A lock is applied automatically without any user involvement, to each of one or more data objects stored by the data processing system. Each of the one or more locks prevent deletion, by any user, of the one or more data objects within a predetermined time frame. A cloud garbage collector marks the one or more data objects for a) deletion, or b) for lock extension, the garbage collector scheduled to run periodically at a period that is less than the predetermined time frame. The deletion or the lock extension is executed for the one or more data objects, based on marks by the garbage collector. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Data has been recognized as an important asset for businesses today. Data can be stored on servers which can be cloud-based or reside in a local network. Backup for data can be stored in backup servers. Cloud storage is useful for direct backup applications, as well as for deduplicated backup applications, to store data off-premises for long term retention.
Data deduplication is a process that eliminates duplicate copies of data and significantly decreases storage capacity requirements. In the deduplication process, unique chunks of data, or byte patterns, are identified and stored during a process of analysis. During analysis, other data chunks can be compared to the stored copy to determine whether there is a match. When a match occurs, the redundant chunk can be replaced with a reference that points to the stored chunk, thereby reducing duplicate data. Given that the same byte pattern may occur dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of times, the total amount of data that must be stored or transferred can be greatly reduced.
In a backup system with deduplication, a file can be split into segments and these segments are deduplicated across all files in the system. The segments are compressed and packed. In some instances, the packed segments can be encrypted in regions in containers. These containers can be described or represented as an object (e.g., a data object) in the cloud. The size of these objects can vary (e.g., 1 MB-16 MB, with an average segment size of 64 KB-128 KB) depending on how many segments each object contains.
For direct backup systems (without deduplication), complete files can be moved as a single object or they are split and moved as multiple objects. This can vary based on system and application requirements.
Backup systems can have multiple policies that are defined based on, for example, when and which of the files or objects are to be stored to the cloud. For example, a policy can define that all files older than two weeks are to be automatically stored to cloud storage. The number of objects in the cloud collects over time, and customers rely heavily on the safe storage of such data.
As seen in the field, malicious attacks (e.g., ransomware attacks) have increased in number and severity, causing enormous harm to customers. Cloud storage can be vulnerable to such attacks. For example, a user's cloud credentials (e.g., a username and password, encrypted keys, etc.) can be compromised. Using such credentials, an attacker can take control of the cloud storage and destroy the data stored therein, from the cloud provider's console. Thus, a customer who relies on long term data storage can have their data destroyed as a result of stolen credentials. Thus, there is a need to protect data in the cloud, for example, if cloud credentials are compromised.


Systems, apparatuses, and methods for automatic automated electronic computing and communication system event analysis and management are disclosed. Automatic automated electronic computing and communication system event analysis and management may include identifying an event, generating a computer readable representation of the electronic computing and communication system using automated topology enumeration, identifying an element of the electronic computing and communication system based on the representation, identifying a metric for the element, automatically investigating to determine a value for the metric, generating a remediation priority for the element based on a metric weight associated with the metric and a network layer value associated with a network layer associated with a network layer role associated with the element, and generating a graphical representation of the electronic computing and communication system indicating the remediation priority.

An electronic computing and communication system may include one or more communicating and computing elements, which may, in the course of communicating and computing, generate event information, which may indicate an abnormal operating condition, such as a failure, which may affect one or more elements of the electronic computing and communication system, such as a service. Accordingly, a method and apparatus for automated electronic computing and communication system event analysis and management may be advantageous.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automated electronic computing and communication system event analysis and management


A method is disclosed for packaging a small size memory card, including xD Picture card, Memory Stick™, Secure Digital™ (SD) card, SmartMedia™ (SM) card, Multimedia card (MMC), CompactFlash™ (CF) card and PC card, by moulding over to encapsulate a populated printed circuit board (PCB) (10) to form the standard external dimensions and features of the memory card.

Small size memory card, including xD Picture card, Secure Digital™ (SD) card, SmartMedia™ (SM) card, Multimedia card (MMC), CompactFlash™ (CF) card and PC card are assembled by first making the printed circuit board (PCB) with the contact pads and mounting points for components including microchips (11) such as flash memory, micro-controller, etc. to be mounted thereunto as shown schematically in FIG. 1 (Prior Art). Once the components are mounted, the populated PCB (10) is then fitted into a 2-piece plastic or metal housing (12, 14) which may be snapped fit to close and sealed by microwave or ultrasound leaving certain parts such as the contact pads (16) exposed via openings (18).
In addition to the additional step of assembling the 2-piece housing (12, 14) to sandwich the populated PCB (10) within, the nature of such housing requires certain tolerances which results in minimum gaps or spaces within to allow the PCB to be fitted therein and avoid damaging the components if the 2 parts of the housing are being snapped too hard to fit and close. Such spaces, in turn, enable the assembled card to flex under stress, which may eventually lead to the 2-piece housing to delaminate, crack, separate, and/or solder joints of the components on the PCB to deteriorate or weaken due to the flexing of the PCB.
Another weakness of this conventional construction is the space behind the contact pads, which is also frequently subjected to stress as the card is inserted into a device to be read and removed. Some form of padding or reinforcement is required behind this area to counter the stress, which otherwise may cause the PCB to flex within the housing. Accordingly, the conventional housing provides for a thickening of the area (20) corresponding to the PCB's other side of the contact pads to provide the requisite support. To avoid a resulting weakened or fault line from a rapid fall in thickness of the housing piece, a tapering (22) is usually provided to gradually decrease the thickness which renders an even larger area of the PCT to be unpopulated (24).
The 2-piece housing structure also places a minimal thickness factor on each of the 2 pieces of the housing, thus reducing the internal space, especially thickness, for e.g. increasing memory storage space by increasing the number of memory chips mountable on the PCB. Minimum wall thickness is limited by the high pressure required to fill at a large width-to-thickness ratio, as well as difficulty in removing thin parts from the mould.

Method for packaging small size memory cards

Abstract: The method comprises holding the populated PCB (10) in place in a cavity (44) of at least one mould piece; and moulding over both sides of the populated printed circuit board (10) to encapsulate said board. Various embodiments are disclosed, including means for holding the populated PCB (10) in the moulding cavity (44) for the encapsulation process, which includes transfer moulding and injection moulding processes, one or more moulding steps, and moulding over one part of one side of said board before the other side, and/or simultaneously moulding over both sides of said board.


A film deposition apparatus for forming a film on a substrate includes a chamber capable of maintaining a reduced-pressure atmosphere. The chamber includes a control electrode, a substrate holder opposite to the control electrode, the substrate holder holding the substrate, and a filament for emitting electrons disposed between the substrate holder and the control electrode. The film deposition apparatus further includes a unit for controlling the potential applied to the control electrode to be lower than the potential applied to the filament and a unit for controlling the potential applied to the substrate to be higher than the potential applied to the filament.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a film deposition apparatus and a film deposition method for forming a film on a substrate, and methods for making an electron-emitting device, an electron source, and an image-forming device using the film deposition method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional film deposition apparatuses are, for example, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems and sputtering systems. Furthermore, a catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) apparatus that deposits a film by heating a tungsten wire and a hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HF-CVD) apparatus are advantageous in terms of low production costs and large-area deposition.
In typical Cat-CVD apparatuses, a source gas is decomposed with a catalytic filament for depositing a film on a substrate as disclosed by Hideki Matsumura, "Extended Abstract of Open Meeting of Cat-CVD project", 1999, p. 1, or a bias voltage is applied to a substrate while the substrate is irradiated with electrons generated from a heated filament for forming diamond as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-221395.
Referring to FIG. 10, in the Cat-CVD apparatus and the HF-CVD apparatus, for example, a film is deposited while electrons are radiated in order to improve the film deposition rate and the film quality as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-221395. In FIG. 10, reference numeral 1001 represents a vacuum chamber, reference numeral 1002 represents a substrate holder, reference numeral 1003 represents a filament, reference numeral 1005 represents a substrate bias power source, reference numeral 1007 represents a filament heating source, reference numeral 1008 represents a gas inlet, reference numeral 1009 represents a vacuum pumping system, reference numeral 1010 represents a substrate, and reference numeral 1011 represents a deposited film.
Referring to FIG. 12, in another example disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-16593, a terminal 1012 that corrects the potential of a filament 1003 is provided in order to improve the uniformity of the film.

Film deposition apparatus and film deposition method


The present invention provides a solution in which a script containing general security parameters and access policies in a file is placed on an appropriate internal server. The location of the script may then be stored on an external server. When an end-user within the organization decides to purchase a wireless network device, he may attach it to his existing computer. The computer then may retrieve the security file location from the external server, retrieve the security file from the internal server using the security file location, and program the security file into the wireless device.

Mobile devices, such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) have been growing in popularity for many years. Laptop computers have been popular for many years. Recently, wireless email access has been made available for laptop computers, cellular phones, and personal digital assistants. With wireless email access, a user may send and receive email remotely using a wireless Internet connection.
Enterprise users are potentially a huge market for wireless email access. Enterprises, such as large companies, have a high need for instant communication and commonly business is conducted via email. There are currently two broad categories of solutions for wireless remote email access. Both, however, cause significant problems for enterprises.
In the first scenario, an end-user purchases a wireless device to use in conjunction with a desktop computer. Wireless email redirector software is placed on the desktop. This software monitors mail that comes into the mail server destined for the user's mailbox, and then securely forwards it to his device. This solution, however, is not under control of the enterprise. For example, the enterprise may have internal policies that require the deletion of received email after 90 days. When the email is redirected to a wireless device, the enterprise can no longer ensure that the email is deleted after 90 days. Another drawback of this first scenario is that it only works for email. Furthermore, it requires that a desktop computer be left behind. This, however, is not possible for professionals who use a single laptop computer at the office and when they travel.
In the second scenario, an enterprise Information Technology (IT) manager selects and installs a solution for end-users. This entails either a dedicated mail server process or integration with a hosted Active Server Pages (ASP) service. A mail server, however, is a major IT project, possibly requiring a new dedicated forwarding server, an email server upgrade, and installation of other significant applications. For example, an email server using Microsoft™ approach requires the installation of ActiveDirectory and Exchange 2000 before installing their Mobile Information Server. It also is quite expensive. Furthermore, a hosted service may require a new supplier relationship. There also may need to be a complicated connection between the remote access provider and the wireless ASP service. Complex mail routing is required, introducing potential security risks. This solution also works only for email.
What is needed is a solution that allows an IT manager to prepare an organization for easy and secure wireless email access, with minimal investment of time or money.


The invention relates to methods for making injectable pharmaceutical compositions wherein particles present in the compositions are detected and analyzed, and the acceptance of the compositions is determined based on chemical and physical properties as well as toxicology and patient risks associated of the particles.

Injectable pharmaceutical compositions include solutions suitable for intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration. Manufacture processes for making these compositions may introduce particles to the compositions from extrinsic sources such as the manufacturing environment, equipment and packaging, and/or intrinsic sources such as the excipients used for making the compositions. Due to potential health risks that particles may have on patients (e.g., injection site reactions), particle control strategies have been implemented in manufacturing processes based on current regulatory expectations. These include implementing particle control approaches to reduce particle contamination during manufacture as well as inspecting and analyzing for the presence of particles in injectable pharmaceutical compositions at the end of manufacturing processes.
Particle control approaches include reducing particles from manufacturing equipment and manufacturing environments. The art has developed and adopted inspection and quality control strategies to ensure injectable pharmaceutical compositions meet acceptable particle levels. Once injectable pharmaceutical compositions are manufactured, they are inspected for the presence of particles. The art has also adopted standards for acceptable particle levels. For example, the US Pharmacopeia recommends that particles may be observed in no more than a specified number of drug product units, as determined by a statically justified sampling plan, when inspected under specific conditions. However, current particle control and inspection strategies do not take into consideration the safety or toxicology information associated with particles. There is a need for developing particle control strategies that take into consideration the impact of particles on patient safety.

Method for making injectable pharmaceutical compositions


An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image supporting body, a developing device, a cleaning device, an input device, a recycling mechanism, and a controller. The image supporting body is for having a latent image based on image data formed on a surface thereof. The developing device applies a developer to the image supporting body to develop the latent image. The cleaning device eliminates developer remaining on the surface of the image supporting body, after a developer image formed by the developing has been transferred to paper. The input device receives a setting input related to a type of paper for use in image forming. The recycling mechanism transports the developer eliminated by the cleaning device to the developing device as recycled developer. The controller is configured to selectively operate the recycling mechanism based on the type of paper set by the input device.

The present technology relates to an image forming apparatus that performs electrophotographic image forming such as a copier or a printer, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a toner recycling function for reusing toner collected from the surface of an image supporting body.
With an electrophotographic image forming process implemented in an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer, an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum (image supporting body) is developed into a visual image (hereinafter, "toner image") by a powder developer (hereinafter, "toner") supplied from a developing device. This toner image is transferred to paper (including recording media such as OHP etc.) in a transfer process. At this time, part of the toner remains on the surface of the photosensitive drum and is not transferred to paper.
Because the photosensitive drum is used repeatedly in image forming process, leaving toner that remains on the surface of the photosensitive drum (residual toner) deteriorates image quality the next time image forming process is performed. The image forming apparatus thus eliminates and discards residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive drum using a cleaning device.
However, running costs rise due to increased wastage of toner as a result of residual toner being discarded. In view of this, there are conventional image forming apparatuses using a two-component developer composed of a toner and a carrier that have a so-called recycling mechanism whereby residual toner eliminated from the surface of the photosensitive drum by a cleaning device as shown in FIG. 1 is collected in a developing device and reused for suppressing toner wastage.
The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a photosensitive drum 51, and further includes an image forming portion 50 that has a charger 52, a developing device 54, a transferer 55, a cleaning device 57, a neutralizer 58, and the like disposed in this order along the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 51. The image forming portion 50 also includes a recycling mechanism 59 that transports residual toner from the cleaning device 57 to the developing device 54. The cleaning device 57 includes a blade 57A that contacts the surface of the photosensitive drum 51, and scrapes off and collects residual toner adhering to the surface of the photosensitive drum 51, after the toner image has been transferred to paper at a transfer location between the photosensitive drum 51 and the transferer 55.
The recycling mechanism 59 has a screw conveyor mechanism, and transports residual toner collected in the cleaning device 57 as recycled toner to the inside of the developing device 54 at a prescribed timing.
To evenly maintain the toner density of images formed on paper in an electrophotographic image forming process that uses a two-component developer, sufficient toner necessary to visualize the electrostatic latent image needs to be held in the developing device.
For this reason, image forming apparatuses adopt a configuration in which the amount of toner held in the developing device is detected based on the detection signal (toner density) of a toner density sensor that uses a magnetic permeability sensor, for example, and toner is supplied to the developing device based on this detection result.
The magnetic permeability sensor detects the magnetic permeability of the two-component developer in the developing device. A change in the magnetic permeability indicates a change in the toner consumed from the two-component developer. The magnetic permeability of the toner is low, while the magnetic permeability of the carrier is high. Also, the amount of carrier hardly changes. Thus, the magnetic permeability of the two-component developer decreases the greater the amount of toner in the developing device.
However, in the case of a direct transfer method in which the toner image is transferred to the paper touching the surface of the photosensitive drum, paper dust (paper fibers, paper additives, etc.) adhering to the paper shifts to the surface of the photosensitive drum during the transfer. Paper dust, which has a low magnetic permeability, is thus eliminated by the cleaning device together with the residual toner, and gets mixed in the recycled toner, thereby affecting the precision at which toner density is detected by the toner density sensor.
This results in either too much or too little toner being supplied to the developing device, making it impossible to properly maintain image density. In particular, much of the paper dust once collected is continually transferred to paper and circulated around the developing device, the photosensitive drum and the recycling mechanism. Thus, when residual toner is continuously recycled by the recycling mechanism, the effect on the precision at which toner density is detected gradually increases with the gradual increase in the density of paper dust in the developing device.
In the developing process for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum, paper dust with toner adhered to the periphery thereof shifts from the developing device to the surface of the photosensitive drum together with the toner. As a result, in the transfer process for transferring a toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum to paper, some of the paper dust with toner adhered to the periphery thereof shifts to the surface of the paper, while the rest remains on the surface of the photosensitive drum and is again collected by the cleaning device together with the residual toner. Further, when transferring the toner image to paper, some of the paper dust adhering to the paper also newly adheres to the surface of the photosensitive drum and is collected. Here, it is thought that the amount of paper dust gradually builds up because the amount of paper dust that attaches to the photosensitive drum from the paper is greater than the paper dust transferred together with the toner from the photosensitive drum to the paper.
Also, when paper dust with toner adhered to the periphery thereof adheres to the surface (white background) of paper in the transfer process, undesired dots are formed on the paper, reducing image quality.
In view of this, with an image forming apparatus disclosed in JP6-308828A, for example, for solving these problems, an oscillatable mesh paper dust trapping member is disposed arbitrarily on the collection path of the residual toner, and only reusable toner is separated out by eliminating paper dust included in the collected toner.
An image forming apparatus disclosed in JP H10-214011A includes a sorting roller charged to a negative potential which is a sorting means that makes use of differences in the amount of charge, and collects only adequate toner of a suitable particle size that is charged to an adequate positive charge from the surface of the photosensitive drum. Note that a cleaning portion collects the remaining inadequate toner.
Further, an image forming apparatus disclosed in JP 2005-3783A has a means for measuring the amount of impurities in residual toner on the toner recycling path, and selects whether to circulate the residual toner to the developing device or discard the residual toner according to the measurement result.
Note that the paper is broadly divided into medium and high quality, and that a recycled paper classification also exists depending on the manufacturing method. There is a process for removing a component called "lignin" included in tree fibers that is like pine resin at the stage of manufacturing pulp fibers, with lignin being removed from "high quality paper" but remaining in "medium quality paper" (plain paper). High quality paper is white paper such as copy paper and print paper, while medium quality paper is used in newspapers, magazines, and cardboard. Medium quality paper is of poor quality, and is almost never used for image forming in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copiers or printers, which have strict requirements regarding paper quality.
In contrast, the use of recycled paper made from recycled high quality paper for image forming in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses has recently been increasing in consideration of the global environment. Recycled paper is a mixture of different paper fibers that is discolored with printing ink and whose fibers are unavoidably degraded through repeated use. For this reason, the quality of paper whose raw material is recycled pulp (recycled paper) drops in comparison to paper made with new raw materials from timber (virgin pulp). Thus, the amount of paper dust (mainly paper fibers) produced with recycled paper is much greater than high quality paper.
However, a configuration in which recycled toner is collected so as not to include paper dust as described above requires expensive apparatuses such as paper dust trapping members, sorting rollers, sensors for detecting the amount of paper dust such as paper dust in toner or masses of aggregate toner and the like, thereby giving rise to cost hikes.

Image forming apparatus controlling the recycling of toner based on paper quality


A glue board assembly includes a first substrate member which has a first adhesive layer and a release member formed with a release layer overlying the first adhesive layer. A second substrate member has a second adhesive layer. The second substrate member is disposed overlying the release member with the second adhesive layer in contact with the release layer. The release layer enables a user to peel the first and the second substrate members apart thereby exposing the adhesive layers for use in entrapping vermin.

The prior art related to glue traps and glue boards includes the following U.S. patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,342 to Johnson et al. for a "Rodent Control Glue Board" shows a device which includes a thermo formed board which has protruding dam walls which define reservoirs. The reservoirs contain glue for entrapment of rodents. The board has a rim and a paperboard sleeve extends between the rim of a first board and the rim of an overlying inverted second board.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,825 to Gehret for a Glue Trap shows a trap with top and side openings which allow vermin to enter the interior of the trap. The interior of the trap includes adhesive for entrapment of the vermin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,353 to Johnson et al. for a Glue Board With Aggressive Mechanical Surface shows a tray with upwardly projecting side walls. The side walls form a reservoir containing glue for entrapment of rodents. The tray includes a plurality of ridges which extend upwardly to retain the glue.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,636 to Musket for a Preassembled Glue Trap shows a tunnel-like glue trap which is formed from a folded blank of paperboard. Each wall of the tunnel has a push-in or tear-out panel which form access openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,442 to Musket shows a pair of trays which are folded along a common edge in a rim-to-rim configuration for shipment. Before use, the trays are separated by removing a tear strip to expose an adhesive surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,981 to Cohen for a Glue Board shows a sheet of cardboard which has a glue layer. The sheet has a self-adherent tear-away border so that a trap forms its own packaging. The sheet may be folded to form a tent-like structure with open ends.
Despite the developments in the prior art, there remains a need for a relatively low cost glue trap and packaging assembly which uses a minimum amount of packaging materials.


A method and device for measuring a volume flow of fluids in flow channels using ultrasound, wherein two ultrasonic transducers, each with a different transmitting frequency, are disposed in a flow channel in such a manner that emitted wave trains travel toward one another, with speed vectors of both wave trains having components that are in the flow direction and against the flow direction, and the superimposed signal is evaluated in terms of its position with respect to time.

Devices for measurements of the aforementioned type have been marketed by several companies and, for example, such devices include magnetically inductive flow meters (MIF) as well as rotary vane meters, the rotational speed of which are scanned by various means, for example, conductive measurement, the eddy current principle, and an ultrasonic reflexing indexing method.
Additionally, systems using anemometer principles as well as the heat pulse method are known and are used in practice. Furthermore, static ultrasonic methods are used in which ultrasonic transmitters and receivers located in the flow tube by various method as, for example, phase measurement, travel time measurement, frequency measurement and tracking, for measuring flow have been proposed.
The systems of the prior art suffer from the definite disadvantages including excessive energy consumption, excessive production costs, sensitivity to contamination, mechanically moving parts, and insufficiently wide dynamic range, problems with "creep" flows and problems caused by external factors, such as solid particles and air bubbles.
Although known ultrasonic methods solve some of the above-described problems, the ultrasonic methods are characterized by sever demands on the accuracy of mechanical manufacture, high losses caused multi-reflection, time-intensive searching and regulating procedures, and high energy consumption. For these reasons, these systems cannot be produced with a sufficiently high time resolution at low manufacturing prices.

Method and device for measuring volume flows in liquids and gases


A hydraulic tensioner is designed for low cost and ease of manufacturing. A housing has a bore and a sleeve member received within the bore. A piston is slidably received within the sleeve member, forming a high pressure fluid chamber with the sleeve member. The housing can be constructed of inexpensive materials such as aluminum or plastic. The piston and sleeve member are constructed of drawn metal. The housing may be formed by injection molding. The sleeve member and other components of the tensioner may be assembled within the tensioner by inserting them into the mold during the injection molding process.

A tensioning device, such as a hydraulic tensioner, is used as a control device for a power transmission chain, or similar power transmission device, as the chain travels between a plurality of sprockets. In this device, the chain transmits power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft, so that part of the chain is slack and part of the chain is tight. Generally, it is important to impart and maintain a certain degree of tension in the chain to prevent noise, slippage, or the unmeshing of teeth in the case of a toothed chain.
Prevention of such slippage is particularly important in the case of a chain driven camshaft in an internal combustion engine because jumping of teeth will throw off the camshaft timing, possibly causing damage or rendering the engine inoperative. However, in the harsh environment of an internal combustion engine, various factors can cause fluctuations in the chain tension.
For instance, wide variations in temperature and thermal expansion coefficients among the various parts of the engine can cause the chain tension to vary between excessively high or low levels. During prolonged use, wear to the components of the power transmission system can cause a decrease in chain tension. In addition, camshaft and crankshaft induced torsional vibrations cause considerable variations in chain tensions. Reverse rotation of an engine, occurring for example in stopping or in failed attempts at starting, can also cause fluctuations in chain tension. For these reasons, a mechanism is desired to remove excessive tensioning forces on the tight side of the chain and to ensure the necessary tension on the slack side of the chain.
Hydraulic tensioners are a common method of maintaining proper chain tension. In general, these mechanisms employ a lever arm that pushes against the chain on the slack side of the power transmission system. This lever arm must push toward the chain, tightening the chain, when the chain is slack, and must be very rigid when the chain tightens.
To accomplish this result, a hydraulic tensioner typically comprises a rod or cylinder as a piston, which is biased in the direction of the chain by a tensioner spring. The piston is housed within a cylindrical housing, having an interior space which is open at the end facing the chain and closed at the other end. The interior space of the housing contains a pressure chamber in connection with a reservoir or exterior source of hydraulic fluid. The pressure chamber is typically formed between the housing and the piston, and it expands or contracts when the piston moves within the housing.
Typically, valves are employed to regulate the flow of fluid into and out of pressure chamber. For instance, an inlet check valve typically includes a ball-check valve that opens to permit fluid flow in to the pressure chamber when the pressure inside the chamber has decreased as a result of outward movement of the piston. When the pressure in the pressure chamber is high, the inlet check valve closes, preventing fluid from exiting the pressure chamber, which in turn prevents the piston chamber from contracting, which in turn prevents the piston from retracting, achieving a so-called "no-return" function.
Many tensioners also employ a pressure relief mechanism which allows fluid to exit the pressure chamber when the pressure in the chamber is high, thus allowing the piston to retract in response to rapid increases in chain tension. In some tensioners, the pressure relief mechanism is a spring biased check valve, which opens when the pressure in the pressure chamber becomes high. Some tensioners may employ a valve which performs both the inlet check function as well as the pressure relief function. Other mechanisms employ a restricted path through which fluid may exit the fluid chamber, such that the volume of flow exiting the fluid chamber is minimal unless the pressure in the fluid chamber is great. For instance, a restricted path may be provided through the clearance between the piston and bore, through a vent tube in the protruding end of the piston, or through a vent member between the fluid chamber and the fluid reservoir.
A number of challenges exist in the design of hydraulic tensioners. One general design problem is the high cost and difficulty of manufacture and assembly. Traditionally, hydraulic tensioners have been constructed of cast iron housing bodies. The cast metal components provide the required close fit between the housing and the piston, and provide for strength and durability of the tensioner. However, this type of construction is expensive and difficult to manufacture. A need exists for a lower cost hydraulic tensioner which is easier to manufacture and assemble.
One example of a tensioner design directed to reduced cost is described in Ojima et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,357. Ojima et al. disclose a spring loaded tensioner including a body having a bearing surface, a first spring seated against the bearing surface and biasing a piston in a protruding direction. A second spring functions as a damper allowing the piston to retract in response to increasing tension in the belt or chain. The body may be made of sheet metal, allowing for low cost manufacturing. The disadvantages of this design include the reliance on springs to provide the "no return" and pressure relief functions. As a result, this design does not provide the advantages in performance provided by a hydraulic tensioner.
Another tensioner known in the art employs a metal insert positioned within the bore of the housing body. The metal insert has cylindrical body and a solid bottom seated in the end of the bore. The fluid chamber is formed between the metal insert and the piston. Because the fluid chamber is formed with the metal insert, rather than the bore of the housing, the housing may be made of a less expensive material such as plastic. However, the metal insert may be difficult and expensive to manufacture and assemble. In particular, a cup-shaped insert may be difficult and expensive to manufacture. Moreover, this tensioner lacks a spring to bias the piston outward, and instead the tensioner relies on oil pressure in the fluid chamber to bias the piston outward.
Another problem in the design of tensioners is excessive retraction of the piston during engine start up. Such retraction may produce undesirable noise in the system, or may allow the chain to slip or skip a tooth. One cause of such retraction is the leakage of oil from either the fluid chamber or the oil reservoir while the engine is off. For instance, fluid may leak from the fluid chamber through a clearance between the piston and the bore. Fluid may also leak from the oil reservoir, particularly in the case of an oil reservoir positioned in a cast iron housing. Such leakage may be accompanied by the introduction of air into the fluid chamber. Because air is more compressible than fluid, the presence of air in the fluid chamber allows significantly greater piston retraction, and reduced tensioner performance.
Excessive piston retraction during engine start up may also be caused by force applied by the chain while the engine is off. For instance, if the vehicle is left on a hill, the rotational force on the wheels may cause increased chain tension in the engine. The resulting increase in chain tension may cause leak down of the piston, and poor tensioner performance during engine start-up. Thus, a need exists for a tensioner design which avoids excessive piston retraction during engine start-up.
The problems of leakage of fluid from the fluid chamber and undesired piston retraction also affect the means available for minimizing the cost to manufacture and assemble the tensioner. A poor fit between the piston and the bore of the housing allows greater leakage of fluid from the fluid chamber. Further, it is difficult and expensive to maintain the required close manufacturing tolerances of the bore and piston to avoid excessive leakage. Typically, the tensioner body is formed of cast iron or steel, with the bore machined out for the piston and check valve assembly. The disadvantages of this system include the expense of the casting system, which may require specialized manufacturing machines. In addition, the dimensional accuracy of the boring machine is limited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic tensioner which can be inexpensively manufactured and assembled. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic tensioner having improved response to fluctuations in chain tension. It is a further object of this invention to provide a hydraulic tensioner having improved performance at engine start-up. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a hydraulic tensioner which is less susceptible to leakage from its fluid chamber.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of producing a less expensive and more effective hydraulic tensioner.

Hydraulic chain tensioner with molded plastic body


A sheet depositing device comprises a depositing surface (2) limited by a front abutment (8). Above the depositing surface (2), a cover (4, 5) is pivotable about a journal (7). A hold-down element (6) provided on the cover (4, 5) is associated with the sheet stack (3) to be formed. It has a front end (6a) which rests under the action of gravity on sheet stack (3). Hold-down element (6) is connected with the cover (4, 5) via an engagement member (14) such that when the cover (4, 5) is opened, it is pivoted towards the cover so that the stacking area can be freely inspected and access is not obstructed when the cover (4, 5) is open. At the beginning of the opening movement of cover (4, 5) the front end (6a) of the hold-down element is caused by the engagement member (14) to move away from the abutment (8).

This invention relates in general to a device for depositing sheets which are individually fed to a collecting tray where they are collected one on top of the other in a stack, and in particular, to a sheet depositing device whose collecting tray has a depositing surface and an abutment serving for end-side alignment of the sheets, such device also having a pivotable cover which is associated with such collecting tray and on which a sheet influencing mechanism is arranged which rests on the upper surface of the sheet stack.
The invention also relates to a device for depositing sheets which are individually fed to a collecting tray where they are collected one on top of the other in a stack, and in particular, copy sheets fed from a copier, whose collecting tray has a depositing surface and an abutment serving for end-side alignment of such sheets, such device also having a pivotable cover which is associated with such collecting tray and on which a hold-down element is pivotably mounted which is hinged to the cover with its one end facing away from the abutment and with its other end resting on the upper surface of the sheet stack in the area of the abutment.
A sheet depositing device, such as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,825, comprises a pivotable cover which is arranged above the upper surface of the sheet stack and with the lower side of which a hold-down element is pivotably connected which rests on the upper surface of the stack when the cover is closed. The cover which also forms the upper surface of the device is hinged in the sheet feeding direction and can be pivoted over an opening angle of 90.degree.. If there is a paper jam, therefore, the cover of this known device can be opened wide enough to give access to the depositing area because the easily damageable hold-down element can also be pivoted aside by a large angle. However, if a depositing device of that type is to be integrated into an apparatus in which a plurality of operations such as folding, collecting of sheets in stacks, stapling and depositing are to be carried out at the same time, it may occupy too much space in the interior of the apparatus so that access to the depositing device is rendered difficult.


A method for stimulating a human leg, a stimulation system, and a garment including the stimulation system are disclosed. The method comprises: measuring, by a measuring unit, an electrical characteristic indicative of a physiological condition in a portion of the leg via a subset of skin electrodes comprised in a plurality of skin electrodes integrated in a leg part of a garment arranged to be worn about at least a part of the human leg; determining, by evaluating the measured electrical characteristic, if the portion of the leg is to be stimulated; and if it is determined that the portion is to be stimulated, applying a stimulation via a subset of stimulation units, comprised in a plurality of stimulation units being arranged in the leg part of the garment, such that the portion of the leg is stimulated. A stimulation system and a garment comprising such as stimulation system are also disclosed.

People today tend live an increasingly sedentary life both when working and during leisure time. There is for example a tendency to spend more time in front of electronic devices. Time spent on traveling, for example by commuting or being on vacation, also tends to increase.
One drawback with the sedentary lifestyle is that the human body is not adapted to long periods of immobility. One symptom that may arise in the body during longtime immobility is the formation of blood clots in leg veins, which is known as deep vein thrombosis. This state is potentially serious and can even have fatal consequences. Deep vein thrombosis is especially common in connection to long airplane flights, and has therefore also been given the alternative name economy class syndrome.
In order to avoid such symptoms, moving around and maintaining a good hydration level are recommended. It is also beneficial to apply stimulation to the legs. The stimulation may be in the form of electrical stimulation or manually performed (mechanical) massage. A purpose of the stimulation is to reduce fluid accumulated in the leg. Stimulation of the leg may be beneficial for other purposes as well such as for relieving varicose veins.
Patent application US20060085047 relates to a system for automatic electrical muscle stimulation for prevention of deep vein thrombosis. The disclosed system comprises electrodes placed on for example a sock. Stimulation of the type neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is applied.
There is, however, a need for improvement in view of efficiency of systems and methods providing stimulation to a leg. There is also a need for improving the comfort for the user who is exposed to the stimulation.

Method and stimulation system for stimulating a human leg


A method of aging a field emission device including a cathode and an anode arranged parallel to each other, an emitter arranged on the cathode to emit electrons to the anode, and a gate electrode arranged on the cathode adjacent to the emitter, the method including: supplying a voltage to the cathode; supplying a voltage to the gate; and then supplying a sufficiently low voltage to the anode so as to prevent a short-circuited portion between the cathode and the gate electrode from being permanently damaged due to an overcurrent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of aging a field emission device, and more particularly, to a method of aging a field emission device by which the problem of short circuits produced during the fabrication of the field emission device can be overcome, thus enabling normal operation of the field emission device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, electron emission devices may be categorized into devices using a hot cathode as an electron emitter or devices using a cold cathode as the electron emitter. As is well known, electron emission devices using a cold cathode may be classified into Field Emitter Array (FEA) devices, Surface Conduction Emitter (SCE) devices, Metal Insulator Metal (MIM) devices, Metal Insulator Semiconductor (MIS) devices, and Ballistic Electron Surface Emitting (BSE) devices.
FEA electron emission devices are known as field emission devices. A field emission device operates on the principle that when an electron emitter is formed of a material having a small work function or a large B function, electrons are easily emitted due to a tunneling effect caused by an electric field in a vacuum. The electron emitter may have a tip structure with pointed tips, which may be formed of molybdenum (Mo) or silicon (Si) or be formed of graphite or Diamond like Carbon (DLC). In recent years, field emission devices have been fabricated using nano-materials, such as nanotubes or nanowires, as the election emitter.
Field emission devices may be classified into diode field emission devices and triode field emission devices depending on the arrangement of their electrodes. Specifically, a diode field emission device includes a cathode having a top surface on which an electron emitter is disposed and an anode disposed opposite the cathode. In a diode field emission device, electrons are emitted due to a potential difference between the cathode and the anode. A triode field emission device includes the same cathode and anode as a diode field emission device and further includes a gate electrode disposed adjacent to the cathode to discharge electrons. A Field Emission Display (FED) using a field emission device includes a fluorescent material layer that is arranged on a surface of an anode, so that electrons emitted from an emitter may be accelerated and contact the fluorescent material layer to emit light.
A field emission device undergoes an aging process in order to secure stable performance after the field emission device is manufactured. An example of a conventional aging method is to raise a voltage supplied to an anode slowly or to supply a smaller-width pulse signal with a rise in voltage, as discussed in Korean Patent Publication No. 2004-90799. Also, a method of raising voltages of an anode, a gate electrode, and a cathode by degrees is discussed in Korean Patent Publication No. 2005-105409. In still another example, Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-20288 introduces a method in which a current is periodically measured, and when the current is smaller than a target current, the current is increased by feedback. However, these conventional methods do not provide a method of repairing a short circuit of a field emission device, which is detected in an initial stage of an aging process.
FIGS. 1A through 1C are photographic images of types of short circuits of a triode field emission device. The triode field emission device shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C employs an emitter formed of Carbon NanoTubes (CNTs).
The causes of the short circuits of the triode field emission devices shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C are as follows. First, referring to FIG. 1A, during formation of an emitter 5 of a triode field emission device, the emitter 5 may be misaligned with a central portion of an emitter hole 3 so that the emitter 5 comes very close to or into contact with a gate electrode 2. Second, referring to FIG. 1B, a portion of an emitter 5 extends like a fine thread (refer to 5A in FIG. 1B) and contacts a gate electrode 2. Third, referring to FIG. 1C, a gate electrode 2 is connected to a cathode 1 due to CNT emitters or an extraneous substance 6.
Therefore, when a conventional aging process is performed on a field emission device having a short-circuited portion, overcurrent flows into the short-circuited portion and a large electric arc may occur, with the result that the short-circuited portion may be permanently damaged.
FIG. 2 is a photographic image of an FED 10 that is permanently damaged after a conventional aging process. Referring to FIG. 2, when a normal driving voltage is supplied to an anode and a cathode after a conventional aging process is performed on the FED, electron beams are not emitted from permanently damaged portions. Thus, it can be confirmed that a plurality of horizontal lines from which electron beams are not emitted are formed. The horizontal lines appear after the FED performs a scan operation in a horizontal direction. In a steady mode, electrons collide with a fluorescent layer coated on an anode so that light is emitted. However, the horizontal lines where light cannot be emitted 11 since a voltage is not supplied to a permanently damaged scan line.


An electric charge supplying device for supplying electric charges to a body to be charged, comprises a charge-supplying member arranged in contact with the body to be charged, a power supply for supplying electricity to the charge-supplying member, and a shunt resistance connected in parallel with a series circuit including the charge supplying member and the body to be charged, the shunt resistance having environmental dependency of resistance substantially equal to that of the charge supplying member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric charge supplying device used as an charging device for sensitizing a photoconductive member or as an image transfer device for transferring powder images on the photoconductive member to a transfer material such as transfer paper.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electrophotographic image reproduction systems such as electrophotographic copiers, printers and facsimiles, powder images, developed on a photoconductive member, are transferred to a transfer material such as transfer paper by charging the transfer material with an electric charge supplying device. Also, the photoconductive member is charged by an electrical charging device to sensitize it.
To this end, so far, various charging devices have been used in the image transfer devices. For example, there has been used an electrostatic transfer device comprising a conductive transfer roller of a foamed material that is arranged parallel to a photoconductive drum and brought into contact therewith, and a high-voltage power supply connected to a metal core or shaft of the transfer roller.
In such a device, a sheet of transfer paper is fed to a contacting portion between the photoconductive drum and the transfer roller simultaneously with rotation of the photoconductive drum, and powder images, developed on a photoconductive surface of the drum with a dry developer and composed of charged toners, are transferred to the transfer paper by supplying electric charges with the polarity opposite to that of the charged toners to the transfer paper through the transfer roller serving as a charge supplying member.
However, electrical resistance of the transfer roller and that of the transfer paper are varied approximately two orders of magnitude by changes of environmental conditions such as a temperature and humidity. For example, if the environmental conditions of the transfer device is changed from conditions of normal temperature and normal humidity (hereinafter referred to as "N/N conditions") to conditions of a low temperature and a low humidity (hereinafter referred to as "L/L conditions"), the resistance of the transfer roller is increased several orders of magnitude. In contrast therewith, the resistance of the roller is reduced one or two orders of magnitude under the environmental conditions of a high temperature and a high humidity (hereinafter referred to as "H/H conditions"), compared with that under the N/N conditions.
Accordingly, if the power supply is of a constant-voltage control system designed to keep its output voltage constant, the transfer roller does not provide a sufficient current for the transfer of charged toners under the L/L conditions, resulting in failure in image transfer. Further, under the H/H conditions, the photoconductive drum provides transfer memories during quiescent time of paper feeding, resulting in the printed image with much fogging in the background area thereof.
On the other hand, if the power supply is of a constant-current control system designed to keep its output current applied to the roller constant, an electric current flowing through an area of the roller where the transfer roller is in direct contact with the photoconductive drum increases when the transfer paper fed between the drum and roller is small in size. Thus, an electric current, which flows through an area of the roller where the roller is in contact with the transfer paper, becomes too small to transfer the charged toners from the drum to the transfer paper, resulting in failure in the image transfer.
To solve such problems, it has been proposed in EP-A-0 367 245 to use a power control system (i.e., an active transfer voltage control system, hereinafter referred to as an "ATVC system") which performs the constant-current control of an electric power to be applied to the roller during quiescent time of paper feeding, but performs a constant-voltage control during paper feeding on the basis of the voltage applied to the roller during the constant-current control.
It is, however, essential for the above ATVC system to provide feedback circuits to maintain the output voltage and current constant. Thus, the image transfer device becomes complex in control.

Electric charge supplying device and system employing the same


A system and method for managing information between a diagnostic tool and a networked computing device are provided. The system made up of a diagnostic tool for retrieving information from a vehicle under test, a networked computing device for providing information concerning the vehicle under test, and an information management device for assisting communication between the diagnostic tool and the networked computing device. Information is gathered by the diagnostic tool and sent to the information management device which determines how to process the information, which may then be sent to the networked computing device for processing and returning relevant data to the information management device, and potentially to the diagnostic tool.

In many industries, diagnostic systems play an increasingly important role in manufacturing processes, as well as in maintenance and repair throughout the lifetime of the equipment or product. Some diagnostic systems are based on personal computer technology and feature user-friendly, menu-driven diagnostic applications. These systems assist technicians and professionals at all levels in performing system diagnostics.
With equipment and products becoming more advanced and more complex with the addition of electronic components, the knowledge base required to properly use, maintain, and fix these items has grown immensely. Moreover, the amount of peripheral information relating to the use, maintenance, and repair of the equipment and products has also increased. Access to all of this information is crucial to proper and efficient use, maintenance, and repair of the equipment and products. But, access alone is insufficient. For the best results for using the available information, it must be accessible in a timely manner, generally the faster the better, it must be accurate, and one must know how to use it. However, all of this may be very daunting for even one piece of equipment or product. The management of all of this information only increases with every piece of equipment or product used, maintained, or fixed. Today, such large amounts of information may be managed from locations remote to a diagnostic tool and delivered to a user electronically.
It is desirable to provide a method and apparatus to mange the flow of information between a diagnostic tool and a remote source of information for delivery and use by a user. Moreover, the method and apparatus may be able to manipulate or analyze data to aid in the use of the information by the user.

Method and apparatus to manage information between a scan tool and networked devices


Disclosed is a method of reducing damage resulting from environmental electromagnetic effects on a non-metallic surface. The method includes disposing a polymeric sheet material over the non-metallic surface and disposing a metal layer between the non-metallic surface and the polymeric sheet material. Objects which includes a substrate having a non-metallic surface, a halopolymer sheet material disposed over the substrate's non-metallic surface, and a metal layer disposed between the halopolymer sheet material and the substrate's non-metallic surface are also described. Laminates are also disclosed. One such laminate includes a metal layer having a first surface and a second surface, a halopolymer sheet material bonded or adhered to the first surface of the metal layer, and an adhesive disposed on the second surface of the metal layer. Another such laminate includes a halopolymer fabric having a first surface and a second surface, a metal layer bonded or adhered to the first surface of the halopolymer fabric, and an adhesive disposed on the second surface of the halopolymer fabric.

A variety of objects, particularly, objects having non-metallic surfaces, can be prone to environmental electromagnetic effects, such as lightning strikes. For example, MIL-STD-464 describes the importance of considering environmental electromagnetic effects ("E3") when selecting materials for use in military aircraft. More particularly, MIL-STD-464 specifies that all systems, subsystems, and equipment used in constructing an aircraft should be compatible with internal electromagnetic emissions (e.g., electronic noise, RF transmissions, and cross-coupling of electrical currents) and with external electromagnetic emissions (e.g., lightning and electromagnetic pulses).
Typically, metallic aircraft encountering lightning will conduct the electric current of a strike across the skin of the aircraft, in most cases suffering little resultant damage. On the other hand, composite materials like graphite epoxy resins, are resistive conductors that inhibit current conductance. A graphite composite will absorb vastly greater amounts of energy absorbed as compared with by the same mass of aluminum. The intense current density of a lightning strike, can vaporize or "puncture" the thin composite laminates that make up the skin of the aircraft. Once such penetration occurs further damage can be done as the lightning pathway "intrudes" on the avionics, power supply circuitry, or other critical systems, and actual physical damage may result as this current surge travels around and through the inside of the aircraft. Electromagnetic energy may also enter the aircraft through other types of apertures.
Electromagnetic fields that enter the aircraft can wreak havoc with on board avionics. This problem is further aggravated by the increasing use of digital designs in modern avionics to control critical flight functions besides their traditional navigation and communication tasks. It is well known that digital circuits, as compared to analog circuits, have little tolerance for electrical and electromagnetic disturbances. Accordingly, it is important that electromagnetic fields are not permitted to breach the aircraft skin, where they may disrupt avionics, damage structural components, and, perhaps, injure passengers or crew.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a method of providing E3 protection for aircraft and other objects. The present invention is directed to meeting this need.

Methods and materials for reducing damage from environmental electromagnetic effects


An item protection device protects the item during shipping, movement or installation. In one embodiment, the item may be a window unit whose corners are protected during shipping, movement or installation. The item protection device may have a locking mechanism that securely locks the item protection device to the item so that the item protection device is not easily knocked off of the item during shipping, movement or installation.

When a new building is built, whether residential or commercial, the building typically has one or more windows that are placed into the walls of the building. These new windows are manufactured by various window unit manufacturers and shipped to the construction site for installation. Each window unit includes a glass or plexiglass that forms the panes of the window and a frame of the window pre-assembled with various materials to include wood, vinyl, plastic, metal or other composites. During the shipping of the window units to the constructions site and handling of the window units at the constructions site (or at a shipping location), it is very possible for the window units to become damaged rendering them unusable. This damages of the window units is problematic for the general contractor at the construction site since another window units must be ordered and delivered and also problematic for the window manufacturer who may need to replace the window at no cost. In addition to new constructions projects, the same issue with damaged window units exists with replacement window units in which a person, such as a general contractor, is replacing current window units in a building with replacement window units.
In both cases, it is desirable to be able to protect the window unit during shipping and installation to reduce the damage. Currently, there are a number of products on the market that protect the window unit during shipping and installation. These products are generally comprised of scrap wood blocks, cardboard, Styrofoam, or plastic blocks that attach to the sides of a window unit hoping to prevent damage to the window unit during shipping and installation. The problems with these existing blocks are: 1) the blocks do not adequately protect the corner of the window unit; 2) different types of blocks may be required for a corner, bottom or a side of the window unit, 3) the material degrades during transportation, 4) the material and cost to apply it are cost-prohibitive and 5) the blocks or material may be knocked off of the window unit during shipping or installation resulting in a greater possibility of damage to the window unit. Thus, it is desirable to provide a window unit protection device and method for use that overcomes the above problems and limitations of the conventional window protection blocks and it is to this end that the disclosure is directed.

Item protection device and method for use


Water-borne polymeric vehicles are described where the polymeric vehicle includes the amine or ammonium salt of a phenolic ester alcohol.

One of the primary components in paint is the "film former" that provides a film for the protective function for a substrate coated with the paint. Film forming components of liquid paints include resins which have required organic solvents to provide the resins with suitable viscosities such that the paint can be applied by existing commercial application equipment. Use of organic solvents, however, raises at least two problems. In the past and potentially in the future, petrochemical shortages mitigate against the use of organic solvent in great volumes. Second, environmental concern mitigates against the use of organic solvents and requires such use be minimized.
Environmental concern has become increasingly important. This concern not only extends to preservation of the environment for its own sake, but extends to public safety as to both living and working conditions. Volatile organic emissions resulting from coating compositions which are applied and used by industry and by the consuming public are not only often unpleasant, but also contribute to photochemical smog. Governments have established regulations setting forth guidelines relating to VOCs which may be released to the atmosphere. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established guidelines limiting the amount of VOCs released to the atmosphere, such guidelines being scheduled for adoption or having been adopted by various states of the United States. Guidelines relating to VOCs, such as those of the EPA, and environmental concerns are particularly pertinent to the paint and industrial coating industry which uses organic solvents which are emitted into the atmosphere.
To reduce organic solvent content and VOCS, researchers have developed high solids coating compositions, water-borne coating compositions and powdered coating compositions. High solids compositions generally are liquid and are designed to minimize solvents. Powdered coating compositions are solid powders and generally eliminate solvents. Water-borne coating compositions use water to reduce VOCs. While each have advantages, each coating composition has disadvantages.
Coating compositions which include high solids polymeric vehicles based upon polyesters have become popular. Typically these compositions require the use of some organic solvents. In high solid polyesters as opposed to "conventional" compositions which use organic solvents, high molecular weight generally needs to be achieved during crosslinking rather than being attained from the basic polyester polymer. Hence, high solids polyesters normally supply a greater number of reactive sites (predominantly hydroxyl groups) available for crosslinking. The resultant polymers typically exhibit 70-80% solids-weight when reacted stoichiometrically with isocyanate crosslinkers, but frequently yield empirical solids up to 12% lower, when crosslinked with melamine resins. Despite their reduced use of organic solvents, high solids polyester coating compositions can be produced on the same equipment and are employed in many of the same applications as lower solids "conventional" polyester coating compositions. Further, as a result of their many strengths such as ease of manufacturing and use, low volatile emissions, reduced energy requirements, greater application efficiency, lower handling and storage costs, and excellent physical properties, high solids polyester coating compositions have enjoyed spectacular growth in manufacture and use. They still require organic solvents, however, and are a source of VOCs.
Powder coatings and UV-curable coatings are desirable ultrahigh or 100% solids coatings. However, there are limitations as to the technique and the equipment which are used to apply the powdered composition.
Another way to reduce VOCs is to use water as a medium for the film-forming components in the polymeric vehicle. One way is to make a polymer such as a polyester, alkyd, acrylic or epoxy polymer having carboxyl groups and acid number in amounts effective such that when the carboxyl groups are neutralized, they will permit the polymer or oligomer to be dispersed in a mixed solvent system which includes an organic solvent and water. The amine salt of the oligomer or polymer disperses into the mixed water/organic solvent system with the formulation of a dispersion as opposed to a solution. This is a water reducible system.
Another way to reduce VOCs using water is to actually make a solution of polyols which may be oligoesters or acrylic oligomers having hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of less than about 10,000. The hydroxyl number of the oligomer is sufficiently high and effective for permitting the formation of a solution of the oligomer in water or a mixed solvent system of water and organic solvent. This is a water-thinnable polymeric vehicle.
An object of the invention is to provide a polymeric vehicle which will reduce or eliminate VOCs.
Another object of this invention is to provide a hardener for use in a water-reducible or water-thinnable polymeric vehicle or formulated coating composition.
Another object of this invention is to provide polymeric vehicles which are not only low in VOCs, but which provide coating binders with good film properties such as hardness and impact resistance.
Yet another object of this invention is to control the viscosity to low levels at a specific shear rate of a liquid polymeric vehicle or liquid formulated coating composition with the use of water and with the minimization of organic solvents for such control.
Further, objects and advantages of the invention will be found by reference to the following description.

Water-borne polymeric vehicle for coating compositions containing an amine or ammonium salt of phenolic ester alcohols


A removable ventilator is equipped to hold an air filter, the ventilator being designed for placement in a building foundation, for example between concrete blocks. The front of the ventilator faces away from the building when the ventilator is installed. The rear of the ventilator faces into the building when the ventilator is installed. At least one securing device is located at the rear of the ventilator, for securing the air filter to the rear. At least one manual handling feature is located at the front of the ventilator, for removing the ventilator from between the concrete blocks.

Ventilators for basements and crawlspaces are known in the art, including ventilators that are held in place by spring clips. See, for example, Sarazen (U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,371). However, such ventilating units do not eliminate the problem of mold and other organic growth in the crawlspace, and in fact can exacerbate the problem by allowing access of such organic material into the crawlspace.
Rain, humidity, mold, and pollen often find their way into existing ventilators, and thence into the basement or crawlspace. If one of the existing ventilators were to be equipped with a filter, the filter would be subject to moisture, making it soggy, and in fact creating a potential breeding place for mold, and the filter would not be easily replaced, and may require professional replacement using tools of the trade.
Moisture gets into crawlspaces many other ways than through ventilators. For example, ground water typically evaporates into a crawlspace, as much as ten gallons daily for every 700 square feet of dirt. Additionally, brick and concrete foundation walls commonly absorb and transmit outside moisture to the interior space.
Mold spores and pollen thrive in a moist crawlspace environment, and consequently indoor air quality within a home or building is negatively affected. Moreover, mold and moisture cause structural damage, especially to wood structures that can warp, weaken, and rot when exposed to mold and moisture.
The existing ventilators simply do not address these problems in a coordinate fashion. When the existing ventilators only address one or two of these problems, then typically the other problems are only made worse.

Removable vent having a filter for use in a building foundation


A linear power amplifier and method for removing the intermodulation distortion with a predistortion system and a feed forward system. The linear power amplifier having a main power amplifier includes: a predistortion system for firstly suppressing the intermodulation signal generated upon amplification of an RF signal in the main power amplifier, by generating a harmonics corresponding to the input RF signal and a predistortion signal with coupling the RF signal to the harmonics; and a feed forward system for secondly suppressing the intermodulation signal by canceling the input RF signal and the output of the main power amplifier, extracting an intermodulation signal distortion, error-amplifying the extracted intermodulation signal distortion, and coupling the amplified intermodulation signal with the output of the main power amplifier.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a linear power amplifier, and more particularly, to a linear power amplifier and method able to minimize intermodulation distortion with a predistortion technique and feed forward technique.
2. Background Art
High power amplifiers (HPA) are used in a wide variety of communications and other electronic applications. High power amplifiers typically operate in the vicinity of a saturation region having non-linear characteristics in order to generate a maximum output. However, we have noticed that if more than one carrier, i.e., a multi-carrier is applied to the high power amplifier, its non-linear characteristics introduce unwanted multiplicative interaction of the signals being amplified and the amplifier output contains intermodulation distortion (IMD). Intermodulation distortion is highly undesirable because it causes interference, crosstalk, and other deleterious effects on the performance of a system employing the high power amplifier. Generally, intermodulation distortion can be reduced by either negative feedback of the distortion components, predistortion of the signal to be amplified to cancel the amplifier generated distortion, or by separating the distortion components of the amplifier output and feeding forward the distortion components to cancel the distortion in the amplifier output signal.
Conventional negative feedback techniques for reducing intermodulation distortion produced by high power amplifiers such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,906 for Amplifier Linearization Using Down/Up Conversion issued to Voyce, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,288 for RF Power Amplifier Linearization issued to Cleveland, generally seek to feed the power amplifier's output back to a differencing or error stage for intermodulation distortion reduction. We have found that such feedback systems are intended for low frequency applications and do not take into account RF design considerations such as time delay and drift. Nevertheless, feedback system are preferable for RF power amplifiers because they are closed loop systems that are less susceptible to changes caused by aging and environmental factors.
Efforts to implement predistortion techniques for reducing intermodulation distortion such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,164 for Adaptive Predistortion Circuit issued to Sari, U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,716 for Microwave Predistortion Linearizer issued to Grebliunas et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,286 for Baseband Predistortion System For The Adaptive Linearization Of Power Amplifiers issued to Chiesa et al., generally utilize an auxiliary distortion source that produces an auxiliary distortion signal similar to the distortion generated by the power amplifier. The auxiliary distortion signal is added to the power amplifier input in the correct gain the phase to to promote cancellation of the distortion at the power amplifier's output.
Feed forward techniques such as those attempted by U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,617 for Adaptive Feed Forward System issued to Denniston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,551 for Feed Forward Linear Amplifier issued to Myer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,663 for Feed Forward Amplifier Network With Frequency Swept Pilot Tone issued to Tattersall, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,634 for Feed-Forward Amplifier issued to Narahashi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,945 for Low-Distortion Feed-Forward Amplifier issued to Myer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,096 for Control Circuit For Automatically Controlled Feed Forward Nonlinear Distortion Compensation Amplifier issued to Sakamoto et al., is and U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,537 for Feed Forward Amplifier issued to Larkin et al., are more advanced in seeking to separate the distortion generated by a power amplifier and add it back into the power amplifier's output with gain, phase and delay adjusted for maximum cancellation. We have found that the amount of reduction in distortion obtainable using feed forward is primarily limited by the accuracy of the gain and phase adjustments. In typical feed forward amplifier designs previously attempted, for example, in Denniston '617, Myer '551, Tattersall '663 and '022, Narahashi '634, and Larkin '537, a pilot signal is combined with an input signal. The power amplifier then amplifies both signals and introduces non-linear amplitude and phase distortion into both signals during the amplification process. The amplified signal is sampled and the sampled input signal is subtracted from the sampled amplified signal to extract the distortion in the sampled amplified signal. The extracted distortion which is known as an error signal, is then adjusted in amplitude and phase based upon the level of the pilot signal detected at the output of the feed forward amplifier network. The adjusted error signal is amplified and subtracted from the originally amplified signal to produce a corrected signal having less distortion than the originally amplified signal. Thus, these types of feed forward systems endeavor to reduce the distortion introduced by the high power amplifiers with a reduction in the level of the pilot signal in the power amplifier's output. The pilot signal is used to monitor the level of non-linear distortion contained in the corrected signal and to continuously suppress the phase and gain of the error amplifier regardless of design factors. We have found however, that complex and costly circuitry such as a pilot tone generator and a pilot tone detector are required to enable the amplifier to generate and receive the pilot signal.
While there are other designs for high power amplifiers that seek to reduce intermodulation distortion in an ouput signal without using a pilot system such as that recently disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,454 for Method And Apparatus For Reducing Distortion In An Output Signal Of An Amplifier issued to Matz, we have observed that a need still exists for an improved linear power amplifier that can reliably effectively remove intermodulation distortion in an output signal using a relatively simple circuit.

Linear power amplifier and method for removing intermodulation distortion with predistortion system and feed forward system


The presently disclosed subject matter provides improved processes for processing starch from plant sources, including processes for starch liquefaction, for simultaneous liquefaction and saccharification, and for the preparation of ethanol. These processes can be performed without a pH adjustment and at relatively low temperatures. The processes can involve the use of starch-containing plant material derived from plants that express starch-digesting enzymes. The presently disclosed subject matter further relates to improved processes for the preparation of other starch-derived products, including dried distiller grain (dried distiller grain) and dried distiller grain and solubles (dried distiller grain and solubles), and to the starch-derived products, themselves.

Plants are often used as a source for starch, which can be used to produce ethanol and other products. Plant starches are generally in a granular form, which is insoluble in water. Starch is initially collected from plant grains using either a wet milling, a dry milling or a dry grind process.
To produce ethanol, starch containing fractions derived from wet milling or ground grain from dry grinding are further hydrolyzed into fermentable sugars which are then fermented to make ethanol. Several plant starch processing methods exist including a raw starch process, which involves little to no heating of the milled plant material being processed; or higher temperature hydrolysis of starch frequently referred to as "liquefaction". In either of these methods for breaking down starch derived from plants, the conventional process involves the addition of enzymes, frequently liquid enzymes, to the milled plant starch in a slurry tank.
Liquefaction methods often involve a starch gelatinization process, wherein aqueous starch slurry is heated so that the granular starch in the slurry swells and bursts, dispersing starch molecules into the solution. During the gelatinization process, there is a dramatic increase in viscosity. To enable handling during the remaining process steps, the starch must be thinned or "liquefied". This reduction in viscosity can be accomplished by enzymatic degradation in a process referred to as liquefaction. During liquefaction, the long-chained starch molecules are degraded into smaller branched and linear chains of glucose units (dextrins) by an enzyme, such as alpha-amylase (i.e., α-amylase).
A conventional enzymatic liquefaction process comprises a three-step hot slurry process. The slurry is heated to between 80-85 degrees C. to initiate gelatinization and α-amylase is added to initiate liquefaction. The slurry is jet-cooked at temperatures between 105 and 125 degrees C. to complete gelatinization of the slurry, cooled to 60-95 degrees C. (e.g., between 90-0.95 degrees C.), and, usually, additional α-amylase is added to finalize hydrolysis during a secondary liquefaction step. This three step process is employed in order to break down as much of the plant starch as possible. A process that avoids the use of a jet cooker or a secondary liquefaction would be advantageous to ethanol production as this would save considerable time, effort, and costs associated with heating, cooling and transferring the slurry between tanks.
Liquefaction results in the generation of dextrins as the starch is hydrolyzed. The dextrins can be broken down further during saccharification, to produce low molecular weight sugars that can be metabolized by yeast. The saccharification hydrolysis is typically accomplished using glucoamylases and/or other enzymes such as α-glucosidases and/or acid α-amylases. A full saccharification step typically lasts up to 72 hours. However, it is also common to perform only a pre-saccharification step of about 40 to 90 minutes at a temperature above 50 degrees C., followed by a complete saccharification during fermentation in a process known as simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF).
Prior to entering the fermentation tank, the slurry must be cooled to about ambient temperature. The slurry is typically pumped through a heat exchanger to cool the slurry. It is important that the slurry remain in a relatively fluid form during this process. As the slurry thickens due to cooling, it places added pressure on the heat exchanger. A process improvement that avoids excessive thickening of the post liquefaction slurry when cooled to ambient temperature is an advantage to the ethanol producer.
Fermentation can be performed using yeast, e.g., a Saccharomyces spp. Typical SSF times range from 40 to 60 hours. After SSF, ethanol is recovered by distillation. The residual solids and liquids can be dried to make the fermentation co-product dried distillers grains (DDG) and dried distillers grains and solubles (DDGS). A portion of the liquid streams from the distillation (referred to as backset or stillage) can be recycled back to the process.
The natural pH of milled corn grain is approximately pH 5.8 to approximately pH 6.0; however when combined with recycled process water (backset) in the slurry tank, the pH is approximately pH 4.8 at 30 to 33% dry solids. The pH is typically adjusted to approximately 5.8 before the liquefaction step in order to be compatible with the biochemical properties of commercial thermostable amylases. An large dosage of the enzyme would be required at pH 4.8. After the jet cooking and secondary liquefaction, the pH must be decreased to pH 4.8 for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), saccharification and subsequent fermentation, or fermentation without saccharification.
Given the increasing importance of ethanol as a fuel, improvement to the process is desirable.

Process for starch liquefaction and fermentation