An inkjet head including: (a) a passage defining unit having (a-1) pressure chambers and (a-2) inlets opening in its an inlet defining surface and held in communication with the pressure chambers; (b) a filter plate disposed on the inlet defining surface of the passage defining unit; (c) a frame fixed to the inlet defining surface of the passage defining unit, and having an aperture which is formed therethrough such that the filter plate is surrounded by an inner circumferential surface of the aperture; and (d) an elastic plate disposed within the aperture of the frame, and having communication through-holes held in communication with the respective inlets of the passage defining unit through the filter plate. The frame includes an inward protrusion which protrudes inwardly from the inner circumferential surface of the aperture. The elastic plate includes an outward protrusion which protrudes outwardly from its outer circumferential surface and which is held between the inward protrusion of the frame and the filter plate and/or between the inward protrusion and the passage defining unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet head operable to eject an ink onto a recording medium, for performing a printing operation on the recording medium.
2. Discussion of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,652,081 (corresponding to JP-2003-145791A) discloses an inkjet head unit including: (a) a front head unit having (a-1) a cavity plate unit (passage defining unit) having a plurality of inlets opening in an end portion of its upper surface, and (a-2) a piezoelectric actuator (actuator unit) superposed on the upper surface of the cavity plate unit with an adhesive sheet being interposed between the piezoelectric actuator and the cavity plate unit; and (b) an ink tank storing an ink that is to be supplied to the inlets of the cavity plate unit. In this inkjet head unit, a filter plate is fixed to the upper surface of the cavity plate unit so as to cover the inlets. On an upper surface of the filter plate, there are disposed a plurality of tubular sleeves which are held in communication with the respective inlets. Each of the tubular sleeves is fixed at one of its opposite end portions to the upper surface of the filter plate by means of epoxy resin as an adhesive, and is connected at the other end portion to the ink tank. The ink tank and the front head unit are thus held in communication with each other, so that the ink stored in the ink tank can be supplied to the front head unit.
However, in the inkjet head unit disclosed in the above-identified U.S. patent publication in which the plurality of tubular sleeves are disposed to be held in communication with the respective inlets such that each of the tubular sleeves is fixed at its end portion onto the filter plate by the epoxy resin, some of the epoxy resin interposed between the tubular sleeves and the filter plate could project to cover portions of the filter plates opposed to the respective inlets of the cavity plate unit, thereby filling pores of the filter plate.

Inkjet head having arrangement for preventing clogging of filter with adhesive


A rotary electric machine control apparatus controls driving of a motor, which generates assist torque in accordance with steering torque inputted by steering operation on a steering wheel. An abnormality detection part acquires a voltage detection value related to an operation parameter, which varies when the motor is being supplied with electric power. The abnormality detection part checks whether the voltage detection value is abnormal based on a variation of the voltage detection value over a predetermined period under a condition that the electric power is supplied to the motor and the steering member is being operated. It is thus possible to determine abnormality of the voltage detection value related to the operation parameter, which varies when the motor is in operation with electric power supply, without erroneous detection.

A conventional rotary electric machine control apparatus AD-converts information related to a phase voltage, a phase current and the like, acquires those AD-converted values and controls driving of a rotary electric machine based on those acquired AD values. The AD values are acquired via input terminals and the like. In a case that characteristics of the AD values acquired via input terminals adjacent to each other are similar, it is hard to determine whether the similarity of the AD values results from temporary coincidence without any abnormality or from a short-circuit between the input terminals.
In JP-A-2005-245053, input terminals adjacent to each other are arranged to receive AD values of different characteristics. However, according to this arrangement of terminals, hardware construction is restricted. For example, input terminals for acquiring phase terminal voltages of a rotary electric machine cannot be arranged adjacently to each other.

Rotary electric machine control apparatus having abnormality detection function


Provided herein are powder-free elastomeric articles exhibiting good antimicrobial and anti-blocking properties. Also provided herein are methods for the manufacture of such articles substantially free from antimicrobial interfering materials, as well as packaging means for maintaining antimicrobial efficacy.

Skin-contacting articles, such as gloves, particularly medical gloves, are commonly used as a protective barrier against the contamination of the user by chemicals and body fluids containing microorganisms including bacteria and/or viruses and the like. As such, these gloves and other skin-contacting articles are manufactured in such a way that they are entirely impermeable to the contaminants or microorganisms during use. However, medical gloves are typically extremely thin, manufactured from soft elastomeric materials such as natural or synthetic rubbers and may puncture or rupture during use, allowing microorganisms to pass through the discontinuity in the glove.
One approach to this problem has been the application of antimicrobial coatings to the elastomeric articles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,978 (Stockum) discloses a natural rubber surgical glove having an inner coating containing the cationic antimicrobial agents chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) or polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (PHMB). Cross-linked cornstarch is included in the inner coating as an anti-blocking agent, which is also said to affix the CHG and PHMB in place and allow their slow release during perspiration. However, the use of cross-linked cornstarch is not compatible with the trend towards powder-free medical environments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,205 (Huang) discloses natural latex gloves having an inner lubricant layer containing chlorhexidine diacetate. Again, powdered starch is disclosed as an anti-blocking agent. Although the patent teaches modifying the chlorhexidine with an anionic or nonionic surfactant to render it compatible with anionic components of the gloves, no mention is made of the effect of the surfactant on antimicrobial efficacy since the anionic or non-ionic surfactant (which has both anionic and cationic counter parts that have equivalent charges) will clearly neutralize the chlorhexidine cationic antimicrobial agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,090 (Modak et al.) discloses a latex glove having an inner coating of chlorhexidine and a lubricating agent, such as zinc oxide, hydroxycellulose or corn starch. Corn starch can be used provided it has been modified with a surfactant to block adsorption sites for the chlorhexidine. Again use of corn starch does not result in a powder free surgical glove.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,697 (Fuchs) discloses a double-layer latex glove having an inner layer, an outer layer sealing a middle layer comprising an antimicrobial agent in the form of a solution, which may be mixed with a hydrogel. The hydrogel is said to physically block or plug holes that form in the inner and outer layers. Examples of hydrogels include corn starch and derivatives of cellulose. No mention is made of the effect of the hydrogel on the efficacy of the antimicrobial agent. The antimicrobial agent is not delivered to the hand of the user killing any germs present, rather guards against any microbes present in a sharp instrument when the outer surface of the glove is breached. Clearly, the kill time of the microbes becomes an extremely important factor to produce effective kill since the outer glove breach occurs in a short time frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,475 (Nile et al.) discloses a surgeon's glove having a polymeric donning layer disposed thereon comprising a polymer of specific repeating units. The polymeric layer preferably has raised domains. No mention is made of any antimicrobial agent or the potential effect of the polymer layer on its efficacy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,409 (Yeh et al.) discloses a powder free nitrile-coated natural rubber glove having an intermediate layer comprised of a synthetic rubber and nitrile rubber. The intermediate layer is said to aid donning and prevent self-sticking of the inner glove surfaces. No mention is made of any antimicrobial agent or the potential effect of the intermediate layer on its efficacy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,137 (Hassan et al) discloses a powder-free polymeric medical glove having an outer side silicone-treated surface and an inner side bonded to anti-blocking layer formed from a polymer/copolymer, a high density polyethylene particle, and a wax, the anti-blocking layer coated with a layer of silicone emulsion. No mention is made of any antimicrobial agent or the potential effect of the anti-blocking layer on its efficacy.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,251 (Janssen) discloses an elastomeric article having a donning layer comprising a polymeric coating cross-linked with a polyamine epichlorohydrin crosslinking agent. The polymeric coating may comprise cellulose derivatives. No mention is made of any antimicrobial agent or the potential effect of the polymeric coating on its efficacy.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0204893 (Wang et al.) discloses an elastomeric glove having a preparation disposed on the interior surface of the glove comprising an acidic antimicrobial substance and buffer that resists pH change. The preparation may also comprise thickeners, which include cellulose derivatives. No mention is made of the tackiness or blocking properties of the preparation or the effect of the thickeners on the efficacy of the antimicrobial agent.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0115250 (Loo et al.) discloses an elastomeric glove having a moisturizing film comprising glycerol and a botanical extract, such as aloe vera and chamomile. The film may also comprise an anti-blocking wax. No mention is made of any antimicrobial agent or the potential effect of the wax on its efficacy.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0081278 (Williams) discloses an elastomeric glove having a dried lotion coating on the inside skin-contacting surface comprising a film-forming compound and an oil-based emollient. Film forming compounds include polyurethane, acrylonitrile, neoprene, acrylic latex styrene butadiene rubber and polyisoprene. Antimicrobial agents may be present in the coating, but only in amounts sufficient to act as preservatives. No mention is made of the tackiness of the coating, which will lead to blocking of the glove interior surfaces or the efficacy of the antimicrobials within the coating.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0112180 (Chou) discloses an elastomeric glove having a first layer comprising an antimicrobial agent and a second hand-contacting layer configured to resist penetration by the antimicrobial agent. The interior surface of second layer may be provided with a preparation comprising one or more of a second antimicrobial agent, a buffer, a moisturizer, a soothing agent and a thickener. No mention is made of the tackiness of the second layer preparation or its antimicrobial efficacy.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0059604 (Lai et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,725 (Lai et al.) disclose latex gloves coated with a non-tacky aqueous polymeric emulsion comprising a film-forming polymer or copolymer, a wax, a surfactant and a hardness modifier. No mention is made of any antimicrobial agent or the potential effect of the polymeric emulsion on its efficacy.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0070167 (Eng et al.) discloses a rubber glove having a dried coating of an emulsified hand-friendly mixture comprising a water-soluble humectant moisturizer, a water-insoluble occlusive moisturizer, a water-soluble surfactant, and a water-soluble lubricant. The coating mixture may also contain an antimicrobial agent. The coating is said to be inherently non-tacky and non-blocking due to the fine dispersion of the water insoluble occlusive moisturizer within the dried coating and the coating is said to improve donning of the glove. No mention is made of the effect of the dried coating on the efficacy of the antimicrobial agent.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0104766 (Wang et al.) discloses a powder-free elastomeric article having a surface coating comprising an antimicrobial agent, hydrophilic film-forming polymer and a hydrophobic component. The non-volatile water-soluble antimicrobial agent is incorporated in a controlled-release matrix comprising a blend of a hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic component. The controlled-release matrix/blend requirements include: compatibility with the antimicrobial agent, formation of a reservoir of antimicrobial agent, coating film flexibility and lower water-solubility of the matrix/blend than that of the antimicrobial agent. The hydrophilic polymers include cellulosic polymers. The hydrophilic polymer is believed to provide a reservoir for the antimicrobial agent, while the hydrophobic component is believed to improve the film's flexibility through its plasticizing effect. The balance of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity in the coating film is said to control the release of the antimicrobial agent. No mention is made of the tackiness of the surface coating.
Thus, there remains a need for powder-free elastomeric articles, such as medical gloves, which exhibit good antimicrobial and anti-blocking properties.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A Security Association establishment negotiation technique includes forwarding identifying information from a Mobile Node via a first interface to a first network element. Negotiations are then initiated between the first network element and a second network element serving as a proxy for the Mobile Node via a second interface to establish a Security Association between the Mobile Node and the first network element, the second network element utilizing previously stored Security Association parameters of the Mobile Node. Upon agreement between the first network element and the second network element with regard to the Security Association parameters, the first network element forwards the agreed-upon Security Association parameters to the Mobile Node via the first interface. The first network element may include a Home Agent, a Correspondent Node or a Agent, and the first interface may include a wireless interface to forward information between the Mobile Node and the first network element. The first network element may also include a first gateway connected to it. The first gateway may include a AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting) server. The second network element may include a second gateway and an Subscriber database/Authentication Center, and the second gateway may be connected to the Subscriber database/Authentication Center. The second gateway may also include a AAA server.

In wireless networks, such as cellular networks, Mobile Nodes such as cellular telephones must establish security associations with different network entities. Establishing a Security Association between a Mobile Node and a network entity means deciding a set of parameters describing the Security Association. In particular, it may mean deciding what security algorithms, such as encryption, integrity protection, authentication and key derivation algorithms, are to be used for communications over the wireless interface. It may also mean deciding how these algorithms are to be used and in what cases, what keys are to be used with the algorithms, how additional keys to be used in the Security Association are to be derived, the lifetime of the Security Association and of the keys established in the Security Association.
For example, in future cellular networks, the Mobile Node will have to dynamically establish security associations with various different network entities.
The following describes a list of security associations that a Mobile Node may need to establish with an entity; but this list is provided to illustrate the current application. This latter is not restricted to the following scenarios.
The Mobile Node and the serving system must agree on the aspects of a Security Association mentioned above for communications over the wireless interface with a network entity.
If the network is a mobile IPv4 (Internet Protocol) based cellular network, the Mobile Node and the Foreign Agent may have to establish a Security Association.
If the network is a mobile IP (Internet Protocol) based cellular network, and the Home Agent is dynamically assigned, then the Mobile Node and the assigned Home Agent must set up a Security Association. Furthermore, if the network is a mobile IP based cellular network, then the Mobile Node and the Corresponding Node may also have to set up such a Security Association in order to use Route Optimizations.
If a Localized Mobility Management scheme such as MIPv6RR (Mobile lpv6 Regional Registration) or HMIPv6 (Hierarchical Mobile lpv6) is used, the Mobile Node and the Agents in the visited domain must share a Security Association. Thus, as noted above, there are many cases in which the Mobile Node needs to set up a Security Association with one or more Network Entities in the visited domain. In order to setup such a Security Association, the Mobile Node needs to indicate to the Network Entities the list of parameters describing the Security Association mentioned above that it supports.
The messages sent by the Mobile Node containing the above noted information can be long since the Mobile Node must define the capabilities it supports and must send some specific proposals to the Network Entities. The Mobile Node and the Network Entities may sometimes exchange many messages before agreeing on specific parameters of the Security Association as described above. Accordingly, the negotiations needed to set up the Security Associations are extensive and therefore not efficient for cellular networks or other wireless networks where the radio resources are limited and expensive.

Efficient security association establishment negotiation technique


A combustor for a gas turbine is provided having a nozzle assembly located at one end and a combustion chamber defining a second end of the combustor. A venturi is positioned within the combustor, between the nozzle and the combustion chamber. The venturi defines a passageway therein having a first side facing the nozzle and a second side facing the combustion chamber. Compressed air is directed into an inlet in fluid communication with the first and second sides of the venturi passageway. The venturi passageway directs the compressed air from the inlet in opposite directions within the first and second sides of the passageway for cooling the venturi.

Gas turbines play a significant role in a number of applications, such as aircraft propulsion, marine propulsion, power generation and driving processes, such as pumps and compressors. Typically, a gas turbine includes a compressor, a combustor and a turbine. In operation, air is fed into the system where it is compressed by the compressor and mixed with fuel in the combustor. The compressed air and fuel mixture are then burned within the combustor to cause an expansion of the air flow, which is responsible for driving the turbine.
Combustion liners define the interior volume of the combustor and serve to protect the combustor casing and remaining engine parts from the extreme temperatures present within the combustor. In order to reduce NOx emissions and extend the longevity of engine components, it is desirable to use a portion of the compressed air exiting the compressor for cooling various combustor components, including the combustion liner.
Combustion liners often include a venturi throat region that is used to influence the flame location within the combustor and to stabilize the combustion flame. In such arrangements, a lowering of the NOx emissions is achieved by lowering peak flame temperatures through the burning of a lean, uniform mixture of fuel and air. Uniformity is typically achieved by pre-mixing fuel and air in the combustor upstream of the venturi and then firing the mixture downstream of the edge or apex of the venturi into the secondary combustion chamber. The venturi configuration, by virtue of accelerating the flow preceding the throat portion, is intended to keep the flame from flashing back into the pre-mixing region or primary combustion chamber, upstream of the venturi throat. The flame holding region, upstream of the venturi, is also required to be cooled under certain operating conditions. Since flames can reside on each side of the venturi, both sides need to be cooled. However, if the flow of cooling air released downstream of the venturi is too large or is released too close to the venturi, it may adversely affect combustion performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,636 shows a cooling passageway within the venturi that is extended downstream from the venturi apex or throat, such that the cooling air does not re-enter the flame holding zone within the secondary combustion chamber. It is intended that the functions of flame holding and venturi cooling are decoupled. U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,932 shows a cooling chamber within a venturi that directs the cooling flow counter to the combustion flow and dumps cooling air upstream of the venturi.
It has been determined that the heat load on the upstream and downstream sides of the venturi are different and the dumping of cooling air near the venturi on either side has an effect on the operation of the combustor. In the prior designs, where the cooling of both sides of the venturi are linked, there has not been a balancing of the heat pickup within the venturi walls nor has there been an accommodation made for pressure drop within the cooling passageway.


A circuit for a circuit interrupter is provided. The circuit may in include a first SCR configured to receive a first trigger signal at a gate of the first SCR, a second SCR configured to receive a second trigger signal at a gate of the second SCR, and a third SCR configured to receive a third trigger signal at a gate of the third SCR. A cathode of the first SCR may be connected to an anode of the third SCR. A cathode of the second SCR and a cathode of the third SCR may be connected to a ground. Methods of operating a circuit interrupter and a circuit are also provided.

Ground faults may be commonly defined as the existence of a current imbalance between the supply and the return path wherein an undesirable and significant amount of the unreturned current is leaking, or passing through an object—for example a human body, to the ground. Notably, the passage of electrical current through the human body may cause injury or even death.
A current arc is typically caused by a current surging over separated or poorly contacting electrical surfaces within electrical equipment, for example, in its power cord or in an electrical device itself; or within damaged electrical wiring, such as, within the walls of a building. Current arc electrical faults may be defined as current through ionized gas between the two (e.g., supply-side and load-side) separated or poorly contacting electrical surfaces. Such current arcs are often characterized by sparking and extremely high heat, and as a result can cause electrical fires. For example, electrical fires may start when the heat and/or sparking of a current arc causes insulating material or construction material in the vicinity of the electrical fault to combust. Current arc-caused electrical fires may damage property or even endanger human life.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs), Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs), hybrid devices (HCIs), and/or the like are commonly deployed to prevent injuries to people and property from dangerous conditions resulting from, for example, current leakages or fires resulting from electrical faults such as current arcs or severe current leakages. Such devices typically detect the occurrence of certain types of electrical faults to prevent harm to persons and property.
It is desirable for circuit interrupter devices, including GFCIs, AFCIs, hybrid devices, and the like, to detect an end-of-life (EOL) condition. It may also be desirable for circuit interrupter devices to include locking mechanisms to provide additional protection from inadvertent resetting, and to enable an end-of-life (EOL) state that prevents any further reset operations and/or use of the electrical device.
In GFCIs, AFCIs, hybrid devices, and other circuit interrupter devices, conventional EOL testing occurs via simulation testing. That is, EOL testing typically occurs by, for example, inducing a leakage current to test ground fault detection capability and/or or artificially generating or mimicking aspects of an arc fault to test arc fault detection capability. A device's failure to recognize and/or properly respond to such a simulated event(s) one or more times may then be interpreted as a critical functional failure. Such a failure(s) may indicate that a device should be considered to be in an EOL condition and that further use is unsafe. In response, such a device may be tripped so that it no longer provides power. In many embodiments, a device may also be placed in an EOL state. In some embodiments, an EOL state may be mechanically permanent and irreversible. Additionally or alternatively, an EOL state may utilize software to irreversible prevent further use of the electronic device. In many embodiments, an EOL state may also be characterized by visual and/or auditory indications to users that the device is in an EOL state and should be removed.
While the above-reference EOL testing techniques may adequately assess when a device is in EOL condition by virtue of a failure to respond to a simulated fault in many circumstances, such techniques may fail to detect other types of failures that may render continued use of the circuit interrupter device unsafe. For example, certain failures in EOL testing circuits, microcontroller units of circuit interrupters, and/or other device circuitry may be overlooked by the aforementioned EOL testing techniques and/or my render the results of such EOL testing unreliable. In turn, electrical devices with one or more undetected EOL conditions may continue to be used, posing a threat to safety and property.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an American Worldwide Safety Consulting and Certification Organization, provides criteria that ground fault detection and arc fault detection devices must meet in order to qualify as approved detection devices. UL has also provided criteria requiring mechanisms that prevent the supply of power and/or alert a user where detection devices are improperly installed, for example, where improper installation may hinder the effectiveness of ground fault or arc fault detection or otherwise cause the detection device to malfunction. Further, UL has promulgated certain add-on requirements for EOL testing, which may include monitoring for and analyzing failures of processing units and other circuit components.
Accordingly, incorporating the monitoring of critical functional components of the circuit interrupter devices into EOL testing protocols and mechanisms may be desired. It may be further desirable for such monitoring to be performed continuously and/or repeatedly. Additionally, it would be advantageous for such monitoring to continuously occur by virtue of the design of a circuit interrupter's operational logic architecture. Further, it would be advantageous if such improved EOL testing and response functionality could be easily incorporated into existing circuit interrupter devices—including GFCIs, AFCIs, and HCIs—via a processing unit firmware upgrade and few changes to circuit architecture.

Self-test mechanisms for end-of-life detection and response for circuit interrupter devices


The present invention relates to apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste, and in particular, apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste in various forms. It comprises a continuous feeding device, an incineration furnace, a flue gas quenching device, a flue gas treating device, and an online monitoring system. The continuous feeding device includes device for feeding paste, powder, and solid device. The quenching device is connected to a steam boiler and a thermal oil tank, thus achieving comprehensive utilization of the thermal energy generated during incineration of the waste. Apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste according to the present invention enables sufficient combustion of the waste, recycling of the metal oxides or noble metals from the combustion flue gas and/or sinters and/or furnace ashes, effective elimination of the concurrent degradation and re-forming of dioxins. In addition, users can purchase one set of the apparatus for incinerating dangerous waste of the present invention for treating various forms of waste, thus substantially reducing the related capital cost.

Various types of industrial waste, such as chemical residues from chemical plants, wood dust containing substantial amount of formaldehyde and other poisonous raw chemical materials from mills for producing compound floors, fiber plate, synthetic plate etc., and medical waste from medical facilities, if not treated duly, would require space for storing them, and at the same time would cause very serious environmental pollution. Conventional processes for treating waste mainly comprises incineration and landfill. Since some poisonous chemicals contained in waste have a high burning point, however, they usually fail to decompose during the incineration process owing to incomplete combustion and thus remain in ashes or dusts. As a result, they cause environmental pollution and pose a serious threat to human health.
Moreover, most industrial waste often contain catalysts, including metals, metal oxides, or metal chlorides. When such waste is incinerated to decompose the poisons, the metals, metal oxides, or metal chlorides contained therein generally react with organics. Thus, the flue gas from the incineration process will contain poisons, including dusts, dioxins, and the like. These poisons flow with the flue gas and diffuse into the atmosphere. They invade the human body through skin, respiratory and tracts, and are carried into the human body by agriculture crops, thus posing a serious threat to human health.
In addition, dioxins are formed above 200° C. and degraded completely at 800° C.; however, it is re-formed at 200-400° C. Thus, when waste, such as chemical residues, medical waste, wood dust containing poisonous chemicals, etc. are incinerated, they must be incinerated in an incineration furnace to a full extent: they are subjected to a high-temperature incineration at a temperature of 1100-1300° C., so as to achieve a complete decomposition of the poisonous chemicals, in particular, dioxins contained in the waste. In order to avoid re-formation of dioxins at 200-400° C. in the high-temperature flue gas, the latter, at above 600° C., must be quenched to below 200° C. within one second so as to prevent re-forming of dioxins, and it must be cleaned for safe exhausting, as prescribed by some regulations concerning environmental protections.
With the increasingly stricter requirements of environmental protection regulations worldwide, extensive research has been carried out on processes and apparatus for treating waste, such as chemical residues, medical waste, wood dust and the like. For example, a device comprising a furnace for treating medical waste has been developed in Japan, wherein the medical waste is picked up by manipulators and then fed into the furnace hearth after the furnace door provided on the body is opened. Since the door must be opened when the waste is fed, the hearth temperature suffers a transient decrease, and thus cannot achieve the combustion temperature required by environmental protection regulations in a short period, which negatively affects incineration performance. Furthermore, since waste has various forms, such as liquid, particles, solid, etc., various processes and devices are necessary, depending upon the forms of the waste to be treated. Large capital investments on the part of enterprises, therefore, are required in apparatus for treating waste in various forms.

Apparatus for incinerating waste and process for comprehensive utilization of waste


A plurality of printing jobs associated with a printing environment can be initially evaluated. Such a printing environment can be implemented as a print shop or another lean document production environment. A set of minimal resource capacities can then be calculated as a multi-objective optimization using a linear programming (LP) analysis. Alternatively, in a generalized geometrical algorithm, at least one peak-demand production rate associated with the most critical resource can first be estimated, in response to evaluating the plurality of printing jobs. Thereafter, minimal resource capacities of the plurality of resources of the printing environment can be hierarchically calculated based on estimating the previously determined peak-demand production rate of higher priority.

Print shops generally convert printing orders, also known as print jobs, into finished printed material. Conventional print shops are usually organized in a manner that is functionally independent of print job complexity, print job mix, and total volume of print jobs. Typically, related equipment is grouped together. Thus, all printing equipment is grouped and located in a single locale. Similarly, all finishing equipment is grouped and located in a single locale.
Conventional print shops organize resources into separate departments, wherein each department corresponds to a type of process or operation that is performed to complete a print job. When a print job arrives from a customer, the print job sequentially passes through each department. Once the print job is completely processed by a first department, the print job gets queued for the next department. This approach continues until the print job is completed.
The application of lean manufacturing concepts to print shop can drastically improve print shop efficiency. In the lean processing, print jobs quasi-continuously "flow" through the shop or through its production cells—small parts of the job that have been processed on a given workstation are moved for processing on next workstation without waiting for the remaining part of the job to be completed on the given workstation. In preparing print shops for lean document production, an important component is evaluation of the production rates required for customer jobs to be delivered on time.
A conventional calculation (i.e., of so called "takt-times") assumes that each job contributes to the demand rate uniformly within the time segment from the job arrival time through the time due. After summation over all jobs, the peaks of demand rates are used to estimate necessary resource capacities and current utilization. Depending on the job mix and demand fluctuations, the conventional calculation may lead to a substantial overestimation of the peak demand rates, and therefore of necessary capacities. These features are of a generic nature and can apply to any other lean production environment.
Additional complexity arises in the case of multiple resources, where a single resource capacity is not sufficient. Instead, a "family" of resources is utilized. When more than one resource is utilized, such resources can essentially "compete" against one another to satisfy the balanced lean workflow—decrease of one resource capacity can require increase of another resource capacity.

Methods and systems for determining resource capabilities for a lean production environment


An RF antenna arrangement of a combined MR/PET system is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the RF antenna arrangement includes a first part installed in the examination tunnel in a fashion fixed to the system such that it is arranged underneath the couch board when the latter is introduced, and a second part, which can be placed onto the couch board and be introduced into and withdrawn from the examination tunnel together with the couch board. In at least one embodiment, the second part is of dimensionally stable design and has a clear cross section that is adapted to the object to be examined. Consequently, the time outlay for applying the RF antenna is reduced, and the fixed position of the RF antenna enables a correction of the attenuation of gamma rays. Furthermore, a number of second parts having various diameters can be provided.

Magnetic resonance tomography (MR or MRT) is an imaging method for displaying tissue in the human or animal body. MRT is based on the principle of nuclear magnetic resonance in accordance with which atomic nuclei such as the hydrogen nuclei present in large numbers in the body exhibit a magnetic moment. Consequently, they can be excited in an applied external magnetic field with the aid of electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency range (termed RF radiation or RF pulse), and output this radiation shortly thereafter. This RF radiation, also termed an MR signal, is detected with the aid of an RF antenna that can also be used to generate the exciting radiation. The external magnetic field is mostly generated by a superconducting main magnet that encloses a horizontal examination tunnel into which the object to be examined, for example a patient on a couch board, is pushed. Spatial coding of the MR signals can be achieved by magnetic fields having a spatial gradient that are generated by so-called gradient coils.
The unit surrounding the examination tunnel and composed of main magnet, gradient coils and, if appropriate, an RF antenna is designated in general as a "field generating unit". Further components of an MR system such as control computer, ADCs, frequency generators etc are not part of the field generating unit, but are generally arranged next to the field generating unit in a separate room.
A further medical imaging method is positron emission tomography (PET). PET is particularly suitable as a nuclear medicine method for displaying biochemical processes in the body, for example for finding tumors and metastases. The patient is in this case administered a tracer with a radionuclide that is distributed in the body and outputs radioactive radiation in the process in the form of positrons. After a short time, the positrons decay into two gamma quanta that move in opposite spatial directions and are captured by suitable detectors. The latter are mostly arranged around the body as an annular PET detector. For example, the gamma radiation is captured by a matrix composed of scintillation crystals in which a strike by any photon produces a scintillation. The latter is, in turn, captured and amplified by photodetectors, for example by avalanche photodiodes.
There has recently been interest in combining MRT and PET with each other in one device, to allow both imaging modalities to be used simultaneously or one after the other in the same body part of the patient (as far as possible with the same image field). For this, a PET detector ring is also integrated into the field generating unit.
Instead of the RF antenna integrated in the field generating unit, which is also termed a whole body antenna, use is often also made of so-called local coils in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in the MRT. The local coils are RF antennas that are adapted to specific body parts and, after the patient has been supported on the couch board, but still outside the field generating unit, are laid by the operating staff directly on the body part to be examined. Often, the RF pulses are then still generated by the whole body antenna, while the body coil functions as receiving coil and receives the MR signals. It is thereby possible to achieve a substantially better image quality in comparison with reception with the aid of the whole body antenna installed fixedly in the field generating unit.
However, the use of local coils exhibits various disadvantages in the case of a combined MR/PET system: firstly, in order to apply the local coils, the operating staff require a time of up to five minutes per patient for positioning and later removing the local coils. By contrast with the patient examinations on PET devices currently in use, the operating staff are thereby exposed to a radiation burden lasting for a longer time period.
Moreover, the structure of the interior local coil reduces the sensitivity of the PET detector ring and requires a correction. However, a correction is scarcely possible in the case of PET image reconstruction owing to the variable spatial arrangement of the local coils as a function of the body shape of the patient to be examined.
DE 103 18 190 A1 describes an antenna arrangement for a pure MR device that is intended to replace the conventional local coils laid directly on the body. This arrangement is of lesser diameter than the whole body coil, but permanently integrated in the examination tunnel. For example, it is intended to be held with an accurate fit in the examination tunnel. The installation and dismantling of the antenna arrangement is therefore very laborious in the case of DE 103 18 190 A1, since an operator must lean from one side into the field generating unit in order to insert or remove the antenna arrangement. It is therefore not feasible to adapt to changing patient diameters.

Field generating unit of a combined MR/PET system


A semiconductor device and a method of making a semiconductor device are provided, wherein the device includes a die-pad, a semiconductor chip and a sealing resin. The die-pad has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface includes an exposed portion and a retreated portion around the exposed portion. The semiconductor chip is mounted on the first surface of the die-pad. The sealing resin covers the die-pad and the semiconductor chip, exposes the exposed portion, and is held in contact with the retreated portion.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device of the Quad Flat Non-leaded (QFN) package type, and a method of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art:
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a prior art semiconductor device S3 of the Quad Flat Non-leaded (QFN) package type. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines VII—VII of FIG. 6. The semiconductor device S3 includes a semiconductor chip 31, a die-pad 32 on which the semiconductor chip 31 is mounted, a plurality of leads 33, and a sealing resin 34 which is illustrated as transparent in FIG. 6. The semiconductor chip 31 is electrically connected to the die-pad 32 via a first wire 41 for grounding. Each of the leads 33 is electrically connected to the semiconductor chip 31 via a second wire 42. The sealing resin 34 seals the semiconductor chip 31, the first wire 41 and the second wires 42 while exposing the lower surface 32b of the die-pad 32 and part of each lead 33.
In the semiconductor device S3, the lower surface 32b of the die-pad 32 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 8, water is likely to enter through the boundary between the die-pad 32 and the sealing resin 34 and may reach the upper surface 32a of the die-pad 32. In the reflowing process for mounting the semiconductor device S3 onto a mother board (not shown), when the die-pad 32 is heated while containing water on the upper surface 32a, the sealing resin 34 is removed from the die-pad 32 to shrink in the arrow B direction. As a result, the sealing resin 34 exerts a stress to the first wire 41, which may lead to the breakage of the first wire 41.

Semiconductor device and method of making the same


A method for imaging volume data having an embedded target of interest is provided. The method provides for acquiring data concerning the target and preparing the data for identifying an event associated with the target such that the event is viewable without distortion. The data is prepared by capturing relevant amplitude and phase data with respect to the relevant event, and imaging or migrating the data to place the event in the correct position. Further, the data is calibrated to a known model by tying the amplitude captured from the data to an amplitude of the known model, and analyzing the dynamic range of the model data and the captured data to confirm alignment. If alignment is not acceptable, additional calibration is performed. The data is scaled to emphasize the event such that the data can be viewed and the event associated with the data are readily discernible. The volume event and embedded event are plotted in either log amplitude scale format or linear amplitude scale format. If it is sufficient to evaluate the event in question in fewer colors, the event is visualized in 8-bit data format. If it is required to preserve more amplitude data, it is preferable to visualize the event in dynamic range data format.

Computer graphics has always been a valuable tool to study scientific problems. In the past, however, the lack of graphics power limited its usefulness. The recent emphasis on visualization started around 1987 when high end computer graphics first became available. Today, the advent of volume visualization not only enables the geoscientist to see and work with their data in its natural 3-D form, it also brings a new level of understanding. Visualization provides the medium and opportunity to integrate technologies such that the greatest amount of information can be accurately, efficiently, and economically obtained in the search for hydrocarbons, if properly used.
There are many techniques for displaying various data types. Line charts can be used to represent 1-D scalar data, and scatter plots or 2-D contours can be used to image 2-D data. For 3-D images, structure fields or 2-D contours over planar slices can be used, or 3-D can be represented using isosurfaces. Traditionally, the visualization of three-dimensional data has been accomplished using geometric models, due to limitations in available compute power. This polygonal geometry rendering technology has been around for over a decade, and was designed specifically to provide interactive imagery of geometric constructs created on a computer, such as a wireframe CAD surface model. The images generated by these techniques were based on models that consisted of geometrically described surfaces oriented in 3-D space.
Volume rendering, however, allows the display of information throughout a regularly gridded 3-D space. The basic idea in volume rendering is to cast rays from screen pixel positions through the data, obtain the desired information along the ray, and then display this information in a format meaningful to the computer users (i.e., colors). The data visualized can be an average of the data in a cell ("voxel"), or of all cells intersected by the ray (i.e., optical stacking), or some other such measure computed for various orientations and parameter settings.
The traditional way to interpret three-dimensional seismic data cubes was by viewing a series of 2-D images ("slices"), digitizing them, and making 3-D structural maps. Given today's pressure on timeliness and cost-effective outcomes, 3-D volume imaging is an extremely valuable exploration tool for accelerating the seismic interpretation processes and eliminating uncertainty in structural and stratigraphic features; thus obtaining better insight needed to make informed drill location decisions promptly.


According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a first device, a first controller, and a second controller. The first controller transits the apparatus between a working state and a hibernation or stand-by state. The second controller shifts the first device from an ordinary operation mode to a power saving mode when a first condition is established while the apparatus is in the working state. The second controller shifts the first device to the power saving mode without waiting that the first condition is satisfied when the apparatus returns to the working state in which the first device is set to the ordinary operation mode after the apparatus shifted to the hibernation state or to the stand-by state in a state that the first device is in the power saving mode.

Recently, various types of an electronic apparatus such as a tablet computer and a notebook personal computer (PC) have been developed. Many of these types of an electronic apparatus have various power saving control functions for reducing a power consumption of the electronic apparatus. A function for shifting an electronic apparatus to a hibernation state or to a suspend state has been known as one of typical power saving control functions.
In the hibernation state, power of almost all the components in an electronic apparatus is turned off in a state that a system context is stored in a non-volatile storage. In this way, placing the electronic apparatus in the hibernation state while it is in an idling state and the like can reduce power uselessly consumed by the electronic apparatus.
In the stand-by state, power of almost all the components except a main memory is turned off. Thus, the stand-by state is also useful to reduce useless power.
Further, a recent electronic apparatus uses also a function for shifting devices in the electronic apparatus to a power saving mode.
Since power saving is required in view of recent social conditions, much of an electronic apparatus in an office and the like is operated in such a manner that a hibernation state or a stand-by state is frequently used.
However, ordinarily, when an electronic apparatus returns from the hibernation state or the stand-by state to a working state, almost all the devices in an electronic apparatus are reset to an ordinary operating state. Accordingly, the electronic device may consume a relatively large amount of power for some time after it has returned to a working state.

Electronic apparatus and power saving control method


A piezoelectric energy harvester comprising: a metal substrate comprising a planar part, a first leg projecting from the planar part and a second leg projecting from the planar part, the metal substrate configured to support a piezoelectric matrix on the planar part between the first leg and the second leg; and a piezoelectric matrix provided on the substrate, the piezoelectric matrix comprising a plurality of adjacent PZT elements.

Piezoelectric energy harvester/generator uses direct piezoelectric effect to convert mechanical energy to electric energy. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 (prior art), a direct piezoelectric effect may be obtained by applying pressure to a piezoelectric energy harvester/generator to light a bulb. The most familiar application of piezoelectric energy harvester/generator effect is a piezoelectric igniter as shown in FIG. 2 (prior art) where mechanical shock is converted to electricity to create a spark to ignite gas and generate a flame.
Driven by the micro, nano and green energy technologies, new developments and more applications of energy harvesting/generating devices are emerging, such as in wireless sensor networks; in military, sports and health equipment; and in communication and control devices. For instance, a wireless sensor network may contain up to thousands of sensor nodes. Replacement of batteries of sensors is therefore tiring, tedious and inconvenient, especially in harsh environments such as those facing extreme temperatures (e.g. polar regions), pollution (e.g. of air, water) and dangerous situations (e.g. volcanic eruptions). Energy harvesting collects the energy from the environment and therefore provides unlimited energy usage. A piezoelectric energy harvester is able to generate energy in the order of μW to mW, sufficient for many sensor node applications. In military applications, as the soldier needs to carry a heavy load which might induce back injuries and affect movement of the soldier, assisting walking and reducing the load (from equipment batteries) becomes necessary. Biomechanical energy harvesting is able to generate power in the order of W, which can be used to charge batteries, GPS and other equipment. In communication and control devices, to reduce the power consumption and decrease the possibility of pollution, reducing the usage of batteries is necessary. Energy harvesting devices can be used for some applications, such as TV controllers and signal transmitters.
Global demand on piezoelectric energy harvesters have been estimated at approximately US $1 billion in 2010. It is expected to grow by around 7.5-8% annually over the next few years. The total market is expected to increase to US $1.5 billion by 2015 and reach US 1.9 billion by 2018. The above data shows that piezoelectric energy harvesting has been an important area which pushes the growth of the economy.
Accordingly, governments all over the world have input large amounts of energy and resources in this area. This is led by Europe, US and Japan.
However, one of the problems that restrict the wide application of the energy harvester is the cost. PI developed a kind of DuraAct™ patch transducer. The price is SGD211 per piece. The Piezo Systems, Inc. developed another bending type piezo energy harvester. However the price is SGD274 per piece. The Face International Corporation published another Thunder type energy harvester, referred to hereafter as the Thunder transducer, which is based on a NASA invention. It is relatively cheap and may be considered an industry benchmark. However it is still more than USD100 per piece. Therefore, this work aims to develop a piezoelectric energy harvester with better performance while maintaining a low cost.


A method and a measurement system are disclosed for the noninvasive determination of properties of an object to be examined and to the use of a contrast medium for X-ray phase-contrast measurement. in at least one embodiment of the invention, a mixture (suspension) consisting of a base liquid and a multiplicity of particles contained therein is used, the refractive index of the base liquid being different to the refractive index of the particles.

Measurement systems and methods for the noninvasive determination of properties of an object to be examined and/or processes and/or states in an object to be examined by determining the relative phase shift are fundamentally known. For example, reference may be made to European patent application EP 1 447 046 A1 and the German patent applications by the Applicant with the application numbers 10 2006 017 290.6, 10 2006 015 358.8, 10 2006 017 291.4, 10 2006 015 356.1 and 10 2006 015 355.3.
In the field of computer tomography, it is widely known to use phase-contrast media with greatly increased X-ray absorption values in order to be able to better differentiate the contrast between regions with and without incorporated contrast medium.
To improve the image representation, it is thus desirable on the one hand to find media which increase as much as possible the phase shift of the X-radiation passing through the object to be examined in selected regions, in order to achieve a maximally high contrast. Owing to the nature of phase-contrast measurement, at least with non-integrative scanning, phase differences of more than π/2 lead again to lower contrast. Phase shifts which are multiples of π/2 also cannot lead to higher contrasts. Depending on the measurement conditions, this may sometimes entail a reduction of the integratively measured phase shift being induced with the aid of the contrast medium, in order to obtain a phase shift in the increasing range of from 0 to π/2 at the detector.

Measurement system and method for the noninvasive determination of properties of an object to be examined and contrast medium X-ray phase-contrast measurement


Reflective bituminous coating compositions are within the disclosure herein that include a bituminous component; a petroleum distillate solvent, a fibrous material; a reflective metallic filler component; and expanded glass granules.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of metallic reflective filler-containing coatings, particularly such coatings as are applied to roofing and other surfaces to impart solar reflectance.
2. Description of Related Art
Aluminum and other reflective coatings are known for use in roofing and other applications as a way to impart solar reflectance to structures to which they are applied. This results in protection of the underlying surface as well as energy savings that stem from reduced building cooling costs in hot climates. Solar reflectance is the measure of the fraction of incident solar energy that is reflected by a given surface. One way this is measured in the art is that different roof surfaces and roof coatings have different Solar Reflectance Indices (SRI). The SRI measures a roofs ability to reject solar heat demonstrated by temperature rise. Standard black roofing, which would have a solar reflectance of about 0.05 (and an emittance of about 0.90) has an SRI of 0 while a standard white roof having a reflectance of about 0.80 (and an emittance of about 0.90) has an SRI of 100. Standard black roofing has a temperature rise of about 90° F. (50° C.) when fully exposed to the sun, and standard white roofing would have a temperature rise of only about 14-15° F. (about 8° C.). The SRI of a material is calculated by interpolating its temperature rise between the values for white and black roofing. Materials having high SRI values are those which demonstrate cool roofing selections.
Traditional reflective coatings comprise aluminum and are formulated so as to maximize solar reflectance properties as a function of total aluminum pigment in the formulation. Attempts are made to achieve the highest possible solar reflectance value at the lowest possible use of aluminum pigment so as to minimize cost of the resulting coatings and products to which they are applied.
Other challenges in the art of forming such coatings are to minimize hard-packed settling which occurs in the container in which the coating is packaged. This hard-packed condition can further deteriorate the longer the container is held in storage prior to use and further promoted when the container is stored in hot and/or non-temperature controlled warehousing conditions. This problem causes the applicator to severely struggle in stirring the coating to uniformity in the container prior to applying the coating to a surface. Prior solutions to reducing hard-packed settling properties in such coatings include use of surface active agents, thixotropic agents, and other rheological modifiers that may aid in preventing hard packed settling in the product container. These traditional approaches have the detrimental effect of reducing or inhibiting solar reflectance properties of the dried coating thereby causing less efficient use of the high cost aluminum pigment.
Prior art attempts in improving solar reflectance properties to counteract the negative affect to settling associated with traditional anti-settling concepts in such coatings have met with varying success and/or have imparted unwanted additional cost to the overall formulation, and in the case of using additional solvents, have contributed to increasing the coatings volatile organic compound (VOC) load.

Metallic coating composition having improved solar reflectance and anti-settling properties


A polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of a glutamine synthetase 2 derived from a microorganism belonging to a coryneform bacterium, wherein the coryneform bacterium producing the polypeptide has L-glutamine productivity, a DNA encoding the polypeptide, a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA, a microorganism comprising the DNA or the recombinant DNA, and a process for producing L-glutamine using the microorganism are provided.

As a process for producing L-glutamine by fermentation, a method which involves a coryneform bacterium provided with azaserine resistance (cf. Patent Reference 1), a method which involves a coryneform bacterium provided with 6-diazo-5-oxo-norleucine resistance (cf. Patent Reference 2) and the like are known. In addition, as a process for producing L-glutamine by reinforcing glutamine synthetase activity, methods which involve a coryneform bacterium having reduced glutamine synthetase-adenylyl transferase activity which is controlled by adenylylation (cf. Non-patent reference 1, Patent Reference 3), and a coryneform bacterium in which an amino acid at position 405 of glutamine synthetase which is subjected to adenylylation is substituted and a coryneform bacterium having decreased activity of PII protein (cf. Non-patent Reference 2, Patent Reference 3) are known.
It is known that, in addition to glnA which encodes a glutamine synthetase, glnA2 which encodes a glutamine synthetase 2 having homology with glutamine synthetase is present on the genome of coryneform bacteria. It was reported that the polypeptide encoded by glnA2 of a coryneform bacterium has high homology with a glutamine synthetase of Bacillus subtilis which is not controlled by adenylylation, but the coryneform bacterium shows glutamine auxotrophic phenotype when glnA encoding a glutamine synthetase which is controlled by adenylylation is deactivated (cf. Non-patent Reference 1). In coryneform bacteria, the polypeptide encoded by glnA2 does not have glutamine synthetase activity, and there are no cases so far in which L-glutamine was produced by modification of glnA2.
In addition, it was reported that in Corynebacterium glutamicum, glutamic acid is produced by reduction of activity of a polypeptide which is encoded by ItsA and concerned in lysozyme sensitivity (cf. Non-patent Reference 3, Non-patent Reference 4, Patent Reference 4).    Patent Reference 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 148094/80    Patent Reference 2: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 232497/91    Patent Reference 3: Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 300887/02    Patent Reference 4: WO 00/14241    Non-patent Reference 1: FEMS Microbiology Letters, 201, 91 (2001)    Non-patent Reference 2: FEMS Microbiology Letters, 173, 303 (1999)    Non-patent Reference 3: BMC Biotechnol., 1, 9 (2001)    Non-patent Reference 4: Journal of Bacteriology, 182, 2696 (2000)


One embodiment of a perimeter trench sensor array package can include a thinned substrate device that includes a perimeter trench formed near the edges of the device that can be configured to be thinner than a central portion of the thinned substrate device. The perimeter trench can include bond pads that can couple to electrical elements included in the thinned substrate device. The thinned substrate device can be attached to a core layer that can in turn support one or more resin layers. The core layer and the resin layers can form a printed circuit board assembly, a flex cable assembly or a stand-alone module.

Integrated circuits have long become a mainstay of many electronic designs. Many items such as processors, memories, custom electronic designs including application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays and sensors use integrated circuit device technology to manufacture these items. Integrated circuit technologies can produce devices en masse, typically on a substrate commonly referred to as a wafer. Individual devices can be separated from the wafer to form dies that include the device.
A typical wafer thickness can be between 500 and 750 microns. For some applications, a smaller thickness can be desired, so the wafer can be thinned to reduce the final thickness of the related device. Mounting thinned devices can be problematic as traditional mounting approaches can consume a relatively large volume, and any size advantages gained by using a thinned-substrate device can be lost. Furthermore, mounting approaches need to efficiently provide ways to couple electrical power and signals to and from the thinned device without adding undue thickness.
Therefore, what is desired is a space efficient way to support and mount thinned-substrate devices and couple electrical power and signals to and from thinned devices.


An electrical connector module configured to form a communicative connection with a host device is provided. The module includes a housing that is configured to be inserted into a receptacle of the host device. The housing extends substantially in an axial direction and includes a surface. The module also includes an actuating member that is slidably coupled to and movable along the surface of the housing from a locked position to a disengaged position. The module includes a spring member that is positioned on the actuating member and configured to exert a force against the housing and the actuating member. The spring member is biased in order to maintain the actuating member in the locked position.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to electrical connector assemblies, and more particularly to release mechanisms for pluggable module assemblies.
Pluggable module assemblies allow users of electronic equipment or external devices to transfer data to or communicate with other equipment and devices. The module assemblies are constructed according to established standards for size and compatibility (e.g., Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP), XFP, or Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP)). Generally, a module assembly includes a connector module (e.g., transceiver) that is configured to be inserted into a receptacle for establishing a communicative connection with an electrical device or system. The connector module has a front end, a rear end, and a cavity extending axially between the front and rear ends. The connector module may include a circuit board that is held within the cavity and configured to project outward from the front end. When the connector module is inserted into the receptacle, the circuit board engages a slot within the receptacle that is configured to receive the circuit board. The connector module may also include a pair of opposing actuator arms that extend axially along sides of the connector module. The actuator arms may be movable along retention slots formed by the sides of the connector module. The receptacle includes sidewalls that form a passage therebetween. The sidewalls have latch elements that project into the passage of the receptacle. As the connector module advances into the receptacle, the latch elements from sidewalls contact and engage a cavity in the sidewall of the connector module thereby holding the connector module within the receptacle.
In one conventional module assembly the connector module includes an ejector mechanism. The ejector mechanism includes a bail that has a pair of base portions where each base portion couples to one of the actuator arms. The bail and actuator arms are configured such that the bail is pivotable from an upright position to an angled position. When the bail is pivoted from the upright position to the angled position, the base portions cause the actuator arms to retract toward the rear end of the connector module. When the actuator arms retract, the latch elements disengage from the actuator arms thereby allowing the connector module to be removed from the receptacle. However, after the actuator arms are retracted, the bail remains in the angled position and the actuator arms remain retracted. In order to return the actuator arms to the locked position, the bail must be forced back into the upright position by a user of the connector module.
Furthermore, in another conventional module assembly the actuator arms are integrally formed and coupled to each other by a bar or beam extending therebetween. In order to retract the actuator arms, the bar may be gripped and pulled backward causing the actuator arms to slide rearward within the retention slots. However, the actuator arms may be in rigidly fixed positions with respect to each other. As such, the manufacturing tolerances may be small, which may lead to an increase in defective parts and manufacturing costs.
Thus, there is a need in the industry for connector assemblies that have self-resetting release mechanisms. Furthermore, there is a need for connector assemblies that may tolerate slight misalignments between the actuator arms.

Electrical connector assembly having a release mechanism


A functional product having a transparent oxide layer and a silver layer alternately laminated on a transparent substrate in a total number of (2n+1) layers, where n.gtoreq.1, wherein an oxide film whose major component is an oxide containing tin and silicon, is formed on the outermost layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functional product, particularly to a functional product excellent in durability and appearance.
2. Discussion of Background
Conventionally, a Low-E glass (low emissivity glass), or a heat ray shielding glass (normally called a heat ray reflecting glass) wherein a multi-layer film is formed on a glass substrate having a large area by the magnetron sputtering method, has been employed. Since the glass employed in construction is excellent in energy conservation effect and design performance, it has considerably been prevailing in recent years.
The Low-E glass made by a sputtering method, is normally composed of three layers of an oxide film/a silver film/an oxide film. Since this type of Low-E glass employing silver, has a problem in durability, it cannot be employed in a single plate glass, and is used in a form of double glazing or laminated glass. For a windshield glass and a rear glass of an automobile, a low emissivity glass coated with a three-layer film composed of zinc oxide film/silver film/zinc oxide film made by a sputtering method on the side of a surface thereof for adhesion to form a laminated glass, is reduced into practice.
The heat ray shielding glass is produced by a continuous production line including steps of cleaning the substrate, sputtering for film formation and post-cleaning. In recent years, mounting of the substrate on the line and withdrawal of the product from the line tend to be automated.
However, the Low-E glass employing silver is poor in the scratch resistance of the film, and a due care is required in its handling until it is assembled into a double glazing or laminated glass. Therefore, it has been difficult to automate its production. Specifically, in a usual automatic production, a resin powder is usually sprayed between the glass products to avoid adhesion of the glass products to each other at the time of withdrawal of the glass products. However, in the case of the Low-E glass employing silver, the film surface is likely to be scratched by this powder, since the scratch resistance of the film is poor. Accordingly, with the Low-E glass, it has been difficult to automate the withdrawal of the glass products, and such withdrawal has been manually carried out, and it has been common to insert paper or the like instead of the powder between the glass products. Therefore, it has been difficult to shorten the production time, and the production cost has been substantial.
It is an object of the present invention to solve such problems and to provide a Low-E glass employing silver, whereby the scratch resistance of the film surface is improved, and withdrawal of the glass products can be automated.


The device for electronically simulating a component position includes a first counter (40,42) which counts counter pulses (Zt) determined by respective occurrences of a periodic event marking respective component positions; a second counter (30) which, in response to occurrence of a first event (e2), starts a third counter (34) which counts at a counting rate faster than that of the second counter (30) so as to repeatedly run through a predetermined value range (Z') until occurrence of a subsequent event (e3) and which produces a basic clock pulse (Co) each time a final value (y) of the predetermined value range (Z') is reached; and a readjustment circuit (38) which produces the counter pulses (Zt) from the basic clock pulses (Co). In one embodiment on occurrence of the subsequent event (e3) the readjustment circuit (38) corrects the counter state (ZS) of the first counter (40,42) by forming a difference between a predetermined set value and the counter state (ZS) and feeding a number of high frequency correction signals (KS) equal to that difference into the first counter if the counter state is less than the set value or masks a number of counter pulses (ZT) equal to that difference if the counter state is more than the set value.

The invention relates to a device for electronically simulating the position of a component, in particular the angular position of a crankshaft. The device has a first counter whose counter state is a measure of the respectively assumed position of the component. The first counter counts counter pulses which are determined by the respective occurrence of a periodic event which in each case marks a position of the component.
Electronic counters are used in many technological fields. They serve for the quantitative detection of a continuously repeating process. The counting function is triggered here by applying an event-dependent clock frequency to the input of a counting circuit which is associated with the counter. For the execution of an event evaluation it is known to connect upstream for example a gate logic which permits selective masking out of individual counting clocks so that the counting circuit counts correspondingly more slowly. Furthermore, it is known to reduce the clock frequency by a permanently prescribed ratio by connecting upstream a frequency divider so that the counting circuit also counts correspondingly more slowly.
If such a counting circuit is used, for example when determining the present crankshaft position of an internal combustion engine, there are limits placed on the known counting circuits which only permit the crankshaft position to be broken down into relatively large angular increments. However, since it is very important to determine the angular position of crankshaft relatively accurately, in particular in order to break down control signals in downstream series control units for engine control, the extremely inaccurate control signals which can be generated with the known counting circuits are of little interest in practice.

Device for electronically simulating the position of a component


A method and system for operating a cardiac pacemaker which employs pacing therapy to regularize the ventricular rhythm together with biventricular sensing. Biventricular sensing allows the ventricular rate regularization to be accomplished with greater hemodynamic stability.

This invention pertains to cardiac pacemakers and methods for operating such devices. In particular, the invention relates to methods for employing pacing therapy to maintain hemodynamic stability.
Ventricular tachyarrhythmias, in which the ventricles beat more rapidly and irregularly than normal, can be due to a variety of etiologies. One common cause, for example, is atrial fibrillation where the atria depolarize in a chaotic fashion with no effective pumping action. The intrinsic ventricular rhythm that occurs during an episode of atrial fibrillation is a result of the chaotically occurring depolarizations occurring in the atria being passed through the AV node to the ventricles. The intrinsic ventricular rate is thus governed by the cycle length of the atrial fibrillation and the refractory period of the AV node. Although the intrinsic ventricular rate is less than the atrial rate, due to the refractory period of the AV node, it is still rapid and irregular. When the ventricles contract at irregular intervals, the contraction can occur prematurely before diastolic filling is complete which decreases the stroke volume for that contraction. This can be especially significant in, for example, congestive heart failure patients who are already hemodynamically compromised. Concomitant atrial fibrillation where the atria no longer act as effective priming pumps can also contribute to the problem. An irregular ventricular rate can thus depress cardiac output and cause such symptoms as dyspnea, fatigue, vertigo, and angina. An objective of the present invention is to use pacing therapy to maintain hemodynamic stability in the presence of an irregular intrinsic ventricular rhythm.
The present invention is a system and method for regularizing the ventricular rate by adjusting the lower rate limit of a pacemaker in accordance with changes in the measured intrinsic ventricular rate. By making the ventricular escape interval track a mean interval between intrinsic beats, less variability in the overall ventricular rhythm is allowed by the pacemaker. Because the ventricular rate regularization keeps the ventricular escape interval close to the interval between intrinsic beats, however, the risk of delivering a pace coincident with an intrinsic depolarization is increased. Such a pace produces a fusion beat which is hemodynamically inefficient and tends to counteract the beneficial effects of ventricular rate regularization in maintaining hemodynamic stability. In accordance with the invention, the risk of producing fusion beats is reduced by providing a ventricular sensing channel for each ventricle and inhibiting ventricular pacing when a ventricular depolarization is detected from either ventricle before the expiration of the ventricular escape interval. Such biventricular sensing is employed whether the pacemaker is operating in a univentricular or biventricular pacing mode.

Apparatus and method for ventricular rate regularization with biventricular sensing


The invention relates to RNAi agents, e.g., double-stranded RNAi agents, targeting the Serpina1 gene, and methods of using such RNAi agents to inhibit expression of Serpina1 and methods of treating subjects having a Serpina1 associated disease, such as a liver disorder.

Serpina1 encodes alpha-1-antitrypsin which predominantly complexes with and inhibits the activity of neutrophil elastase produced by hepatocytes, mononuclear monocytes, alveolar macrophages, enterocytes, and myeloid cells. Subjects having variations in one or both copies of the Serpina1 gene may suffer from alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and are at risk of developing pulmonary emphysema and/or chronic liver disease due to greater than normal elastase activity in the lungs and liver.
In affected subjects, the deficiency in alpha-1-antitrypsin is a deficiency of wild-type, functional alpha-1-antitrypsin. In some cases, a subject having a variation in one or both copies of the Serpina1 gene is carrying a null allele. In other cases, a subject having a variation in one or both copies of the Serpina1 gene is carrying a deficient allele.
For example, a subject having a deficient allele of Serpina1, such as the PIZ allele, may be producing misfolded proteins which cannot be properly transported from the site of synthesis to the site of action within the body. Such subjects are typically at risk of developing lung and/or liver disease. Subjects having a Serpina1 null allele, such as the PINULL (Granite Falls), are typically only at risk of developing lung disease.
Liver disease resulting from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is the result of variant forms of alpha-1-antitypsin produced in liver cells which misfold and are, thus, not readily transported out of the cells. This leads to a buildup of misfolded protein in the liver cells and can cause one or more diseases or disorders of the liver including, but not limited to, chronic liver disease, liver inflammation, cirrhosis, liver fibrosis, and/or hepatocellular carcinoma.
There are currently very limited options for the treatment of patients with liver disease arising from alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, including hepatitis vaccination, supportive care, and avoidance of injurious agents (e.g., alcohol and NSAIDs). Although replacement alpha-1-antitrypsin therapy is available, such treatment has no impact liver disease in these subjects and, although liver transplantation may be effective, it is a difficult, expensive and risky procedure and liver organs are not readily available.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for effective treatments for Serpina1-associated diseases, such as a chronic liver disease, liver inflammation, cirrhosis, liver fibrosis, and/or hepatocellular carcinoma.

Serapina1 iRNA compositions and methods of use thereof


In generating instructions for a printer to render a digitally represented image, addresses for a color-correction look-up table that sparsely samples the source-image color space are generated from the source image by multi-level dithering, and no interpolation is performed to generate the color-corrected image from the values thus fetched from the table, even though it samples the source-image color space only sparsely. In a system in which dithering is also used to generate display commands from the corrected image's pixel values, the effective color resolution is essentially the same as that which would have resulted from interpolation instead of table-look-up-input dithering, but the computation cost is significantly less.

The present invention concerns image display. It has particular application to color correction employed in digital systems for specifying the manner in which a source image is to be rendered.
In most cases, a digitally stored color image is stored in terms of nominal values that a device displaying the image should attempt to approximate as closely as possible. The image may be stored as pixel values or rasterized into a pixel-value organization in the course of displaying it. In either case, the values of the pixels are typically given as three-component vectors. A common format is three eight-bit or twelve-bit words, each of which represents the red, green, or blue component of the image.
Displaying the image typically involves employing corresponding color agents. In a cathode-ray-tube or similar positive-color display, the components respectively correspond to, say, the red, green, and blue screen phosphors that add the corresponding colors to the black background when they are excited. In negative-color systems, such as typical printers, those components correspond to the complementary cyan, magenta, and yellow components, which subtract red, green, and blue, respectively, from the white background.
However, the correspondence between the magnitude of the nominal color-component value and the amount of the corresponding color agent to be employed to yield the most faithful rendition on a given display device is not exact. Whereas equal red, green, and blue component values nominally specify a given intensity of white, a tint would instead result from most displays' equal application of the corresponding coloring agents, e.g., from equal driving of a color CRT's three electron guns or equal duty cycles of an ink jet printer's ink jets. To overcome these effects, the display process usually includes color "correction" to convert nominal values to values that will yield better fidelity in the particular type of display device being used.
What we will refer to here loosely as "color correction" may have additional intended effects, too. For instance, the correction may be performed not simply to compensate for the non-ideal relationships among the coloring agents but also to accommodate various display-device or -medium limitations. In ink-jet printing, for instance, the coloring agent, ink, is dispensed as individual ink dots, and the intensity variation is achieved not by changing the individual dots but by changing the average number of dots per unit area. Because of the dots' shapes and the other factors, this process introduces certain nonlinearities, for which it is desirable to compensate by a "correction" in the requested color. Also, different papers or other print media may be susceptible to "bleeding" to a greater or lesser extent, and the color "correction" actually reduces color fidelity by limiting color darkness but thereby preventing excessive bleeding. We will refer to all of these as "color correction," their common characteristic being the need to convert from a nominal color to a requested color that will tend to achieve a particular printer- or medium-specific requirement.
The relationship between the nominal color and the levels at which the corresponding color agents should be applied are in most cases quite nonlinear, and many digital systems use look-up tables to perform the conversion. But it is not always considered acceptable to provide a look-up table that will give the optimum conversion exhaustively. The magnitude of the problem can be appreciated by considering a typical system in which the components of the nominal color values are expressed with eight-bit resolution. Eight-bit resolution means that there are 256 possible values for each color component, and since there are three components, eight-bit resolution results in 256.sup.3 possible colors, which is over 16 million. So the color-correction table could require 16 megabytes of memory.
In many applications, this is not acceptable, so an often-employed alternative is to provide a much-smaller look-up table that in effect is a sparse sampling of the color space. When the correction for a given color is required, a corrected value is found by interpolating among the table entries closest to the uncorrected color. If the sparseness of the color-space sampling is not excessive, the result can be quite good. But the interpolation process is slow, so this approach can impose a significant speed penalty,

Generating color-correction look-up-table addresses by multi-level half-toning


The invention provides an improved pipeline pulsation dampener, including a pressure vessel divided by a diaphragm of elastomeric material into first and second pressure zones. The first pressure zone is connected to a pipeline and receives any undesired pressure changes in the pipeline through a first flow passage in the pressure vessel, while the second pressure zone receives a second fluid at a preselected pressure. The diaphragm has a reinforcing insert for bridging the first flow passage to support the diaphragm when the pressure of the second fluid in the second pressure zone exceeds the pressure of the first fluid in the first pressure zone to restrain the diaphragm from extruding through the first flow passage. The reinforcing insert is encased in the elastomeric material of the diaphragm to prevent the insert and the bond between the elastomeric material and the insert from being exposed to the fluid being pumped. In this manner, the bond is protected against corrosion or flow erosion by the first fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pulsation dampeners, and more particularly to an elastomeric diaphragm for use in applications where such a dampener is exposed to a corrosive fluid and the diaphragm prevents the corrosive fluid from contacting the pressure vessel of the diaphragm.
2. The Related Art
Pulsation dampeners are typically connected in supply lines conveying fluid that is subject to surges or pulsations. For example, a reciprocating piston pump may be suitable for delivering hydraulic pressure, but creates undesirable pulsations in the process.
Such dampeners typically utilize flexible bladders or diaphragms for separating a pressure vessel into a compressible fluid zone and a zone for receiving the fluid subjected to pulsation. The diaphragm serves to dampen the pulsations as it moves back and forth in the pressure vessel. In some instances, metal inserts known as bridging disks or plates are carried by the diaphragm to provide additional support for the diaphragm at the region which covers pressure inlets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,428, assigned to Hydril Co., the assignee of the present invention, describes a "surge absorber" wherein a pressurized compressible fluid, such as an inert gas, is introduced into an upper zone of a pressure vessel for absorbing pressure surges in a lower zone created by the process fluid in system flow lines. The diaphragm that separates the pressure zones includes a bridging disk that supports the diaphragm over both the process fluid inlet opening and an opening in an upper diaphragm support that permits entry of the compressible fluid into the upper zone. The bridging disk is partially encapsulated in the diaphragm, but exposes a threaded bore and a region of the disk surrounding the bore to the process fluid. Thus, the disk/diaphragm interface is exposed to the process fluid, permitting reactants in the fluid to attack the bond between the disk and the diaphragm and cause the disk to separate from the diaphragm over time. Once the disk separates, the diaphragm quickly fails without reinforcement and the pulsation dampener ceases to perform its intended function.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,299,253 and 4,186,776, also both assigned to Hydril Co., disclose similar structures for a pulsation dampener diaphragm, both of which include a bridging disk for supporting the diaphragm. In both of these patents, the disk and the disk/diaphragm interface are clearly exposed to the process fluid, even more so than in the '428 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,053, also assigned to Hydril Co., discloses another similar structure to that described in the above mentioned patents, except the diaphragm of the '053 patent only covers a single fluid inlet. A bridging disk is partially encapsulated in the diaphragm, but the diaphragm again exposes a portion of the disk/diaphragm interface to the process fluid.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to identify the problem stated above, namely that exposure of a bridging insert in a pulsation dampener diaphragm to the harsh process fluid having the undesirable pulsation creates a risk that the bond between the disk and the diaphragm will deteriorate and cause the insert to separate from the diaphragm.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a solution for this problem, in the form of completely encasing the bridging insert within the diaphragm to protect the bond between the disk and diaphragm from the process fluid so that the insert will not separate from the diaphragm.


An ultrasonic sensor according to the present invention is used, for example, for detecting an obstacle positioned in front of an automotive vehicle. The ultrasonic sensor includes an piezoelectric element connected to an acoustic matching member and a processing circuit, all contained in a casing. Ultrasonic waves reflected on an object are received by the acoustic matching member and converted into electrical signals in the piezoelectric element. The electrical signals are processed in the processing circuit to thereby detect a distance to the object and/or positions of the object. A surface of the acoustic matching member connected to the piezoelectric element is made larger than the piezoelectric element to form an overhang area on a conductive layer formed on the acoustic matching member. In this manner, electrical connection in the ultrasonic sensor is easily made, and detection sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor is enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor having a piezoelectric element connected to an acoustic matching member.
2. Description of Related Art
An ultrasonic sensor having a piezoelectric element mounted on a substrate such as a metallic or resin substrate has been known hitherto. The ultrasonic sensor receives ultrasonic waves transmitted from a transmitter and reflected on an object to be detected. Based on signals outputted from the ultrasonic sensor, a position and/or a distance of the object is detected in a two- or tree-dimensional manner.
Some of the ultrasonic sensors include an acoustic matching layer or a member for adjusting acoustic impedance and for improving a receiving efficiency of ultrasonic waves. An example of the ultrasonic sensor having the acoustic matching layer is disclosed in JP-A-2002-354591. In this example, an acoustic matching layer is connected to a center portion of a surface of the piezoelectric element.
In this type of the ultrasonic sensor, the piezoelectric element is sandwiched by a pair of electrodes, and one of the electrodes is connected to the acoustic matching layer. The electrode of the piezoelectric element connected to the acoustic matching layer is made larger than the acoustic matching layer to connect a lead wire to the electrode of the piezoelectric element.
However, if the electrode area connected to the acoustic matching layer is made larger than that of the acoustic matching layer, there is a portion of the piezoelectric element that is not connected to the acoustic layer. The non-connected portion of the piezoelectric element vibrates in a phase different from that of the connected portion, generating noises or causing attenuation of vibration. This results in decrease in detection efficiency. It is also conceivable to insert a wiring member between the electrode of the piezoelectric element and the acoustic matching layer. In this case, however, the piezoelectric element may be connected to the acoustic matching layer in a slanted manner, or a boundary may be formed between the piezoelectric element and the acoustic matching layer. The slanted connection and/or the boundary may cause attenuation of vibration and decrease in a connecting force between the piezoelectric element and the acoustic matching layer.

Ultrasonic sensor having acoustic matching member with conductive layer formed on and extending only along acoustic matching member connecting surface


The invention relates to attachments to the anticavitation plate of a boat motor for making and controlling small variations in boat speed below the normal motor idling speed to facilitate trolling for fish. The trolling speed control includes an incrementally adjustable unitary plate mounted for movement between a position fully across the normal paths of the propeller wash, thereby to slow the speed of the boat and to a fully retracted position out of the path of the propeller wash. This invention relates to motorboat low speed control devices.

This invention aids fishermen in safely controlling boat speed below the normal idling speed of the motor without stalling or risking fouling of the engine. Most importantly to the fisherman, the device aids in maintaining uniform boat engine speed. Thus, repetitive stalling and restarting the engine does not disturb the fish, resulting in an improved catch.
This invention is adaptable to a variety of boat motors. The simple attachment to the anti-cavitation plate, or its equivalent, provides ease of operation.
A problem encountered with low motor speed controlling devices is that the desired boat speed is not sustainable without stalling the engine. A variety of other devices have been placed in the market which are clumsy to operate or unduly complex. These other devices required adaptation to the individual motor/boat configuration rendering the devices unduly complex.
This invention allows the fisherman to use one motor on the fishing boat rather than adding a "trolling motor" to the transom of the boat. Thus, economically, the fisherman is able to troll without two or more motors on a small craft. Additionally, the device can be easily removed and attached for security.
An excellent discussion of the prior art is found in the "Background of the Invention" portion of U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,231 issued May 31, 1977 to Fedorko.
Since the issuance of the Fedorko patent, no substantial improvements have been made over the Fedorko device until the invention hereby proposed. The Fedorko device was primarily devised for an inboard/outboard motorboat propulsion system, and as such his mounting pivots and plate design were not well adapted to the ordinary outboard motor configuration. Because of his design, his device was unduly complex, particularly in his trolling plate which had its upper portion pivoted above the anti-cavitation plate so that a cutout of some kind, was always necessary in his trolling plate.
In view of these difficulties and problems, it is apparent that improvements are needed in this art and especially in the direction of simpler, easier to control and more durable types of apparatus. This invention solves these problem in a manner that is simple to operate and effective for incrementally controlling the boat speed in a safe manner.