A device for facilitating the insertion of balloon catheters and other devices into blood vessels, for example, the femoral artery, while presenting the minimal amount of obstruction to the flow of fluid through the vessel. The device is comprised of an introducer sheath having a hub and a short elongated section wherein when the hub abuts the patient's skin and the short elongated section is not long enough to reach the vessel. Also disclosed is a method for inserting a balloon catheter using the short introducer sheath.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and to procedures that use catheters or similar devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a short sheath designed primarily to facilitate the percutaneous insertion of a catheter and the method of percutaneously inserting such devices using said short sheath. The invention has particular utility when employed to facilitate the percutaneous insertion of balloon catheters, especially intra-aortic balloon catheters (IABs). However, the present invention also may be found to have utility in other medical procedures or applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sheaths for use during medical procedures are well known, particularly for use during percutaneous procedures. As has been well known for many years, catheters, guide wires, or the like, may be introduced into a body channel, such as a vein or artery, through a guide sheath or without a sheath. For convenience, unless the context indicates otherwise, the term "artery" will be used herein in a generic sense to encompass both veins and arteries as well as other body cavities.
Generally, before inserting a catheter into a patient's artery or vein, a hollow needle is inserted through the skin and the subcutaneous tissue until it enters the vein or artery. Especially when an artery like the femoral artery is entered, spurting of blood from the hub at the proximal end of the needle indicates that the needle tip (its distal end) is in the artery. A guide wire is then passed through the needle into the lumen of the artery, whereupon the needle is removed and discarded. A dilator, often with a guide sheath or introducer sheath attached, can then be passed over the guide wire into the artery. A dilator, or a series of progressively larger dilators, are used to enlarge the channel or passageway into the artery so as to facilitate passage of the sheath. Having served its purpose, the dilator is then removed and discarded, leaving the introducer sheath in the artery. The sheath is then pushed further into the artery until sufficiently inserted to serve the purpose. At that point, its distal end is well into the artery, with most of the body of the sheath resident in the blood stream. A catheter can then be inserted into the artery by sliding it through the introducer sheath.
As indicated above, sheaths are well known in the art. For example, one such sheath is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,634 (Corrigan et al.) owned by the assignee of the instant invention. As can be seen, the sheath of the Corrigan reference has, near its proximal end, two wings. Among other functions, those wings limit the insertion of the sheath into the artery. The sheath of the Corrigan reference is a peelable sheath that can be split longitudinally so as to permit removal after it has served its purpose. Perhaps more common are non-peelable sheaths that remain resident in the artery during the entire procedure.
While catheters are frequently inserted through sheaths, it has long been known that they can also be inserted in a sheathless fashion. Each method has its advantages and each has its drawbacks. Use of a sheath provides guidance and a smooth path for the catheter through the skin, the subcutaneous tissue and through a portion of the artery. The sheath, however, when it is resident in the artery is an added obstruction to the flow of blood to the lower extremities and, especially in severely sclerotic or small patients, this obstruction can be of critical importance.
In sheathless insertions, since there is no sheath, there is nothing, except for the catheter itself, to obstruct the blood flow. However, some physicians are reluctant to perform sheathless insertions particularly of relatively large balloon catheters like IABs, because of the resistance often encountered in passing the uncovered balloon through the skin and subcutaneous tissue. The force necessary to overcome that resistance may result in kinking of the guide wire and/or the balloon. The feel of the balloon as it passes through this region is sometimes felt to be a sign of trouble or excessive trauma.

Method for percutaneous insertion of catheters


The invention concerns a timepiece including a case (10) and a crystal (22) together defining a housing (18) for a movement (20), and further including an element that is mobile in rotation (30) actuated by a control member (36) including a stem (42) of longitudinal axis AA, passing radially through said case (10), a crown (44) mounted on a first proximal end of said stem and a pinion (46) fixedly mounted in rotation on a second distal end of said stem (42). The control member (36) is fitted with a part (48) for axially securing said pinion (46) on said stem (42), arranged on the proximal side of said stem (42), said securing part (48) including:                a first slit ring (62) mounted so as to be locked axially and radially on a first of the pinion (46)/stem (42) elements, and        means for axially locking the second of the pinion (46)/stem (42) elements, secured to said slit ring (62).

Such watches are known and marketed. They are, conventionally, dive watches comprising a rotating inner bezels. One can also find watches whose dial rotates in order to create an aesthetic or surprising effect, or watches fitted with a rotating polarizer inserted between the dial and the crystal.
Whatever the type of rotating element, it is actuated using a control member accessible from the exterior of the case. This type of control member is generally formed of a stem passing through the case radially, a crown secured to the outer end of the stem and a pinion secured to its inner end. An assembly of this type is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows a partial cross-section of a watch comprising a mobile element.
The watch shown in FIG. 1 comprises, in a conventional manner, a case 10 formed of a middle part 12, a cap 14 and a back cover 16 together defining a housing 18 in which a movement 20 is mounted. A crystal 22 closes the case 10 in a water resistant manner. A dial 24 is mounted on movement 20. A circular recess 26 made in middle part 12 forms a shoulder 28 at the height of dial 24. A rotating bezel 30, inserted between dial 24 and crystal 22, is partially housed in circular recess 26, which axially positions and guides the latter in rotation. The bottom face of rotating bezel 30 includes a first flat circular portion 32a arranged opposite the periphery of dial 24 so as to conceal the same, and a second flat circular portion 32b abutting shoulder 28. It further comprises an intermediate circular portion 32c located between the first and second flat portions 32a and 32b and forming a contrate toothing 34.
A control member 36 actuates rotating bezel 30. For this purpose, a hole 38 passes radially through middle part 12. An intermediate tube 40 having a particularly well-finished inner surface state is screwed inside hole 38. A stem 42 of longitudinal axis AA is mounted inside tube 40 such that the ends thereof project outside and inside case 10. A crown 44 is secured to a first proximal end, whereas a pinion 46 is secured to a second distal end. The stem 42-crown 44-pinion 46 assembly forms the control member 36 of bezel 30. The latter is arranged in middle part 12 such that pinion 46 meshes with contrate toothing 34. The rotation of crown 44 actuated by the user, thus causes bezel 30 to rotate inside case 10.
Pinion 46 is secured to the distal end of stem 42 by screws and by bonding. This method of securing pinion 46 guarantees the axial and angular positioning of the latter relative to stem 42, which allows the transmission of the rotational movement of the control member 36 to bezel 30. However, it will be observed that such a method of securing by screws and bonding is so strong that it is practically definitive. During a maintenance service, it is almost impossible to dismantle control member 36 without breaking stem 42. A simple solution to this problem consists in using a stem 42 whose end, having a square cross-section, is engaged in a hole in pinion 46 that also has a square cross-section. Pinion 46 is thus locked angularly. Axial positioning can be achieved using a circlip arranged at the end of stem 42, in a groove located in immediate proximity to pinion 46, on the distal side. In order to do this, stem 42 must be slightly longer than in the case of securing by screws-bonding, which cannot be envisaged because of the lack of space between pinion 46 and movement 20.
The invention overcomes this difficulty by proposing the use of a securing part that is arranged, not on the movement side, as in the previously proposed solution, but on middle part 12 side. This securing part is anchored in stem 42 and pinion 46 in order to position pinion 46 axially.


A float valve structure that includes a case; a valve seat that is formed at an end portion of the case, at a position near an upper opening of the case; a float that is arranged in a space formed in the case so as to be vertically movable; a valve support member that is arranged above the float and that can be inserted into the upper opening; a valve that is fitted to the valve support member and that can contact the valve seat; and a valve opening member that can vertically move together with the float and that opens at least one portion of the valve.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a float valve structure. The invention relates, for example, to a float valve structure in which fuel evaporative gas in a fuel tank of, for example, a motor vehicle flows to a canister and is then absorbed in an absorbent in the canister, or the fuel in the fuel tank is prevented from flowing to the canister when a fuel level rises.
2. Description of the Related Art
A motor vehicle or the like includes a fuel tank that stores fuel to be supplied to a combustion chamber of an engine. The fuel tank is provided with a ventilation system to permit air to appropriately flow in/out of the fuel tank in accordance with decreases/increases in the amount of fuel in the fuel tank. The ventilation system provides communication between the inside of the fuel tank and a canister. If the fuel tank is supplied with a greater amount of fuel than the tank capacity, the fuel that spilt out of the fuel tank is discharged to the canister. If the fuel that spilt out of the fuel tank is discharged to the canister, the canister becomes wet and unusable. To avoid such a problem, a full-tank control valve is provided at the upper portion of the fuel tank. When the fuel tank is filled up with fuel, the full-tank control valve blocks the ventilation system, thereby preventing the air and fuel from being discharged to the canister.
In addition to the full-tank control valve, the fuel tank is provided with a fuel-leak prevention valve that always contacts the atmosphere and suppresses pressure fluctuations in the fuel tank. The fuel-leak prevention valve is closed when the motor vehicle is tilted or overturned.
Generally, the full-tank control valve and the fuel-leak prevention valve are individually provided. However, a float valve serving as both the full-tank control valve and the fuel-leak prevention valve has already been proposed in order, for example, to reduce the cost.
Such a float valve is shown in FIG. 29. In a float valve 1, a valve support member 4 with a cylindrical body portion 4a and a float 5 are housed in an internal space 3 defined by a case 2. An upper opening 8a is formed in the upper portion of the float valve 1, and a lower opening 8b is formed in the lower portion of the float valve 1. The case 2 is housed in a fuel tank 6. The case 2 is arranged such that a flange 7, which is horizontally formed around the upper portion of the outer wall of the case 2, is fitted to the top wall surface of the fuel tank 6.
The float 5 moves upward when the fuel in the fuel tank 6 flows into the internal space 3 through the lower opening 8b. A rod-like first valve 9 having a small diameter is formed on the top surface of the float 5. A second valve 4b having a large diameter is fitted to the upper portion of the valve support member 4. The valve support member 4 is arranged above the float 5 so as to be vertically movable.
An upper-end opening 12 having a small diameter is formed in the center portion of the valve support member 4. A first valve seat 10 is formed in the inner surface of the center portion of the valve support member 4, at the position near the lower-end of the upper-end opening 12. The first valve 9 of the float 5 can contact the first valve seat 10.
A second valve seat 11 is formed at the end portion of the case 2, at the position near the lower-end of the upper opening 8a of the case 2. The float 5 and the valve support member 4 move upward together with each other, when fuel flows into the internal space 3 through the lower opening 8b, for example, when the fuel is supplied into the fuel tank 6. The first valve 9 of the float 5 contacts the first valve seat 10 of the valve support member 4, thereby blocking the upper-end opening 12. The second valve 4b contacts the second valve seat 11 formed at the position near the lower-end of the upper opening 8a, thereby blocking the upper opening 8a. Thus, the fuel is prevented from flowing to a canister (not shown) through a communication passage 13 formed above the upper opening 8a.
When the valve is closed, the force with which the first valve 9 contacts the first valve seat 10 is considerably less than the force with which the second valve 4b contacts the second valve seat 11. Accordingly, if the pressure in the fuel tank 6 is reduced even by only a small amount, the float 5 moves downward due to its own weight. As a result, the first valve 9 moves away from the first valve seat 10, whereby communication is provided between the inside of the fuel tank 6 and the atmosphere through the upper-end opening 12.
As a result, the pressure in the fuel tank 6 is reduced, the second valve 4b immediately moves away from the second valve seat 11, and the upper opening 8a contacts the atmosphere. Accordingly, the pressure in the fuel tank 6 is reduced rapidly to the atmospheric pressure.
As described above, because the conventional float valve serves as both the full-tank control valve and the fuel-leak prevention valve, only one valve is required. Accordingly, the conventional float valve offers high cost performance and convenience, as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2004-257264.
Generally, a resin seal structure needs to offer high sealing performance. In addition, the production cost increases with increases in the number of portions where sealing needs to be provided. Therefore, the conventional float valve has a double seal structure in which two valve support members are used, as described above. In addition, in this seal structure, resin is used to form the first valve 9 and the first valve seat 10.
Accordingly, the float valve according to the related art can offer only limited sealing performance. Also, the double seal structure increases the production cost.
In order to address such problems, the seal structure including the first valve 9 having a small diameter and the first valve seat 10 may be omitted. However, such a structure causes another problem that the ease in re-opening the valve is reduced, for example, a greater force is required to cause the second valve 4b to move away from the second valve seat 11.


A vehicle headlight can form a predetermined high-beam light distribution pattern, while being capable of causing the chromaticity of the entire light distribution pattern to fall within a white range (JIS D5500). The vehicle headlight can include: a projection lens that can control light incident on its light incident surface at a first incident position near its optical axis to be directed in a direction not parallel to the optical axis, can control light incident at a second incident position away from the optical axis to be directed in a direction parallel to the optical axis, and can control light incident at an incident position between the first and second incident positions to be directed in a direction closer to the direction parallel to the optical axis as the light is incident at an incident position closer from the first incident position to the second incident position.

In recent years, various vehicle lighting units including headlights utilizing a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source have been proposed, for example, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-277818.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a conventional vehicle lighting unit 200 disclosed in the above publication includes a light source 210 utilizing a semiconductor light emitting device such as an LED, a projection lens 220 disposed in front of the light source 210, etc.
In the vehicle lighting device 200 with the above configuration, the light emitted from the light source 210 and projected forward through the projection lens 220 can form a basic light distribution pattern Pa as illustrated in FIG. 1B, diffused in the horizontal direction below the horizontal line H.
When the vehicle lighting unit 200 with the above configuration uses as the light source 210 a light source that uses a combination of a semiconductor light emitting device (such as a blue LED) and a light-transmitting member (such as a yellow YAG phosphor) covering the light emitting device, such as those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2012-134355, 2011-204376, and 2010-93208), a problem or characteristic may arise in which the chromaticity of the basic light distribution pattern Pa partially falls outside the white range as determined under a provision of law or the like (for example, JIS D5500).
When a light source with a combined structure of a semiconductor light emitting device and a light-transmitting member covering the light emitting device is used, the blue light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting device and directed in an optical axis (for example, a normal direction to the light emission surface of the semiconductor light emitting device) may travel a shorter distance through the light-transmitting member when compared with the blue light directed in an oblique direction to the optical axis. As a result, the blue light directed in the normal direction may not be sufficiently absorbed by the phosphor, and not converted to yellow light. This phenomenon may cause the above characteristics and/or problems.


The present invention concerns a method and a kit for the post-synthetic modification of nucleic acids via an inverse Diels-Alder reaction.

Methods for labeling biomolecules with fluorescent dyes and affinity tags have become indispensable tools in the modern life sciences, and for those conjugation strategies it is important that they allow the site-specific post-synthetic coupling of complex molecules under mild conditions.
While for many years NHS ester chemistry dominated both protein and nucleic acid functionalization (G. T. Hermanson, Bioconjugate Techniques, Academic Press. San Diego, 1996), cycloaddition reactions have gained considerable importance. One of the most versatile post-synthetic labeling methods for DNA oligonucleotides is the copper(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne "click" reaction developed by Sharpless in 2001 (H. C. Kolb, M. G. Finn, K. B. Sharpless, Angew. Chem. 2001, 113, 2056-2075; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 2004-2021). However, copper will be noxious for living cells above certain concentrations.
The first study on nucleic acid functionalization by Diels-Alder reaction used anthracene-modified oligonucleotides and maleimide dienophiles. While the reaction proceeded with high selectivity under mild conditions, the low reactivity required huge (>500-fold) excess of dienophile for appreciable product formation (B. Seelig, A. Jäschke, Tetrahedron Lett. 1997, 38, 7729-7732; b) B. Seelig, A. Jäschke, Chem. Biol. 1999, 6, 167-176). Consequently, only very few laboratories developed or applied normal electron demand Diels-Alder bioconjugations.
Since the aforementioned technologies have several disadvantages for labelling nucleic acid molecules, there is a further need for a method of post-synthetic modification of nucleic acids, preferably DNA, which is easy, cheap and works reliable also when larger nucleic acid molecules have to be labelled. Such a method should be suitable for small chemically synthesized oligonucleotides as well as for longer enzymatically amplified DNA strands.

Post-synthetic modification of nucleic acids by inverse diels-alder reaction


The disclosure is related to an audio/video processing apparatus for a car such as a car audio system, which allows various applications installed at a mobile communication device of a user (for example, a smart phone, a tablet PC or the like) to be implemented using car equipment, by executing or implementing various applications installed at a mobile communication device through a car audio/video control module or an application for a car (App-C) installed at the car.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an audio/video processing apparatus for a car, for example a car audio system, and more particularly, to an audio/video processing apparatus for a car, which allows various applications installed at a mobile communication device of a user (for example, a smart phone, a tablet PC or the like) to be implemented using car equipment, by executing or implementing various applications (for example, radio listening applications, game applications, news delivery applications, weather report applications, music appreciation applications, movie appreciation applications or the like) installed at a mobile communication device of a user (for example, a smart phone, a tablet PC or the like) through a car audio/video control module or an application for a car (App-C) installed at the car.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, along with rapid development of electrics/electronics-related technologies, an audio/video processing apparatus for a car (for example, a car audio system or the like) with better good quality is also rapidly developed. Accordingly, the importance of various back-up techniques capable of effectively reinforcing or supporting the function of an audio/video processing apparatus for a car is gradually increasing.
As a back-up technique in relation to such a general audio/video processing apparatus for a car, for example, Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2012-115827 (entitled "an AVN system interworking with a smart phone) (published on Oct. 19, 2012) discloses a method for reducing manufacture costs of a vehicle AVN system by designing the AVN system to use a display of a smart phone.
However, existing techniques such as Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2012-115827 just disclose a method for simply connecting an audio/video processing apparatus for a car to a mobile communication device (for example, a smart phone, a tablet PC or the like) (or, a basic-level technique for displaying a navigation screen of an AVN system through a smart phone), and fail to teach a method for associating various applications (for example, radio listening applications, game applications, news delivery applications, weather report applications, music appreciation applications, movie appreciation applications or the like) installed at a mobile communication device of a user (for example, a smart phone, a tablet PC or the like) with an audio/video processing apparatus for a car. Therefore, even though a user desires to implement various applications installed at a mobile communication device of a user (for example, a smart phone, a tablet PC or the like) through an audio/video processing apparatus for a car, the corresponding service is not available.

Audio/video processing apparatus for a car


A spin valve magnetoresistive effect magnetic head has a free magnetic layer having two sublayers composed of a CoFe sublayer and an NiFe sublayer. Alternatively, the two sublayers may be composed of a CoFe layer and an NiFe based alloy layer. The magnetic head further includes a nonmagnetic layer stacked on the CoFe layer, a pinned magnetic layer stacked on the nonmagnetic layer and an antiferromagnetic layer for fixing a magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer according to an exchange coupling between the pinned magnetic layer and the antiferromagnetic layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a spin valve magnetoresistive effect magnetic head and a magnetic disk drive and, more particularly, to a spin valve magnetoresistive effect magnetic head, in which a change of a signal magnetic field read from a magnetic medium is converted into a change rate of an electric resistance according to a spin valve magnetoresistive effect, and a magnetic disk drive with the spin valve magnetoresistive effect magnetic head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a magnetic sensor or a magnetic head, a magnetoresistive effect device made of NiFe is used as magnetic material. Because of the requirement of a higher sensitivity for the magnetic sensor and the magnetic head, a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) film has drawn attention to obtain a reading signal having a high intensity. A spin valve magnetoresistive effect film serving as a type of GMR film has particularly drawn attention because the film can be relatively easily produced and a change rate of an electric resistance in the film placed in a low magnetic field is larger than that in a normal magnetoresistive (MR) device.
A magnetoresistive effect magnetic head operated according to a spin valve magnetoresistive effect has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,590, U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,513, etc.
An example of a conventional magnetoresistive effect magnetic head is shown in FIG. 1A, and a cross-sectional view of the conventional magnetoresistive effect magnetic head is shown in FIG. 1B.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an A1.sub.2 O.sub.3 TiC substrate 1, an alumina layer 2, a under layer 3 made of tantalum (Ta), a free (or unpinned) magnetic layer 4 composed of an NiFe layer 4a and a Co layer 4b, a nonmagnetic metal layer 5 made of Cu, a pinned magnetic layer 6 made of Co and an antiferromagnetic layer 7 made of FeMn are arranged in a film thickness direction in that order to manufacture a spin valve MR device. In this case, the film thickness direction is expressed in a Z direction.
The layers of a multilayered structure ranging from the under layer 3 to the antiferromagnetic layer 7 are respectively patterned in a planar rectangular shape, and a pair of electrode terminals 8 made of Au are arranged in a pair of regions placed at both edges of the antiferromagnetic layer 7 which is formed as an uppermost layer of the multilayered structure. A region of the multilayered structure placed between the electrode terminals 8 functions as a signal detecting region (or a sensing region) S. A shorter side of the rectangularly shaped pattern is directed in an X direction, and a longer side of the rectangularly shaped pattern is directed in a Y direction.
In the pinned magnetic layer 6, an exchange coupling magnetic field Hua is generated in an easily magnetization axis direction (X direction) because of an exchange coupling between the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the antiferromagnetic layer 7. Therefore, the pinned magnetic layer 6 is fixedly magnetized in the X direction, so that a magnetization direction of the layer 6 is not changed by an external signal magnetic field Hsig directed in the X direction.
A free magnetic layer denotes a magnetic layer in which a direction of the magnetization M is easily changed by the signal magnetic field Hsig, and a pinned magnetic layer denotes a magnetic layer in which a direction of the magnetization M is not easily changed by the external signal magnetic field Hsig as compared with the magnetization of the free magnetic layer.
The reason that the free magnetic layer 4 is composed of two layers represented by the NiFe layer 4a and the Co layer 4b is as follows.
First, an output of a magnetoresistive effect obtained in the free magnetic layer 4 is two or more times as high as that obtained in a free or unpinned magnetic layer made of only NiFe. Second, the Co layer 4b functions as a buffer layer to prevent an interfacial diffusion of Co and NiFe between the nonmagnetic metal layer 5 and the NiFe layer 4a caused when the layers 4a and 5 are heated.
The Co layer 4b itself is a semi-hard magnetic film. However, a two-layer structure 4a, 4b of NiFe and Co magnetically softens the layer 4 because of an exchange coupling between the NiFe layer 4a and the Co layer 4b. Therefore, the two-layer structure makes the layer 4 function as a free or unpinned magnetic layer.
The magnetization M of the free magnetic layer 4 having the two-layer structure coincides with the direction which intersects orthogonally with the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer 6 (i.e., Y direction or easily magnetization axis direction) if a strength of the signal magnetic field Hsig is made to be zero. The direction of the magnetization M in the free magnetic layer 4 changes in accordance with the signal magnetic field Hsig.
A total electric resistance of the multilayered structure ranging from the under layer 3 to the antiferromagnetic layer 7 changes in proportion to a cosine of an angle .theta.(cos .theta.) between the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer 4. A constant current passes through the signal detecting region (or the sensing region) S placed in the multilayered structure from one electrode terminal 6 to the other electrode terminal 8. When the total electric resistance is changed, a voltage difference between the electrode terminals 8 changes. The change of the total electric resistance is calculated according to the Ohm's law by detecting the change of the voltage difference.
The reason that the magnetization direction of the pinned magnetic layer 6 and the magnetization direction of the free magnetic layer 4 are perpendicular to each other is to make the total electric resistance linearly change with respect to the signal magnetic field Hsig.
To prevent the interfacial diffusion of Co and NiFe between the nonmagnetic metal layer 5 and the NiFe layer 4a caused by heating the layers 4a and 5, it is required that the thickness of the Co layer 4b is set to 30 .ANG. (angstroms) or more.
The inventor has experimentally examined the relationship between an external magnetic field and a change rate of electric resistance in the spin valve MR device in which the film thickness of the Co layer 4b composing the free magnetic layer 4 is set to 30 .ANG. or more.
A first sample used for an experiment has the same layer configuration as that of the spin valve MR device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. That is, a film thickness of the under layer 3 made of Ta is 50 .ANG., a film thickness of the NiFe layer 4a is 20 .ANG., a film thickness of the Co layer 4b is 55 .ANG., a film thickness of the nonmagnetic metal layer 5 made of Cu is 32 .ANG., a film thickness of the pinned magnetic layer 6 made of Co is 55 .ANG., and a film thickness of the antiferromagnetic layer 7 made of FeMn is 150 .ANG..
As a result of the experiment, magnetoresistive effect characteristics (.DELTA.MR) shown in FIG. 2 are obtained. This MR effect characteristics are obtained by continuously increasing and decreasing the strength of an external magnetic field in a range from -200 oersteds (Oe) to 200 oersteds (Oe). As shown in FIG. 2, it is realized that a strength difference in the external magnetic field between leading and trailing edges of a characteristic curve placed in the neighborhood of a specific point at which the strength of the external magnetic field is zero is about 40 oersteds (Oe). Because the strength difference is equivalent to a value twice as high as a coercive force Hc of the spin valve MR device, the coercive force Hc of the first sample is no less than 20 oersteds (Oe), and the sensitivity of the spin valve MR device for the signal magnetic field Hsig is degraded.
The reason that the coercive force Hc is increased to 20 oersteds (Oe) is because the free magnetic layer 4 has the Co layer (55 .ANG.) 4b with a thick film. Therefore, the inventors have tried to decrease the coercive force Hc of the spin valve MR device by thinning the Co layer 4b.
A second sample used for the experiment has the same layer configuration as that of the spin valve MR device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. That is, a film thickness of the under layer 3 made of Ta is 50 .ANG., a film thickness of the NiFe layer 4a is 55 .ANG., a film thickness of the Co layer 4b is 20 .ANG., a film thickness of the nonmagnetic metal layer 5 made of Cu is 26 .ANG., a film thickness of the pinned magnetic layer 6 made of Co is 55 .ANG., and a film thickness of the antiferromagnetic layer 7 made of FeMn is 150 .ANG..
As a result of the experiment, the MR effect characteristics shown in FIG. 3 have been obtained, and the coercive force Hc of the spin valve MR device has been decreased to 6 oersteds (Oe), and a change rate .DELTA.MR of an electric resistance in the spin valve MR device has been increased as compared with that shown in FIG. 2.
However, if the Co layer 4b is thinned to less than 20 .ANG., the interfacial diffusion is caused between the nonmagnetic metal layer 5 and the free magnetic layer 4 when they are subjected to heating, and it is likely to cause such a drawback that soft magnetic property of the free magnetic layer 4 is degraded.

Multilayer spin valve magneto-resistive effect magnetic head with free magnetic layer including two sublayers and magnetic disk drive including same


An organic light-emitting display panel includes a plurality of pixel defining aperture regions each having a same shape and size. Each pixel defining aperture region is partitioned into six sub-pixel regions, the six sub-pixels has a same area defined by six boundary lines, each boundary line is a connection line running from a center point to an edge of the pixel defining aperture region. The plurality of the pixel defining aperture regions is characterized with three different colors. The six sub-pixels of any one of the pixel defining aperture regions is characterized with a same color. Two adjacent pixel defining aperture regions are characterized with different colors. Three connection lines between the center points of three adjacent pixel defining aperture regions have different colors constitute an isosceles right triangle, and three sub-pixel regions defined by the isosceles right triangle constitute one pixel unit.

Among display technologies, an organic light-emitting display (OLED) panel has more and more applications from its excellent characteristics such as self-luminous, high brightness, wide viewing angle and fast response. Light-emitting devices in the organic light-emitting display panel include an anode, a cathode and an organic light-emitting layer. The organic light-emitting layer is located between the anode and the cathode. Electrons and holes are combined in the organic light-emitting layer to realize light emission under the voltage of the anode and the cathode.
However, in the current pixel design, each sub-pixel corresponds to a separate organic light-emitting layer pattern, which requires high patterning precision for the organic light-emitting layer. Therefore, it is difficult to manufacture an organic light-emitting layer pattern having a small region, resulting in a low resolution of the organic light-emitting display panel.

Organic light-emitting display panel and display device

WUHAN TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


Machine for printing objects having outer surfaces to be printed, the machine including a frame, and at least two treatment units and a printing unit attached on the frame, the printing unit including at least one inkjet printhead suitable for ejecting inkjets along a printing direction, and a turret mounted rotating relative to the frame around a rotation axis, and including four object holders spaced regularly apart at 90° around the rotation axis, and suitable for holding the objects and rotating them around four object-holder axes perpendicular to the rotation axis, the turret being movable successively between four positions, at least one of the object holders being across from the printing unit in each of the positions, while two others of the object holders are across from the treatment units, the printing machine including a turret support with an adjustable incline around a pivot axis relative to the frame.

An inkjet printhead comprises rows of nozzles on its lower face. The spacing between each nozzle is equal to the definition, in dots per inch (DPI). The lower surface for example comprises four rows of ninety nozzles each. The two outermost rows are for example spaced apart by 2.82 mm, while the nozzles in the four rows are spaced apart by 0.0705 mm, which leads to a definition of 360 DPI.
The length of a row of nozzles is for example approximately 72 mm and the width of the lower surface is for example 17.2 mm. The width of the lower surface corresponds to the thickness of the printhead. The alignment direction of the inkjets extends in the direction of the length of the lower surface.
To print objects of revolution, it is known to orient the inkjets toward a generatrix of the object, and to rotate said object around its axis of revolution.
In the field of machines for printing on conical objects, it is known to act so as, at the printing unit, to tilt the object such that its upper generatrix is horizontal. This allows the printing means, in the case at hand a screenprinting frame, to be in a horizontal plane, and the ink located in the screenprinting frame to be distributed uniformly on the surface to be printed. This is a sign of good printing.
Thus, document U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,296 describes a machine having a main frame on which a second frame is attached comprising means for removing the object to be printed. This second frame may pivot relative to the main frame. In this way, by tilting the second frame with respect to the main frame, it is possible to tilt the axis of revolution of the conical objects relative to the horizontal. The objects are therefore all tilted below the various printing units and have an upper generatrix in a horizontal plane corresponding to the different planes of the printing screens.
It is also known, in the field of the direct printing of objects, to convey the objects to be decorated not using a linear conveyor, as described in the aforementioned document, but by a circular conveyor in the form of a rotating object-holder turret bringing the objects below the various printing units located tangentially relative to the circular trajectory of the turret. In this case, it is not possible to tilt the conveyor and cause the upper generatrixes of the conical objects to be in a horizontal plane. Indeed, due to the circular arrangement of the objects on the turret, only one of the objects has an upper generatrix in a horizontal plane. In this case, according to a technique described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,096,709, each object holder, and not only one of them, is tilted relative to the turret, as illustrated in FIG. 47 of this document.
However, such printing machines are complex and the inclines of the various object holders are delicate and very difficult to adjust, since each time the type of object to be printed changes, it is necessary to adjust each object holder identically to satisfy the precision required by the inkjet printing, which is about 0.035 mm.
One aim of the invention is therefore to offset all or part of the above drawback, by proposing a printing machine facilitating printing in particular on objects having an outer surface at least partly of revolution, in particular frustoconical or cylindrical.

Machine for printing a plurality of objects


According to one embodiment, an amplifier circuit includes N (N>=3) transistors, two first branches and N−2 second branches. The N (N>=3) transistors are connected in parallel. The two first branches each include the transistor and a first transmission line which is connected to an output terminal of the transistor. The N−2 second branches each include the transistor and a second transmission line which is connected to the output terminal of the transistor. For each of the first branches, a sum between an electrical length of a parasitic component of the transistor and the electrical length of the first transmission line are odd multiples of approximately 90 degrees. For each of the second branches, the sum between the electrical length of the parasitic component of the transistor and the electrical length of the second transmission line are multiples of approximately 180 degrees.

In wireless communication, signals with large amplitude level fluctuations need to be amplified efficiently. For some signals, the peak power and the average power may differ in the order of Decibels. However, the power efficiency suffers if the voltage of the input signal of a transistor diverges from the rated voltage. For amplifying signals with high power efficiency, a plurality of transistors connected in parallel can be used. Examples of such circuits include Doherty amplifier circuits. In Doherty amplifier circuits, the bias (DC) voltages applied to the gate terminals for each of the transistors are configured to different values.
Combiners of Doherty amplifier circuits include λ/4 lines. However, due to the presence of parasitic components in the circuit and the harmonic components in the signal, efficient amplification of signals may become difficult.

Amplifier circuit and transmitting device

TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION


A pulsator, adapted for use in irrigation and other systems requiring the uniform discharge of water or other liquids in intermittent pulses and at regular frequencies, comprises a casing having an expansible elastomeric tube disposed therein. The tube is adapted to be exposed to pressurized liquid for movement between contracted and expanded conditions of operation for controlling the intermittent opening of a valve, formed in part by the tube. A flow control, located at the inlet to the pulsator, functions to modulate the pressure of the incoming liquid to control the flow rate of the liquid communicated to an expansible chamber defined in part by the tube. When the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined level, the valve will open to intermittently discharge pulses of liquid to a distributor, such as an irrigation sprayer. The pulsator is preferably structured to insure continuous communication of liquid from the inlet to the pulsator to the chamber. Further, the normally closed valve preferably comprises an annular contact surface defined circumferentially on an annular flange that normally engages the tube in at least near line contact to induce near-instantaneous opening of the valve during a pulsating cycle.

Water distributing devices, such as fixed sprayers used for irrigation purposes, are limited in respect to the distances at which spray patterns can be discharged. Further, conventional sprayers are incapable of functioning in the desired manner when they are supplied with water at relatively low mainline pressures, such as below 25 psi. Thus, conventional sprayers and other water distributing devices cannot be retro-fitted to systems working under marginal pressure levels provided by existing pumps, mainlines, and sub-mainline infrastructures. The alternative to converting marginal systems of this type to include pumps or other accessories for boosting pressures to an acceptable working level, would be cost prohibitive and impracticable.
A proposed solution to these problems has been the advent of pulsating devices, adapted to discharge water from an irrigation sprayer at greater distances then can be achieved with conventional sprayers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,967 discloses a pulsating-type sprinkler system wherein an elastomeric tube or bladder intermittently expands and contracts to control the opening and closing, respectively, of a valve to discharge water in intermittent pulses. U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,217 discloses a pulsating-type irrigation system that relies on an expandable (FIG. 1) or fixed volume container (FIG. 4) for receiving fluid via a fixed orifice to provide intermittent pulses of water under control of a spring-biased and separate check valve. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,539 discloses a similar system wherein a rigid container is utilized to receive pressure-compensated water and thereafter discharge the water in intermittent pulses under the control of a pre-set check valve comprising an expansible elastomeric sleeve.
Pulsating devices of the type described above must necessarily function within very narrow flow and line pressure ranges to be practicable. Further, such systems are normally incapable of operating efficiently at relatively low line pressures, e.g., below 25 psi. In addition, the systems are prone to one or more of the following problems: Inconsistent start-up to initiate a pulsating cycle; utilization of discharge orifices having different sizes that properly function at varied flow rates, even within narrow ranges; a tendency to randomly stop or emit a steady (non-intermittent) stream of water when placed in operation; a tendency to emit a steady stream of water, rather than intermittent pulses, when operated at relatively high flow rates and/or pressures; and inability to continuously and cyclically provide for the uniform discharge of water at regular frequencies.

Pulsator for irrigation systems and the like


The present invention relates to wheel chock apparatuses. Specifically, the wheel chock apparatuses of the present invention are utilized on railcars having automobile racks, known as “auto-rack railroad cars,” to hold in place a tire of an automobile thereon, restricting movement of the same during railroad transport of the same. The wheel chock apparatuses comprise a base, a ramp abutment at a front end thereof, lateral restraints at a front end thereof, and a floor grating engaging mechanism at a rear end thereof.

Auto-rack railroad cars have been utilized for many years to transport automobiles, light trucks, and other like vehicles over great distances via the railroads. Specifically, the auto-rack railroad car generally is compartmentalized, having at least one level, but in many cases two or three levels, where automobiles may be parked for transport of the same. Typically, to protect the automobiles transported therein, auto-rack railroad cars typically have mesh-type or perforated side panels and a roof thereover. Doors for loading and unloading of vehicles are typically found on opposite ends thereof. The levels on which the vehicles sit are typically decks containing a means for securing the vehicles to the decks. An example of a deck for this purpose is a metal floor grating system, and the vehicles' wheels typically rest on the decks. The present invention comprises apparatuses for securing vehicle wheels to the metal floor grating systems.
Auto-rack railroad cars provide an effective and efficient way to transport large numbers of vehicles from one location to another. However, a problem associated with auto-rack railroad cars is the potential for damage to automobiles transported therein or the auto-rack railroad cars themselves. For instance, an automobile that is not secured within the auto-rack railroad car may move during transport, contacting other automobiles, the side panels, or the ends of the car, causing damage to the automobile and, perhaps, other automobiles as well.
Typically, automobiles are secured to the metal floor grating system via mechanisms designed to restrict movement of the tires of the automobiles. For example, chains with winches and ratchets may be used as tie-downs to attempt to secure the automobiles' tires to the deck thereof. However, tie-downs may be prone to failure, are often difficult and time-consuming to set up, and have the potential to damage vehicles. A need, therefore, exists for an automobile restraint system that is easy to set-up and robust to prevent movement of automobiles in auto-rack railroad cars without failing.
Other mechanisms developed to restrict tire movement in auto-rack railroad cars include various types of wheel chocks that may be placed abutting the vehicles' tires. Typically, these wheel chocks are placed adjacent to said vehicles' tires, disposed on a deck of the auto-rack railroad cars to anchor the same to prevent movement of the automobiles' tires during transport.
Typically, however, these wheel chocks are difficult to set up. Specifically, wheel chocks are relatively large and heavy apparatuses that are difficult to carry or otherwise move and operate by a user. Often, users must place the wheel chocks in proper positioning within tight confines, such as within auto-rack railroad cars after the cars are full of automobiles. A need, therefore, exists for wheel chock apparatuses and methods of using the same that are easy to manually move and manipulate to place in proper locations to engage the tires of automobiles.
Moreover, in many cases the wheel chocks are placed on the decks of the auto-rack railroad cars and are configured to engage the metal floor grating system. However, it is often difficult for a user to properly align the wheel chocks in a manner to properly engage the metal floor grating system. In addition, it is often difficult for a user to clamp onto the metal grating system after alignment thereof, often requiring manual manipulation of a complicated clamping system. A need exists, therefore, for a wheel chock apparatus and methods of using the same that easily clamps to a metal grating system of a deck in an auto-rack railroad car.
Relatedly, it is often difficult to remove a wheel chock from a deck once disposed thereon for restricting an automobile. Often, a user must manually release the wheel chock from the deck, and doing so may be relatively complicated. In addition, while one typically wants a wheel chock to maintain its connection to a deck during transport of automobiles, it is often difficult to release the wheel chock when the same must be removed for removal of the automobile from the auto-rack railroad car. A need, therefore, exists for wheel chock apparatuses and methods of using the same that may be easily released from the deck of an auto-rack railroad car by a user thereof.
To restrict movement of automobile tires laterally when placed within auto-rack railroad cars, wheel chocks typically have lateral restraint bars that typically extend from the base of the wheel chock and engage the side of the automobile tire, with the wheel chock disposed either in front of or behind the automobile tire. Known wheel chocks are typically designated as either fitting on either an automobile tire's right side or left side, depending on the alignment of the wheel chock adjacent the automobile tire. This is so because typical wheel chocks only include a single lateral restraint bar, either on a right side of the wheel chock or the left side of the wheel chock. Therefore, a user must determine which wheel chock to use in a given situation. A need, therefore, exists for wheel chock apparatuses and methods of using the same that may be used whether the user wishes to restrain a vehicle's tire on the left or right side thereof, and further that a user thereof is not required to determine whether the wheel chock fits in a given situation.

Wheel chock apparatus and methods of using the same


A method and apparatus for predistorting digital signals so as to minimize radiation of harmonic signal energy during data transmission. The programmable waveshaping apparatus of the present invention is operative to predistort a binary encoded waveform to be transmitted over a transmission line. A pulse discriminator circuit is disposed to indicate the receipt of each pulse within an input sequence of short and long pulses included within the encoded waveform. Upon receipt of each short and long pulse an input logic network generates first and second sets of control signals, respectively. The logic network synthesizes the control signals based on information relating to sampled approximations of filtered versions of the short and long pulses. The inventive waveshaping apparatus further includes a programmable electrical source array for generating a sequence of line driving signals in accordance with each set of control signals. A transformer driver then pulses the transmission line in response to the driving signals in order to transmit information included within the encoded input sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the transmission of data within digital systems such as local area networks (LANs). More specifically, this invention relates to the predistortion of binary encoded data in such systems.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to a particular embodiment, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional embodiments within the scope thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The interest in local-area networks is steadily increasing. Local area networks facilitate economical data communication between computing systems clustered in a locality. Networks used widely in the art are known as token ring LAN's and Ethernet LAN's.
A token ring LAN is a circular network having a plurality of stations (nodes) interconnected in a ring topology. Access to the network is controlled by the possession of a signal "token". The token is a packet of signals that is passed from node to node. The node that has the token has control of the network with respect to the transmission of data to other nodes and the receipt of data from the same. When the node has completed a transmission, the token is released for acquisition by another node.
Ease of clock extraction has been an important factor bearing on the selection of a transmission code within LANs. In this regard the Manchester coding scheme is favored as allowing for relatively simple clock extraction, since this code produces a zero crossing at every midbit interval irrespective of the specific data pattern. In addition, the zero DC component carried by Manchester coded signals facilitates AC coupling by using transformers to provide protection.
In LAN systems employing a Manchester coding scheme the quality of the transmission is primarily determined by signal-to-noise ratio and the phase distortion introduced by the transmission line. Numerous techniques are known in the art for increasing signal-to-noise ratio, but detection of a signal degraded by transmission-induced phase distortion is generally more difficult. Specifically, a valid Manchester data waveform may be characterized as a sequence of short and long pulses of duration T/2 and T, respectively, where T signifies the reciprocal of the bit rate. As the spectral composition of the two pulse types are not identical, the propagation delay is different for each since conventional transmission lines exhibit a "low-pass" type transfer function. Accordingly, the spacing between transitions in the Manchester waveform will vary as a function of the data pattern. This phase distortion induced by the transmission line makes recovery of the clock frequency from the Manchester data more difficult and susceptible to error.
In order to counteract the effects of phase distortion over lengthy transmission lines it is known to provide a pre-equalizer at the transmitting end of the line, or to include a post-equalizer at the receiving end of the line. The equalizer serves to introduce a compensatory distortion opposite to that engendered by the tranmission line. However, since such distortion varies with line length the equalizer or filter must be adjusted for a particular transmission distance. This leads to system inflexibility since changes in line length require corresponding adjustment of the equalizer or filter.
An alternative technique for reducing phase distortion induced by transmission lines has been proposed by Widmer in U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,826, issued Sep. 14, 1976, and entitled "Means of Predistorting Digital Signals". Widmer discloses a method and means for transmitting a waveform of mixed frequency content over a transmission line in a manner designed to reduce distortion. The specific application addressed by Widmer relates to a bifrequency or biphase encoded binary data transmission system. Distortion is ostensibly minimized by reducing the low frequency content of the signal. This is accomplished by first distinguishing bits encoded at the lower frequency of the bifrequency encoded data, and by then making a step reduction in the amplitude of the low frequency bits. This process reduces the initial amplitude of the low frequency bits during the latter portion of each of the bit periods.
Nonetheless, the predistorted waveforms proposed by Widmer include signal harmonics having appreciable power density. The harmonics tend to radiate from commonly employed transmission media such as unshielded twisted pair cable. This parasitic radiation may engender crosstalk between system components or lead to errors in data transmission. Moreover, regulations promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limit the magnitude of signal harmonics which may be radiated by communications equipment and the like.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a technique for predistorting an encoded digital signal so as to minimize phase distortion and harmonic radiation during signal transmission.

Method and apparatus for predistortion of signals in digital transmission systems


A new apparatus and method for applying a biaxial load to a flat plate test specimen is disclosed. A rhombus-shaped four-bar linkage is attached at one vertex to a fixed attachment point and a uniaxial tensile force is applied to the opposite vertex. The test specimen is placed inside the four-bar linkage and is attached to the four bar linkage by load transfer members connected at one end to the links of the four bar linkage and at their other end to grips holding the test specimen. In one embodiment, load transfer members parallel to the applied uniaxial tensile force are attached to test specimen grips adjacent to the link attachment points of the load transfer members and perpendicular load transfer members are attached to test specimen grips opposite their link attachment points. Application of the uniaxial tensile force then produces a biaxial tensile force in the test specimen. By attaching all load transfer members to test specimen grips adjacent to their link attachment points, a biaxial stress state tensile in one direction and compressive in a perpendicular direction can be accomplished.

The present invention relates generally to testing apparatus, and more specifically to apparatus and methods for applying a biaxial load to a flat test specimen.
Prior art methods for applying a biaxial load to a test specimen require either two or more separate actuators, complex specimen configurations, or pressurization techniques. A common method for creating a biaxial stress state requires a loading apparatus having two orthogonally mounted actuators. A specimen is attached to the two actuators to produce loads along two orthogonal axes. A particular disadvantage of this approach is the high cost of the equipment, which often must be custom made.
A cruciform, or cross-shaped, specimen has also been used in the biaxial stress testing prior art. The orthogonal arms of the cruciform are both put under a tensile load with the central portion of the intersecting region being the test area undergoing a biaxial stress. The disadvantages of this method are that two or more loading devices are required and excess material and fabrication time are required for the specimen compared to a straightforward flat plate.
Another prior art method for biaxial loading is pressurizing the inside surface of a cylindrical specimen and applying compressive loads to the end of the specimen. One disadvantage of this method is that the specimen must be cylindrical, requiring more material and fabricating time than a simple flat plate specimen. Another disadvantage is the high cost of the equipment necessary to pressurize the cylinder.
Thus it is seen that there is a need for a simple, straightforward apparatus and method for applying a biaxial stress to a flat plate test specimen.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide such a simple and straightforward apparatus and method.
It is a feature of the present invention that it is compatible with conventional uniaxial test equipment.
It is an advantage of the present invention that it is inexpensive to make, to use and to fabricate test specimens.
It is another advantage of the present invention that it allows a wide variety of load combinations.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description of certain representative embodiments proceeds.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


An ophthalmic lens, comprising an optic including at least one photochromic region having a first chromaticity and a second region of lesser photochromaticity. A method of treating a subject having presbyopia or aniridia comprising applying to the subject's eye an ophthalmic lens comprising an optic including at least one photochromic region having a first chromaticity and a second region of lesser photochromaticity.

Presbyopia, the inability to attain accommodative vision, is an affliction of a large percentage of persons over forty years of age. The likelihood of a person developing presbyopia increases with age until the age of fifty where nearly all persons will be presbyopic.
Known techniques for mitigating the affects of presbyopia include the use of an ophthalmic lens having a pinhole. Such lenses take advantage of a well-known optical effect to achieve increased depth of field of an optical system, by reducing the size of the aperture of the lenses and therefore the aperture of an eye is limited when such a lens is located on an eye.
A tradeoff of using a pinhole in an eye is that depth of field is increased at the expense of reduced image brightness.

Ophthalmic lens including photochromic material


A method for the preparing pure, thermally stable and high surface area ceria is described, wherein the ceria maintains a surface area of 12 m2/g after calcination at 980° C. in air for 4 hours. In the method, an aqueous solution containing Ce3+, Mg2+, organic acid and organic polymer is prepared and then evaporated to obtain a gel. The gel is calcined to obtain a mixed oxide, and then MgO is leached from the mixed oxide with a solvent to obtain raw ceria. The raw ceria is then washed, filtered and dried to obtain a ceria product.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for preparing pure, thermally stable and high surface area ceria. The ceria can be a catalyst, a catalyst support or incorporated into a catalytic washcoat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive three-way catalytic converters are employed to convert pollutants produced by internal combustion engines into harmless emissions. The catalyst must be highly active for converting CO, NO and unburned hydrocarbons into nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water over a wide range of exhaust compositions. As a result, a noble metal catalyst that is usually platinum, rhodium and/or palladium must be employed. To utilize the noble metal efficiently, it is dispersed on a high surface area support such as γ-alumina typically having a surface area greater than 150 m2/g. The high surface area support also provides a surface for the deposition of poisons like lead, zinc and phosphorus that are usually present in the exhaust gas. Since the catalyst may reach temperatures as high as 1000° C., the support must be thermally stable and resistant to sintering.
The composition of the engine exhaust gas oscillates between net oxidizing (lean) conditions for air/fuel ratios higher than the stoichiometric one and net reducing (rich) conditions for air/fuel ratios lower than the stoichiometric one. However, the catalyst operates most efficiently on a stoichiometric exhaust gas. Ceria is commonly added to three-way catalysts to promote the activity of the noble metals under these transient conditions; and similarly, Ce4+ can be reduced to Ce3+ under rich conditions. In this manner, ceria tends to dampen down oscillations in the exhaust gas stoichiometry.
Ceria may be incorporated into a three-way catalyst washcoat either by impregnation of the high surface area alumina support with a cerium salt or by physically mixing bulk cerium oxide with the other catalyst components. The addition of bulk ceria to the catalyst may be preferable since interactions between impregnated ceria and the alumina support decrease the oxygen storage capacity of the ceria. However, at the extreme temperatures (in excess of 1000° C.) often encountered in catalytic converters, ceria rapidly sinters to surface area of less than 5 m2/g. Therefore, the incorporation of a thermally stable, high surface area ceria would prove beneficial to three-way catalyst performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,758 discloses the importance of using a high surface area support for palladium and platinum oxidation catalysts. Ceria with a purity of 98% was prepared by precipitation of cerium nitrate with ammonium hydroxide at a pH of 9. While the ceria had a high surface area of 218 m2/g after calcination at 427° C. in air for 4 hours, the surface area dropped to merely 4 m2/g following 4-hour calcination at 982° C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,330 discloses a method for preparing high surface area and high purity ceria. Ammonium ceric nitrate is refluxed for 24 hours with ammonium sulfate to obtain a hydrous ceria powder. Following calcination at 538° C. in air, this material maintains a surface area of 150 m2/g. However, the stability of this material at higher calcination temperatures was not investigated. In EP 0444470A1, pure ceria was prepared with the same method as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,330 for comparison. After calcination at 980° C. for 4 hours, the surface area of the prepared ceria remained only 5 m2/g.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,432 teaches a method for preparing a morphologically improved ceria having high surface area. Ceria is produced by reacting a cerium salt with a strong base in the presence of carbonate ions followed by calcination. After calcination at 600° C., ceria with a surface area of 117 m2/g was obtained. Higher calcination temperatures were not investigated. In EP 0444470A1, pure ceria was prepared with the same method as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,432 for comparison. After calcination at 980° C. for 4 hours, the surface area of the prepared ceria remained only 1 m2/g.
In EP 0444470A1, pure ceria was prepared by cerium nitrate decomposition at 538° C. in air for 1 h. After calcination at 980° C. for 4 h, the ceria remained a surface area of only 1.4 m2/g.
Accordingly, the above products in the prior art all have relatively low surface areas after calcination at 980° C. for hours, so that the catalytic effect is poor.

Method for preparing pure, thermally stable and high surface area ceria


Light filters that use yellow melanin or melanin like materials prepared to have a yellow color and a melanin transmission spectrum in combination with a photochromic dye are disclosed. The yellow form of melanin has minimal impact on the perception of light intensity with transmission values greater than 80%. The combination allows for a single light filter suitable for both night driving and sunglass applications and which also preserve color perception.

The reduction of high energy visible (HEV) light is useful in light filters because this reduction leads to reduced glare and increased eye protection. Also, the eye is much less sensitive to HEV (the violet and blue) light; so its reduction does not impact on the perception of adequate light intensity for normal vision. Melanin is a very useful pigment for the reduction of high energy visible light because it is able to reduce violet and blue without disturbing color perception. However, melanin occurs naturally in different colors (red, yellow, brown) and not all filter the HEV light in the same way.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,883 to James M. Gallas describes the broad use of melanin lenses in such light filters. More recently, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/850,228 of Sugimura, Hideyo (published on Jan. 13, 2005), entitled "Photochromic Plate Containing Melanin," melanin has been proposed to be used in combination with photochromic dyes because such a combination would provide a lightly-tinted HEV-absorbing lens (melanin alone) that would darken in light because of the presence of the photochromic dye (hereinafter referred to as the '228 Application. However, the melanin described by the '228 Application uses a brown melanin. While this brown melanin does reduce HEV light more than the non-HEV light at 550 nm—where the eye is most sensitive—the difference in the transmission is insignificant. That is, the brown melanin in the Sugimura patent will tend to also reduce a significant amount of green light as well as HEV light—unless the melanin concentration is low. However, if the melanin concentration is too low, then the use of melanin to reduce glare and offer protection from sunlight damage will have very little efficacy. This difficulty arises because the filtration is being shared by both melanin and a second dye (the photochromic dye). For this reason, Sugimura was forced to limit the concentration of melanin, and therefore its range of transmission. It ranged from 40% to 80%. This transmission range would preclude a very important application of the concept of a high energy visible (HEV) lens in combination with a photochromic dye in night driving lenses, which by European standards, cannot be lower than 80%.
The use of yellow melanin in accordance of the present invention as a filtering pigment offers several advantages over the prior art. These advantages will become evident in the following description.

Light filters using yellow melanin and melanin-like oligomers and photochromic dyes


A “buddy member match” feature is directed to matching computer users of like interests, particularly computer users who are members of an online service provider. In general, a member (the match recipient) may update or create a member profile maintained by a service provider such as AOL. Once the match recipient has a member profile, a search is initiated to identify matching members by comparing the member profile of the match recipient to the member profiles of other members. Matching members are other members whose member profiles have at least one personal attribute matching an attribute of the match recipient's member profile. When contact information of the matching member is displayed, the contact information is accompanied by an indication that the contact information belongs to a matching member.

Chat systems provide a way for online users to engage in real-time conversations. Typically, these systems provide for real-time group textual messaging, with the conversational groups defined by "chat rooms." Chat systems are normally implemented in a distributed computing environment.
Chat systems enable real-time communications on various topics by two or more participants of similar or divergent interests or backgrounds. Typically, chat participants review chat room attributes (e.g., title) to identify chat rooms that may have other participants who share their interest and, consequently, will provide interesting conversations.
Chat systems may be part of a larger suite of communication services provided by an online service provider. For example, America Online® (AOL) provides its members with a number of online communication services, such as instant messaging (IM), e-mail, and message boards, some of which have particular and peculiar nuances, requirements, and features distinct from chat systems.


A processing apparatus within a navigation system comprises a track calculating portion for subsequently memorizing a bearing detected by a bearing sensor to calculate a track, and a map match processing portion for performing the map matching process. A position correcting portion corrects a vehicle position onto a road in accordance with road data 35 by the map match processing portion 34. The bearing correction is not effected when the bearing difference conditions are established although a bearing correcting portion 39 corrects the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle into the link bearing of the road. The bearing difference condition is a condition where the bearing difference between the link bearing and the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle is large, and there is a possibility of further increasing the error when the error of the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle is large and the correction is effected in the link bearing. The offset correction can be carried out precisely with proper timing when a gyroscopic device is used as the bearing sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a navigation system mounted on a vehicle for providing support to a vehicle driver such as route guide for the vehicle driver, and to a gyroscopic device which is used in the navigation system, or similar systems, as bearing detecting means for detecting changes in progress direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a navigation system 1 of which hardware construction is shown in FIG. 14 is conventionally mounted on the vehicle. A processing apparatus 2 of the navigation system 1 detects the present position of the vehicle on the basis of the information detected by a sensor 3, and then a present position of the vehicle is displayed on a display 5 on the basis of the data stored in a storage apparatus 4. A mass storage apparatus having a replaceable recording medium, such as a CD-ROM or an IC card, or a stationary mass storage apparatus, such as a hard disk, is used as the storage apparatus 4. A CRT, LCD, or the like is used as the display 5. The processing apparatus 2 includes a CPU 6, a main memory 7, and the like. The main memory 7 includes a RAM and a ROM, wherein the ROM stores preset programs. The navigation system 1 is capable of detecting an absolute position and an absolute bearing of the vehicle by receiving electric wave signals from an artificial satellite 8 constituting a GPS (Global Positioning System).
FIG. 15 shows a functional construction of the navigation system 1 of FIG. 14. The sensor 3 includes a bearing sensor 10 for detecting a moving direction of the vehicle, a distance sensor 11 for detecting a distance traveled by the vehicle, a GPS apparatus 12 for detecting the absolute position and the absolute bearing by receiving electric waves from the artificial satellite 8 of the GPS. The signals detected by the sensor 3 are processed by a sensor signal processing portion 13, realized by the program operation of the CPU 6, as signals representing the moving amount and the moving direction of the vehicle. A map matching process, wherein the vehicle position is applied on a road which is read from road data 15 through a road data reading portion 16 in accordance with the moving amount and the moving direction from the sensor signal processing portion 13, is effected in a map match processing portion 14 which is realized by the program operation of the CPU 6. In the road data 15, roads are stored with successive formation of the links among straight line sections. The vehicle position presumed on the road by the map match processing portion 14 is displayed on the display 5 of a display apparatus or similar device.
In the detection of the absolute position and the absolute bearing by the GPS apparatus 12, the present position and the progress direction of the vehicle are presumed by a self-supporting navigation based on detection signals from the bearing sensor 10 and the distance sensor 11 realized by a vibration gyro and the like. This is because comparatively large errors may be included in the detected absolute position and absolute bearing even if these could be anyhow detected due to the fact that the receiving condition of the electric waves from the artificial satellite 8 is not always satisfactory. In the estimation of the vehicle bearing by the self-supporting navigation, since changes in the running direction of the vehicle are accumulated by a vibration gyro, measurement errors of the vibration gyro and the like are accumulated, which causes a deterioration in the reliability of the bearing detection. The vehicle direction and position presumed by the self-supporting navigation is corrected on the basis of the absolute position and absolute bearing detected by the GPS apparatus 12, or is corrected by conducting feedback of the corrected vehicle position or the link bearing which is the bearing of the road during the map matching process to the road by the map match processing portion 14. Also, a method wherein the current running position of the vehicle is directly inputted, thereby to correct the vehicle position, is also in use.
In the conventional navigation system, the position and progress direction of the vehicle can be detected by plural methods to make up for the loss of the respective methods. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 3-23490 discloses a prior art relating to a detection of the progress direction of a vehicle as an absolute bearing, by means of an earth magnetic sensor and a GPS apparatus, to detect the abnormality of output data from the earth magnetic sensor.
Also, in the navigation system, as described above, both a method of presuming a relative present position by the self-supporting navigation on the basis of a change in a running direction and a running distance of the vehicle and a method of absolutely detecting the present position and progress direction of the vehicle by the GPS are used. The condition of receiving the electric waves in the GPS is not always good, and errors in the absolute position and the absolute bearing sometimes become large even when they are detectable. To detect the relative bearing, a gyroscopic device using a vibration gyro and so on is preferably used, and bearing detection is always enabled. The bearing detection using the gyro sensor is effected by multiplying the difference between an output value of the gyro sensor and a gyro offset value which is outputted when the rotation is not given in the running direction of the vehicle, by a gyro sensitivity coefficient, and then by integrating the result. However, since the offset value changes with time due to temperature drifts or the like, proper correction is required. This is particularly the case at the time of starting since deviations by several ten degrees in five minutes may be caused.
The prior art concerning the correction with respect to the temperature drift or the like of the gyro sensor is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 3-95407, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-235310, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 7-218276 and the like. The Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 3-95407 discloses an art of offset correction considering the amount of change on the assumption that the drift component changes successively with time. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-235310 discloses an art of calculating a necessary offset value in a short time by increasing the sampling frequency for calculating the offset correction value at the time of a temperature rise of the apparatus. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 7-218276 discloses an art of avoiding a wrong correction in estimation of the correction amount for an offset bias amount during the stop of the vehicle to effect the offset correction.
In the case where the vehicle bearing is corrected with a combined use of plural methods such as a detection of an absolute bearing, map matching in the conventional navigation system, and the like, the following problems are encountered:
(1) When a link bearing and an absolute bearing of a map-matched road are largely different from each other, the feedback thereof is considered to be contradictory to each other. This is particularly the case when the map matching is erroneous, thus there is a possibility that the convergence on a correct bearing may be effected with great difficulties. PA1 (2) When the vehicle bearing and link bearing obtained by the vibration gyro or the like are largely different from each other, there is a high possibility that the map matching is erroneous, and the error of the vehicle bearing potentially becomes larger in the case where correction to the link bearing obtained by the map matching is carried out. PA1 (3) When the vehicle bearing and absolute bearing obtained by the vibration gyro or the like are largely different from each other, the error of the vehicle bearing is large, and there is a high possibility of presumption of a wrong road whether or not the map matching was effected. Accordingly there is a possibility that the error of the vehicle bearing does not converge when the bearing correction to link bearing is effected after the map matching. PA1 (4) When the correction bearing by the absolute bearing and the correction bearing by the link bearing are the same in direction, there is a possibility that only the vehicle bearing is erroneous even when a bearing difference with respect to the vehicle bearing is large, and accordingly, there is a possibility of being late in convergence of the vehicle bearing in the case where the correction is not effected for a reason that the bearing difference with respect to the vehicle bearing is large. PA1 (5) When the straight advance judgment or the like is effected using the vehicle bearing obtained by the vibration gyro, the dispersion of the bearing becomes large under the influences of the bearing correction, and accordingly, there is a possibility that the bearing data cannot be obtained even in the case of straight advance. PA1 (6) When the bearing correction is effected by the absolute bearing and vehicle bearing, there is a possibility of effecting a wrong correction under the influence of an error component in the case where the correction is effected by only one sample value. PA1 history calculating means for calculating a running history on the basis of the vehicle position and the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle; PA1 position correcting means for calculating similarity between the running history of the vehicle calculated by the history calculating means and road data stored in advance, to thereby correct the vehicle position on a road where the similarity is large; PA1 bearing correcting means for correcting the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle to a bearing of a road on which the vehicle position is corrected by the position correcting means, PA1 wherein the correction of the vehicle position by the position correcting means is carried out while correction of the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle to the bearing of the road on which the vehicle position is corrected by the position correcting means is not carried out, when a predetermined bearing difference condition is established. PA1 history storage means for sequentially capturing a bearing showing a progressive direction of a vehicle and storing a history of the bearing; and PA1 straight advance judging means for determining a straight advance when a change in bearing during a predetermined period is within a predetermined range, referring to the history storage means, PA1 wherein the correction bearing calculating means calculates a correction bearing, to which the bearing showing the progressive direction of the vehicle is to be corrected, separately from a bearing showing a presumed progressive direction when the straight advance is determined by the straight advance judging means. PA1 clocking means for clocking a time elapsed; PA1 offset detecting means for detecting offset components from an output of the gyro sensor under a predetermined condition where the progressive direction is judged as being stable; PA1 correction value calculating means for calculating an offset correction value, the offset correction value being for correcting the offset components detected by the offset detecting means; and PA1 offset correcting means for correcting the output from the gyro sensor by using the offset correction value calculated by the correction value detecting means, PA1 wherein the offset correcting means makes a degree of the correction in a period from a starting-up of the power source to a predetermined time, larger than degrees of the correction in other periods, referring to the clocking means.
The gyroscopic device, such as a vibration gyro, is likely to generate a temperature drift caused by the rise in the atmospheric temperature due to heating of a gyro vibrator itself, and heating of peripheral circuits for signal processing, thus resulting in that the offset change becomes so large as it cannot be neglected when high precision is requested. Therefore, as described in the prior art of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 4-235310, even if an offset correction is effected in a short time immediately after the temperature rise of the apparatus, the subsequent temperature drifts cannot be prevented.
To correct the offset from the temperature drift, it is required to actually detect the offset component to effect proper offset correction. Generally, the detection of the offset value is effected during the stop time or in the straight advance time when the change in progress direction of the vehicle is smaller. However, when driving on a mountain road or a highway, since the vehicle continues running for a long time and a period when the vehicle advances straight is relatively short, the condition to effect the correction of the offset value is not satisfied for a long time, so that there is a possibility of the true offset value being largely different due to temperature drifts.