The present invention provides a composition for osteoinduction, which comprises a complexed-acidic-phospholipid complex containing calcium, phospholipid, and inorganic phosphate combined with collagen in a composite form. The composition is effective to promote new bone formation upon introduction of the composition into various osseous defects.

There have been a number of materials studied to initiate bone repair and/or to restore or replace missing bone. These studies have been undertaken in an effort to address the problem of stimulating formation of bone at specific sites.
Among the approaches used to address this problem is a conformational method in which an implant material, usually made of metal, ceramic or other inorganic material in a configuration intended to mimic the form of the missing bone, is inserted into the site in which bone replacement is required. With the technique, there is a risk that the host will reject the implant material or that the implant will fail to become integrated with normal skeletal tissue. Some ceramic materials such as ceramic tricalcium phosphate, although acceptably biocompatible with the host and bone, when used as an implant, appear to lack sufficient mechanical properties of bone for general utility. As a result, the bone does not consistently grow into, and become incorporated, within the implant.
Metallic and plastic implants are widely used but are limited in that their mechanical properties do not match that of bone, and the wear debris associated with these implants is known to cause osteolysis. Newer materials (titanates, silicates) can mimic the porosity of bone, and hence allow cellular incorporation, but the implants persist in the body. Calcium phosphate ceramics can also mimic bone porosity, and some of these are resorbable; but their reported success is limited. Calcium phosphate implants which mimic bone have been used in conjunction with proteins and growth factors, but these proteins are degraded more rapidly than the implant, in many cases before cells have penetrated the implant. Collagen implants persist in the tissues, and support the incorporation of cell binding factors; however these factors are rapidly degraded, and may be altered by sterilization.
Another approach, referred to as osteoconduction, involves substituting the missing bone tissue with a matrix which functions as a support into which the new bone growth can occur. The matrix attracts the cells committed to an osteogenic pathway, and the new bone grows in and through the matrix. Allogeneic (non-host) bone grafts are used for this method, however there is a high failure rate. Even when the allogeneic bone grafts are accepted by the host, healing periods for consolidation and capacity for mechanical stress are of comparatively long duration compared to autogeneic (host) bone grafting. The use of allogeneic bone also presents the issue of transmissible viral agents.
A third method for initiating bone repair involves the process known as osteoinduction, which occurs when a material induces the growth of new bone from the host's undifferentiated cells or tissues, usually around a temporary matrix. A number of compounds are disclosed as having such a capacity. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,750 to Glowacki, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,294,753 and 4,455,256 to Urist, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,434,094 and 4,627,982 to Seyedin et al. The most effective of these compounds appear to be proteins which stimulate osteogenesis. However, when synthesized from natural sources they are present in extremely low concentrations and require large amounts of starting material to obtain even a minute amount of material for experimentation. The availability of such proteins by recombinant methods may eventually make the use of such proteins per se of more practical value. However, such proteins will still need to be delivered to the desired site in an appropriate matrix.
Acidic phospholipids form unique complexes when incubated in the presence of inorganic phosphate and calcium (Boskey and Posner, Calcif. Tissue Res. 1976, 19:273-283; Boskey and Posner, Calcified Tissues Int. 1982, 34:s1-s7; Cotmore et al., Science 1971, 172:1339-41; Goldberg and Boskey, Prog. Histochem. Cytochem. 1996, 31(2):1-187). These complexes exist in mineralizing tissues as part of the "nucleational core" of extracellular matrix vesicles, the site of initial mineral deposition in cartilage, mantle dentin, and in newly forming bone (Anderson, Clin. Orthop. 1995, 314:266-80). They are also found associated with dystrophic apatite deposition, and their in situ formation is regulated by the same factors that promote bone formation (Tintut et al., Curr. Opin. Lipidol. 2001, 12:555-60; Boyan et al., Steroids 2001, 66:363-74). These complexes induce hydroxyapatite formation in vitro in the absence and presence of cells, and when implanted in vivo. Both the acidic phospholipids themselves (Ennever et al., Cytobios. 1984, 39:151-7) and the acidic phospholipid complexes bind with high affinity to collagen, and when bound are still able to induce mineral deposition (Boskey, J. Phys. Chem. 1989, 93:1628-1633).
Collagens are a class of naturally occurring biomaterials suitable for use in bone regeneration. A major protein constituent of connective tissue, collagen has been widely used in various medical and surgical applications such as for surgical prostheses and graft fabrication. In addition, collagen-based matrices have been used in bone grafting. Type I collagen has good cell adhesive properties, in particular, for bone forming osteoblast cells. Collagen has the capacity to serve both as an active or inert scaffold material for growth. Thus, compositions containing collagen and various forms of calcium phosphate directed to healing and bone growth have been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,450 to Sauk et al. discloses a composition for bone repair comprising particulate polycrystalline calcium phosphate ceramic, a phosphophoryn calcium salt and a type I collagen in a weight ratio of 775-15:3-0.1:1. The ceramic particles are disclosed as being dense hydroxyapatite about 1 to 10 microns in diameter or larger dense hydroxyapatite ceramic particles greater than about 100 microns in diameter.
Similarly, PCT Application WO 94/15653 to Ammann et al. discloses formulations comprising tricalcium phosphate (TCP), TGF-β and collagen. The TCP is disclosed as being a delivery vehicle for the TGF-β such that the TCP is of the particle size greater than 5 microns and preferably greater than about 75 microns. However, the use of solubilized collagen and collagen sheets and blocks for repair of osseous defects in bone and full thickness defects in cartilage have been troubled by the rapid degradation or loss of growth factors and peptides linked to these materials to stimulate osteointegration, and by the loss of these peptides during sterilization. The in vitro nucleation of apatite by the acidic phospholipid complex and collagen composite has been demonstrated in the absence of cells (Boskey, J. Phys. Chem. 1989, 93:1628-1633).
To date, attempts have been made to add bone-inducing substances (i.e., growth factors, peptides) to collagen to promote osteoinduction. However, these attempts have initiated the osteoinduction process with bone (demineralized) rather than collagen. In addition, sterilization techniques may compromise the structural and biochemical properties of the growth factor complexes. Therefore, there exists a need for an osteoinductive material which remains stable after sterilization and advantageously provides reliable bone growth.

Complexed-acidic-phospholipid-collagen composites for bone induction

New York Society for the Ruptured and Crippled Maintaining the Hospital for Special Surgery


An isocyanate production method according to the present invention is a method in which an isocyanate is produced by subjecting a carbamate to thermal decomposition, and includes: a step of preparing a mixture liquid containing the carbamate, an inactive solvent and a polyisocyanate compound; a step of conducting a thermal decomposition reaction of the carbamate by continuously introducing the mixture liquid into a thermal decomposition reactor; a step of collecting a low-boiling decomposition product by continuously extracting the low-boiling decomposition product in a gaseous state from the reactor, the low-boiling decomposition product having a boiling point lower than the polyisocyanate compound; and a step of collecting a high-boiling component by continuously extracting, from the reactor, a liquid phase component which is not collected in a gaseous state at the step of collecting the low-boiling decomposition product.

An isocyanate is widely used as a raw material to prepare a polyurethane foam, a coating material, an adhesive agent or the like. The major industrial production method of an isocyanate is a method in which an amine compound and a phosgene are reacted (phosgene method), and almost all global production thereof is produced by the phosgene method. However, the phosgene method causes many problems.
As the first problem, a large amount of phosgene is used as a starting material. Phosgene has excessively high toxicity, and therefore requires particular attention to prevent exposure thereof to engaged persons, as well as particular equipments to remove wastage.
As the second problem, a large amount of hydrogen chloride having high corrosiveness is produced as a by-product, and therefore a process to remove the hydrogen chloride is required. In addition, the resultant isocyanate often contains hydrolyzable chlorine. Accordingly, there is a case where the use of the isocyanate produced by the phosgene method causes adverse effects on the weather-resistance or the heat-resistance of polyurethane products.
In view of such a background, a production method of an isocyanate compound in which no phosgene is used has been desired. As one of the production methods of an isocyanate compound in which no phosgene is used, a method in which a carbamic acid ester is subjected to thermal decomposition has been proposed. It is conventionally known that the thermal decomposition of the carbamic acid ester produces an isocyanate and a hydroxy compound (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). The basic reaction is illustrated by the following formula.R(NHCOOR′)a→R(NCO)a+aR′OH  (1)
In the formula, R represents an organic residual group with a valency of a, R′ represents a monovalent organic residual group, and a represents an integer of 1 or more.
Patent Document 1 discloses a method for preparing an isocyanate by subjecting carbamate to thermal decomposition in the presence of an inactive solvent in a flask.
In contrast, the thermal decomposition reaction of a carbamic acid ester easily causes various irreversible side reactions such as an unfavorable thermal denaturation reaction of a carbamic acid ester, or a condensation reaction of an isocyanate produced by the thermal decomposition. Examples of the side reactions include: a reaction in which a urea bond is formed; a reaction in which carbodiimides are formed; and a reaction in which isocyanurates are formed (see, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).
Such side reactions not only cause a decrease in the yield or selectivity of a target isocyanate, but also may cause precipitation of polymeric solid content particularly in isocyanate production, which causes difficulty in long-term operation by clogging a reactor or the like.


Embodiments of methods and apparatus for identifying a distance-vector route associated with a wireless mesh network are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

To provide greater flexibility and to improve system performance of a wireless mesh network, a mesh node of the wireless mesh network may include two or more communication interfaces (e.g., multiple radios). In particular, a mesh node may use a first communication interface to communicate on a first communication channel and use a second communication interface to communicate on a second communication channel. For example, the mesh node may receive data packets with the first communication interface on the first channel and transmit data packets with the second communication interface on the second channel at the same time. Thus, multiple communication channels may allow one or more links of the wireless mesh network to be active because the links may use different, non-interfering communication channels even if two or more links may be within an interference range of each other.

Methods and apparatus for identifying a distance-vector route associated with a wireless mesh network


This new accessory chest is a four piece sectioned assembly storage chest that will neatly store from top to bottom and throughout the chest, a large or small amount of separated variety of accessory selections of dressing attire that will complement the clothing to be worn and to use as a storage for these accessories until ready to use. A grooming area will be available with a midsection fold down doll valet that also swivels to the other side for apparel dressing, rolls out and lock whereby a storage seat is available there to finalize the dress by putting on the footwear. Pre-dressing and having the accessory attire in one location should have conserved time and shows a ‘preview of how you want to coordinate the apparel/accessories for the occasion’. The suggested variety includes, but not exclusive to: shoes, boots, socks/stockings, sneakers, purses/shoulder bags, belts, scarves/ties, house slippers, hats/caps, gloves, glasses/shades, jewelry variety and even extra hair plus more . . . The versatility and flexibility variety of this chest is probably all in a class by itself.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an accessory chest that stores and make readily available the attire and finishing attire for dress while having an area for grooming the hair or choice usages, with a roll out doll to pre-dress that should conserve time for any occasion of dress. The design will benefit teens and adults, male or female. Choice items of accessory wear selected may be stored with ease of separate selections until each item is ready to be worn. An armoire or clothes closet is to clothes as this accessory chest is to jewelry variety, eyeglasses/shades, gloves, handbags, toiletries, etc. and more, even extra hair that has a doll valet to fit it on, plus, pre-dress the attire and all other accessorizing items that finishes the dress attire in a one chest location. It should tidy a room, it should make for a spacious area and keep one from searching to find accessorizing items which should conserve time, and be conveniently beneficial. The chest will be for the residential and commercial customer.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
There are other chest that accessorizes certain items, this chest accessorizes items in a neat all-in-one chest with a vastly large selection variety of items that accessorizes to complement your dress-up needs from jewelry to sneakers or whatever completes the accessory dress and stores the items until use. From top to bottom and throughout the chest, that will include having a grooming area, compartments, dividers, bins, hooks, tree hangs, shoe drawers, shelves, pockets, mirrors, etc. and a doll valet that swivels to make both sides available to completely pre-dress most, if not all, of your dressing needs, even including that extra hair. Its design will also feature ease of movement. This accessory chest will hold its own variety of your choice and will be suitable in sizes for your space accommodation and be conveniently a cinch. This attractive accessory chest will be with such versatility that you may convert it to suit your items of choice and with such flexibility that you will be able to place it in any location of your choice. To my knowledge there is no other accessory chest of this size or selection type caliber.


A stabilizer unit for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing such a stabilizer unit, the stabilizer unit comprising a stabilizer bar, at least one bearing including a flange, made of plastic material, including at least one retaining portion and one groove including a cradle portion, wherein the stabilizer bar passes through the groove of the flange and is secured to the flange by means of a vulcanized elastomer layer.

In a vehicle with axles, the two wheels on the same axle are generally connected by a stabilizer bar. Such a stabilizer bar, also called an anti-sway or anti-roll bar, is a suspension element of the vehicle that forms a spring tending to secure the two wheels of the same axle. Such a stabilizer bar thus makes it possible to limit the roll during turns and reduce the deformations undergone by the suspension so as to keep the tires flat on the ground as much as possible and therefore maintain maximum grip.
Each end of a stabilizer bar is thus fastened to the wishbone of a wheel, by means of ball-joint tie rods, while the central portion of the stabilizer bar is fastened to the chassis of the vehicle by means of at least two bearings.
These bearings must allow the fastening of the stabilizer bar on the chassis of the vehicle while ensuring a certain flexibility, the stabilizer bar being able to slightly move relative to the chassis.
For this reason, the bearings conventionally comprise a metal flange and an elastic ring interposed between the stabilizer bar and the metal flange. This elastic ring, most often made of elastomer, is thus generally placed around the stabilizer bar and then clamped by the flange that then blocks it by compression.
However, such metal flanges are quite heavy and relatively expensive. In addition, in some known configurations, the stabilizer bar may slide relative to the bearings, thereby generating undesirable noise.
There is therefore a real need for a stabilizer unit for a vehicle as well as a method for manufacturing a stabilizer unit which are devoid, at least partly, of the drawbacks inherent in the aforementioned known configurations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A piezoelectric transducer device includes a receive signal path, a transistor and a piezoelectric transducer connected to a first terminal of the transistor. The device also includes a switch connected to a second terminal of the transistor, wherein the switch is adapted to selectively connect the second terminal of the transistor to a transmit signal or to a bias voltage; an output connected to a third terminal of the transistor, and adapted to receive a signal from the transducer when the switch is connected to the bias voltage, wherein the switch is not in the receive signal.

Transducers functioning at acoustic wavelengths are finding application in a variety of disparate technologies. Moreover, in many cases there is a need for comparatively small devices. These so-called miniaturized acoustic transducers generally utilize one of either a piezoelectric or a capacitive transduction mechanism. Transducers with capacitive transduction mechanisms sense a change in capacitance due to movement of one plate of a capacitor induced by a mechanical perturbation (acoustic wave). Transducers with piezoelectric transduction mechanisms sense a change in voltage due to oscillations induced by the acoustic wave.
Known piezoelectric-based transducers have clear benefits, but suffer certain drawbacks. For instance, bulk piezoelectric devices typically operate at comparatively high voltages (on the order of 102 V) to transmit an appreciable acoustic output. By contrast, some FBAR acoustic transducers are designed to operate at voltages one order of magnitude lower than bulk devices (e.g., 5V). As will be appreciated, and especially in applications requiring smaller transducers, the large driving voltages are not desirable. Rather, miniaturized transducers that are readily adapted to integration with otherwise low-voltage components are desired.
While known FBAR transducers show promise in many applications, parasitic elements can impact their performance. For instance, in receive mode, the transducer and receive electronics can be modeled as a voltage divider circuit. As a result, the signal to the amplifier at the receiver can be unacceptably small, thereby significantly impacting the performance of the transducer.
What is needed, therefore, is a transducer device that addresses at least the shortcomings of known devices.

Transceiver circuit for film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) transducers

Avago Technologies Wireless IP (Singapore)


Provided is a glass sheet conveying apparatus, which is configured to convey a glass sheet (G) in a state of being placed on a plurality of conveying belts (1) arrayed in parallel, and to move, by pressing rollers (2) arranged on a conveying path, the glass sheet (G) in a width direction orthogonal to a conveying direction, to thereby position the glass sheet (G). The glass sheet conveying apparatus includes an auxiliary supporting portion (3) for supporting, when positioning the glass sheet (G), a part of the glass sheet (G) supported from the bottom by the plurality of conveying belts (1) through use of a liquid layer (8) from the bottom in an auxiliary manner to reduce moving resistance of the glass sheet (G) in the width direction.

As is well known, various glass sheets such as glass substrates for flat panel displays (FPD) including a liquid crystal display and an OLED display may be conveyed at high speed while being placed on a plurality of conveying belts that are arrayed in parallel at intervals (see, for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
On a conveying path, an end-surface process such as grinding is performed on both edges of a glass sheet in a width direction that is orthogonal to a conveying direction. In this case, in order to ensure process accuracy, prior to the end-surface process, it is necessary to accurately position the glass sheet on the conveying belts. At the time of the positioning, in general, the glass sheet is moved on the conveying belts in the direction that is orthogonal to the conveying direction, and the position and the direction of the glass sheet with respect to the conveying belts are adjusted.

Glass sheet conveying apparatus and glass sheet conveying method


A semiconductor device that reduces the size and cost of functional macro chips used in a chip-on-chip configuration. Functional macro chips each include a macro region. The macro regions are formed adjacent to one another. A pad region for testing the functional macro chips is formed surrounding the macro regions.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a functional macro chip for a chip-on-chip configuration.
A semiconductor device having a chip-on-chip configuration includes a first chip and a plurality of second chips, or functional macro chips, bonded to the surface of the first chip. The functional macro chips are packaged together with the first chip. To reduce costs, such a semiconductor device requires miniaturization of the functional macro chips.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a semiconductor device 100 having a chip-on-chip configuration. A first chip 1 has a surface on which bumps B are formed. A plurality of functional macro chips 2 are bonded to the first chip 1 by means of the bumps B. Pads (not shown) are formed along the periphery of the first chip 1 and connected to external pins (not shown) by bonding wires 3.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a prior art layout of a functional macro chip 2 shown in FIG. 1. The functional macro chip 2 includes a macro region 4 and a pad region 5, which is formed surrounding the macro region 4. The pad region 5 includes test pads and I/O cells used during wafer testing (operational testing of each functional macro chip 2). The pad region 5 becomes unnecessary after the wafer testing.
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing another prior art layout of the functional macro chips 2 shown in FIG. 1 and formed on a wafer W. A pad region 5 is formed surrounding the macro region 4 of each functional macro chip 2. The macro regions 4 that are adjacent to each other share the pad region 5. This reduces the area occupied by the pad regions 5 on the wafer W and increases the quantity of functional macro chips 2 that may be formed from a single wafer W.
After wafer testing, the functional macro chips 2 are cut apart from one another along scribe lines 6, which are shown in FIG. 3.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-94037 describes a semiconductor device including a first chip and a second chip mounted on the first chip. Bumps, which are formed on the first chip, are provided with test signals from a test probe to check the operation of the second chip.

Wafer structure with a plurality of functional macro chips for chip-on-chip configuration


In configuring soft packs for cigarettes from a single (-piece) blank, firstly, in the region of a base wall, a material reinforcement is formed by double-layered arrangement of the blank. In order to protect the cigarettes against glue being transferred during gluing of the folding tabs of the base wall, a covering tab is arranged on the inside, above the base wall. An extended base corner tab serves here as a covering. In addition, in the region adjacent to an end wall (17), a multi-layered material strip is formed by a Z-shaped fold. In the region of overlap of the material strip on a side wall (13), at least one cutout is arranged in one layer, said cutout ensuring a correct closed position of the layers in this region.

The invention relates to a pack for tobacco products, in particular cigarettes, comprising at least one blank which encloses the pack contents and is made of foldable packaging material, such as paper, cardboard or the like, folding tabs of the blank, in particular base folding tabs, (partially) overlapping one another and being connected to one another by glue, and, in addition, a Z-fold of the blank being formed adjacent to a (top) end wall and/or adjacent to a (bottom) base wall.
The invention primarily concerns a modified design of cigarette packs of the soft-carton type, namely preferably comprising a single blank made of paper or comparable packaging material. In order to increase the dimensional stability of such a pack, the latter is provided, at least in a region adjacent to an end wall, with an encircling multiple fold, namely, in particular, a Z-fold (U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,218). In addition, it is possible for such a cigarette pack to be provided, in the region of a base wall, with material reinforcements, namely a double-layered material strip from which correspondingly double-layered base folding tabs of the base wall are formed (U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,186).
The invention deals with improvements, in particular to cigarette packs of the abovementioned designs.
The object of the invention is to configure packs of the abovementioned and similar designs so as to ensure an improvement in the outer appearance and improved quality assurance for the pack contents.
In order to achieve this object, the pack according to the invention is characterized in that, between, on the one hand, folding tabs which are connected to one another by glue and, on the other hand, the pack contents, a covering tab is arranged in order to protect against glue being transferred onto the pack contents.
The invention is based on the finding that the gluing of folding tabs of the pack, in particular the gluing of base folding tabs of a base wall, holds the risk of particles of glue being transferred onto the pack contents, in particular onto end regions of the cigarettes adjacent to the base wall of the pack. The covering tab according to the invention protects the end surfaces of the cigarettes against glue being transferred.
Expediently, the covering tab, in the region of the base wall, is part of the blank, that is to say is connected thereto, to be precise preferably as an extension and/or supplement or attachment of a base corner tab which is usually positioned on the inside. Said base corner tab is a continuation of one of the narrow, upright side walls of the pack.
With a pack analogous to U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,186, the invention proceeds such that the covering tab is part of the double-layered material strip in the region of the base wall, but is not involved in reinforcing the pack in this region. Rather, corresponding punch cuts provide a base corner tab, of which the length corresponds to the width of the material strip which is to be folded in a double-layered manner. With the pack in the finished state, said extended base corner tab butts against the inside of the base wall and forms the covering tab.
In the case of a Z-fold formed, in particular, adjacent to the end wall, a plurality of layers may be produced in the region of an overlap of side tabs for forming a side wall on account of overlapping. According to the invention, in the region of the Z-fold and/or the overlapping of the same, a cutout is provided at least in the region of one of the layers and creates a local, border-side layer reduction. The layers are expediently connected by glue in this region, with the result that correct formation of the pack is ensured.


The disclosed computer-implemented method for preserving system contextual information in an encapsulated packet may include (1) receiving, at a computing device, a network packet from the network via a network adapter port, (2) encapsulating the received network packet with a tunnel header, where a network identifier field in the tunnel header comprises information identifying the network adapter port, (3) determine an outer Internet protocol (IP) address for the encapsulated network packet, where the destination IP address corresponds to a destination on the network, (4) addressing an outer header of the encapsulated network packet with the IP address, and (5) sending the encapsulated network packet toward the destination identified by the destination IP address. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Load balancing plays an important role in distributing workloads across multiple computing resources to increase reliability and capacity of processes. In some examples, network load balancers traditionally change either level 2 (Media Access Control) or level 3 (Internet Protocol) packet information when load balancing to external components. However, traditional techniques do not support providing additional system context information in the packet flow. Further, traditional techniques do not support addressing multiple endpoints on a single load-balanced Internet Protocol destination. The instant disclosure, therefore, identifies and addresses a need for systems and methods for preserving system contextual information in an encapsulated packet.

Systems and methods for preserving system contextual information in an encapsulated packet


Disclosed is an organic light emitting display device to prevent deterioration of visibility caused by reflection of incident light and color transition at high viewing angle, and improve transmittance, the organic light emitting display device includes an organic light emitting display panel, and an antireflective member adhered to an outer surface of the organic light emitting display panel, the antireflective member including a reactive liquid crystal layer and a polarizer film which are laminated in this order, wherein the reactive liquid crystal layer has a λ/4 retardation with respect to a transmitted light of the polarizer film.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an organic light emitting display device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an organic light emitting display device to prevent deterioration of visibility caused by reflection of incident light and color transition at high viewing angle.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Image display devices to display a variety of information on the screen are developed toward the trends of thinness, light weight, portability and high performance as the core technologies of the info-communication age. Flexible displays are required in accordance with demand for spartial efficiency and convenience and organic light emitting display devices to control the amount of emitted light have thus recently attracted great attention as flat-panel displays.
An organic light emitting display device includes an organic light emitting display panel in which a first electrode, an organic light emitting layer and a second electrode are laminated in this order between an upper substrate and a lower substrate. An electric field forms between the first electrode and the second electrode at both ends of the organic light emitting layer, electrons and holes are injected and transported in the organic light emitting layer and the electrons and holes are then combined together. At this time, the binding energy therebetween causes emission of light, which is called an "electroluminescent phenomenon". The organic light emitting display device uses the electroluminescent phenomenon.
Such an organic light emitting display device does not require an additional light source, unlike a liquid crystal display device, and is lightweight and thin, as compared to the liquid crystal display device. In addition, the organic light emitting display device attracts much attention as a next-generation display device due to high qualities such as low power consumption, high brightness and high response speed.
Meanwhile, the organic light emitting display device is classified into a top emission type and a bottom emission type depending on the light emission direction. The bottom emission-type has superior safety and process variability, but is unsuitable for application to high-resolution products due to limited aperture ratio. Accordingly, recently, a great deal of research associated with a top emission-type organic light emitting display device having a high aperture ratio and a high resolution is underway.
However, the organic light emitting display device exhibits a great decrease in contrast according to the intensity of exterior light. Accordingly, the organic light emitting display device prevents deterioration in contrast caused by exterior light through an organic light emitting display panel provided with an antireflective layer and thereby improves visibility.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating an organic light emitting display device in a related art and FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a passage of exterior light incident upon the organic light emitting display device. FIG. 3 is an image showing screen defects of the organic light emitting display device.
As shown in FIG. 1, the organic light emitting display device in the related art includes an organic light emitting display panel 100 and an antireflective member 200 formed on the organic light emitting display panel 100, the organic light emitting display panel 100 including an upper substrate and a lower substrate 100a and 100c, and an organic light emitting layer 100b formed between the upper and lower substrates 100a and 100c.
The antireflective member 200 includes a retardation film (hereinafter, also referred to as a "quarter wave plate", QWP, 220) and a polarizer film 240 formed on the quarter wave plate 220 to prevent reflection and emission of exterior light incident upon the organic light emitting display device. The polarizer film 240 has a transmission axis, and transmits linear polarized light parallel to the transmission axis, but absorbs light non-parallel to the transmission axis, among exterior light incident upon the polarizer film 240.
In addition, the quarter wave plate (λ/4 plate) 220 changes the polarization state of light and has an optical axis inclined at about ±45° with the transmission axis of the polarizer film 240. The quarter wave plate 220 changes light, which is linearly polarized, while passing through the polarizer film 240, into circularly polarized light, or changes circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light.
Upper and lower protective layers 230a and 230b are adhered to the top and the bottom of the polarizer film 240, respectively, to support and protect the polarizer film 240. In addition, the quarter wave plate 220 is adhered to the organic light emitting display panel 100 through the lower adhesive layer 210b and the lower protective layer 230b is adhered to the quarter wave plate 220 through the upper adhesive layer 210a.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, exterior light is incident through the polarizer film 240. At this time, the polarizer film 240 transmits exterior light parallel to the transmission axis and absorbs exterior light non-parallel to the transmission axis. Accordingly, exterior light is linearly polarized in the transmission axis direction. Then, linearly polarized exterior light passes through the quarter wave plate 220 and is circularly polarized such that the vibrational direction thereof circularly moves.
In addition, circularly polarized exterior light is reflected from the surface of the organic light emitting display panel 100 and the rotation direction of exterior light is then reversed. Then, the light passes through the quarter wave plate 220 and is then linearly polarized. At this time, since the polarization surface of the light, which passes through the quarter wave plate 220 and is then linearly polarized, is perpendicular to the polarization surface of the linearly polarized light which does not pass through the quarter wave plate 220, exterior light which is linearly polarized again forms an angle of 90° with the transmission axis of the polarizer film 240. Accordingly, the exterior light does not pass through the polarizer film 240 and is absorbed and blocked by the polarizer film 240. That is, light incident upon the organic light emitting display device is not discharged to the outside.
However, in the organic light emitting display device of the related art, the antireflective member 200 adhered to the top of the organic light emitting display panel 100 has a large thickness of over 200 μm since the quarter wave plate 220 are adhered to the organic light emitting display panel and the lower protective layer 230b by using adhesive layers on both surfaces of the quarter wave plate 220. Thus it makes difficult to realize slimness of the organic light emitting device.
Also, since exterior light having the overall visible ray range of wavelengths, rather than a single wavelength, is incident upon the organic light emitting display device, light transmittance on the quarter wave plate 220 is varied depending on the wavelength range. For this reason, conversion of linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light or circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light is incomplete. In addition, the lower protective layer 230b between the polarizer film 240 and the quarter wave plate 220 also exhibits retardation and transmittance of exterior light which is emitted outside is thus varied depending on the wavelength range. As shown in FIG. 3, screen defects of the organic light emitting display device occur.
That is, in the organic light emitting display device in the related art, the lower protective layer 240b has retardation and transmittance is varied at respective wavelength ranges due to wavelength dispersibility of the quarter wave plate 220. In particular, transmittance is high at red and blue wavelength ranges and violet color is realized rather than black color, when red and blue light transmit to a black mode organic light emitting display device.


An electrical connector includes an insulating body provided with a accommodating hole, and a terminal and an electrical conductor accommodated in the accommodating hole and separately provided. The terminal includes a base provided in the corresponding accommodating hole, and two elastic arms respectively formed by bending and extending from the base. Each elastic arm extends to form a contact portion. Each contact portion extends to form an extending arm. Each extending arm has a first side edge, a second side edge and an end edge. Each first side edge has an abutting portion for abutting the corresponding electrical conductor. Each first side edge has a first guide portion extending between a corresponding contact portion and a corresponding abutting portion, and a second guide portion extending between the corresponding abutting portion and a corresponding end edge.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A conventional electrical connector includes an insulating body and multiple terminals and multiple electrical conductors accommodated in the insulating body. The terminals and the electrical conductors are separated and arranged in pairs, and each electrical conductor is located at the front left side or the front right side of the corresponding terminal. The terminals are made of a metal plate. Each of the terminals includes a base. A first elastic arm is formed by bending and extending upward from the base, and is used to upward abut a chip module. A second elastic arm is formed by extending downward from the base, and is used to downward abut a circuit board. One side edge of each of the free ends of the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm is provided with a guide chamfer. When the chip module and the circuit board respectively abut against the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm, the guide chamfers function to guide the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm, such that the terminal and the electrical conductor laterally abut each other.
However, to ensure stable contact between the terminals and the electrical conductors, and to enable the guide chamfers of the terminals to guide the electrical conductors in the mounting process of the electrical conductors, a distance between the elastic arm and the corresponding electrical conductor is too short. Thus, whether the electrical conductors are firstly mounted to the insulating body and the terminals are then mounted to the insulating body, or the terminals are firstly mounted to the insulating body and the electrical conductors are then mounted to the insulating body, the elastic arm and the corresponding electrical conductor are likely to abut each other in the vertical direction, thereby hindering the mounting of the ones of the terminals and the electrical conductors being mounted later into the insulating body, and even causing damage to the terminals and the electrical conductors, which is not conducive to the entire mounting process.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need to design an improved electrical connector exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.


A catheter is adapted to ablate tissue and provide optically-based lesion qualitative and quantitative monitoring, comprising a catheter body and a tip electrode distal the catheter body adapted for ablating tissue, the tip electrode having a shell and an alignment member defining a hollow distal portion therebetween. In accordance with the invention, the catheter further includes a plurality of optical waveguides adapted to transmit optical energy to and from the tip electrode. A distal portion of each waveguide extends through the hollow distal portion and terminates in openings formed in the shell. Advantageously, the alignment member fixedly secures the distal portion of each waveguide against movement relative to the alignment member and the shell.

For certain types of minimally invasive medical procedures, real time information regarding the condition of the treatment site within the body is unavailable. This lack of information inhibits the clinician when employing catheter(s) to perform a procedure. An example of such procedures is tumor and disease treatment in the liver and prostate. Yet another example of such a procedure is surgical ablation used to treat atrial fibrillation. This condition in the heart causes abnormal electrical signals, known as cardiac arrhythmias, to be generated in the endocardial tissue resulting in irregular beating of the heart.
The most frequent cause of cardiac arrhythmias is an abnormal routing of electricity through the cardiac tissue. In general, most arrhythmias are treated by ablating suspected centers of this electrical misfiring, thereby causing these centers to become inactive. Successful treatment, then, depends on the location of the ablation within the heart as well as the lesion itself. For example, when treating atrial fibrillation, an ablation catheter is maneuvered into the right or left atrium where it is used to create ablation lesions in the heart. These lesions are intended to stop the irregular beating of the heart by creating non-conductive barriers between regions of the atria that halt passage through the heart of the abnormal electrical activity.
The lesion should be created such that electrical conductivity is halted in the localized region (transmurality), but care should be taken to prevent ablating adjacent tissues. Furthermore, the ablation process can also cause undesirable charring of the tissue and localized coagulation, and can evaporate water in the blood and tissue leading to steam pops.
Currently, lesions are evaluated following the ablation procedure, by positioning a mapping catheter in the heart where it is used to measure the electrical activity within the atria. This permits the physician to evaluate the newly formed lesions and determine whether they will function to halt conductivity. It if is determined that the lesions were not adequately formed, then additional lesions can be created to further form a line of block against passage of abnormal currents. Clearly, post ablation evaluation is undesirable since correction requires additional medical procedures. Thus, it would be more desirable to evaluate the lesion as it is being formed in the tissue.
A known method for evaluating lesions as they are formed is to measure electrical impedance. Biochemical differences between ablated and normal tissue can result in changes in electrical impedance between the tissue types. Although impedance is routinely monitored during electrophysiologic therapy, it is not directly related to lesion formation. Measuring impedance merely provides data as to the location of the tissue lesion but does not give qualitative data to evaluate the effectiveness of the lesion.
Another approach is to measure the electrical conductance between two points of tissue. This process, known as lesion pacing, can also determine the effectiveness of lesion therapy. This technique, however, measures only the success or lack thereof from each lesion, and yields no real-time information about the lesion formation.
Thus, there is a need for a catheter capable of measuring lesion formation, as well as detecting the formation of charred tissue and coagulated blood around the ablation catheter. Where such measuring and detection use fiber optics, there is a further need for a catheter that provides sufficient room in the tip to accommodate multiple fiber optics for multi-directional emission and collection of light, as well as other components such as a navigational sensors, temperature sensor and/or deflection elements. It is also desirable that such a catheter provide irrigation for cooling the tip electrode and/or creating deeper and larger lesions.

Catheter with multi port tip for optical lesion evaluation


A package having a flexible inner sheet having a first surface and a second surface. The package has an article reservoir for accepting an article to be shipped. The expansion chambers can be inflated or otherwise expanded to provide structure to the package and to protect the article in the article reservoir. The inner sheet of the package includes a shrinkable material that can be activated to immobilize articles disposed in the article reservoir.

E-commerce, or the use of the internet to find and purchase goods, is becoming a very popular way for consumers to shop. The advantages of e-commerce are many including: time-savings; competition; shopping at home, work or virtually anywhere; and importantly, the purchaser not having to transport the purchased articles from the location of purchase to the place of use. In the e-commerce system, goods purchased by consumers are generally transported to their homes or places of use by the seller or a service used by the seller. Many e-commerce retailers rely on shipping their goods through the mail, including government mail services and other private and semi-private mail services, or through other parcel or parcel-like delivery services. Such mail and parcel services are typically quite convenient to both the buyer and seller. However, transportation of fragile, heavy and/or bulky goods can be quite expensive due to the cost of the manual labor and materials needed to protect the goods during shipment.
These aspects, and others, relating to the shipment of goods through current mail and parcel delivery services create unique issues that, if not addressed, can negatively affect the cost and quality of the goods sold. For example, when shipping goods to consumers, the goods generally need to be disposed in a package that is strong, lightweight and convenient for the shipper and for the customer. That is, it should be designed to be capable of protecting the products being shipped from external conditions throughout the shipping process, and preferably so as to minimize material usage, weight and bulkiness. It should also be easy to construct, pack, close, label, open, and discard. If the shipping package does not meet any one or all of these characteristics, it can lead to extra costs, inconvenience for the seller or buyer, product damage, and/or consumer dissatisfaction.
Currently, most shipping packages are some form of flexible pouch (e.g. envelope) made from paper or plastic, or a box, often constructed from corrugated paperboard or cardboard. Although these shipping packages can be used to ship many different types of goods and are reasonably inexpensive, they generally are generic in the sense that they do not provide a custom fit for the products being shipped. This can lead to additional packaging being required to prevent damage to the products being shipped, significant volume being taken up in shipping trucks and warehouses due to the ill-fitting packaging, and difficulty for the consumer to open and/or discard of the shipping packaging. To address the ill-fitting, generic packaging, sellers often stuff the outer shipping packages with some type of material intended to fill the open area not filled by the goods themselves. Alternatively, sellers may employ additional processes to manipulate the products, and/or add protective layers to the product or primary packaging to ensure the product can be safe when placed into generic containers. However, even with the extra material and processing, the products being shipped are typical not immobilized in the package and thus, can move around and be damaged or damage the package. Further, the conventional ways to address the concerns generally add more steps to the process, weight, waste, and cost to the packaging and packing process, and often makes the consumer's experience when opening the package less than desirable (e.g. "packing peanuts" falling out of the package, needing a tool to open the package, etc.). Further, many of the current shipping packages are not weather or environment-resistant and can be damaged by or allow damage to the products being shipped by precipitation, wet surfaces and/or humidity. Accordingly, often such packages are wrapped in additional materials or must be placed in protected locations if they are to be left outside or unattended for any period of time. Further, if packages are used that include inflated or expanded regions, such packages may be shaped such that they are not easily labeled or printed on or such that any indicia or graphics are distorted and/or difficult to read by a human or machine. This can cause difficulties during shipment, warehousing, and inventory and can be less desirable for a consumer.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a package that is low cost, yet flexible in terms of fit to the products being shipped. It also would be desirable to provide a package that requires no additional fill to protect the goods. It also would be desirable to provide a package that is easy to pack. It also would be desirable to provide a package that is lightweight, yet provides protection to the goods being shipped. It would also be desirable to provide a package that can simply and effectively immobilize or partially immobilize the products contained therein to help prevent the products from being damaged and/or damaging other products or the package. It also would be desirable to provide a package that is easy to close. It also would be desirable to provide a package that is easy to discard. It also would be desirable to provide a package that takes up very little volume before and after use and is efficient in terms of volume when configured for shipping. It would also be desirable to provide a package that has one or more relatively planar externally-facing surfaces. It would be desirable to provide the one or more relatively planar externally-facing surfaces with a material that is separately manufactured and/or printable from the package. The various aspects of the invention described herein can provide solutions to these problems, including by providing a package made of flexible materials joined together to provide one or more expansion chambers and an article reservoir.

Flexible package and method of manufacture


An injector for conveying a pulverulent material is supplied with entraining air via a line and with dosing air via another line. Dosing air and entraining air are kept constant in their total rate of flow by a flow controller. This yields a particularly homogeneous powder/air mixture, which is particularly advantageous in the conveying of coating powder for coating welded seams on can bodies.

The invention relates to a method for conveying a pulverulent material by means of an injector, in which, after the material has been introduced into an entraining gas, dosing gas is added. The invention also relates to an application of the method for coating the weld seams of can bodies, an apparatus for conveying a pulverulent material by means of an injector, and an application of the apparatus.
It is known to convey pulverulent materials by means of an injector. In the conveying of coating powder in particular, the use of an injector in which dosing air is added after the coating powder is introduced into the entraining air is also known. FIG. 1 shows such an injector 1 in which air is injected through a jet 4 into the injector chamber 5, which has a powder inlet 6 for introducing powder into the entraining stream from a feed container which is not shown. The powder entrained in the airstream passes into the chamber 10, where dosing air is added to the powder stream through a connection 8 and a duct 9. The powder/air mixture is fed to the coating point by a hose and pipework connected to the hose coupling 11.
Control of the entraining air and dosing air, which are taken from a conventional compressed-air source, has, in the past, been effected either by separate control valves or by two valves arranged on a common shaft so that only one control knob has to be operated in order to set both valves. Especially in applications where the powder/air mixture has to travel a relatively long distance through pipework to the coating point (e.g. a distance of 1 meter or more) or where a very homogeneous powder/air mixture is required, the control of entraining air and dosing air has proved very difficult. The balance between entraining air (which determines the quantity of powder drawn from the feed container) and dosing air (which affects the velocity of the powder/air mixture in the piping and the homogeneity of the mixture) is very difficult to set correctly if the conveying distances are long and/or a high standard of homogeneity is required, and even with two coupled control valves it has been found that satisfactory control is possible only in a narrow operating range.
Particularly awkward conditions occur in the known coating of welded seams of can bodies at the end of a body welding machine. On the one hand, the injector has to send the powder along an extended line, as it has to be routed through the welding machine and along the body forming and welding path. On the other hand, to obtain a satisfactory coating of the welded seam, a constant quantity of powder, homogeneously distributed, must reach each can body as it is conveyed past the coating nozzle. The can bodies are conveyed at a rate of e.g. 18 cans per second (ie. for a standard size of can, at approximately 100 m/min), possibly leading to a large number of cans receiving an insufficient coating if any fluctuations occur, even momentarily, in the homogeneity of the powder/air mixture or in the absolute quantity of powder deposited.

Method and apparatus for conveying a pulverulent material by means of an injector


Disclosed herein are embodiments of an extractant that can be used for chromatographic isolation of radioisotopes and/or metal species. The extractant can be combined with a support medium to provide an extractant composition that selectively and efficiently binds particular radioisotopes and/or metal species. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for using the disclosed extractant embodiments, as well as embodiments of a method for making the extractant and extractant composition.

Current extraction methods for separation and isolation of metals and radioisotopes typically employ extraction chromatography methods utilizing thiophosphinate, thiophosphines, and/or diglycolamide (or "DGA"); however, such methods typically are non-specific for particular metals/radioisotopes and thus their efficiency for separation/isolation is greatly reduced by the presence of competing species present in samples. Conventional extraction techniques and materials in precious metal recovery exhibit even less selectivity and/or efficiency due to the very low concentrations of precious metals in samples relative to common species, such as iron or sodium. There exists a need in the art for extractant species and extractant compositions that exhibit high selectivity and efficiency in separation chemistry.

Extractants and extractant compositions for radioisotope and metal recovery


An algorithmic pattern generator produces an output data value during each cycle of a clock signal. The pattern generator includes an addressable instruction memory reading out an instruction during each clock signal cycle. A memory controller normally increments the instruction memory's address during each clock signal cycle, but may jump to another address N+1 clock signal cycles after receiving a CALL, RETURN, REPEAT or BRANCH command from an instruction processor. The instruction processor normally executes the instruction read out of the instruction memory during each clock signal cycle and provides a data field included in the executed instruction as the pattern generator's output data. Other fields of the instruction reference a command the instruction processor sends to the memory controller. Since the memory controller requires N+1 clock signal cycles to respond to a command, it continues to increment the instruction memory address for N clock signal cycles after receiving the command before it actually performs an address jump. Instead of the N instructions read out of instruction memory during the N clock signal cycles after sending a jump command, the instruction processor executes an appropriate set of N instructions pre-loaded into an auxiliary buffer memory. During the next clock signal pulse thereafter, when the memory controller has had time to make the address jump, the instruction processor resumes executing instructions read out of the instruction memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an algorithmic pattern generator.
2. Description of Related Art
Integrated circuit (IC) tests are typically organized into a succession of test cycles. An IC test is normally defined by a separate sequence of data values (vectors) for each pin of an IC device under test (DUT), with each vector indicating the test activities to be carried out at a DUT pin during a test cycle. A typical integrated circuit (IC) tester includes a separate tester channel for each DUT pin. Each tester channel includes a pin testing circuit for carrying out the test activities indicated by the channel's vector sequence and a memory for storing and reading out vectors to the pin testing circuit. A central pattern generator provide an address to each vector memory in response to each pulse of a clock signal, and the vector memory of each channel reads out an addressed vector to the channel's pin testing circuit. Integrated circuit testers with distributed pattern generators don't use a central pattern generator; they employ a separate pattern generator in each tester channel for directly generating vectors.
Many types of pattern generators are known. A simple pattern generator includes a random access memory storing a data value at each address and a counter for incrementing the memory's address in response to each pulse of a clock signal, thereby causing the memory to read out a data sequence from successive addresses. Such pattern generators have been employed in integrated circuit testers, but as ICs have grown in size and complexity, so too have the size of the vector sequences needed to define IC tests. This has required an increase in the size of the pattern generator and vector memories. Also as the operating frequency of ICs have continued to increase, the test cycle period has decreased. Since a pattern generator must supply a data output at the start of each test cycle, the higher test frequencies require faster vector memories. But large and fast memories are expensive.
Algorithmic Pattern Generators
Since many tests require repeating patterns of vectors, prior art integrated circuit testers have employed algorithmic pattern generators to reduce the amount of data that must be stored. U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,067 issued Aug. 29, 1989 to Brune et al discloses an IC tester employing an algorithmic pattern generator including a vector memory and a memory controller. The vector memory stores both a vector and an instruction at each address. The memory controller addresses the memory before the start of each test cycle and forwards the vector read out of the vector memory to the pin testing circuits. The instruction read out of the vector memory tells the memory controller how to choose the next vector memory address. This vector memory architecture allows instructions telling the memory controller to repeat vector sequences using loops and calls. The memory controller may also be instructed to perform a conditional branch when a signal from the pin testing circuits indicates the DUT output signal meets some criteria. While Brune's system reduces the size of vector memory needed, it requires a fast vector memory having an access time no longer than the period of a test cycle. It also requires that the instruction processor be able to execute an instruction in one test cycle. Thus either the memory access speed or the instruction processing time may limit the frequency at which Brune's system can operate.
Cache Memories
A large dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is inexpensive but it's too slow to be accessed during each test cycle of a high-speed IC test. Some integrated circuit testers reduce memory costs by using a large DRAM to supply data to a small, high-speed cache memory. In such a system, vectors (or vector memory addresses) for N successive test cycles are stored at each memory location of a DRAM. The vector output of the DRAM is written into a high-speed cache memory at a rate that is 1/Nth of the test frequency. The high-speed cache memory then reads out vectors (or vector memory addresses), one at a time, at the required test frequency rate.
It would be desirable to provide a pattern generator for an integrated circuit tester that generates its output vector or address pattern algorithmically and which also uses caching to allow use of lower speed main memories. U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,723 issued Jun. 5, 1990 to Jeffery et al employs a relatively low-speed vector memory storing eight 10-bit vectors as one 80-bit word at each vector memory address. Each 80-bit word read out of the vector memory is shifted into an 80-bit shift register. The shift register which, acting like a small cache memory, shifts out a 10-bit vector to a pin testing circuit at the start of each test cycle.
Jeffery's system is capable of limited algorithmic vector generation in that it can repeat sequences of instructions. Only the first instance of a repeating vector pattern is stored in the vector memory. Upon encountering that first instance of that pattern during the test, a vector memory controller, in addition to sending the pattern to the pin testing circuits, also saves that instance of the vector pattern in (another) cache memory. Thereafter, when the controller reaches the end of a loop, it starts reading the vectors out of the cache memory instead of the vector memory, and can do so as many times as the pattern "loop" is to be repeated.
In order to repeat a sequence of instructions, the memory controller has to know the starting and ending vector memory addresses of the loop as well as the number of times the loop is to be repeated. In Jeffery's system, loop start and loop end instructions are inserted into the vector sequence. Thus at the start of a test signal in which a loop begins or ends, the vector memory reads out an instruction instead of a vector. Since a vector has to be provided to the pin testing circuit at the start of every test cycle, the appearance of a loop instruction causes a gap in the vector sequence. Jeffery uses the cache memory to solve this problem.
Before the start of a test, the vector memory controller receives an instruction indicating the positions in the vector sequence output of the vector memory of starting and ending vectors of the first loop as well as the number of repetitions to be performed. During the test, when the vector memory controller encounters the first vector of the first loop, it begins storing vectors of the loop in the cache memory until it reaches the last vector of the loop. At that point it begins reading the vectors out of the cache memory instead of reading them out of the vector memory. An instruction indicating the starting and ending addresses and length of the second loop is stored in the vector memory immediately following the last vector of the first loop. During the second pass though the first loop, while the memory controller is reading vectors out of the cache memory, the memory controller also reads the instruction for the second loop out of the vector memory. Thus the cache memory provides the memory controller with an alternate source of vectors during the time that it is reading a next loop instruction out of the vector memory. This eliminates the gap in the vector sequence caused by the inserted loop instruction. While Jeffery's system takes advantage of both memory caching and algorithmic pattern generation, its algorithmic pattern generation capability is rather limited. Jeffery's system can only perform loops; it cannot perform subroutine calls or conditional branches.
Pipeline Instruction Processors
Some pattern generators include an instruction processor and a memory with instruction and pattern data concurrently stored at each memory address. When an instruction/pattern data pair is read out of the memory, the pattern data provides the pattern generator output. The instruction tells an instruction processor how to select the memory address of the next instruction/pattern data pair to be read out. Such pattern generators can employ a wide variety of instructions including calls, returns, branches, loops etc. However since an instruction processor must decode the instruction at the start of a test cycle and be ready to jump to a new memory address by the start of the next test cycle, the speed at which the memory controller can decode instructions can limit the pattern generator's operating frequency.
In some applications, high-speed instruction processors employ a pipeline architecture to decode and execute instructions. In a pipeline processor instructions are sequentially clocked through many processing stages, with successive instructions being concurrently processed by successive pipeline stages. Since the amount of processing each stage requires to process an instruction is relatively short, the clock signal clocking the instructions through the stages may be of relatively high frequency. Although the total time required for all pipeline stages to fully process an instruction may be relatively long, the instruction processor can complete processing an instruction on each pulse of the clock signal. Thus the pipeline processor processes instructions at the high clock frequency.
Although they can processes instructions at high frequency, pipeline instruction processors have not been used in pattern generators. Assume, for example, that a pipeline instruction processor normally reads vectors sequentially out of a vector memory at the start of each test cycle, but may jump to some other memory address in response to an instruction such as a branch, call or return requiring an address jump. Suppose also that a pipelined instruction processor requires N clock cycles to fully process an instruction. When the instruction processor encounters an instruction requiring an address jump, we want the processor to make the jump immediately in the next test cycle in order to maintain the continuity of the pattern generator output. But since it actually requires N test cycles to make the jump, the processor will continue to read instructions stored in the next N memory addresses. That extra set of N instructions causes a sequence of N pattern data values to be inserted into the pattern generator's output data sequence.
What is needed is an algorithmic pattern generator employing a cache memory system and which uses a pipeline instruction processing architecture without inserting extra data into its output data pattern prior to each memory address jump.


A portable and inexpensive device for restraining a dog, cat or other animal within a defined area. The device has a main body providing an endless circular groove that confines a wire or ring to rotating movement about the main body. The ring is attached to the animal's leash and allows the animal free movement within a circular area defined by the length of the leash. A plurality of removable pins anchor the device to the ground, with the pins being stored in storage grooves in the main body when not in use. The main body has a central recess that accommodates a bowl for food or water.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of animal restraints and particularly to such restraints which are portable with a tangle-free tether that can be used outdoors and which also provide a feeding and watering bowl that cannot be easily overturned.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Carnes et al U.S. Pat. No. 227,675 discloses a stake that is driven into the ground, the stake having a rounded head with an annular recess that contains a ring freely rotatable in the recess. The ring has an eye to which the animal's tether is attached.
Webb U.S. Pat. No. 2,087,176 shows a tethering stake similar to Carnes et al but having a dome shaped guard between the tethering ring and the ground.
Cawley U.S. Pat. No. 2,360,199 discloses a tethering post driveable into the ground and having a cylindrical-shaped guard mounted on the post and rotatable around the post. The guard has an opening through which the tether extends, one end of the tether being attached to a ring around the post inside the cylindrical-shaped guard and the other end of the tether being attached to the animal being restrained. As the animal moves around in the area of restraint, the guard will turn on the post and prevent the tether from becoming entangled.
Putnam U.S. Pat. No. 2,981,230 describes a tangle-free pet hitch which has a stake that is driven into the ground and which permits the tethered animal to have a full circular area for exercise. There is a vertical post that is driven into the ground, and it has a stabilizing member to prevent the post from being pulled loose. Near the top of the post is a fixed collar, and it supports a sleeve member that is rotatably and slidably mounted relative to the post and to the collar. The collar has a series of radially spaced holes for receiving a pair of stop bolts which are adjustably mounted which cooperate with an abutment on the collar to limit the rotary movement of the sleeve. The animal is fitted with a collar and chain that is attached to the free end of the rigid arm so that the animal is restricted so that it cannot run completely around the post because of the lost-motion stop means provided for limiting the rotary movement of the sleeve.
Holland U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,730 teaches what is alleged to be a tangle-free pet tether that is combined with an umbrella and a bowl to provide water or food for the restrained animal.

Portable animal restraint and feeding station


A coupling includes a plurality of laminations forming a lamination package and having lamination holes arranged flush to form an assembly opening, a ring, and a bush accommodated in the assembly opening and having a first end area connected to the ring via a form-fit connection.

The present invention relates to a coupling, to a method of manufacturing a corresponding coupling, to a shaft arrangement having a corresponding coupling, and to an industrial application that is equipped with such a shaft arrangement.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
In many industrial applications there is a need for powerful couplings that are compact and reliable, can be manufactured economically, and are easy to maintain.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved coupling to obviate prior art shortcomings.

Coupling with improved bush-ring connection


Disclosed are a semi-transparent ceramic sheet decorated through ink light-absorbance and a preparation method thereof. The semi-transparent ceramic sheet comprises a semi-transparent green body, an inner inkjet pattern layer infiltrating into the semi-transparent green body from an upper surface of the semi-transparent green body, a decoloration glaze layer located on the upper surface, and a surface pattern layer located on the decoloration glaze layer. The decoloration glaze layer is capable of decoloring the ink of the inner inkjet pattern layer. The semi-transparent ceramic sheet is provided with the decoloration glaze layer so that the inkjet decoration of the inner inkjet pattern layer cannot be displayed on the surface, and the decorative pattern on the surface of the green body is the surface pattern layer and the inner inkjet pattern layer is completely in the inner layer of the green body.

Semi-transparent ceramic sheets, because of their special semi-transparent performance, are popular among consumers on some special occasions. At present, an inner layer in a green body of the semi-transparent ceramic sheet on the market has no decoration or monotonous-pattern decoration. For example, Chinese patent application No. 201010122751.2 discloses a green body with a non-decorative inner layer. Chinese patent application No. 201610208026.4 discloses that semi-transparent green body materials and opaque green body materials are distributed by using a 'magician' material-distribution system, to form a light and dark decorative effect through different absorptions of light. There are some disadvantages such as nonuniform distribution of the semi-transparent green body materials and the opaque green body materials, unclear expression of details, poor gradation of a decorative pattern, complex technology, and poor flexibility. Moreover, the opaque green body materials have a sintering temperature 20 to 30° C. higher than the semi-transparent green body materials, and thus they are poorly combined after sintering, resulting in poor thermal stability and incapability to meet production and decoration demands.

Semi-transparent ceramic sheet decorated with ink light-absorbance and preparation method thereof


The present invention relates to an optical transmission line comprising a structure for effectively lowering both of nonlinearity and dispersion slope, and an optical transmission system including the same. The optical transmission line comprises, as a repeating transmission line disposed between stations, a single-mode optical fiber having a zero-dispersion wavelength in a 1.3-xcexcm wavelength band and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber for compensating for the chromatic dispersion of the single-mode optical fiber. The optical transmission line has an average dispersion slope Save of xe2x88x920.0113 ps/nm2/km or more but 0.0256 ps/nm2/km or less at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and an equivalent effective area EAeff of 50 xcexcm2 or more at the wavelength of 1550 nm, whereas the average dispersion slope Save and the equivalent effective area EAeff are designed so as to satisfy a predetermined condition such that the bending loss falls within a permissible range of 2 dB/m or more but 10 dB/m or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transmission line employed in a repeating transmission line disposed between stations, and an optical transmission system including the same.
2. Related Background Art
Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission utilizing signals of a plurality of channels included in a 1.55-xcexcm wavelength band enables high-speed, large-capacity information transmissions. Factors restricting the transmission capacity in this WDM optical transmission include the nonlinearity and dispersion slope of the optical transmission line. Therefore, in order to improve the performance of a WDM optical transmission system, it is important to suppress the nonlinearity of the optical transmission line (e.g., by increasing its effective area) and lower the dispersion slope of the optical transmission line.
Proposed as an optical transmission line aimed at suppressing the nonlinearity and lowering the dispersion slope as such is an optical transmission line having a configuration in which a single-mode optical fiber and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber are connected to each other. The single-mode optical fiber (hereinafter referred to as SMF) has a zero-dispersion wavelength in a 1.3-xcexcm wavelength band and exhibits, in the 1.55-xcexcm wavelength band, a positive chromatic dispersion and a positive dispersion slope. On the other hand, the dispersion-compensating optical fiber (hereinafter referred to as DCF) exhibits, in the 1.55-xcexcm wavelength band, a negative chromatic dispersion and a negative dispersion slope. Hence, the respective lengths of the SMF and DCF are appropriately adjusted, so as to lower the dispersion slope of the optical transmission line as a whole. Also, since the SMF having a relatively large effective area is disposed on the upstream side in the signal propagating direction, the effective area of the whole transmission line is enhanced, and the nonlinearity of the optical transmission line is suppressed.
For example, the conventional optical transmission line disclosed in T. Naito, et. al, xe2x80x9c1 Terabit/s WDM Transmission over 10,000 km,xe2x80x9d ECOC""99, PD-2-1 (1999), hereinafter referred to as first conventional technique, comprises a configuration in which an SMF and a DCF are connected to each other. The conventional optical transmission line disclosed in Chikutani, et al., xe2x80x9cLow Nonlinear PSCF+DCF Complex Transmission Line having Low Dispersion Slope and Low Nonlinearity,xe2x80x9d IEICE Technical Report, OCS99-97, pp. 67-72 (1999), hereinafter referred to as second conventional example, comprises a configuration in which an SMF (hereinafter referred to as Aeff-enlarged PSCF) exhibiting an effective area Aeff greater than a commonly known value thereof and having a core region made of pure silica (non-intentionally doped silica), and a DCF are connected to each other. The conventional optical transmission line disclosed in M. Murakami, et al., xe2x80x9cQuarter Terabit (25xc3x9710 Gb/s) over 9288 km WDM Transmission Experiment Using Nonlinear Supported RZ Pulse in Higher Order Fiber Dispersion Managed Line,xe2x80x9d ECOC""98, PD, pp. 79-81 (1998), hereinafter referred to as third conventional example, comprises a configuration in which an SMF (hereinafter referred to as Ge-SM) having a core region doped with Ge and a DCF are connected to each other.
The conventional optical transmission line disclosed in K. Fukuchi, et al., xe2x80x9c1.1-Tb/s (55xc3x9720-Gb/s) Dense WDM Soliton Transmission Over 3,020-km Widely-Dispersion-Managed Transmission Line Employing 1.55/1.58-xcexcm Hybrid Repeaters,xe2x80x9d ECOC""99, PD-2-10 (1999), hereinafter referred to as fourth conventional example, comprises a configuration in which an SMF (hereinafter referred to as PSCF (Pure Silica Core Fiber)) having a core region made of pure silica and a DCF are connected to each other. The conventional optical transmission line disclosed in T. Tsuritani, et al., xe2x80x9c1 Tbit/s (100xc3x9710.7 Gbit/s) Transoceanic Transmission Using 30 nm-Wide Broadband Optical Repeaters with Aeff-Enlarged Positive Dispersion Fibre and Slope-Compensating DCF,xe2x80x9d ECOC""99, PD-2-7 (1999), hereinafter referred to as fifth conventional example, comprises a configuration in which an Aeff-Enlarged PSCF and a DCF are connected to each other.
The inventors studied the above-mentioned optical transmission lines according to the first to fifth conventional examples and, as a result, have found the following problems. Namely, effects of fully lowering the nonlinearity and dispersion slope may not be obtained in the optical transmission lines according to the first and second conventional examples since their bending loss is about 1 dB/m so that they are designed to become excessively resistant to bending. In the optical transmission lines according to the third and fourth conventional examples, the effect of lowering the nonlinearity may not: fully be obtained since the relative refractive index difference of the core region in the DCF is assumed to be about 1.2%. The effect of fully lowering the nonlinearity may not be expected in the optical transmission line according to the fifth conventional example, since the relative refractive index difference of the core region in the DCF is assumed to be about 2.0%. Here, none of the optical transmission lines according to the third to fifth conventional examples is optimized in terms of the ratio of length of DCF in the whole optical transmission line, and the like.
In order to overcome the problems mentioned above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical transmission line comprising a structure for effectively lowering both the nonlinearity and dispersion slope, and an optical transmission system including the same.
The optical transmission line according to the present invention is a repeating transmission line which has a predetermined span length and is disposed between stations, such as transmitting stations, repeater stations, and receiving stations, as a transmission medium suitable for WDM optical transmission utilizing signals of a plurality of channels different from each other. This optical transmission line comprises a single-mode optical fiber having a zero-dispersion wavelength in a 1.3-xcexcm wavelength band, and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber for compensating for a chromatic dispersion of the single-mode optical fiber. The single-mode optical fiber and the dispersion-compensating optical fiber are successively disposed in this order along a signal propagating direction and are fusion-spliced to each other. The optical transmission line as a whole has an average dispersion slope Save of xe2x88x920.0113 ps/nm2/km or more but 0.0256 ps/nm2/km or less at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and an equivalent effective area EAeff of 50 xcexcm2 or more at the wavelength of 1550 nm.
In particular, the above-mentioned average dispersion slope Save and equivalent effective area EAeff in the optical transmission line according to the present invention satisfy the following relationship:
f(Save)xe2x89xa6EAeffxe2x89xa6g(Save)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where f(Save) is a lower limit function which yields the lower limit of EAeff by the expression:                               0.4481          +                                                                                (                0.4481                )                            2                        -                          4              xc3x97              0.00518                                            xe2x80x83                            xc3x97                              [                                  3.29                  -                                      ln                                                              (                                                                        S                          ave                                                +                        0.0053                                            )                                                                      ]                                                              2    xc3x97    0.00518
while using Save as a variable, and g(Save) is an upper limit function which yields the upper limit of EAeff by the expression:             0.4481      +                                                                                (                    0.4481                    )                                    2                                -                                  4                  xc3x97                  0.00518                                                        xe2x80x83                                    xc3x97                                      {                                          3.29                      -                      ln                                                                                [                                                            S                      ave                                        +                    0.0053                    +                                          0.016                                                                    (                                                                              log                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                                10                                                    -                                                      log                                                                                xe2x80x83                                                                                2                                                                          )                                                                              ]                                }                                                                2      xc3x97      0.00518        +      12              (                        log                                xe2x80x83                              10                -                  log                                xe2x80x83                              2                    )
while using Save as a variable.
The relationship represented by the above-mentioned expression (1) indicates an appropriate range of equivalent effective area EAeff for controlling the bending loss within the range from 2 dB to 10 dB as a permissible range at a span length of 50 km in order to enable high-speed, large-capacity WDM optical transmission not only in C band (having a wavelength of 1530 to 1565 nm) but also in L band (having a wavelength of 1565 to 1625 nm)
Thus, this optical transmission line is a repeating transmission line in which a single-mode optical fiber and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber are fusion-spliced to each other, in which signals successively propagate through the single-mode optical fiber and dispersion-compensating optical fiber in this order. At the wavelength of 1550 nm, the single-mode optical fiber and dispersion-compensating optical fiber have respective chromatic dispersions with polarities different: from each other and respective dispersion slopes with polarities different from each other, whereby the absolute value of chromatic dispersion and the absolute value of dispersion slope become smaller in the optical transmission line as a whole. When the average dispersion slope Save and equivalent effective area EAeff in the whole optical transmission line are set to satisfy the above-mentioned range, both the nonlinearity and average dispersion slope of the optical transmission line are lowered effectively, whereby a high bit rate (e.g., about 10 Gbits/s) of WDM transmission (high-speed, large-capacity optical transmission) is possible over a wider wavelength band, e.g., from 1530 nm to 1600 nm.
Preferably, the average dispersion slope Save is 0.0021 ps/nm2/km or less. In this case, high-speed, large-capacity WDM transmission is possible at a higher bit rate (e.g., about 20 Gbits/s). The equivalent effective area EAeff is preferably 55 xcexcm2 or more (more preferably 60 xcexcm2 or more), whereby the nonlinearity of the optical transmission line is further lowered.
In addition, it is preferred that the optical transmission line as a whole have an average transmission loss of 0.185 dB/km or more but 0.210 dB/km or less at the wavelength of 1550 nm. Preferably, in the wavelength band from 1530 nm to 1600 nm, the average transmission loss is 0.185 dB/km or more but 0.220 dB/km or less. In each case, the transmission loss of the optical transmission line is sufficiently small, so that the input signal power can be made lower, whereby signal waveforms can effectively be restrained from deteriorating due to nonlinear effects.
In the single-mode optical fiber, the effective area Aeff at the wavelength of 1550 nm is preferably 100 xcexcm2 or more. While the signal power density decreases as the effective area increases, signal waveforms are restrained from deteriorating due to nonlinear effects, whereby the equivalent effective area EAeff becomes greater. Preferably, the single-mode optical fiber has a core region made of pure silica not doped with GeO2. This is because of the fact that, since the transmission loss caused by Rayleigh scattering is lower in the core region (the transmission loss of the whole optical transmission line is lower), the input signal power can be suppressed, whereby the equivalent effective area EAeff becomes greater.
In the dispersion-compensating optical fiber, its core region preferably has a relative refractive index difference of 1.4% or more but 1.8% or less with respect to a reference region. This is because of the fact that the equivalent effective area EAeff of the optical transmission line becomes greater (95% or more of the maximum equivalent effective area). The ratio of length occupied by the dispersion-compensating optical fiber in the optical transmission line (repeating transmission line) preferably falls within the range from 23% to 36%, whereas the dispersion-compensating optical fiber preferably has a chromatic dispersion of xe2x88x9281 ps/nm/km or more but xe2x88x9236 ps/nm/km or less at the wavelength of 1550 nm. This is because of the fact that the equivalent effective area EAeff Of the optical transmission line can become 95% or more of the maximum equivalent effective area in these cases.
Preferably, the optical transmission line according to the present invention as a whole has a negative average chromatic dispersion at the wavelength of 1550 nm. This is because of the fact that the unstableness in modulation can be suppressed, whereby signal waveforms can effectively be restrained from deteriorating due to cross-phase modulation.
The optical transmission system according to the present invention is suitable for a WDM optical transmission system for enabling large-capacity optical communications and comprises, at least, a receiving station and a transmitting station. One or more repeater stations may be disposed between the receiving station and the transmitting station. The optical transmission line comprising the above-mentioned structure according to the present invention is employed as a repeating transmission line disposed between the above-mentioned stations in at least one of repeating transmission lines between a receiving station and a repeater station, between repeater stations, and between a repeater station and a receiving station. When no repeater station exists between a transmitting station and a receiving station, the optical transmission line is employed in the repeating transmission line between the transmitting station and the receiving station.
Since the absolute value of chromatic dispersion and the absolute value of dispersion slope in the whole optical transmission line are set smaller, and both the nonlinearity and average dispersion slope of the optical transmission line are lowered, a high bit rate (10 Gbits/s) of WDM transmission is possible over a wide wavelength band, e.g., from 1530 nm to 1600 nm.
The optical transmission system according to the present invention may also be configured such that the optical transmission line having the above-mentioned structure (exhibiting a negative chromatic dispersion at the wavelength of 1550 nm) is employed in each of a plurality of repeating transmission lines continuous to each other by way of repeater stations and the like, whereas an optical transmission line constituted by a single-mode optical fiber alone is employed in a repeating transmission line subsequent thereto. In this case, the absolute value of the average chromatic dispersion in the whole optical transmission system can be made smaller, whereby signal waveforms can effectively be restrained from deteriorating due to cumulative chromatic dispersion.
In typical optical transmission systems, an EDFA (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier) is often utilized as an optical amplifier installed in each repeater station. However, it has recently been proposed to elongate the repeating distance by utilizing a Raman amplifier as an optical amplifier.
The optical transmission line according to the present invention, in particular, can suppress the nonlinearity by elongating the span length (repeating distance) between stations, since it comprises a single-mode optical fiber having a zero-dispersion wavelength in the 1.3-xcexcm wavelength band and a dispersion-compensating optical fiber for compensating for the chromatic dispersion of the single-mode optical fiber. Also, the span length, which has been about 50 km in typical submarine cables, can be elongated to 80 km or more by employing a Raman amplifier as an optical amplifier installed in a repeater station.
From the foregoing, it is preferred that the optical transmission line according to the present invention have the above-mentioned equivalent effective area EAeff and a span length L (km) satisfying the relationship of:
0.981xc2x7L+C1xe2x89xa6EAeffxe2x89xa60.981xc2x7L+C2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
where C1 is a function of Save given by the expression of f(Save)xe2x88x920.981xc3x9750=f(Save)xe2x88x9249.05, and C2 is a function of Save given by the expression of g(Save)xe2x88x920.981xc3x9750=g(Save)xe2x88x9249.05.
Since the relationship between the equivalent effective area EAeff and the span length L is linearly approximated by the expression of
EAeff=0.98xc3x97L+C(const),
the above-mentioned expression (2) is derived from this relational expression and the above-mentioned expression (1) in which the span length is supposed to be 50 km.
Therefore, when employed in an optical transmission system in which a Raman amplifier is installed in a repeater station, this optical transmission line has a total length greater than 50 km as a span length. In the case where the optical transmission line is employed in an optical transmission system including a Raman amplifier as such, on the other hand, the dispersion-compensating optical fiber preferably has a core region exhibiting a relative refractive index difference of 1.4xc2x10.2%, more preferably 1.4xc2x10.1%, with respect to a reference region.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Optical transmission line and optical transmission system including the same