The present invention relates to isolated strains of a Streptomyces spp. which are endophytes of dicotyledonous plants and to methods for selecting such strains. The present invention also relates to a biologically active compound called coronamycin obtained from endophytic Streptomycetes isolated from higher plants. The present invention further relates to compositions of such compounds and to methods of protecting plants against attack by a plant pathogen and methods of inhibiting bacterial growth, fungal growth, viral infection, growth of parasitic organisms, and cancer cell growth with such compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to biologically active compounds called coronamycins obtained from endophytic Streptomycetes isolated from higher plants. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising the coronamycin as well as methods of using the compositions.
2. Description of the Related Art
The bacterial order Actinomycetales includes several genera of bacteria similar to fungi in that they have a branching, filamentous structure. The branching filaments of the Actinomycetes eventually develop a network of strands called mycelium, which are similar in appearance to the mycelium of some fungi. Actinomycetes also form spores.
Actinomycetes are particularly valued for the property of producing antibiotics, with the most productive genus in this group being Streptomyces. Over 50 commercially important antibiotics have been isolated from Streptomyces spp., including streptomycin, neomycin, chloramphenicol and tetracyclines. Streptomycetes are found worldwide, and are a particularly significant as members of the soil microflora. Streptomycetes are also metabolically diverse, however, and are found in a great variety of ecological environments.
Actinomycetes, in general, are not reported to be endophytes on higher plants, though recently a Streptomyces sp. was reported on an annual plant—Lolium perenne (Guerny and Mantle, 1993, J. Nat. Prod. 56: 1194-1198). This lolium endophyte produces a weak antibiotic designated as methylalbonoursin, which is a diketopiperazine, condensed from leucine and phenylalanine. Streptomycetes which are used as a source of biologically active compounds, such as antibiotics, have all been isolated from soil.
The development of drug resistance in human pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus, Mycobacterium, Streptococcus, Enterococcus and others, places an ever increasing importance on the search for new antibiotics, as diseases caused by such bacteria represent a clear and growing threat to world health (NIH, 2001, NIAID Global Health Research Plan for HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bethesda, Md.). For instance, tuberculosis is the second leading cause of death in the world, killing approximately 2.5 million people per year. Up to 30% of the world's peoples are carriers of this pathogen (NIH, 2001, supra). The incidence of tuberculosis is rising in the world's population, in part due to the increased incidence of patients with HIV/AIDS, but also due to the development of drug resistance in strains of M. tuberculosis (Raviglione et al., 1995, J. Amer. Med. Assoc. 273, 220-226.; Pablosmendez et al., 1997, New England J. Med. 338, 1641-1649).
In addition to the problems of drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria there is also a need for more and better antimycotics, as the human population is developing more fungal infections. This is particularly an issue with HIV/AIDS patients, but also a concern with patients with organ-transplants, who must take immunosuppressive drugs to maintain continuity of the transplanted organ. In both cases, patients with these difficulties have immune systems that are weakened. Antifungal agents that are currently available, such as amphotericin B, are toxic, and often ineffective (Walsh, 1992, In "Emerging Targets in Antibacterial and Antifungal Chemotherapy" pp. 349-373. Ed. J. A. Sutcliffe and N. H. Georgopapadakou. London: Chapman and Hall; Walsh and Finberg, 1999, New England J. Med. 340, 764-771).
The increased incidence of parasitic protozoan infections is a further cause of concern. The most important of these is malaria caused by Plasmodium spp. that kills up to 1.5-3 million people and produces up to nearly 500 million cases per year (NIH, 2001, supra). It is estimated that nearly 40% of the world's population is at risk of becoming infected with malaria. Global warming as well as "airport malaria" are factors contributing to the increasing spread of this disease. Another factor contributing to the increased threat of death caused by malaria is the development of drug resistance in the Plasmodium spp. populations (NIH, 2001, supra). In some cases, treatment of malaria and other infectious diseases has been possible with the availability of antibiotics originally derived from soil-born Streptomyces spp. (Waksman, 1967, The Actinomycetes. Ronald Press Co. New York.; Waksman and Lechevalier 1953, Actinomycetes and Their Antibiotics. Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore; and Arai, 1976, Actinomycetes: The Boundary Microorganisms. Toppan Co. Ltd, Singapore).
There is also a need for environmentally sound ways to grow the world's food, and new methods of controlling pests and pathogens are continuously needed in this field, as well (Overton et al., 1996, Ecologically Based Pest Mangement—New Solutions for a New Century. Natl. Aca. Press. Washington D.C.). In the past, the major source of pesticidal agents came from organic synthesis. Recently, interest has increased for using more environmentally friendly methods in agricultural production, including naturally-occurring biological compounds.
It is an object of the present invention to provide endophytic streptomycetes from higher plants, and extracts and compounds thereof, with biological activity.


An LED manufacturing frame comprises a first tie bar extending longitudinally of the frame, a second tie bar also extending longitudinally of the frame substantially in parallel to the first tie bar, and plural groups of first to fourth consecutive leads connecting between the first and second tie bars. The first and third leads have respective extensions extending transversely beyond the first tie bar to provide first side pairs of chip bonding and wire bonding ends. Similarly, the second and fourth leads have respective extensions extending transversely beyond the second tie bar to provide second side pairs of chip bonding and wire bonding ends.

1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a frame which is used for manufacturing light emitting diodes (commonly abbreviated as "LED"). The present invention also relates to a method of using such a frame for efficiently manufacturing LEDs.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Like other electronic components, LEDs are manufactured by using such a frame as shown in FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings. Usually, the frame has a strip form with a limited length and is known as "leadframe".
As shown in FIG. 7, the frame or leadframe, generally designated by reference numeral 1, is prepared by punching a metal sheet to have a base bar 3 extending longitudinally of the frame and a tie bar 4 also extending longitudinally of the frame in parallel to the base bar 3. The base bar 3 is formed with a plurality of indexing holes 2 which are used for longitudinally transferring the frame 1.
Between the base bar 3 and the tie bar 4, there are multiple pairs of leads 5, 6 arranged at a constant pitch longitudinally of the frame 1. The respective pairs of leads 5, 6 extend beyond the tie bar 4 to provide corresponding pairs of chip bonding cup end 7 and wire bonding end 8. Near the pairs of cup end 7 and wire bonding end 8, the respective leads 5, 6 are connected together by a reinforcing bar 4a extending longitudinally of the frame 1 laterally outwardly of the tie bar 4, thereby increasing the supporting rigidity or stability for the respective pairs of cup end 5 and wire bonding end 6.
For manufacturing LEDs, the frame 1 is first introduced into a bonding unit (not shown) in which an LED chip 9 is bonded to each chip bonding cup end 7, as shown in FIG. 8. In the bonding unit, further, a metal wire 10 is bonded to the LED chip 9 and to a corresponding wire bonding end 8. Such a bonding operation is performed individually for the respective pairs of cup end 7 and wire bonding end 8 as the frame 1 is transferred stepwise by utilizing the indexing holes 2.
Then, the frame 1 is introduced into a molding unit (not shown) wherein a resin package (not shown) is formed to enclose each pair of cup end 7 and wire bonding end 8. The resin package may be made of a transparent resin material such as epoxy to have a general shape of a bullet.
Finally, the respective packaged LED devices are separated from the frame 1 by cutting the leads 5, 6 near the base bar 3 and by cutting the tie bar 4 and the reinforcing bar 4a near the respective leads 5, 6. Thus, product LED devices are obtained each of which has a pair of leads 5, 6 extending from the unillustrated resin package.
The prior art described above is disadvantageous at least in the following points.
First, the pairs of cup end 7 and wire bonding end 8 are provided only on one side of the frame 1. Since the spacing or pitch between the respective pairs of cup end 7 and wire bonding end 8 must be rendered sufficiently large to enable formation of the relatively bulky resin packages, there is a limitation in increasing the number of obtainable LEDs per unit length of the frame. As a result, the production efficiency lowers, and much portion of a metal sheet is wasted at the time of punching it into the frame, thereby increasing the production cost per LED.
Secondly, since the frame 1 has a strip-form with a limited length, plurality of such frames need be successively transferred and handled in actual manufacture of LEDs. Specifically, at the entrance and exit of each of the different process units (e.g. a bonding unit, a molding unit, and etc.), the frames need be stacked in a frame magazine. Thus, it is necessary to provide some mechanism which individually picks up from or discharge into the frame magazine. It is further necessary to provide some mechanism for transferring the frame magazine between the different process units. As a result, the cost of the manufacturing apparatus is relatively high, but yet the production efficiency is relatively low due to the need for individually handling the strip-like frames.

LED manufacturing frame and method of using the same for manufacturing LEDs


A vehicular suspension system incorporates, at each wheel, a liquid spring which internally utilizes a compressible liquid to generate spring and damping forces that yieldingly resist vertical wheel deflection relative to the vehicle frame. The spring and damping characteristics of each liquid spring are computer adjusted during vehicle operation in response to sensed variations in various liquid spring and vehicle operating parameters.

The present invention relates generally to vehicular suspension systems and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly provides a liquid spring vehicular suspension system in which the spring and damping characteristics of each liquid spring are computer adjusted, during vehicle operation, in response to sensed variations in liquid spring and vehicle operating parameters.
In the past, various proposals have been made for replacing the conventional hydraulic shock absorber and exterior coil spring assemblies in vehicular suspension systems with more compact devices known as liquid springs. A liquid spring basically comprises a cylindrical housing having an internal chamber with a compressible liquid therein, a piston reciprocably disposed in the chamber, and a rod structure axially movable into and out of the chamber, secured to the piston, and having an outer longitudinal portion projecting outwardly of one of the housing ends. With the liquid spring operatively interconnected between the vehicle frame and an associated wheel support structure, the compressible liquid within the liquid spring generates both spring and damping forces in the suspension system in response to relative axial translation between the rod structure and housing of the liquid spring caused by relative vertical displacement between the wheel and the frame. A more detailed description of the general structure and operation of a liquid spring incorporated in a vehicular suspension system may be found in U.S. application Ser. No. 941,289, entitled "FLUID SUSPENSION SPRING AND DAMPER FOR VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM", which has been incorporated herein by reference.
Various mechanisms have been proposed for selectively adjusting the spring force and/or damping force characteristics of liquid springs to settings which remain essentially constant during vehicle operation until readjusted when the vehicle is at rest. Thus, these essentially fixed spring force and damping force characteristics represent at best predetermined compromise settings adapted to handle an often wide range of road conditions and vehicle operational inputs (such as steering input, braking forces, vehicle speed and the like) encountered during operation of the vehicle.
It can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a liquid spring vehicular suspension system in which the spring force and damping force characteristics of the liquid springs are automatically adjusted, during vehicle operation, to compensate for variations in both road conditions and vehicle operational inputs, or any combination thereof. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a system.

Liquid spring vehicular suspension system and associated control apparatus


The present disclosure relates to a shift register unit and a driving method thereof, a shift register and a display apparatus. The shift register unit includes a carry signal output terminal (CA(n)); a driving signal output terminal (OUT(n)); a staged output module (33) connected to the pulling-up node (PU), the pulling-down node (PD), the carry signal output terminal (CA(n)) and the driving signal output terminal (OUT(n)), respectively, for outputting a carry signal and a driving signal in stages so that the driving signal maintains a high level in the evaluating phase and a low level in the resetting phase; a pulling-up node level maintaining module (34) for, in the evaluating phase, maintaining the level at the pulling-up node (PU) at a high level via the first output control module (31) so that the driving signal maintains the high level. It removes the effect of the leakage current of the depletion type TFT on the shift register by using staged output and maintaining the pulling-up node level, which increases stability and reliability thereof and decreases power consumption.

In Active Matrix Display, scan lines of respective rows and data lines of respective columns intersect to constitute an active matrix. A progressive scanning method is usually adopted to turn on transistors of respective rows sequentially and write voltage on data lines into pixels. A row scanning and driving circuit integrated on a display back board has the advantages of narrow edge and low cost, and has been used in most of LCD/AMOLED display devices.
There are many kinds of processes for manufacturing a back board of display devices at present, for example, a-Si, LTPS, Oxide Thin Film Transistor(TFT), and etc. The a-Si process is relative mature and has low cost, but a-Si TFT has the disadvantages of low mobility and low stability. LTPS TFT has the advantages of rapid speed and great stability and the disadvantages of low uniformity and high cost, and is not suitable to the preparation of a panel with large size. Oxide TFT has the advantages of high mobility, good uniformity and low cost, and is a kind of technology of best suitable to a large size panel in future. However, the I-V transfer characteristics of the Oxide TFT is usually in a depletion mode, that is, the Oxide TFT is still turned on when a gate-source voltage Vgs of the Oxide TFT is zero.
A depletion type TFT brings challenge on the integration of a shift register on a display back board. FIG. 1A is a structure diagram of a conventional shift register, and all of transistors in FIG. 1A are N-type TFTs. As shown in FIG. 1A, the conventional shift register includes a first output transistor T1, a second output transistor T2, a first control module 11 for controlling T1 and a second control module 12 for controlling T2. An output terminal of a shift register at each stage is connected to an input terminal of a shift register at a next stage, and shift registers at respective stages are controlled alternately by two clock signals CLK1 and CLK2 having a duty ratio of 50%. All of input signals and control signals have a swing of VGL˜VGH, wherein VGL is a low level and VGH is a high level. The first output transistor T1 is connected to the clock signal CLK2 and the output terminal OUT(n) and functions as transferring the high level, and the second output transistor T2 is connected to a low level output terminal for outputting the low level VGL and the output terminal OUT(n) and functions as transferring the low level.
As shown in FIG. 1B, operations of the shift register can be divided into three phases:
A first phase is a pre-charging phase, when an output terminal OUT(n−1) of a shift register at a previous stage generates a high level pulse, a PU node (a node connected to a gate of T1, that is, a pulling-up node) is controlled to be charged to the high level VGH, and meanwhile a PD node (a node connected to a gate of T2, that is, a pulling-down node) is controlled to be discharged to the low level VGL, so that T1 is turned on to transfer the low level of CLK2 to the output terminal OUT(n) and T2 is turned off;
A second phase is an evaluating phase, in a next half clock cycle, the PU node becomes a floating state, that is, no signal is input to the PU node since transistors of the first output control module connected thereto are all turned off; CLK2 becomes the high level from the low level, as an output voltage increases, an voltage at the PU node is bootstrapped to a higher level by a capacitor connected between the gate of T1 and the output terminal OUT(n), so that it is ensured that there is no threshold loss in the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n), and the PD node keeps at the low level to maintain T2 off and in turn it avoids the electric leakage of the high level outputted at the output terminal OUT(n) through T2; and
A third phase is a resetting phase, in a third half clock cycle, CLK2 becomes the low level and CLK1 becomes the high level, the PU node is discharged to the low level and the PD node is recharged to the high level, T1 is turned off and T2 is turned on at this time, so that the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n) becomes the low level via T2.
It can be known from FIG. 1B, the PU node and the PD node have an opposite relationship, so that it is avoided that T1 and T2 are turned on simultaneously to cause abnormal output.
However, if T1 and T2 in FIG. 1A are depletion type transistors, a large distortion occurs in the output voltage. First, in the evaluating phase, the voltage at PU node is at the high level and thus T1 is turned on, on the other hand, T2 cannot be turned off normally but generates a leakage current due to the depletion characteristics of T2 although the gate-source voltage Vgs of T2 is zero since the voltage at the PD node is discharged to the low level VGL, that is, T1 and T2 are turned on simultaneously, and thus the potential of the output voltage outputted at the output terminal depends on the voltage division of T1 and T2 and is usually lower than the normal high voltage too much, which in turn affects normal operations of a shift register at a next stage and may cause malfunction of next stages. Secondly, in the resetting phase, the voltage at the PU node is at the low level and the voltage at the PD node is at the high level, and the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n) is at the low level; at the same time, T1 is continually turned on as it is the depletion type transistor, and the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n) would generate a high level pulse and the potential thereof depends on the voltage division of T1 and T2 when CLK2 becomes the high level. A normal waveform of the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n) is shown by a liquid line in FIG. 1C, and a distorted waveform of the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n) is shown by a dotted line in FIG. 1C.
Besides the first output transistor T1 and the second output transistor T2, other depletion type TFTs in the internal control circuit would cause abnormal output as well. As shown in FIG. 2A, the second control module is a pulling-down transistor control module, and the first control module includes T3 and T4 which are depletion type transistors, wherein T3 is connected to the output terminal OUT(n−1) of the shift register at a previous stage and the PU node (the node connected to the gate of T1) and functions to charge the voltage at the PU node to the high level in the pre-charging phase; T4 has a gate connected to a reset signal Rst and is connected between the PU node and the low level output terminal for outputting the low level VGL, and functions to pull down the voltage at the PU node in the resetting phase. The depletion type transistors T3 and T4 are turned on in the evaluating phase, the voltage at the PU node is pulled down, so that T1 is not turned on completely, which affects the potential of the output voltage at the output terminal OUT(n), as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2B.
Therefore, there is a need for improving the circuit structure of the shift register to remove the effect of the depletion type TFT on the output voltage of the shift register.

Shift register unit and driving method thereof, shift register and display apparatus


A tiled display is disclosed herein. The tiled display includes: a plurality of unit display units, wherein each of the unit display units includes: a panel assembly including a curved surface part of which both ends are curved surfaces; a light transmitting member disposed in a transparent plate shape and covering the curved surface part of the panel assembly; and a light guide member including a recess part recessed at one side thereof where the light guide member is combined with the light transmitting member, positioned adjacent to the curved surface part of the panel assembly, and positioned toward a direction in which an image is displayed from the panel assembly.

(a) Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a tiled display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an electrophoretic display, a plasma display, or the like, generally includes a plurality of pairs of electric field generating electrodes and an electro-optical active layer disposed between the plurality of pairs of electric field generating electrodes. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal layer as an electro-optical active layer, and the organic light emitting diode display includes an organic emission layer as an electro-optical active layer. One of a pair of electric field generating electrodes is generally connected to a switching element to receive an electrical signal when the switching element is turned on, and the electro-optical active layer converts the electrical signal into an optical signal to display an image.
Recently, a tiled display in which a plurality of displays are connected to each other to manufacture a large screen display has been used, such as for outdoor advertising, or the like. The tiled display implements a large screen by fixing a plurality of display panels having a predetermined size to a mounting frame. However, because each of the display panels has a visible bezel positioned at a boundary portion around its display area, the display quality of the tiled display as a whole is deteriorated.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present system and method and therefore may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


An apparatus for generating a high power water stream performing an effective massage without producing undesired vibration and noise including an outer tub 1, an inner tub 2 arranged within the outer tub, passages 3 formed in a bottom wall of the outer tub, passages 2c formed in a side wall of the inner tub, a tubular members 4 provided at the passages 2c and having inner diameters which are gradually increased toward an inner space S3, a pump 5 arranged between a space S2 between side walls of outer and inner tubs and having jet nozzles 8 which are positioned at inlets of the jet nozzles, and a motor 7 coupled with the pump 5 by means of a drive shaft assembly 6. When the motor 7 is energized to drive the pump 5, water streams are projected at a very high speed from the jet nozzles into the tubular members 4. Then, the water in the space S2 is sucked into the inlets of the tubular members, and the water streams are projected from the outlets of the tubular members 4 at a very high speed. These water streams have a sufficiently high velocity, and thus the massaging efficiency is very high.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for generating a massaging water stream by forcedly circulating a water in a bath-tub, said water stream having a sufficient power for massaging a user in the bath-tub.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there has been proposed an apparatus for generating a water stream within a bath-tub, said water stream having such velocity and flow rate that a user in the bathtub is subjected to impact by the water stream to perform a massage. Such a massaging water stream can be effectively used for attaining various functions such as beauty, health and physical practice.
In a known massaging water stream generating apparatus, a motor and a propeller coupled with a driving shaft of the motor are arranged within a bath-tub, and therefore the apparatus is liable to be complicated in construction and large in size. For attaining a sufficient massaging effect, it is generally required to generate the water stream having a velocity not less than 2 m/sec. Then, it is necessary to use a propeller having a relatively large diameter. In order to drive such a large propeller, it is required to use the large motor of higher power. Then, the apparatus produces very large vibration as well as a very large noise of about 90 dB.
Moreover, in order to operate the propeller at a high efficiency, it is advantageous to form a rectilinear portion having a low resistance against the stream of water behind the propeller. However, in the known apparatus, it is impossible to form such a rectilinear portion behind the propeller, and thus an efficiency of the propeller is relatively low. Further, since the motor is embedded in the water, it is necessary to provide a water seal between the driving shaft and the motor housing. This would make the maintenance difficult and expensive, because the water seal has to be replaced at regular intervals. Moreover, in order to protect the user from being damaged or injured by the propeller rotating at a high revolving speed, a suitable member such as a mesh has to be provided around the propeller. It is apparent that this protection member increases the resistance against the massaging water stream. Due to the above mentioned various problems, the known apparatus could not generate a powerful water stream having a sufficient massaging function without producing undesired vibration and noise.

Apparatus for generating massaging water stream


A cable has a core, which is surrounded by an external extruded sheath. The core of the cable has at least one transmission element for the transmission of electrical current or telecommunication signals. The sheath comprises at least one flexible layer of a conventional, expanded material, this material having a tensile strength between 10.0 MPa and 50.0 MPa.

The word "cable" also stands for the word "line". "Cable" can be an electrical or optical cable with any design of the core which is surrounded by a sheath of insulating material. "Transmission elements" can be metallic electrical conductors or optical waveguides. Such cables have a protective outer sheath of insulating material with different characteristics depending on the type of the cable and the field of use of the same. The thickness of the sheath is variable depending on the mentioned characteristics. The amount of material for forming the sheath of such cables normally is high. The portion of the sheath to the weight of the complete cable is considerable.
WO 98/52197 describes a power transmission cable with an outer coating made of expanded polymer material. The coating shall be capable of protecting the cable from accidental impacts. A separate metal armor shall not be needed. The coating therefore has special mechanical characteristics to absorb impacts. The used material has a degree of expansion from 20% to 3000% and a flexural modulus between 400 MPa and 1800 MPa. Such a material is expensive. Its weight is lower compared to the not expanded version. But for the purpose of impact protection the coating of expanded polymer material needs an adequate thickness and flexural modulus together with a great mass. Therefrom the weight of the sheath still is high. Such a coating therefore only is useful with cables which normally have a metal armor and then can be manufactured without such an armor.
WO 98/52197 also mentions documents which describe cables for the transmission of signals with a layer of expanded insulating material. Such a material shall be useful only for the increase of the transmission speed of the signals. A hint for impact protection shall not to be found in these documents.
From GB specification 1 339 561, an electrical cable is known, preferably a telecommunication cable, which also shall be protected against mechanical stresses, like impacts, without a special armoring. The core of the cable is surrounded by a layer of expanded insulating material which is surrounded by a layer of not expanded insulating material. The expanded layer has a greater thickness then the not expanded layer. This known cable is comparable with the cable of WO 98/52197.

Cable with an external extruded sheath and method of manufacturing of the cable


In one embodiment, a superconducting coil includes a tertiary parallel superconductor unit (60) composed of superposed in parallel a plurality of layers of secondary parallel superconductor units (50). The layers of secondary parallel superconductor units include a plurality of superconductor elements (40) arranged in parallel along the axial direction of the coil, forming a superconducting conductor unit. The tertiary parallel superconductor unit is wound on a bobbin (55). In another embodiment, the superconducting coil includes one or more layers of the secondary parallel superconductor unit wound on the bobbin. In both embodiments, the secondary parallel superconductor unit can include at least one non-superconducting conductor element (70). The layer of the secondary parallel superconductor unit forming an outer side of the tertiary parallel superconductor unit can include at least one non-superconducting conductor element. A layer of non-superconducting conducting or high-strength insulating supporting member (71) of electromagnetic force can be formed on the outer side of the tertiary parallel superconductor unit.

A superconducting coil has been put to practical use in various fields as a means of generating high magnetic fields. On the other hand, the practical application of superconducting coils to AC devices, such as transformers and reactors, has made little progress due to the phenomenon of losses incurred by superconducting conductors in the presence of AC. However, since the recent development of a superconducting conductor having a small loss of AC by the thinning of superconducting stranded wires, a progress has been made in the researches for its application to transformers and other AC devices, and various proposals have been made on the structure of superconducting coils made thereof.
As superconducting conductors for this case, a superconducting wire made of a metal superconductor that remains in a superconducting state at a very low temperature of 4K at which liquid helium evaporates is mainly used as a practical superconducting material. Recently, however, efforts have been made to develop superconducting coils based on an oxide superconductor. This oxide superconductor is also called "a high-temperature superconductor." This high temperature superconductor is more advantageous than metallic superconductors in terms of a lower operating cost.
When a plurality of conductors are used in parallel in an AC equipment, such as a transformer in which current varies at a high speed, conductors are transposed. The relative positions of a plurality of conductors are changed to reduce the interlinkage magnetic flux between the respective conductors, or to reduce induced voltage resulting therefrom, to thereby make the current distribution for the respective conductors uniform. The differences in induced voltage between respective parallel conductors resulting from the magnetic flux generated by current induces circulating current. In the case of ordinary or non-superconducting conductors, such as copper or aluminum, however, impedance consists mainly of resistance component and the circulating current has a phase deviating by approximately 90° in relation to the load current. For this reason, even if a 30% circulating current is generated, the current flowing in a conductor is the vector sum of 100% of the load current and a 30% circulating current having a phase difference of 90° thereto, and therefore, the absolute value thereof which is the square root of the sum of respective squares amounts to approximately 105%. Thus, the increase in the value of current is small for the circulating current.
When a superconducting wire is used as a conductor, on the other hand, as resistance is practically zero in the superconducting state, impedance that determines circulating current is mostly determined by inductance. Therefore, the circulating current takes the same phase as current, and if the circulating current is 30%, this circulating current is added to the current and as a result a 130% current flows in the superconductor. When this current value reaches the critical current level, however, the loss of AC increases or drift increases.
There exists a critical temperature, a critical current or a critical magnetic field on the superconducting conductor (or superconducting wire) used in the winding of a superconducting coil. In other words, To enable the superconducting wire to maintain the superconducting state, it is necessary to keep the temperature, current, and magnetic field below the specific critical values. When current above the critical current flows in the superconducting wire due to the circulating current, the superconducting wire shifts from the superconducting state to the normal conducting state. In other words, it turns into a normal conductor having resistance. Moreover, the superconducting wire can be damaged by the Joule heat generation. Thus, it is very important to suppress circulating current in a coil consisting of a superconducting wire. For this purpose, transposition is carried out and circulating current is controlled as mentioned earlier. Moreover, the oxide superconducting wire is more vulnerable to bending force than alloy superconductors, and there is an allowable bending radius for displaying its capacity. Therefore, the number of instable points increases as the number of superconductors arranged in parallel increases, in other words as the number of transposed parts increases. Thus, a meticulous care is needed in any transposition work.
The structure of a superconducting coil designed to simplify transposing work and lower costs by reducing transposition parts serving as instable points and suppressing circulating current is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open 11-273935 (pp. 2-4, FIGS. 1-4) (hereafter Reference 1). The summary of the invention described in Reference 1 is as follows: "[I]n a superconducting coil in which a plurality of superconducting wires are arranged in parallel and wound, it is possible to reduce the number of transposition parts, contain the circulating current and at the same time reduce the unstable parts by adopting a structure in which the relative positions are changed only at the ends of coil, and in addition by making the number of coil layers an integral multiple of 4 times the number of superconducting wires arranged in parallel (4 times the number of wires). As a result, the work and time for transposition is reduced resulting not only in lower costs, but also fewer unstable parts and thus enabling to contain circulating current. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an advantage of being able to excite and demagnetize at a high speed and stably".
FIG. 7 is an example of the transposition structure of a superconducting coil described in FIG. 1 of Reference 1. In FIG. 7, for winding three superconducting wires 3a superposed in the radial direction of the coil by winding in the direction of bobbin 1a-bobbin 1b, at the start of the coil on the 1a side of the bobbin, the superconducting wires 3a are wound for multiple layers and from the internal diameter of the coil, for example, in the order of A1, A2, and A3 (not shown), and at the transposition part 2b at the end of the coil, at first A3 is bent at the following turn, and the transposition work is carried out on A2 and A1 in the same manner, so that at the end of the coil on the 1b side of the bobbin, the coil will be arranged for example in the order of A3, A2, and A1. By arranging the same as described above, the number of transposition parts and bending of coil will be reduced in comparison with the prior transposition structure described in FIG. 4 of Reference 1, and the work will be considerably simplified thereby. Regarding an example of the structure mentioned above on a number of coil layers equal to an integral multiple of four times the number of superconducting wires arranged in parallel (4 times the number of wires), the description is omitted here. See Reference 1 for details.
The adoption of a transposition structure as described in Reference 1 will enable the inductance and current distribution for the respective superconducting wires constituting the conductor to be uniform. This will increase the current capacity by increasing the number of superconducting wires arranged in parallel and to eliminate additional losses due to the increased number of superconducting wires in parallel.
The following will describe the oxide superconducting wire material (high temperature superconducting wire). One of possible preferable high-productivity methods of producing high-temperature superconductor elements is, for example, that of forming a film of oxide superconducting material on a flexible tape substrate. Production methods based on the vapor phase deposition method, such as laser ablation method, CVD method, etc., are now being developed. Oxide superconducting wires made by forming an oxide superconducting film on the tape substrate as described above have an exposed superconducting film on the outermost layer, and no stabilization treatment has been applied on the surface of the exposed side. As a result, when a relatively strong current is applied to such an oxide superconducting wire, the superconducting film transits locally from the superconducting state to the normal conducting state due to the local generation of heat, resulting in an unstable transmission of current.
For the purpose of solving the problems mentioned above, and providing an oxide superconductor having a high critical current value, capable of transmitting current with stability and whose stability does not deteriorate even after an extended period of storage and the method of producing the same, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open 7-37444 (pp. 2-7, FIG. 1) (hereafter Reference 2) discloses the following tape-shaped superconducting wire: "[A] superconducting wire comprises of an intermediate layer formed on a flexible tape substrate, an oxide superconducting film formed on the intermediate layer, and a gold or silver film (a metal normal conduction layer) 0.5 μm or more thick formed on the oxide superconducting film." And example of embodiment described in Reference 2 reads as follows: "On 'Hastelloy' tape serving as the substrate, an yttria stabilized zirconia layer or magnesium oxide layer is formed as an intermediate layer. On top of this layer, Y—Ba—Cu—O oxide superconducting film is formed. And on this layer, a gold or silver coating film is formed." However, when mass-produced tape-shaped superconducting wires like the ones described in References 2 are used in an AC device, the AC loss that develops in the superconducting wires will be, due to the form anisotropy of flat tapes, dominated by those in the perpendicular magnetic field acting in the perpendicular direction upon the flat surface of the tape, and thus the AC losses increase. In addition, there is a problem with regard to the transposition structure. To solve these problems, some of the inventors of the present application have disclosed the following superconducting wire materials and a superconducting coil based on the same materials in a related application PCT/JP2004/009965, corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/514,194, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C show a superconducting wire material disclosed in FIG. 1 of the international application mentioned above. Specifically, the international application has been contemplated for "providing a superconducting wire capable of suppressing AC loss and a low-loss superconducting coil made from this superconducting wire having a simple structure without transposition, capable of canceling interlinkage magnetic flux due to the perpendicular magnetic field to the wire, and capable of suppressing the circulating current within the wire due to the perpendicular magnetic field and making shunt current uniform so that the losses may be limited." The international application, as shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C further discloses the following: "[A] simple coil structure without transposition wherein a superconducting film formed on the substrate 31 is transformed into a tape to make a superconducting wire material, the superconducting film part constituting at least a superconducting layer 33 is slit to form slits 35 and to separate electrically the same into a plurality of superconducting film parts respectively having a rectangular section and arranged in parallel to form parallel conductors, in other words parallel conductors constituted by arranging a plurality of element conductors, and the superconducting coil constituted by winding the superconducting wire material has, in view of the structure or arrangement of the superconducting coil, a coil structure containing at least partially a part wherein the perpendicular interlinkage magnetic flux acting among various conductor elements 30 of the parallel conductors by the distribution of the magnetic field generated by the superconducting coils acts to cancel each other is provided."
In FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, the group number 30 represents a conductor element composed of split parts of a metal layer and a superconducting layer, and 32 represents an intermediate layer, 34 represents a metal layer, 35 represents a slit as splitting groove, and 36 represents an electric insulating material. The superconductor before splitting shown in FIG. 6A consists of, for example, Hastelloy tape for the substrate 31, on which the intermediate layer 32 is formed as an electric insulation layer, on which Y—Ba—Cu—O oxide superconducting film is formed as a superconducting layer 33, and on which, for example, a gold or silver coating layer is formed as a normal or non-superconducting conducting metal layer 34. Incidentally, as the intermediate layer 32 described above, a double-layered structure consisting of, for example, a cerium oxide (CeO2) layer formed on a gadolinium zirconium oxide (Gd2Zr2O7) layer is formed. The metal layer 34, however, need not be formed.
The superconducting conductor is, as shown in FIG. 6B, slit in the longitudinal direction of the superconducting conductor, and as shown in FIG. 6C epoxy resin, enamel, and other flexible electric insulation materials 36 are filled in the grooves formed by slitting and over the entire environment around the conductors to form parallel conductors. In applying the superconducting wires as described above to the superconducting coil, the superconducting wires consisting of the parallel conductors are, as shown in FIG. 6B, wound in the form of a cylindrical layer on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical bobbin made of an electrical insulation material not shown around the central axis of coil 14.
The superconducting wire material shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C above functions as a multi-filament superconductor, enables to uniformize the sharing of current, and to reduce the magnetic field applied at right angles to the superconductor elements, to reduce AC losses by dividing the superconducting film part into a plurality and arranging them electrically in parallel.
In addition, the international application described above further discloses a preferable structure of superconducting coil to which the superconducting wire materials shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C above are applied. Specifically, the international application states: "The superconducting coil constituted by winding the superconducting wire material has, in view of the structure or arrangement of the superconducting coil, a coil structure containing at least partially a part wherein the perpendicular interlinkage magnetic flux acting among various conductor elements of the parallel conductors by the distribution of the magnetic field generated by the superconducting coils acts to cancel each other is provided. This will provide a superconducting wire capable of suppressing AC loss and a low-loss superconducting coil made from this superconducting wire having a simple structure without transposition, capable of canceling interlinkage magnetic flux due to the perpendicular magnetic field to the wire, and capable of suppressing the circulating current within the wire due to the perpendicular magnetic field and making shunt current uniform so that the losses may be limited." See the international application mentioned above for details.
The following will now describe the measures against over-current in the event of short-circuit of a transformer. When a transformer is short-circuited, strong short-circuit current flows in the coil and an excessive electromagnetic force works. In the case of a superconducting transformer, current density is higher than that of a normal conductive transformer. In other words, for a same current capacity, the superconducting transformer has a smaller conductor section. Therefore, when a same electromagnetic force works on the conductor, the superconducting transformer applies a larger stress to the conductor. In the case of an oxide superconducting transformer, the conductor, being an oxide, has a relatively low mechanical strength, and may not be able to withstand this electromagnetic force at the time of over-current.
The means for solving this problem is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open 2001-244108 (hereafter Reference 3). The following is a citation of a summary contained in Reference 3: "On a superconducting coil constituted by winding a taped-shaped superconducting wire material along a spiral groove formed on the outer periphery of a cylindrical insulating bobbin, a metal tape wherein normal conductors such as copper, copper alloy, titanium, stainless steel and the like are used is lap wound on the outer periphery of the superconducting wire material mentioned above, the metal tape is bound by hardening the resin used, and then the metal tape is connected electrically in parallel with the superconducting wire material. This structure will enable to support the electromagnetic force in the radius direction applied to the superconducting wire material by the metal tape from the outer periphery in the event of a short-circuit, and to prevent possible burn-out of the coil due to a sharp rise in temperature by diverting a part of current to the metal tape when the superconducting wire material transformed into a normal conductor because of Joule generation of heat resulting from an over-current."
The critical current of high-productivity tape-shaped superconducting wire materials such as those described in Reference 2 or the international application mentioned above is approximately 100 A in the self-magnetic field and at the liquid nitrogen temperature (77K). Under the superconducting coil state, the critical current falls down further due to the generation of the magnetic field, and the current usable for equipment falls down substantially from the critical current 100 A mentioned above. On the other hand, the required current capacity is varied according to the equipment used or usage. When a strong current is required as in the case of the low-voltage winding of a transformer for example, it is possible that the application described in Reference 2 or the international application mentioned above may be insufficient to cope with the situation.
Furthermore, at the time of starting excitation or in the event of an unexpected short-circuit for example, so-called measures against over-current may be required so that the AC equipment can withstand a current in excess of the rated current for a short period. On the tape-shaped superconductor elements described in Reference 2 or the international applications mentioned above, a metal layer consisting of gold or silver is formed as a stabilizing layer as described above. This metal layer is formed mainly for the purpose of improving superconductive performance. This metal layer, however, is generally 10 μm thick or less, making it too thin, and often insufficient to rely on as a safety measure against over-current.
Accordingly, there still remains a need to reduce AC losses, to increase the current capacity of coils, to prevent the burn-out of conductors due to over-current at the time of starting excitation or in the unexpected event of short-circuit by using parallel superconducting conductors and to provide a safe large-capacity superconducting coil. The present invention addresses this need.

Superconductivity Research Laboratory, International Superconductivity Technology Center, The Juridical Foundation


A valve assembly includes a valve body defining a flow passage and a body cavity perpendicular to the flow passage. A bonnet is secured to the valve body. A valve member is moveable between an open position and a closed position, the valve member blocking the flow passage in the closed position, and allowing flow through the flow passage in the open position. A valve stem is coupled to the valve member. A debris barrier circumscribes the valve stem. The debris barrier comprises a first disk shaped member with a central opening through which the valve stem is inserted, and notches that extend radially from the central opening to define petals with ends that abut the valve stem.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to manual and actuated valves, and in particular to a barrier for prolonging the life of the stem, packing of the bonnet assembly of a valve associated with hydrocarbon operations.
2. Description of Prior Art
Valves can sometimes have a linearly translating member, such as a valve stem, to move the valve between the open and closed positions. A valve actuator can move the valve stem linearly to move the valve between the open and closed positions. A valve bonnet can be located between and join the valve and the valve actuator. A stem packing can be located around the valve stem, between an outer diameter of me valve stem and an inner diameter of a bore of the bonnet, to prevent fluids from escaping around the valve stem.
During operation, environmental factors can cause damage which results in valve degradation and, eventually, failure of the stem packing. As an example, for valves associated with hydrocarbon operations, debris and other impurities from the well fluids can damage valve components. One practice is to apply grease to lubricate the valve in an attempt to reduce the amount of damage and wear. However, the grease erodes away, leaving the valve assembly exposed. As a result, debris collects on the stem and travels up past the back-seating area to the stem packing causing damage.

Valve packing shield for use in hydrocarbon operations


A semiconductor package with thermal neutron shielding is disclosed. The semiconductor package includes a substrate and an integrated circuit die disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor package also has a thermal neutron shield including a shielding material. The shielding material includes boron-10 and is configured to inhibit a portion of thermal neutrons that encounter the thermal neutron shield from passing through the thermal neutron shield.

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) is a type of semiconductor memory that uses bi-stable latching circuitry to store each bit. SRAM is used as data storage in many electronic devices and is often used to implement programmable logic integrated circuits (ICs). Programmable logic ICs, such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), are user configurable and capable of implementing digital logic operations. FPGAs include configurable logic blocks (CLBs) arranged in rows and columns, input/output blocks (IOBs) surrounding the CLBs, and programmable interconnect lines that extend between the rows and columns of CLBs. The CLBs, IOBs and interconnect lines may be configured to implement a particular design with configuration data stored in SRAM of the FPGA.
The versatility of reprogrammable ICs is advantageous in applications such as aerospace, where remote reconfiguration is preferred over physical replacement. However, many aerospace applications expose components to environments where a relatively high level of radiation is present, which can cause an error in an SRAM cell. A radiation laden environment contains charged particles that interact with silicon atoms. When a single heavy ion strikes a silicon substrate, it loses energy through the creation of free electron hole pairs. This results in a dense ionized track in the local region, generating a current pulse that can upset the circuit. This is known as a single event upset (SEU), or soft error. An SEU can also be caused by alpha particles. Alpha particles are generated when a neutron strikes a silicon substrate. The alpha particles travel through the substrate and generate charge clusters within a limited silicon volume. Alpha particles can be generated from high energy neutrons as well as neutrons that have lost enough kinetic energy to be at thermal equilibrium with the operating environment. Alpha particles can also be generated through the decay of a small amount of radioactive contaminants in semiconductor packages.
In many circuits, an SEU may have only a transient effect following the particle strike, with the variation disappearing depending on the logic delay of the circuit. However, in circuits containing SRAM, an SEU occurring in an SRAM cell may cause the cell to change state and store an incorrect bit. In programmable logic circuits, which include memory cells whose stored values determine the function of each logic block, an SEU can change the function of the programmed logic such that the programmed logic will not function as intended until the programmable logic is reconfigured.

Integrated circuit package with thermal neutron shielding


The present disclosure relates to a method to enhance the efficiency and reduce interfacial charge transfer resistance in dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and a perovskite solar cell (PSC) by fabricating with Mg and La doped photoanodes. Mg and La co-doped into TiO2 has shown more than 20% efficiency than pristine TiO2 and more than 5% higher efficiency than the single doping of 1% La and Mg in TiO2 cells. Thus, the present disclosure relates to an improved photoanode material to be used in solar cells.

Dye sensitized solar cell that surfaced in the early 1990s from the pioneering work of Micheal Gratzel and Brian O' Regon highlighted the use of cheaper, easily manufactured materials and a more sustainable approach to convert sunlight to electrical power. These cells from front to the back, are made up of a transparent conductive oxide coated glass (TCO), a porous metal oxide layer (the anode) to support light sensitive adsorbed dye molecules and also to aid in electron transport to the TCO, a liquid/solid-state electrolyte that facilitates electron transfer for dye regeneration by ion transport from redox reactions. The electrolyte is sandwiched between the anode and a TCO coated platinum cathode to catalyze the reduction and oxidation reactions of the redox species in the electrolyte (O'Regan and Gratzel; 1991). This cell technology has shown high prospects over amorphous silicon and hetero-junction solar cells which have production cost due to their very high purity requirements.
Since few years different materials of varying optical and electrical properties (WO2011041762A2, 2011); particles of varying morphology and architecture; dyes with different aggregation; speed of electron injection and HOMO-LUMO gaps; and electrolyte with different redox potentials and faster redox reactions, to enhance electron transport and reduce back current within the cell thereby increasing the efficiency of converting sunlight to electrical current are bring introduced.

Method to enhance the efficiency of dye sensitized and perovskite solar cell


A system (1) for the management of data pertaining to a wheel service comprises: a database (2) including, for each tyre of a plurality of tyres, a tyre identification code; at least one tyre measurement parameter representing a physical quantity linked to the tyre or to the use thereof, and a related time mark, which indicates the time the tyre measurement parameter was captured; a knowledge dataset (3) containing reference data; a processor (4) having access to the database (2) and to the knowledge dataset (3) and programmed to process the at least one tyre measurement parameter and the reference data and to generate derived data.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,322B1 discloses a system for the management of wheel service orders and information and comprising: an interface configured to receive an instruction from a user, a processor programmed to receive an instruction from the interface and to generate an order (for example, a repair service procedure to be executed) as a function of the instruction, one or more repair devices configured to receive the order and in turn to transmit up-to-date information to the processor regarding execution of the procedure; the history of the instructions and orders is stored in a database. This system allows the repair service procedures to be carried out in a coordinated and organized manner.
Patent document WO2018023013A1 provides a system comprising a sensor for detecting a signal pertaining to the use of an electrical appliance (for example, absorbed current), a processor connected to the sensor to sample the signals measured, a database configured to store the signals measured by the sensor and sampled by the processor, a transmitter configured to transmit the signals to a communications network, to determine an operating condition of the electrical appliance. The heart of this system is the electrical appliance; the system allows organizing and cross-referencing the signals measured by the tools to promptly identify any possible faults.
Patent document WO2017017249A1 provides a system for assessing the condition of a tyre, comprising: at least a first and a second module, each including a housing containing at least one detection device for measuring a parameter; a remote database connected to the first and the second module, means of cooperation between the first and the second module, responsible for combining the information from the two modules with the information contained in the database in order to assess the condition of the tyre. The system is therefore designed to assess the general condition of a tyre by combining the information from different detection devices.
Patent document WO2016070069A1 describes a system for providing information regarding tyre accessories, wheel balancing weights, tyre pressure monitoring systems or service kits suitable for a motor car; the system is configured to capture an image of a vehicle identification code (for example by reading a barcode or a QR code), to process the image captured and to query a database (which associates each vehicle identification code with an information set—including, for example, a tyre accessory or a wheel balancing weight) in order to obtain that information and transmit it to a communications network.
Patent document EP3300930A1 discloses a method comprising the steps of entering in a tyre pressure diagnostic tool information regarding a vehicle owner; entering a vehicle identification number; entering a tyre identification number; measuring a tyre environment parameter by means of a pressure sensor.
Systems for interconnecting wheel service equipment are therefore known. The known systems, however, are limited to merely bringing together information from different measuring systems or tools, and, if necessary, communicating with a database in which the information is stored. In the prior art, the database may be used as a library from which information can be drawn (as in the case of document WO2016070069A1) or as a historical memory (as in document U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,322B1) but is in any case limited to being an ordered collection of information.
In the wheel service sector, but not only in that sector, there is therefore a need for a database capable not only of collecting information from different wheel service tools in as complete a manner as possible but also to use that information for subsequent processes according to criteria intended to provide an end user with derived quantities or signals calculated from that information (for example, alarms, forecasts, suggestions regarding actions to be taken).

System and method for the management of data pertaining to a wheel service


A braking content determiner determines a content of braking control on a rotating operation such that rotation of a paper feeding motor stops within a time required for stopping from a time point of detection of a sheet by a sheet sensor to a time point of passing of a trailing edge of the sheet through a paper feeding roller, the time required for stopping being determined based on a length of the sheet in a sheet conveying direction, a predetermined speed of the paper feeding roller, and a distance between the paper feeding roller and the sheet sensor in a sheet conveying route. A controller performs the braking control on the rotating operation of the paper feeding motor, according to the content determined by the braking content determiner, upon or prior to the detection by the sheet sensor of the sheet sent out by the paper feeding roller.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a paper feeding device configured to feed sheets.
2. Related Art
A printer such as an inkjet printer or a stencil printer includes a paper feeding device configured to send out sheets from a paper feed tray and convey the sheets to a printing unit. In such a paper feeding device, a paper feeding roller sends out each sheet one by one on the paper feed tray to an intermediate conveying roller, and the intermediate conveying roller sends out the sheet to a registration roller. A leading edge of the sent-out sheet abuts on the registration roller and temporarily stops.
The intermediate roller continues to send out the sheet toward the registration roller after the leading edge of the sheet stops. Accordingly, the sheet forms sag between the registration roller and the intermediate conveying roller until the registration roller starts to rotate. This sag corrects skewing of the sheet and the sheet whose skewing is corrected is sent out to the printing unit with the rotation start of the registration roller.
A motor driving the paper feeding roller is stopped by deceleration control after the leading edge of the sheet reaches the intermediate conveying roller. The motor is connected to the paper feeding roller via a one-way clutch, and the paper feeding roller is rotated by following the sheet after the motor stops. The following rotation of the paper feeding roller continues until a trailing edge of the sheet passes the paper feeding roller.
Stopping the motor for the paper feeding roller by the deceleration control requires a certain amount of time. Accordingly, when the trailing edge of the sheet passes the paper feeding roller before the motor stops, the paper feeding roller ends the following rotation, but continues to rotate for a while by the drive of the motor and sends out the subsequent sheet in the paper feed tray slightly. Due to this, the subsequent sheet is sent out from the paper feed tray sometimes at incorrect timing.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2009-40568 propose a technique of sending out a sheet to a printing unit at correct timing. In this technique, when a sensor arranged between a paper feeding roller and a registration roller detects a leading edge of the sheet, the speed of a conveying roller conveying the sheet is reduced from a first speed to a second speed. In this speed control, the second speed is set higher as the timing at which the sensor detects the leading edge of the sheet becomes later.


Monitoring criteria is received that corresponds to a usage quantity for a plurality of services. Each of the plurality of services is provided over ones of a plurality of different communication systems. Actual service usage information is received for the plurality of services. The actual service usage information and the monitoring criteria are compared. An electronic notification message is sent when the monitoring criteria for one or more of the plurality of services is satisfied.

The present invention is described in greater detail in the following non-limiting Examples. Services, such as telecommunications or other data services, may be billed on a "pay-per-use" basis. For example, a customer may be charged a rate per minute for the use of long distance telephone service or an amount may be charged for a given number of minutes of use. Video or audio media may be obtained by a customer for a fee based on the quantity of the media that is received. Customers are typically billed periodically for such services, such as with monthly billing. In order to monitor the usage of a particular service, the customer may track the amount of service that he or she uses. If the customer does not track the amount of services used or is incorrect about the amount of services used, the customer may receive a bill for services that is larger than expected at the end of a billing cycle.
It may be difficult or inconvenient for a customer to accurately track how much service is being used. Customers may also receive several types of services through more than one communications system or service provider. The number of services received by a customer can add to the difficulty in tracking the monetary charges that the customer can expect at the end of a billing cycle. In addition, several members of a household or business unit may share the same billing account, and tracking usage by several different members of the household or business may require coordination between members that is difficult or not practical.

Methods, systems and computer program products for monitoring service usage


A hypodermic fluid dispenser and collapsible cartridges having fluid-holding chambers therefor includes an insertor device for moving the cartridges into the dispenser, a resilient device for collapsing the cartridges, a motor energizing the resilient device and a source of electrical energy for the motor.

Hypodermic fluid dispensers fall into two broad categories, namely, needle hypodermic dispensers and jet injectors. Jet injectors are particularly useful in immunization programs which involve the delivery of a non-living virus; and needle injectors are useful in the delivery of non-living virus and of medications.
In general, jet inoculation, as compared to needle inoculation, is less traumatic, presents a lower risk of cross-contamination, requires less operator training, and allows a higher number of procedures per unit of time.
Although both needle hypodermic injectors and high pressure jet injectors have been widely used, the presently known devices have serious disadvantages. The problems associated with needle injectors in the spread of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) alone is sufficient motivation to avoid proliferation of today's needle systems. People cannot be relied upon to dispose of needle injectors in accordance with instructions and good practice; and an element of the population are tempted to reuse needles without knowledge of or regard for safe practices.
Jet injectors generally avoid the above-referenced problems associated with needle :injectors; however, the presently available injectors are expensive; prone to failure; too bulky to transport conveniently; and are generally inconvenient to use.


A cutting segment for a cutting tool used for cutting or drilling a brittle workpiece, such as stone, brick, concrete and asphalt, a method of manufacturing the segment and a cutting tool provided with the segment are disclosed. The segment comprises a plurality of plate-shaped metal matrix layers laminated perpendicular to a cutting surface of the segment while being parallel to a cutting direction of the segment, the plate-shaped metal matrix layers being integrally combined with each other and made of a ferrous or non-ferrous material; and diamond particle layers arranged between the plate-shaped metal matrix layers such that diamond particles can be provided in an array on the cutting surface. The segment has an excellent cutting capability, and can be made by a simplified manufacturing process, thereby remarkably reducing manufacturing costs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cutting segment for a cutting tool used for cutting or drilling brittle workpieces, such as stone, brick, concrete and asphalt; a method of manufacturing the segment; and a cutting tool comprising the segment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cutting segment for a cutting tool, which uses a plate-shaped metal matrix instead of a powdered metal matrix, a method of manufacturing the segment, and a cutting tool comprising the segment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to cut or dill brittle workpieces, such as stone, brick, concrete and asphalt, it is necessary to provide an abrasive material having hardness higher than that of the workpieces.
Synthetic diamond particles, natural diamond particles, nitrogen boride and cemented carbide are well known in the art as abrasive materials, and particularly, synthetic diamond particles have been most widely used in the art of cutting tools among these materials.
Synthetic diamond (referred to as "diamond" hereinafter) was invented in the 1950's, and is known as a material having a higher hardness than any other material on earth. Due to this property, the diamond is used for a cutting tool, a grinding tool and the like.
Particularly, the diamond has been widely used in the field of stone machining when cutting or grinding a variety of stones, such as marble, granite and the like, and in the field of construction when cutting or grinding concrete structures.
A cutting segment (also referred to as "segment" hereinafter) comprising diamond particles as the abrasive material, and a cutting tool comprising the same will now be described.
Typically, a segment type diamond tool comprises a plurality of segments, each having the diamond particles distributed thereon, and a steel core holding the segment.
FIG. 1 shows an example of the segment type diamond tool.
Referring to FIG. 1, the segment type diamond tool comprises a plurality of segments 11 and 12 fixed to a disk-shaped steel core 2 and having diamond particles 5 randomly distributed in each of the segments 11 and 12.
The segments are manufactured according to powder metallurgy, in which the diamond particles are mixed with metal powders acting as a matrix, and are then compacted and sintered.
As mentioned above, when the diamond particles are mixed with the metal powders, the diamond particles are not uniformly distributed among the metal powders, resulting in a decrease in cutting efficiency of the diamond particles and reduction in life span.
That is, when mixing the diamond particles and the metal powders acting as the matrix, differences in sizes and specific gravities between the particles cause segregation of the diamond particles, thereby generating non-uniform distribution of the diamond particles among the metal powders. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, a cutting surface 3 in each segment with an excessively large amount of diamond particles distributed thereon or a cutting surface 4 with an excessively small amount of diamond particles distributed thereon can be formed.
When the diamond particles are segregated as described above, not only is the cutting efficiency of the cutting tool deteriorated, but the life span of the cutting tool is also reduced.
As a technology for solving the above problems caused by the segregation of the diamond particles, a patterning technology, which distributes the diamond particles in a predetermined pattern, has been suggested and an example thereof is illustrated in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows another example of a segment type diamond tool 20 in which the diamond particles are distributed in the predetermined pattern.
Referring to FIG. 2, each of the segments 21 and 22 has the diamond particles 5 distributed thereon in the predetermined pattern. That is, the diamond particles 5 are uniformly distributed in each of the segments 21 and 22.
According to the patterning technology, instead of mixing the metal powders and the diamond particles, the metal powders and the diamond particles are arranged in layers by repeating a process for arranging the diamond particles on the metal powder matrix in a predetermined, non-random pattern and a process for positioning the metal powder matrix on the diamond particles. The layered products are then compacted into a predetermined compact, followed by sintering, thereby providing the segment.
Although the patterning technology for the diamond particles can solve the problems caused by segregation of the diamond particles, intrinsic problems caused by the use of the powdered metal matrix cannot be solved.
That is, when manufacturing the segment, if metal powders are used for the matrix, the metal powders are subjected to a higher pressure during a process of compacting the metal matrix. During the process of compacting the metal matrix, due to severe wear of compaction die by the diamond particles, there frequently occurs a variation in thickness of the matrix or a breakage of the matrix, thereby lowering productivity. Furthermore, in severe cases, dimensions of the matrix are changed, so that the segments have different dimensions, respectively, resulting in performance variation and deterioration of the diamond tool.
Further, even though the metal powders for the matrix can be manufactured by various methods using the same components, manufacturing costs of the metal powders are remarkably high compared with a bulk of metal, such as plate, coil, rod, and the like.
Additionally, when manufacturing the segments through powder metallurgy, a process for mixing the diamond particles and the metal powders, a process for compacting the mixture of the diamond particles and the metal powders into a predetermined compact, and a process for sintering the compact must be sequentially preformed, complicating the manufacturing processes.

Cutting segment, method of manufacturing cutting segment, and cutting tool


An image data refreshing method used in an image data displaying device is provided. The method includes the following procedures. First, a refreshing center of a display area is defined according to a visual focus of a present frame displayed on the display area. Next, the display area is divided into at least a first sub-display area and a second sub-display area according to the refreshing center, wherein the refreshing center is located within the first sub-display area which is surrounded by the second sub-display area. Then, the refreshing rate of image data of the first sub-display area and that of the second sub-display area are set respectively. Afterwards, the image data of the first sub-display area and that of the second sub-display area are respectively refreshed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an image data refreshing method and a displaying system using the same, and more particularly to an image data refreshing method which updates a frame by subdivided areas and a displaying system using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the advance in digital technology, a large variety of electronic apparatus which were originally connected via cable lines for data transmission are now connected through wireless network. As a result, the arrangement of the data generating end (such as a computer) and the data displaying end (such as a television, a projector, a digital Hi-Fi stereo) is made more flexible, and the transmission distance is prolonged. Furthermore, the cable line is omitted, and the mess of cable lines which affects the tidiness and esthetic arrangement of the environment is avoided.
Wireless projector is already available in the market now. The wireless projector is achieved by adding a wireless transmission module to a projector. After an image data is packaged by a computer, the packaged image data is transmitted to a wireless digital module through a wireless network protocol such as 802.11a/b/g to be converted and projected the image by the projector.
However, as the image data is transmitted through a network, a certain bandwidth is required. In a network environment where a large amount of information is needed to be transmitted, it is very likely that the delay in package transmission caused by the exhaustion of bandwidth will affect the updating speed of image data, thereby making frame response rate slow down.

Image data refreshing method and display system using the same


The present invention relates to novel compositions comprising an agonist and an antagonist, in certain ratios which allow for the onset of agonist action followed quickly by alleviation by antagonist action, and methods of use in personal defense and law enforcement.

Non-lethal weapons are designed to incapacitate the target, and when properly used do not result in any injuries, fatalities or after effects. Non-lethal weapons in the form of aerosol sprays capable of temporarily incapacitating a target have shown great use both for enforcement and defensive purposes. These non-lethal sprays are particularly useful in close proximity encounters, such as breaking up a bar fight or intervening in a domestic disturbance; stopping fleeing suspects; in hostage or terrorist situations; in barricade situations, where the subject is violent, but has not taken a hostage; and generally in crowd control or riot situations.
Aerosol sprays commercially available are of three types: chloroacetophenone (CN) commonly known as mace, orthochlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS) commonly known as tear gas, and oleoresin capsicum (OC) also known as pepper spray. Both mace and tear gas are lachrymators that cause tearing and irritation. However, they have no effect on those who are enraged or are under the influence of narcotics, or alcohol. Pepper sprays contain an extract of hot pepper and act as an inflammatory agent causing closing of the eyes and coughing
Initial aerosol type formulations were of the lachrymator type, such as Chemical Mace® lachrymator, included various types of liquid based CN chemical formulae in pressurized aerosol spray containers. However, the lachrymator agents used in such sprays contain highly toxic and/or cancer causing chemicals. Furthermore, such technology used environmentally unfriendly carrier agent/solvents such as trichlorotrifluoroethanes (CFC's 111, 113) and cosmetic kerosene.
In an effort to overcome these problems, a pepper based inflammatory spray technology was developed and first introduced through the CAP-STUN® brand pepper spray in 1982 introduced into the self-protection market. Pepper sprays are available with various concentration of capsaicin (capsaicinoids), which is the primary ingredient producing the effects of pepper spray. Various types of pepper sprays have since come into existence; however, the technology of pepper spray is still basically unchanged since its inception.
Even though pepper sprays and other lachrymators are generally effective for self-defense purposes, improvements are still desired, particularly in decreasing the time for incapacitation while avoiding long term effects on the target. Law enforcement officials would like to be able to incapacitate a suspect for a sufficient time to allow immobilization while decreasing time spent under the influence of the pepper spray active ingredient. Excessive exposure to capsaicin may result in permanent harm or injury to the recipient, particularly damage to the eyes, skin, or upper respiratory tract. This has left unmet the need for an effective, shorter duration spray that can be used without long-term harm to the recipient, while reducing or eliminating any impact on the user and any bystanders, and reducing any adverse effects on the environment.
Other problems arise with defense spray applications, such as in pepper sprays and mace, where the spray is directed to the facial area. Here the solvent formulation requirements are stricter since they are intentionally sprayed on an individuals face, with exposure to eyes, skin and the respiratory system. Therefore, the solvent formulation should also pass toxicological tests showing no damage to the eyes, skin or upper respiratory tract. Furthermore, the solvent formulation must be miscible with the active ingredients in the defense spray.
The mechanism of action of capsaicin is known. It stimulates a nerve pathway, that of C-fiber sensory neurons, involved in the perception of pain. Although pepper sprays are effective, they currently have two defects. First, the duration of pain that they cause is excessively long, causing suffering. Second, they have been reported to be life threatening for a subpopulation of people, who suffer from asthma and have hypersensitive airways, although the magnitude of this concern is questioned. The current invention provides a composition, methods of use that overcome the above deficiencies, together with a manufacture incorporating such compositions.

Agonist/antagonist compositions and methods of use

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services


A luminescence sensor, comprising a non-transparent substrate structure (2) having at least one aperture (5) intended to comprise an analyte and a transparent substrate structure (3), which is arranged to or adjacent said first structure (2). The aperture has a smallest lateral dimension, which is smaller than half the effective wavelength of an excitation radiation, such as light at a wavelength of 700 nm, resulting in an effective wavelength in water of about 538 nm. The transparent structure has a trench (4) with a surface portion provided with ligands with an affinity towards a target molecule. The trench results in that a luminophore attached to the target molecule will be positioned at the entrance surface of the aperture, where the excitation energy is largest.

Biosensor technology is well known in the art.
US Patent Application No. 2003/0174992 discloses a method and an apparatus for providing a zero-mode waveguide including an analyte, which is subjected to activation by electromagnetic radiation for analyzing the analyte.
European Patent Application No. 05105599.4, entitled "Luminescence sensors using sub-wavelength apertures or slits", filed on Jun. 23, 2005, discloses a biosensor with sub-wavelength spatial resolution operating inside a fluid.
In such a biosensor, an analyte may be arranged in apertures having at least partly sub-wavelength dimensions. The analyte may be included in a fluid. A luminophore present in the fluid emits radiation when exposed to excitation energy. The emitted radiation is collected by a detector.
A disadvantage of these type of biosensors is that the luminescent energy originating from an individual luminophore may depend on the position of the luminophore inside the aperture. As a result, these type of biosensors may have a response that has a poor quantitative relationship to the analyte to be analyzed, resulting in a poor accuracy of the detected property.


An optical encoder according to the present invention includes a light source that emits light; a scale including scale gratings each having a predetermined pitch; a light source grating disposed between the light source and the scale and having a predetermined pitch; and an interference fringe detector that detects an interference fringe generated by the light source grating and the scale. The scale gratings are disposed side by side, and the adjacent scale gratings are displaced from each other by a ½ period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical encoder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 63-33604 describes an optical encoder that detects a relative displacement between two members by using a three-grating principle. FIG. 11 illustrates the structure of an optical encoder 800 described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 63-33604. The optical encoder 800 includes three gratings, which are a light source grating 120 disposed directly below a light source 110, a scale grating 850 disposed in a scale 840, and a light-receiving grating 151 disposed directly above a photodiode 152. A detection head 170, which includes the light source grating 120 and the light-receiving grating 151, moves relative to the scale 840; and the amount of movement of the detection head 170 is detected from a change in the intensity of a signal generated by the photodiode 152.
The light source grating 120 includes light-transmitting portions 121 and light-blocking portions 122, which are alternately arranged with a period P. The scale grating 850 includes light-transmitting portions 851 and light-blocking portions 852, which are alternately arranged with a period P. The light-receiving grating 151 includes light-transmitting portions 153 and light-blocking portions 154, which are alternately arranged with a period P. According to the three-grating principle, the light source grating 120, the scale grating 850, and the light-receiving grating 151 have the same grating pitch. Moreover, a gap between the light source grating 120 and the scale 840 and a gap between the scale 840 and the light-receiving grating 151 are the same as each other.
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the light source grating 120, the scale grating 850, and the light-receiving grating 151. Cross-sections of light-blocking portions 122a to 122d, 852a to 852e, and 154a to 154d are hatched.
How the scale 840 moves and how interference fringes are generated due to the movement of the optical encoder 800 will be briefly described. To be specific, how a peak of signal intensity occurs every time the scale 840 moves by a half pitch according to the three-grating principle will be described. The description will be made with reference to FIGS. 12, 13, and 14. FIG. 12 illustrates an initial state. In the state shown in FIG. 12, the lines of the light source grating 120 and the scale grating 850 are aligned with each other. (Thus, there are paths through which 0-th order light can pass light-transmitting portions of the light source grating 120 and the scale grating 850.) The light-receiving grating 151 is disposed so that the lines thereof are aligned with those of the light source grating 120. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 12, the lines of the light source grating 120, the scale grating 850, and the light-receiving grating 151 are aligned with each other. In this state, the light-transmitting portions of the light source grating 120 will be referred to as 121a, 121b, 121c, . . . , from the right side. Likewise, the light-transmitting portions of the scale grating 850 will be referred to as 851a, 851b, 851c, . . . , from the right side. The light-transmitting portions of the light-receiving grating 151 will be referred to as 153a, 153b, 153c, . . . , from the right side.
In this state, bright interference fringes are formed at positions where light rays that have passed through light-transmitting portions of the light source grating 120 and the scale grating 850 and reached the light-receiving grating 151 along the same optical path length. For example, the optical path lengths of a light ray that passes through 121b, 851c, and 153c and a light ray that passes through 121b, 851b, and 153c are the same. Accordingly, a bright interference fringe is formed at the light-transmitting portion 153c of the light-receiving grating 151. Likewise, the optical path lengths of a light ray that passes through 121b, 851c, and 153b and a light ray that passes through 121b, 851a, and 153b are the same. Accordingly, a bright interference fringe is formed at the light-transmitting portion 153b of the light-receiving grating 151. As describe above, in the state shown in FIG. 12, light that has passed through the light source grating 120 and the scale grating 850 generates interference fringes including bright interference fringes arranged with a half-pitch period at the position of the light-receiving grating 151. Accordingly, all light rays forming the bright interference fringes pass through the light-transmitting portions of the light-receiving grating 151 and reach the photodiode 152. At this time, the signal intensity of the photodiode 152 is at a peak.
Next, suppose that the scale grating 850 gradually moves rightward from the state shown in FIG. 12. When the scale grating 850 moves, the positions of the interference fringes gradually change. As the positions of bright interference fringes become displaced from the light-transmitting portions of the light-receiving grating 151, the signal intensity of the photodiode 152 would gradually decrease. The signal intensity reaches a peak again when the scale 840 has moved by a half pitch as illustrated in FIG. 13.
As can be seen by tracing light rays in FIG. 13, the optical path lengths of a light ray that passes through 121b, 851d, and 153c and a light ray that passes through 121b, 851b, and 153c are the same. Accordingly, a bright interference fringe is formed at the light-transmitting portion 153c of the light-receiving grating 151. (Recall that, also in the state shown in FIG. 12, a bright interference fringe is formed at the light-transmitting portion 153c of the light-receiving grating 151.) Likewise, for example, the optical path lengths of a light ray that passes through 121b, 851c, and 153b and a light ray that passes through 121b, 851b, and 153b are the same. Accordingly, a bright interference fringe is formed at the light-transmitting portion 153b of the light-receiving grating 151.
As described above, in the state shown in FIG. 13, light that has passed through the light source grating 120 and the scale grating 850 form interference fringes including bright interference fringes arranged at a half-pitch period at the position of the light-receiving grating 151. These interference fringes are the same as those formed in the state shown in FIG. 12 (before the scale grating 850 moves by a half pitch).
FIG. 14 illustrates a state in which the scale grating 850 has moved further by a half pitch, which is substantially the same as the state shown in FIG. 12. Accordingly, interference fringes formed in the state shown in FIG. 14 are the same as those of FIG. 12.
FIG. 15 is a graph representing a change in the detection signal that occurs when the scale grating 850 moves. The detection signal reaches a peak every time the scale grating 850 moves by a half pitch. Although it may not be possible to make the line spacing of each of the light source grating 120, the scale grating 850, and the light-receiving grating 151 smaller than the pitch P due to limitation on manufacturing technology, an encoder including these grating has a resolution of a half pitch (P/2). This a great advantage of an encoder using the three-grating principle.
Moreover, an encoder using the three-grating principle has the following advantage. Because the same change in the signal intensity is repeated with a certain period (every time the scale grating 850 moves by a half pitch), interpolation of dividing one period of the signal can be performed so as to detect a displacement of the scale grating 850 smaller than the signal period (half pitch). Note that this interpolation, in which a half period P/2 is interpolated, provides a resolution that is twice a resolution obtained by performing interpolation in which a period P is interpolated.
As described above, according to the three-grating principle, a peak of the detection signal can be obtained every time the scale grating 850 moves by a half pitch. To be more specific, the signal intensity at peaks XII and XIV slightly differs from that at a peak XIII. In FIG. 15, the peak XII corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 12, the peak XIII corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 13, and the peak XIV corresponds to the state shown in FIG. 14. Although the peak of the signal occurs every time the scale grating 850 moves by a half pitch, the signals obtained at every half pitch differ from each other. This means that it is not possible to correctly perform interpolation, which assumes that the same signal can be obtained at every certain period (every time the scale grating 850 moves by a half pitch).
It is certain that the peak XII (in the case shown in FIG. 12) is the same as the peak XIV (in the case shown in FIG. 14), which is formed when the scale grating 850 moves by one pitch from the state shown in FIG. 12. Accordingly, in order to perform interpolation correctly, it is necessary to interpolate the period P. If interpolation were performed with a period P/2, an interpolation error would be unavoidably generated. (The interpolation error would have a period P.) It is meaningless to perform interpolation of the period P/2, for obtaining a high resolution, only to generate an unavoidable error with the period P.
The inventors noticed this problem and investigated the cause of the problem. As a result, the inventors found that, even though positions of the interference fringes generated in the case of FIG. 12 (FIG. 14) are the same as those of the case of FIG. 13, the characteristics of the optical paths in these cases differ from each other.