traditional data recovery techniques may be applied first, but if these techniques are ineffective, these techniques can be bypassed in favor of a separate recovery mode. In this separate mode, based upon overall design parameters of a disk drive system and the recording medium format, a synchronization mark starting position is estimated. The accuracy of that position is determined ex post facto, for instance, by ECC analysis. If the estimated starting position does not result in the recovery of data, iterative estimates are made within a window relative to the estimated starting position. These subsequent positions are analyzed for accuracy as well. Once an estimate matches the actual starting position of the synchronization mark, the data in the sector can be recovered.

Synchronization recovery technique for storage media


The invention relates to storage-stable anti-TNFR1 antibody single variable domains (dAbs), antagonists and multispecific ligands, as well as methods and uses of these. The anti-TNFR1 polypeptides, antibody single variable domains (dAbs), antagonists and multispecific ligands are useful for treating and/or preventing inflammatory disease, such as arthritis or COPD, as well as for pulmonary administration, oral administration, delivery to the lung and delivery to the GI tract of a patient.

TNFR1
TNFR1 is a transmembrane receptor containing an extracellular region that binds ligand and an intracellular domain that lacks intrinsic signal transduction activity but can associate with signal transduction molecules. The complex of TNFR1 with bound TNF contains three TNFR1 chains and three TNF chains. (Banner et al., Cell, 73(3) 431-445 (1993).) The TNF ligand is present as a trimer, which is bound by three TNFR1 chains. (Id.) The three TNFR1 chains are clustered closely together in the receptor-ligand complex, and this clustering is a prerequisite to TNFR1-mediated signal transduction. In fact, multivalent agents that bind TNFR1, such as anti-TNFR1 antibodies, can induce TNFR1 clustering and signal transduction in the absence of TNF and are commonly used as TNFR1 agonists. (See, e.g., Belka et al., EMBO, 14(6):1156-1165 (1995); Mandik-Nayak et al., J. Immunol, 167:1920-1928 (2001).) Accordingly, multivalent agents that bind TNFR1 are generally not effective antagonists of TNFR1 even if they block the binding of TNFα to TNFR1.
SEQ ID numbers in this paragraph refer to the numbering used in WO2006038027. The extracellular region of TNFR1 comprises a thirteen amino acid amino-terminal segment (amino acids 1-13 of SEQ ID NO:603 (human); amino acids 1-13 of SEQ ID NO:604 (mouse)), Domain 1 (amino acids 14-53 of SEQ ID NO:603 (human); amino acids 14-53 of SEQ ID NO:604 (mouse)), Domain 2 (amino acids 54-97 of SEQ ID NO: 603 (human); amino acids 54-97 of SEQ ID NO:604 (mouse)), Domain 3 (amino acids 98-138 of SEQ ID NO: 603 (human); amino acid 98-138 of SEQ ID NO:604 (mouse)), and Domain 4 (amino acids 139-167 of SEQ ID NO:603 (human); amino acids 139-167 of SEQ ID NO:604 (mouse)) which is followed by a membrane-proximal region (amino acids 168-182 of SEQ ID NO:603 (human); amino acids 168-183 SEQ ID NO: 604 (mouse)). (See, Banner et al., Cell 73(3) 431-445 (1993) and Loetscher et al., Cell 61(2) 351-359 (1990).) Domains 2 and 3 make contact with bound ligand (TNFβ, TNFα). (Banner et al., Cell, 73(3) 431-445 (1993).) The extracellular region of TNFR1 also contains a region referred to as the pre-ligand binding assembly domain or PLAD domain (amino acids 1-53 of SEQ ID NO:603 (human); amino acids 1-53 of SEQ ID NO:604 (mouse)) (The Government of the USA, WO 01/58953; Deng et al., Nature Medicine, doi: 10.1038/nm1304 (2005)).
TNFR1 is shed from the surface of cells in vivo through a process that includes proteolysis of TNFR1 in Domain 4 or in the membrane-proximal region (amino acids 168-182 of SEQ ID NO:603; amino acids 168-183 of SEQ ID NO:604), to produce a soluble form of TNFR1. Soluble TNFR1 retains the capacity to bind TNFα, and thereby functions as an endogenous inhibitor of the activity of TNFα.
WO2006038027, WO2008149144 and WO2008149148 disclose anti-TNFR1 immunoglobulin single variable domains and antagonists comprising these. These documents also disclose the use of such domains and antagonists for the treatment and/or prevention of conditions mediated by TNFα. It would be desirable to provide anti-human TNFR1 immunoglobulin single variable domains with improved storage stability, antagonists, ligands and products comprising these. The aim of these would be to provide improved diagnostic reagents for detecting human TNFR1 in samples, as well as or alternatively to provide improved therapeutics for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of TNFR1-mediated conditions and diseases in humans or other mammals. It would be particularly desirable to provide anti-TNFR1 immunoglobulin single variable domains, antagonists, ligands and products comprising these that are potent neutralizers of TNFR1, especially of human TNFR1
The various aspects of the present invention meet these desirable characteristics.

Stable anti-TNFR1 polypeptides, antibody variable domains and antagonists


A process for removing contaminants from material containing polyethylene terephthalate ("PET") which has been embrittled by mixing material containing PET with ethanediol having a temperature at or about the boiling point of ethanediol for a predetermined period of time, the process including the steps of:. (a) transesterifying the PET by reacting ethanediol having a temperature at or about the boiling point of ethanediol with the PET for a predetermined period of time to form a solution containing soluble short chain PET polymers and/or his (hydroxy ethyl) terephthalate ester ("BHT"); PA1 (b) recovering short chain PET polymers and/or BHT and ethanediol; and PA1 (c) hydrolysing the recovered short chain PET polymers and/or BHT at elevated pressure and temperature for a predetermined period of time to form an ethanediol solution and crystals of terephthalic acid.

PET is a thermoplastic polyester that can be formed from 1,2-dihydroxyethane ("ethanediol") and terephthalic acid by direct esterification to form bis (hydroxy ethyl) terephthatate ester ("BHT") which is then polymerised by catalysed ester exchange to useful polymers.
Traditionally, PET has been used extensively because it can be offered as an oriented film or fibre, has high tenacity, good electrical resistance and low moisture absorption together with a melting point of approximately 265 degrees Celsius.
For these reasons, its uses have been very diverse extending from blended with cotton for wash and wear fabrics, blended with wool for worsteds and suitings, packaging films and recording tapes and containers including soft drink containers.
There are a number of applications of PET where remelting and reforming is not permissible or gives inferior properties. The reuse of PET for these applications is best achieved by degrading the polymer into the original monomers namely ethanediol and terephthalic acid then reacting the monomers together to regenerate the original PET.
The known art (British Patent No. 610135) is to hydrolyse PET with either strong alkalis or acids. The alkalis must be neutralised with acid to produce terephthalic acid resulting in a significant cost of reagents and possible contamination of the product with alkali metal ions. The strong acids must be recovered and the ethanediol separated. Further the acids dissolve paper and pigments to give by-products which are difficult to separate.
It is known that PET will transesterify with ethanediol (British Patent No. 610136) but the product BHT, is not a convenient intermediate for subsequent purification to remove esters of contaminant acids such as benzoic and adipic acid.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved processes, for decontaminating PET.


The invention relates to an arrangement of optical elements in projection systems, preferably in projection modules having a changeable focal width such as for the imaging of tilt mirror matrices or for the imaging of reflective, i.e. transmissive, LCDs, whereby the optical elements (2, 3) fixed in place in mechanical holders (6, 7) are arranged so that they can be positioned on a common optical axis (5) relative to one another.

Known arrangements having a changeable focal width that are used, for example, for the imaging of tilt mirror matrices differ essentially in the number of optical elements (lenses), their arrangement in the device as a whole, as well as the technical design data, in combination with the conditions that apply for the optical system. Such arrangements are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,435 and DE 69328891.
Since it is desirable for the most frequent applications to change the size and the location of the image in order to thereby adapt the projection to the most varied spatial conditions, projection zoom systems are primarily used.
Such arrangements often use many lens elements and are therefore highly cost-intensive. Furthermore, different zoom movements have to be implemented. This has the result that the arrangements have a very complex structure, and therefore no small construction sizes, in terms of diameter and construction length, can be implemented.

Arrangement of optical elements in projection systems

Abstract: According to the invention, for the purpose of accommodating the mounted optical elements (2, 3, 4), a common carrier element (1) is provided.

Abstract: With a minimized number of optical and mechanical elements, both the construction lengths and the diameters of the overall arrangement are reduced so that inexpensive production is possible.


The invention relates to a method and apparatus for recognizing a standstill condition when restarting a power converter-fed AC motor without a tachometer generator. According to an embodiment of the invention, a standstill recognition method includes first and second active phases decoupled by a passive phase. In each phase, time characteristics of the orthogonal current components of a measured motor current are recorded, and the energy component of current from the second active phase is further evaluated to generate an average value. This generated average value and an upper range value are then compared to a limiting value, which will be exceeded when the AC motor is at a standstill. Thus, through application of a current measurement and a simple evaluation, one can quickly determine the actual state of the power converter-fed AC motor when restarting.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for recognizing a standstill condition when restarting a power converter-fed AC motor without a tachometer generator.
Downtimes can occur in manufacturing operations when a power converter which drives a motor cannot be immediately restarted (e.g., after a brief power failure or after having been turned off) because the motor has not yet reached a standstill condition. If a restart is attempted when the power converter frequency does not match the motor frequency of an asynchronous machine, no flux can build up after the restart operation. In a closed-loop control operation, for example, this can lead to generation of very large current amplitudes, causing the power converter to again shutdown due to an overcurrent status. An especially critical situation results when a power converter is automatically restarted without first ensuring the motor is at a standstill.
As soon as the operating voltage regains its previous level and the power converter is restarted, the increasing current flowing through the motor causes the difference between the output frequency of the converter assembly and the motor speed to become increasingly larger. For this reason, the power converter must be provided with a large power capacity, which is uneconomical.
Similarly, if the operating voltage has been removed from the motor for a relatively long period of time, the motor will likely have slowed to a relatively low speed. Immediate application of an operating voltage at the same frequency and the same level as before the failure will then cause a large difference between the output frequency of the power converter and the motor speed, thereby resulting in an undesirably large motor starting current. This phenomenon also occurs when a motor is deactivated due to an operating voltage failure, so that the motor then rotates in a free-running state when the operating voltage is again supplied to the motor at the same frequency and the same level as before the failure.
A well-known method for avoiding such a large motor starting current is to restart the motor only after it has come to a complete standstill regardless of the duration of the power failure. The stationary motor is then restarted by gradually increasing the frequency of the operating voltage supplied to the motor, which is why it takes a relatively long time to restart the motor and return to a steady operating condition. To overcome these disadvantages, commercial converter assemblies are sometimes equipped with a "SEARCH" option and/or a "RECOVERY" option.
The "RECOVERY" option uses a recovery circuit to rebuild the rotor flux which decays after a power converter is shutdown while the machine is running. Such decay occurs in accordance with the rotor time constants in response to an e-function. No large accelerating or braking torques may build-up during this flux build-up, which continues for a defined period of time, after which the closed-loop or open-loop controlled operation of the asynchronous machine is resumed. In the case of speed-controlled drives (i.e., drives whose rotational speed is subject to closed-loop control), the motor is to be restored to its original nominal speed after the recovery operation. The recovery circuit is also supposed to be used when the motor is not equipped with a tachometer.
Methods and apparatus for restarting other types of motors are known in the art. For example, German Patent 32 02 906 C2 discloses a method and apparatus for restarting an induction motor. This method involves supplying the motor with a search voltage, which voltage is itself insufficient to drive the motor, while at the same time varying the frequency of the power converter associated with the motor. While the frequency is being varied, the current flowing through the free-running motor is measured to determine the frequency of the detection voltage which matches the rotational speed of the free-running motor. The frequency so-determined is defined as the starting frequency. Another voltage, again insufficient to drive the motor but now conducted at the starting frequency, is then supplied to the motor. While retaining the starting frequency, this voltage is gradually increased from a starting voltage, and the frequency and the voltage are raised to predetermined values so that the motor operates normally. The method thereby avoids a large motor starting current that increases as the difference between the output frequency of the power converter and the motor speed increases.
German Laid-Open Print 35 43 983 A1 discloses a method for connecting a power converter to a still rotating, not-energized polyphase machine using a search operation that involves continually impressing a nominal current on the stator winding of the power converter, causing the power converter to pass through its possible frequency range. When the power converter frequency and the rotational speed of the rotor roughly conform, the stator voltage rises because of the resulting flux build-up. To this end, the magnitude of the stator voltage rise is continually monitor until a predetermined level is reached, at which point the search speed is reduced. A slip frequency window operation is then run using a diminished search speed. As a result, a flux builds up in the polyphase machine. A desired instantaneous working point of the polyphase machine is deemed to have been reached when this flux reaches a predetermined value. The search operation terminates, and the converter can be connected along with its control system to the still-rotating polyphase machine. This method thus enables the speed of the search operation to be considerably increased.
German Laid-Open Print 35 43 941 A1 discloses another method for determining the rotational speed of a still-rotating polyphase machine. This method involves evaluating at least one sinusoidal voltage that is induced by the remanence of the rotor in the stator windings, which voltage corresponds in frequency to the rotational speed of the rotor. This sinusoidal voltage, which is supplied to a stator terminal, is then converted by means of a square-wave shaper into a square-wave voltage having a symmetrical waveshape and a frequency and phase position conforming to the frequency and phase position of the induced sinusoidal voltage. An output signal is subsequently generated with a frequency proportional to the square-wave voltage. Since the frequency or cycle duration of this induced sinusoidal voltage is not dependent upon the machine type or the machine temperature, one obtains a method that applies generally to polyphase machines. By defining the rotational speed of the still-rotating polyphase machine in this manner, it is possible to connect the power converter (having a frequency corresponding to the rotor frequency) to the still-rotating polyphase machine substantially faster than the method described above because the search speed is no longer dependent upon the frequency window of the polyphase machine.
Yet another method and apparatus for restarting an induction motor are disclosed in EP Patent Application 0 469 177 A1. In this method, at least two remanence frequency values are determined from remanence voltage values measured at different instants, from which an acceleration value of the "coasting" (i.e., rotating as a result of inertia) motor is determined. At the end of this acceleration measurement, an output frequency value is set to the last-determined remanence frequency value. The acceleration measurement is then followed by the recovery of the motor, which takes place during an adjustable excitation period. Power converter pulses are released at the start of this excitation period, upon which the remanence of the machine is immediately lost. Therefore, during the excitation period, starting from the set output frequency value of the power converter, the output frequency value is interpolated with the determined acceleration value, so that the output frequency value is corrected to the actual rotational-speed value of the coasting machine. Thus, the interpolation of the output frequency value of the power converter represents a simulation of the actual rotational-speed value of the "coasting" machine; that is, a measured-value equivalent parameter is determined. The machine flux is also built up during the excitation period by setting the output voltage value of the frequency converter to high. As soon as the adjusted excitation time has elapsed, the "recovery" state is abandoned and a switch is made to closed-loop control operation. In this case, starting out from the last determined interpolated output frequency value of the frequency converter, the rotational speed is again brought to the original rotational speed in accordance with an adjusted starting time.
In this method, torque production during the recovery process should be kept as small as possible, which is accomplished by the motor allowing, for example, 90% of its magnetization to decay. A de-excitation time, which begins with the switching off of the power converter, is therefore adjusted to 2.3 times the rotor time constant.
The rise between the first and the last determined remanence frequency value is calculated during the adjustable acceleration measuring time. The shorter the measuring time, the faster the machine's current rotational speed is determined. The acceleration measuring time is converted into a number of periods of the remanent voltage, so that the actual acceleration measuring time changes slightly along with the changing rotational speed. The acceleration measuring time is supposed to correspond to at least the time of two periods of the remanent rotational speed.
The duration of the flux build-up can be determined using the adjustable excitation period. The longer the adjustable excitation period is, the more the recovery circuit works free from torque. By contrast, the shorter the excitation period is, the faster the current rise and the transition to closed-loop control operation occurs.
A disadvantage of this known method is that the rotational speed of a still-rotating polyphase machine cannot be determined without considerable expenditure of time and energy when the rotational speed is very low. At very low rotational speeds, the search operation is often interrupted after a pair of cycles with the result "machine not found." This requires that an operator then shut-down and restart the machine, which takes considerable time.
Moreover, at very low frequencies of the drive, the stator and lead resistances influence the voltage specifications, so that the "search" or the "recovery" of the polyphase machine are adversely affected. The result is that the "SEARCH" or "RECOVER" options can no longer be employed below a certain rotational speed with causing the power converter to malfunction.

Method and apparatus for standstill recognition when restarting a power converter-fed AC motor without a tachometer generator


A movie film printer having a film lift-off device for performing a splicing and cutting operation without physically altering the film negative. A film positive can be temporarily withdrawn from a drive sprocket so that the sprocket can advance the film negative to a new setting where a scene can be extracted for printing on the film positive.

This invention relates to a film printer, i.e. an apparatus having a light source for directing light through a printing aperture onto an advancing film negative and synchronously moving film positive (rawstock), whereby images on the film negative are printed onto the film positive. The apparatus has utility for printing movie film.
Conventional movie film printing practice involves extracting scenes from film negatives by a cutting and splicing operation. Often multiple negatives must be generated to produce a suitable master negative for printing purposes.
The present invention concerns a film printer that can function satisfactorily without the cutting and splicing that is ordinarily required. In one form of the invention the printer is a continuous contact rotary printer that includes a hollow cylindrical printing head having a printing aperture on the cylinder surface. A rotary drive sprocket is coaxial with the printing head for synchronously moving a film negative and film positive (rawstock) transversely across the printing aperture, whereby the application of light through the printing aperture causes images on the film negative to be printed on the undeveloped film (rawstock).
A cyclically operated film lifting device is located in near proximity to the printing head for intermittently pulling the film positive away from the printing aperture and out of driven connection with the drive sprocket. While the undeveloped film positive is disconnected from the drive sprocket, the sprocket can be operated to advance the film negative across the printing aperture; at this time the film positive remains motionless in a standby condition. When the film negative is advanced to a desired distance the sprocket is stopped, and the lifting device is moved in a reverse direction to shift the film positive back into facial contact with the film negative at the printing aperture. The drive sprocket can then be operated to synchronously move the film negative and film positive across the printing aperture, thereby printing the film positive
The cyclically operated film lifting device can effectively achieve a "cut and splice" function without physically cutting or altering the film negative. The film printing process is thereby quickened and simplified.


A method of preventing or at least reducing the likelihood of bridging between adjacent micro-scale polycrystalline structures, and particularly to reducing electrical shorting between adjacent metallization lines of a microcircuit. The method generally entails forming a multilayer structure that comprises a polycrystalline layer and at least one constraining layer, and then patterning the multilayer structure to yield a first line and a second line that is narrower in width than the first line. The first line has a patterned edge that is spaced apart from a patterned edge of the second line, so that the first and second lines are electrically insulated from each other. One or more features associated with the first line are then formed that prevent bridging between the first and second lines if excessive lateral grain growth subsequently occurs along the patterned edge of the first line. Suitable features include patterning the multilayer structure to form a dummy line between and spaced apart from the first and second lines, patterning holes near the patterned edge of the first line, forming the patterned edge of the first line to have teeth that project toward the second line and are closer to the second line than the remainder of the patterned edge between the teeth, and forming the patterned edge of the first line to be stepped so that the first line has corner regions at opposite ends of the patterned edge that are closer to the second line than the remainder of the patterned edge between the corner regions. The invention also encompasses multilayer structures formed in accordance with the method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to micro-scale features formed of polycrystalline materials, such as metallizations for microelectronic applications. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of forming metal lines so that lateral grain growth that occurs during extended heating does not cause bridging and electrical shorting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As represented in FIG. 1, backend of the line (BEOL) interconnect metallization 10 often includes an electrically-conductive layer 12 of a polycrystalline aluminum-copper alloy that is sandwiched between a pair of diffusion barrier layers 14. The diffusion barrier layers 14 reduce the solid state diffusion rate between the conductive layer 12 and metals from surrounding metal structures, so as to improve the reliability and sheet resistance of the metallization 10. However, it has been determined that, if the metallization 10 is heated for a sufficient period, as during annealing or other subsequent thermal processing, stresses occur within the metallization 10 as a result of the barrier layers 14 constraining the thermal expansion of the conductive layer 12. Under certain conditions, these stresses can induce grain growth in the conductive layer 12 parallel to the plane of the conductive layer 12 (hereinafter termed lateral grain growth), especially if the metallization 10 is sufficiently thin (e.g., 0.25 micrometer or less), which can result in metal shorting between adjacent metallization structures. As an example, FIG. 2 represents a metal pad 16 in which lateral grain growth (i.e., grain growth in the plane of the metal pad 16) has occurred to create a metal bridge 20 that protrudes from the metal pad 16 and contacts an adjacent metal line 18. The likelihood of the metal shorting represented in FIG. 2 can be a significant yield and reliability issue for the metallization 10. While greater spacing between the metal pad 16 and line 18 would avoid metal shorting, such an option may not be feasible or practical in view of the demand for greater miniaturization of microcircuits, termed xe2x80x9cdesign shrinkxe2x80x9d in the electronics industry.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method for inhibiting or preventing bridging between fine metallization features without necessitating greater feature spacing.
The present invention provides a method of preventing or at least significantly reducing the likelihood of bridging between adjacent polycrystalline materials, and particularly to reducing electrical shorting between adjacent metallizations of a microcircuit. The invention also encompasses metallizations formed in accordance with the method. A key aspect of the invention is the determination of the mechanism by which grain growth is more likely to occur, namely, the growth of metal grains that have been sectioned by patterning to have fewer than six grain boundaries, the most thermodynamically stable condition. If constrained, as is the case with a conductive layer between a pair of diffusion barrier layers, excessive grain growth is most likely to occur in grains with fewer than six boundaries, and is predominantly lateral (two-dimensional). It has also been determined that grain growth of this type is favored by wider metallization features, such as metal pads as compared to thin metal lines (as used herein, the former includes relatively wide metal lines). By inhibiting or blocking lateral grain growth from metallization features more susceptible to such growth, the incidence of metal bridging between the features is significantly reduced or even eliminated.
The method of this invention generally entails forming a metal layer on a substrate, which is then patterned to yield at least two metal structures. A first of the metal structures has a patterned edge that is spaced apart from a patterned edge of the second metal structure, so that the first and second metal structures are electrically insulated from each other. However, as explained above, certain thermal treatments can lead to lateral grain growth along that patterned edge of the first metal structure which, if the first and second metal structures are sufficiently close and the grain growth is excessive, will create a metal bridge between the metal structures. Therefore, the present invention further provides metallization features that will prevent electrical shorting between the first and second metal structures if excessive lateral grain growth were to subsequently occur along the patterned edge of the first metal structure. Metallization features contemplated by this invention include patterning the metal layer to form a dummy metal line between and spaced apart from the first and second metal structures, patterning holes near the patterned edge of the first metal structure, forming the patterned edge of the first metal structure to have teeth that project toward the second metal structure, and forming the patterned edge of the first metal structure to be stepped so that the first metal structure has corners at opposite ends of the patterned edge that are closer to the second metal structure than the remainder of the patterned edge.
According to the present invention, the presence of a dummy metal line between the first and second metal structures permits lateral grain growth from the first metal structure to occur without any detrimental effect, since any metal bridge that might occur between the first metal structure and dummy line does not create an electrical short because the dummy metal line is not electrically connected to any electrical component of the microcircuit. Importantly, and according to the invention, there is not a significant concern for metal bridging between the dummy line and second metal structure caused by lateral grain growth of the dummy and/or second metal structure as compared to metal bridging caused by lateral grain growth from the larger first metal structure. The remaining bridge-inhibiting metallization features of this inventionxe2x80x94the patterned holes, teeth, and steps formed along the patterned edge of the first metal structurexe2x80x94serve to accommodate inward grain growth from the patterned edge of the first metal structure, as opposed to outward grain growth toward the adjacent second metal structure. The effect of each approach contemplated by the present invention is the reduction or elimination of metal bridging between closely adjacent metallization features, even where lateral grain grown has occurred.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.

Method of preventing bridging between polycrystalline micro-scale features

International Business Machines Corporation


An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cartridge for forming a visible toner image. The cartridge includes a development chamber having a toner inlet through which toner is supplied into the development chamber, a development roller provided in the development chamber, and a supply roller provided in the development chamber that supplies toner to the development roller. The cartridge further includes a first toner transporting member that transports toner supplied through the toner inlet in an axial direction of the supply roller, and a toner supply guide that is disposed between the first toner transporting member and the supply roller and includes a slit which has a length in the axial direction and through which toner is dropped onto the supply roller. The toner supply guide is downwardly inclined in the axial direction.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium by using electrophotography.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus using electrophotography prints an image on a recording medium by supplying toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor to form a visible toner image on the photoreceptor, transferring the visible toner image onto the recording medium, and fusing the transferred visible toner image on the recording medium.
A process cartridge is an assembly of components for forming a visible toner image. The process cartridge is a consumable product that is detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus and replaceable after lifespan thereof has ended. A process cartridge may have various structures such as a structure in which a photoreceptor, a development roller that supplies toner to the photoreceptor, and a container portion containing toner are integrally formed, a structure divided into an image cartridge including a photoreceptor and a development roller and a toner cartridge containing toner, or a structure divided into a photoreceptor cartridge including a photoreceptor, a development cartridge including a development roller, and a toner cartridge containing toner.
In a process cartridge having a structure including an imaging cartridge and a toner cartridge, the imaging cartridge has a structure in which a photoreceptor unit including a photoreceptor and a development unit including a development roller are connected to each other.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus


Processing and use of whole fruits and vegetables or side-stream ingredients of juice extraction, paste, or ketchup process, or canning industry, in particular, the processing of the by-products, including pomace, and its use in beverage and food products.

Whole vegetables and fruits are generally not used in beverages as they contain ingredients such as skins, seeds, stems, roots, and the like which may affect the taste and mouthfeel of the beverage. Instead, juices and/or pulp are obtained from the vegetables and fruits and the skins, seeds, stems, roots, and the like are discarded. These discarded ingredients are often in the form of pomace.
Pomace is the pulpy edible by-product remaining after fruit or vegetable juice pressing processes, wine crush operations, puree and concentrate operations, canning processes, and other food manufacturing processes. Pomace may include, for example, skins, pulp, seeds, and edible part of stems of the fruit and vegetable such as apples or carrots. In some cases the pomace can derive or contain other parts of the fruit and vegetable such as pod, stalk, flower, root, leaves and tuber. In a juice extraction process, the pomace is typically in the form of a part of press cake. By-products from paste and puree processes such as tomato skins and seeds from tomato ketchup and paste processing are also included in the pomace even they are not the by-products from juice extracts. Fruit skins from cannery are also edible by-products. Hereafter, pomace includes all edible by-products from fruit and vegetable juice, paste, puree and canning processes.
Pomace has been used for fertilizer and substrates for microorganism growth, for example, and dried pomace has had limited use in food products such as soups and snacks, and also has been used in the dietary supplement industry. However, pomace is generally not used in food products due to its gritty texture, sedimentation, fibrous nature, high insoluble fiber content, intense flavor and lack of starch and protein. Thus pomace is generally considered a waste by-product in the fruit and vegetable industry.
For example, cranberry pomace remains after the squeezing of juice for cranberry type cocktails and juices and concentrates. These cranberry pomace materials have been found to contain 70% to 75% fiber with in insoluble to soluble fiber ratio of 9 or 10 to 1 (wet basis) less than 5%-10% protein, and less that 5% sugars and starches. Thus, by-products are typically removed from the juicing process due to challenges with texture and flavor when creating a juice beverage.
It would be beneficial to process pomace as well as whole fruits and vegetables to arrive at a useful food ingredient in order to avoid such waste.

Processing of whole fruits and vegetables, processing of side-stream ingredients of fruits and vegetables, and use of the processed fruits and vegetables in beverage and food products


A filter system comprises an expandable filter, with a first end of the filter attached to an end of a first tube, and a second end of the filter attached to an end of a second tube. The tubes are arranged telescopically with respect to each other such that telescopic movement of the first and second tubes with respect to each other causes the filter to move between a first collapsed, position and a second expanded position, where the filter extends outwardly. The filter may be a folded-over member, when in the expanded position, or a spiraling member.

The present invention relates to filtration devices for use in surgical settings inside the body. During surgical procedures, such as cardiovascular procedures, for example, valve replacement, there is a possibility that particulate and tissue matter can break away from the main tissue and enter the blood stream. If this particulate enters the blood stream, it can clog blood vessels, for example, in the brain, leading to a stroke, or in the lungs, kidneys or intestines leading to an embolism, all catastrophic conditions. It is believed that these situations may occur in up to 15% of cardiovascular surgeries and procedures.
Current technology uses filters, to cover the connection points of the vessels reaching the brain in the aortic arch, but does not filter any particulates that may flow through the aortic arch into the blood stream of the descending aorta. Accordingly, the potential for some of the catastrophic dangers remain.

Filtration and entrapment apparatus and method of use


A cooling system for an indwelling heat exchange catheter includes a heat exchange bath that is configured to receive a conduit that carries saline to and from the catheter. A heating/cooling fluid is in the bath and exchanges heat with the saline. The heating/cooling fluid flows through a heat exchanger that includes a refrigerant and a variable speed DC compressor for removing heat from the refrigerant. A coolant pump circulates the heating/cooling fluid between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange bath.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for exchanging heat with the body of a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been discovered that the medical outcome for a patient suffering from severe brain trauma or from ischemia caused by stroke or heart attack is improved if the patient is cooled below normal body temperature (37xc2x0 C.). Furthermore, it is also accepted that for such patients, it is important to prevent hyperthermia (fever) even if it is decided not to induce hypothermia. Moreover, in certain applications such as post-CABG surgery, it might be desirable to rewarm a hypothermic patient.
As recognized by the present invention, the above-mentioned advantages in regulating temperature can be realized by cooling or heating the patient""s entire body. Moreover, the present invention understands that since many patients already are intubated with central venous catheters for other clinically approved purposes anyway such as drug delivery and blood monitoring, providing a central venous catheter that can also cool or heat the blood requires no additional surgical procedures for those patients. However, single purpose heat exchange catheters such as are made by Innercool Therapies of San Diego, Calif. and Radiant Medical of Portola Valley, Calif. can also be less optimally used.
Regardless of the particular catheter used, it is clear that heat must be removed from or added to the coolant that flows through the catheter. As recognized herein, it is desirable that a heat exchange system for a heat exchange catheter consume minimal energy and space. Small size is desired because space is often at a premium in critical care units. Moreover, as also recognized herein, for patient comfort it is desirable that such a heat exchange system generate a minimum amount of noise. As still further understood by the present invention, it is desirable that the heat exchange system be easy to use by health care personnel, and provide for monitoring systems and convenient temperature control. U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,411, incorporated herein by reference, discloses one such heat exchange system. It is the object of the present invention to still further address one or more of the above-noted considerations.
A heat exchange system for an indwelling heat exchange catheter includes a heat exchange bath configured to receive a conduit that carries working fluid to and from the catheter. The bath is filled with a heating/coolant fluid that exchanges heat with the working fluid. The system further includes a heat exchanger through which the heating/coolant fluid flows. The heat exchanger includes a refrigerant and a variable speed DC compressor. Moreover, a heating/coolant fluid pump circulates the heating/coolant fluid between the heat exchanger and the heat exchange bath.
In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a heating/coolant fluid level detector that communicates with the heating/coolant fluid. Preferably, the system also includes a working fluid level detector that communicates with the working fluid. Also, the system includes a controller that receives patient temperature input and target temperature input. The controller controls the temperature of the heating/coolant fluid in response to the patient temperature input and the target temperature input.
Preferably, the controller selectively energizes the working fluid pump. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the system includes a lid on the bath. The lid is spaced above the top of the heating/cooling fluid. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a display that shows a graph of temperature, e.g., patient temperature as a function of time. The display also presents qualitative comments on cooling and/or heating.
In another aspect of the present invention, a heat exchange system for an indwelling heat exchange catheter includes a working fluid circuit that is connected to the catheter to carry a working fluid to and from the catheter. A heating/cooling circuit is thermally coupled to the working fluid circuit and includes a heating/cooling fluid that exchanges heat with the working fluid. In this aspect, a refrigerating circuit is thermally coupled to the heating/cooling circuit. The refrigerating circuit includes a refrigerant that exchanges heat with the heating/cooling fluid.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a display is connected to a controller for displaying temperature related to a patient having a cooling catheter intubated therein. The display includes means for providing a continuous graph of patient temperature as a function of time as the patient is heated or cooled via the cooling catheter.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a fluid level detector includes a hollow container that defines a longitudinal axis and a radial axis. The fluid level detector also includes a light emitter that emits a light beam along a first light axis angled from the axes of the container. In this aspect of the present invention, the direction of the light beam through the container is altered when the light beam is refracted by the fluid in the container. A light detector unit is distanced from the first light axis for receiving the light beam only when the light beam passes through fluid in the container and otherwise not receiving the light beam. The light detector unit outputs a detection signal when the light beam is detected. The detection signal is representative of fluid level in the container.
In yet still another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for controlling a heat exchange apparatus that is connectable to an indwelling catheter for circulating saline thereto. The method includes determining a difference between a patient temperature and a target temperature. Based on the difference, one of two control modes are entered.
In another aspect of the present invention, a heat exchange system for an indwelling heat exchange catheter includes a working fluid circuit that is connected to the catheter to carry a working fluid to and from the catheter. Moreover, a heating/cooling circuit is thermally coupled to the working fluid circuit. The heating/cooling circuit includes a heating/cooling fluid that exchanges heat with the working fluid. A refrigerating circuit is thermally coupled to the heating/cooling circuit. The refrigerating circuit includes a refrigerant that exchanges heat with the heating/cooling fluid. In this aspect, the system also includes a controller for controlling the circulation of the working fluid, heating/cooling fluid and the refrigerant. The controller includes a program for determining the power required to heat or cool a patient in which the catheter is disposed.
The details of the present invention, both as to its construction and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts, and which:

Heating/cooling system for indwelling heat exchange catheter


An electric power connector and power cable retainer arrangement includes an electric power connector for the connection of the electric plug or socket of an external power cable for power transmission, and a power cable retainer that has a holder base provided at the electric power connector and a clip extended from the holder base for securing the cable of the external power cable in place to prohibit disconnection of the electric plug or socket of the external power cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric power connectors and more particularly, to an electric power connector and power cable retainer arrangement, which prohibits disconnection of the connected electric plug or electric socket.
2. Description of the Related Art
When using an electric appliance, the electric plug of the power cable of the electric appliance must be connected to an electric socket to obtain the necessary working power supply. However, when the user moves the electric appliance or the power cable of the electric appliance is stretched accidentally, the electric plug of the power cable of the electric appliance may be disconnected from the electric socket, causing power supply interruption or resulting in an accident.

Electric power connector and power cable retainer arrangement