An apparatus for nitrogenizing a beverage utilizing a container having a chamber with a plurality of baffles. The container also includes a nitrogen regulator in the form of a collapsible orifice at the base of the container. An agitator in the form of an impeller creates a shear on the beverage during delivery of a stream of nitrogen into the container.

The present application provides a novel and useful apparatus for nitrogenizing a beverage.
"Cold brew coffee" is often prepared by steeping coffee grounds in cold water. The resulting beverage has achieved notable popularity. Other beverages such as beer, tea, juices, milk, as well as various other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks may also be nitrogenized with the apparatus of the present application.
With respect to "cold brew coffee", it is often packaged as a ready-to-drink (RTD) item. As such, the RTD cold brew coffee is either packaged in a can or bottle or distributed "on dispense", i.e. poured via a tap at a place of purchase.
In addition, cold brew coffee prepared and served "on dispense" may also be presented as nitrogenized cold brew coffee. That is to say, plain, cold, unsweetened black coffee is infused or nitrogenized with nitrogen gas. Such a beverage is often referred to as "nitro cold brew" or "nitro coffee". Properly infused nitro coffee changes plain cold brew coffee from its heavy, dark, black state to a lighter colored, near frothy, and creamy beverage that consumers find visually and texturally appealing and desirable. Also, consumers perceive the taste of the nitro coffee as being creamier and sweeter than the typical flat or "still" cold brew coffee. Such change in perceived flavor and texture has become desirable to consumers, including those self-described as non-coffee drinkers.
As an example, Irish beer "Guinness Stout", introduced in 1759, is the most popular nitro infused beer worldwide, selling over 1.8 billion pints per year. Further, nitrogenization, or nitro infusion, has gained popularity for other beverages as well, including tea, lemonade, milk, and various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. As with cold brew coffee, the heretofore described beverages are distributed in RTD formats as well as on tap at restaurants, bars, and coffee shops throughout the world.
Nitrogenized beverages exhibit some similarities to carbonated drinks. However, the process of nitrogenizing and its effect on liquid beverages is much different than carbonation.
Prior art methods of nitrogenizing cold brew coffee and other beverages on dispense have generally been limited to infusing the nitrogen before it is distributed. In certain cases, beverages are infused with nitrogen in a still holding the beverage, followed by dispensing with a specific type of tap faucet, referred to as a "stout faucet". Thus, prior art methods for nitrogenization of a beverage entail infusion of a gaseous nitrogen prior to exiting a tap and then utilizing a special type of faucet to accomplish the egress of such beverage.
Various prior art systems have been proposed to combine gaseous material with liquids. For example, United States Patent Publication 2018/0318777 describes a liquid drink dispensing apparatus in which a gas generating component and a liquid drink dispensing element form an apparatus. The gas generated infuses a liquid drink prior to dispensing.
United States Patent Publication 2018/02113824 shows a technique and method for injecting a gas into a beverage. The beverage is placed into a container and a gas is pumped into a delivery device having a porous end portion to deliver the gas to a liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,801,405 describes a method to prepare and dispense gaseous-infused beverages in which a beverage concentrate is utilized and mixed with a particular gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. A slow pour faucet is then employed to deliver the infused liquid for use.
European Patent Specification EP2783743 shows a method for processing a fluid in which a gas is sparged into a fluid to form a humid gas. The humid gas is passed from the container into a condenser bag which is cooled, separating the components into a condensed fluid and a dehumidified gas. The condensed fluid is then combined with components or recirculated back to the compartment.
Korean Publication KR1020160099794A teaches an apparatus to produce lotions, drops, gels, ointments, and the like by placing a fluid in a container with an impeller. Dissolved gasses are then added to infuse liquid in the container and produce a fluid with a large amount of nanobubbles.
International Publication WO2018/148843 illustrates the carbonation of a liquid by infusion of carbon dioxide into such liquid and mixing the same with a magnetic mixer.
International Publication WO2018/156361 involves a method of mixing of a first beverage with a second beverage through the use of an external control system to remotely accomplish the same.
The apparatus for the infusion of nitrogen into a beverage and the production of near microscopic bubbles to produce a drink which exhibits superior flavor and visual appeal would be a notable step in the beverage processing industry.


A radar monopulse signal receiving system according to an aspect of the invention provides sum (xcexa3) and a single difference (xcex94) beam outputs from the beamformer. This is accomplished by encoding the information relating to the azimuth and elevation difference beams onto a single complex number. By comparison with some prior-art arrangements, the number of channels required for processing the signals is reduced. Near the end of the monopulse processing, the quotient is taken of complex number divided by the sum beam information, which directly produces a complex monopulse ratio m=mA+jmE. The azimuth and elevation monopulse ratios are represented by mA and mE, respectively.

This invention relates to radar systems, and more particularly to monopulse radar systems.
Monopulse radar systems are widely used for radar surveillance and tracking, and for missile tracking or homing systems.
Monopulse radar systems are advantageous by comparison with the use of single-function surveillance radars combined with altitude-determining radar systems, because a single radar system provides the information required not only to establish the presence of a target in surveillance operation, but also provides the information required to determine both azimuth and elevation angle of the target relative to the boresight of the sum beam. It should be noted that the terms xe2x80x9cazimuthxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9celevationxe2x80x9d are conventional terms used to designate two orthogonal directions, which are not necessarily associated with true azimuth or true elevation.
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a prior-art monopulse antenna system using an array antenna. In FIG. 1, the monopulse radar receiving system 10 includes a set 12 of individual antenna elements 121, 122, . . . 12N. The individual receive antenna elements 121, 122, . . . 12N are formed into a receive array having two dimensions. The individual antenna elements 121, 122, . . . 12N receive signals reflected from a target, and couple the received signals r1, r2, . . . , rN to various input ports 14i1, 14i2, . . . , 14iN of an analog beamformer 14. Beamformer 14 processes the signals as generally described in conjunction with FIG. 2 to produce analog sum (xcexa3) signals, azimuth difference signals (xcex94A) and elevation difference signals (xcex94E). The analog sum signals represent the summation of all the signals received by the array of individual antenna elements. The analog azimuth difference signals represent the difference between the signals received by the antenna elements of the right and left halves of the array of antenna elements, while the analog elevation difference signals represent the difference between the signals received by the antenna elements of the upper and lower halves of the array. The analog sum signals are applied from beamformer 14 to a radio-frequency (RF) receiver illustrated as a block 16xcexa3 of a xcexa3 processing channel, which performs standard analog receiver functions such as low-noise amplification and or downconversion to an intermediate frequency (IF). The received analog signals from receiver 16xcexa3 are applied to an IF receiver 18xcexa3 which performs further standard functions such as IF amplification and detection, to produce baseband analog signals. The baseband signals from IF receiver 18xcexa3 are applied to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 20xcexa3, which converts the analog signals into quantized or digital signals representing the signals received by the sum channel. The digital signals from analog-to-digital converter 20xcexa3 are applied to conventional sum-channel waveform digital processing illustrated as a block 22xcexa3, which produces the processed sum-channel signal for evaluation by a conventional threshold or other detector 24, which evaluates for the presence of absence of a target in the receive sum beam.
The analog azimuth difference signals xcex94A of FIG. 1 are applied from beamformer 14 to a radio-frequency (RF) receiver illustrated as a block 16xcex94A of a xcex94A processing channel, which performs standard analog receiver functions. The received analog signals from receiver 16xcex94A are applied to an IF receiver 18xcex94A which performs further standard functions such as IF amplification and detection, to produce baseband analog signals for the xcex94A channel. The baseband signals from IF receiver 18xcex94A are applied to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 20xcex94A, which converts the analog signals into quantized or digital signals representing the signals received by the azimuth difference channel. The digital signals from analog-to-digital converter 20xcex94A are applied to conventional azimuth-difference-channel waveform digital processing illustrated as a block 22xcex94A, which produces the processed azimuth-difference signal for evaluation by a conventional azimuth monopulse ratio detector 26, which evaluates the ratio of the azimuth difference signal to the sum signal to determine the azimuth angle of the target relative to boresight.
The analog elevation difference signals xcex94E of FIG. 1 are applied from beamformer 14 to a radio-frequency (RF) receiver illustrated as a block 16xcex94E of a xcex94E processing channel, which performs standard analog receiver functions. The received analog signals from receiver 16xcex94E are applied to an IF receiver 18xcex94E which performs further standard functions such as IF amplification and detection, to thereby produce baseband analog signals for the xcex94E channel. The baseband signals from IF receiver 18xcex94E are applied to an analog-to-digital converter 20xcex94E, which converts the analog signals into quantized or digital signals representing the signals received by the elevation difference channel. The digital signals from analog-to-digital converter 20xcex94E are applied to conventional azimuth-difference-channel waveform digital processing illustrated as a block 22xcex94E, which produces the processed elevation-difference signal for evaluation by a conventional elevation monopulse ratio detector 30, which evaluates the ratio of the elevation difference signal to the sum signal to determine the elevation angle of the target relative to boresight.
In the arrangement of FIG. 1, the RF receiver blocks and the IF receiver blocks are ordinarily assumed to introduce no perturbation of the received signals, so that the analog signals at the output of the beamformer and the digital signals at the outputs of the analog-to-digital converters can be deemed to be the same, although represented in different form. In the conventional arrangement of FIG. 1, the beamformed signal (either at the beamformer outputs or at the ADC outputs) can be expressed as                     Σ        =                              ∑                          k              =              1                        N                                          xe2x80x83                                                        w              ∑                                                  xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  xe2x80x83                                    r                                      xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  1                                    Δ          A                =                              ∑                          k              =              1                        N                                          xe2x80x83                                                        w                              Δ                A                                                                xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  xe2x80x83                                    r                                      xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  2                                    Δ          E                =                              ∑                          k              =              1                        N                                          xe2x80x83                                                        w                              Δ                                                  xe2x80x83                                                E                                                                xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  xe2x80x83                                    r                                      xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  3
where wxcexa3, wxcex94A, and wxcex94E are the sum, azimuth-difference and elevation-difference beamforming weights, and {r(k)} are the received signals at each antenna element of the array.
As mentioned, the target detection in block 24 of FIG. 1 is conventional, and amounts to some type of thresholding. When a target is identified by block 24, the azimuth and elevation angles of the target, mA and mE, are determined from a monopulse table look-up                               m          A                =                  Re                                xe2x80x83                                          (                                          Δ                A                            ∑                        )                                      4                                    m          E                =                  Re                                xe2x80x83                                          (                                          Δ                A                            ∑                        )                                      5
The corresponding antenna patterns for the sum, azimuth and elevation beams are given by                                                         g              ∑                                                  xe2x80x83                                                  (                                                T                  x                                ,                                  T                  y                                            )                                =                                    ∑                              k                =                1                            N                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  w                ∑                                                          xe2x80x83                                                          (                k                )                                                          xe2x80x83                                          exp                                            xe2x80x83                                                          (                                  ⅈ                                                        xe2x80x83                                                      2                                                        xe2x80x83                                                                          π                    λ                                                                          xe2x80x83                                                                          (                                                                                T                          x                                                                                x                          k                                                                    +                                                                        T                          y                                                                                y                          k                                                                                )                                                  )                                                                      xe2x80x83                            6                                                g                          Δ                                            xe2x80x83                                          A                                                      xe2x80x83                                          (                                          T                x                            ,                              T                y                                      )                          =                              ∑                          k              =              1                        N                                          xe2x80x83                                                        w                              Δ                                                  xe2x80x83                                                A                                                                xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  xe2x80x83                                    exp                                      xe2x80x83                                                  (                              ⅈ                                                  xe2x80x83                                                2                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  π                  λ                                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  (                                                                                T                        x                                                                                x                        k                                                              +                                                                  T                        x                                                                                y                        k                                                                              )                                            )                                                  7                                                g                          Δ                                            xe2x80x83                                          E                                                      xe2x80x83                                          (                                          T                x                            ,                              T                y                                      )                          =                              ∑                          k              =              1                        N                                          xe2x80x83                                                        w                              Δ                                                  xe2x80x83                                                E                                                                xe2x80x83                                                  (              k              )                                                  xe2x80x83                                    exp                                      xe2x80x83                                                  (                              ⅈ                                                  xe2x80x83                                                2                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  π                  λ                                                                  xe2x80x83                                                                  (                                                                                T                        x                                                                                x                        k                                                              +                                                                  T                        y                                                                                y                        k                                                                              )                                            )                                                  8
where (Tx, Ty) are the direction cosines and (Xk, Yk) are the antenna element locations.
The adoption of high-speed digital signal processing allowed the morphology or topology of the xe2x80x9cprincipally-analogxe2x80x9d monopulse system of FIG. 1 to be adapted for digital beamforming, as illustrated in the simplified block diagram of FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, elements corresponding to those of FIG. 1 are designated by like reference numerals, but in the 200 series. In FIG. 2, the receive portion of the radar system 200 includes set 12 of N antenna elements 121, 122, . . . , 12N as in the case of FIG. 1. The corresponding received signals r1, r2, . . . , rN are coupled from each receive antenna element of set 12 to a corresponding RF receiver 2161, 2162, . . . , 216N, where the signals are low-noise amplified, filtered, and converted to IF frequency. From RF receivers 2161, 2162, . . . , 216N, the analog received signals are coupled to a corresponding set 218 of IF-receivers, including IF receivers 2181, 2182, . . . , 218N. The IF receivers of set 218 amplify and possibly otherwise process the IF-frequency signals, to produce signals at baseband. The baseband signals from IF amplifier set 218 are applied to corresponding analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) 2201, 2202, . . . , 220N of a set 220 of ADCs. The digital signals representing the N received signals are applied from the N ADCs of set 220 to the N input ports 214i1, 214i2, . . . , 214iN of digital beamformer 214. Beamformer 214 processes the signals represented by the digital numbers in essentially the same way as the beamformer 214 of FIG. 1, except that beamformer 214 does the processing in digital form, whereas the beamformer of FIG. 1 is an analog apparatus. Beamformer 214 produces digital sum (xcexa3) signals, azimuth difference signals (xcex94A) and elevation difference signals (xcex94E). The digital sum signals represent the summation of all the signals received by the array of individual antenna elements, and the digital azimuth difference signals represent the difference between the signals received by the antenna elements of the right and left halves of the array of antenna elements, while the digital elevation difference signals represent the difference between the signals received by the antenna elements of the upper and lower halves of the array, all as in the case of the analog beamformer of FIG. 1.
From the (xcexa3), (xcex94A), and (xcex94E) output ports of beamformer 214 of FIG. 2, the digital (xcexa3), (xcex94A), and (xcex94E) signals are applied to processing which corresponds to that of FIG. 1, namely the xcexa3 signals are applied to a waveform processing block 22xcexa3 and thence to a detection block 24, the xcex94A signals are applied to a waveform processing block 22xcex94A, and the xcex94E signals are applied to another waveform processing block 22xcex94E. Blocks 26 and 30 perform the same functions as that performed in the arrangement of FIG. 1, namely the taking of the ratio of the sum signal xcexa3 to the azimuth difference signal xcex94A and to the elevation difference signal xcex94E, respectively, and from those ratios, looking up the target angle.
FIG. 3 is a simplified representation of the processing which is performed by the analog beamformer 14 of FIG. 1 or by the digital beamformer 214 of FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, beamformer 14, 214 receives r1 signals (from the first antenna element of the array, not illustrated) and couples the signals to three multipliers 310xcexa31, 310A1, and 310E1. The r2 received signals are applied to three multipliers 310xcexa32, 310A2, and 310E2, and the rN received signals are applied to three multipliers 310xcexa3N, 310AN, and 310EN. Multipliers 310xcexa31, 310xcexa32, and 310xcexa3N are associated with the xcexa3 beam of the system, multipliers 310A1, 310A2, and 310AN are associated with the xcex94A beam, and multipliers 310E1, 310E2, and 310EN are associated with the xcex94E beam. Each multiplier also receives a weight for weighting the return signals flowing through the multiplier. More particularly, multipliers 310xcexa31, 310xcexa32, . . . , and 310xcexa3N are associated with weights W1xcexa3, W2xcexa3, . . . , and WNxcexa3, respectively; multipliers 310A1, 310A2, . . . , and 310AN are associated with weights W1xcex94A, W2xcex94A, . . . , and WNxcex94A, respectively, and multipliers 310E1, 310E2, . . . , and 310EN are associated with weights W1xcex94E, W2xcex94E, . . . , and WNxcex94E, respectively. The multipliers multiply the r1, r2, . . . , rN signals by the various weights to produce signals which are summed. The weighted signals produced by multipliers 310xcexa31, 310xcexa32, . . . , and 310xcexa3N are summed by a summing circuit 312xcexa3 to produce the xcexa3 signal at the output of the beamformer 14, 214, the weighted signals produced by multipliers 310A1, 310A2, . . , and 310AN are summed together by a summing circuit 316A to produce the xcex94A signal, and the weighted signals produced by multipliers 310A1, 310A2, . . . , and 310AN are summed together by a summing circuit 312E to produce the xcex94E signal.
Improved monopulse systems are desired.
A radar return signal detection system according to an aspect of the invention is for determining the presence of a target and for determining the azimuth and elevation angles of arrival of the return signal from the target according to an aspect of the invention includes an array of receiving antenna elements for receiving the return signal. This array is preferably a two-dimensional array of elemental antennas. The system also includes a combination of (a) analog-to-digital conversion means and (b) a beamformer. The combination is coupled to each of the antenna elements for receiving signals representative of the return signal. The combination also includes two beamforming ports at which digital first and second signals are produced, with the first signal representing a sum beam and the second signal representing a difference beam. The second signal is in the form of a complex number in which the azimuth difference and the elevation difference information are encoded. The system also includes digital sum signal processing means coupled to the combination for receiving the first signal, and for generating a sum signal indication for determining the presence or absence of a target. A digital difference signal processing means is coupled to the combination for receiving the complex number, and processing the first signal with the complex number to produce the azimuth and elevation angles. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the complex number is divided by the sum signal to produce a further complex number in which the real component corresponds to the azimuth monopulse ratio, and in which the imaginary component corresponds to the elevation monopulse ratio.
In one embodiment of the invention, the beamformer is an analog beamformer for receiving analog signals from the antenna elements and for producing the first and second signals in analog form, and the analog-to-digital conversion means comprises first and second analog-to-digital converters coupled to the beam output of the analog beamformer for converting the analog first and second signals into digital form.
In another embodiment of the invention, the analog-to-digital conversion means comprises a plurality of analog-to-digital converters equal in number to the number of the receiving antenna elements in the array, with each of the analog-to-digital converters coupled to one of the receiving antenna elements, for converting analog signals received by each of the receiving antenna elements into digital form. In this embodiment, the beamformer is a digital beamformer coupled to the plurality of analog-to-digital converters, for generating the digital first and second signals from the digital signals produced by the analog-to-digital converters.

Monopulse array radar with single difference beam for simultaneous azimuth and elevation angle determination


A control unit has a first storing unit storing data of a rewrite control program received by the control unit in a rewritable storage medium at a destination address thereof received thereby. The control unit has a second storing unit storing the destination address in the rewritable storage medium at a destination storing address thereof received by the control unit. The control unit has an execution unit referring to the destination address stored at the destination storing address in the rewritable storage medium and executing the rewrite control program stored in the rewritable storage medium based on the referred destination address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for sending a rewrite control program to a control unit, such as a vehicle control unit. The control unit has a first function of receiving the sent rewrite control program to store it in a rewritable memory of the control unit, and a second function of causing the execution point of the control unit to jump to the leading address of the rewrite control program.
In addition, the present invention is associated with control units having the first and second functions set forth above, programs for sending a rewrite control program to a control unit, and boot programs capable of receiving a rewrite control program and booting it.
2. Description of the Related Art
In vehicle control, vehicle control units have used techniques for downloading a rewrite control program from the outside thereof and for executing the downloaded rewrite control program that allows the control units to rewrite application programs installed therein into new application programs. Such application programs include an engine-ignition control program, an automatic-transmission control program, and other similar vehicle-control programs.
An example of such rewrite control program downloading and executing methods, which has been used in common, includes the steps of
downloading a rewrite control program to a predetermined area of a RAM (Random Access Memory) of a vehicle control unit; and
causing the execution location to jump to the leading address of the predetermined area after the completion of the download in the RAM. A program that allows a vehicle control unit to carry out this method is referred to as a rewrite control program receiving and booting program hereinafter.
An actual example of the method in accordance with the rewrite control program receiving and booting program set forth above will be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a view schematically illustrating the structure of a memory unit 50 of a vehicle control unit installed in a vehicle and illustrating data flow between an external tool 60, such as a personal computer, and the memory unit 50. FIG. 9 is a flowchart schematically illustrating the structure of a boot program 53 corresponding to the rewrite control program receiving and booting program.
In the actual example illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the vehicle control unit runs the boot program 53 stored in a flash ROM (Read Only Memory) 51 of the memory unit 50 immediately after it is booted up. The boot program 53 causes the vehicle control unit to receive a rewrite control program 55 sent from the external tool 60 communicable with the vehicle control unit. The boot program 53 causes the vehicle control unit to store the received rewrite control program 55 in a predetermined area of a RAM 52 of the memory unit 50 from an address of the RAM 52 (see the arrow 61 in FIG. 8).
Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the boot program 53 allows the vehicle control unit to execute the following operations.
In step S531 of FIG. 9, the vehicle control unit executes initialization, and determines whether to detect a rewrite request sent from the external tool 60 in step S532.
When it is determined that no rewrite requests are detected after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, that is, when the determination in step S532 is NO, the execution point of the vehicle control unit jumps to an application program stored in the RAM 52 in step S532a.
When it is determined that the rewrite request sent from the external tool 60 is detected, that is, the determination in step S532 is YES, the vehicle control unit waits for data being sent from the external tool 60 in step S533.
When the vehicle control unit receives an address command containing address data indicative of the address in the RAM 52 and data indicative of the size of the rewrite control program 55, which is sent from the external tool 60, the determination in step S534 is YES. Then, the vehicle control unit reads out the address data contained in the address command to store it in the RAM 52 as a rewrite address in step S535.
After that, every time the vehicle control unit receives a data command containing a module of the rewrite control program 55 in step S536, it reads out the module of the rewrite control program 55 contained in each data command to sequentially write the readout modules of the rewrite control program 55 into the RAM 52 from the rewrite address thereof in the order of reception in step S537.
When all of the modules constituting the rewrite control program 55 are stored in the RAM 52, the vehicle control unit causes its execution point to jump to the rewrite address of the RAM's predetermined area in which the rewrite control program is stored (see the arrow 62 in FIG. 8).
Specifically, as illustrated in step S538 of FIG. 9, the vehicle control unit determines whether the whole volume of the modules of the rewrite control program 55, which have ever been received to be stored in the RAM 52, reaches the volume equivalent to the size of the rewrite control program 55, which is received in step S534.
When it is determined that the whole volume of the modules of the rewrite control program 55, which have ever been received to be stored in the RAM 52, reaches the volume equivalent to the size of the rewrite control program 55, the vehicle control unit completes the download of the rewrite control program 55 in step S539. Subsequently, in step S539, the vehicle control unit causes its execution point to jump to the destination address corresponding to the rewrite address of the rewrite control program 55 stored in the RAM 52, exiting the boot program 53, and thereafter, starts to execute the rewrite control program 55.
The execution of the rewrite control program 55 allows the vehicle control unit to receive an application program 54 from the external tool 60, and to store the received application program 54 in a predetermined area of the flash ROM 51.
Application programs to be executed by various types of vehicle control units installed in vehicles of various models commonly have different program sizes depending on the vehicle destinations and/or the vehicle models. In addition, structures of memory units of the vehicle control units are commonly different from each other depending on the vehicle destinations and/or the vehicle models. These points may cause areas of RAMs in which rewrite control programs are stored to be different from each other.
From this viewpoint, the conventional rewrite control program receiving and booting program, which is referred to simply as conventional booting program, is described such that the execution point jumps to the predetermined address of the rewrite control program after the completion of the download. Accordingly, when installing the conventional booting programs into various types of vehicle control units, it may be necessary to rewrite the conventional booting programs so as to meet variable addresses to which the execution points of the various types of vehicle control units jump after the completion of the download, respectively.
The program rewrite operations may however cause the efficiency of installation of the conventional booting programs into the corresponding vehicle control units to deteriorate.

Method and system for sending a rewrite control program to a control unit


Compositions comprising microparticles of a cross-linkable, glyoxalated (meth)acrylamide containing, polymeric material are disclosed. They are prepared using inverse microemulsion polymerization techniques and are useful as wet- and dry-strength agents in paper production.

Water-soluble polymers which have the property of imparting wet-strength to paper are important specialties of the paper-making art. Certain of these polymers, which may be anionic or cationic, develop their wet strength only under acidic conditions. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,345,543; 2,582,840 and 2,594,014. Detrimental results of the acidic conditions are that the papermaking equipment is subjected to corrosive embrittlement.
Water-soluble, glyoxalated, acrylamide polymer wet strength agents are disclosed in Coscia, U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,932, incorporated herein by reference. These wet-strength agents are made from polymers with molecular weights ranging from less than about 1,000,000, preferably less than about 25,000. The polymers are reacted with glyoxal in a dilute, aqueous solution to impart --CONHCHOHCHO functionalities onto the polymer and to increase the molecular weight of the polymer through glyoxal cross-links. Low molecular weight polymers and dilute solutions are required to impart at least a 6 percent --CONHCHOHCHO functionality to the polymers without infinitely cross-linking, or gelling, them, in which condition the polymers are useless for wet-strength applications. Even at these low solids concentrations (dilute conditions), cross-linking continues and limits the shelf life of the product. For example, commercial products, supplied as 10% solid solutions, gel within about 8 days at room temperature.


Monocyclic and polycyclic azoles having the following formula modify the tone of a silver image formed from a fine grain radiation sensitive silver chlorobromide emulsion layer in which the silver chlorobromide grains have a mean equivalent circular diameter of less than 0.3 .mu.m. The azoles have the formula: ##STR1## wherein Z is --N.dbd. or --C(R.sup.5).dbd. where R.sup.5 is hydrogen, --NH.sub.2, aliphatic of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or aromatic of 1 to 8 carbon atoms;. R.sup.4 is hydrogen, aliphatic of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or aromatic of 1 to 8 carbon atoms; PA0 R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 together complete a 5 or 6 membered heterocyclic nucleus containing 1 to 3 ring nitrogen atoms; PA0 L is a divalent aliphatic linking group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms; PA0 T is an aliphatic terminal group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms; PA0 m is 0 or 1; PA0 n is an integer of 1 to 4; and PA0 p is an integer of 2 to 4.

To attain an accurate patient diagnosis, a medical radiologist typically relies upon a visual study of silver images in photographic elements. Image study usually occurs with the element mounted on a light box, a white translucent illumination source. Silver halide photographic elements can be exposed to X-radiation alone to produce viewable silver images. A more efficient approach, which greatly reduces X-radiation exposures, is to employ an intensifying screen in combination with the radiographic element. The intensifying screen absorbs X-radiation and emits longer wavelength electromagnetic radiation which silver halide emulsions more readily absorb. Another technique for reducing patient exposure is to coat two silver halide emulsion layers on opposite sides of the film support to form a "double coated" radiographic element. Diagnostic needs can be satisfied at the lowest patient X-radiation exposure levels by employing a double coated radiographic element in combination with a pair of intensifying screens. However, alternatives are now available to the radiologist for capturing the X-radiation image. For example, the X-radiation image can be captured in a storage phosphor screen. By subsequently scanning the exposed storage phosphor screen with stimulating radiation, an emission profile can be read out and sent to a computer where it is stored. Such an imaging approach is described in Luckey U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,847 and DeBoer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,090.
To provide the radiologist with a viewable image that can be studied, the stored image information can be used as recorded or with computer enhancement, to expose a diagnostic photographic film, often using a modulated light emitting diode or He-Ne laser source emitting in the red or near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum as the exposure source. After exposure, the diagnostic photographic film is photographically developed to provide a silver image for examination. In a typical procedure, such a diagnostic photographic film is run through a processing cycle, usually a so-called rapid-access process in which processing is completed in 90 seconds or less, which is the same as the processing cycle used for processing diagnostic photographic film that is directly exposed to X-radiation. The same rapid-access process is used by the radiologist for efficiency of effort. Also, such rapid-access processing is capable of providing comparable viewable silver images in diagnostic photographic films when such images are provided by direct exposure to X-radiation or by alternative exposure techniques such as where the image is provided by scanning a storage phosphor screen. Furthermore, since a patient being examined cannot be released until successful recording of the silver images needed for diagnosis has been confirmed, the diagnostic photographic films are normally constructed to provide rapid-access processing.
A photographic element that can be used as a diagnostic film without direct exposure to X-radiation in the manner described hereinbefore, frequently comprises at least one emulsion layer containing radiation sensitive silver chlorobromide fine grains containing up to 70 mole percent chloride. Such silver chlorobromide emulsion layers provide more rapid developability which is very desirable for rapid-access processing and are also known to have certain ecological advantages over other higher sensitivity silver halide emulsion layers such as silver bromide emulsion layers. Furthermore, since film sensitivity is not a major issue where the diagnostic film (and the patient) is not directly exposed to X-radiation, it is both feasible and desirable to facilitate rapid-access processing by using elements comprising fine grain silver chlorobromide emulsion layers wherein the chloride content of such grains is 70 mole percent or less. Such elements exhibit the aforementioned advantages and provide silver images exhibiting excellent definition of the type required for examination by a radiologist. Unfortunately, such silver images exhibit a warm tone, for example, a yellowish, greenish or brown hue when the elements are viewed by transmitted light. For a skilled diagnostician, such warm tone images are an obstacle to accurate diagnosis. A neutrally black or colder tone image is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,601 describes the use of certain 2-alkylthio-4-hydroxy-1,3,3a,7-tetraazaindenes to modify silver image tone in a photographic element and impart a neutral tone to a developed silver image formed upon exposure and processing of the element. Such image toning materials comprise a single sulfur atom in an alkylthio substituent and have the following formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is alkyl containing 6 to 11 carbon atoms or is a ring system and the groups R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each individually hydrogen or alkyl containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
The above azoles do achieve some modification in image tone as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,601. Unfortunately, they often do not provide a silver image having the cold tone that is desired in many applications such as diagnostic film of the type described previously herein or graphic arts materials where cold tones enable a viewer such as a radiologist to more accurately evaluate an image. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,601 points out that the use of azoles having the above formula is a critical feature for purposes of patentees' invention since closely related compounds with seemingly small changes in the structure represented by the above formula provide only a negligible effect on image tone. Contrary to the teachings in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,601, it has been our experience, as demonstrated by examples that follow, that azoles of the type described in detail hereinafter, which contain multiple sulfur atoms in an aliphatic substituent on an azole ring, are more effective tone-modifying agents than the azoles described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,601 which contain only a single sulfur atom in such a substituent. In addition, the azoles used in the present invention provide cold tone silver images that enhance the ability of a viewer such as a radiologist to more accurately evaluate a silver image.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,720,447 and 4,859,565 may, upon superficial examination, appear to be of some interest with respect to the present invention since these patents describe the use of heterocyclic azole compounds as density-and/or tone controlling compounds. However, these patents simply describe the use of such compounds in a photographic silver complex diffusion transfer reversal process (often simply referred to as a DTR process) wherein a silver image is formed in a non-radiation sensitive layer from a soluble silver salt. There is no suggestion that such compounds would have any effect in modifying the tone of a silver image formed from a fine grain radiation sensitive silver chlorobromide emulsion of the type used in the present invention. Furthermore, as demonstrated in the following Examples, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,720,447 and 4,859,565 describe the use of a broad class of heterocyclic azole compounds that includes many compounds that are taught to be effective for patentees' purposes, but would not be useful in the practice of this invention. For example, a large number of the heterocyclic azole compounds described in the aforementioned patents do not contain multiple sulfur atoms in an aliphatic substituent on an azole ring which is an essential feature of this invention. It is significant to note that for patentees' purposes, no distinction is made between heterocyclic azoles which contain no thiaalkyl substituents, those that contain only a single sulfur atom in a thiaalkyl substituent and those that contain multiple sulfur atoms in a thiaalkyl substituent. Accordingly, it is evident that U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,720,447 and 4,859,565 are not pertinent to the present invention which pertains to the use of a specific class of heterocyclic azoles to modify the tone of a silver image formed from a photographic element comprising an emulsion layer containing fine grains or radiation sensitive silver chlorobromide having a chloride content up to 70 mole percent chloride.
In the previous description, emphasis has been placed on the advantages of modifying the tone of a silver image formed from a diagnostic photographic film. However, it is well known in the art that photographic elements used for other purposes, e.g. in the field of graphic arts, can also benefit from such tone modification. Accordingly, this invention is specifically contemplated for use with such elements, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
In light of the previous discussion, it is obvious that it would be very desirable to have a photographic element comprising a fine grain chlorobromide emulsion layer that achieves the processing and ecological advantages referred to hereinbefore, and also has the capacity of forming a neutral or cold tone silver image of the type desired for diagnostic films and graphic arts materials. Likewise, it would be desirable to have such a photographic element with the capability of being processed using conventional rapid-access X-ray processing techniques. This invention provides such a photographic element and a means for obtaining a neutral tone high definition silver image.

Tone control of photographic silver images


A detection section that detects a key-tapping speed and key-tapping intensity is provided to detect a user's impatience level. An input device detects the key-tapping intensity and key-tapping speed. The input device compares the detection value of the key-tapping speed and an average key-tapping speed. When the detection value exceeds a stored normal key-tapping speed, the input device then compares the detection value of the key-tapping intensity and a reference pressure value. When the detection value exceeds a stored normal key-tapping intensity, information to be output for a user is changed over. In this case, displayed characters are enlarged and emphasized to a maximum extent. On the other hand, in the case where a detection value does not exceed the normal key-tapping speed and the detection value exceeds the normal key-tapping intensity, displayed characters are only slightly enlarged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input device, input method, and electronic equipment that detect psychological information of a user, and more particularly to, an input device and input method that detect a user's psychological state through normal operation performed by the user and an electronic equipment that detect a user's psychological state through operation performed by the user.
This application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-412275, filed on Dec. 10, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic game device, which includes a liquid crystal display device or is connectable to a TV set, is configured to receive input of an instruction or data from a user through a controller provided with input keys to execute a program based on the input information. In a conventional electronic game device, however, a prepared program proceeds only by input operation from the user, which limits the fun of the game.
To cope with this, a configuration in which a detection means for detecting the excitement level of the player is provided in the controller to change the pattern of the game depending on the excitement level of the player is proposed. In particular, a technique that grasps the excitement level of the player by detecting sweating, heartbeat, blood pressure, body temperature, brain wave, key-tapping intensity, pronunciation, blinking, or the like to make the player more excited in the game plot is proposed (refer to, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 5-293253).
However, the calculation of psychological state from sweating, heartbeat, blood pressure, body temperature, brain wave, key-tapping intensity, pronunciation, blinking, or the like is normally executed based on the detection of highly accurate indicator and complicated analytical algorithm, incurring an increased processing load, which complicates the configuration of the controller (input section) for the detection.

Input device, input method and electronic equipment


A method for producing a component from a fibre-reinforced plastic includes the steps of providing a moulding tool having a tool surface, positioning a first layer of a textile semifinished product comprising dry fibres on the tool surface, arranging a second layer of an electrically conductive, resin-permeable grid on the first layer, arranging an uppermost arrangement of layers, sealing the arrangement of layers by a closure device to form a mould, introducing resin into the mould for infiltration of all the layers with the resin and curing and removal of the component.

To operate safely, large-format components made of a fibre-reinforced plastic, in particular for aircraft, should be provided with lightning protection. Such protection takes the form for example of a conductive layer embedded in a resin. A conductive layer may in this case be bonded onto the outer side of such a large-format component. In the case of known methods, this may be carried out by bringing together a resin-containing conductive layer for the lightning protection and a preimpregnated, preformed and uncured component (prepreg) and by the subsequent curing of this composite.
For sufficient resin infusion of such layers or preforms adjacent to the conductive layer, flow aids are usually used. Known for example are mats for distributing resin over regions of a large surface area, which are additionally introduced into the preform. A surface area of the preform lying on a moulding tool is also provided with a flow aid, in order to provide this side of the preform with resin. To achieve a high surface quality of the component produced in this way, subsequent treatment of at least one side of the cured component is necessary.
EP 2 222 563 A1 discloses a lightning protection system for an aircraft structure made of a fibre-reinforced plastic in which conductive strips are arranged on an outer side of the aircraft structure.

Method for producing a composite component


A screen is provided for a garage door and has the same dimensions as the garage door. A Velcro.RTM. fastening system is utilized to secure the top and opposite side edges of the flexible screen means to the interior door casing so that the screen will be positively maintained in place to prevent the passage of insects, leaves, etc. into the garage. A vertically disposed double zipper is provided in the screen to permit access into the interior of the garage or exit therefrom.

This invention relates to a screen and more particularly to a flexible screen which may be quickly and easily positioned in a car garage door opening to prevent insects, leaves, etc. from entering the garage when the garage door is open or partially open.
The door of a car garage is frequently left open which permits insects, leaves, etc. to enter the same. There are many times when it is desirable to be able to use the interior of the garage as a patio or the like and the ability of insects, leaves, etc. to enter the interior thereof is troublesome. Further, it is sometimes desirable to leave the garage door partially open such as when it is desired to ventilate the garage during periods when pets are housed therein. Even with the garage door partially open, leaves and insects find their way into the interior of the garage.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a flexible screen which may be readily extended across a car garage opening.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a screen for a garage door which is readily mounted therein and which has a double zipper provided therein to provide entry into the garage or to provide an exit therefrom.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a screen for a garage door which does not detract from the appearance of the garage when the screen is not being used.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a screen for a garage door which is durable in use, refined in appearance and economical of manufacture.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.


The invention relates to a method for specifically detecting and identifying retroviral nucleic acids/retroviruses in any item to be examined using RT-PCR and reverse dot blot hybridization (RDBH) as well as to diagnosis kits for carrying out said method. The invention also relates to retrovirus-specific, oligonucleotide/primer mixtures (MOP) which comprise forward primers and reverse primers and which are provided for generating amplification products of retrovirus-specific nucleic acids from the item to be examined. These inventive primary mixtures (MOP-ABD, MOP-C) are comprised of retrovirus-specific, degenerated oligonucleotides which correspond to the highly conserved regions located within the reverse transcriptase gene (RT-gene) of all known human retroviruses and which have a head or extension sequence consisting of a clamping and interface sequence. The invention also relates to retrovirus-specific probes for the RDBH, whereby defined quantities of synthetically produced, precisely defined nucleic acid sequences are concerned which stem from the reverse transcriptase gene of those retroviruses already characterized, against which the item to be examined should be tested, and which do not overlap at all with the nucleotide sequences of the forward primers and reverse primers used in the PCR or RT-PCR.

The invention relates to a method for the specific detection and identification of retroviral nucleic acids/retroviruses in an arbitrary specimen and a diagnosis kit for implementing this method. It also relates to retrovirus-specific probes for reverse dot blot hybridisation and retrovirus-specific oligonucleotide primer mixtures (MOP) comprising forward and reverse primers for producing amplificates of retrovirus-specific nucleic acids from the specimen.
Exogenous and endogenous retroviruses (HERV) are etiological agents for a multiplicity of tumorigenic diseases in humans and animals. They are involved in the formation of tumours and leukaemias in numerous animal models but also in humans (HTLV-I and II). Others also cause immunodeficiency diseases (HIV). Present research indicates that retroviruses may also play a role as triggers of autoimmune diseases (Kalden and Herrmann, 1993) and neuronal degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (Tuke et al. 1997). Intensive research in the field of endogenous and exogenous retroviruses has so far led to the continual discovery of new retroviral sequences in the human genotype whose expression could possibly be associated with specific diseases. For example, the expression of Gag proteins of the HERV-K family is associated with almost all forms of testicular and ovarian germinomas (Sauter et al. 1995). Antibodies against HERV-K Env protein were detected in human sera (Vogetseder et al. 1993). The HERV-K-IDDM env gene which was isolated from patients with type-1 diabetes possibly codes for an endogenous superantigen (Conrad et al. 1997).
Statistically reliable studies using large groups of patients are required to correlate specific diseases with the activity of specific endogenous or exogenous retroviruses. The expenditure in time and money required for this using the known methods of detection according to the prior art is immense.
The increasing use of retroviral vector systems in human gene therapy casts doubts on the safety from undesirable side effects (genome changes in the target cells, transmission of undesirable viruses). Thus, a certain percentage of undesirable gene sections of endogenous or foreign retroviruses are also co-packaged in the retroviral particles for therapeutic application in packaging cell lines (Co-packaging, Sherwin et al. 1987, Scolnick et al. 1979, Takeuchi et al. 1992). For example, transcripts of certain endogenous retroviruses, such as those present in related form in the genome of packaging cell lines, have been detected in retrovirus-like particles (pseudotypes) of the breast cancer cell line T47D (Seifarth et al. 1995, 1998). The packaging of such undesirable retroviral sequences can lead to the recombination and formation of new retroviruses having modified, possible pathogenic properties. The re-integration of such recombinant retroviruses in the genome of the target cells can lead to insertion mutagenesis and consequently to inactivation of important genes of the cell cycle and possibly to tumorgenesis.
For this reason it is necessary to conduct quality control of the gene vector preparations to be used for gene therapy using a sensitive test system. This could prevent any undesirable retroviral sequences from being transfused. In the event of positive detection, a vector preparation could be subjected to suitable purification (purging) before being administered to the patient. The methods known according to the prior art are not suitable for such an application.
A controversial issue at the present time is the use of animal organs for transplantation in humans (xenotransplantation). For example, as a result of the shortage of suitable donors, heart valves from pigs are being increasingly transplanted in humans. The transplantation of heart, liver and kidney transplants is also planned. However, recent research has shown that within the transplantation framework and the associated immunosuppression by medication, endogenous or exogenous retroviruses so far suppressed in the donor organ can become activated in the recipient. As has already been demonstrated experimentally, these retroviruses of animal origin are pathogenic for certain human cell types (xenotropism) and could thus lead to a serious systemic disease of the organ recipient. In cases where pathogenic infectious virus particles are formed, transmission to uninvolved third parties (epidemic) cannot be excluded. Last but not least, recombinations of retroviruses of animal origin with endogenous human retroviruses could result in new pathogenic virus recombinants with completely new host tropisms.
There is thus a need for fast, reliable and at the same time favourably priced detection systems which could be used to test the transplant carrier for infection with retroviruses of animal origin on a regular basis.
A number of methods for direct and indirect virus detection are available for the detection of viral infections in the prior art. For the direct detection of virus particles, products of viral replication (viral antigens) or an immune response directed against the virus (antiviral antibodies) these include electron microscopy (EM), staining of viral proteins with fluorescent antibodies, "enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay" (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Molecular biological methods such as nucleic acid hybridisations with virus-specific gene probes (dot-blot, southern-blot, northern-blot) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with virus-specific primers are being conducted increasingly to directly detect the virus and its nucleic acids.
In the indirect methods it is usually not the viruses themselves but their after-effects that are detected, i.e. the changes (cytopathic effects) in cells induced by a virus replication. This must usually be conducted in an in vitro cell culture system tailored to the virus to be detected. This requires living cells in which the virus to be detected can replicate. Depending on the type of virus, cell cultures, organ cultures, embryonated chick eggs or even laboratory animals are required for the detection. The manifestation of the cytopathic effect (cell lysis, focal or diffuse cell growth, syncytium formation, rounding) and the host spectrum of the virus are used as indices to identify the virus. Frequently however, a precise identification can only be made in combination with serological or molecular biological methods (PCR).
The relatively low sensitivity of some direct methods of detection (EM, antibody staining) means that the specimen must contain a certain quantity of virus for a successful detection or it must be enriched by suitable methods (ultracentrifuging). If this is not practicable, the virus must be preliminarily cultured in a special in vitro cell culture system. Since many viruses possess special host cell tropisms, a special test system is required for each virus to be tested. This results in high laboratory costs, their evaluation is very time-consuming in some cases and requires very great experience.
Serological methods (ELISA, RIA) are generally highly sensitive and have developed into the current gold standard in virus diagnosis. However, the disadvantage of all serological methods is that a specific antibody is required for each virus to be tested. In one test run the sample to be studied can thus only be tested for one putative virus. Studies of entire expression patterns using these methods can only be made at great expense in time and cost.
Developments in the field of molecular biology have led to the development of new methods of detection (hybridisations, PCR) which possess similar sensitivity to serological antigen methods of detection. In this case also, the detection success stands or falls by the availability of virus-specific gene probes (hybridisation) or oligonucleotides (PCR). Since the use of several probes or PCR primers is limited because of non-specific interactions in a reaction formulation, many experiments must be conducted in parallel to detect complex expression patterns.
In view of the circumstances described previously, the problem for the present invention was to provide an efficient and reliable, and at the same time fast method for the multiple detection of endogenous and exogenous retroviruses of human and animal origin.

Method for the specific detection and identification of retroviral nucleic acids/retroviruses in a specimen


A set for spinal anesthesia has a spinal needle, a stylet, an introducer needle through which the spinal needle is introduced, and a clamp for fixing the spinal needle to the introducer needle to stabilize the spinal needle.

The present invention relates to a set for spinal anesthesia. More particularly, it relates to a set which includes an introducer needle, a spinal needle and a stylet.
Sets for spinal anesthesia of the above mentioned type are known in the art. As shown in FIG. 1, a big bore introducer needle 3 is placed within intraspinal muscles 10. Then, a small bore spinal needle 4 is placed within the introducer needle 3 to prevent its bending and curving, advanced further, and positioned within the subarachnoid space 1. The stylet 5 which extends through the spinal needle is removed and after the cerebrospinal fluid appears, a syringe with anesthetic is attached to the spinal needle and medicine is injected.
The known set possesses some disadvantages. The spinal needle positioned through the introducer needle within the subanrachnoid space is extremely unstable. It slides back and forth via the introducer needle.


Disclosed are hinged and non-hinged bunk board cover systems for mating over a bunk board component of a watercraft trailer. An exemplary hinged embodiment includes a main contact surface component sized to substantially cover a top surface of the bunk board component and a pair of side fastener surface components connected to the main contact surface component via a pair of hinge components. The main contact surface component, hinge components and side fastener surface components may be co-extruded into a single, “cut to length” ribbon that can be formed into a bulk roll. It is envisioned that certain embodiments may be constructed from thermoplastics, thermoplastic elastomers, or a combination thereof.

Embodiments of the present system are generally directed to the field of protective covers for structural components and, more specifically, to systems for providing a protective cover for bunk board components of trailers used for transporting watercraft.
Commonly, trailers designed for the transport of watercraft will include a pair or more of bunk boards, or "runners," that are anchored to the trailer's frame. The bunk boards are positioned to contact the underside of the watercraft and provide support such that the watercraft "sits" on the bunk boards when loaded on the trailer. Most bunk boards run longitudinally from front to back of the trailer frame so that when the boat is loaded onto the frame the bunk boards extend substantially from the bow of the watercraft to its stern.
To load a watercraft on a trailer that has bunk boards, the trailer is backed into the water until the bunk boards are inclined and mostly submerged just beneath the water's surface. The watercraft can then be powered onto the trailer until its weight is supported by the bunk boards. Next, the trailer is pulled from the water with the watercraft sitting atop it. Similarly, to unload a watercraft from a trailer, the trailer is backed into the water until the buoyancy of the watercraft causes it to float off of the trailer's bunk boards.
As one of ordinary skill in the art understands, repeatedly loading and unloading a watercraft from a trailer may cause wear and tear on both the bunk boards as well as the hull of the watercraft. Also, a high coefficient of friction between the bunk boards and the hull of the watercraft can make loading the watercraft onto, and off of, the trailer a difficult task. Therefore, what is needed in the art is a bunk board cover system that protects the bunk boards while reducing the coefficient of friction with the hull of a watercraft. Further, what is need in the art is a bunk board cover system that can be manufactured and shipped in a compact and cost efficient manner. Even further, what is needed in the art is a bunk board system that can be "cut to length" in the field to accommodate different bunk board applications.
These needs, as well as other needs in the art, are addressed in the various embodiments of the invention as presented herein.


A restraint system is disclosed which limits the range of motion of a driver's helmet, and consequently the flexure of an individual's neck. In particular, the proposed system is laterally symmetric and comprises an arrangement of straps including a first strap extending from the “chin” of the helmet downwardly over the shoulder to an attachment point near the shoulder blade. A second strap extend form the occipital region forward over the shoulder and is attached on the chest. A separate strap also extends from the chin to the mid-point of the second strap. A fourth strap extends from the occipital region to the mid-point of the first strap. In addition, a harness is disclosed comprising a strap which encircles the check and straps which encircle the thighs, and use of a VELCRO fastener to anchor the restraint system to the harness.

Protecting the head and neck of drivers for high speed race cars or motorcycles is highly desirable. In order to protect the driver's head, the use of a crash helmet is common. However, the use of the helmet does not limit the range of motion of the driver's neck and does not restrain the neck. Therefore, this allows the neck of the driver to uncontrollably snap move in different directions during a crash.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a restraint system usable with a crash helmet which limits the range of motion of a driver's head, and consequently the flexure of the driver's neck.
It is another object of the invention to provide a restraint system that is easily worn and uses with a conventional helmet.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which maintains the head and neck of the driver in alignment with the driver's spine during a frontal impact of a high performance vehicle.

Neck protector for use with a crash helmet


A chemically amplified positive resist composition contains (A) an organic solvent, (B) a base resin in the form of a polysiloxane having phenolic hydroxyl groups some of which are protected with alkoxyalkyl groups and having a weight average molecular weight of 2,000-50,000, (C) a photoacid generator, and (D) a vinyl ether group-containing compound. The composition has high sensitivity to actinic radiation, is developable with aqueous base to form a resist pattern, and lends itself to fine patterning.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a chemically amplified positive resist composition which is highly sensitive to actinic radiation such as deep-UV, electron beam and X-ray, can be developed with alkaline aqueous solution to form a pattern, and is thus suitable for use in a fine patterning technique.
2. Prior Art
As the LSI technology tends toward higher integration and higher speed, further refinement of pattern rules is required. The current patterning technology mostly relies on light exposure which is now approaching the essential limit of resolution which is dictated by the wavelength of a light source. It is generally recognized that in light exposure using g-line (wavelength 436 nm) or i-line (wavelength 365 nm) as a light source, a pattern rule of about 0.5 .mu.m is the limit. For LSIs fabricated by such light exposure technique, a degree of integration equivalent to 16 mega-bit DRAM is the limit. At present, LSIs fabricated in the laboratory have reached this stage. It is urgently required to develop a finer patterning technique.
Since Ito et al. proposed a chemically amplified positive resist composition comprising a polyhydroxystyrene resin whose hydroxyl group is protected with a tert-butoxycarbonyloxy group (t-Boc group), known as PBOCST, and a photoacid generator in the form of an onium salt, a number of high sensitivity, high resolution resist compositions have been developed. Although these chemically amplified positive resist compositions have high sensitivity and high resolution, formation of a fine pattern having a high aspect ratio is deemed difficult when the mechanical strength of the resultant pattern is taken into account.
A number of chemically amplified positive resist compositions using polyhydroxystyrene as a base resin and having sensitivity to deep-UV, electron beam and X-ray are known in the art. These resist compositions rely on a single layer resist technique although a two-layer resist technique is advantageous in forming high aspect ratio patterns on stepped substrates. Because of such outstanding problems of substrate steps, light reflection from substrates, and difficult formation of high aspect ratio patterns, the known resist compositions are far from practical.
It is known that the two-layer resist technique is advantageous in forming high aspect ratio patterns on stepped substrates. To enable alkali development in the two-layer resist technique, silicone polymers having hydrophilic groups such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups are required. Since the silicones having a hydroxyl group directly attached thereto, however, undergo crosslinking reaction in the presence of acid, it is difficult to apply such silanols to chemically amplified positive resist materials.
While polyhydroxybenzylsilsesquioxane is known as a stable alkali soluble silicone polymer, its derivatives obtained by protecting some hydroxyl groups with t-Boc groups form chemically amplified silicone system positive resist materials when combined with photoacid generators as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai (JP-A) No. 118651/1995 and SPIE, Vol. 1952 (1993), 377. However, polyhydroxybenzylsilsesquioxanes used therein have a somewhat low molecular weight and a low softening temperature and therefore, resist materials using them have the problem that their pattern can be collapsed by heat encountered upon etching.

Chemically amplified positive resist composition


Described is a camera with an installation structure of lens for light measurement. The camera includes a camera body having a front surface to which a photographing lens is mounted, and through which a hole is formed. A light-receiving element is provided in the camera body, and a lens for light measurement is installed in the hole and has a front surface located at an objective side, for focusing an objective image light onto the light-receiving element. The front surface of the lens for light measure is positioned substantially on the same plane as the front surface of the camera body.

The present invention relates to a camera with an installation structure of a lens for light measurement by which a lens for light measurement is installed in a camera.
A lens for light measurement of a lens-shutter type camera is provided in a camera body in such a manner that its light-receiving portion is disposed adjacent to the photographing lens. This light receiving portion includes a light-receiving element and a lens for focusing an objective image light onto the light-receiving element. Such a conventional lens for light measurement and its vicinity structure are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional lens-shutter type camera. A camera body 51 is provided with a photographing lens 52 at a central portion on its front surface, a finder 53 above the photographing lens 52, and a release button 54 on its top surface. Then, a circular photometry hole 55 is opened adjacent to the photographing lens 52. A lens 61 for light measure is disposed at an innermost end of the photometry hole 55.
An installation structure of this lens 61 for light measurement is explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The photometry hole 55 is formed in such a manner that a diameter at a cross-sectional plane, which is parallel to a front surface of the camera body 51, becomes small as this cross-sectional plane is located toward an innermost side of the photometry hole 55 (i.e., hole 55 is bevelled). The lens 61 for light measure is coupled into this photometry hole 55 from the inside of the camera body 51. An objective side surface of the lens 61 for light measurement is formed as a convex surface 62, and this convex surface 62 is located just inside of the photometry hole 55.
The lens 61 for light measurement is fixed to the camera body 51 by a lens and a light receiving holder 71. The lens and light receiving holder 71 comprises a diaphragm portion 73 for limiting a quantity of light entering a light receiving element 81. The light-receiving element 81 is disposed behind the lens and light receiving holder 71. The light-receiving element 81 is accommodated in an enclosed cylinder (i.e. a light-shielding cylinder) 77. The enclosed cylinder 77 is fixed on a fixing plate 75, the fixing plate 75 is secured to the camera body 55.
However, in the above-described lens for light measurement there was a problem such that dust or dirt or water droplets tend to remain in the photometry hole 55. When such an obstacle is left in the photometry hole 55, the light quantity reaching the light-receiving element 81 is decreased.
Therefore, brightness of the objective is mistakenly judged to be smaller and, as a result, the photograph becomes overexposed. Or, a photometry distribution will be unexpectedly changed. For example, a central intensified photometry becomes as if it were an averaged photometry and, accordingly, an appropriate exposure amount is not obtained.
Moreover, since it is usual that the photometry hole 55 has a small diameter, removing dust and the like from the inside of the photometry hole 55 is not easy.

Camera with installation structure of lens for light measurement