A system and method for provisioning within a system design to allow the storage and IO resources to scale with compute resources are provided.

Server systems generally provide a fixed number of options. For example, there are a fixed number of PCI Express IO slots and a fixed number of hard drive bays, which often are delivered empty as they provide future upgradability. The customer is expected to gauge future needs and select a server chassis category that will serve present and future needs. Historically, and particularly with x86-class servers, predicting the future needs has been achievable because product improvements from one generation to another have been incremental.
With the advent of scalable servers, the ability to predict future needs has become less obvious. For example, in the class of servers within a 2U chassis, it is possible to install 120 compute nodes in an incremental fashion. Using this server as a data storage device, the user may require only 4 compute nodes, but may desire 80 storage drives. Using the same server as a pure compute function focused on analytics, the user may require 120 compute nodes and no storage drives. The nature of scalable servers lends itself to much more diverse applications which require diverse system configurations. As the diversity increases over time, the ability to predict the system features that must scale becomes increasingly difficult.
An example of a typical server system is shown in FIG. 1. The traditional server system has fixed areas for 24 hard drives along its front surface and a fixed area for compute subsystem (also called motherboard) and a fixed area for IO expansion (PCI slots). This typical server system does not provide scalability of the various computer components. Thus, it is desirable to create a system and method to scale storage and networking within a server system and it is to this end that this disclosure is directed. The benefit of this scalability is a much more flexible physical system that fits many user applications.

System and method for flexible storage and networking provisioning in large scalable processor installations


The centreline runout (a) and out of roundness (b) of a shaft (100) is measured by measuring the distance between the central longitudinal axis (102) of the shaft (100) and each of a plurality of angularly spaced measurement points (103) located on the outer surface of the shaft in a measurement plane (18) using a measuring device (10). The position of the centroid (104) of the shaft at the measurement plane (18) is calculated along with the distance between the centroid (104) and the shaft central longitudinal axis (102), providing a centreline runout measurement (a). The distance between each measurement point (103) and the centroid (104) is calculated with these distances being used to calculate an out of round measurement (b).

Motor vehicle drive shafts must be manufactured to close runout tolerances, particularly to avoid vibration and associated component drainage. Runout can result from a bent shaft, referred to as centreline runout (lack of straightness), and/or out of roundness (ovality or lack of circularity) of the shaft cross-section. Whilst a bent shaft can cause vibration, an out of round shaft will not. Excessive out of round will, however, weaken the shaft.
Drive shafts are typically inspected for runout by way of dial gauges or electro-optical measurement systems, measuring total runout of the drive shaft at various transverse cross-sections.
Whilst run out can be caused by either out of roundness or lack of shaft straightness, the current methods are unable to readily distinguish between these two causes or components of run out. The cause of run out is significant as run out caused by lack of shaft straightness can typically be readily rectified by way of a straightening press whereas out of round defects are typically not rectifiable and require rejection of the drive shaft.

Method and apparatus for measuring centerline runout and out of roundness of a shaft


An interconnect for a fuel dispensing nozzle which provides for sustained shut off of a nozzle when its spout is not inserted into the fill pipe of a fuel tank. When the spout inserts within the fill pipe its bellows or splashguard is forced rearwardly, for urging an interconnecting rod to move rearwardly, against the bias of a spring, to force a pivotal link to disengage from the automatic shut-off diaphragm, to allow it to function normally. But when the nozzle is removed from the fuel tank, the pivotal link contacts against the diaphragm structure, of the automatic shut-off, and prevents the nozzle from dispensing or delivering any fuel from the dispenser.

This invention relates generally to a fuel dispensing nozzle, and more specifically relates to a nozzle incorporating a safety feature that assures that when a fuel dispensing nozzle is removed from the fill pipe of a vehicle, the nozzle will shut off, and prevent any further fuel dispensing, until such time as it is reintroduced into another vehicle fill pipe, in preparation for further fuel dispensing.
The dispensing of gasoline or other fuels from fuel dispensing nozzles, as anyone knows who is familiar with the technology of this art, is a very complex and technically sophisticated field, evidenced by the numerous minutely shiftable and moving parts that are integrated into the structure of such a nozzle, to keep it working effectively. The nozzles, and their various operations, are very sensitive to the venturi and related pressures and vacuums generated within the nozzle, during its operations, in order to keep it dispensing, to furnish an automatic shut-off, and in some instances, and to assure that a high efficiency of vapor recovery is maintained, during their operations. If any one of the foregoing cannot be achieved, CARB and the related governmental regulatory agencies will ban the use of any nozzle, and shut down any business, if not an entire industry, if they do not think that their regulations are being closely followed, and the limits achieved. In addition to the foregoing, the manufacturer is always confronted with its primary concern, aside from all the other governmental or quasi-governmental regulations, and that is to assure the safety of the customer, so that no one gets injured, in any way, when dispensing gasoline into their vehicle, particularly at the self-service installation.
On occasion, episodes have occurred where customers have sustained injury, while dispensing fuel, and while in certain instances it just cannot be determined what are the factual circumstances that lead towards someone sustaining any injury, while dispensing fuel at a service station or convenience stop, in many instances, the sustaining of damages can be attributed to either the mishandling by the customer, or outright negligence, or even intentional misconduct, that leads towards a faulty application and usage of the nozzle, while dispensing fuel, and such activity can be determined as the most likely cause of the mishap that leads towards the injury, in the first instance. Nevertheless, when such occurs, and regardless of the circumstances, the oil company, and the manufacturer of any nozzle, or other fuel dispensing mechanisms, normally sustain the liability, regardless what the facts may be.
Nevertheless, it is always the effort of the manufacturer of these apparatuses, to try to build into their manufactured components, means that will assure safety, and prevent injury, regardless what the circumstances may be that lead up to any damage. Hence, as with this current invention, it is designed to totally shut off the dispensing of any fuel, unless the nozzle is properly in place within the fill pipe of a vehicle, and remains there, and any further manipulation that may cause a premature withdrawal of the nozzle from the vehicle, while dispensing, will result in an immediate shut-off of any further fuel dispensing, so as to attempt to avoid the incidence of any potential injury or liability, regardless what the circumstances are that lead up to such activity. It may be that the vehicle owner, while self-serving in delivery of gasoline into their vehicle, may think that the tank is filled, or that the dispenser has ceased the delivery of gasoline, and therefore withdraw the nozzle from the fill pipe, which unless the dispenser is actually shut off, could lead towards further splashing of gasoline onto the car, onto the surrounding ground, or even onto the person, because of a misjudgment. Perhaps the vehicle owner may have heard the nozzle on the other side of the dispenser shut-off, and inadvertently believed that it was their own nozzle ceasing delivery of fuel to their automobile.
The current invention is designed and intended to alleviate that predicament, to provide for complete shut-off, any time a nozzle is removed from a vehicle, during or after filling, and at the same time, not even allow the dispensing of any fuel from the nozzle, unless it is properly in place within the vehicle fill pipe, in the first instance.
Others have given thought to this predicament. One such embodiment is shown in the United States patent to Moore, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,121, disclosing a safety mechanism for automatic nozzle. In this embodiment, it includes a trigger cam that interconnects between the front of the nozzle spout, by means of a linkage, that manipulates the stem of the automatic shut-off means, to provide for its shut-off of the nozzle, unless the nozzle spout is inserted within the intake neck of the fuel tank of a vehicle.
The patent to Murray, U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,215, shows another shut-off valve for a liquid dispensing nozzle. The concept of this prior art invention is to require the proper positioning of the spout, of the nozzle, within the vehicle tank, before any fuel can be dispensed from the gasoline dispensing nozzle. Apparently this embodiment incorporates a valve means, that closes off the passage of any air into the shut-off means, which may cause the automatic shut-off means to remain in that position, and prevent the dispensing of any fuel unless the nozzle is properly reinstalled within the vehicle fill pipe.
The patent to Leininger, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,777, shows another vapor recovery nozzle with sub-assemblies therefor. This embodiment incorporates a control valve that must operate properly before any fuel can be delivered. The bellows of this balanced pressure nozzle must be properly and completely compressed, and sealed, before any fuel can be delivered. Hence, this is just as concerned with the efficient absorption of the fuel vapors, to make sure they are returned to the dispenser, and underground tank, during its operations.
The current invention utilizes different structure, to assure that the nozzle always remains off, until such time as the spout is properly and conveniently located within the fill pipe of the vehicle, before the fuel can be dispensed.


A method of producing an adhesive sheet for skin includes attaching a water-absorptive support to a water-permeable biocompatible film to prepare a stack including the biocompatible film and the support, applying an aqueous ink including water and a functional material to the biocompatible film side of the stack thereby to fix the functional material to the biocompatible film, and separating the biocompatible film having the functional material fixed thereto from the support. An adhesive sheet for skin comprises a water-permeable biocompatible film to which an aqueous ink including water and a functional material has been applied and fixed and a water-absorptive support detachably attached to the biocompatible film.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods of producing an adhesive sheet for skin, cosmetic methods and adhesive sheets for skin.
2. Description of the Related Art
Direct printing on substrates having low ink absorbability such as plastic sheets encounters a problem that the substrates repel aqueous inks generally used in ink jet printing.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-276670 solves this problem by applying inks to an ink absorptive alumina hydrate layer stacked onto a transparent film having low ink absorbability.

Method of producing an adhesive sheet for skin, cosmetic method and adhesive sheet for skin

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


An anhydrous cosmetic composition in the aerosol form for forming a foam is composed of a propellant and an oily phase. The oily phase contains in combination at least one cosmetic oil or a mixture of an oil and a fatty substance and at least one foaming agent. The foaming agent corresponds to the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having 14 to 20 carbon atoms, and. R.sub.1 represents an alkyl radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms. This composition allows a highly stable foam to be obtained.

The principal problem encountered in the preparation of foam forming aerosol compositions resides essentially in the fact that, once formed, the foam must have good stability for a certain period of time.
It is also appropriate for the foam to be sufficiently stiff and oily when applied.
French Patent No. 2,157,784 describes an anhydrous aerosol composition containing a foaming agent, a foaming organic liquid, a silicone resin, and a propellant. The goal of this patent is to obtain a foam which is stable but which "breaks easily," and the addition of silicones allows this to be achieved.

Anhydrous cosmetic composition in the aerosol form forming a foam


A computer system includes a server device which provides one or more content packages each comprising a plurality of asset files. A client device stores the content packages, and generates a virtual environment based on the asset files to be displayed on a display unit. A tracker is arranged to record an asset list directly or indirectly representing a sequence of the asset files according to progress through the virtual environment at the client device, and to distinguish between legitimate and non-legitimate behavior of the client device according to the recorded asset list.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of protecting content in a computer system.
Description of Related Art
There is a growing demand for delivering games and other content to be played at a client device of the user. However, the existing distribution models give rise to many problems, especially in relation to digital rights management, in order to prevent unauthorised use or redistribution of high-value content.
Delivering a game or other large multimedia content over a network is limited by the characteristics of the network, such as the availability of bandwidth, consistency of the bandwidth, cost to the user, potential throttling and/or network-imposed hard caps on the volume of data that can be downloaded by the user. These problems are exacerbated for very large data volumes (large file sizes) which take a long time to download (e.g. tens of minutes, or even several hours).
There is a desire to allow a user to enjoy a sample of the content, prior to making a purchase of the full content. Also, there is a desire to allow rental of content for a limited time period, in exchange for a certain payment. These and other new mechanisms for delivering content have been inhibited by the existing content delivery infrastructure.
It is now desired to provide a system which addresses one or more of these limitations of the current art, or other such limitations, as will be appreciated from the discussion and description herein. In particular, it is desired to develop other approaches for providing content, such as video games, on a client device.

Method and apparatus for providing content protection in a computer system


A tube joint comprises a retaining mechanism which retains the locked state by preventing a sleeve from any rotation in the circumferential direction which would be otherwise caused by any unexpected external force. The retaining mechanism includes a ratchet which is provided to surround the outer circumferential surface of a socket body and which is rotatable synchronously with the sleeve, and a coil spring which is interposed between the sleeve and the ratchet and which makes an urging action to cause mutual separation under an action of the spring force.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tube joint for a fluid. In particular, the present invention relates to a tube joint which is provided with an attachment/detachment mechanism for a socket and a plug.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a fluid supply source and a fluid consumption source are piped to one another by using, for example, a hose or a hard pipe or tube, a variety of tube joints, each of which is composed of a socket and a plug for facilitating connection and separation, have been hitherto used.
In relation to the tube joint of this type, for example, the following structure is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 51-69119. A cutout is provided on the outer circumference of a slide sleeve for fitting/detaching a one-touch coupling. A pin, which is engageable with the cutout, is secured to the outer surface of the socket. The slide sleeve is released from the locked state only when the position of the pin is coincident with the position of the cutout in the axial direction. The socket and the plug can be detached from each other by slidably moving the slide sleeve in the axial direction.
In other words, the tube joint, which is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 51-69119, is constructed as follows. That is, the locked state is established, in which the slide sleeve cannot be slidably moved in the axial direction when the position of the pin is not coincident with the position of the cutout in the axial direction by rotating the slide sleeve in the circumferential direction in the state in which the socket and the plug are connected to one another.
However, in the case of the tube joint disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 51-69119 described above, the positional relationship is unstable between the slide sleeve and the pin in the locked state. It is feared that the slide sleeve may be rotated in the circumferential direction by applying any unexpected external force to the slide sleeve to provide the unlocked position at which the position of the pin is coincident with the position of the cutout, and the socket and the plug may be separated from each other.


A scrolling apparatus is disclosed that includes a rotatable scroll wheel and a sensor assembly coupled mechanically through a flexible cable. The sensor assembly has an encoder wheel that rotates in response to rotation of the scroll wheel. The rotational axis of the encoder wheel is axially displaced from the rotational axis of scroll wheel, and the diameter of the encoder wheel may be greater than the diameter of a conventional encoder wheel. The differences in diameter of the scroll wheel and encoder wheel may be utilized to provide the scrolling apparatus with relatively high resolution. In addition, the flexible cable permits the scroll wheel to be mounted within a tilting mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scrolling apparatus for repositioning an image relative to a display screen. More particularly, the invention relates to a scrolling apparatus that utilizes a cable to connect a scroll wheel and an encoder wheel. The invention has application to input devices, such as a mouse, trackball, or keyboard, to scroll an image relative to a display screen.
2. Description of Background Art
The viewable contents of a computer file, such as a text document, spreadsheet, digital photograph, Web page, or other image rendered on a conventional display screen, may possess a size exceeding the viewable boundaries of the display screen. To address this issue, an individual may utilize a scrolling apparatus to reposition the image relative to the display screen, thereby permitting the individual to view portions of the computer file not currently rendered. As utilized herein, scrolling describes a translatory movement of the image relative to the display screen and in a particular direction. For example, scrolling down generally describes a movement of the image relative to the display screen so as to produce an effect of moving downward in the image. Similarly, scrolling up, scrolling left, and scrolling right generally describe movement of the image relative to the display screen so as to produce an effect of moving the image upward, left, and right, respectively.
Scrolling apparatuses have been incorporated into a plurality of peripheral input devices, including computer mice and trackball pointing devices, for example. An example of a computer mouse incorporating a scrolling apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,661 to Siddiqui, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Elements of the scrolling apparatus include a finger-engageable scroll wheel and a sensor assembly. The scroll wheel is mounted within a housing of the computer mouse, and a portion of the scroll wheel protrudes from an opening in the housing to permit an individual to selectively rotate the scroll wheel. The sensor assembly detects rotation of the scroll wheel and transmits a corresponding signal to a host computer, thereby directing the image to scroll relative to the display screen. By rotating the scroll wheel in a first direction, an image on a display screen may be scrolled upward, for example. Similarly, by rotating the scroll wheel in an opposite second direction, the image may be scrolled downward. Accordingly, a scroll wheel may be operated in a bi-directional manner to vertically scroll the image relative to the display screen.
The sensor assembly in U.S. Pat. No. 5,912,661 includes an encoder wheel, a light source, and a light sensor. The encoder wheel and the scroll wheel are spaced from each other and mounted in an axially-aligned manner on a shared rotatable axle that is positioned within the housing. In addition, the encoder wheel is positioned between the light source and the light sensor. A plurality of angularly-spaced openings extend around a periphery of the encoder wheel to form a circular sensing region. As the encoder wheel rotates, light from the light source is alternately (1) transmitted through the openings and (2) blocked by the material of the encoder wheel. As the encoder wheel rotates, the pulses of light transmitted through the openings are detected by the light sensor. In response to the pulses of light, the light sensor transmits a signal to a host computer that indicates rotation of the scroll wheel, thereby inducing scrolling of the image relative to the display screen. Furthermore, the frequency of the sensed pulses corresponds to the rate at which the scroll wheel is being rotated. Accordingly, the rate at which the scroll wheel rotates is generally correlated to the speed at which the image scrolls.
In another existing scrolling apparatus, the scroll wheel includes, in the form of a hub, a plurality of internal angular slit openings that form an encoder disk/wheel. The light source and the light sensor are positioned on opposite sides of the encoder wheel. When the scroll wheel is rotated, light pulses are alternatively (1) transmitted through the openings and are detected by the light sensor, and (2) blocked by material between the slits. Scrolling is then performed similar to the manner described above.
In each scrolling apparatus discussed above, the scroll wheel and the encoder wheel rotate at the same rate. That is, a single rotation of the scroll wheel causes a single rotation of the encoder wheel. The sensing capabilities of these embodiments therefore depend upon the number of openings or slits in the encoder wheel at its sensing radius location. For example, if there are 20 openings disposed on the encoder wheel (1 opening for every 18°), a single rotation of the scroll wheel will cause the encoder wheel to rotate a full 360° and there will be 20 pulses. To increase the resolution capabilities of the described systems, the encoder wheels would need to be provided with more openings or slits that are spaced closer together so that more pulses are provided per revolution. However, there is a practical limit in increasing the number of openings in an encoder wheel with a limited sensing diameter due to manufacturing capabilities, tolerances, and costs. Accordingly, a scroll wheel sensing arrangement with increasing resolution capabilities was thus needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Remote scroll wheel sensing using a cable


This invention relates to Patient-Specific Templates (PST) which have already been used by implant manufacturers and clinically applied by orthopedic surgeons. This work presents an apparatus comprised of a unit acquiring data from the surface of bones and joints, a computerized unit for surgical planning and a desktop 3D printer for manufacturing PST, which are functionally, physically and electrically connected. The apparatus is compact, portable and suitable for hospital-based or clinic-based service. The data-collection unit has electro-magnetic (EM) device, diagnostic ultrasound machine, laser scanner and a receiver for acquisition of external data. It integrates the data from multiple sources and has sensor fusion ability. The surgical planning unit has specific software program capable of merging the collected data through mathematical model of specific parts of bones, joints and a library of implants and prostheses.

The concept of patient-specific templates (PST) has already been exploited by all major implant manufacturers. It has been clinically applied on many joints such as knee, hip, shoulder and ankle. The commercially available PST is company-based, where the templates are designed based on specific company implants and cannot be used for any other implants. The preparation is not surgeon-based and it takes long duration for confirming the preoperative planning and fabricating the templates as the company outsources most of the steps of PST process such as planning of surgery and designing of PST. Following template fabrication, the templates return to the company for packing and sterilization. Finally, the company sends the templates to the hospital, so that the surgeon can use during surgery. The process does not only involve outsourcing the steps but it also involves more than one country. Planning is routinely done by technicians and not by surgeons as both usually work at different locations. In addition, medico-legal experts described PST as a complex process and surgeons who do not plan or design PST still have responsibility toward its failure. Furthermore, companies should not manufacture PST without achieving an approval from the surgeon, which has to be done online. The required delivery and transportation from one place to another make the logistics for this technique a bit more complex. The process of PST takes about 4-6 weeks from the time of acquiring the imaging (MRI or CT) until the templates are delivered to the hospital. This may carry the risk of anatomic changes to the knee as a result of daily activities or any abnormal loading during this long delay, resulting in intraoperative malpositioning of the templates and subsequently implant malalignment.
This complex process and logistics limit the availability of PST in developing countries where implant companies are not widely distributed. The surgeons usually need longer time for communication with implant manufacturers to obtain the custom cutting guides and the desired implant. There is an additional high cost for the process of PST that is not proven to be cost effective [3, 4].
In the current art, the data collection is not sophisticated and it comes from one imaging machine (CT or MRI). MRI has the theoretical advantages of detecting cartilage and being a radiation-free imaging. However, CT scan is easier to use owing to the limitations of MRI such as difficult segmentation, contraindications with the presence of pacemaker, implants and obesity. Its other limitations, which have a different magnitude according to different health care systems, are cost, long waiting list, reimbursement and other logistics. CT-based software systems are easier to use, as image segmentation can be done automatically. On the other hand, MRI-based systems have to be done by experienced technicians due to the need to perform manual segmentation of the images. The malpositioning of the templates can occur as a consequence of incorrect bone segmentation with MRI. It is worth mentioning that the availability of good MRI or CT-scan machines is not always guaranteed in developing countries. In addition to the drawbacks of CT and MRI, both involve additional procedure, time and cost. This imposes another limitation to the wide spread of PST or PSI. There have been attempts to convert 2D X-ray data into 3D images but these trials lacked accuracy and are not reliable for producing patient-specific templates or implants.
The expensive industrial rapid prototyping (RP) machines that are used to manufacture PST have an average cost of $500,000. But currently the availability and affordability (<$500) of desktop 3D printers make it possible to replace the industrial RP machines. One of our patents described an open-platform technique (4), where the PST is designed and manufactured for any available knee implants or any implants that can be introduced in future. Using the open-platform technique, it is possible to use PST in developing countries, where there are implants from companies that have no PST technology or low-cost implants.
However, other problems still exist with the currently commercially available PST and even the open-platform technique. These problems are the outsourcing of different steps of PST process or the need for using different machines and devices even if they are in one location.
In the current art, at least 3 processes (data collection, planning of surgery and production of PST or PSI materials) are managed by 3 different companies, possibly in 3 different countries. None of these PST or PSI systems has been reported as a hospital-based procedure.
However, the model of hospital-based health care system is not new. Literature showed several benefits of hospital-based health-care systems (2). As hospitals routinely have a high number of physicians in different specialties, this could be important predictor for quality and cost of care; and consolidation of such different specialties contributes further for better quality-of-care environment. Moreover, promoting health-care system integration while providing risk sharing could also decrease the expenses of procedures, imaging and tests while improving the quality of care.
Hospital-based health-care services should be provided in public and academic hospitals with clinical, administration and economic staff who are capable of undertaking clinical practice, administrative decision making, assessment of apparatus and procedures, examining the effectiveness, safety and cost data as well as organizing training workshops, seminars, learning courses and collaborative networks.
Our patents cover a range of different devices and methods for PST and PSI. One of our patents described a new concept and application of double joint line for use in patient specific implants (4) Another one described a tool for PST and PSI for canine and have been applied on dogs (5). Also, a patent described coupling techniques for connecting PST to conventional instruments (6).

Apparatus and system for acquiring data from bones and joints, plan surgery and manufacture instruments or implants


An external amplifier and a noise removing method thereof are disclosed. When an audio output inputted to the external amplifier is changed from a first mode to a second mode, channel status information is set to the second mode and no data of the audio output is outputted in the second mode for a predetermined period of time. Therefore, it is possible to remove noise that is generated in the external amplifier when the audio output mode is changed, thereby preventing speaker damage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an external amplifier, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for removing noise that is generated in an external amplifier when the audio output mode of a digital receiver is changed.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A digital receiver, such as a digital television (DTV) or set-top box (STB), has a Sony Philips Digital Interface (SPDIF) output for digital audio transmission, which is connected to an external amplifier so as to be reproduced.
When audio is reproduced in the external amplifier, it is possible to obtain sound of higher quality, more channels, more various sound field effects, higher power, etc. than output sound from the digital receiver. Therefore, the user can enjoy a more realistic digital broadcast.
At present, the digital receiver can receive an analog broadcast, as well as a digital broadcast. Particularly, the digital television may receive an SPDIF input from an external digital device, such as a digital versatile disc (DVD) player, decode it and then provide the decoded result again as an SPDIF output, or may receive an analog L/R signal from an external analog device, such as a video cassette recorder (VCR), and provide it as an SPDIF output of a pulse code modulation (PCM) mode.
The SPDIF output mode is generally contained in an audio menu of the digital receiver, and is selected to suit the user's situation or automatically changed by the digital receiver according to a given broadcast or an external input source.
Audio transmitted when the user views a digital broadcast through the digital receiver, is an Encoded audio stream. The Encoded audio stream can be defined by various standards, such as AC3, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) and Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). At present, the audio standard is AC3 in Korean and North American digital broadcastings.
In this digital audio environment, the user can select a desired one of an Encoded mode or PCM mode as the SPDIF output mode. For example, provided that the user has an amplifier capable of decoding an SPDIF output of the Encoded mode, he/she will generally select the SPDIF output of the Encoded mode to enjoy multichannel, high-quality sound.
In contrast, provided that the user has an amplifier incapable of decoding an SPDIF output of the Encoded mode, or an amplifier capable of receiving audio of an L/R 2 channel and providing a specific sound field effect, he/she will select an SPDIF output of the PCM mode. Similarly, for a digital television that receives an input from an external digital device such as a DVD player, the user can also select the SPDIF output mode.
On the other hand, in the case where the user views an analog broadcast through the digital receiver or an analog video from an external analog device connected with the digital receiver, the digital receiver analog/digital (A/D)—converts an analog L/R signal from the external analog device and provides the resulting signal as an SPDIF output of the PCM mode. In this case, even though the user selects the Encoded mode as the SPDIF output mode, the digital receiver automatically provides the SPDIF output in the PCM mode.
Accordingly, the user can change the SPDIF output mode from the PCM mode to the Encoded mode in the audio menu while viewing a digital broadcast, or the change of the SPDIF output mode from the PCM mode to the Encoded mode can be made upon a channel change from an analog channel to a digital channel, a source change from an analog channel to an external digital device, a source change from an external analog device to a digital broadcast, and a source change from an external analog device to an external digital device.
For a distinction between the Encoded mode and PCM mode of the SPDIF output, SPDIF channel status information is generally used, as will hereinafter be described with reference to the annexed drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates the SPDIF channel status information.
As shown in FIG. 1, the channel status information includes various information for proper decoding of the SPDIF output by an external amplifier, in which the first bit of byte 0 indicates whether the SPDIF output mode is the PCM mode or Encoded mode.
That is, the first bit indicates the PCM mode if it is 0 and the Encoded mode if it is 1. This bit is also referred to as an Audio/Non Audio bit.
Therefore, the external amplifier determines whether the SPDIF output inputted thereto is in the Encoded mode or PCM mode, by periodically checking the first bit of byte 0 of the channel status information, and sets a decoder IC therein for proper decoding of the SPDIF output according to the determination result.
On the other hand, in this process of determining whether the SPDIF output is in the PCM mode or Encoded mode and processing the SPDIF output according to the determination result, noise is generated in the external amplifier when the SPDIF output mode is changed from the PCM mode to the Encoded mode, as will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 illustrates a process of noise generation in a conventional external amplifier when the SPDIF output mode is changed from the PCM mode to the Encoded mode.
When the SPDIF output mode of the digital receiver is changed from the PCM mode to the Encoded mode, the SPDIF data is changed from a PCM bit stream to an Encoded bit stream and, at the same time, the Audio/Non Audio bit of the channel status information is changed from the PCM mode ('0') to the Encoded mode ('1').
However, the external amplifier cannot immediately recognize the change of the SPDIF output mode from the PCM mode to the Encoded mode. For this reason, the external amplifier outputs an SPDIF input with an Encoded bit stream as sound of the PCM mode until it recognizes the mode change, causing noise.
In other words, the external amplifier has mode change check times T1, T2 and T4 at intervals of typically 100 ms or 200 ms, as shown in FIG. 2. In the case where the mode change is made at a time T3 between the check times, noise is generated for a period from the time T3 to the next check time T4.
In this case, the noise may be serious and the speaker may be subject to damage resulting from an abrupt sound variation.

External amplifier and noise removing method thereof


Described here a composition comprising of alcoholic extracts of herbs RHIZOMA ZINGIBERIS RECENS, RHIZOMA PINELLIAE, FLOS CARTHAMI, RADIX REHMANNIAE, RADIX ANGELICAE SINESIS, RADIX PAENOIAE RUBRA, CACUMEN BIOTAE, SEMEN SESAMI NIGRUM, RADIX POLYGONI MULTIFLORI, FRUCTUS MORI combined with TINCTURE CAPSICUM, TINCTURE CANTHARIDINATE, and OLEUM RICINI for direct application to scalp for the treatment of all kinds of alopecia in humans. Alternately, the herbs listed here can be used individually.

Human hair is the keratin-containing threadlike outgrowth extending from hair follicles in the skin. In humans, hair generally serves protective, sensory, and sexual attractiveness functions. A mature hair shaft is composed of three, and sometimes four, basic structures. The cuticle is the thick outer protective covering consisting of flat overlapping scale-like layers. The cortex is located inside, and is surrounded by, the cuticle. The cortex contains fibrous proteins, which are aligned along the length of the hair axis. Thicker hairs often contain one or more porous regions, the medulla, located near or at the center of the hair shaft. The fourth basic component is the intercellular cement, which glues or binds the cells together and provides the main pathway for diffusion into the hair fibers. Melanocytes, which produce melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color, are generally contained in the cortex and the base of the bulb of the hair shaft. Essential nutrients and oxygen are carried to the growing hair through capillaries around the base of the bulb. The hair follicle cycle is a complex process and entails involvement of cell differentiation, epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, stem cell augmentation, pattern formation, apoptosis, cell and organ growth cycles, and pigmentation. The most important theme in studying the cycling of hair follicle is that the follicle is a regenerating system. By traversing the phases of the cycle (growth, regression, resting, shedding, then growth again), the follicle demonstrates the unusual ability to completely regenerate itself. The basis for this regeneration rests in the unique follicular epithelial and mesenchymal components and their interactions. Recently, some of the molecular signals making up these interactions have been defined. They involve gene families also found in other regenerating systems such as fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor-xcex2, Wnt pathway, Sonic hedgehog, neurotrophins, and homeobox. (K S Stenn and R Pauls, Physiol Rev 2001 Jan; 81(1):449-494).
Normal hair follicles cycle between a growth stage (anagen), a degenerative stage (catagen), and a resting stage (telogen). The scalp hairs have a relatively long life cycle: the anagen stage ranges from two to five years, the catagen stage ranges from a few days to a few weeks, and the telogen stage is approximately three months (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, pp. 290-291; Sperling, L. C., J. Amer. Acad. Dermatology (v. 25, No. 1, Part 1), pp. 1-17 (1991)). Shorter hairs found elsewhere on the body have corresponding shorter anagen duration. The morphology of the hair and the hair follicle changes dramatically over the course of the life cycle of the hair. During anagen, the hair follicle is highly active metabolically (Sperling, L. C., J. Amer. Acad. Dermatology (v. 25, No. 1, Part 1), p. 4 (1991)). The follicle comprises a follicular (dermal) papilla at the base of the follicle; epidermal matrix cells surrounding the follicular papilla and forming the base of a hair shaft; and the hair shaft that extends upwards from the papilla through the hair canal (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993). The matrix cells are the actively growing portions of the hair (Sperling, L. C., J. Amer. Acad. Dermatology (v. 25, No. 1, Part 1), p.6 (1991)). At catagen, the matrix cells retract from the papilla, and other degenerative changes occur (Sperling, L. C., J. Amer. Acad. Dermatology (v. 25, No. 1, Part 1), pp. 13-14 (1991)). A column of epithelial cells pushes the keratinized proximal shaft of the hair upwards (Sperling, L. C., J. Amer. Acad. Dermatology (v. 25, No. 1, Part 1), p. 3 (1991)), and cell death occurs within the follicle (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, p. 291). When the hair follicle reaches the telogen stage, the existing hair has a club-shaped proximal end, and a small bud (a remnant of the epithelial column that is found in catagen) at the base of the follicle (Sperling, L. C., J. Amer. Acad. Dermatology (v. 25, No. 1, Part 1), p. 3 (1991)). A telogen hair will not grow further (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, p. 291). The pigmentary system that colors hair involves melanocytes located in the matrix area of the follicle, above the follicular papilla (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, p. 292). Melanin pigments produced by the melanocytes flow along dendritic processes (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, p. 292). The dendritic processes are phagocytized by the differentiating matrix cells that become part of the hair shaft; degradation of the phagocytosed material results in release of melanin granules into the cytoplasm (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, p. 671), thus pigmenting the hair. Alterations in normal hair pigmentation or growth may be caused by age, physiologic disease conditions, or injury especially, for example, exposure to ultraviolet-irradiation. The xe2x80x9cgrayingxe2x80x9d of hair, both normal (age-associated) and abnormal, is known as canities. Graying results from a progressive decrease in pigment present in the hair shaft, caused by loss of melanocytes (Fitzpatrick, T. B., et al., eds., DERMATOLOGY IN GENERAL MEDICINE (Vol. I), McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993, p. 671; Gilchrest, B. A., SKIN AND AGING PROCESSES, CRC Press, 1984, p.19). A decrease in the density of hair follicles is also associated with advancing age (Gilchrest, B. A., SKIN AND AGING PROCESSES, CRC Press, 1984, p. 20). Alopecia areata is a common disease of the hair follicle, affecting about 2% of new patients attending dermatology clinics in the United States and in Britain (Price, V. H., J. Invest. Dermatol., 96:685 (1991)). In alopecia areata, the hair follicle, in response to some unknown signal or injury, is suddenly precipitated into premature telogen, and then cycles in a shortened aborted cycle in which it is repeatedly arrested part way through early anagen. The follicle may remain in this arrested state but is capable of resuming normal growth after months or years. The nature of the signal or injury and the anatomical target for this abnormality are unknown. Histologically, alopecia areata is characterized by peribulbar lymphocytic infiltrate of predominantly T helper cells (Lever, W. F. and Schaumburg-Lever, G., eds., HISTOPATHOLOGY OF THE SKIN, J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia, Pa., 1990, pp. 223-224), strongly suggesting the involvement of the cellular immune system perhaps through a loss of discrimination of self and non-self antigens (Goldsmith, L. A., J. Invest. Dermatol., 96:985-1005 (1991)). Alternatively, an intrinsic abnormality in the follicular keratinocyte could be activated under the influence of internal or external triggers, which eventually may lead to cellular degeneration and peribulbar inflammatory infiltrate. However, to date no specific antigen has been identified to support the autoimmune theory and no specific intrinsic difference has been reported between normal bulbar and alopecia areata keratinocytes. The hair follicle is an epidermal derivative that undergoes cycles of growth, involution, and rest. The hair cycle has well-orchestrated kinetics regulated by interactions between mesenchymal and epithelial cells, although the intracellular signals remain unclear. There is suggestion that telogen-to-anagen progression required organized keratinocyte migration in response to mesenchymal stimuli.
Alopecia (baldness) a deficiency of hair, either normal or abnormal, is primarily a cosmetic problem in humans. Hair loss occurs in a variety of situations. These situations include male pattern alopecia, alopecia senilis, alopecia areata, diseases accompanied by basic skin lesions or tumors, and systematic disorders such as nutritional disorder and internal secretion disorders. The mechanisms causing hair loss are very complicated, but in some instances can be attributed to aging, genetic disposition, the activation of male hormones, the loss of blood supply to hair follicles, and scalp abnormalities. It is a deficiency of terminal hair, the broad diameter, colored hair that is readily seen. However, in the so-called bald person although there is a noticeable absence of terminal hair the skin does contain vellus hair, which is a fine colorless hair, which may require microscopic examination to determine its presence. This vellus hair is a precursor to terminal hair. In both women and men, the occurrence of an increased loss of hair is accompanied by the fear of becoming totally bald-headed. Besides the medical aspect, disturbances in the hair growth thus present a great personal problem for the affected person. The rate of growth of the hair amounts to about 0.35 mm per day, the hair density is from about 80,000 to 150,000 hairs per head. A loss of 100 hairs per day constitutes already a pathological effluvium. From hair follicles that remained intact, hair is able to re-grow. However, during a multiphase, lengthy re-growth, hair follicles may shrink and lead to a gradual loss of hair.
The existence of a number of pathologic syndromes depends on androgen hormones. An unexplained switch causes androgenic alopecia from the growth promoting effect of androgens on the hair follicles to hair loss. In skin, androgen mediated disorders, such as alopecia, acne vulgaris, and hirsutism, excess of the cutaneous androgens are a major nosological factor. The androgenic hormones can act only via an androgenic receptor, which is a transcription factor, a protein that interacts with a specific region of DNA. Thus, the mode of action of testosterone and its much more potent analog, 5-alpha dihydrotestoterone depends upon binding to the androgenic receptors. Only then can transcription by RNA polymerase 11 take place. In the treatment of androgenic alopecia, various antiandrogens originally developed for the treatment of prostate cancer were claimed for systemic use, but side effects of chronic therapy with these systemically absorbable substances were of concern. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,249 to Sovak, et al., is for the use of substituted phenylalanines that bind specifically to androgen receptor reducing the incidence of alopecia. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,892 to Gormley, et al., is for a method of treating and/or reversing androgenic alopecia and promoting hair growth, and methods of treating acne vulgaris, seborrhea, and female hirsutism, by administering to a patient in need of such treatment a 5-xcex1-reductase 2 inhibitor, such as finasteride.
One form of hair loss, alopecia areata, is known to be associated with autoimmune activities; hence, topically administered immunomodulatory compounds demonstrate efficacy for treating that type of hair loss. The immunosuppressant drugs FK506, rapamycin and cyclosporin are well known as potent T-cell specific immunosuppressants, and are effective against graft rejection after organ transplantation. Topical application of FK506 (Yamamoto et al., J. Invest. Dermatol., 1994,102, 160-164; Jiang et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 1995, 104, 523-525) and cyclosporin (Iwabuchi et al., J. Dermatol. Sci. 1995, 9, 64-69) stimulates hair growth in a dose-dependent manner. The hair growth and revitalization effects of FK506 and related agents are disclosed in many U.S. patents (Goulet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,389; Luly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,111; Goulet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,248; Goulet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,042; and Ok et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,241; Rupprecht et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,840; Organ et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,877). Other U.S. patents disclose the use of cyclosporin and related compounds for hair revitalization (Hauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,625; Eberle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,826; Hewitt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,193). These patents also relate to compounds useful for treating autoimmune diseases and cite the known use of cyclosporin and related immunosuppressive compounds for hair growth. Honbo et al., in EP 0 423 714 A2 disclose the use of relatively large tricyclic compounds, known for their immunosuppressive effects, as hair revitalizing agents.To overcome the side effects of immunosuppressants, several developments have been made using nonimmunosuppressant techniques. Hamilton and Steiner disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,547 a novel pyrrolidine carboxylate compounds, which bind to the immunophilin FKBP12 and stimulate nerve growth, but which lack immunosuppressive effects. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,455 to Steiner, et al., is for pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating alopecia and promoting hair growth using non-immunosuppressant pyrrolidine derivatives.
Stem cells are by definition present in all self-renewing tissues. These cells are believed to be long-lived, have a great potential for cell division and are ultimately responsible for the homeostasis of steady-state tissues. Stem cells are normally slow cycling. They can, however, be induced to enter the proliferative pool in response to certain growth stimuli. When stem cells undergo occasional cell division, they give rise to more rapidly proliferating xe2x80x9ctransient amplifying cellsxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cTAxe2x80x9d). Stem cells possess many of the following properties: they are relatively undifferentiated, ultrastructurally and biochemically; they have a large proliferative potential and are responsible for the long term maintenance and regeneration of the tissue; they are normally xe2x80x9cslow-cyclingxe2x80x9d, presumably to conserve their proliferative potential and to minimize DNA errors that could occur during replication; they can be stimulated to proliferate in response to wounding and to certain growth stimuli; they are often located in close proximity to a population of rapidly proliferating cells corresponding to the transient amplifying cells (xe2x80x9cTAxe2x80x9d) in the scheme of (1) stem cell to (2) TA cell to (3) terminally differentiated cell, and they are usually found in well protected, highly vascularized and innervated areas. Positive identification of stem cells has been difficult because, there are few known immunological or biochemical markers specific for epithelial stem cells. Since they are normally xe2x80x9cslow-cyclingxe2x80x9d, they cannot be labeled by single pulse administration of radioactive materials typically used to detect actively proliferating TA cells. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,094 to Lavker, et al., describes a method for identification of these cells by labeling these cells continuously to generate label-retaining cells (LRCs). Cotsarelis et al., J. Invest. Dermol. 1989a, 92(3) disclose a method to facilitate detection of LRCs based on the ability of slow-cycling cells to be recruited to proliferate in response to hyperplastic stimuli.
Stem cells of various epithelia share a common set of features. It is shown that in hair follicles, the heavily pigmented stem cells are located at the base, in close proximity with follicular papillae and associated vasculature. Cotsarelis, et al., Cell 1990, 61: 1329-37, show that the hair follicle stem cells were found to exist exclusively in the mid-portion of the follicle at the arrector pili muscle attachment site termed the xe2x80x9cbulgexe2x80x9d area of the hair follicle.
A number of growth factors have been reported to be useful for modulating stem cell activity. For example, cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) and Interleukin-(IL-1) are believed to be useful. Cellular targets in acute graft versus host disease have been postulated to be keratinocytes with stem cell properties. Because stem cells are normally slow cycling but proliferate rapidly upon inductive stimulation, they may be attractive targets for cytokines such as TNF. EGF has been shown to have broad biological effects. Most significantly, it has the ability to induce the proliferation of basal keratinocytes. Furthermore, it has been shown to support growth during fetal development and accelerate re-epithelialization during wound healing. TGF-xcex1 has been shown to be involved in the regulation of both growth and differentiation of epithelial cells. It is known to stimulate keratinocyte growth in vitro. IL-1 is known to induce proliferative activity in epidermal cells. Keratinocytes of the basal layer of the epidermis express the high affinity (trk E and trk) and the low affinity (p75) NGF receptors (NGF-R). NGF, produced by keratinocytes, protects cells from death when it binds to NGF receptors. In cells, this NGF effect is mediated in part by induction of the protective protein Bcl-2. Interestingly, basal epidermal keratinocytes express Bcl-2 protein. Normal anagen hair follicles strongly express the p75 NGF-R and that p75 NGF-R expression is significantly reduced and limited to a few basal keratinocytes in telogen hair follicles. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,103,689 to Gilchrest, et al., is for a method for maintaining hair growth and coloration in humans by using neurotrophin ligands to prevent p75 nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor mediated apoptosis in melanocytes and keratinocytes.
Several novel techniques and preparations have been described to promote hair growth based on the various theories and techniques described above. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,693 to Bonte, et al., is for a cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition which comprises oxyacanthine or an extract of a plant in which it is present, such as Berberis vulgaris or barberry. One particular association is that of oxyacanthine with a saponin. This composition can be intended in particular for stimulating hair growth, retarding hair loss or combating pruritus. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,475 to Olguin for a hair growth formulation. The two basic main ingredients are castor oil and a special lemon extract. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,933 to Nelson is for a dietary supplement, which is useful for the promotion of healthy hair, and pigment restoration in human subjects is provided. The dietary supplement contains a copper salt, p-aminobenzoic acid, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,279 to Klett-Loch is for a combination preparation for stimulating the growth of hair and skin and nails with a combination of vitamins, enzymes, and amino acids. To increase the effectiveness of the combination preparation, its use is described as a supplement to a topically applicable hair growth stimulant, in particular a thymus-containing therapeutic agent. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,345 to Chizick, et al., is for a natural formulation for treatment of male pattern hair loss. The formulation contains a combination of Saw Palmetto extract, African Pygeum extract, stinging nettle extract, and optionally zinc, vitamin B6 and green tea extract. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,749 to Park is for a dietary supplement containing herbal extracts, which promote healthy hair growth on the scalp. A composition of a dietary supplement comprising MAMMALIA PLACENTA prepared from the placenta of a mammal, FRUCTUS LIGUSTRI LUCIDI, SALVIAE MILTIORRHIZAE, PAEONIAE RUBRA, CINNAMOMI CASSIAE, MOUTAN RADICIS, and ALISMATIS PLANTAGO-AQUATICA. For increased benefit, the dietary supplement further comprising POLYGONI MULTIFLORI, FRUCTUS LYCII CHINENSIS, FRUCTUS MORI ALBAE, VACCARIAE SEGETALIS, PLATICODI GRANDIFLORI, COICIS LACHRYMA-JOBI, and ARTEMESIAE CAPILLARIS. The dietary supplement is for oral ingestion and can be prepared in the form of a tablet, capsule, powder or syrup. The U.S, Pat. No. 5,738,879 to Rine is for scalp hair treatment method and composition wherein the composition comprises deionized water, a vasodilator (such as ethyl nicotinate and/or capsicum extract), a magnesium salt, and a hydrolyzed protein. Other patents that promote multiple use of herbal extracts include the U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,059 issued to Garza teaches an herbal composition beneficial for the treatment of hemorrhoid and the U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,207 issued to Bewicke, which teaches a dietary supplement containing herbal extracts that, serves as a general relaxant. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,879 to Rine is for a scalp and hair treatment method and composition wherein the composition comprises deionized water, a vasodilator (such as ethyl nicotinate and/or capsicum extract), a magnesium salt, and a hydrolyzed protein.

Herbal composition for the treatment of alopecia


An improved disk drive system that employs a lubricant with improved charge control is provided. The disk drive system is comprised of a rotatably mounted magnetic disk. A rotor is coupled to the disk and rotatably retained by a stator. A bearing is formed that serves as an interface between the stator and the rotor. A motor coupled to the rotor rotates the magnetic disk via the rotor. Located in the bearing is a lubricant having a low relative electrical permittivity.

Computer disk drives, e.g., hard disk drives, use a motor to turn at least one magnetic disk at high speeds. Typically, the magnetic disk is coupled to a rotor, which, in turn, is coupled to the motor for rotating the magnetic disk via the rotor. A stator is also provided to retain the rotor. A bearing serves as an interface between the stator and the rotor. During operation, lubricant is typically required and may be provided in the bearing. For example, the bearing may include a pair of magnetic fluid seals, several capillary holes or channels, and a lubricant flowing within the capillary channels that is held in place by a barrier film.
Disk drive systems also include at least one read/write transducer or "head" that serves to read and write data to the magnetic disk. The transducer may be supported by an air-bearing slider that has a top surface attached to an actuator assembly via a suspension and a bottom surface having an air-bearing design of a desired configuration to provide favorable flying height characteristics. As a disk begins to rotate, air enters the leading edge of the slider and flows in the direction of the trailing edge of the slider. The flow of air generates a positive pressure on the air-bearing surface of the slider to lift the slider above the recording surface. As the spindle motor reaches the operating velocity, the slider is maintained at a nominal flying height over the recording surface by a cushion of air. Then, as the spindle motor spins down, the flying height of the slider drops.
A problem common to many disk drive systems relates to the tendency of the system to accumulate static charge. Such charge may build up, uncontrollably discharge, and damage various components of the disk drive. For example, a voltage difference between the heads and disks can provide a potential energy discharge that can harm the heads and the disk media itself. Although the initial voltage differences between components of a disk drive system can be kept to near zero, static charging typically accumulates in a disk drive system during operation, thereby building up voltage differences between components of the disk drive system. Such voltage differences occur between moving parts such as between the head and the disk and/or between the rotor and the stator.
A number of sources may contribute to static charge accumulation. When surfaces rub against each other in a bearing, electron and ion exchange or charge separation may occur, thereby resulting in tribocharging. Even occasional contact of asperities on the heads and disks can generate tribocharge. Due to the close proximity of surfaces in a disk drive platter, even a small charge imbalance forms potential differences on the order of volts. In addition, charge accumulation may occur because of shearing of air molecules in the boundary layer adjacent to rotating surfaces. Charging also occurs due to shear flow of the motor bearing lubricant. Furthermore, lubricant used in the bearing may be dielectric in nature. Dielectric lubricants generally lack the capability to allow for dissipation of accumulated charge. Because shear forces may break chemical bonds in the lubricant, liberated electrons and ions may further contribute to charge accumulation.
One known approach to alleviate excess static charging is to provide a lubricant that has a sufficiently high electrical conductivity to dissipate charge accumulated in a disk drive charge. A number of patents describe additives for increasing the electrical conductivity of a lubricant. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,641,841, 5,744,431, and 5,886,854, each to Diaz et al., describe various conducting polyaniline derivatives that may be used to render a lubricant conductive. Additional patents that describe conductive lubricants include, U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,394 to Wan et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,940,246 to Khan et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,808 to Ichiyama. It is thought that highly conductive lubricants in the bearing would reduce any potential difference that may build up between a rotor and a stator.
Nevertheless, it has been found that lubricant conductivity represents only one of many factors that influences the static charging behavior of disk drive systems. In particular, it has been discovered that disk drives that employ highly conductive lubricants may nevertheless experience a surprisingly high peak discharge current because the lubricants themselves may accumulate excessive static charge. Accordingly, there is a need for a disk drive lubricant that is not prone to accumulating excessive static charge. Such lubricants typically have a low relative electrical permittivity and may be formulated, for example, by introducing a charge-control additive for reducing charge accumulation into an ordinary lubricating medium.

Disk drive system with hydrodynamic bearing lubricant having charge-control additive comprising dioctyldiphenylamine and/or oligomer thereof

Hitachi Global Storage Netherlands, B.V.


A method of removing at least benzene from a hydrocarbon stream comprises concentrating aromatics in the hydrocarbon stream by passing the hydrocarbon stream through a membrane unit having at least one membrane to produce a permeate stream and a retentate stream, wherein the permeate stream is aromatics rich relative to the hydrocarbon stream; and extracting aromatics after concentrating using a selective aromatics extraction solvent in an extraction unit to produce an extract stream, wherein the extract stream is aromatics rich relative to the permeate stream.

The present disclosure generally relates to methods of removing aromatics such as benzene from hydrocarbon streams, and more particularly to membrane, extraction, and hydrogenation methods for removing at least benzene from hydrocarbon streams.
Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to methods of increasing recovery of high purity aromatic benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) from hydrocarbon streams, and more particularly to membrane, and extraction methods for enhanced BTX production from hydrocarbon streams.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has mandated a near complete elimination of benzene from gasoline. More specifically, the benzene limit is set at a maximum of 1.0 volume percent of gasoline. However, if a company elects to use the "yearly pool average" standard of measuring benzene in gasoline, the company's total gasoline pool must meet a yearly benzene average limit of 0.95 volume percent with no gasoline batch exceeding 1.5 volume percent benzene.
For most refiners, the catalytic reformer represents the major source of benzene in the gasoline pool. In catalytic reforming, a hydrocarbon feed such as naphtha is passed over a metal catalyst such as platinum at an elevated temperature and pressure. The catalyst reforms the molecular structure of the hydrocarbons contained in the naphtha by removing hydrogen and rearranging the structure of the molecules so as to improve the octane number of the naphtha. Because of the multiplicity of compounds in the raw naphtha, the actual reactions that take place in the catalytic reformer are numerous.
One strategy to manage benzene production is to minimize benzene and benzene precursors in the reformer feed. While successful in reducing benzene production, benzene is still produced in the reformer. As such, other strategies to manage benzene have been considered where benzene is converted, destroyed, or separated after it is produced in the reformer.
With regard to benzene separation, benzene may be recovered as part of a benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) production process, which generally employs staged distillation and extraction. However, distillation is an energy intensive and costly process.
Accordingly, a continual need exists for improved methods of recovering at least benzene from hydrocarbon streams.

Process for removing at least benzene from hydrocarbon streams


To make a length in a horizontal direction of a vapor return joint small, thereby improving an assembling property of a fuel flow path module to a fuel tank, a vapor inflow hole, a fuel outflow hole and a regulator fuel inflow hole are provided in a fuel tube portion of a fuel flow path module, a vapor return joint is provided uprightly in an upper side of the vapor inflow hole, the vapor return joint comprises by a first straight pipe portion, and a second straight pipe portion connected to an upper end of the first straight pipe portion at a narrow angle A downward, an intersection between the first straight pipe portion and the second straight pipe portion is arranged above an upper opening end of the second straight pipe portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection apparatus which boosts fuel stored within a fuel tank by a fuel pump, adjusts a pressure of the boosted fuel to a predetermined pressure by a pressure regulator, and supplies the fuel to an engine via a fuel injection valve, and more particularly to a fuel flow path module used in an inline pump type fuel injection apparatus in which the fuel pump is arranged in an outer side of the fuel tank, and is arranged within a fuel inflow pipe extending toward an outer side from the fuel tank.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
A description will be given of a fuel flow path module in a conventional inline pump type fuel injection apparatus with reference to FIG. 2.
A fuel flow path module M in which a plurality of fuel flow paths are respectively formed independently is formed in the following manner.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a fuel tube portion formed in a tubular shape in a vertical direction. An attaching collar portion 1a formed in a flat shape toward a side portion from an outer periphery of the fuel tube portion 1 is formed in the fuel tube portion 1, and a screw insertion hole 1b is provided through in the attaching collar portion 1a.
Further, a vapor inflow hole 2, a fuel outflow hole 3 and a regulator fuel inflow hole 4 which are independent from each other are provided from a lower end 1c of the fuel tube portion 1 toward an upper end 1d.
In other words, the holes 2, 3 and 4 are open to the lower end 1c and the upper end 1d.
Further, a vapor return joint 5 is pressure inserted to and provided uprightly in an opening portion to the upper end 1d of the vapor inflow hole 2.
The vapor return joint 5 mentioned above is formed by a metal pipe member, and is formed by a straight pipe portion 5a directed toward an upper side, and a U-shaped pipe portion 5b bent in an inverse-U shape from an upper end of the straight pipe portion 5a, and a lower opening portion 5ba of the U-shaped pipe portion 5b is open toward a lower side.
Further, a pressure regulator R is inserted to the opening portion to the upper end 1d of the regulator fuel inflow hole 4 so as to be arranged to be connected.
Reference symbol K denotes a sealed-state pump receiving case arranged at a lower position of the fuel tank T, a fuel inflow hole 6 is open to a lower side of the pump receiving case, and a vapor discharge hole 7 is open to an upper side thereof.
The fuel pump P is provided with a motor Pm and an impeller Pa driven by the motor Pm, and a pressure difference is generated between front and rear sides of a blade groove in an outer periphery of an impeller Pa on the basis of a rotation of the impeller Pa, whereby the fuel is sucked into a pump chamber from a pump suction path Pb, and the boosted fuel is discharged from a pump discharge path Pc. Further, a strainer S is arranged in the pump suction path Pb.
Further, the fuel pump P provided with the strainer S is arranged within the pump receiving case K. At this time, a fuel chamber Ka which can store the fuel is formed between an inner periphery of the pump receiving case K and an outer periphery of the fuel pump P.
Reference symbol D denotes a fuel distribution pipe in which a fuel distribution path 8 is provided. A fuel injection valve J is inserted and supported to the fuel distribution pipe D, and the fuel supplied into the fuel distribution path 8 is supplied toward the fuel injection valve J.
The fuel flow path module M is fixedly arranged in the fuel tank T in the following manner.
A module insertion hole Tb to which the fuel tube portion 1 of the fuel flow path module M can be inserted is provided in a bottom portion Ta of the fuel tank T.
Further, an upper side portion of the fuel tube portion 1 including the vapor return joint 5 of the fuel flow path module M and the pressure regulator R is inserted and arranged within the fuel tank T via the module insertion hole Tb, and an upper surface of the attaching collar portion 1a is arranged so as to be brought into contact with the bottom portion Ta of the fuel tank T via a packing 9. In the state mentioned above, a screw 10 is inserted into the screw insertion hole 1b of the attaching collar portion 1a, and the attaching collar portion 1a is fixed by screw toward the bottom portion Ta of the fuel tank T.
In accordance with the structure mentioned above, the fuel flow path module M is fixedly arranged in the bottom portion Ta of the fuel tank T, the module insertion hole Tb of the fuel tank T is closed by the attaching collar portion 1a, the pressure regulator R including the vapor return joint 5 and the return fuel hole Ra is received and arranged within the fuel tank T, and lower sides of the vapor inflow hole 2, the fuel outflow hole 3 and the regulator fuel inflow hole 4 are open to the lower end 1c of the fuel tube portion 1.
Further, the fuel flow path module M, the pump receiving case K and the fuel distribution pipe D are connected by flow paths in the following manner.
The fuel out flow hole 3 of the fuel flow path module M and the fuel inflow hole 6 of the pump receiving case K are connected by a fuel inflow pipe 11.
The discharge path Pc of the fuel pump P and the fuel distribution path 8 of the fuel distribution pipe D are connected by a fuel outflow pipe 12.
Further, a regulator fuel pipe 13 branched from the fuel outflow pipe 12 is connected to the regulator fuel inflow hole 4 of the fuel flow path module M.
Further, the vapor discharge hole 7 of the pump receiving case K and the vapor inflow hole 2 of the fuel flow path module M are connected by a vapor relief pipe 14.
In accordance with the inline pump type fuel injection apparatus formed in the manner mentioned above, the fuel stored within the fuel tank T is supplied into the fuel chamber Ka of the pump receiving case K via the fuel outflow hole 3, the fuel inflow pipe 11 and the fuel inflow hole 6, the fuel pump P sucks the fuel supplied into the fuel chamber Ka into the fuel pump P via the strainer S and the pump suction path Pb, and the fuel boosted by the fuel pump P is discharged into the fuel outflow pipe 12 via the pump discharge path Pc.
Further, a part of the fuel within the fuel outflow pipe 12 is supplied to the pressure regulator R via the regulator fuel pipe 13 and the regulator fuel inflow hole 4, and is adjusted to a predetermined pressure by the pressure regulator R.
An excess fuel at a time of being adjusted by the pressure regulator R is returned into the fuel tank T via the return fuel hole Ra.
In accordance with the structure mentioned above, the fuel having the pressure adjusted to the predetermined fuel pressure is supplied toward the fuel distribution path 8 of the fuel distribution pipe D from the fuel outflow pipe 12, and the fuel within the fuel distribution path 8 is injected and supplied toward the engine (not shown) via the fuel injection valve J.
On the other hand, if the fuel inflow pipe 11 is warmed up by a heat radiation from the engine or an outside air temperature, a vapor is generated in the fuel flowing within the fuel inflow pipe 11, and the vapor flows into the fuel chamber Ka within the receiving case K from the fuel inflow hole 6.
Further, if the fuel pump P is driven, the motor Pm generates heat, the fuel within the fuel chamber Ka is warmed up on the basis of the heat generation of the motor Pm and the vapor is generated.
Further, if the fuel pump P is driven and the impeller Pa rotates within the pump chamber, the vapor is generated within the pump chamber, and the vapor is discharged into the fuel chamber Ka via a vapor bleeding hole Pd of the fuel pump P.
Further, the vapor generated in the manner as mentioned above is discharged into the fuel tank T via the vapor discharge hole 7, the vapor relief pipe 14, the vapor inflow hole 2 and the vapor return joint 5 through an upper space of the fuel chamber Ka.
Further, in the vapor return joint 5, an upper end of the straight pipe portion 5a is bent in the inverse-U shape toward the lower side by the U-shaped pipe portion 5b. Accordingly, even if the vapor return joint 5 is in a state of being arranged so as to be immersed into the fuel within the fuel tank T, the fuel within the fuel tank T is prevented from flowing toward the inner side of the vapor relief pipe 14.
This is because a peak 5bb of the U-shaped pipe portion 5b is arranged in an upper side of the lower opening portion 5ba.

Fuel flow path module in inline pump type fuel injection apparatus


Antenna apparatus includes a dielectric carrier having a first side and a second side. The antenna apparatus also includes a multi-band antenna having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The multi-band antenna includes a first section and a second section that are bent with respect to one another. The interior surface along the first and second sections defines a receiving space. The dielectric carrier is disposed within the receiving space such that the first section is positioned along the first side of the dielectric carrier and the second section is positioned along the second side of the dielectric carrier. The dielectric carrier includes at least one projection that covers a portion of the exterior surface of the multi-band antenna.

The subject matter relates generally to antenna apparatuses configured to be installed with a carrier.
Antennas are increasingly requested and used for a number of applications within a variety of industries. Examples of such applications include mobile phones, wearable devices, portable computers, and communication systems for vehicles (e.g., automobiles, trains, planes, etc.). But there have been conflicting market demands for such antennas. Users and vendors request multi-band capabilities but would like the antennas to be smaller, hidden, and/or positioned at non-ideal locations, such as near other metal objects. Other constraints may include the requested bandwidth, available feed location, and the size of the ground plane to which the antenna may be mounted.
To meet these demands, manufacturers have attempted to optimize the antennas by reshaping components or by moving the components to different locations. Although these antennas can be effective in communicating wirelessly, alternative antennas which provide sufficient communication while occupying less space are still desired. In particular, it has become increasingly difficult to achieve a sufficient bandwidth for smaller antennas, while also providing an antenna that resists damage during installation and/or use.
Accordingly, there is a need for an antenna apparatus that has a sufficient bandwidth but occupies less space and is less susceptible to damage during installation or operation.

Surface-mount antenna apparatus and communication system having the same


A rotary cutter for cutting a block of tobacco includes a support structure having a rotatable shaft and a plurality of blade-holder carriages rotatable with the shaft. Each carriage includes a cutting blade for cutting through and penetrating a block of tobacco. Each carriage is capable of a translatory movement relative to the shaft along a line parallel to the axis of the shaft. A drive device includes plurality of rotary pinions which bring about the translatory movement of each carriage in synchronism with the rotation of the shaft during cutting the block of tobacco.

The present invention relates to rotary cutter, particularly for shredding tobacco, of the type comprising:
a fixed support structure,
a shaft supported by the structure for rotation about an axis,
at least one blade-holder carriage which can rotate with the shaft and carries at least one cutting blade for cutting through and penetrating a block of tobacco supplied in a direction such that it is inclined at an angle to the axis, the carriage being able to perform a translatory movement relative to the shaft along a line parallel to the axis,
motor means for rotating the shaft, and
drive means for bringing about the translatory movement of the carriage and of the associated blade in synchronism with the rotation of the shaft.
A rotary cutter of this type is described in European patent application 0 293 384.
In this known device, the drive means comprise a stationary cam with a shaped guide profile and the blade-holder carriages have respective cam followers which cooperate with the cam profile, and thrust means for urging the cam follower against the guide profile of the cam.
With this solution the magnitude and speed of the translatory movement or traverse of the blade-holder carriages which can be achieved during the fraction of each revolution in which the associated blade is cutting through the block of tobacco are quite limited.
Moreover, in the device according to the document mentioned above, all the blade-holder carriages are subjected to a translatory movement to and fro for each revolution of the shaft, with considerable stress and wear of their guides.

Rotary cutter, particularly for shredding tobacco


A personal air conditioning system that may be used, for example, to cool a tent. The personal air conditioning system includes a cooling lid that fits over a typical insulated cooler. The cooling lid includes a heat transfer tower that is configured to transfer heat from a cold medium, such as ice, that is located within the cooler to an area within the cooling lid. A heat sink is provided at the top of the heat transfer tower and at least partially within the cooling lid. A fan is configured to draw air into the cooling lid, across the heat sink, and out of the cooling lid. The cooled air may then be used for cooling of a tent or other compartment, for example, or may be directed to blow on an individual.

Camping is a popular recreational activity enjoyed by many. Some people camp so that they may enjoy the outdoors, and others use camping as an inexpensive alternative to staying in a hotel.
Camping can be uncomfortable, however, when temperatures are too hot, for example during the summer in the Southern United States. Although current tent designs permit air to be vented through the tent, if that air is at too high of a temperature, then the tent's occupants will not experience much cooling. Although fans work well to circulate air, a fan that is sizable enough to circulate a significant amount of air requires a considerable amount of power, and such a power supply is seldom available at a campsite.


A prepackaged adhesive bandage in a protective envelope includes a semi-rigid backing strip adhered to the bandage, and a flexible backing interconnected between the bandage and the envelope seam. The semi-rigid strip is manipulated to penetrate the envelope face, permitting the strip and attached bandage to be withdrawn from the envelope. The retained flexible backing is peeled from the bandage during withdrawal, exposing an adhesive surface for application of the bandage to the skin.

The present invention relates to a prepackaged self adhesive individual bandage and a method of opening such a bandage package. The bandage structure uses a semi-rigid strip within the package envelope to pierce the envelope and to serve as a grip to remove the bandage and to guide the bandage during application. The present invention provides for a device for rapid and convenient dispensing of a conventional type of bandage having a strip of adhesive tape with or without a central gauze pad. The adhesive surface and gauze surface is protected from contamination by removable protective backing strips. The present invention also reduces the quantity of refuse remaining after the application of the bandage.
Typically conventional bandages are individually packaged in sealed envelopes which may be made of paper or plastic film, and may be opened by one of several different methods. In one type of package, the envelope is completely sealed or bonded around the perimeter. Such package is opened by tearing an end or side open to permit removal of the bandage contained inside. In a second type of package the two opposed surfaces of the envelope extend, at one end, beyond the bonded portion, leaving two flaps which may be pulled in opposite directions to split the envelope seal. The flaps may be folded back to facilitate grasping by the user.
In still a third type of package a fine internal thread extends longitudinally of the envelope and is retained at either longitudinal end. When the envelope is torn across the end, the thread can be used as a cutting tool to tear along the length of the envelope to facilitate opening of the lateral edge of the envelope and permit removal of the bandage.
These prior art bandage packages have certain disadvantages. In the first type of package described above, the bandage is often ripped in addition to the envelope, the backing strips can be difficult to remove from fingers due to static electricity, and four pieces of refuse must be picked up and discarded. The term "refuse" as used herein refers to all left over, non-usable packaging material and protective backing strips apart from the bandage itself. In the second type of package, difficulty is often experienced in grasping the envelope end and the back-folded flap due to excitement level, arthritis, bad lighting, other reasons or combinations thereof. Once backing strips are removed from the bandage, they can again be difficult to remove from fingers due to static electricity, and four pieces of refuse must be picked up and discarded. In the third type of package described above, it is frequently found that after tearing the envelope end, the thread separates from the torn end, thereby leaving no mechanical means for tearing the envelope down its length. Tearing the envelope without the thread, or trying to grasp the fine thread is made very difficult. As with the other types of packages, the removable backing strips can be difficult to release from the user's fingers due to static electricity. Also from three to six or seven pieces of refuse must be picked up and discarded, depending on the level of difficulty experienced. The device of the present invention overcomes all of the above disadvantages eases access to the bandage, and reduces the refuse to two pieces, one of which may be retained for recycling.
All of the foregoing methods of opening conventional bandage envelopes require manipulation of thin, and frequently difficult to separate, envelope materials. These materials are discarded when the bandage has been removed, in order to permit the user to remove the flexible backing strips from the adhesive surfaces of the bandage prior to application of the bandage to a wound.


Embodiments include modular wall systems, smart glass controllers and methods for operating such. In one scenario, a modular wall system is provided which includes a frame with a horizontal stringer. The modular wall system also includes first connectors positioned on the horizontal stringer, and a decorative smart glass pane which includes second connectors configured to attach to the first connectors on the horizontal stringer. The second connectors and the first connectors physically attach the decorative smart glass pane to the modular wall system. A power connector is also included. The power connector is configured to receive a direct current (DC) input voltage from a power source. A power inverter converts the DC input voltage to an alternating current (AC) voltage of less than a threshold maximum number of volts. Furthermore, a smart glass surface is included, which is in communication with an output of the inverter.

Innovative building materials provide several benefits within modern architectural design. For example, innovative insulation products have increased thermal efficiency of buildings and, in some cases, increased sound insulating properties between rooms. Similarly, technological advances in lighting technology have significantly increased the life of light bulbs, while at the same time dramatically decreasing the power requirements of the light bulbs.
Some advances in building technology address both aesthetic and functional aspects within architectural design. For example, smart glass is a glass material or film that is switchable between a transparent state and an opaque state. Smart glass provides the ability to let natural light enter a room in a transparent state or to increase privacy within a room by exhibiting an opaque state. Similarly, smart glass can be used to increase the power efficiency of a building by adjusting opacity based upon temperature and sun location. For example, an exterior smart glass window may remain transparent when the temperature within a building is cooler than desired. The transparent window allows sunlight to naturally heat up the air within the building. Once a desired temperature is achieved, the smart glass window increases the opacity of the window causing excess light and heat from the sun to be blocked.
While smart glass is associated with several significant design improvements, it is also associated with potential dangers and difficulties. For example, a smart glass window necessarily is associated with a voltage applied to the glass or a film on the glass. The voltage increases the risk of inadvertent electrocution if the glass is damaged or becomes wet. Additionally, routing electric cables to smart glass windows is both cumbersome and expensive. Accordingly, there are several problems within the conventional art that need to be addressed.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.


A corrosion resistant member comprising a base material made of ceramics or a metal and at least one layer of corrosion resistant film formed on the surface of the former. At least one layer of the corrosion resistant film is a corrosion resistant film formed from a compound of the group 3 element as the main component and has specific characteristics so that it can improve film property.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to various members used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment and liquid crystal manufacturing equipment, particularly to component parts of etching apparatus, CVD apparatus or the like such as inner wall material (chamber), microwave introducing window, shower head, focus ring and shield ring, component parts of cryopump, turbo molecular pump or the like used in such equipment to achieve a high degree of vacuum and, especially among these, parts that are required to have high corrosion resistance against corrosive gases and plasma thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Quartz and sintered aluminum oxide have been commonly used for making members of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and liquid crystal manufacturing equipment that are exposed to plasma in corrosive halogen gas atmosphere including fluorine and/or chlorine, such as inner wall material of vacuum chamber, microwave introducing window, focus ring and susceptor.
In recent years, however, it has been proposed to coat the surface exposed to plasma in corrosive halogen gas atmosphere including fluorine and/or chlorine with an oxide or a flouride of a compound of the group 3 element for making a member that has high resistance against corrosion, instead of quartz and sintered aluminum oxide.
More recently, it has been proposed to use the conventionally employed material as the base material and form a corrosion resistant coating or a corrosion resistant layer thereon thereby to make use of the properties of the conventionally employed material and improve the corrosion resistance thereof, rather than forming the entire member that is exposed to corrosive halogen gas atmosphere including fluorine and/or chlorine from a corrosion resistant material.
As the method for forming the corrosion resistant coating or the corrosion resistant layer described above, thermal spraying method has been dominantly employed. In the thermal spraying method, a material having higher corrosion resistance than the base material, that is melted by means of a heat source such as plasma, is sprayed from a nozzle in the form of fine particles and is caused to deposit and solidify on the surface of a base material made of ceramics or a metal, so as to form the corrosion resistant coating or the corrosion resistant layer.
As an apparatus that uses a corrosion resistant coating or the corrosion resistant layer formed by the thermal spraying method, such a processing apparatus is disclosed that comprises a processing vessel containing a substrate to be processed in the manufacture of semiconductor, and a processing mechanism for processing the substrate in the processing vessel, wherein the processing vessel is lined with a coating containing a compound of the group 3 element of the periodic table, on the inner surface thereof, and the coating is formed by the thermal spraying method (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-226773).
Also disclosed is a member resistant to halogen gas plasma that is exposed to the plasma of halogen gas, comprising a main body and a corrosion resistant film formed on at least the surface of the main body, wherein the corrosion resistant film that is formed by thermal spraying method adheres to the main body with peel-off strength of 15 MPa, and is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature from 1400 to 1600° C. in order to make the film denser (see Japanese Un examined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-249864).
Moreover, it is disclosed that an complex oxide ceramics material is formed by thermal spraying of a plurality or amorphous material at a temperature of 800° C. or higher and lower than the eutectic temperature of the component, thereby to precipitate crystal particles of a plurality of kinds measuring from 10 nm to 10 μm across (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-328107).
Also thermally sprayed film and member having the thermally sprayed film have been disclosed developed for improving the adhesion of the thermally sprayed film to the base material, strength, corrosion resistance, wear resistance and/or durability of the thermally sprayed film by mixing various materials and using the composite material in the thermal spraying method, or by filling pores of the thermally sprayed film formed on the base material made of a metal or other material with a filler thereby to make the thermally sprayed film denser (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-355752, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-131730, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-152307, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-152308).
For the corrosion resistant film described above, PVD corrosion resistant films formed by various variations of PVD method that enable it to obtain corrosion resistant films that is denser than the thermally sprayed film have been employed in addition to those formed by the thermal spray method (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 10-4083).

Corrosion resistant member and method for manufacturing the same


Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) are transmitted to a body lumen or passageway in a manner which provides focal therapy. In some embodiments, PEFs are delivered through independent electrically active electrodes of an energy delivery body, typically in a monopolar fashion. Such delivery concentrates the electrical energy over a smaller surface area, resulting in stronger effects than delivery through an electrode extending circumferentially around the lumen or passageway. It also forces the electrical energy to be delivered in a staged regional approach, mitigating the effect of preferential current pathways through the surrounding tissue. Focal delivery of PEFs can provide increased tissue lethality by employing precise timing and sequencing of energy delivery to the electrodes.

Various devices and methods have been developed to deliver therapeutic energy to the body for the treatment of diseases and afflictions. In some instances, such delivery is to tissues within a body lumen, passageway or similar anatomy, so as to treat diseased tissue along or within the walls of the passageway, or so as to affect diseases which are associated with a passageway or reachable through a passageway. Such devices typically include a flexible elongate shaft, so as to traverse tortuous luminal anatomy, and an energy delivery element mounted thereon to deliver such energy to remote or enclosed locations such as body lumens. Such devices have been developed to treat, for example, passageways of the lungs or blood vessels of the vasculature. Different environments, such as airways versus blood filled environments, and differing diseases, such as those affecting the surface tissues versus those affecting deeper layers or tissues, lead to varying objectives for these devices. At least some of these objectives will be met by embodiments of the present disclosure.

Optimization of energy delivery for various applications