Method of a spin forming conical fittings for HVAC systems from 10 to 26-gauge steel material. A flat pattern is cut, stamped or otherwise formed from flat sheet stock or roll stock. The pattern is rolled or otherwise formed into a frustoconical shape. The workpiece is engaged with a die, and the end portions of the workpiece are formed as the workpiece is spun to press the workpiece against the die. In this manner, a small diameter collar portion is formed at the smaller end of the conical connector and/or a larger diameter collar portion is formed at the larger diameter end of the conical connector. Also, a flange connector can be formed at the larger and/or smaller end portions of the conical connector using spin forming or a combination of spin forming and roll forming techniques.

Conical reducers are commonly used in HVAC ducting to serve as a transition between a larger diameter duct and a smaller diameter duct. The conical reducer can be joined between an end of a larger size diameter or duct and the adjacent end of a smaller diameter duct. Also, conical fittings can be used to intersect a larger diameter duct in a direction transversely to the length of the larger diameter duct. For this purpose, conical taps and saddle taps are typically used. Further, wye fittings can be used to connect two smaller diameter lines to the end of a larger diameter line, with the two smaller diameter lines being angularly disposed relative to each other.
Such conical fittings typically have been formed from a flat pattern that is then rolled to form a conical shape and welded along a seam. Collar sections are then welded, riveted or otherwise attached to the smaller end portion of the conical fitting, and also sometimes to the larger end portion of the conical fitting. This is a slow, labor intensive process causing the conical fittings to be relatively expensive to manufacture.
Moreover, current manufacturing techniques limit the gauge of material used to form the conical reducers to about 22 gauge. It would be advantageous if thinner gauge material, perhaps down to 26 gauge, could be used for conical fittings thereby reducing the weight and cost of such fittings. The present invention addresses the foregoing shortcomings of existing methods of manufacturing conical fittings by incorporating spin forming techniques.


This invention is an improvement in standard polymerizations procedures, i.e., addition-type and step-growth type polymerizations, wherein momomers are reacted to form a growing polymer chain. The improvement includes employing an effective amount of a trifunctional monomer (such as a trifunctional amine, anhydride, or phenol) in the polymerization procedure to form a mixture of polymeric materials consisting of branced polymers, star-shaped polymers, and linear polymers. This mixture of polymeric materials has a lower melt temperature and a lower melt viscosity than corresponding linear polymeric materials of equivalent molecular weight.

The present invention relates generally to high performance polymeric materials. The present invention relates particularly to a series of poly(arylene ether)s (PAEs) that are useful as adhesives, composite matrices, moldings, films and coatings. The present invention also relates particularly to a series of polyimides (PIs) that are useful as adhesives, composite matrices, moldings, films and coatings.

Method of preparing polymers with low melt viscosity

The United States of America represented by the Adminstrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A medical device includes a network interface, a processor unit, a memory unit, an actuator physiologically acting on a patient and/or a sensor interface detecting a sensor signal indicative of a patient physiological parameter. The network interface receives a sender network identity data message, a sender authorization level and a sender change request to change an actuator operating parameter and/or a predefined alarm detection value. The memory unit provides a predefined minimum authorization level. The processor unit determines an actual authorization of the sender to change the operating parameter and/or to predefine a value on the basis of the sender authorization level and of the predefined minimum authorization level as well as to change the operating parameter as a function of the result of the determination and/or to perform a detection of an alarm generation state as a function of the indicated predefined value and of the sensor signal.

Medical devices that have an actuator for acting physiologically on a patient connected to the medical device are known from the state of the art. For example, a ventilator (also known as a respirator), which may have a breathing gas delivery unit as an actuator, is an example of such a medical device with an actuator.
So-called patient monitors, which detect by means of a sensor interface a sensor signal, which indicates a physiological parameter, for example, a blood pressure or a heart rate of a patient, are likewise known as medical devices.
A function control of such a medical device with an actuator and/or with a sensor interface is usually carried out via an operating parameter (e.g., predefined pressure, predefined volume flow) or via a predefined value (e.g., a threshold value) relative to an alarm generation function.
For example, a minimum end-expiratory pressure to be reached may be set as an operating parameter in a ventilator as a medical device. Such an operating parameter consequently directly influences the action on the patient and hence the functionality of the medical device.
In a patient monitor, an alarm generation function is controlled, for example, by a physiological parameter derived from the sensor signal being monitored as a function of a predefined value, wherein an alarm generation function is triggered, for example, when the predefined value or threshold value is exceeded by the physiological parameter.
It is consequently common to the above-mentioned medical devices that the patient's safety or the patient's situation is considerably influenced by an operating parameter and/or by a predefined value relative to an alarm generation function.
Current medical devices frequently have a so-called closed architecture, which is closed in itself, and each medical device acts on its own and an operating parameter and/or a predefined value for an alarm generation function is effected by an input by a user directly on the medical device itself.
However, it happens precisely in acute care that a large number of respective individual medical devices are to perform the supply and/or the monitoring of the patient.
The change in an operating parameter of an actuator of a medical device or else of a predefined value relative to an alarm generation function of the medical device consequently represents a setting of a potentially life-threatening parameter of the medical device in respect to the life of the patient.
Potentially life-threatening settings may be, e.g., —a setting of dispensing rates of drugs at a syringe pump, —or the setting of an alarm threshold for an oxygen saturation in the blood on a patient monitor.
In so-called individual medical devices around the patient, many individual operating steps must be performed on the individual medical device for changing the operation mode (for example, a daytime-nighttime switchover) or as a response to an event (for example, silencing of an output alarm signal). Consequently, an operating parameter or a predefined value relative to an alarm generation function must thus be changed directly on the device itself. This is especially disadvantageous, for example, when a patient must be isolated in a room for avoiding infection and the health care staff must enter such an isolation room protected by special clothing for each operating step and then remove the protective clothing. Further, such clothing must be cleaned or disposed of in an orderly manner.

Medical device and method for operating a medical device


By dissipating a reverse voltage energy occurring on the pulse generation capacitor (4) of a pulse laser apparatus through the diode (11) connected in parallel with this pulse generation capacitor (4), arc or streamer becomes not occurring, and hence the lifetime of the main discharge electrodes become long and a high-repetition rate oscillation becomes possible.

FIG. 1 is an excitation circuit of a conventional excimer laser shown in, for example, page 5 of Denki Gakkai (Institute of Electrical Engineers) Technical Report (Part II) ("State of the art of short wavelength laser"). In this figure, numerals (1) and (2) are a pair of main discharge electrodes which are facing to each other; numeral (3) is a peaking capacitor attached in parallel with the main discharge electrodes (1) and (2); numeral (4) is a pulse generation capacitor, and one electrode thereof is connected to the main discharge electrode (1). Numeral (5) is a switch connected across the other end of the pulse generation capacitor (4) and the main discharge electrode (2); and in this prior art, it is comprised of a thyratron. Numeral (6) is a charging reactor, and numeral (7) is a charging terminal.
Next, the operation is elucidated. A positive high voltage is applied to the charging terminal (7), and the pulse generation capacitor (4) is charged up through the charging reactor (6). Graphs which illustrate temporal variations of voltages appearing on both ends of the pulse generation capacitor (4) and of the peaking capacitor (3), after closing the switch (5) at t=t.sub.0, are shown in FIG. 2. Electric charge stored in the pulse generation capacitor (4) during a period of t.sub.0 .ltoreq.t.ltoreq.t.sub.1 is transferred to the peaking capacitor (3), and at t=t.sub.1 a discharge starts between the main electrodes (1) and (2). In excimer lasers, although a preionization discharge prior to the main discharge is required, electrodes and its associating circuit for this are omitted in the elucidation in FIG. 1 and other figures for the present patent. During a period of t.sub.1 .ltoreq.t.ltoreq.t.sub.2, energy is injected into a main discharge taking place across the main discharge electrodes (1) and (2) from the peaking capacitor (3), thereby the laser oscillates. In a laser such as an excimer laser in which its discharging resistance is small (for example, 0.2 .OMEGA.), voltage appearing across both ends of the peaking capacitor (3) becomes an oscillatory waveform, and hence a reverse polarity voltage appears (FIG. 2, t=t.sub.2). At a time point when the oscillation almost terminates, a voltage (denoted by Vr in FIG. 2(a)) which is reverse in polarity with respect to that at a time of charging up appears across both ends of the pulse generation capacitor (4).
Another example of the conventional pulse laser excitation circuit is shown in FIG. 3. In this example, electric charge of a pulse generation capacitor (4) is transferred to a peaking capacitor (3) through a saturable reactor (8). This is a circuit referred to as an MPC circuit, in which, in order to reduce the loss in a thyratron switch (5), another pulse generation capacitor (9) and a current suppression reactor (10) are provided. The working waveform of this circuit is shown in FIG. 4, wherein similarly as in the conventional example previously described, after the discharge started across main electrodes (1) and (2) at t=t.sub.1, the current oscillates, and finally a voltage Vr which is reverse in the polarity with respect to that at the beginning appears across both ends of the pulse generation capacitor (4).
Since the conventional pulse laser excitation circuit is constituted as has been described above, a reverse polarity voltage appears across the both ends of the pulse generation capacitor; and this energy (=1/2cVr.sup.2) is dissipated as an arc or a streamer at the main discharge electrodes considerably later (for example, an order of 1 .mu.s later) after the main discharge appeared. This is a so-called after-current, which brings about a problem that it does not contribute to the laser generation, but damages the main discharge electrodes and shortens the lifetime of the electrodes. And, there is such a problem that, owing to a flow of after-currents, a high-repetition rate oscillation becomes impossible.


Disclosed is a method of stabilizing copper(II) hydroxide, the method comprising the sequential steps of: (a) combining copper(II) hydroxide, a water-soluble phosphate and water to form a mixture; and (b) drying the mixture. Also disclosed is stabilized copper(II) hydroxide prepared according to said method and a composition comprising stabilized copper(II) hydroxide prepared according to said method and at least one of a surfactant, a solid diluent or a liquid diluent.

Copper(II) hydroxide, also known as cupric hydroxide and having the chemical formula Cu(OH)2, has a wide variety of commercially important uses, including as a mordant and pigment in dyeing textile and paper fibers, in the preparation of catalysts and other copper compounds, in marine paints, and in fungicides and bactericides.
Even under ambient conditions copper(II) hydroxide is thermodynamically unstable relative to decomposition to copper(II) oxide. This inherent instability complicates the manufacture, distribution and storage of copper(II) hydroxide and compositions containing it. The change of chemical composition of copper(II) hydroxide to copper(II) oxide can be gradual or rapid and is typically accompanied by change of the blue color characteristic of copper(II) hydroxide to a more greenish hue and ultimately the black color of copper(II) oxide.
Although copper(II) hydroxide is thermodynamically unstable, whether or not significant decomposition occurs as well as the rate of decomposition (i.e. the kinetics of decomposition) is affected by a variety of conditions. Increasing temperature is well known to promote the decomposition of copper(II) hydroxide to copper(II) oxide. H. B. Weiser et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1942, 64, 503-508 report that under otherwise constant conditions, the rate of transformation of copper(II) hydroxide to copper(II) oxide is higher the smaller the crystals of the copper(II) hydroxide. H. B. Weiser et al. also report that copper(II) hydroxide gels prepared by addition of a slight excess of alkali to a cupric salt solution decompose even at room temperature and even a trace of alkali accelerates the decomposition.
The patent literature discloses a variety of processes for the commercial manufacture of copper(II) hydroxide. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,924,505, 3,428,731, 3,628,920 and Re 24,324 disclose processes involving phosphate. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,490,337 and 4,808,406 disclose processes involving carbonate; the latter process provides a product comprising considerable copper carbonate in addition to copper hydroxide. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,800,828, 1,867,357, 2,525,242, 2,536,096 and 3,635,668 discloses processes involving ammonia. The processes of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,525,242 and 2,536,096 involve oxidation of copper metal in the presence of ammonia, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,935 discloses a similar process substituting ammonium ion for all or part of the ammonia. The other processes start with a soluble copper salt, typically copper(II) sulfate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,169, European Patent EP 80226 B1 and PCT Patent Publication WO 02/083566 A2 describe processes starting with copper(II) oxychloride. J. Komorowska-Kulik, Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Sltaskiej, Series: Chemistry 2001, 142, 59-66 discloses a process wherein an aqueous suspension of copper(II) oxychloride is contacted with aqueous sodium hydroxide in the presence of glycerol as stabilizer. None of these processes pertain to stabilizing copper(II) hydroxide prepared by another process.
The processes commercially used to prepare copper(II) hydroxide provide products in forms different from the gels described by Weiser et al. and have greater kinetic stability. However, reaction temperatures for these processes are limited to not much above room temperature, and the storage life of the copper(II) hydroxide products of these processes may be limited, particularly at temperatures significantly above room temperature. U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,731 states that crystalline copper hydroxide prepared by the phosphate-based process of U.S. Pat. No. Re 24,324 is stable for indefinite periods at temperatures not exceeding 120° F. (48.9° C.). U.S. Pat. No. 2,536,096 indicates for an ammonia-based oxidation process that at temperatures above about 87° F. (31° C.) cupric oxide is also formed, and this becomes the product at temperatures above 140° F. (60° C.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,337 states that the reaction slurry in the carbonate-based process may decompose at temperatures above 32° C., but discloses examples drying the product at higher temperatures; a product dried at 60° C. was found to be highly amorphous by x-ray analysis.
For the phosphate-based process disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 24,324 and 3,428,731 a reaction sequence is suggested where sodium phosphate is used to form copper(II) sodium phosphate as an intermediate, which is then treated with sodium hydroxide to form copper(II) hydroxide and regenerate sodium phosphate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,731 states that from the reaction mixture a dry, solid product is obtained by separating the solids from the mother liquor, washing, drying and grinding. U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,731 also states that a minor amount of phosphate can be included in the product as calcium phosphate by substituting calcium hydroxide for at least part of the sodium hydroxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,924,505 describes a process for preparing copper hydroxide containing a bound phosphorus content (expressed as PO4) of substantially not less than 3.5%. Any substantial deviation below the minimum average content of bound phosphorus is said to lead to the formation of cupric oxide. A non-crystalline product is claimed. The product is prepared by adding streams of aqueous copper sulfate and sodium hydroxide solutions to a slurry formed from sodium phosphate and copper sulfate. The precipitated product is washed to remove water-soluble impurities, including unbound phosphate, and then dried at a temperature around 140° F. (60° C.).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,628,920 describes a process for preparing a copper hydroxide-phosphorus complex having a bound phosphorus content of at least about 2% by weight calculated as P2O5. The complex is prepared by mixing copper sulfate and phosphoric acid with sodium hydroxide such that the pH is maintained between about 10 to 11.5. As the complex formed is stated to decompose to copper oxide when held at temperatures of 112° F. (44° C.) for even 0.5 to 10 minutes, a reaction temperature range of 85-110° F. (29-43° C.) is specified, and temperatures below 85° F. (29° C.) are recommended for longer reaction times. The product is washed thoroughly and then dried at temperatures up to about 180° F. (82° C.). The product in form of a wet cake is stated to be stable at temperatures up to 150° F. (66° C.) over relatively long periods of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,169 describes a process for preparing copper(II) hydroxide involving contacting copper oxychloride with an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydroxide in the presence of phosphate ions as stabilizer. The temperature is stated to desirably not exceed 35° C., preferably 20 to 25° C., to avoid transformation of some of the copper hydroxide to the oxide. The precipitated copper hydroxide is recovered, washed, and again suspended in an aqueous phase and treated with an acid phosphate to bring the pH to a value of 7.5 to 9. The copper hydroxide is then separated from the aqueous mixture, washed, and suspended in water or dried. European Patent 80226 B1 describes the aqueous mixture being used as a fungicide. Neither reference provides stability data.
PCT Patent Publication WO 02/083566 A2 describes a process for preparing copper hydroxide containing copper phosphate. In this process an aqueous solution of cupric oxychloride is combined with aqueous sodium hydroxide in a continuous reactor comprising a high-shear agitation system. The reaction mass is held at 20-24° C. to complete the reaction, and then treated with an aqueous solution of orthophosphoric acid. In a strongly agitated reactor, the reaction mixture is then brought to pH 8-8.2 by adding an aqueous solution of cupric chloride, resulting in precipitation of copper phosphate. The reaction mass is collected using vacuum filtration, washed with softened water, and dried using a spray drier. No information regarding stability is disclosed.
German Patent Publication DE 19543803A1 describes a process for preparing copper(II) hydroxide phosphate from copper(II) hydroxide and a stoichiometric amount of phosphoric acid for use as an artist's pigment. The product is collected by filtration; the filter cake is washed and then dried.
Minimizing decomposition of copper(II) hydroxide during its storage and use is important for many of its applications including as a fungicide and bactericide. To evaluate the stability of plant protection products, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has described an accelerated storage procedure, Method MT 46, involving heating at 54±2° C. for 14 days (see Manual on Development and Use of FAO Specifications for Plant Protection Products, Fifth Edition, January 1999, sections 3.6.2 and 5.1.5). The elevated temperature in the procedure serves to assess stability if the products are stored or used at elevated temperatures, and also to simulate the aging process at ambient conditions but in a shorter period of time. The decomposition of copper(II) hydroxide to copper(II) oxide can be evaluated by a number of methods, including x-ray diffraction and colorimetric measurement.
Although effective methods are available to prepare copper(II) hydroxide products and to assess their kinetic stability, copper(II) hydroxide products having better storage stability and greater resistance to heat are still needed. Particularly desirable are methods for stabilizing (i.e. increasing the kinetic stability) of copper(II) hydroxide products prepared by known processes.


A nondestructive read, three device BICMOS gain cell for a DRAM memory having two FETs and one bipolar device. The gain cell has an improved access time (less latency), can operate for longer periods of time before a refresh operation is required, requires a smaller storage capacitance than a traditional DRAM cell, and can be produced commercially at lower costs than are presently available. In a preferred embodiment, the gain cell comprises an n channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect write transistor having its gate connected to a write word line WLw. Its drain is connected to a storage node Vs having a storage capacitance Cs associated therewith, and its source is connected to a write bit line BLw. An n channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect read transistor has its gate connected to the storage node Vs and its source connected to a read word line WLr. A PNP transistor has its base connected to the drain of the read transistor and its emitter connected to a read bit line BLr. A second embodiment is constructed with p channel FETs and an NPN transistor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a three device BICMOS gain cell for a DRAM memory, and more particularly pertains to a nondestructive read (NDRO) three device gain cell having two FETs and one bipolar device
2. Discussion of the Art
As is well known in the art, DRAMs (dynamic random access memories) are memory devices in which data are stored capacitively, and which must be recharged (refreshed) periodically (every 64 msec or so), or the data will be lost. SRAMs (static random access memories) are memory devices in which static memory cells are generally cross-coupled bistable circuits wherein information is stored by one of the two stable states, such as in a conventional bistable flip-flop, and does not need to be refreshed. Present state of the art DRAMs are relatively dense (16 Mb (megabit) DRAMs in production) as compared with 1 Mb SRAMs, but they have much slower access times than SRAM memories. DRAMS also have much longer cycle times since data is destroyed during a read operation and cell data must be regenerated.
There is a need for DRAMs having improved access times (less latency) as well as improved cycle times. There is also a need for DRAM memories in which the gain cells therein can operate for longer periods of time before a refresh operation is required and which read data in a nondestructive manner, and which require smaller storage capacitance than traditional DRAM cells. There is also a need for larger, higher performance DRAM memories which can be produced commercially at lower costs than are presently available.

International Business Machines Corporation


An object of the present invention is to avoid congestion, by restricting only processing which causes the congestion without affecting processing which essentially should not be restricted. In a mobile communication system according to the present invention, an exchange MSC/SGSN includes: a congestion factor detector configured to detect a congestion occurrence factor in the switching exchange MSC/SGSN, and a restriction indication transmitter configured to transmit, a restriction indication, to a radio network controller, based on the detected congestion occurrence factor, the restriction indication instructing a processing type that should be restricted in the switching exchange MSC/SGSN congestion occurrence factor. The radio network controller RNC is provided with a broadcast information transmitter configured to transmit broadcast information including the received restriction indication to a mobile station UE.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, a mobile communication method, a mobile station, and an exchange.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional mobile communication systems, for example, all mobile stations of passengers on a train start transmission of a location registration request at the same time when the train crosses over from one location registration area to another location registration area, which causes a problem that overloads for processing are imposed on radio capacity and an exchange.
In addition, there is also another problem that when a large amount of calling processing is performed at the same time for a specific event (for example, application for a TV program or the like), the transmission of calling requests for performing the calling processing causes overloads for processing on a radio capacity and an exchange.
To solve these problems, current 3GPP specifications define "Domain Specific Access Control (hereinafter referred to as DSAC)". In accordance with the DSAC, a mobile communication system is configured to separately restrict processing in a circuit switch and processing in a packet switch if congestion is caused in a network.
Note that a mobile communication system to which the DSAC is not applied is configured to restrict (prohibit) all the processing in a circuit switch and a packet switch when congestion is caused in a circuit switched network or a packet switched network. Accordingly, a mobile station cannot perform calling/call-receiving processing and location registration processing through either the circuit switch or the packet switch.
In addition, a mobile communication system to which the DSAC is applied has a configuration in which, when congestion is caused in a circuit switched network or a packet switched network, all the processing is prohibited in a domain having the congestion caused, that is, in an exchange (a circuit switch or a packet switch) in the network having the congestion caused. Thus, the mobile station cannot perform calling/call-receiving processing and location registration processing through the exchange (the circuit switching exchange or the packet switching exchange) in the network having the congestion caused.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the description will be given of an operation to restrict processing performed in each exchange in a mobile communication system to which a conventional DSAC is applied.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, at step S1000, a circuit switching exchange MSC or a packet switching exchange SGSN detects congestion caused in a circuit switched network or a packet switched network.
At step S1001, the exchange detecting the congestion (the circuit switching exchange MSC or the packet switching exchange SGSN) transmits, to the radio network controller RNC, "a CS restriction indication" or "a PS restriction indication" for instructing to restrict all the processing in the circuit switching exchange MSC or the packet switching exchange SGSN.
At step S1002, the radio network controller RNC creates broadcast information including the received CS restriction indication or the PS restriction indication. At step S1003, the radio network controller RNC transmits the created broadcast information through a radio base station BTS to a location registration area belonging to the radio network controller RNC.
As a result, the mobile station cannot perform the calling/call-receiving processing and the location registration processing through the exchange (the circuit switching exchange or the packet switching exchange) in the network in which congestion is caused.
[Non-patent Document 1] 3GPP TS.24.008 V220.127.116.11 (6.c.0), issued in March 2006
[Non-patent Document 2] 3GPP TS.25.331 V6.5.0, issued in March 2005
In general, a main factor of congestion in a network is specific processing like location registration processing, calling processing, and the like. Thus, in many cases, it is sufficient to restrict only some of such processing in an exchange, that is, it is not necessary to restrict all the processing in the exchange.
However, a mobile communication system to which the conventional aforementioned DSAC is applied is configured to restrict all the processing in a circuit switch or a packet switch for all mobile stations that belong to a specific location registration area. For this reason, there is a problem that such unnecessarily-prohibitive restrict affects call-receiving processing of a mobile station in the area, which processing essentially should not be restricted, or location registration processing by a mobile station which moves to the specific location registration area.

Mobile communication system, mobile communication method, mobile station, and exchange


In the optical module, the number of optical components is decreased, so that the costs of the device are reduced, and so that optical loss is reduced. The present device comprises: an optical gate array in which a plurality of optical gate switches each employing a semiconductor optical amplifier element are arranged in parallel; a dividing/combining unit including: a plurality of first ports connected one to each of the plurality of optical gate switches forming the optical gate array; and a second port which performs dividing/combining of light with the first port; and an optical amplifier connected to the second port of the dividing/combining unit, wherein the optical gate array, the dividing/combing unit, and the optical amplifier are formed in an integrated manner.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical module and an optical switch device suitable for use in an optical communication system.
2) Description of the Related Art
Since SOAs (Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers) are capable of operating at high speeds as optical switches, their application as optical switching elements for switching optical paths at high speeds has been regarded as promising. It is possible for a single SOA to operate as an optical gate switch, that is, a 1×1 optical switch. Further, multiple (n-number of) SOAs arranged in parallel function as an n×1 (or 1×n) optical switch 100 as shown in FIG. 19.
Here, the optical switch 100 in FIG. 19 is formed by an optical gate array 101, an optical coupler 102, and SOAs 103. These are provided as separate optical modules and are optically connected by means of optical fibers. The optical gate array 101 includes n ("8" in FIG. 19)-number of SOAs 101a, forming the optical gate array 101, arranged in parallel. Optical isolators 104a and 104b are arranged at the input and the output terminal of each of the SOAs 101a forming the optical gate array 101, and also, optical isolators 104c and 104d are arranged at the input and the output terminal of the SOA 103.
With this arrangement, when the optical switch 100 of FIG. 19 is given as an 8×1 optical switch, eight SOAs 101a of the optical gate array 101 let one of the eight beams of input light input through the isolator 104a pass through the optical switch to the optical coupler 102, while blocking other beams of input light. The optical coupler 102 outputs the light from the optical gate array 101 to the SOA 103, which appropriately amplifies the light from the optical gate array 101 in order to compensate for optical loss which has been caused when the light passes through the optical coupler 102.
Further, when the optical switch 100 of FIG. 19 is constructed as a 1×8 optical switch, the input and the output are inversed. That is, the SOA 103 amplifies light input through the optical isolators 104d, and the optical coupler 102 divides the light into eight outputs. Then, the eight SOAs 101a of the optical gate array 101 receive the eight beams of light divided by the optical coupler 102, respectively, and let one of the eight light beams pass therethrough to the optical isolator 104a side, and block the other light.
In this instance, the optical isolators 104a through 104d let only light proceeding from the optical gate array 101 to the SOA 103 pass therethrough, and block light proceeding in the opposite direction. As a result, reflection light is prevented from returning back to the SOAs 101a and 103, whereby laser oscillation is prevented.
That is, when the optical isolators 104a through 104d functions as the 8×1 optical switches 100, they let light proceeding from the optical gate array 101 to the SOA 103 pass therethrough and block light proceeding from the SOA 103 to the optical gate array 101. In contrast, the optical isolators 104a through 104d for the 1×8 optical switches 100 let light proceeding from the SOA 103 to the optical gate array 101 pass therethrough, and block light proceeding from the optical gate array 101 to the SOA 103.
Further, the following non-patent documents 1 and 2 show the publicly known arts relating to the preset invention:
(Non-patent Document 1) IEEE Photonic Technology Letters Vol. 10, No. 1, pp 162-164 (1998) Single-Mode to Multi-mode Combiner
(Non-patent Document 2) Optical Fiber Communication Conference PD4. 1-4. 4 1998 Title: "Lossless Hybrid Integrated 8-ch Optical Wavelength Selector Module Using PLC Platform and PLC-PLC Direct Attachment Technique"
However, according to the art of FIG. 19, to realize good amplification characteristics of the SOAs 101a of the optical gate array 101 and of the SOA 103, optical isolators need to be arranged over optical propagation paths. Thus, the number of components is increased, thereby increasing the device cost. Further, as optical insertion loss is increased, improvement in optical switch characteristics is prevented.
In particular, optical communication systems can include optical switches having such semiconductor amplifiers connected in multiple stages. In such optical switches, the number of components is thus increased, resulting in increase in the cost of the device, and optical insertion loss due to increase in the number of optical components is also increased.


The present invention relates to bismuth oxyfluoride nanocomposites used as positive electrodes in primary and rechargeable electromechanical energy storage systems.

The lithium-ion battery cell is the premiere high-energy rechargeable energy storage technology of the present day. Unfortunately, its high performance still falls short of energy density goals in applications ranging from telecommunications to biomedical. Although a number of factors within the cell contribute to this performance parameter, the most crucial ones relate to how much energy can be stored in the electrode materials of the cell.
During the course of development of rechargeable electrochemical cells, such as lithium (Li) and lithium-ion battery cells and the like, numerous materials capable of reversibly accommodating lithium ions have been investigated. Among these, occlusion and intercalation materials, such as carbonaceous compounds, layered transition metal oxide, and three dimensional pathway spinels, have proved to be particularly well-suited to such applications. However, even while performing reasonably well in recycling electrical storage systems of significant capacity, many of these materials exhibit detrimental properties, such as marginal environmental compatibility and safety, which detract from the ultimate acceptability of the rechargeable cells. In addition, some of the more promising materials are available only at costs that limit widespread use. However, of most importance is the fact that the present state of the art materials only have the capability to store relatively low capacity of charge per weight or volume of material (e.g. specific capacity, (mAh/g); gravimetric energy density (Wh/kg−1); volumetric energy density, (Wh/l−1)).
Materials of choice in the fabrication of rechargeable battery cells, particularly highly desirable and broadly implemented Li-ion cells, for some considerable time have centered upon graphitic negative electrode compositions, which provide respectable capacity levels in the range of 300 mAh/g. Unfortunately, complementary positive electrode materials in present cells use less effective layered intercalation compounds, such as LiCoO2, which generally provide capacities only in the range of 150 mAh/g.
Intercalation compounds are not highly effective because the intercalation process is not an ideal energy storage mechanism. This situation occurs because of the limited number of vacancies available for lithium resulting in a limited utilization of the oxidation states of the host metal. An alternative process, reversible conversion, allows for all of the oxidation states of a compound to be utilized. The reversible conversion reaction proceeds as follows:nLi++ne−+Men+XnLiX+Mewhere Me is a metal and X is O−2, S2−, N− or F−. This reaction can lead to much higher capacities than can an intercalation reaction and, therefore, to much higher energy densities.
Badway et al. (Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 150(9) A1209-A1218 (2003)), for example, has described electrode materials having high specific capacities via a reversible conversion reaction. They reported specific capacities for carbon metal fluoride nanocomposites, such as a carbon FeF3 nanocomposite, active for this reaction, having >90% recovery of its theoretical capacity (>600 mAh/g) in the 4.5-1.5 V region. They attained this major improvement in specific capacity by reducing the particle size of FeF3 to the nanodimension level in combination with highly conductive carbon.
Other metal fluorides are capable of reversible conversion, as well. For example, bismuth metal fluorides, such as BiF3, are capable of reversible conversion according to the following equation:
            BiF      3                        discharge      charge            3        LiF    +  Bi(See, e.g. PCT/US2005/35625, entitled "Bismuth Fluoride Based Nanocomposites as Electrode Materials" by Amatucci et al., filed on Sep. 30, 2005, incorporated herein by reference).
As mentioned above, reversible conversion reactions also have been observed in metal oxides as well as metal fluorides. Because metal fluorides are more ionic than metal oxides, the discharge voltage of a given fluoride compound will always be higher than the discharge voltage of the corresponding oxide, thereby leading to greater specific energies and attractiveness as future positive electrodes materials. Another effect of the higher ionicity of the metal fluorides with respect to the metal oxides is that the generally lower band gap oxides have relatively good electronic conductivity while the high band gap fluorides are electronic insulators. As a direct consequence, it has been shown that the preparation of a metal fluoride/conductive matrix nanocomposite is necessary in order to enable the electrochemical activity of the higher voltage metal fluorides whereas the oxides can be utilized in their macro state.
Bismuth compounds that combine both oxides and fluorides, theoretically, can be an attractive alternative to metal fluorides since they combine the high voltage of the fluorides with the good electronic conductivity of the oxides. However, to date, bismuth oxyfluoride has not been utilized as a positive electrode material in Li-ion battery cells.
Hence, there is a need in the art for electrical energy-storage and delivery systems capable of using bismuth oxyfluorides in order to combine both good electronic conductivity and as well as high voltage capabilities.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Bismuth oxyfluoride based nanocomposites as electrode materials


A personnel lift (20) including a three-wheeled transport in which a rear or transport wheel (30) is connected to a lever arm or handle (32) that is designed to raise and lower the transport wheel (30). Pulling the handle (32) downward drops the transport wheel (30) to ground level raising the support legs (34) off the ground. Raising the handle (32) lifts the transport wheel (30) off the ground, dropping the support legs (34) onto the ground. An electric interlock system is utilized to prevent the vertical lift assembly (24) of the personnel lift (20) from being used when the support legs (34) are not on the ground. The electric interlock system includes three switches (89, 104a, 104b), all of which must be closed in order for the aerial work platform (22) to be elevated. Two of the switches (104a, 104b) are operated by the support legs (34). The switches (104a, 104b) in the support legs (34) are closed when the support legs are in full contact with the ground. The third switch (89) is closed when the handle (32) is in a raised position. A mechanical handle locking mechanism (62) prevents a user from lowering the transport wheel (30) and moving the personnel lift (20) when the aerial work platform (22) is elevated. Once the locking mechanism (62) is engaged, the handle (32) cannot be lowered far enough to make the transport wheel (30) engage the ground and raise the support legs (34) from their stabilizing position.

Personnel lifts are presently used for a wide variety of applications. Personnel lifts generally include an aerial work platform that can be raised or lowered to position a worker at a desired height. Personnel lifts can be used within a plant to raise a worker to a position where the worker can change light bulbs, work on fixtures, or paint overhead surfaces, for example.
In one personnel lift design, the aerial work platform is attached to the upper end of a vertical lift assembly and includes a personnel cage for containing a worker. The vertical lift assembly includes a tower of extendible, nested columns mounted on a base supported by wheels. The tower and base are small so that a worker can easily roll the base to a desired location. Once the personnel lift is placed in the desired location, a number of outriggers are set to stabilize the base. Alternatively, the personnel lift may utilize corner jacks and legs such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,858 (the '858 patent). After the personnel lift has been adequately stabilized, a worker enters the personnel cage and operates controls to raise the aerial work platform.
A worker performing tasks in several overhead locations may find it necessary to move a personnel lift a number of times during the day. In general, once the aerial work platform is lifted to the desired height, the worker is limited to doing work in an area that is within arm's length of the aerial work platform. If the worker desires to do work beyond that reach, he or she must lower the aerial work platform, exit the personnel cage, release the outriggers from their secured position, and move the personnel lift to the next desired location. The outriggers must once again be set before the worker can return to the personnel cage and raise the aerial work platform to the desired height.
The personnel lift set forth in the '858 Patent is particularly advantageous in that a worker may rely on corner jacks and legs to stabilize the base of the personnel lift without having to manipulate retractable or removable outriggers. The foot pads and corner jacks are retracted so that the base is supported on caster wheels and may be pushed to a desirable location. However, the device set forth in that patent is not easy to manipulate around a room because no mechanism for steering the caster wheels or easily leading the base to a desired location is included.
There is a need in the art for a more efficient personnel lift that is easily moved to a variety of locations and quickly and easily stabilized.

Personnel lift with automatic set-up transport wheel


A railroad car hatch cover assembly including a replaceable combined hatch cover protector and gasket that can be quickly and easily mounted to a hatch cover of the vented hatch cover assembly and easily and quickly removed therefrom. In certain embodiments, the combined hatch cover protector and gasket includes an outer sealing member configured to be positioned in a pocket of the hatch cover, an inner protector element holder, a protector element held by and secured to the protector element holder, and a dual connector connecting the outer sealing member and the inner protector element holder, and configured to partially facilitate connection to the hatch cover.

Various different types of hopper railroad cars are well known. Hopper railroad cars are typically used to transport loose bulk commodities or loose materials (such as but not limited to plastic pellets, powder, and other granular or similar materials). The two main types of hopper railroad cars are covered hopper cars that include full side walls and a roof, and open hopper cars that do not have a roof.
Various known covered hopper railroad cars have multiple separate interior compartments, outlets at the bottom of the hopper railroad car for each compartment (such as a single separate outlet for each compartment), and inlets at the top of the hopper railroad car for each compartment (such as one or more separate inlets for each compartment). Each inlet at the top of each compartment enables that compartment to be filled, and enables air to flow into that compartment as material flows out of the outlet at the bottom of that compartment during unloading of the compartment. For example, one type of known hopper railroad car includes four compartments, one outlet at the bottom of each compartment, and two or three inlets at the top of each compartment. Vented or non-vented hatch cover assemblies are typically attached to the top of the hopper railroad car to selectively close these inlets. Typically, each compartment includes at least one inlet closable by a vented hatch cover, and one or more inlets closable by a non-vented hatch cover.
Various different vented hatch cover assemblies that are attached to the tops of hopper railroad cars are well known. The typical known vented hatch cover assembly is configured to be in an open position to enable filling of a compartment through an inlet for that compartment, and in a closed and secured position to prevent materials from entering the compartment through that inlet while allowing air to enter the compartment through that inlet. Known vented hatch cover assemblies typically have vent openings or passageways that are protected from the elements. Various example known vented hatch cover assemblies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,819,830; 5,064,089; 5,622,117; 5,960,980; 6,296,135; 7,703,630; and 8,060,264.
One issue with various known vented hatch cover assemblies relates to potential loose material cross contamination issues. For example, when loading a hopper railroad car with a first type of loose material, the hatch covers (including any vented hatch covers) of the vented hatch cover assemblies are opened to enable filling the compartments with the first type of loose material through the inlets. During the filling process, some of the first type of loose material can get attached to or stuck in or to one or more parts of the hatch cover of the vented hatch cover assembly. Likewise, when the hatch cover is closed after filling, some of the first type of loose material in the compartment can get attached to or stuck in or to one or more parts of the hatch cover. After that hopper railroad car empties the load of the first type of loose material, the hopper railroad car may be subsequently used to transport a second different type of loose material. While the compartments and vented hatch cover assemblies of the hopper railroad car may be cleaned prior to filling the hopper railroad car with the second different type of loose material, some of the first type of loose material that is attached to or stuck in or to one or more parts of the vented hatch cover assemblies may not be removed. In such case, this first type of loose material attached to or stuck in the vented hatch cover assemblies may fall into the compartment and potentially contaminate the load of the second different type of loose material in the railroad hopper car.
Thus, there is a continuing need to provide vented hatch cover assemblies that minimize such cross contamination issues.

Railroad car vented hatch cover assembly including a replaceable combined vented hatch cover protector and gasket


An apparatus for filling cups has a conveyor for displacing the cups in a horizontal transport direction stepwise along a horizontal transport path and at least two dosing units spaced in the transport direction from each other above the path and each including a supply of a fluent material and valve and pump means for ejecting doses of the material. A manifold includes a pair of intake conduits each extending generally in the horizontal transport direction and each connected to a respective one of the dosing units for receiving the material doses therefrom and a distributor body between the dosing units, formed with a pair of grooves each connected to a respective one of the tubes, and forming a pair of outlet passages open vertically downward toward the path so that material fed generally horizontally from the dosing units to the body issues downward from the body. A lifter ring below the path, underneath the body, and displaceable between a lower position clear of the cups and an upper position can raise a one of the cups into engagement with the body. This lifter ring and the cup held thereby are also rotated as the material issues from the body.

In the packaging of yoghurt, pudding, and similar foodstuffs it is standard to inject a single dose, normally about ounces, of the foodstuff into a disposable cup carried passed the dosing machine on a conveyor that operates stepwise. After the cup is filled, a foil is welded to its rim and a cap is applied. In the simplest system a row of nozzles extends transversely to the conveyor which moves transverse rows of the cups stepwise past the nozzles. At each step each nozzle deposits a dose of the food stuff into the underlying cup, and the cups may be raised up from their respective seats in the conveyor to receive the respective doses.
German utility model 295 12 257 describes a system where each nozzle has a pair of passages to which are fed different foodstuffs, for instance vanilla and chocolate pudding. In addition the individual cup lifters are constructed so that they can rotate the cups as they are filled, creating an attractive swirling pattern and nice mix of the ingredients. In this system a complex gripper arrangement is used to hold the bases of the cups. Each nozzle has a pair of downwardly opening outlet passages, one of which is fed from a supply directly overhead and the other of which is fed from another supply via a horizontal connecting conduit.
The system of German patent 4,226,566 of Janek describes a system where the cups of each row are filled with different foodstuffs so that they can be packaged directly as an assortment, with the cups connected together by frangible webs. In this arrangement the cups pass through eight abreast and four different sources are each connected to two of the nozzles, so that it is possible to vary the mix of the assortments by filling a cup with one flavor and the cup following it with another. Such an apparatus is quite complex and is only really adapted to its one purpose.

Filling fluent foodstuffs into containers


A wind resistant habitable dwelling which includes the fuselage of an aircraft rotatably mounted on a support column. The tail fin of the fuselage is retained to allow the dwelling to pivot about the support column and point into the direction of the prevailing wind. The fuselage of the aircraft has points along its undercarriage support framework for attachment of a rotatable support column, which is cylindrical in shape. The support column includes a bearing assembly and a gearing system. The bearing assembly defines a single axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a level ground surface, so that the fuselage is capable of pivoting about the support column within a plane parallel to the level ground surface. The gearing system, which is also attached to the fuselage of the aircraft, is driven by motors and is capable of being further controlled by both dampening and braking assemblies housed in the support column. Access to the support column is provided by a ground level hatchway.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to building structures and, more particularly, to certain new and useful improvements in wind resistant dwellings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Severe weather events are common occurrences in the United States and other countries. The damaging winds produced by these events are responsible for the destruction of real and personal property and loss of life. Houses and commercial buildings are typically the most conspicuous casualties seen in the aftermath of such storms.
Because high winds have such a devastating affect on habitable structures, there is a need for dwellings resistant to excessive wind loading. The present invention offers a improved method of fabricating a habitable dwelling capable of withstanding severe wind forces. The present invention satisfies this need by mounting, on a rotatable support column, the fuselage of a commercial jetliner that has been withdrawn from service. The design and configuration of the fuselage enables it to always point into the wind thereby presenting the smallest cross-sectional area to the destructive wind forces.
Emergency Shelters
There are many emergency-type shelter structures known in the patent art which are designed to withstand catastrophic events. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 592,190, issued to Bond on Oct. 19, 1897 shows a cyclone shelter essentially comprised of a roofed cage capable of descending into an excavated pit. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 2,792,794, issued to Miller on May 26, 1955 describes a bomb shelter equipped with a moveable roof-forming closure made of materials capable of resisting intense heat and radiation. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,568, issued to Armanno, Sr., on Sep. 30, 1997, discloses a hurricane shelter with a domed-shaped cover, elevationally supported by a column, and a cylindrical base wall.
The above shelter structures are not designed for long-term or continuous use as a habitable dwelling. As such, their utility is limited to the problem solved namely, short-term protection of individuals during a catastrophic event. On the other hand, the present invention is specifically designed as a habitable dwelling in addition to being resistant to the forces produced by high wind.
Rotating Building Structures
The concept of rotatably mounting a habitable dwelling on a support column is known in the patent literature. However, the prior art does not suggest rotatably mounting a wind resistant dwelling as embodied by the present invention. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,166, issued to Kaiser on Sep. 16, 1975, shows a rotatable building structure supported upon a stationary base. Additional examples of similar structures are U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,777, issued to Ghirelli on Nov. 26, 1965 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,345, issued to McGlew on Apr. 4, 1989.
Although the above structures are rotatably mounted, thee rotation is not related to decreasing the effect of wind loading. The Ghirelli structure rotates to follow the sun. The McGlew and Kaiser structures, on the other hand, rotate to provide a continuously changing view of the surrounding scenery. While the present invention is provided with a mechanical rotating means to position the structure in a desired position, it is primarily designed to freely pivot about its support column to point into the direction of the wind during a severe weather event.
Aircraft Weather Vane Moorings
Weathervaning tie down devices for light aircraft are known in the patent literature. These devices permit free turning or "weathervaning" of the aircraft in response to prevailing winds to minimize the possibility of wind damage associated with severe weather conditions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,567,161, issued to Adams on Mar. 2, 1971, discloses a weathervaning tie down device for tricycle gear light aircraft comprising a support framework and a mechanism for elevating and lowering the support framework. When the Adams device is elevated, the light aircraft, positioned on the support framework, is free to rotate into the prevailing wind. A similar device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,175, issued to Mellblom et al. On Nov. 23, 1982.
These weathervaning devices are used with actual light aircraft, not just the fuselage of such aircraft. Accordingly, these devices require the aircraft to have working landing gear capable of being received along their support frameworks. In addition, the structural limitations of the support frameworks and rotating means make weathervaning devices appropriate only for light aircraft. They are, therefore, not used with large commercial jetliners.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a wind resistant dwelling solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


The present invention relates a laminated balun transformer with an improved insertion loss characteristic in a pass band. The laminated balun transformer includes a first strip line and a third strip line form one coupler, a second strip line and a fourth strip line form another coupler, and a conductive non-ground electrode formed at an intermediate position between the third strip line and the fourth strip line. The non-ground electrode forms a ground by electromagnetic coupling between the third strip line and the fourth strip line. With the configuration, insertion loss in an operation band is reduced. In addition, by implementing an impedance and an electromagnetic shield using a ground pattern of a mount surface without separately forming an internal ground electrode on the bottom layer of a dielectric block, of ground electrodes formed above and below the first to fourth strip lines for the electromagnetic shield from the outside, the thickness of the laminated balun transformer can be reduced without any deterioration of characteristic of the transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laminated balun transformer, and more particularly, to a subminiaturized laminated balun transformer with an improved insertion loss characteristic in a pass band.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term "balun" in balun transformer, which is an abbreviation for balanced to unbalanced, refers to a device composed of a circuit or structure for transforming a balanced signal to an unbalanced signal and vice versa. For example, this is required to perform a transformation between a balanced signal and an unbalanced signal when a device having a balanced input/output stage, such as a mixer or an amplifier, is connected to a device having an unbalanced input/output stage, such as an antenna.
The balun transformer can be implemented by a combination of lumped elements such as R, L, and C elements, or distributed elements such as a microstrip line, a strip line and a transmission line. Recently, with the increasing need for miniaturization of radio communication products widely employing the balun transformer, a laminated balun transformer using low temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) is being frequently used to reduce the size of the elements.
FIG. 1 is an equivalent circuit showing the basic configuration of a general balun transformer as suggested by Marchand. As shown in this figure, the balun transformer is composed of four conductive lines 14 to 17 each having a length of λ/4 (where, λ is 1/fc (fc is the center frequency of an input/output signal)). Of the four conductive lines 14 and 17, a first line 14 has one end connected to an unbalanced port 11 through which an unbalanced signal having a certain frequency is inputted or outputted. A second line 15 has one end connected to the other end of the first line 14. The other end of the second strip line 15 is opened. In addition, a third line 16 and a fourth line 17 each have one respective one end thereof connected to a ground point and are arranged in parallel with the first line 14 and the second line 15, respectively, to form an electrical coupling therebetween. The other ends of the third and fourth lines 16 and 17 are connected respectively to balanced ports 12 and 13 through which a balance signal is inputted or outputted.
In the above configuration, the first line 14 and the third line 16 form one coupler and the second line 15 and the fourth line 17 form another coupler. With the above configuration, when an unbalanced signal having a certain frequency is inputted to the unbalanced port 11, electromagnetic coupling among the first to fourth lines 14 to 17 is generated, and accordingly, the balanced signal having the same frequency and magnitude as the inputted unbalanced signal, but having a phase which is different by 180 degrees from the phase of the unbalanced signal, is outputted through the balanced ports 12 and 13. On the contrary, when two balanced signals having a certain frequency, the same magnitude, and phases, which are different by 180 degrees from each other, are respectively inputted to the balanced ports 12 and 13, an unbalanced signal having the same frequency as the two inputted balanced signals are outputted through the unbalanced port 11.
A conventional laminated balun transformer having such an equivalent circuit is implemented with a shape as shown in FIG. 2 and an internal structure as shown in FIG. 3.
Referring to FIG. 2, the conventional laminated balun transformer 20 is composed of a rectangular hexahedral dielectric block 21 and a plurality of external electrodes 23 to 28 formed on two opposite sides of the dielectric block 21, each of which is set as a terminal such as an unbalanced terminal, a balanced terminal, or a ground terminal. For example, an external electrode 3 is set as a terminal for non-connection, external electrodes 24 and 27 are set as a terminal for a ground, external electrodes 25 and 28 are set as a terminal for input/output of a balanced signal, and an external electrode 26 is set as a terminal for input/output of an unbalanced signal.
Referring to FIG. 3, the dielectric block 21 is composed of a plurality of dielectric sheets laminated using an LTCC method. On the plurality of laminated dielectric sheets are formed a first ground electrode 30 connected to the external electrodes 24 and 27 for a ground, the first strip line 32 having a length of λ/4 and having one end connected to the external electrode 26 for input/output of the unbalanced signal, the third strip line 33 formed in parallel with the first strip line 32, having a length of λ/4 and having both ends connected respectively to the external electrode 25 for input/output of the balanced signal and the external electrode 27 for a ground, a second ground electrode 35 connected to the external electrodes 24 and 27 for a ground, the second strip line 37 having a length of λ/4 and having one end connected to the first strip line 32 via the external electrode 23 and the other end opened, the fourth strip line 38 formed in parallel with the second strip line 37 and having both ends connected respectively to the external electrode 27 for a ground and the external electrode 28 for input/output of the balanced signal, and a third ground electrode 40 connected to the external electrodes 24 and 27 for a ground, sequentially in a downward direction.
Reference numerals 31, 34, 36 and 39, which are not described, denote lead electrodes for connecting the first to fourth strip lines 32, 33, 37 and 38 to respective external electrodes 23 to 28.
As described above, the laminated balun transformer is miniaturized by vertically laminating four λ/4 strip lines. However, recently, with the increased need for a subminiaturized balun transformer, much study has been concentrated on the subminiaturization of the balun transformer while maintaining or improving its basic properties.


A coating composition for use as a surface coating for polymer release films for use in at least one of high temperature and high humidity applications, which comprises a solution of at least one hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having hydroxypropyl molar substitution of from 0 to about 0.82 in combination with at least one water-borne fluorochemical additive selected from perfluoralkyl methacrylic acid copolymers.

In the rubber industry, sheets of cured rubber compound are prepared by a calendaring process. Typically these sheets are from about 100 to about 400 feet in length. The uncured rubber sheet is laid onto a supporting interleaf film or sheet and then the two sheets are wound onto a mandrel. The interleaf is usually cellophane or silicon coated paper. The interleaf does not melt at the curing temperature and prevents the sheets from fusing with each other during the curing process. Sometimes talc or zinc stearate is applied to the interleaf to enhance release of rubber sheets from the interleaf after curing. Subsequently, the roll of rubber and interleaf can be over wound and held under tension using an over-wrap, which can be any film or cloth having good tensile properties that tends to shrink at oven curing temperatures. The cured sheet rubber may be used as components for aircraft engines and gaskets for rubber roofing membranes. Teflon® sheets, talc dust, and cloth are commonly used as interleaves in the rubber industry.
SMC is a composite material and usually comprises crosslinkable polymeric resin, most often unsaturated polyester resin; styrene monomer, plus catalyst; particulate filler, such as calcium carbonate; chopped glass fiber reinforcement; and various other additives in minor amounts, such as pigments and other modifiers.
The manufacture of SMC begins by laying the paste comprising all ingredients except the glass fibers, on a bottom carrier or release sheet, i.e., a film. The glass fibers are poured on top of the resin. More paste is poured over the glass fibers. A top carrier release sheet is laid down, and the edges of the top and bottom sheets are folded over to form a sandwich. The film and hence the composite is then kneaded to mix the glass fibers and the paste. The sandwich is then festooned (folded back and forth in a continuous fashion) into a bin and stored for up to about 14 days to cure or mature. Satisfactory results may be obtainable after as little as 2.5 days, but often more time is required. During this time the viscosity of the composite increases significantly (approximately ten-fold).
At the end of the curing period, the carrier release films, top and bottom are stripped away, the solidified SMC is cut and put into a heated press. In roughly one minute or less, out comes a semi-finished product, such as an auto part, for example, an automobile hood.
TMC is produced by a different machine and a process different from those used for producing SMC. Although TMC is prepared as a continuous length of material, it is cut into slabs for curing and storage because it is thicker than SMC. SMC is usually 1″ thick, but may range from ¼″ to 3″ in thickness. TMC may range from ½″ to 4″ in thickness. TMC is stronger because some of its fiberglass fibers may be positioned vertically, and more filler may be added. A most significant difference between SMC and TMC is that in making TMC, the glass fibers are mixed with the paste prior to being deposited on the carrier or release film, and thus no kneading of the composite sandwich is necessary when TMC is made into slabs. This therefore places different requirements on the carrier or release film as tear strength may not be as critical for carrier release film used to make TMC.
BMC is also a composite material of resins, fillers and reinforcements. Typically, it comprises 30% resins, 50% fillers and additives and 20% reinforcement, such as glass fiber. It may also contain catalysts. The high filler loadings can provide improved stiffness and fire retardence. BMC is manufactured by preparing a putty-like molding compound comprising the above-noted components in a "ready to mold" form. Molding pressures usually range from about 350 to 2000 psi at temperatures of between 121 and 176° F. BMC can be made into precise shapes with various types of inserts, and therefore the moldings can be extremely complex. One limitation of BMC is the loss of strength caused by degradation of glass fiber reinforcements during energy-intensive mixing.
BMC is primarily used as a replacement for cast metals. The actual physical characteristics of BMC are determined primarily by the choice of resin and desired end use. Possible end uses include electrical grade; low shrink/general purpose; appliance/structural; low profile; automotive grade; and corrosion resistant. Major applications of BMC include air conditioner components; pump housings; circuit breakers; computer and business equipment components; garbage disposal housings; motor parts; power tools; gear cases; electrical insulators; and circuit covers.
In selecting a carrier release film there are some basic requirements or properties that are preferably met for the film to be suitable. While styrene barrier, moisture barrier, and mechanical strength are relevant, most important are release from the paste composite, be it SMC, BMC, or TMC, and the cost of the release film.
Nylon films represent a potential replacement for silicon-coated paper and cellophane as Interleaves in the rubber calendaring industry, because of their high tensile strength. The plain Nylon films work quite well as release films in the case of some but not all rubber samples. Apart from sticking to the sheets of rubber, the nylon film sometimes causes wrinkles on the surface of the cured rubber. It is speculated that gases emanated during curing of rubber cause such wrinkles.
Cellulose ethers are water-soluble polymers derived from cellulose. A commercially available cellulose ether is available under the Methocel® brand from The Dow Chemical Company. These products are available in various viscosity grades, ranging from 3 to over 200,000 mPa's. Generally, these viscosities refer to the viscosity of a 2% Methocel® solution in water at 25° C. The methylcellulose products include hydroxypropyl substituted cellulose ethers. Such products are also available from other sources such as China Yixing Kaili Chemical Pharmaceutical Factory of Yixing city, Jiangsu, China; Carbomer Inc of Westborough, Mass.; and Penta Mnfg. Co. of Livingston, N.J. Methocel® products are used as mold-release agents, stabilizers, and thickeners in rubber latexes, where they contribute also to more uniform drying and less pinholing (see Dow METHOCEL® Cellulose Ethers Technical Handbook available from The Dow Chemical Company Website, July 2000).

High temperature and high humidity release coating for polymer film


The invention pertains to a method of and apparatus for sizing a factory made pleated shade downwardly to an exact width from a factory made width at the point of purchase in a retail outlet using the skill level of the service personnel commonly found in such retail establishments. Specifically, a pleated shade having (a) two or more lift cords and (b) head and bottom rails which are slidable with respect to the top pleat or pleats and the bottom pleat or pleats, respectively, is arranged so that the pleats as an integral unit can be moved relative to both the head and bottom rails in diametrically opposite directions whereby the pleats may be sized by cutting off portions at each and thereof and the rails sized by single or multiple cutting operations.

Many types of window coverings are currently available including window shades, venetian blinds, louver blinds, mini-blinds and pleated shades. Until recent years all of these coverings were sold in either stock widths in retail outlets, such as mass merchandisers, in which event the coat per covering was quite low, or were sold as a customized product, usually at specialty stores, in which event the cost was quite high on a per unit basis.
The disadvantage of being limited to a choice of only a few stock widths is that many windows, particularly windows in older homes, are of non-standard widths. Hence, if a stock width covering was too wide for the window, it had to be mounted on the outside of the window frame which generally is aesthetically unpleasing and may present decorating difficulties if drapes were also desired in addition to the standard window covering. If the stock width covering was not quite wide enough to cover the complete window width, light could enter along the edges and privacy was not complete.
The above described disadvantages of the stock width coverings were overcome by customized coverings, such as those which are provided by specialty stores, but customized coverings are so expensive that they were, and are, unavailable to the great mass of potential purchasers due to their high per unit cost.
The disadvantage of some of the stock width coverings have been overcome to a considerable extent by the development in recent years of size-at-home or size-in-store window coverings. For example, a window shade has been developed which the purchaser can buy in a mass merchandising retail outlet on an impulse; i.e., not a planned purchase, take home and size to the exact width required at the point of, and the moment of, installation. More recently a system for sizing mini-blinds in a retail outlet such as a mass merchandiser using the level of skill typically found in such establishments has been developed.
However, no size-in-store system has been known for sizing pleated blinds to an exact required width at the point of purchase in retail outlets, including mass merchandisers, utilizing the skill level of the service personnel which are typically found in such retail establishments. One physical limitation which is generally characteristic of pleated blinds as contrasted to, for example, mini-blinds, is that the pleated blinds available at the present time require that the lift cords by which the bottom rail, and the pleats thereabove, are moved toward and away from the head rail must be fixed in location at the factory, thus necessitating that shortening be done at each end of the pleats to preserve the aesthetically balanced appearance of the covering. However, the head rail can only be shortened at one end due to the arrangement of the cord raising, lowering, and locking mechanism which is hidden from view at one end of the head rail and accessed only through the side of the head rail at one end thereof, thus precluding the possibility of concurrent sizing of pleats and rails. This limitation should be contrasted to the recent system for sizing mini-blinds referred to earlier in which the sizing is simply and easily accomplished by moving one or more ladder and lift cords toward the cord lock end of the structure and sizing all elements in one operation, followed by replacement of the earlier displaced ladder and lift elements to their sized, final positions. This procedure is not feasible for pleated shades in which the lift cords are fixed in position at the factory.

Size-in-store pleated shade and method and apparatus of sizing


A cryogenic shipping and storage system includes a cryogenic dewar having a top opening, one or more specimen holders suspended within the dewar, a top housing secured to dewar opening and forming a central opening corresponding with the top dewar opening to allow insertion and withdrawal of the one or more specimen holders, a plug adapted to engage the one or more specimen holders and close the central opening of the top housing, a top cover hingedly carried by the top housing over the central opening, and indicia provided on the top housing to identify each of the one or more specimen holders suspended within the dewar. The top housing includes means for detachably receiving and maintaining the spaced relationship of the one or more specimen holders suspended within the cryogenic dewar. The specimen holder includes an elongated support having a tortuously shaped portion to permit the unobstructed removal of the specimen holder from the interior of the dewar and a dewar-engaging portion projecting from the elongated support so that, when the specimen holder is suspended within the dewar, the specimen holder is urged by gravity away from contact with other specimen holders secured within the dewar.

Various uses for cryogenic systems are known. Such uses include providing oxygen supplementation for persons having restricted breathing and providing pneumatic power for small hand tools. Examples of such prior systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,149,388; 4,211,086; and 4,838,034.
Cryogenic systems have also long been utilized in the storage and transporting of specimens including human and animal body fluids such as animal semen. Such systems commonly employ a cryogenic dewar to store and/or transport the specimens. Shown in FIG. 1 is such a conventional system comprising a cryogenic dewar that typically includes an inner vessel and an outer container, each having a central opening at their tops, a neck portion providing an air tight connection between the openings of the inner vessel and the outer casing at their tops, thereby forming an evacuable space therebetween, and one or more sample or specimen holders, each provided with an elongated support with a hook at its distal end to engage the top of the dewar. The sample holders are typically immersed in a bath of liquid cryogen, commonly nitrogen, maintained in the inner vessel. The bottom of the inner vessel is provided with means, such as a spider, to maintain the spacing of the specimen holders within the inner vessel to avoid their mutual interference upon insertion and removal. The central opening of the dewar is typically closed or fitted with a foam plug.
The existing cryogenic systems have, however, not been entirely satisfactory. The sample holders have been difficult to identify and difficult to remove from the dewar without interference with other sample holders and the interior surfaces of the dewar itself.


A motor vehicle is prevented from being parked with an unactivated parking brake. This vehicle has a roll-away preventer normally to apply a brake pressure which prevents the motor vehicle from rolling. To prevent unintentional rolling of the vehicle upon failure of the roll-away preventer, deactivation of the drive engine by using the ignition key is prevented when a brake pressure is not present to prevent the motor vehicle from rolling.

This application claims the priority of 196 19 641.8, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method for preventing a vehicle from being parked with an activated roll-away preventer and unactivated parking brake. The method is based on the principle whereby the vehicle is held in the stationary state even after the end of activation of the service brake by applying a brake pressure.
As described in DE 36 21 076 A, the vehicle is held in the stationary state by virtue of the fact that valves are closed, then preventing the wheel brake cylinders from venting into the brake-fluid reservoir vessel. To this end, the valves are controlled by a control unit. The control unit evaluates input signals to determine whether the driver desires to drive the vehicle or whether a further stationary state of the vehicle is desired. This evaluation is based upon the input signals fulfilling prescribed triggering criteria. A device which carries out such a method is referred to as a roll-away preventer.
To the same effect, U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,205 discloses that a brake pressure, which maintains the stationary state of the vehicle, can be applied by the driver to the wheel brake cylinders independently of the activation of the brake pedal by generating or maintaining, a pressure difference between the chambers of a brake booster or an auxiliary booster corresponding thereto.
A disadvantage of maintaining the brake pressure in the known manner is that the vehicle is held in the stationary state without a deliberate decision by the driver. If the driver now wishes to park the vehicle, i.e. shut off the drive engine and leave the vehicle, there is the risk of the driver not activating the parking brake of the vehicle, because the at least temporarily maintained brake pressure keeps the vehicle in the stationary state even without the parking brake being activated. In order to ensure that the parking brake is nevertheless activated, the aforementioned DE 36 21 076 A1 proposes a warning buzzer which reminds the driver to activate the parking brake when the roll-away preventer is activated. In addition, the power supply of the valves which maintain the brake pressure is proposed to be independent of the position of the ignition key, so that, even when the ignition is switched off, these valves are held in the closed state.
Even these measures have disadvantages, however, for example, the warning buzzer may be disregarded because the driver expects to park for only a brief, insignificant, time. If the parking duration becomes unexpectedly prolonged, the driver is no longer aware of the poorly secured state of the vehicle which may result in increased risk. In addition, the vehicle battery may be discharged as a result of the valves being closed for a long time, in particular when the batteries have a poor charge state. Therefore, despite these measures, the parked vehicle may roll away. Also, as a result of leakages or gradual reduction of the pressure difference between the chambers of the brake booster, when the roll-away preventer is activated for a long time the applied brake pressure may no longer reliably prevent the vehicle from rolling.
An object of the present invention is to prevent unintentional rolling of a vehicle equipped with a roll-away preventer which, as a result of system failure, permits a pressure drop in the activated roll-away preventer.
This object has been achieved in accordance with the present invention in a situation which, if a brake pressure which prevents the motor vehicle from rolling in wheel brake cylinders, and the parking brake is not activated, the method prevents deactivation of the drive engine by the ignition key, or if a brake pressure which prevents the motor vehicle from rolling is applied in the wheel brake cylinders and the parking brake is not activated, the method preventing the ignition key from being withdrawn by a blocking mechanism.
Alternatively, the method involves generating brake pressure which prevents the rolling, by the steps of generating a pressure difference between the chambers of a brake booster, and controlling the pressure difference by a brake booster valve configured to be switchable by the control device. Thereby, when duration of the period over which a brake pressure is applied exceeds a specific measure, the valve is activated and a maximum pressure difference between the chambers of the brake booster is built up to damage the valve to remain permanently in a preselected position.
The methods according to the basic concept of the present invention ensure that the vehicle is not parked with an activated roll-away preventer and unactivated parking brake.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the drive engine is prevented from being deactivated. An advantage of this approach is that as a result of the operation of the vehicle engine an energy source is continuously available. As a result, it is ensured, for example in underpressure brake boosters, that the engine-side chamber is supplied with underpressure (intake manifold pressure) while the pedal-side chamber can be supplied with atmospheric pressure by activating a switching valve. With overpressure brake systems or overpressure brake boosters, pressure can be continuously generated during operation via the compressor which is driven by the vehicle engine. If the brake pressure which prevents the vehicle from rolling is applied by activating valves assigned to the wheel brakes, there is always sufficient current available for valve activation while the vehicle engine is operating. Thus, the operation of the drive engine provides a high degree of protection against failure. Moreover, the driver will not park his vehicle as long as its drive engine is operating.
According to the present invention, the deactivation of the drive engine with an activated roll-away preventer and non-activated parking brake is prevented by virtue of the fact that a blocking mechanism prevents the key from being activated beyond a specific position. The key is initially in the operating position of the drive engine. A blocking mechanism then prevents the ignition key from being activated into a position (radio position or key withdrawal position) in which the drive engine of the vehicle is switched off.
According to another embodiment, the key is not prevented from being activated, but rather the activation function, namely the deactivation of the drive engine, is suppressed and the engine continues to operate. It is also contemplated that, in addition, a blocking mechanism prevents the key from being withdrawn from the ignition lock.
According to yet another embodiment, the deactivation of the vehicle is prevented by not allowing the key to be withdrawn from the ignition lock by way of a blocking mechanism for as long as the roll-away preventer is activated and the parking brake is not activated. Because a driver does not customarily leave the vehicle as long as the ignition key has not been withdrawn from the ignition, lock, this blocking mechanism prevents the driver from leaving the vehicle when it is in a state not reliably protected against rolling away.
According to still another embodiment, a previously mentioned procedure is particularly advantageous if the brake pressure preventing the rolling of the vehicle is applied and generates a pressure difference between the chambers of a brake booster. In conventional brake boosters, this pressure difference decreases gradually when the vehicle engine is switched off, creating a particularly large risk for the vehicle if it is parked without the parking brake being activated. Such risk is avoided with the present invention.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a roll-away preventer applies the brake pressure which prevents the vehicle from rolling by a pressure difference generated between the chambers of a brake booster independently of the activation of the brake pedal by the driver by a brake booster valve which can be switched by the control device, after a specific activation period has been exceeded, in the position which corresponds to an application of a maximum brake pressure. Then the valve is damaged to such an extent that it remains in this maximum brake pressure application position and therefore assumes this position permanently even without the valve being actuated.

Method for preventing a vehicle from being parked with an activated roll-away preventer and unactivated parking brake


The present invention is directed to a logical board game having a rectangular playing area made up of primary playing fields, the primary playing fields being congruent squares that are in contact with the adjacent primary playing fields on at least two of their sides; furthermore, having two equal, counter-interested sets of pieces of different colors that are designed to look identical to the pieces of traditional chess; and being complete with a computer and/or computer program that makes possible the playing and/or teaching of the game, wherein the fact that one or two further square-shaped primary playing fields are connected to the playing area in such a way that one corner of the newly added primary playing field adjoins the corner of the playing area at a common point, and this additional primary playing field plays a role in the game as necessary.

The subject of the invention is logical board games, which have a special playing area (board). The playing areas are rectangular (specifically: square), and comprise primary playing fields, otherwise called cells; the cells are congruent orthogonal geometrical figures, which adjoin, by at least two of their sides, their neighbouring cells, and the at the opposing ends of the playing area are baselines made up of rows of cells. The invented playing areas are protected by Hungarian design applications D 03 00347 and D 03 00348.
Furthermore, the invented board games feature two equal-numbered sets of pieces of different colors, belonging to the opposing players. The pieces are named identically to, and are preferably of a similar appearance to, the pieces used in traditional chess—major pieces and pawns-and move according to the rules of traditional and reform chess. A further characteristic of the invented board games is that, besides chess, the same board can, for example, also be used to play the following games: horse race, pawn war, French chess (also known as "Giveaway Chess," but referred to as "French Chess" throughout), halma, pyramid and checkers (shashki). In the case of halma, pyramid and checkers, the equal-numbered sets of pieces are non-figurative, preferably disc-shaped pieces (tokens), according to the established rules of these games. I have given my invention the collective name Polgár Superstar® board games, indicating that these games are members of the Polgár Superstar® family of games that are playable on the Polgár Superstar® orthogonal (6×6, 5×7) reform-chess board.
One of the most ancient known games, chess, which dates back more than 3,000 years, has an orthogonal, square-shaped playing field made up of 8×8 cells organized into vertical columns and horizontal rows usually on a board, table or box surface. Furthermore, the game features two sets of pieces made up of 16 pieces each. The pieces are shaped as figures that act in accordance with their established roles within the rules of the game. During the past five hundred years the game has been played according to the same rules as a game for two players who oppose one another as "white" and "black" in accordance with the starting move.
The large number of pieces and cells results, according to the rules, in such a large number of move combinations that the game of chess is regarded all over the world as an intellectual pursuit highly suitable for developing complex combinative abilities and, consequently for realizing various strategic and tactical concepts.
Besides traditional chess (played on an 8×8 square board, according to FIDE rules: also known as orthodox chess), a vast number of reform chess ideas have also been published. In his "Encyclopedia of Chess Variants" (Games and Puzzles Publications, Surrey, 1994), D. B. Pritchard describes almost 1,500 different varieties of reform chess. Half of these were developed before 1970, and the other half between 1970 and 1993. In the bibliography of his book he mentions some 150 works written on the subject of reform chess. In the chess-related catalogue of the Royal Library of The Hague, more than 250 works are to be found on chess games that differ from the traditional version. All this is clearly indicative of continuous and keen interest in reform chess and of the creativity it inspires.
Nor is it any coincidence that reform chess has been played by many famous chess masters, including Aliechin, Benkö, Capablanca, Hübner, Kagan, Keres, Kieseritzky, Kmoch, Landau, Marco, Maróczy, Nimzowitsch, Showalter, and the Polgár sisters.
Many chess experts and amateurs have attempted, by way of experiment, to "improve" the game of chess to some extent, while preserving its indubitably high intellectual value. Various innovations and modifications have been proposed.
One opportunity lies in changing the size of the board, or the shape and geometry of the playing field. Thus, a smaller board may result in a certain simplification and can speed up the game, since fewer pieces can be placed on the smaller board, bearing in mind the reduced size of the playing area. Examples of such games are Alapo, Apocalypse, Archer, Baby, Benighted, Bird, Chessence, Los Alamos, Microchess I and II, and Minichess I, II, III and IV etc.
There have been attempts to achieve the above goal by using playing fields differing in geometrical shape from the orthogonal, for example, triangular, rhomboid, hexagonal and star-shaped playing fields, or combinations of them.
One of the findings that led to my invention was the fact that, by using a smaller board and a reduced number of cells (even while preserving their traditional rectangular shape), the game can be made sufficiently more dynamic without sacrificing any of its other advantageous properties. On the basis of the experience acquired in the course of my investigations, the optimal number of cells appeared to be between 35 and 54; this can be realised precisely using a 5×7 or 9×6 board, although games are particularly dynamic on a board with between 35 and 40 cells (5×7 and 6×6). (I have previously produced reform-chess games for 5×8, 6×8, 8×6 and 9×6 boards.)
The other option is to introduce variations into the starting setup. The rigidity of the strictly determined starting setup of traditional 8×8 chess, characterized by the symmetry and opposition of corresponding pieces, can successfully be relaxed by making the placement of the major pieces on the baseline—both in terms of sequence and position—optional.
Grandmaster Pál Benkõ published his version of reform chess, Prechess, in 1978. Here, the placement of the major pieces in the basic setup is not determined and can be asymmetrical. Robert Fischer also proposed a non-determined placement of the major pieces on a traditional 8×8 board, although he preferred to preserve a symmetrical basic setup of the major pieces (white pieces opposite to the equivalent black ones). Since these reform-chess games involved no differences from 8×8 chess either in terms of the board or in the number of pieces, the only change they brought to the traditional game was to make the opening more difficult for the players. Prechess has not become widespread, nor have the suggestions made by American chess genius R. Fischer met with success.
While elaborating my invention I recognized that if the placement of the major pieces on the baseline is optional—in terms of both sequence and the position of each individual major piece—the baseline may already contain a large number of variations striking for their innovation and diversity compared to the uniformity of orthodox chess openings, making it highly suitable for developing combinative abilities and creativity. Since the major pieces are not placed on the baseline of the board in a predetermined order but optionally, the resulting setup may thus include multiple asymmetries, characterized by the fact that the corresponding black and white major pieces are not placed in opposition to one another. This is one of the characteristic features of the reform-chess games that can be played on the (6×6, 5×7) Polgár Superstar® reform-chess board, according to the invention.
In order to achieve a suitable dynamization of the game, to increase dramatically the number of combinations, and thereby to enhance the development of creativity in teaching the game, it is important for the pieces in play, and principally the major pieces, to have maximal strength. In order to achieve this, wherever possible two queens are used already in the starting setup in the games according to this invention.
The majority of existing reform-chess games to date have not been able to achieve the desired acceleration of play while still preserving the traditional values of chess-primarily the high level of intellectual enjoyment inspired by a game rich in brilliant combinations. In the course of further developments the majority of reform chess versions have become over-complicated, the playing areas confusing, and the games slow and cumbersome. Most of them have merely satisfied their creator's desire for innovation but have failed to become popular and are not in widespread use, presumably not being suitable for this from the outset.

Logical board game and game of chance on 6×6 and 5×7 boards