A quick connector includes a male member, a female member and an engager claw member. The male member includes a ring-shaped engager. The female member includes a receiver hole having an opening into which the male member is inserted, a ring-shaped stopper surface disposed oppositely to the opening, and a regulatory inner peripheral surface extending from the periphery of the stopper surface in an axial direction. The engager claw member disposed in the receiver hole of the female member, and it includes a ring-shaped base disposed movably in an axial direction, arms extending from the base to the opening in an axial direction and adapted for being elastically deformable in a radial direction, and a claw disposed so as to extend from each of the arms and adapted for engaging with the engager of the male member. In operation, the claws of the engager claw member are brought into contact with the stopper surface and engaged with the regulatory inner peripheral surface while they are engaged with the engager of the male member. Consequently, the male member in inhibited from displacing not only in an axial direction by the stopper surface, but also in a centrifugal direction by the regulatory inner peripheral surface. Thus, the engaging force associated with the claws is exerted securely, and accordingly the reliability of the quick connector in piping can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quick connector for piping for connecting hoses or pipes which are employed to transfer a fluid, such as gasoline, oil, water, air and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a conventional quick connector which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (KOKAI) No. 41,794/1989, and which is illustrated in FIG. 24. This conventional quick connector comprises a tubular-shaped male member 100 which includes an inserting end portion 102 having a ring-shaped engager 101 with a tapered surface 101a provided, a tubular-shaped female member 200 which includes a receiver hole 202 having an opening 201, and an engager claw member 300 which is made of resin and retained in the receiver hole 202 of the female member 200. The female member 200 is provided with a window 204 which penetrates through the perpendicular wall in a thickness-wise direction, and a tapered surface 205 is formed in the peripheral wall which defines the window 204 on the side of the opening 201. The engager claw member 300 includes an arm 300 and a claw 303.
In the conventional quick connector, the inserting end portion 102 of the male member 100 is inserted into the receiver hole 202 of the female member 200 through the opening 201, thereby displacing the claw 303 of the engager claw member 300 in a centrifugal direction with the ring-shaped engager 101 of the male member 100. When the ring-shaped engager 101 gets over the claw 303, the claw 303 is engaged with a perpendicular surface 101b of the ring-shaped engager 101 by a restoring force resulting from the elasticity of the arm 302. Thus, the male member 100 and the female member 200 are connected with each other.
Further, there has been another conventional quick connector as illustrated in FIG. 25. In this conventional quick connector, a female member 200 is provided with a window 204 which penetrates through the peripheral wall in a thickness-wise direction, and a perpendicular surface 207 is formed in the peripheral wall which defines the window 204 on the side of an opening 201.
Furthermore, there has been still another conventional quick connector which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,848, and which is illustrated in FIG. 26. This conventional quick connector utilizes an engager claw member 500 which is exposed to the outside of a female member 400. The engager claw member 500 includes a ring-shaped base 501 which is exposed to the outside, an arm 502 which extends from the base 501 in an axial direction, a claw 503 which is disposed at a free end of the arm 503 so as to extend therefrom, and an engager projection 504 which is disposed so as to extend from the claw 503 in a centrifugal direction. The female member 400 is provided with a stopper surface 403, and a regulatory inner peripheral surface 405 on the side of an opening 401. The regulatory inner peripheral surface 405 extends from the stopper surface 403 in an axial direction.
In this still another conventional quick connector, a groove-like ring-shaped engager 602 of a male member 600 is engaged with the claw 503, and at the same time the engager projection 504 is regulated by the regulatory inner peripheral surface 405 while it is brought into contact with the stopper surface 403. Thus, the male member 600 and the female member 400 are connected with each other.
As the conventional quick connector illustrated in FIG. 24 is used for a long time, the edge of the ring-shaped engager 101 of the male member 100 is rounded at the top of the tapered surface 101a. Accordingly, when a large force is applied to the male member 100 so as to come off the female member 200, a large force is applied to the claw 303 of the engager claw member 300 in the centrifugal direction, and thereby the engaging force associated with the claw 303 is deteriorated. Further, when the male member 100 is moved relatively to the female member 200 in a radial direction outwardly, i.e., in a direction of the arrow "M2" of FIG. 24, the claw 303 is pressed onto the tapered surface 205 by a peripheral wall 100c disposed in the rear of the ring-shaped engager 100, and there arises a fear that the claw 303 is displaced along the tapered surface 205 in a centrifugal direction, i.e., in a direction of the arrow "M1" of FIG. 24. If such is the case, the engaging force associated with the claw 303 is also deteriorated. All in all, the conventional quick connector is not fully reliable in piping.
Moreover, in the conventional quick connector illustrated in FIG. 24, the engager claw member 300 is not adapted that it can be moved in the female member 200 in the axial direction, i.e., in a direction of the arrow "X1." Accordingly, when connecting the male member 100 and the female member 200, namely when lifting the claw 303 with the tapered surface 101a of the ring-shaped engager 101 of the male member 100, the tapered surface 205 of the female member 200 interferes with the claws 303 being lifted. Hence, a large resistance is exerted when lifting the claw 303.
The another conventional quick connector illustrated in FIG. 25 also suffers from the same adverse situation as described above. Accordingly, there arise the problems that the another conventional quick connector is not fully reliable in piping, and that a large resistance is exerted when lifting the claw 303. In particular, as the another conventional quick connector illustrated in used for a long time, the perpendicular surface 207 of the window 204 is rounded at the edge 207a, and thereby the claw 303 becomes likely to come off. As a result, the engaging force associated with the claw 303 is deteriorated.
In the still another conventional quick connector illustrated in FIG. 26, since a greater portion of the engager claw member 500 is exposed to the outside of the female member 400, it is very likely to be brought into contact with other apparatuses or the like. When such a contact occurs, there arises a fear that the claw 502 disengages. Hence, the still another conventional quick connector is not fully reliable in piping, either.
The present invention has been developed in view of the aforementioned circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a quick connector in which the engaging force associated with a claw of an engager claw member is exerted firmly, and whose reliability in piping is enhanced.


Various embodiments of a vortex thruster system is described herein that is configured to create at least three discrete thrust levels. In some embodiments, the vortex thruster system is configured to decompose a monopropellant and deliver the decomposed monopropellant into a vortex combustion chamber for generating various thrust levels. In some embodiments, the vortex thruster system includes a secondary propellant valve configured to deliver a secondary propellant into the vortex combustion chamber containing decomposed monopropellant to create a high thrust level. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.

Design requirements for a rocket combustion engine can include competing or conflicting requirements. For example, an efficient rocket combustion chamber can thoroughly mix fuel and oxidizer to generate complete combustion. However, complete combustion can cause intense thermal stress of the rocket engine hardware. A cooling mechanism may be required to prevent overheating, but conventional cooling mechanisms can add weight to a system that is mass-sensitive.
Some rocket engines can achieve high mixing rates and combustion efficiencies through the use of complex propellant injectors that can be heavy and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, some rocket engines include intricate regenerative coolant channels to remove heat from the rocket hardware. Such rocket engine configurations may be difficult and expensive to manufacture, as well as require an increase in overall size and weight of the rocket engine.


A fimbrial agglutinogen preparation is prepared from a bordetella strain, particularly a B. pertussis strain, by a multiple step procedure involving extraction of the fimbrial agglutinogens from cell paste and concentrating and purifying the extracted material. The fimbrial agglutinogen preparation may be used to prepare acellular pertussis vaccines with other pertussis antigens, including pertussis toxin or toxoid thereof, the 69 kDa protein and filamentous hemagglutinin and other Bordetella antigens.

Whooping cough or pertussis is a severe, highly contagious upper respiratory tract infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 60 million cases of pertussis per year and 0.5 to 1 million associated deaths (ref. 1. Throughout this specification, various references are referred to in parenthesis to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Full bibliographic information for each citation is found at the end of the specification, immediately following the claims. The disclosures of these references are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure). In unvaccinated populations, a pertussis incidence rate as high as 80% has been observed in children under 5 years old (ref. 2). Although pertussis is generally considered to be a childhood disease, there is increasing evidence of clinical and asymptomatic disease in adolescents and adults (refs. 3, 4 and 5).
The introduction of whole-cell vaccines composed of chemically- and heat-inactivated B. pertussis organisms in the 1940's was responsible for a dramatic reduction in the incidence of whooping cough caused by B. pertussis. The efficacy rates for whole-cell vaccines have been estimated at up to 95% depending on case definition (ref. 6). While infection with B. pertussis confers life-long immunity, there is increasing evidence for waning protection after immunization with whole-cell vaccines (ref. 3). Several reports citing a relationship between whole-cell pertussis vaccination, reactogenicity and serious side-effects led to a decline in vaccine acceptance and consequent renewed epidemics (ref. 7). More recently defined component pertussis vaccines have been developed.

Acellular pertussis vaccines and methods of preparing thereof


A method of correcting a communication signal with BCH product codes is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of receiving a codeword vector, establishing a generator polynomial, establishing a check polynomial, calculating a binary-matrix, and calculating the binary syndrome S=Hrt. If an all zero vector results, no errors exist in the received vector. If errors exist, a tm x (N−k) binary matrix is created, the power basis expansion of (r(α1), r(α3), r(α5), . . . r(α2t−1)) is calculated, and the syndrome is solved. The speed of the method comes from using word-level XOR's to apply the check polynomial to the stream at all offsets. The utility of this approach is due in part to the fact that the conversion matrix involved can be created quickly using only items needed elsewhere in BCH decoders: a field table and the generator polynomial coefficients.

When messages are transmitted over a communication network, errors in transmission may occur. To detect and correct these errors, each transmitted message is modified, adding a pre-determined error-correcting scheme to the message. After the message is received, the message must be decoded.
Common types of codes used include block codes, such as Reed-Solomon and Bose Chaudhuri Hocquenghem (BCH) codes. BCH codes are a commonly used multi-level cyclic variable length code used in error correction schemes.
The encoded message is normally grouped by codeword. A codeword is generally comprised of n symbols, further comprising k information symbols, which results in n−k redundant symbols. For BCH codes, n=2m−1, and k≧n−mt. To correct for t bits, at most mt bits of redundancy are needed.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/976,731, entitled "LOW COMPLEXITY AND LOW POWER FEC SUPPORTING HIGH SPEED PARALLEL DECODING OF SYNDROME-BASED FEC CODES," discloses a method of reducing power consumption and complexity when performing forward error correction by using parallel decoding techniques. The present invention is not designed to process error codes using parallel decoding techniques. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/976,731 is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification of the present invention.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/092,407, entitled "SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD, SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEM, PROGRAM FOR SIGNAL PROCESSING, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM ON WHICH THIS PROGRAM IS RECORDED," discloses a signal processing method for processing 40 Gbps or higher communication signals. The method calculates a Yule-Walker equation that has elements of a Galois field, and solves the equation using Jacobi's formula to obtain symmetric matrices. The number of errors is determined to be the maximum matrix size that corresponds to the non-zero solution. The method then determines if the number of errors equals the number of correctable errors. The present invention does not determine the number of errors and decide if the number of errors is correctable. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/092,407 is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification of the present invention.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/202,252, entitled "EFFICIENT DECODING OF PRODUCT CODES," discloses a decoding system that generates test pattern syndrome and subsequent test pattern syndromes using a recursive function of the syndromes previously generated. The present invention does not generate syndromes using a recursive function of the syndromes previously generated. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/202,252 is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification of the present invention.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/301,769, entitled "ERROR CORRECTION IMPROVEMENT FOR CONCATENATED CODES," discloses a multiple dimension codeword. Decoding is performed in multiple passes for each dimension, wherein the corrected data of the previous pass used as an input to subsequent passes. The present invention does not encode data in multiple dimensions. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/301,769 is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification of the present invention.
Known non-patent publications include:
Error Control Coding, Fundamentals and Applications, Chapter 6: Binary BCH Codes, Shu Lin and Daniel J. Costello, Jr., Pearson Prentice Hall, second edition, pp. 194-195, 224-225, 2004; and
A Simple Decoding of BCH Codes over GF(2m), Keiichiro Kogo, IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. 46, no. 6, June 1998.

Method of decoding signals having binary BCH codes

The United States of America as represented by the Director, National Security Agency


A process for manufacturing an integrated circuit package includes forming a plurality of solder balls on a first surface of a substrate and mounting a semiconductor die to the substrate such that bumps of the semiconductor die are electrically connected to conductive traces of the substrate. The semiconductor die and the solder balls are encapsulated in an overmold material on the substrate such that portions of the solder balls are exposed. A ball grid array is formed such that bumps of the ball grid array are electrically connected to the conductive traces and the integrated circuit package is singulated.

High performance integrated circuit (IC) packages are well known in the art. Improvements in IC packages are driven by industry demands for increased thermal and electrical performance and decreased size and cost of manufacture.
In general, array packaging such as Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA) packages provide a high density of interconnects relative to the surface area of the package. However, typical PBGA packages include a convoluted signal path, giving rise to high impedance and an inefficient thermal path which results in low thermal dissipation performance. With increasing package density, the spreading of heat generated by the package is increasingly important.
Reference is made to FIG. 1, which shows an elevation view of a conventional PBGA package indicated generally by the numeral 20. The PBGA package 20 includes a substrate 22 and a semiconductor die 24 attached to the substrate 22 by a die adhesive. Gold wire bonds 26 electrically connect the die 24 to metal traces on the substrate 22. The wire bonds 26 and die 24 are encapsulated in an overmold material 28. A ball grid array 30, in the form of solder bumps, is disposed on the bottom surface of the substrate 22 for signal transfer. Because of the absence of a thermal path away from the semiconductor die 24, thermal dissipation in this package is poor.
Variations to conventional BGA packages have been proposed for the purpose of increasing thermal and electrical performance. One particular variation includes the addition of a metal heat spreader to the package, as shown in FIG. 2 which shows an elevation view of a PBGA package 20 of the prior art including the heat spreader indicated by the numeral 32. In general, the metal heat spreader 32 is fixed to the molded package. This package suffers disadvantages, however, as heat must be dissipated from the semiconductor die 24, through the molding compound 28 and then through the heat spreader 32. Furthermore, this package is not suitable for package stacking which is desirable for decreasing motherboard area that is used when the packages are mounted thereon.
It is therefore an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a process for manufacturing a BGA package that obviates or mitigates at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Ball grid array package and process for manufacturing same


Methods for making paperboard blanks and paperboard products therefrom are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a paperboard blank can include burning a paperboard substrate to form at least one aperture therethrough. The method can also include securing a film onto a first side of the paperboard substrate to produce a paperboard blank.

1. Field
Embodiments described generally relate to methods for making paperboard blanks and paperboard products therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Paperboard is used to make a wide variety of paperboard products, such as plates, bowls, and cups. Paper products can be insulated in a variety of ways to provide an insulated product, such as an insulated cup for hot or cold beverages. For example, the paper product can be insulated by forming an air gap within a sidewall of the product. The air gap, for example, can be located between a film that forms an inner surface of the sidewall and a paperboard substrate that forms an outer surface of the sidewall. The film can be a shrinkable film that can shrink, e.g., a heat shrinkable film, to form the gap between the film and the paperboard substrate as the film shrinks. As the shrinkable film shrinks and the gap forms, air or other fluid needs to flow into the gap.
One problem encountered in making an insulated product, such as a cup, with a shrinkable film is that the air required to fill the gap needs an adequate path to flow into the gap as the gap forms. Without an adequate flow path for the air to flow between the shrinkable layer and the paperboard substrate, a vacuum can form between the shrinkable film and the paperboard substrate that prevents or reduces the amount the shrinkable film can shrink. Preventing or reducing the amount the film shrinks can decrease the insulating properties of the product.
The conventional technique used to form a flow path for air to flow into the gap as the gap forms is to punch or cut a hole, slot, or other opening into the paperboard substrate with a pin, die, punch, or other physical tool. These punched openings, however, may not produce openings through the paperboard substrate that provide a flow path capable of consistently permitting a sufficient amount of air to flow through the paperboard substrate as the shrinkable film shrinks.
There is a need, therefore, for improved methods for making paperboard blanks having an adequate path for air to flow into the gap as the shrinkable film shrinks.


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor modulator includes the steps of preparing a substrate having a main surface including first and second areas; forming a stacked semiconductor layer on the main surface; forming an optical waveguide mesa by etching the stacked semiconductor layer using a mask, the optical waveguide mesa including an optical modulation portion; applying a resin on a top surface and a side surface of the optical waveguide mesa and on the substrate; forming a first opening in the resin on the second area of the substrate; forming an underlayer structure on the second area of the substrate in contact with the substrate; and forming a pad electrode on the underlayer structure in contact with the underlayer structure through the first opening of the resin. The underlayer structure includes an insulating layer made of a dielectric material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor modulator and a semiconductor modulator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-205025 discloses a ridge waveguide laser. Both sides of each ridge of the ridge waveguide laser are buried within a benzocyclobutene (BCB) resin.
"40 Gbit/s n-i-n InP Mach-Zehnder modulator with a π voltage of 2.2 V," K. Tsuzuki, T. Ishibashi, T. Ito, S. Oku, Y. Shibata, R. Iga, Y. Kondo and Y. Tohmori, ELECTRONICS LETTERS, 2 Oct. 2003, Vol. 39, No. 20 discloses an InP Mach-Zehnder type optical modulator. In the manufacture of an InP Mach-Zehnder type optical modulator, a waveguide mesa structure, which constitutes a modulation portion, is formed on a semi-insulating InP substrate. The side surfaces of the waveguide mesa structure are buried within a benzocyclobutene (BCB) resin.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor modulator and semiconductor modulator


Telecommunications switches route calls in accordance with economic incentives (e.g., least cost routing) resulting from a bidding process between participating telecommunications carriers (Carriers) by operation of a central processor, a computer referred to as a bidding moderator (Moderator). Each of the Carriers bidding for traffic informs the Moderator of the rate it is willing to charge (or other economic incentive it is willing to offer) for service at some particular time between two specific switching points defining a route segment in one or more telecommunications networks, for example, from an intermediate switching point on one telecommunications network to a terminating local exchange switch on another network. This "bid" rate may be lower than that Carrier's established rate for any of several reasons (e.g., the Carrier has excess capacity on that route segment at that time). The Carrier may change its bids as often as it likes as traffic patterns change. The Moderator collects this bid information from all the Carriers, processes the bid information and transmits carrier selection information to subscribing switches. Bid information is also transmitted to participating Carriers' network management centers. From the list of all Carriers providing bid information to the Moderator, each subscribing switch can select those Carriers to which it wants traffic routed and can change that selection at any time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of telecommunication network control.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many locally managed telecommunication systems, such as PBXs, employ "least cost routing" software to reduce telecommunication costs. The system's manager arranges with more than one interexchange carrier to carry the system's traffic from the local exchange to which it is connected to other exchanges. The manager keeps track of each carrier's charges and populates the routing table in the "least cost routing" software. The charges may be the regularly tariffed charges of the subscriber's primary carrier or contracted charges offered by an alternate carrier for a bulk discount or for discounting traffic during a specific time period during the day. The "least cost routing" software will examine each call attempt and automatically decide which carrier is the best economic choice for that call. If the call attempt fails, the software usually defaults the call attempt to the subscriber's primary carrier.
Telecommunication carriers regularly enter into wholesale contractual arrangements with other carriers to use part or all of such other carriers' telecommunications networks, for example, to complete calls to geographic regions the first carrier does not serve or to provide additional capacity on routes, or portions of routes, for which the first carrier may have little or no available capacity on its own network facilities at that time.
Recently a great deal of competition has developed between telecommunication carriers. This has been stimulated by both regulatory and technological changes. As telecommunication becomes more of a commodity it would be of great benefit to consumers to stimulate this competition and facilitate both a carrier's and a consumer's ability to make economic choices between telecommunication carriers.
In the method and system of the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,602, telecommunication switches route calls in accordance with economic incentives (e.g., least cost routing) resulting from a bidding process between participating telecommunication carriers (the "Carriers"), administered by a bidding service provider through operation of a central processor, a computer referred to as a bidding moderator (the "Moderator"). In that arrangement, each of the Carriers transmits to the Moderator the rate it is willing to charge (or other economic incentive it is willing to offer) for service between two specific points, from an originating point to a terminating point, at some particular time. The Moderator collects this bid information from all the Carriers, sorts it among originating points, and transmits it to each appropriate switch location and to participating Carriers' network management centers. Each subscribing switch (a "Subscriber") gets such information from the Moderator for all "point-to-point routes" originating in the Subscriber's local exchange area. The Moderator provides each Carrier with bid information from competing Carriers for all point-to-point routes for which any Carrier has submitted a bid (e.g., any NPA-NXX to any other NPA-NXX, or otherwise-defined telecommunications network destination, in the world). The Carriers receiving this information will have the opportunity thereafter to submit a lower or higher bid for any point-to-point routes on which they wish, respectively, to stimulate or discourage additional traffic. Through this bidding process, Carriers can compete for traffic on selected routes or compete for traffic originating from selected points in telecommunication networks. They can also manage their network traffic by adjusting their bids from time to time, depending on network traffic information or other network information.
The specification in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,602 (starting on column 4, line 63 thereof) discloses in part the following:
The economic choices presented to telecommunication service users under this invention depend on bids submitted by Carriers for telecommunication traffic over the routes they serve. Each route is defined by the local exchange switch serving its originating point and the local exchange switch serving its terminating point. Each local exchange switch is identified in the North American Numbering Plan by a unique NPA-NXX code, where the NPA is a three digit numbering plan area identifier (e.g., area code 201 identifies Northern New Jersey) and NXX is a three digit code identifying a particular local exchange switch within the numbering plan area . . . The subscribing switch may also have dedicated direct links to one or more carrier points of presence. If such a carrier is selected, the subscribing switch would route the call attempt directly to that link. While the currently predominant numbering scheme for network switching end points is the North American Numbering Plan, other numbering schemes identifying route originating points and terminating points are possible and may be used as telecommunication technology evolves.
In the disclosed architecture a "route" is defined by the network switching end point serving the originating point of such route and the network switching end point serving the terminating point of such route. Network switching end points can be referred to as local exchange switches. A local exchange switch (or equivalent local switching node) is generally considered to be (i) the switching point on a telecommunications network that serves as the most immediate switching interface between the calling party and that telecommunications network as well as (ii) the switching point on a telecommunications network (which may, but need not be, owned or operated by the same carrier who owns or operates the originating switching point) that serves as the most immediate switching interface between the called party and that telecommunications network, regardless of whether such telecommunications networks use circuit-switched, frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode, packet data, TCP/IP protocols or other current or evolving telecommunication technologies. Local exchange switches (or equivalent local switching nodes), for example, may include telephone companies' local central office switches, private telecommunications networks' local access nodes, and Internet service providers' local access switches--whether represented by a server, router or other switching device (which may be hardware or software-defined), but in each case providing access to the respective telecommunications network. These network switching end points define a "route" for which Carriers can submit bids to the Moderator as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,602, in order to compete to provide service to end users attempting to make calls over such routes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,602 further discloses that a subscribing switch (e.g., a PBX) may also have dedicated direct links to one or more Carrier points of presence and, if such a Carrier is selected to carry a specific call, the subscribing switch would route the call attempt directly to that dedicated direct link (without, for example, being handled by the local exchange switch that may otherwise serve that subscribing switch).
Carriers may submit bids for route segments to the Moderator for different types of telecommunications networks (e.g., circuit-switched, frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode, packet data networks such as the Internet, etc.) and for different classes of telecommunications service provided by such networks (e.g., transmission of voice, data, video, etc.). Access to such telecommunications networks or facilities by end users or by other telecommunications carriers or service providers may be, for example, via the public switched telephone network, dedicated facilities, private lines, wireless facilities, coaxial cable, electric utility power lines, Ethernet or other local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN) or wide area network (WAN) connections.

Bidding for telecommunications traffic over route segments


Dehydrohalogenation processes for the preparation of fluoropropenes from corresponding halopropanes, in which the fluoropropenes have the formula CF3CY═CXNHP, wherein X and Y are independently hydrogen or a halogen selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine; and N and P are independently integers equal to 0, 1 or 2, provided that (N+P)=2.

The present invention relates to a process for producing fluoropropenes in good yield on an industrial scale using commercially and readily available starting materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for producing fluoropropenes by the dehydrohalogenation of halopropanes, either by reaction with an essentially miscible alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide solution in a non-alcohol solvent, or by thermal decomposition.
The production of fluoropropenes such as CF3CH═CH2 by catalytic vapor phase fluorination of various saturated and unsaturated halogen-containing C3 compounds is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,889,379; 4,798,818 and 4,465,786. U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,419 discloses a vapor phase catalytic process for the preparation of fluoroalkene using a chloro- or bromo-halofluorocarbon and HF. EP 974,571 discloses the preparation of 1,1,1,3-tetrafluoropropene by contacting 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa) in the vapor phase with a chromium-based catalyst at elevated temperature, or in the liquid phase with an alcoholic solution of KOH, NaOH, Ca(OH)2 or Mg(OH)2.
A fluoropropene of particular interest is 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFC-1234ze), which has potential use as a low global warming potential refrigerant. However, this material is presently not available in commercial quantity. The existing technology to make HFC-1234ze is a fluorination process using 1,1,1,3,3-pentachloropropane (HCC-240fa) and HF in the presence of a vapor phase catalyst. HFC-1234ze is a by-product of the reaction that is made in relatively small quantity, i.e., less than about 8 area % in a gas chromatograph (GC) of the organic reaction product.
The process is very expensive because of the low selectivity for the desired product, HFC-1234ze. The reaction is actually intended for the manufacture of HFC-245fa, in which small quantities of HFC-1234ze is produced as a by-product. Complicating matters, the process involves handling large quantities of hazardous materials such as HF and HCl.
Henne et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 68, 496–497 (1946) described the synthesis of various fluoropropenes from CF3CH2CF3 using, e.g., alcoholic KOH, with varying degrees of success. For example, it is stated that in some instances dehydrohalogenation was unsuccessful. In another instance, a protracted reaction time (3 days) was required, or relatively low product yield (40%, 65%) was obtained.
Tarrant, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 77, 2783–2786 (1955) described the synthesis of CF3CH═CF2 starting with: (1) 3-bromo-1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane and reacting it with a hot solution of KOH in water; and (2) 3-bromo-1,1,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, reacting it with HF at 150□C and neutralizing the reaction products with a KOH solution.
Kimura, et al., J. Org. Chem. 48, 195–198 (1983) described multi-phase dehydrohalogenation of brominated compounds using aqueous KOH and a phase transfer catalyst based on polyethylene glycols and polyethylene glycol-grafted copolymers. The preparation of fluoropropenes by the dehydrohalogenation of fluoropropane using aqueous KOH and a phase transfer catalyst, but with improved yields and selectivity is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,719.
There is a continuing need for means by which fluoropropenes can be produced commercially with high yield and selectivity, either catalytically or non-catalytically.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An acoustic pressure sensor includes a stack of one or more acoustically responsive elements which are contained within a housing. An external acoustic pressure to be sensed is transmitted to the stack via a diaphragm which exists in an end cap closing a top portion of the housing. The outer edge of the diaphragm is in direct contact with the outer edge of the housing. This area enhancement increases the basic sensitivity of the sensing stack without the need of a gap. The diaphragm allows flexure to occur in a controlled fashion. The housing is sealed at the top and bottom by end caps, the top end cap defining a diaphragm area, which diaphragm deflects to thereby apply pressure to the stack to convert acoustic signals into electrical signals.

Hydrophones are underwater acoustic sensors which most commonly employ piezoelectric technology. The hydrophone typically converts acoustic energy into electrical energy. Such devices have widespread use such as in fixed ground water sites, surface and subsurface platforms, sonobuoys, decoys, geophysical exploration, military applications such as submarine detection sweep and anti mine operations, and target simulators. Such hydrophone sensors as indicated provide a conversion between acoustical energy and electrical energy. These sensors often operate as passive listening devices for subsurface target detection and tracking. Over the years, there have been substantial improvements in the design and operation of these devices at lower frequencies and under more adverse conditions. Certain prior art devices require a linkage between the electro-acoustical performance parameters such as sensitivity and element capacity and the geometrically determined pressure amplification. Such prior art devices often utilize cylindrical elements and certain devices require a gap between the housing and the head mass. This gap creates problems in sealing and further results in head flexure. Accordingly, there is still a need to manufacture a reliable, rugged device that is capable of producing electrical energy from acoustic energy at relatively low levels and at low frequencies. A more sensitive, reliable and rugged hydrophone transducer which employs a mechanical housing and a coupling technique for the transducer that addresses one or more of the aforementioned problems is desirable.


A method and a device for side impact detection in a vehicle. A first signal is generated by a side impact sensor system. A plausibility sensor system determines the direction and magnitude of a lateral speed of the vehicle and/or a slip angle as a plausibility signal. A processor is provided which detects the side impact as a function of the first signal and the plausibility signal.

Side impact detection with the aid of a temperature sensor is described in European Patent No. EP 1343661. The temperature sensor is provided as a side impact sensor system in a cavity of a lateral section. An acceleration sensor system or a structure-borne noise sensor system may be used for a plausibility check.

Device and method for side impact detection in a vehicle


A method of powering a train powerline with a second source including using a local power controller in the trainline to determine the polarity of the power lines which run through the trainline. The local power controller then connects the second power source to the power lines with the determined polarity. Finally, the local power controller powers the power lines with a second power source once the connection of the appropriate polarity has been made.

The present invention relates generally to electrified trains and more specifically to a method and apparatus for connecting a power source to an energized power line of the train.
Electro-pneumatic train braking requires electrical current to be transmitted over wires, serially connected between each car over the entire length of the train or consist from the locomotive. A typical electro-pneumatic (EP) brake system requires from 1200 watts to 2500 watts of power operating at voltages in the range of 230 volts DC.
In trains of substantial length, for example, freight trains, which may extend for a mile and a half to two miles and includes over one hundred cars, there exists a need to provide power sources other than the one at the head locomotive to maintain the current and voltage levels along the trainline. The composition of the train varies continuously. The proposed use of hermaphroditic connectors between the cars increases the changes of polarity reversals throughout the length of the trainline. While this has not caused a problem with respect to any of the equipment on the individual cars, it would cause a problem if additional power sources were connected to the trainline without knowing the appropriate polarity of the trainlines.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for addressing this problem. The method includes using a local power controller in the trainline to determine the polarity of the power lines which run through the trainline. The local power controller then connects the second power source to the power lines with the determined polarity. Finally, the local power controller powers the power lines with a second power source once the connection of the appropriate polarity has been made.
A master controller, preferably at the locomotive, transmits a power command to the local power controller to initiate determining the polarity, connecting the proper output lines, and applying power to the trainline. The power command is transmitted over the trainlines and preferably over the power lines. To determine the polarity, the local controller places parallel, opposed diodes across the power lines and determines conduction of one of the diodes. This will indicate the polarity of the lines. The local power controller uses a switch to place the diodes across the power lines and the switch may be either relay or transistor switches. The local power controller determines conduction of the diode through an electro-optic isolator. The local power controller also uses a switch to connect the second power source to the power lines with the determined polarity. If the power lines have no polarity, the local power controller connects the second power source to the power lines with a default polarity. The switch may be a relay controlling two sets of form C contacts or may be transistor switches. The local power controller also uses a switch to control the powering of the power lines with the second power source.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Trainline polarity detector with power source polarity switching


A guardrail system for a pitched roof of a building including a plurality of pitched roof members includes a plurality of end post supports that may be installed from ground level. Each of the end post supports may include a U-shaped body having a first segment for removably fastening to an end of a respective roof member, and having a second segment extending outwardly from the respective roof member with a gap therebetween defined by the U-shape. The end post supports may also include a post receiver connected to an upper end of the second segment of the U-shaped body, and a stabilizer carried by the U-shaped body for extending against an adjacent wall portion below the pitched roof. The guardrail system may further include a respective post carried by the post receiver of each end post support, and rail members to be connected between adjacent end posts.

A pitched rooftop of a building may be hazardous to workers performing work thereon, such as roofers, for example. In some cases, a worker performing work on the rooftop may slip on the pitched roof, causing the worker to slide down the roof and, in some cases, fall from the rooftop. Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide guardrails adjacent an edge of the rooftop to provide a barrier at the edge of the roof that may prevent the worker from falling from the rooftop.
Temporary guardrails may be constructed adjacent a rooftop with materials commonly found on a construction site, such as excess wood, for example. A platform is generally built adjacent the edge of the rooftop, and is braced against a wall supporting the rooftop. Spaced apart guardrail posts are connected to the platform and extend upwardly therefrom, and rails are extended between the guardrail posts to form a barrier adjacent the edge of the rooftop. A skid-guard, or kickplate, may be connected between the guardrail posts to provide a barrier adjacent the edge of the roof.
Although this type of guardrail system may be effective, installation may be expensive, time inefficient, and itself hazardous. More specifically, the guardrail system is generally installed after roof members have been elevated and connected to top portions of support walls. Installation of the guardrail system is performed at, or near, the elevation of the rooftop, before fall protection is provided. In other words, the installers may be working off of ladders, where fall protection, such as guardrails, has not yet been provided.
One example of a guardrail system for a pitched roof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,398 to Bartholomew. The guardrail system includes a plurality of spaced apart rail support assemblies aligned along an edge of a pitched roof, and a plurality of rails extending between the support assemblies. Each of the rail support assemblies includes a hinged base that is anchored into the roof with a hook so that the base may be positioned on the rooftop.
This roofing system is typically used, however, during the installation of roofing material, or during repair of roofing material, i.e., after plywood has been placed over the roof members. Accordingly, since the roofing system is installed after the rooftop has been laid over the roof members, i.e., at the elevation of the rooftop, the installer is at risk for falling from the roof before the guardrail system is completely installed.
The Roof-Rail Company offers another type of guardrail system under the designation, "ROOF-RAIL Guardrail Brackets". This type of guardrail system includes a bracket that is fastened to a spacer, which, in turn, is fastened to a building wall. Braces are then connected to the bracket to support a post socket. Posts and rails may then be constructed of wood material, and supported by the brackets fastened to the building wall.
A particularly advantageous guardrail system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,074 to Purvis et al. The temporary guardrail system includes an anchor bracket that is fastened into portions of a roof, and a plurality of modular portions that are connected to form the guardrail system. Again, this system is installed after the roof is installed.

Guardrail system for a roof of a building and associated methods


The present disclosure relates to methods for reducing warp potential of lumber derived from a raw material, such as a log or stem are provided. In some embodiments, the methods involve examining the log or stem for shrinkage properties and/or properties of spiral grain. The location of the shrinkage properties and/or properties of spiral grain may be used to determine how the log is oriented relative to a cutting device. In some embodiments, these characteristics may determine what cutting pattern is selected for creating the lumber or how a stem is bucked.

Research and observation suggest that some trees or logs produce mostly straight lumber, while others result in a larger proportion of warped pieces. The range of lumber warp variability among logs has been found to be especially broad among butt logs, a class of logs which also generally includes those with the greatest log-average lumber crook and bow. To illustrate, FIG. 1 shows data from lumber cut from 30 pine trees harvested in Georgia, and compares log-average crook values for logs from three different height locations in each tree—butt, second, and third.
In general, butt logs are the most affected by lumber crook. In fact, about one-third of these trees (9 of 30) had butt logs with substantially greater log-average crook than any of the other logs. The other two-thirds of the butt logs had somewhat greater log-average crook than that of the second or third logs. The log-average bow values are compared by log position in the tree in FIG. 2. The same observations that were made for crook also apply to bow, although there are perhaps relatively fewer trees having butt logs with extreme log-average values, and the difference between those extreme values and the log-average bow of the other logs is somewhat less than in the case of crook.
These Figures suggest that for crook and bow, the most warp-prone logs are usually found among a minority of the butt logs. One means of partially distinguishing between warp-prone and warp-stable logs is by using the average stress-wave velocity of the log, as measured for example, using resonance methods. FIGS. 3 and 4 show how log-average crook and bow, respectively, relate to average log stress-wave velocity in loblolly pine butt logs harvested in Arkansas. Logs with stress-wave velocity at or near the high end of the range have relatively low log-average crook and bow. Those logs with lower stress-wave velocities, which constitute the majority of the logs, may also have low log-average crook and bow. However, a fraction of the lower-stress-wave velocity logs have high log-average warp. In other words, high-stress-wave velocity logs have low potential for lumber warp, but low-stress-wave velocity logs are not necessarily highly warp-prone. Consequently, for the majority of logs (those which are not near the high end of the range of stress-wave velocity), the average stress-wave velocity of the log is not in itself an effective means to discriminate between logs with high potential for lumber warp and those with low potential.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method to detect warp potential of lumber to be derived from a raw material, such as a log or stem, and to reduce that warp potential before the lumber is derived.

Method for optimizing stem merchandizing


A substrate inspection apparatus is disclosed. The substrate inspection apparatus includes: a first light source configured to radiate an ultraviolet light onto a coated film of a substrate, the coated film being mixed with fluorescent pigments; a first light detector configured to capture fluorescence generated from the coated film onto which the ultraviolet light is radiated, and to obtain a two-dimensional (2D) image of the substrate; a processor configured to derive one region among a plurality of regions of the substrate based on the 2D image; a second light source configured to radiate a laser light onto the one region; and a second light detector configured to obtain optical interference data generated from the one region by the laser light, wherein the processor is configured to derive a thickness of the coated film of the one region based on the optical interference data.

In a substrate-processing process, a substrate may be coated in order to protect elements on the substrate. The coating process is referred to as conformal coating. The thickness of a conformal coated film may be inspected in order to check whether the coated film formed on the substrate by coating is evenly coated to have a certain thickness.
For inspecting a thickness of the coated film, a two-dimensional (2D) photographic inspection may be performed. The 2D photographic inspection may inspect an object by obtaining a 2D image of the object, and 2D fluorescent photographic inspection may be included therein. The 2D photographic inspection performs only qualitative inspection on the thickness of the coated film, and may not accurately measure the thickness of the coated film. Also, it may be difficult to use 2D photographic inspection to measure a thickness when the coated film is thin (e.g., about 30 μm).
Further, in order to inspect the thickness of the coated film, a confocal microscope may be used. However, it takes a long time to measure the thickness of the coated film using the confocal microscope. Also, in order to inspect the thickness of the coated film, the thickness may be measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT). However, the measurement using OCT is limited in improving both a depth resolution and a depth measurement range. Saturation due to the light used in OCT may occur at an electrode part of elements on the substrate, and thus accurate measurement may be difficult.

Apparatus for inspecting substrate and method thereof


A plurality of imaging optical lenses (301a to 301c) form a plurality of subject images on a plurality of imaging regions (302a to 302c), respectively. When viewed along a direction parallel with optical axes, at least one straight line connecting corresponding points in at least one pair of the subject images that are formed by at least one pair of the imaging optical lenses is inclined with respect to a direction in which pixels are arranged in the imaging regions. In this way, a high-resolution image always can be obtained regardless of the subject distance.

Imaging apparatuses used in mobile equipment need to have both a high resolution and a small size. In many cases, the reduction in size is obstructed by the size and focal length of an imaging optical lens and the size of an imaging device.
In general, since the refractive index of a material varies depending on the wavelength of light, it is difficult to form an image of light from a subject including information of an entire wavelength range on an imaging plane using a single lens. Therefore, in an optical system of usual imaging apparatuses, a plurality of lenses are arranged along an optical axis direction so that images of red wavelength light, green wavelength light and blue wavelength light are formed on the same imaging plane. Accordingly, the optical system is elongated, resulting in a thicker imaging apparatus.
Therefore, as a technique effective for a reduction in size of imaging apparatuses, particularly for a reduction in thickness, a compound-eye imaging apparatus has been proposed in which a plurality of single lenses having a short focal length are arranged substantially in the same plane (see JP 2002-204462 A, for example). A compound-eye color imaging apparatus includes an optical system having a lens for blue wavelength light, a lens for green wavelength light and a lens for red wavelength light that are arranged on the same plane, and imaging devices respectively corresponding to the lenses. Since the wavelength range of light handled by each lens is limited, it becomes possible to form a subject image on the imaging device using the single lenses. Therefore, the thickness of the imaging apparatus can be reduced considerably.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an exemplary compound-eye imaging apparatus. Numeral 900 denotes a lens array including three lenses 901a, 901b and 901c that are formed integrally. The lens 901a is for red wavelength light and forms a subject image in an imaging region 902a. A red wavelength separation filter (color filter) is attached to pixels (photodetector portions) in the imaging region 902a, and the imaging region 902a converts the formed red subject image into image information. Similarly, the lens 901b is for green wavelength light and forms a subject image in an imaging region 902b. A green wavelength separation filter (color filter) is attached to pixels (photodetector portions) in the imaging region 902b, and the imaging region 902b converts the formed green subject image into image information. Further, the lens 901c is for blue wavelength light and forms a subject image in an imaging region 902c. A blue wavelength separation filter (color filter) is attached to pixels (photodetector portions) in the imaging region 902c, and the imaging region 902c converts the formed blue subject image into image information. The pieces of image information outputted from the imaging regions 902a, 902b and 902c are superposed and synthesized, thereby obtaining color image information.
Although the compound-eye imaging apparatus described above can achieve a reduced thickness, it has a problem of a poorer resolution compared with a usual single-eye imaging apparatus. In the single-eye imaging apparatus, an imaging device having a large number of pixels (photodetector portions) arranged in an image forming plane converts incident light into image information. In order to take out color information at each position, the pixels respectively are provided with wavelength separation filters (color filters) in a Bayer arrangement. In other words, the wavelength separation filters transmitting green light are arranged in a checkered pattern so as to correspond to the arrangement of the large number of pixels arranged in a matrix, and the wavelength separation filters transmitting red light and those transmitting blue light are arranged alternately in the rest of the pixels. Each of the pixels only outputs the color information corresponding to the wavelength range of the light that is transmitted by the wavelength separation filter provided in that pixel and does not output color information corresponding to the wavelength range of the light that is not transmitted thereby. However, since the pieces of color information of three colors are known to be correlated in a local region of an image (see Hiroaki KOTERA and two others, "Representation of Full Color Image from a Single Color Image Using Color Correlation" Proceedings of 1988 Annual Conference of The Institute of Image Electronics Engineers of Japan 20, pp. 83-86 (1988), for example), the green color information can be estimated from the red or blue color information. Utilizing such characteristics, the missing color information is interpolated in the imaging device with the wavelength separation filters in the Bayer arrangement. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a color image having a resolution corresponding to pixels as many as the total number of pixels. For example, in an imaging device with 1,000,000 pixels, 500,000 pixels detect green color information, 250,000 pixels detect blue color information, and 250,000 pixels detect red color information. However, by the above-described interpolation, it is possible to obtain color information having a resolution corresponding to 1,000,000 pixels for each of red, green and blue.
On the other hand, in the compound-eye imaging apparatus, since each of the imaging regions corresponding to the respective colors acquires any of red, green and blue color information, a color image corresponding to pixels as many as the pixels in that imaging region is achieved. For example, in the case where red color information, green color information and blue color information are acquired by three imaging regions each with 250,000 pixels, 750,000 pixels in total are needed, but the resolution of a color image obtained by superposition corresponds to 250,000 pixels.
As a method for improving the image resolution, there is a known technology called "pixel shifting" in which plural pieces of image information whose positional relationships between a subject image and pixels are shifted from each other are acquired by shifting the relative positional relationship between an optical system and an imaging device time-wise or by separating a light beam into plural beams using a prism and making them to enter plural imaging devices and then synthesized so as to achieve a high-resolution image (see JP 10(1998)-304235 A, for example). In this case, the optimal amount of shifting is determined by the direction of shifting and the number of pieces of image information to be acquired. For example, in the case of synthesizing two pieces of image information, when the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the pixels is shifted by an odd multiple of one-half the arrangement pitch of the pixels (in the following, referred to as the "pixel pitch") between the two pieces of image information, it is possible to obtain the highest resolution image. This technology is applicable as long as it is possible to acquire plural pieces of image information whose relative positional relationships between the subject image formed by the lens and the pixels of the imaging device are shifted from each other, regardless of the method of shifting. In the present invention, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the pixels of the imaging device that makes it possible to acquire the plural pieces of image information whose relative positional relationships between the subject image and the pixels of the imaging device are shifted from each other and to synthesize these plural pieces of image information so as to obtain a high-resolution image is referred to as a "shifted pixel arrangement."
In the compound-eye imaging apparatus, a high-resolution image also can be obtained as long as the relative positional relationships between the subject image and the pixels are shifted between plural pieces of image information, in other words, the shifted pixel arrangement can be achieved.
For example, JP 2002-209226 A mentions that, in a compound-eye imaging apparatus using a plurality of lenses to form a plurality of subject images on a plurality of imaging regions, a high-resolution image is obtained by arranging the plurality of lenses and a plurality of imaging devices so that the individual subject images are formed so as to be shifted in a direction connecting optical axes of the lenses, thus achieving the shifted pixel arrangement.
Also, in the compound-eye imaging apparatus, it is possible to determine the distance to a subject using a parallax generated due to the difference between the optical axes of the plurality of lenses.


A vehicle pedal bracket includes a plate-like base plate portion fixed to a vehicle cabin side of a dash panel that separates an engine room and a vehicle cabin from each other, a support portion that is fixedly fitted to the base plate portion and by which a pedal arm is pivotably supported, and a plurality of tubular spacers fixedly fitted to the base plate portion, the vehicle pedal bracket is fixed to the dash panel with a plurality of screw members respectively inserted through the plurality of spacers, a plurality of tubular holding portions is disposed so as to project from a back side of the base plate portion, the back side is on the dash panel side, and so as to be in close contact with outer peripheral faces of the plurality of spacers, and a sound absorbing structural portion having a large number of bottomed holes.

There is a known vehicle pedal bracket including: (a) a plate-like base plate portion fixed to the vehicle cabin side of a dash panel that separates an engine room and a vehicle cabin from each other; (b) a support portion that is fixedly fitted to the base plate portion and by which a pedal arm is pivotably supported; and (c) a plurality of tubular spacers fixedly fitted to the base plate portion so as to project from the base plate portion toward the dash panel to fix the base plate portion such that the base plate portion is separated from the dash panel, wherein (d) the vehicle pedal bracket is fixed to the dash panel with a plurality of screw members respectively inserted through the plurality of spacers. An example of such a vehicle pedal bracket is a device described in Patent Document 1. In this device, a cover portion of a box-like bracket in which spacers are disposed and which is filled with an insulator (sound absorbing material) formed by heat foaming functions as a base plate portion.


A flexible brake hose assembly which is less expandable than traditional O.E.M. brake hose assemblies and thereby improves efficiency of the entire braking system. The assembly incorporates a short piece of more flexible hose (similar to the O.E.M. brake hose) to act as a whip dampener which assures the survival of the assembly during the D.O.T. whip test and under the real life conditions than the tests represent.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to vehicle braking systems, and more particularly to a vehicle brake hose system where the hose is comprised of a relatively stiff (low expansion) inner liner with a metal braid covering to provide the required strength. In hoses of this type of construction, it is necessary to provide some type of whip dampener within the assembly in order for it to pass the Department of Transportation's (DOT) whip test specified in federal motor vehicle safety standard No. 106 (FMVSS 106).
2. Description of the Related Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,247, the teachings of which are incorporated herein of interest, I disclose a hose system for brakes of vehicles adapted to replace the flexible hose of a vehicle that extends from the pre-existing brake caliper of a vehicle through a bracket and to the pre-existing rigid metal tubing of the vehicle and thence to the pre-existing brake master cylinder of the vehicle. The system includes a flexible hose of stainless steel braid protected extruded Teflon material having a whip dampening member mounted on the hose receivable in the pre-existing bracket of the vehicle.
In the system of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,247, which works quite well, there is a need for providing a portion of flexible hose between the whip dampener and the rigid tubing of the vehicle coupled to the brake master cylinder. In that system, there was a need to reroute or shorten the original preexisting piece of rigid tubing. P In my co-pending application Ser. No. 08/863,734, filed May 27, 1994, I disclose a hose system wherein a bracket assembly is provided for the whip dampener in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,247 where preexisting rigid metal tubing of a vehicle may be used while retaining the flexing required to carry out the whip dampening desired.
Although both whip dampener systems work quite well, I have discovered that a short piece of flexible hose that is more flexible than the preexisting hose of such vehicle braking systems may be used as a whip dampener. Such an arrangement is inexpensive and meets D.O.T. requirements while still providing the advantage of a hose assembly which greatly reduces the expansion of said assembly and thereby improves the efficiency of the entire brake system

Whip dampener assembly for vehicle brake hose system


The compact disc package of the present invention comprises a rectangular cardboard structure folded in a three-fold manner, once at its overall midpoint and at the midpoint of each part of the structure on either side of the overall midpoint. Each side is then folded inwards towards the overall midpoint forming a two-panel structure on both sides. The package further includes a tongue-like strip attached to a panel on one end and folded-over at its other end. The panel opposite that to which the tongue-like strip is attached is slit in a manner to enable passage of a compact disc into and out of the slit. The tongue-like strip carries the disc, on its folded-over end, into and out of the slit.

This invention relates to a compact disc package and, more particularly to a novel and effective package for storing a compact audio disc (CD) which is less costly and easier to manufacture than conventional CD packaging and which is easier for the user to open and remove the CD for playing.
This package overcomes many deficiencies inherent in existing CD packages. For example, a conventional CD package (known as a "jewel box") now on the market comprises three plastic pieces, namely a base plate, a disc support member and a cover rotatably engaged with the base plate. The manufacture of this package requires three molding dies and the package is therefore relatively costly to manufacture. Moreover, this conventional package is not opened easily by a single hand, nor is a disc easily withdrawn from the open package by a single hand. It is difficult, and even dangerous, for user driving a car, for example, to attempt to remove a disc which is stored in such a package while the car is in motion. However, more cars are being equipped with CD players, so there is a need for a more easily opened package.
Also, when a user attempts to remove a CD from a conventional jewel box package, because the CD is not easily removed, there is a risk that the user will leave scratches, finger marks or smudges on the surface of the CD which may detiorate the quality of music played because of problems the CD player's laser beam has reading the digitally-stored signals recorded on the disc when smudges are on that disc.

Compact disc package with pull-out pocket


The mean number of elevator door reversals, xcexc, in groups of related door reversals, and the standard deviation, "sgr", from the mean, are used to determine the likelihood that door reversals are caused by passenger interference; the likelihood is low if a recent number of reversals exceeds xcexc+3"sgr", , is medium if two out of three recent reversals exceed xcexc+2"sgr", and otherwise is high. The floors at which related notable elevator features occur are compared to determine a floor factor, F, depending on whether the notable feature occurs only at one floor or at more than one floor. Estimated probabilities, Pxe2x80x2(S/C), that any component, C, will result in a symptom, S, (where S=first and second notable features in a related group and the accompanying floor factor, F) are provided by experts; the probability of Pxe2x80x2(C) of any failure being of any given component is determined from failure history; and an estimated probability, Pxe2x80x2(C/S), that symptom S is caused by component C is given by:                     P        xe2x80x2                          xe2x80x83                          (                  S          /          C                )                          xe2x80x83                  P                    xe2x80x83                          (        C        )                            ∑        c                  xe2x80x83                                  xe2x80x83                                    P          xe2x80x2                                  xe2x80x83                                  (                      S            /            C                    )                                  xe2x80x83                        P                          xe2x80x83                                  (          C          )                      .

This invention relates to monitoring elevator operation, and providing information useful in servicing, in response to operational parameters of the elevator.
The monitoring of elevator operation for maintenance and repair purposes has long been known. Typically, counters may record the number of runs, the number of times a door opens or closes, loss of safeties, and the like. In some cases, the data is reduced by statistical means, such as providing the mean time to open a door or other event, coupled with a normal variance thereof. Frequently, this approach will mask data that is significant in maintaining and servicing elevators; the data is difficult to understand and apply to elevator servicing; and it has been found to be of little value in resolving elevator problems during repair. The use of present-day elevator monitoring systems has been shown to result in many unnecessary service calls, and when the service personnel arrives at the elevator, the information does not significantly help in pointing to the problem. All of these problems are further compounded when the elevator is operating normally at the time that the service personnel arrives.
Objects of the invention include provision of improved analysis of elevator operating data to trigger service calls; providing elevator operation messages that more closely relate to real elevator problems; minimizing data storage requirements in elevator monitoring; providing elevator maintenance information which is simple to understand and can be managed easily by service personnel; providing elevator information which can be managed easily by service personnel without the help of an analysis tool, such as a microcomputer; providing improvements in information which may be used for routine maintenance as well as for servicing failures.
According to the present invention, operational parameters of an elevator, including conditions and events, are monitored and used to develop the likelihood that an event is caused by passenger interference, rather than by component failure. According further to the invention, similar notable events are analyzed to determine if they occurred on the same floor or on different floors, and to provide a related floor factor. In accordance with the invention, the occurrence of a notable event is processed with prior notable events to generate symptoms including the first and second features of a group of related features and the related floor factor. In accordance further with the invention, the probability that failure of a particular component is the cause of an indicated symptom is estimated from expert opinion and probability of such component failing. Further, the invention combines the three aforementioned functions, which may be incorporated within a system utilizing the invention set forth in the aforementioned copending patent application.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Service information derived from elevator operational parameters


The present invention provides a novel radioactive neuropeptide represented by the formula Lys-His-Glu-Tyr.sup.--I -Leu-Arg-Phe-amide. The invention also provides a method for detecting anthelmintic activity of a compound using the novel neuropeptide of the present invention in a receptor binding assay. The novel radioactive neuropeptide has potent bioactivity in Ascaris suum neuromuscular strips, and therefore is particularly useful for high volume screening for potential anthelmintic compounds.

During the millions of years that animals and plants have competed among themselves for food and space, parasites have invaded practically every kind of living organism. The fact that many parasites cause diseases is of particular concern to the health of humans and animals throughout the world.
Discovery of drugs effective against helminth parasites has been an endeavor of rare successes. Finding molecules that safely cure infections by a diverse array of parasitic helminths presents a strong challenge, one that has so far been met only through the laborious process of screening synthetic compounds or fermentation extracts for toxicity to whole organisms. A useful broad spectrum anthelmintic class has been discovered about once per decade, but it has now been almost 20 years since the prototype of the newest class, the avermectins, was found. The dearth of useful new anthelmintic templates can be blamed on many factors, but an undeniable cause is the inefficiency of current methods for discovering parasiticides, which have not kept pace with improvements made in other therapeutic arenas. See Geary, T. G. et al., International Journal for Parasitology, Vol. 25, No. 11, pp.1273-1280 (1995).
FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs) are ubiquitous neuropeptides of invertebrates and have profound physiological effects on their neuromuscular systems. These neuropeptides are not found in vertebrates, making them attractive targets for anthelmintic discovery. A number of FMRFamide-related peptides have now been isolated from representative nematodes and other helminths, arthropods, molluscs and annelids, which offers the possibility of specific targeting of these parasites and other invertebrate parasites and insects. See Price, D. A. and Greenberg, M. J., Biological Bulletin, Vol. 177, pp. 190-205 (1989); Stretton, A. O. W. et al., Parasitology, Vol. 102, pp. S107-S116 (1991); Maule, A. G. et al., Parasitology, Vol. 109, pp. 351-356 (1994); Geary, T. G. et al., International Journal for Parasitology, Vol. 25, No. 11, pp.1273-1280 (1995); Halton, D. W., et al., Advances in Parasitology, Vol. 34, pp. 163-227 (1994); Walker, R. J., Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Vol. 102C, pp. 213-222 (1992); Maule, A. G. et al., Parasitology, Vol. 113, Supplement pp S119-S135 (1996); Maule, A. G. et al., Parasitology Today, Vol. 12, No. 9, pp 351-357 (1996).
The present invention provides a new method of screening molecules in order to identify compounds useful as anthelmintic drugs. The present invention provides a novel radioactive FMRFamide-related peptide as a screening tool in receptor binding assays for detecting candidate anthelmintic molecules, in which molecules are not assessed for the ability to cause effects on the whole organism, but the ability to interact with a specific molecular target. The novel radioactive FMRFamide-related peptide of the present invention has potent bioactivity in Ascaris suum neuromuscular strips. Therefore, used as a screening tool in a mechanism-based receptor binding assay, it can provide information on thousands of test compounds in a short period of time while utilizing limited amounts of radioligand, drug, and animal tissue.

Method for discovering novel anthelmintic compounds


An apparatus includes a housing, a medicament container, and a movable assembly. The movable assembly includes a first movable member and a second movable member. The second movable member is configured to move relative to the first movable member to move the movable assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration. A distal end portion of the second movable member is configured to move a plunger disposed within the medicament container in a distal direction when the movable assembly is moved to the second configuration. The movable assembly is configured to move between a first position and a second position to move the medicament container within the housing between a first container position and a second container position.

The embodiments described herein relate generally to an injector, and more particularly to a medicament delivery device for mixing a medicament and delivering the medicament into a body of a patient.
Exposure to certain substances, such as, for example, peanuts, shellfish, bee venom, certain drugs, toxins, and the like, can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Such allergic reactions can, at times, lead to anaphylactic shock, which can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure, hives, and/or severe airway constriction. Accordingly, responding rapidly to mitigate the effects from such exposures can prevent injury and/or death. For example, in certain situations, an injection of epinephrine (i.e., adrenaline) can provide substantial and/or complete relief from the allergic reaction. In other situations, for example, an injection of an antidote to a toxin can greatly reduce and/or eliminate the harm potentially caused by the exposure. Similarly, an injection of glucagon can reduce and/or eliminate the harm potentially caused by reduced blood glucose levels in individuals who suffer from diabetes.
Because emergency medical facilities are not always available when an individual is suffering from a medical condition, some individuals carry an auto-injector to rapidly self-administer a medicament in response to such medical conditions. Some known auto-injectors include a vial containing a liquid medicament and a spring loaded needle to automatically penetrate the user's skin and inject the medicament. The storage of certain medicaments in a liquid form, however, can result in a shorter shelf life and/or an unstable medicament. Accordingly, some known auto-injectors include a vial containing a first medicament that is separated from a second medicament. Such auto-injectors are often referred to as "wet/dry" auto-injectors, because one medicament is often a liquid (e.g., water or another diluent) and the other medicament can be substantially solid or dry (e.g., glucagon powder). In use, the first medicament and the second medicament must be mixed prior to injection.
Some known wet/dry injectors, however, require that the user manually actuate a mixing mechanism prior to injection (e.g., by twisting a portion of the device to complete the mixing step). Such configurations can, however, result in incomplete mixing and/or an injection occurring without mixing. In addition, the operation of some known wet/dry delivery systems includes manually inserting the needle into the skin prior to activation and subsequent medicament delivery. The operation of such configurations may also include separately attaching a needle to prepare the device for injection, resulting in a delay in delivery of the medicament. Moreover, such configurations can be complicated, making them difficult for a user to operate during an emergency situation or by an individual without medical training.
Some known wet/dry injectors employ a single mechanism to automatically mix and inject the medicaments contained therein. Because the mixing operation is not independent from the injection operation in such configurations, however, the medicament can be injected prior to the completion of the mixing operation and/or prior to the injector being properly positioned for the injection operation.
Thus, a need exists for an improved auto-injector that can separately store two or more medicaments and that can mix and inject the medicaments in distinct operations. A need also exists for improved methods of filling medicament containers used in such devices.

Devices and methods for delivering medicaments from a multi-chamber container


A lock secures a first member to a second member, such as a fence rail to a post. The lock may include a lock body, a first locking element and a second locking element. The first locking element and second locking element may secure the lock to the first member and second member, respectively. Preferably, the lock is hidden from view in use.

A lock used for securing various members to one another serves several purposes. The lock will allow the connection of the members to be hidden behind the exteriors of the connected members, giving the connection a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. The hidden lock will also allow a quicker, less cumbersome connection, while at the same time form a stable connection. One illustrative application of this hidden lock is to secure a fence rail and fence post to one another.
Several methods for connecting fence rails to fence posts for purposes of constructing a fence currently exist. One method is welding a fence rail and a fence post together. Another is by connecting a bracket to the fence rail and fence post.
One embodiment of the present invention is a hidden lock formed of plastic. The hidden lock allows a fence rail to be connected to a fence post. The design of the hidden lock allows it to fit into a fence rail designed to receive the hidden lock. In this embodiment, the hidden lock has a rectangular cross-section allowing it to fit into a similarly-shaped fence rail. However, alternative embodiments of the hidden lock may exist to accommodate other fence rail shapes, such as cylindrical, for example. This embodiment of a hidden lock has a feature to connect the hidden lock to the fence rail. This embodiment also has a feature which connects a generally horizontal fence rail to a generally vertical fence post. The fence post has an opening through which a portion of the fence rail may be inserted along with the hidden lock. This embodiment allows the hidden lock to then connect the fence rail and fence post together.
Another embodiment of a hidden lock comprises a first and second groove, allowing the hidden lock to fit inside a fence rail having ridges to fit in the grooves of the hidden lock. This embodiment further comprises a ridge on the end of the hidden lock extending at least to the periphery of the first fence rail, allowing the hidden lock to be received by the fence rail until the ridge is immediately adjacent the end of the fence rail. The hidden lock also has a tab capable of being displaced when the hidden lock is inserted into a fence rail. The tab moves back into its original position when the hidden lock moves into a position within the fence rail allowing the tab to move through an opening located through the fence rail.
The hidden lock of this embodiment also has a wedge, which can be displaced and which is exposed with the hidden lock inside of the fence rail. A generally horizontal fence rail portion is then inserted into a generally vertical fence post having an opening to receive the fence rail portion and the hidden lock, with the size of the opening such that the wedge is displaced. When the fence rail portion and hidden lock are inside the fence post allowing the wedge to move back into its original position, the wedge end is then in a position such that the fence rail portion and the hidden lock cannot be displaced in the opposite direction of insertion without the wedge being displaced such that the wedge end no longer obstructs the fence rail portion and hidden lock from being removed from the fence post.
Additional embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention.


An apparatus and method are provided for dropping a frac ball, in which a rotating member defines a recess for receiving a single frac ball, and rotates in relation to a stationary member, which may be attached to a wellhead tubular. When the rotating member is rotated into a loading orientation, the recess receives a single frac ball. The frac ball may be gravity fed towards the recess. When the rotating member is rotated into a releasing orientation, the recess is oriented to allow the single one of the frac balls to drop out of the recess. A hydraulic gear and rack assembly actuates rotation of the rotating member. An inlet tube holds multiple frac balls and guides them sequentially, one at a time, into the recess. An outlet tube guides frac balls from the recess towards a desired location, such as an entry guide surrounding the wellhead tubular.

Hydraulic fracturing operations for stimulating oil and gas producing geological formations may involve conveying small spherical bodies, referred to as "frac balls", in treatment fluid into a downhole tubular string. The frac balls may engage seats defined by frac plugs in the tubular string to isolate target zones of the formation.
Apparatuses known variously as frac ball droppers, launchers, or injectors are used to release frac balls into wellhead tubulars, so that they can flow into the downhole tubular string. It is important that frac balls be released into the wellhead tubular only when intended. Accordingly, there is a need for apparatuses that reduce the risk of unintentional release of frac balls, and allow for confirmation of the release of frac balls.


A network appliance, and a system and user interface therefor, are described. The network appliance includes a file capture module is to obtain files transmitted via a network and to load data from the files into a database. A user interface for communicating with the server includes a first set of fields and a second set of fields. The first set of fields are for selecting data from the database and the second set of fields are for selecting indices for charting the data selected with the first set of fields. A data processing module is configured to retrieve data from the database responsive to the data selected with the first set of fields, to chart the data retrieved responsive to the indices selected with the second set of fields, and to output a graph of the data charted to a server having access to the database.

Computers coupled in a network system have become an indispensable tool for enterprise-wide communication. Such network systems are often used to collect data from multiple locations for managing manufacturing of products. However, the amount and variety of this data has heretofore conventionally involved having multiple systems for collecting and processing the data. Accordingly, it would be desirable and useful to provide a network appliance that would provide a central point for data collection and user access to avoid having multiple, separately maintained data collection and processing systems.

Network appliance for data collection and processing from multiple locations and data schema therefor