A sensor for detecting environmental media and pressure comprises two types of optical fibers. An intrinsic fiber containing a portion of the fiber with the jacket removed is sensitive to its surroundings as some light traveling through the fiber will escape. The change in light intensity is received by a light detector, and this information is interpreted to correspond to a certain media, a change in media, or a phase change in media. An extrinsic fiber with a membrane and mirror located at one end is placed vertically in the media. Pressure from the media changes the position of the membrane and the mirror, resulting in a change in the intensity of the light reflected back through the fiber to the light detector. The pressure can then be used to determine the volume of the media in the container. Pressure determination can be continuous. In addition, both types of sensors can be networked, allowing information from one sensor to influence the gathering of information from the other. Both sensors are housed in a durable container, which is connected to the light source and light detector. The container has protective grooves with concave shapes, which prevents accidental damage to the fragile fibers.

Optical fibers have been used in many types of sensing devices to detect specific media, phase changes in media, and media pressure. For example, the medical field uses fiber optics to measure the intravascular blood pressure of patients. The automotive industry employs fiber optic pressure sensors to measure pressure inside internal engine combustion chambers. In addition, the oil industry makes use of fiber optics to analyze the contents and pressure of oil and gas tanks, as well as oil wells.
Typically, such devices consist of a light source, such as a laser, and a light detector, such as a charge coupled device, connected by an optical fiber. Light from the light source is continuously transmitted through the fiber to the sensor. At the sensor, the light is affected by the media, resulting in a change in light intensity or power. The light then travels to the light detector, where the change in intensity or power is interpreted. The information is then displayed to the user.
Usually, an optical fiber consists of a core and cladding surrounded by a jacket. The jacket functions as a protective barrier, as it does not permit light from the core of the fiber to pass into the environment nor light from the environment to pass into the core. Thus, a jacket ensures that an optical fiber will have almost complete total internal reflection, with minimal light loss due to transmission through the jacket.
How the light is affected at the sensor depends on how the optical fiber is used. Optical fibers can be used extrinsically or intrinsically. Intrinsic fibers are active components of the sensor as their main characteristic, total internal reflection, is altered.
For intrinsic fibers, a portion of the jacket is stripped away, allowing a small amount of light transmission through the cladding or core. The resulting decrease in light intensity or power can be measured by finding the difference between the intensity of the light emitted by the light source and the intensity of the light received at the light detector. The amount of light lost corresponds to a change in the environment, such as a change in media or a change in phase of the same media. An intrinsic fiber sensor may be placed between two normally jacketed optical fibers, or it may be placed at the end of a normally jacketed optical fiber, depending on the user's needs.
Extrinsic fibers are used to detect changes in environmental pressure. They comprise unaltered optical fibers that have a membrane and a reflecting device, such as a mirror, at one end. The fiber is typically positioned vertically, with the membrane and mirror located at the bottom end. Light from the light source travels down the length of the fiber until it encounters the mirror, where it is reflected. The jacket is not removed from any part of the fiber, so total internal reflection is maintained. The sensor is usually lowered into the environment to be analyzed. At increasing depth, the upward pressure increases and the membrane is deformed. The change in position of the membrane causes a change in the position of the mirror. When light from the light source travels down the optical fiber, it will hit the mirror and be reflected back at an angle corresponding to the deformation of the membrane and hence the pressure. The change in reflection angle results in scattering of light and thus a variation in the intensity of the light that is reflected back to the light detector. Using information about the pressure of a medium allows the user to calculate the depth. If the dimensions of the container holding the medium are known, the volume can easily be calculated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,005 by Brossia et al. discloses a sensor to detect environmental media and pressure which makes use of two intrinsic optical fibers. One sensor comprises an unjacketed part of optical fiber between two jacketed parts. This sensor is capable of distinguishing between phases, such as water and ice, and different substances, such as water and gasoline. The second sensor is similar to the first except that it contains a number of unjacketed fiber optic segments and it is placed vertically in the substance to be analyzed. This sensor is capable of distinguishing volume, as the depth and change of depth of the substance is sensed by the number and position of sensors in contact with the substance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,971 by McMahon et al. discloses a fiber optic detection system with an intrinsic fiber sensor in a U-shaped configuration. With such a fiber optic loop, the amount of light lost can be determined by the degree of curvature of the loop. The diameter of this loop can be predetermined to provide optimum results for each substance to be analyzed. In addition, the loop improves compactness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,170 by Saaski et al. discloses a multifunctional sensor system which uses a number of optical fibers to detect environmental media. Of interest is the use of numerous fibers in different patterns to transmit light to and from the sensor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,053 by Wlodarczyk et al. describes a fiber optic pressure system which makes use of an external sensor intended for use in the automotive industry. In this invention, the deformable membrane is less sensitive to higher temperatures, which can distort pressure readings.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,273 by Chevalier discloses a fiber optic pressure system with inclusions in a compressible transparent material. The pressure sensors comprise optical fibers surrounded by a material which is essentially elastic to deformation and is optically transparent to the wavelengths of light used. At least two sensors are used. The distance between the sensors varies when the length between them is deformed. This, in turn, modifies the focal length of the defined optical system and leads to a variation in the light energy collected by a light detector.
None of the above inventions combine the two types of sensors, intrinsic and extrinsic, to design a detector which has the ability to detect both environmental media and pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,005 can detect the relative level of a fluid in a container, which can be used with other measurements to determine volume; however, it cannot detect the pressure of a fluid.
In addition, no mention is made of protecting the fragile optical fibers which are exposed. The sensors are often lowered to great depths into tanks and in the process the fibers frequently hit against the tank walls. In the case of the oil industry, which produces highly flammable products, the sensing devices are thus vulnerable to explosions. Over and above such major hazards, minor damage to the fibers can result in changes in light reflected or transmitted, which leads to faulty readings.


A blanket installation method includes: a transporting step of transporting a blanket unit (1), in which a blanket (2) and a transport jig (3) are integrally coupled, between an inner tank (60) and an outer tank (50) of a double shell structure tank in a suspended condition; and a mounting step of mounting the blanket unit (1) on a shell plate of the inner tank (60). The transport jig (3) is formed by attaching a blanket fixing pin (34) to a jig main body (3A) through pin coupling. The blanket (2) is held at the blanket fixing pin (34).

In the related art, as a tank configured to store a cryogenic liquid such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) or the like, a double shell structure tank constituted by an outer tank and an inner tank is known. In such a double shell structure tank, granular perlite serving as a cold insulation agent is filled in a space between the outer tank and the inner tank to form a cold insulation layer (see Patent Document 1). In addition, in order to prevent collapse of the inner tank due to a pressure difference between the outside (the cold insulation layer) and the inside of the inner tank, a resilient blanket (hereinafter, simply referred to as a blanket) is installed at a shell plate (an outer wall surface) of the inner tank.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Blanket installation method and blanket unit


The sequential stimulator for the treatment of dysphagic patients incorporates a unit which is capable of detecting a swallowing signal from the glossal or temporalis surface electromyography (SEMG). When a swallowing signal is recognized, a trigger signal is sent to the stimulation generation unit to release high voltage stimuli sequentially to the suprahyoid muscles or the masseter muscles and the pharyngeal muscles in order to assist in the elevation of the larynx. This enables the pharyngeal lumen to open more widely so that food can pass through the patient""s pharynx and into the oesophagus more easily during swallowing. Thus the sequential stimulator is a device for assisting swallowing in patients with dysphagia due to a variety of causes, for instance, brain injury, cerebrovascular accident, injury of the cervical nerves, muscles weakness, or old age. The stimulator is operative only when the patient attempts to swallow and provides a physiologic stimulus and provides a means of immediate relief of the swallowing difficulty. The device is also useful for physical therapy whereby the muscles under the chin, the masseter muscles and the pharyngeal muscles can be re-educated to contract in the normal coordinated sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and an apparatus for treating poor laryngeal-elevation disorder with sequential-high voltage electrical stimulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The mechanism of normal human swallowing involves 3 phases:
Phase 1: is the oral phase, during which food in the oral cavity is masticated and mixed.
Phase 2: is the pharyngeal phase, during which the masticated and mixed food bolus is propelled from the oral cavity into the pharyngeal lumen and thence into the upper oesophagus. The second phase of swallowing involves the use of the glossal muscles and the pharyngeal muscles (suprahyoid and thyrohyoid) and a lowering of the base of the tongue. The tongue muscles then propel food bolus from the oral cavity into the pharyngeal lumen. At this stage, the muscles of the pharynx contract in sequence, raising elevating the larynx and moving it forward in order to open the pharyngeal lumen and the upper oesophageal sphincter so that the bolus can pass readily into the upper oesophagus.
Phase 3: is the oesophageal phase and marks the phase of peristaltic propulsion of the bolus through the oesophagus and into the stomach.
There are many different treatment modalities for dysphagic patients depending on the pathology of the patient. For instance, in patients who have difficulty with the initiation of swallowing, the swallowing reflex may be stimulated by a special device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,185) or by the use of a cooled dental mirror to stroke the anterior tonsillar pillar.
For patients in whom the function of the pharyngeal muscles is absent, reduced or uncoordinated, laryngeal elevation may be insufficient or absent. This has the effect of reducing the width of the pharyngeal lumen and an inadequate opening of the upper oesophageal sphincter. The patient therefore experiences difficulty in swallowing or may aspirate food into the larynx and the trachea. Such patients may be treated with several methods such as, for instance, exercise of the pharyngeal muscles using various biofeedback devices which enhance contraction of the pharyngeal muscles, or surgery to retract the larynx to the mandible, to close the larynx, or to resect the upper oesophageal sphincter. None of these treatments offers an automatic and dynamic cure, i.e., a means to increase the function of the pharyngeal muscles and aid in the elevation of the larynx actually during the swallow.
Treatment of patients with dysphagia associated with dysfunction of the pharyngeal muscles using previously available high voltage stimulators, which are non-automatic and which are applied during regular sessions, is able to increase the power of contraction of the pharyngeal muscles and suprahyoid and reduce the symptoms of patients with mild dysphagia, but is ineffective for severely dysphagic patients or those who aspirate when swallowing.
During development of the sequential stimulator for treatment of dysphagic patients emphasis was placed on the need to provide physiological stimulation of the muscles of deglutition, i.e, providing stimulation only at the time that the patient attempts to make an actual swallow, instead of during regular sessions of physical therapy. The device, therefore, is neither intended nor capable of initiating swallowing. Instead it has the capability to detect when the patient makes an attempt to swallow and responds by sending a sequence of high voltage stimuli to the muscles of the suprahyoid and the thyrohyoid muscles, whose contraction elevates the larynx and opens the pharyngeal lumen in order to allow the food bolus to pass through the pharynx. The device thus reinforces the normal process during swallowing, and is of particular value for the treatment of dysphagia due to the central nervous system lesions, or where immediate restoration is needed, for instance, in cerebrovascular accident, muscle weakness due to aging, and disruption of normal motor pathways.
The purpose of this invention is to provide sequential electrical stimulation for the treatment of dysphagic patients. The invention comprises 2 functional entities. The first functional entity of the device is responsible for monitoring the electrical signal from the glossal muscle picked up using skin surface electrodes placed bilaterally in the area of the patient""s submandibular salivary glands or from the temporalis muscle picked up using skin surface electrodes placed bilaterally in the patient""s temporal region. The surface electromyographic signal is then passed to a circuit responsible for detecting an attempted swallowing event. When an attempted swallowing event is detected, a trigger signal is sent to the second functional entity of the device, which is responsible for generating a high voltage pulsed stimulus which is delivered to the suprahyoid or masseter muscles and the thyrohyoid muscle. Contraction of these muscles in response to stimulation has the effect of elevating the larynx and when this occurs the pharyngeal lumen is widened, thereby allowing the easy passage of the food bolus through the pharynx into the upper oesophagus. Thus the sequential stimulator for treatment of dysphagic patients assists the normal physiological mechanism of swallowing, and does so at the moment when the patient attempts to perform a swallow.
The sequential stimulator for the treatment of dysphagic patients comprises a unit which is capable of detecting a swallowing signal from the glossal or temporalis surface electromyograph (SEMG). When a swallowing signal is recognized, a trigger signal is sent to the stimulation generation unit to release high voltage stimuli sequentially to the suprahyoid muscles or the masseter muscles and the pharyngeal muscles in order to assist in the elevation of the larynx. This enables the pharyngeal lumen to open more widely so that food can pass through the patient""s pharynx and into the oesophagus more easily during swallowing. Thus the sequential stimulator is a device for assisting swallowing in patients with dysphagia due to a variety of causes, for instance, brain injury, cerebrovascular accident, injury of the cervical nerves, muscles weakness, or old age. The stimulator is operative only when the patient attempts to swallow and provides a physiologic stimulus and provides a means of immediate relief of the swallowing difficulty. However, the device is also useful for physical therapy whereby the muscles under the chin, the masseter muscles and the pharyngeal muscles can be re-educated to contract in the normal coordinated sequence.

Method and apparatus for treating poor laryngeal-elevation disorder with sequential-high voltage electrical stimulation


A method for automatically positioning information related to a commodity on a graphical user interface. Market information is displayed on the graphical user interface. The market information may be presented as a number of indicators, corresponding to particular items of interest, that are associated with a static scale. The scale may, for example, represent price. Upon detecting a predetermined condition, the location of the market information is automatically repositioned.

Many exchanges throughout the world utilize electronic trading in varying degrees to trade stocks, bonds, futures, options and other products. These electronic exchanges are based on three components: mainframe computers (host), communications servers, and the exchange participants' computers (client). The host forms the electronic heart of the fully computerized electronic trading system. The system's operations cover order-matching, maintaining order books and positions, price information, and managing and updating the database for the online trading day as well as nightly batch runs. The host is also equipped with external interfaces that maintain uninterrupted online contact to quote vendors and other price information systems.
Traders can link to the host through at least three types of structures: high speed data lines, high speed communications servers or the Internet. High speed data lines establish direct connections between the client and the host. Another connection can be established by configuring high speed networks or communications servers at strategic access points worldwide in locations where traders physically are located. Data is transmitted in both directions between traders and exchanges via dedicated high speed communication lines. Most exchange participants install two lines between the exchange and the client site or between the communication server and the client site as a safety measure against potential failures. An exchange's internal computer system is also often installed with backups as a redundant measure to secure system availability. The third connection utilizes the Internet. Here, the exchange and the traders communicate back and forth through high speed data lines, which are connected to the Internet. This allows traders to be located anywhere they can establish a connection to the Internet.
Irrespective of the way in which a connection is established, the exchange participants' computers allow traders to participate in the market. They use software that creates specialized interactive trading screens on the traders' desktops. The trading screens enable traders to enter and execute orders, obtain market quotes, and monitor positions. The range and quality of features available to traders on their screens varies according to the specific software application being run. The installation of open interfaces in the development of an exchange's electronic strategy means users can choose, depending on their trading style and internal requirements, the means by which they will access the exchange.
The world's stock, bond, futures, options and other exchanges have volatile products with prices that move rapidly. To profit in these markets, traders must be able to react quickly. A skilled trader with the quickest software, the fastest communications, and the most sophisticated analysis can significantly improve the trader's own or the trader's firm's bottom line. The slightest speed advantage can generate significant returns in a fast moving market. In today's securities markets, a trader lacking a technologically advanced interface is at a severe competitive disadvantage.
Irrespective of what interface a trader uses to enter orders in the market, each market supplies to and requires from every trader the same information. The bids and asks in the market make up the market data and everyone logged on to trade can receive this information if the exchange provides it. Similarly, every exchange requires that certain information be included in each order. For example, traders must supply information like the name of the commodity, quantity, restrictions, price and multiple other variables. Without all of the order information, the market will not accept the order.
In existing systems, multiple elements of an order must be entered prior to an order being sent to market, which is time consuming for the trader. Such elements include the commodity symbol, the desired price, the quantity and whether a buy or a sell order is desired. The more time a trader takes entering an order, the more likely the price on which the trader wanted to bid or offer will change or not be available in the market. The market is fluid as many traders are sending orders to the market simultaneously. In fact, successful markets strive to have such a high volume of trading that any trader who wishes to enter an order will find a match and have the order filled quickly, if not immediately. In such liquid markets, the prices of the commodities fluctuate rapidly. On a trading screen, this results in rapid changes in the price and quantity fields within the market grid. If a trader intends to enter an order at a particular price, but misses the price because the market prices moved before the trader could enter the order, the trader may lose hundreds, thousands, even millions of dollars. The faster a trader can trade, the less likely it will be that the trader will miss the trader's price and the more likely the trader will make money.
With the advent of electronic trading, it has become easier for a larger number of people to have access to participate in the market at any given time. Such an increase in the number of potential traders has lead to other changes, including a more competitive market, greater liquidity, rapidly changing prices, and other changes. Due to the complexities that these changes bring, it is increasingly important to have a system of making the most accurate and calculated trades possible in the most efficient manner. It is therefore desirable for electronic trading systems to offer tools that can assist a trader in adapting to an electronic marketplace, and help the trader to make trades at desirable prices.

System and method for automatic repositioning of market information in a graphical user interface

Trading Technologies International, Inc.


It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a technique of cooling a power tool which further improves cooling effectiveness of the power tool. According to the invention, a power tool is provided that includes a driving motor, a tool bit, a power transmitting mechanism, a tool body and a cooling fan. The power tool further includes first and second cooling air passages. The first cooling air passage is disposed within the tool body and flows cooling air into the tool body by using the cooling fan. The second cooling air passage is provided within the tool body and takes outside air into the tool body by using the flow of the cooling air through the first cooling air passage. The cooling air within the first cooling air passage can be cooled by mixing outside air taken into the tool body via the second cooling air passage and therefore, the cooling air can further effectively cool components within the power tool. As a result, cooling effectiveness of the power tool can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power tool and more particularly, to a technique of cooling the power tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese non-examined laid-open patent publication No. 10-201205 discloses a hand-held type electric disc grinder. According to the known grinder, a cooling fan is disposed within a motor housing and driven by a driving motor. Cooling air is introduced from the rear end of the motor housing and led forward by rotation of the cooling fan. Thereafter, the cooling air is discharged to the outside from an air outlet in the vicinity of a gear housing connected to the motor housing. The flow of the cooling air cools the driving motor, the motor housing, the power transmitting mechanism and the gear housing.
While the above-mentioned cooling technique can ensure cooling performance to some degree, further improvement of the cooling effectiveness is desired.


Transdermal delivery peptides for the treatment of skin diseases and/or facilitation or enhancement of transdermal delivery of pharmaceutically active agents are provided. Compositions comprising the transdermal delivery peptides and methods of therapeutic use, including the improvement of transdermal delivery of drugs or other pharmaceutically active agents, are also disclosed. Nucleic acids, expression vectors, and methods of their use, which encode the transdermal delivery peptides are disclosed. Methods are also provided for in vivo phage display for identifying further peptides with enhanced transdermal delivery capability.

As the largest organ of the human body, skin provides a painless and compliant interface for systemic drug delivery (Prausnitz et al., 2004, Nature Rev. Drug Discov. 3:115; Thomas and Finnin, 2004, Drug Discov. Today 9:697; and Zaffaroni, 1991, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 618:405). However, the permeability of foreign molecules, especially large hydrophilic molecules, across the skin is extremely low, primarily due to the presence of the stratum corneum, a unique hierarchical structure of lipid-rich matrix with embedded corneocytes at the outer surface of skin (Scheuplein and Blank, 1971, Physiol. Rev. 51:702).
Various chemical penetration enhancers have been studied in an attempt to open up the skin barrier but with limited success (Williams and Barry, 2004, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 56:603; Purdon et al., 2004, Crit. Rev. Ther. Drug Carrier Syst. 21:97; Kanikkannan et al., 2000, Curr. Med. Chem. 7:593; and Finnin and Morgan, 1999, J. Pharm. Sci. 88:955). Without the aid of physical enhancement means such as iontophoresis (Kalia et al., 2004, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 56:619; Hirvonen et al., 1996, Nat. Biotechnol. 14:1710), ultrasound (Lavon and Kost, 2004, Drug Discov. Today 9:670; Mitragotri et al., 1995, Science 269:850) or microneedles (McAllister et al., 2003, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100:13755; Prausnitz, 2004, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 56:581), chemical penetration enhancers are generally unable to deliver therapeutic levels of large (>500 Da) hydrophilic drugs through intact skin to the systemic circulation (Bos and Meinardi, 2000, Exp. Dermatol. 9:165). Finding novel skin penetration enhancers that can overcome this limitation would significantly advance the current state of transdermal drug delivery.
In vivo phage display has been used to identify organ- and tissue-targeting peptides (Pasqualini and Ruoslahti, 1996, Nature 380:364; Arap et al., 1998, Science 279:377; Raffii et al., 2003, Cancer Cell 4:331; Kolonin et al., 2004, Nature Med. 10:625). In general, phage display describes a selection technique in which a library of variants of a peptide or protein is expressed on the outside of a phage virion, while the genetic material encoding each variant resides on the inside (Sidhu et al., 2003, Chembiochem. 4:14; Ferrer et al., 1999, J. Pept. Res.: 54, 32; BouHamdan et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem. 273: 8009). This creates a physical linkage between each variant protein sequence and the DNA encoding it, which allows rapid partitioning based on binding affinity to a given target molecule (antibodies, enzymes, cell-surface receptors, etc.) by an in vitro selection process called panning (Whaley et al., 2000, Nature, 405, 665). In its simplest form, panning is carried out by incubating a library of phage-displayed peptides with a plate (or bead) coated with the target, washing away the unbound phage, and eluting the specifically bound phage. The eluted phage is then amplified and taken through additional binding/amplification cycles to enrich the pool in favor of binding sequences. After 3-4 rounds, individual clones are characterized by DNA sequencing and ELISA. However, the in vivo phage display method has not been used to identify peptides with transdermal capability.
Various drug molecules (Grama and Bouwstra, 2002, J. Controlled Release 83:253; Grams et al., 2004, J. Controlled Release 98:367), microspheres (Rolland et al., 1993, Pharm. Res. 10:1783) and liposome formulations (Li and Hoffman, 1995, Nature Med. 1:795; Hoffman, 1997, J. Drug Targeting 5:67) were known to exhibit follicular penetration, and hair follicles are increasing being recognized as an important route of entry for transdermal drug delivery (Lauer et al., 1995, Pharm. Res. 12:179; Agarwal et al., 2000, Methods Find. Exp. Clin. Pharmacol. 22:129). However, the definite proof for transfollicular delivery has been difficult to obtain (Meidan et al., 1998, Pharm. Res. 15:85).
A class of membrane-permeable peptides, called Protein Transduction Domains (PTDs; Joliot and Prochiantz, 2004, Nature Cell Biol. 16:189), have been reported to facilitate epicutaneous delivery of protein and peptide molecules (Rothbard et al., 2000, Nature Med. 6:1253; Schutze-Redelmeier et al., 2004, Vaccine 22:1985; Lopes et al., 2005, Pharm. Res. 22:750; Lim et al., 2003, J. Cosmet. Sci. 54:483). PTDs, however, deliver cargo only locally and not systemically, and they require physical association (usually achieved through covalent linkage) with the cargo to fulfill the delivery function.
There is an ongoing need, therefore, for developing transdermal enhancers that are highly effective in enhancing and/or facilitating a drug to permeate the skin so that the amount of the drug in the systemic circulation or reached to the target organs, tissues, or cells is increased. In addition, using the transdermal enhancers to enhance and/or facilitate the transdermal delivery of drugs does not result in skin damage, irritation, sensitization, systemic toxicity, or the like, and can be used to effect transdermal delivery of even high molecular weight drugs such as peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Transdermal delivery peptides and method of use thereof

University of Science & Technology of China


A method for operating a gas turbine engine includes channeling fluid from a cooling fluid source to a combustor that includes at least one deflector and flare cone. The deflector and flare cone are coupled together and are configured to define a cooling fluid channel therebetween. The flare cone has a plurality of cooling injectors extending therethrough. The plurality of injectors are spaced circumferentially about a centerline axis of the flare cone and are coupled in flow communication with the fluid source. The plurality of injectors has a plurality of first injectors and a plurality of second injectors. The method also includes directing a portion of the fluid through the plurality of first injectors. The method further includes directing a portion of the fluid through the plurality of second injectors, wherein the first plurality of injectors facilitates cooling a portion of the deflector more than the second plurality of injectors.

This application relates generally to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to combustors for gas turbine engines.
At least some known combustors include at least one mixer assembly coupled to a combustor liner that defines a combustion zone. Fuel injectors are coupled to the combustor in flow communication with the mixer assembly for supplying fuel to the combustion zone. Specifically, in such designs, fuel enters the combustor through the mixer assembly. The mixer assembly is coupled to the combustor liner by a dome plate or a spectacle plate.
At least some known mixer assemblies include a flare cone. Generally, the flare cone is divergent and extends radially outward from a centerline axis of the combustor to facilitate mixing the air and fuel, and to facilitate spreading the mixture radially outwardly into the combustion zone. A divergent deflector extends circumferentially around, and radially outward from the flare cone. The deflector, sometimes referred to as a splash plate, facilitates preventing hot combustion gases produced within the combustion zone from impinging upon the dome plate.
During operation, fuel discharged to the combustion zone may form a fuel-air mixture along the flare cone and the deflector. This fuel-air mixture may combust resulting in high gas temperatures. Prolonged exposure to the increased temperatures may increase a rate of oxidation formation on the flare cone, and may result in deformation of the flare cone and the deflector.
To facilitate reducing operating temperatures of the flare cone and the deflector, at least some known combustor mixer assemblies supply convective cooling air via air injectors defined within the flare cone. Specifically, in such combustors, the cooling air is supplied into a gap extending circumferentially around the combustor centerline axis between the flare cone and the deflector. However, at least some known deflectors have geometries which are not conducive to distributing cooling air around the deflector, and as such, temperature differentials may develop.

Method and apparatus for cooling gas turbine engine combustors


A method and system for protecting software products from unauthorized use and distribution is described. The system comprises a client process executed on a client computer coupled to a producer computer over a network. The method comprises the steps of providing to a user a copy of the distributed software, the distributed software comprising an incomplete executable program requiring a security module to be installed prior to execution on the client computer. The user receives a registration code for use with the distributed software. Upon attempted execution of the distributed software the producer computer requests user registration from the user. Upon receipt of the registration information including the registration code from the user, the producer computer validates the registration code and constructing a security module for transmission to the client computer. The security module is integrated with the distributed software to allow execution of the executable program.

Software products can be distributed in a variety of different ways. The most common distribution method today is to package the software on optical or magnetic disk or tape media, such as compact disk (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) or floppy disk. Software can also be distributed electronically over networks, such as streaming or packetized data sent over local or wide area networks (intranets), the Internet, and even wireless networks, (e.g., radio). Software products, such as application software (e.g., games, programs, and so on) or digital data (e.g., text, photos, video or graphical data, and so on), are often distributed in their entirety as complete standalone products. This means that the software can be accessed and used by anyone who happens to possess it, along with the appropriate computer, game machine, or playback device. This not only poses a problem for owners of the software with regard to theft of their purchased products, but represents a huge problem for software producers in that it facilitates the illegal copying and distribution (pirating) of their software products. In effect, each valid copy of a disk, tape or downloaded program can be used as master to generate scores of illegal copies.
The problem of software piracy has become an enormous challenge and burden to the software industry. It affects most software markets, in particular the entertainment, gaming, and small business application segments of the industry. In the PC (personal computer) game industry alone, according to one estimate, ten installed copies emanate from each single purchased copy. This represents a critical loss of revenue for software producers and publishers. The problem of software piracy is especially critical in the early life-cycle of a product. Through hacking of security mechanisms, illegal copies of a new software product can be made available in the open market days or even weeks in advance of it being officially released for sale by the producer. This type of piracy can cripple the profitability or even viability of a product for a producer before it is even released for distribution.
Although some anti-piracy and copy protection schemes currently exist to protect distributed software, these systems are typically not adequate to protect against a determined attack to break the protection. Moreover, once a program has been hacked, it is usually quite easy for the hacker to produce downloadable tools that eliminate the protection. The time to crack a software application security system is typically measured in hours or, at most, a couple of days. This means that as soon as a pirate gains possession of the software, it is often a simple matter to remove existing digital rights management tools, such as copy protection, and sell or distribute illegal copies of the software.
The static nature of most current widely distributed software products is a particular problem that is not adequately addressed by most present copy protection schemes. Once someone has the disk or the distribution files, it is very easy for competent hackers to redistribute the software in the same or any other available media, given the nature of digital storage and the ability to make nearly perfect reproductions. Furthermore, the pervasiveness of hacking has led to widespread availability of downloadable tools and instructions that enable even casual users of the product to remove many of the copy protection mechanisms in use today.
In addition, existing software applications are generally distributed as homogenized releases. This makes it difficult to identify, track, or tie the product to the authorized end-user. Although software registration is available, such as by using registration codes, network addresses (e.g., MAC-address from a network card), CID (Computer ID) mechanisms, and so on, these systems only tie the software to the hardware. These solutions thus have the disadvantage for the end-user that the software effectively only works on the computer it was first installed on. Such solutions can also lead to other problems such as lost registration codes or original disks with the unique serial numbers, and so on.
What is needed, therefore, is software protection that provides robust anti-piracy techniques that make hacking a software product impractical and cost-ineffective.
What is further needed is a software protection scheme that is unique to each authorized end-user and installation, rather than the target device.

Anti-piracy software protection system and method


According to an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for forming an EUVL pellicle, the method comprising: coating a carbon nanotube, CNT, membrane, and mounting the CNT membrane to a pellicle frame, wherein coating the CNT membrane comprises: pre-coating CNTs of the membrane with a seed material, and forming an outer coating on the pre-coated CNTs, the outer coating covering the pre-coated CNTs, the forming of the outer coating comprising depositing a coating material on the pre-coated CNTs by atomic layer deposition.

To enable high volume manufacturing with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography (EUVL), a pellicle is utilized to protect the reticle from any fall-on particles. An EUVL pellicle comprising a carbon nanotube (CNT) membrane is a promising pellicle solution, being transparent enough to limit the imaging impact while robust enough to survive handling and capable of stopping particles. A considerable major challenge remaining for realizing a CNT-based pellicle however is to make it withstand the hydrogen plasma environment of the EUV scanner during a large number of exposures, e.g. on the order of tens of thousands or more. It has been proposed to coat a CNT membrane to make it less sensitive to exposure to hydrogen plasma. However, due to the interconnected web-like structure of CNT membranes and the relatively inert CNT surfaces, achieving a coated CNT membrane with a sufficiently maintained high and uniform EUV transmission is not trivial.

Method for forming an extreme ultraviolet lithography pellicle


A semiconductor device includes a non-conductive gate feature over a substrate and a spacer adjoining each sidewall of the non-conductive gate feature.

When a semiconductor device, such as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), is scaled down through various technology nodes, high-k gate dielectric layer and metal gate electrode layer are incorporated into the gate stack of the MOSFET to improve device performance with the decreased feature sizes. The MOSFET processes comprise a "gate last" process to replace an original poly-silicon gate electrode with the metal gate electrode to improve device performance.
However, there are challenges to implement such features and processes in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication. As the gate length and spacing between devices decrease, these problems are exacerbated. For example, it is difficult to prevent parasitic capacitance resulted among gate stacks of the MOSFET because of the reduced spacing between the gate stacks, thereby affecting the device performance.

Semiconductor device and fabrication method therefor

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


The support for a lithographic printing plate obtained by performing graining treatment including electrochemical graining treatment on an aluminum plate, the aluminum plate is an aluminum plate which contains Fe of 0.02 to 0.29 wt %, Si of 0.03 to 0.15 wt %, Cu of 0.020 to 0.040 wt % and Ti of 0.050 wt % or less and whose remaining portion is composed of Al and unavoidable impurities. In addition, the support for a lithographic printing plate where surface area ratio and steepness obtained from three-dimensional data found with an atomic force microscope (AFM) each satisfies the specified conditions is excellent in printing performance (press life, scum resistance, sensitivity and cleaner press life or the like) and handling property (scratch resistance, fatigue fracture strength or the like) when the lithographic printing plate is prepared.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support for a lithographic printing plate and a presensitized plate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a presensitized plate excellent in printing performance (for example, press life, scum resistance, sensitivity and cleaner press life or the like) when a lithographic printing plate is prepared and handling property (scratch resistance, fatigue fracture strength or the like), having very uniform and fine pits on the surface of the support and the support for a lithographic printing plate used for the same. Specifically, the present invention relates to the presensitized plate where development treatment can be performed with a developer substantially containing no alkali metal silicates after exposure, the support for a lithographic printing plate used for the same and the presensitized plate where dotted exposure defective areas called dot residual layers are unlikely to occur in plate making using a laser source and the support for a lithographic printing plate used for the same, in addition to the aforementioned characteristics by attaching Si atoms to the surface of the support for a lithographic printing plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photosensitive presensitized plate with an aluminum plate as a support is widely used for offset lithography.
The lithography using the photosensitive presensitized plate like this is a printing system utilizing a property that water and an oil do not essentially mix, an area which receives water and repels an oily ink (hereinafter this area is referred to as "a non-image area") and an area, which repels water and receives oily ink (hereinafter this area is referred to as "an image area") are formed on the printing plate surface of the lithographic printing plate (prepared from the aforementioned presensitized plate) used for the lithography.
For an aluminum support for a lithographic printing plate (hereinafter merely referred to as "a support for a lithographic printing plate") used for the lithographic printing plate, since the support is used so as to allow its surface to function as the non-image area, the support requires various opposite characteristics such as ones that hydrophilicity and water retention property are excellent, and that further, the adhesion with the image recording layer provided thereon is excellent or the like.
Known as a method of preparing the presensitized plate is generally the method that after graining treatment and anodizing treatment are performed on the surface of a sheeted or coiled aluminum to obtain a support for a lithographic printing plate, a photosensitive solution is coated on the support and is dried to form an image recording layer, and the support provided an image recording layers is cut into a desired size if required. After an image is printed, development processing is performed on the presensitized plate to prepare a lithographic printing plate.
In the method, it is effective to perform electrochemical graining treatment in an acid solution (also referred to as "electrolytic graining treatment" according to the present invention) in order to improve adhesion between the image recording layer and the support, and it is also effective to perform a surface treatment and coat an undercoat solution after anodizing treatment is performed.
If graining treatment including electrolytic graining treatment is performed, fine asperities (pits) are produced on the surface of the support. It is conventionally considered that by equalizing and increasing the diameters and deeping the depth, the adhesion between the image recording layer and the support is strengthened in the image area, and the image recording layers are not exfoliated or the like even though a number of sheets are printed, and that water retention property is excellent in the non-image area, scum is hardly generated since a large amount of fountain solution can be held on the surface thereof and thus, a presensitized plate excellent in printing property can be obtained. For example, the method of improving the shape and uniformity of electrolytically grained pits from such a viewpoint is proposed in JP 2000-108534 A, JP 2000-37965 and JP 2000-37964 A.

Support for lithographic printing plate and presensitized plate


An GaN light emitting diode (LED) having a nanorod (or, nanowire) structure is disclosed. The GaN LED employs GaN nanorods in which a n-type GaN nanorod, an InGaN quantum well and a p-type GaN nanorod are subsequently formed in a longitudinal direction by inserting the InGaN quantum well into a p-n junction interface of the p-n junction GaN nanorod. In addition, a plurality of such GaN nanorods are arranged in an array so as to provide an LED having much greater brightness and higher light emission efficiency than a conventional laminated-film GaN LED.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a super bright light emitting diode (LED), and more particularly to an LED having a nanorod (or, nanowire) structure and its manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
LED is generally used as a simple display element of a gauge or meter at the early state, and recently noticed as a full-color display element having super brightness, high contrast and long life cycle owing to the development of blue and green super brightness LED. On the other hand, as a material of such an LED, a III-nitrogen compound semiconductor using such as GaN is recently researched abundantly since III–V group nitride semiconductors have so wide a bandgap to give a light in the almost all wavelengths from visible rays to ultraviolet rays according to composition of nitride. However, GaN currently uses a sapphire substrate since there is no lattice-matched substrate at present, so there is still much mismatching and coefficient of thermal expansion is still great.
Thus, there is proposed a conventional laminated-film LED in which a n-GaN layer to which n-type impurities are added, an InGaN activate layer, and a p-GaN layer to which p-type impurities are added are subsequently laminated on a sapphire substrate. However, the laminated-film LED has a limit in the element performance (or, brightness) since many threading dislocations exist due to the lattice mismatching, caused by the aforementioned properties and growth manners of GaN. In addition, the conventional laminated-film GaN LED suffers from some limitations such as the poor extraction efficiency of light, the wide spectral width, and the large divergence of the output as well as the aforementioned threading dislocations, in spite of many advantages of being relatively simple to design and manufacture and having low temperature sensitivity.
On the other hand, in order to overcome the disadvantages of the laminated-film LED, a nano-scale LED which forms an LED by making a p-n junction with the use of one-dimensional rod or linear nanorod (or, nanowire), or a micro-scale LED using micro-ring or micro-disc is studied. However, there is unfortunately found that many threading dislocations are generated in such a nano-scale or micro-scale LED similar to the laminated-film LED, so an LED having super brightness to a satisfactory level is not still appeared. In addition, the nanorod LED is a simple p-n junction diode, not giving super brightness. Moreover, the micro-ring or micro-disc LED is currently manufactured using photolithography or electron-beam lithography which is apt to damage the lattice structure of GaN during the lithography process, so brightness and light emission efficiency of the LED are not satisfactory.

Super bright light emitting diode of nanorod array structure having InGaN quantum well and method for manufacturing the same


A fast and simple method of determining a desired level of cleanliness of an inorganic surface is performed by correlating a level of cleanliness of many inorganic surfaces having varying thicknesses of organic contamination with reliability tests. The level of cleanliness is in terms of a measurement from a water drop test. The level of cleanliness between two inorganic surfaces can also be compared by utilizing the combination of a UV/ozone clean and the level of cleanliness to determine the relative amount of contamination present on one inorganic surface as compared to the other.

This invention relates, in general, to a method of characterizing the level of cleanliness, including, but not limited to, a method of characterizing the amount or organic contamination on an inorganic surface.
Surface analysis methods such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy coupled with sputter profiling have been used in the semiconductor industry to determine the thickness of organic or inorganic contaminates present on a semiconductor surface (an inorganic surface). Although AES and x-ray emission spectroscopy methods are very accurate, one drawback of using these methods is that they are costly and time consuming.
In a semiconductor manufacturing environment it would be advantageous to determine the level of cleanliness of an inorganic surface within a short period of time where it would be easy to evaluate potential improvements, rather than having to send out a sample to be tested. Thus, it would be desirable to come up with a low cost, fast method of characterizing and quantifying the thickness of organic contamination present on an inorganic surface.

Method of characterizing the level of cleanliness of an inorganic surface


A wafer chuck holds a wafer on a surface thereof such that an image of the wafer can be formed from light reflected by the surface of the wafer chuck. The surface of the wafer chuck is a planar surface that has a reflectivity equal to or greater than 40%, and/or a whiteness index value equal to or greater than 90. The wafer chuck can include a ceramic containing aluminum oxide having a purity equal to or greater than 95%. The planar surface of the wafer chuck is such that light illuminating the surface of the wafer chuck is reflected by the surface of the wafer chuck through the wafer. The wafer chuck can be used with an apparatus for cutting the wafer, and the light reflected by the surface can be used to form an image of the wafer used identifying cutting lines on the wafer.

In general, a semiconductor device is one of a plurality of individual device units formed on a single semiconductor device wafer. The wafer is subsequently separated and cut into respective individual device units through a method such as dicing, laser scribing, or the like, so as to form a plurality of individual device units. In cutting the semiconductor device wafer, the location of cutting lines should be properly determined. Indeed, if the cutting lines on the semiconductor device wafer are erroneously determined, some or all of the plurality of semiconductor devices may be miscut and damaged, and may therefore need to be discarded. Therefore, a method for reducing errors in determining cutting lines on the semiconductor device wafer is required.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


When information held in an information holding section is distributed from an information distribution section to another information intervention system, a distribution sensing section senses the information distribution and records a distribution history thereof in a distribution history holding section. When an instruction for tracing information is given,a history collection section reads out the distribution history related to the information to be traced from the distribution history holding section, detects the distribution destination of the information, and instructs the information intervention system of the distribution destination to trace the information. History information is collected from the instructed information intervention system and is stored in a collected history holding section. The collected history information is analyzed by a tracing analysis section. For example, distribution routes, etc., are displayed on a tracing result display section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing method and an information processing system capable of tracing distribution information of an information distribution route, distribution range, distribution amount, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
We are about to open an age of digitalizing all information and distributing it through networks with the recent digital information technology development, information highway initiative, etc. Distribution of various pieces of information such as images, moving pictures, voice, and programs as well as text information has already begun through network media such as internets and personal computer communication. As such an age comes, all users will be both information originators (issuers) and receivers although information originators or issuers and receivers are distinguished clearly from each other with information media like conventional broadcasting. Therefore, it becomes possible for everybody to readily distribute various pieces of information in various forms. Since digitalized information has a feature of easy copying, it is distributed through a number of users who copy and redistribute the information, whereby the information distribution range and speed will be accelerated.
In such a situation, once information is passed from one person to the hands of another person, who will get the information and how the information will be used are unknown. Demands are made for knowing whether or not the once distributed information has been passed to the person as intended by the information distributor, what point on the distribution route the information has been distributed to, what route the information has been distributed via, etc. Further, in recent years, programs into which computer viruses are mixed, information containing a violation of privacy is received, and the like have often been illegally distributed unconsciously. A demand is also made for determining the originator (issuer) of the information and locating the distribution route of the information when such illegal information is distributed. However, such demands are not fully satisfied and only some demands are met.
For example, in an electronic mail communication network described in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 4-268849, at the node which receives electronic mail, information concerning the sender name and passed-through nodes added to the received electronic mail can be compared with information concerning the network configuration held in the node to see if the electronic mail sender name is false. In transfer of electronic mail, the sender prepares transmission and reception logs together with information to be sent to the receiver and transfers both as a unit to the receiver.
However, in the electronic mail communication network, the route of the passed-through nodes when information is transmitted from user A to user B is only recorded. When the information is transmitted from user B to user C, information on user A is not left and cannot be used for tracing across users. The electronic mail communication network depends on a specific mechanism of electronic mail. Thus, for example, if information is simply copied from a storage of one person to a storage of another person, the route of distribution (in this case, copy) of the information is not recorded and the distribution route of the information cannot be known later. Further, the sender cannot trace the information route to know what point his or her transmitted information arrives at now.
In an office information processing system described in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 5-63728, control information indicating what processing can be performed after reception is added to electronic mail and history information on operation performed on received mail is stored. By referencing the history information, the sender can know whether or not transmitted electronic mail has been processed, for example. However, in the system, what route the information has been distributed through cannot be known from received electronic mail although the original sender of the received electronic mail can be known. The electronic mail sender knows the distribution route of electronic mail distributed over his or her preset distribution route, but cannot grasp any other route. For example, if a person receiving electronic mail distributes the electronic mail to somebody, who in turn distributes it to somebody, and so forth,the electronic mail sender cannot grasp the whole image of the information distribution destinations. Further, like the above-mentioned electronic mail system, the office information processing system does not consider any distribution route other than the electronic mail system. Thus, in the office information processing system, the distribution route of received information cannot be known.
Further, in an electronic document preparation/approval system with an electronic authorization function described in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 2-297288, authorization data created by a authorization process at approval is registered in a authorization logging file, thereby enabling tracing a document approval state. Since the electronic document preparation/approval system is a system which enables the approval requester to know the current approval state, even if a document is distributed to a person who is not involved in an approval process, the fact cannot be known. As with the electronic mail communication network, if information not related to approval is simply copied from a storage of one person to a storage of another person, the route of distribution (in this case, copy) of the information is not recorded and the distribution route of the information cannot be known later.
As we have discussed, when various types of information are distributed by various methods through the hands of various persons without using a special system such as the electronic mail or approval system, the distribution routes of once distributed information cannot be traced. When illegal information is distributed, the originator (issuer) and distribution route of the information cannot be located either.
In the situation in which once information is passed from one person to the hands of another person, who will get the information and how the information will be used are unknown, if the person who distributes information wants to come in contact with persons getting the information, he or she cannot make contact with them. For example, if a person finds bugs in his or her created and distributed freeware product, he or she cannot make contact because there is a high possibility that the once distributed product may be furthermore distributed secondarily and tertiarily and it is impossible to find out who own the product. If a patch for correcting the bugs is created, it cannot be distributed all persons involved.
As another example, if a person wants to know comments, thoughts, etc., from persons reading one distributed document, he or she cannot well make contact with the document readers. Further, when a person finds a software product containing computer viruses, if he or she wants to make contact with persons who use or have the software product at present, he or she cannot make contact because he or she does not know who owns the software product.
To overcome such problems, in a conventional method, when a created software product or document is distributed, distribution destinations are previously limited and are managed by manual work. Then, when software bugs or document errors are found, the original distributor may make contact with the limited range of the destinations. In this method, however, if one person receiving the software product or document distributes it to another person, the original distributor cannot grasp the distribution and cannot make contact with all persons involved. Such a tendency is pronounced in freeware software often unlimited in distribution destinations and it is becoming extremely difficult for the original distributor to manage the distribution destinations.
As another method, in commercial software, etc., after a software product is sold, the purchasers of the software product are requested to enter user registration and the software house makes later contact with the users entering user registration. However, this method is not compulsory for the purchasers; not all the purchasers enter user registration and the software house cannot grasp-all the purchasers.
As another method, public relations means may also be taken for persons in a far wider possible range containing the information distribution range. For example, media such as radio and TV broadcasts and newspaper advertisements are used for the purpose; they are at very high costs and the persons involved do not necessarily get the information. Further, the information is only garbage for a large number of persons not related to the information. However, such a method is only a method available for informing computer viruses, etc., and it is also difficult to suppress the widening range of damage.
Thus, when various types of information are distributed by various methods through the hands of various persons, it is not possible to make contact with the persons getting once distributed information or distribute another piece of information to the persons.

Tracing system having follow-up distribution section for distributing information based on a distribution history of prior distributed information stored in distribution history storing section


The invention relates generally to chemical reactions and processes, and in particular to a method for enhancing the rate of a chemical reaction and to apparatus for carrying out the method. The invention more particularly relates to methods and apparatus which utilize microwave and ultrasonic energy to enhance chemical reaction rates; and in specific instances, the invention relates to methods, processes and apparatus for the synthesis of biodiesel fuels. The methods, processes and apparatus of the invention are useful for the synthesis of biodiesel fuels; and also useful for production of reaction products of esterification and/or transesterification reactions including fatty acid alkyl esters.

Biofuels are known in the art to comprise hydrocarbon fuels derived from living sources, as opposed to hydrocarbons derived from petroleum-based sources. Biodiesel fuels comprise fatty acid esters and other such compounds typically prepared from plant derived oil, waste, greases, tallows, and the like. In a typical preparation process, the fatty acid feedstock undergoes various chemical reactions. One such set of reactions comprises transesterification which serves to convert fatty acids, and high molecular weight fatty esters into esters of relatively low molecular weight (C1-C5) alcohols. By control of transesterification and other processes and/or reactions, physical properties of the resultant biodiesel fuel, such as solidification point, boiling point, cetane number, and the like, may be selectively controlled. In some instances, further chemical reactions are carried out which can alter the chain the length of the feedstock, or otherwise control the resultant properties of the final product.
In a typical transesterification reaction of the prior art as used for the preparation of biodiesel fuels, the fatty acid feedstock is reacted with a relatively short chain alcohol, at elevated temperatures, in the presence of a catalyst. Very often, the reactions are carried out under high-pressure conditions. In one typical known reaction, the reacting alcohol is methanol, and present in a 9:1 ratio to the oily component. The reaction is typically carried out at elevated temperatures in a pressure vessel, in the presence of relatively large amounts of an alkaline catalyst. Typical reaction times may be on the order of hours.
In some instances, fuels are prepared from feedstocks which include high free fatty acid oils. Such oils are obtained from tallows, waste oils and other sources. Problems occur in the use of such feedstocks in known processes, due to the formation of soaps. The process of the present invention, as will be described hereinbelow, greatly reduces or eliminates such soap formation.
The foregoing types of reactions consume significant amounts of energy because of the degree and duration of the heating. Furthermore, high-pressure conditions complicate the apparatus and process. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there are significant advantages to be achieved if chemical reactions, such as those used for the preparation of biodiesel fuels can be carried out at lower temperatures and/or for shorter periods of time. As will be explained hereinbelow, the present invention provides methods and apparatus wherein the combined application of microwave energy and ultrasonic energy produces a synergistic interaction which greatly enhances chemical reactivity of a variety of reacted species. The principles of this invention may be used with great advantage for the preparation of biodiesel fuels.

Ultrasonic and microwave methods for enhancing the rate of a chemical reaction and apparatus for such methods


The present invention relates to a new strategy against the electrolyte migration through the gasket in externally manifolded MCFC stacks. This is obtained by endowing a stack of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) of an electrolyte management tool separated from the cells by an electronically conductive material which is impervious to gas, characterized by the combination of the following elements:—a positive reservoir component external to the cathode of the first cell on the positive side of the battery, wherein said reservoir consists of one ore more porous layers of electronically conductive material and comprises at least one gas distributor, and—a negative reservoir component external to the anode of the last cell on the negative side of the battery, wherein said reservoir consists of one ore more porous layers of electronically conductive material.

A fuel cell is a device that uses hydrogen (or hydrogen-rich fuel) and oxygen to create electricity by an electrochemical process.
A single fuel cell consists of an electrolyte sandwiched between two thin electrodes (a porous anode and cathode). There are different fuel cell types, for all hydrogen, or a hydrogen-rich fuel, is fed to the anode, oxygen, or air, to the cathode.
For instance, for polymer exchange membrane (PEM) and phosphoric acid fuel cells, protons, generated by the anode reaction, move through the electrolyte to the cathode to combine with oxygen and electrons, producing water and heat.
For alkaline, molten carbonate, and solid oxide fuel cells, negative ions travel through the electrolyte to the anode where they combine with hydrogen to generate water and electrons. The electrons from the anode side of the cell cannot pass through the membrane to the positively charged cathode; they must travel around it via an electrical circuit to reach the other side of the cell. This movement of electrons is an electrical current.
Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) are in the class of high-temperature fuel cells. The higher operating temperature allows them to use natural gas directly without the need for a fuel processor and have also been used with low-Btu fuel gas from industrial processes other sources and fuels. Developed in the mid 1960s, improvements have been made in fabrication methods, performance and endurance.
MCFCs work quite differently from other fuel cells. These cells use an electrolyte composed of a molten mixture of carbonate salts. Two mixtures are currently used: lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate, or lithium carbonate and sodium carbonate. To melt the carbonate salts and achieve high ion mobility through the electrolyte, MCFCs operate at high temperatures (650° C.).
When heated to a temperature of around 650° C., these salts melt and become conductive to carbonate ions (CO32−). In operation, these ions are generated by the cathode reaction and flow from the cathode to the anode where they combine with hydrogen to give water, carbon dioxide and electrons. These electrons are routed through an external circuit back to the cathode, generating electricity and by-product heat.
The reactions which take place are the following:Anode Reaction: CO32−+H2=>H2O+CO2+2e−Cathode Reaction: CO2+½O2+2e−=>CO32−Overall Cell Reaction: H2(g)+½O2(g)+CO2 (cathode)=>H2O (g)+CO2 (anode)
The higher operating temperature of MCFCs has both advantages and disadvantages compared to the lower temperature PAFC and PEFC. At the higher operating temperature, CO is a fuel and not a poison, with formidable benefit in terms both of fuel source acceptability and of methane reforming. Moreover, with regard to the reforming of natural gas, it can occur by using directly as thermal source the waste heat itself of the MCFC. Additional advantages include the ability to use standard materials for construction, such as stainless steel sheet, and allow use of nickel-based catalysts on the electrodes. The by-product heat from an MCFC can be used to generate high-pressure steam that can be used in many industrial and commercial applications.
With regard to the main functional requirements, the complete filling of every interstice in the porous ceramic component inserted between anode and cathode (electrolyte matrix) is a key factor. This not only constitutes a barrier for the gases but also prevents the sinking of performance (in fact, in the vacancies of electrolyte the transport to the anode of the CO32− ion generated by the cathode does not occur). For both the electrodes, an essential characteristic for the completion of the reactions is the constant presence of a triphasic contact surface gas/C32− ion/electron. It is then evident that besides the electro-catalytic properties of the electrode material, the performance depends on the access/removal from the reaction sites of gas and CO32− ion. The performance is therefore unacceptable as well when the electrodes are "flooded" as when the electrolyte quantity is insufficient.
For each of the two electrodes there is an optimal filling degree for enhancing the performances; moving away from it means diminishing the efficiency degree. There is anyway a range in which such degree is still acceptable and the cells characteristics can be in any case exploited.
In working condition, since the carbonates amount gradually decreases, the filling degree changes with the time. In order to maintain the filling levels higher then the minimum required, it is necessary to start from filling levels which are higher than the optimal ones.
The carbonates distribute spontaneously in the pores with higher capillary retention properties.
In order to control the electrolyte repartition among components, it is necessary to choose the correct volumes in the design of the cell and respect a rigorous hierarchy on the base of their retention properties.
Since it is necessary that the matrix remains in any case full, the diversion of the filling degree must regard exclusively the electrodes. The reaction at the anode is less penalized than the one which takes place at the cathode by the filling degrees which are far away from the optimal values. Hence, the design of the cell tends therefore to use the anode by concentrating on it the initial surplus of electrolyte and evacuating it for first. The configuration of a single cell consists of a 3-layers "sandwich" (anode, matrix of electrolyte, cathode) placed between metallic pieces intended for the distribution of gas and for the transport of current. In practice, a molten carbonate fuel cell (which conventionally is indicated with the word "stack") is a modular structure constituted by many elementary cells electrically connected in series but with parallel gas inlets. The electrical connection between the cells is achieved with a metallic separator (electronic conductor) between the anode compartment of the one cell and the cathode compartment of the adjacent one. At each end of the cell there is a metallic plate; they are normally indicated as "end plates", one at the anode and the other at the cathode.
In order to provide the single cells with gas, the commonly used ways are two: external manifold and internal manifold. In the first case each one of the four lateral faces has a specific function: fuel inlet, fuel outlet, oxidation agent inlet, oxidation agent outlet. The first and the second couple of faces are in opposite positions to each other. Normally, on every face a manifold is placed directly against the face of the cells pack. From the internal area to the manifold the gas reaches directly the parts to which it is designated.
In the internal manifold, the inlet conducts of the gas to the single cells are obtained through complex grooves in the bipolar plates which divide one cell from the other.

Electrolyte migration control for large area MCFC stacks


An image reader of the present invention comprises a fluctuation detector that can be connected to the external equipment by means of an image data input-output section, and can subject image data, continuous in a first direction and outputted as image information on a test chart is photoelectrically converted by means of a CCD sensor when a mirror set or the test chart is moved in the first direction, to Fourier conversion, thereby obtaining the frequency of a fluctuation of the obtained image data and a maximum value of the amplitude thereof. If the obtained maximum value of the fluctuation amplitude is greater than a given value, the fluctuation detector is used to compare the frequency of the fluctuation and the natural frequency of a drive motor for generating driving force for moving the mirror set or the image. If the fluctuation frequency and the natural frequency are not equal, the value of current supplied to the drive motor is increased.

The present invention relates to an image reader capable of obtaining image data for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for example, and the image forming apparatus provided with the image reader.
A image reader (scanner) for obtaining image data for an image forming apparatus comprises a transparent document holder (document glass), illumination unit, CCD sensor, optical set, etc. The document glass is a substantially rectangular plate that serves to hold an object of reading, such as a sheetlike document, book, or cubic body. The illumination unit, which includes an illuminating lamp and a reflector, illuminates the object of reading set on the document glass. The CCD sensor receives reflected light from the object of reading that is illuminated with illumination light from the illumination unit, and converts an image contained in the object of reading into an electrical signal. The optical set includes a plurality of mirrors and reduced-scale lenses that are interposed between the document glass and the CCD sensor. An analog electrophotographic apparatus is designed so that an exposure mirror and a photoconductor drum are provided in place of the CCD sensor and that reflected light from the object of reading is guided directly to the drum. In this apparatus, a document glass (document holder), illumination unit, and optical set are arranged in like manner.
In the scanner (image reader) of this type, the illumination unit and a first mirror, which is located near the illumination unit and serves to reflect the reflected light from the object of reading in a given direction, are assembled together as a first carriage, which is movable along the document glass. Further, second and third mirrors, which serve successively to return the reflected light from the first mirror toward the CCD sensor, are arranged between the first mirror and the CCD sensor. They are assembled together as a second carriage, which is movable without changing its position relative to the first carriage.
The first and second carriages are moved so that the speed of the second carriage is half that of the first carriage, by means of a motor for generating driving force, a wire or belt for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the first and second carriages, and a reduction gear mechanism that reduces the rotational frequency of the motor as it adjusts the torque to a given value.
The reduction gear mechanism is composed of, for example, a motor pulley mounted on the shaft of the motor, a plurality of reduction pulleys arranged between the wire (or belt) and the motor pulley and capable of further reducing the driving force (rotational frequency) supplied to the motor pulley, and a plurality of timing belts or gear trains for transmitting the driving force between the reduction pulleys.
Thus, the image reader is a continuous physical system that includes a plurality of movable parts and movable components, such as the motor, wire or belt, first and second carriages, reduction gear mechanisms, etc. These parts and components have their respective natural frequencies that depend on their materials, shapes, methods of assembly, etc. It is known that they resonate to one another if their natural frequencies are equal.
If any oscillation is caused during the image reading operation of the image reader, then the quality of read image data will inevitably be lowered. For example, the image data quality may be lowered by a longitudinal-line fluctuation such that at least one of the carriages are staggered or moved in zigzags so that the CCD sensor inevitably reads image data as an image that oscillates in the advancing direction of the carriage.
At the time of shipment, the movable parts and components are assembled, adjusted, or shaped in an optimum state without resonation of the natural frequencies. Due to aging or prolonged use, however, the respective natural frequencies of the movable parts and components may change and undergo resonation.
If the quality of the read image data is lowered by resonance, it may possibly be improved by adjusting the tension on the wire or the torque of the drive motor. In most cases, however, the adjustment takes a lot of time. In many cases, moreover, the adjustment cannot improve the data quality. In these cases, it is necessary to recover and readjust the apparatus in the production line or plant or replace its defective parts or components.

Image reader for use in image forming apparatus


The present disclosure relates to a lithium ion battery cathode. The lithium ion battery cathode includes a plurality of cathode active material particles and a conductive carrier. The conductive carrier includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes. The plurality of carbon nanotubes are entangled with each other to form a net structure. The present disclosure also relates to a lithium ion battery.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to lithium ion battery cathodes and lithium ion batteries using the same, particularly, to a carbon nanotube based lithium ion battery cathode and a lithium ion battery using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical lithium ion battery mainly includes a cathode, an anode, a separator, and an electrolyte. The cathode usually includes cathode active material, conductive particles, and adhesive. The adhesive is used to bond the cathode active material and conductive particles together, so that the cathode can have a stable structure with a desired shape. The adhesive is usually composed of insulative organic material. The organic material includes polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyfluortetraethylene (PTFE), or styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). A mass ratio of the adhesive to the cathode is usually about 10%. Thus, the adhesive would decrease the conductivity and specific capacity of the cathode.
What is needed, therefore, is to provide a lithium ion battery cathode without adhesive, and a lithium ion battery using the same.

Lithium ion battery cathode and lithium ion battery using the same


A mounting mat (16) comprising at least one inorganic layer (18) comprising inorganic materials suitable for mounting a pollution control element in a pollution control device. A friction-inducing material (20) is disposed on at least one side of the inorganic layer (18). The deposited friction-inducing material (20) defines a higher friction area exhibiting a static coefficient of friction higher than that of the inorganic materials. A lower friction layer (20) is disposed so as to cover at least a portion of the higher friction area and define an exposed surface area of the mounting mat (16). The exposed surface area exhibits a lower static coefficient of friction than that of the higher friction area. The lower friction layer (20) no longer covers a substantial portion of the higher friction area, after the mounting mat (16) mounts a pollution control element (14) in a pollution control device (10).

There are different types of devices used to control the level of polluting gases exiting from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. Such pollution control devices include catalytic converter, diesel particulate and other engine exhaust filters or traps, as well as devices that combine both catalytic and filtering or trapping functions. Various techniques for assembling such pollution control devices are known. Each of these techniques include mounting (i.e., canning) a pollution control element (e.g., a catalytic element, exhaust filter, etc.) within a housing, by positioning the pollution control element inside of the housing and disposing a mounting material, typically in mat or sheet form, in the gap between the pollution control element and the housing. The sheet-shaped mounting mats are wrapped around the exterior of the pollution control element. Mounting materials have also been molded into a cylindrical or tubular shaped mounting mat and slipped over the pollution control element, or insert molded around the pollution control element (e.g., a monolithic catalytic element). After the mounting mat is disposed around the pollution control element, the resulting assembly is canned. Conventional canning techniques include the use of mechanical stuffing (e.g., using a stuffing cone), tourniquet, and clamshell canning operations that result in the mounting mat being disposed within the gap between the can or housing and pollution control element.
The mounting material is required to apply sufficient mounting pressure to prevent movement of the pollution control element within the housing during the operation of the pollution control device. At the same time, pollution control elements are typically relatively fragile. Therefore, the pressure exerted by the mounting material must be kept low enough to prevent the pollution control element from being crushed. In addition, the gap between the housing and the pollution control element can change significantly during the operation of the pollution control device. This gap can also vary somewhat as the result of the differences in manufacturing tolerances and material choices between the pollution control element and the housing. As a result, the mounting material also needs to be resilient enough to maintain an acceptable level of mounting pressure as this gap changes.
There is a continuing need for improving such mounting techniques and for mounting materials that not only exhibit the mounting properties desired, but also facilitate the mounting of a pollution control element inside a corresponding pollution control device housing. The present invention provides a new mounting mat and technique for mounting a pollution control element in a housing of a pollution control device.

Mounting mat with lower friction surface for assembling and higher friction surface for mounting


The present invention relates to a sliding system for a drawer comprising a main base which is fixed unto a grill whose front end of the base overlaps from the same; a wire rod base set over the main base by means of a fixed rail, said wire rod base allows for the complete aperture of the drawer; a drawer base which supports the drawers and remains fixed unto the system; a plurality of bushings which decrease the amount of friction, which allows for smooth and silent sliding; a magnet which provides closing force to the drawer which grants the closing sensation when the drawer reaches the bump and extractable drawers which are transportable.

Several documents related to sliding systems for a drawer are known in the state of the art, the following mentioned documents correspond to the closest state of the art for the present invention:
Document CN103216991 refers to a stratified frame structure with guiding rails and a drawer device. The stratified frame structure with guiding rails comprises a stratified frame body, wherein the sliding grooves are formed in two sides of an upper surface of the stratified frame structure respectively and the stratified frame structure and the sliding grooves form part of the integral structure. The drawer device comprises a drawer and at least one stratified frame structure with the rail guides, in which the rail guides of the drawer are set on both sides of the drawer, and the drawer is mounted on the rail guide by means of sliding grooves through the rail guides of the drawer. Said invention is adequate for use of mountable drawers, such as for use in a refrigerator, a wine rack, a drink drawer and a freezer.
Document DE 19817499 refers to an oven with a telescopic tray which can be pulled from the area of the lateral wall towards an outer position. It presents horizontal guiding rails in the lateral wall area towards the inner part of the oven, where a retrieving frame is adjusted by means of guiding tubes.
Document DE 102011087785 refers to a device with a compartment which is floor level with a tray surface set towards above for cold goods set in the inner part of a container. A guide is set at floor level, a displaceable drawer mounted unto said guide. The guide is extended over the surface of the tray in such a way that the drawer is set over the surface of the tray.
Document KR 20090128905 refers to a support device for a drawer of a refrigerator comprising a drawer, a cover, a part, which supports the cover. A receptor part for storing food is formed within the drawer, the drawer being moveable within the refrigerator, the cover covering the drawer.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 735,716 refers to a shelf combination, a pair of bars which are secured transversally to said shelf, two pairs of telescopic bars which are supported in a slideable manner over said fixed bars and bars which are crossed and which connect the ends of the upper pair of said slideable bars.
Similarly, the following documents are also known in the state of the art U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,940, U.S. Pat. No. 7,087,862B1, U.S. Pat. No. 8,577,254B2, US2005/0174022A1, US2009/0243450A1 y US20140001943A1.


A steering shaft locking device capable of performing a locking operation in an optimum manner. The steering shaft locking device includes a motor to which voltage is applied to generate a drive force. A locking bar is moved by the drive force of an actuator so as to engage the steering shaft. A steering shaft lock ECU connected to the motor performs a first control to move the locking bar to a lock position, at which the locking bar engages the steering shaft, and a second control to move the locking bar to an unlock position, at which the locking bar is disengaged from the steering shaft. A voltage control means controls the voltage applied to the motor during the first control such that the voltage is less than or equal to the voltage applied to the motor during the second control.

The present invention relates to a steering shaft locking device for disabling steering by engaging a locking bar with the steering shaft.
In recent years, electronic steering shaft locking devices for automobiles have been proposed. An electronic steering shaft locking device disables steering by engaging a locking bar with a steering shaft using the drive force of an actuator, such as a motor or the like. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2003-063354 and 2000-095066 describe examples of such steering shaft locking devices.
An example of this type of steering shaft locking device is shown in FIG. 1. An electronic steering shaft locking device 100 disables steering by engaging a locking bar 130 with a steering shaft 120 using the rotation drive force of a motor 110.
In an automobile provided with this type of steering shaft locking device 100, the locking bar 130 is engaged with the steering shaft 120 to lock the steering shaft 120 (locked state) before the engine starts. In the locked state, steering is disabled. For example, when a driver performs an operation to start the engine, a steering shaft lock ECU 140 drives the motor 110 (for example, forward rotation). Then, the locking bar 130 separates from the steering shaft 120 such that the steering shaft 120 is unlocked (unlocked state). In the unlocked state, steering is enabled. When the locking bar 130 is moved from a lock position to an unlock position, an unlocked state sensor switch 150 is activated. The steering shaft lock ECU 140 recognizes that the steering shaft 120 is unlocked based on the ON state of the unlocked state sensor switch 150 and stops the forward rotation of the motor 110. Unlocking of the steering shaft 120 is one condition required for starting the engine.
The steering shaft 120 is unlocked immediately after the engine stops. For example, when the driver opens the door to exit the vehicle and then closes the door, the steering shaft lock ECU 140 drives the motor 110 (for example, reverse rotation). Thus, the locking bar 130 engages the steering shaft 120 and locks the steering shaft 120. When the locking bar 130 is moved from the unlock position to the lock position, a locked state sensor switch 160 is activated. The steering shaft lock ECU 140 recognizes that the steering shaft 120 is locked based on the ON state of the locked state sensor switch 160 and stops the reverse rotation of the motor 110.
From the perspective of locking an object, automobiles are provided with door locking devices similar to steering shaft locking devices. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 06-049672 discloses a door locking device which reduces the noise that is generated when actuated.
As mentioned above, the steering shaft locking device 100 moves the locking bar 130 when switching from a locked state to an unlocked state (unlocking operation) or when switching from an unlocked state to a locked state (locking operation). During the unlocking operation, the locking bar 130 that is engaged with the steering shaft 120 must be pulled out of the steering shaft 120 by the steering shaft locking device 100. During the locking operation, however, the steering shaft locking device 100 may move the locking bar 130 into the steering shaft 120 with a relatively small force. That is, a larger force is required when moving the locking bar 130 during the unlocking operation than when moving the locking bar 130 during the locking operation.
Furthermore, the unlocking of the steering shaft 120 is one of the conditions necessary for starting the engine. Therefore, it is desirable that the time required for the unlocking operation be shorter than the time required for the locking operation to reduce the time between the initiation of the engine starting operation and the completion of engine starting.

Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho


A surgical implant engageable by a surgical tool having spaced apart jaws with inward facing tubular protrusions, is provided. The implant includes a body for interfacing with a bone structure. The implant also includes a head connected with the body having spaced apart posts juxtaposed by a stabilization member receiving area. Each post has an outward side face that includes an upper generally vertical surface intersecting with a generally inward directed under surface that in turn intersects with a lower generally vertical surface. The side face has a generally tubular cylindrical indention intersecting the upper vertical surface and the inward directed under surface.

Spinal surgeons often treat spinal disorders with spinal fusion augmented with stabilization members such as plates or elongated spinal rods. The stabilization members are connected to the spine with implants such as pedicle screws or lamina hooks. Such "stabilization assemblies" often comprise one or two spinal rods or plates and a plurality of implants engaging the pedicles of their respective vertebral bodies. The implants are provided with U-shaped heads that can be capped to couple the stabilization members to the implants. The heads of the implants are relatively small and are often concealed within the flesh of a patient during a surgical procedure. It is desirable to provide and implant that be torqued or manipulated easily with a surgical tool without making the head of the implant excessively large.