A locking manhole cover which may be made of lighter weight material than conventional iron or steel manhole covers has a cover plate dimensioned to fit over a manhole opening. A cylindrical frame is attached to the underside of the cover plate and extends downwardly into the hole when the cover plate is in place. Diametrically opposed apertures are located in the side of the frame; and movable locking members are hingedly attached to the frame adjacent the apertures for pivotal movement through the apertures from a location within the frame to a location where a portion of the locking members engage the sides of the manhole in which the device is located. An operator is mounted inside the frame for effecting the pivotal movement of the locking members by means of an interacting cam or gear arrangement.

Manhole covers for permanent manhole installations are in widespread use. Typically, manhole covers are constructed in the form of a very heavy circular iron or steel plate, which closely fits into a recess around the lip of the manhole. Such plates require special tools or relatively heavy machinery in order to remove them.
A locking manhole insert cover for suspending equipment beneath the cover is disclosed in the U.S. patent to Wisniewski U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,291. This patent discloses a safety cover for manholes which is to be placed beneath a conventional manhole cover. The safety cover disclosed in the Wisniewski patent includes a plurality of arms which are extended outwardly by rotating a central cam. These arms extend under a lip or flange of the main manhole cover to hold the safety cover in place. A provision is made for locking the arms in place with a padlock; so that the cover cannot be removed.
The U.S. patent to Kagstrom U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,154 discloses a cover for well holes or the like. This cover is equipped with a self-locking mechanism in it. The locking mechanism comprises a pair of diametrically opposed arms, which are pivotally attached to a central shaft extending downwardly from the center of the well cover. The arms have a length chosen to cause them to slidably engage the walls of the hole when the cover is placed over the hole. If an attempt is made to remove the cover, the arms tend to pivot outwardly to more tightly engage the sides of the hole, preventing removal of the cover. When removal is desired, a rod or key is inserted through an aperture in a central tube attached to the cover to engage the lower ends of the pivoting arms to move them out of engagement with the sides of the hole. When the rod is in place, the cover readily can be removed. The arms do not extend into the sides of the well hole, but act as a wedge if an attempt is made to lift the cover from the well opening. Gravity holds the arms in place in the wedging or holding position.
The U.S. patent to Frishauf U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,851 discloses an emergency maintenance hole cover in the form of an inflatable balloon. The configuration of the balloon is in the general shape of a tire or hollow disk connected by a central web. The external edge of the balloon is inserted into the upper edge of the maintenance hole with which it is to be used. The balloon then is inflated; and the resilient material out of which it is made engages the edges of the maintenance hole, preventing water contaminants, animals and the like from passing into the hole. Clearly, this is a temporary installation, which is not intended to remain in place for extended periods of time.
Another patent which is directed to a locking device for locking a cover in place over a repair hole is disclosed in the U.S. patent to Brewer U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,116. The cover of this patent is placed over a vertical exposed tubular pipe in the area of the excavation. A relatively large plate covers the excavation; and a downwardly extending leg on the underside of the cover extends into the exposed pipe. The leg includes an anchoring device which engages the wall of the pipe to hold the assembly in place. The plate, which is the primary cover over the opening, is relatively heavy, requiring construction equipment to lift it into place and to remove it when it no longer is needed.
The U.S. patent to Clarke U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,659 is directed to a road excavation cover which is anchored in place by means of a horizontally arranged jack attached to the underside of the cover. The jack is operated to wedge the ends of the jack into engagement with the sides of the excavation to hold the cover in place; so that it cannot readily be moved or dislodged. This is not a cover for a circular vertical hole.
It is desirable to provide a manhole cover which may be made of lighter weight material than conventional covers, and which readily may be locked in place to secure the manhole against unauthorized exposure while permitting positive and easy release when desired.


An apparatus for bending a workpiece comprises a stretching device for stretching the workpiece. In the process for bending the workpiece, an inclination angle made by a direction a tension force is acted to the workpiece and a direction a stretching forth is applied to the workpiece by the stretching member is detected. The tension force acted to the workpiece is controlled in such a manner that the stretching force from the stretching member is controlled in consideration of the inclination angle. Accordingly, the amount of the spring back after bending is uniform and an accuracy of the dimension of the bent workpiece is improved.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for bending a workpiece.
2. Description of the Related Art:
A technique for bending a workpiece is known from Japanese patent publication No. 6-269861, a main part of which is shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 13, a rotary table 1 is connected to a die 2. The rotary table 1 is rotatable around the vertical axis at a central point thereof. The die 2 is used to bend a workpiece W facing a surface of the die 2. A holding member 3 comprises a first holding member 31 and a second holding member 32. The first holding member 31 is fixed on the rotary table 1 and holds one end portion of the workpiece W. The second holding member 32 holds the other end portion of the workpiece W.
The rotary table 1 is connected to a rotary driver 4. The rotary driver 4 is used to rotate the rotary table 1 and bend the workpiece W in a horizontal direction. The second holding member 32 is connected a load cell 8 which is further connected to a twisting driver 9. The twisting driver 9 is used to apply a rotational force to the second holding member 32 and twist the workpiece W around an axis thereof. The twisting driver 9 is fixed on an up-down table 52 of an up-down driver 5. The up-down driver 5 is used to move the up-down table 52 in a vertical direction and bend the workpiece in the vertical direction. The up-down driver 5 is connected to a slide table 62 of a forward and backward driver 6. The forward and backward driver 6 is used to move the slide table 62 in the forward and backward direction and stretch the workpiece W by applying a stretching force thereto.
The die 2 has a side wall surface and an upper wall surface. The side wall surface and the upper wall surface are respectively formed to a desired arc.
The rotary driver 4, the up-down driver 5, the forward and backward driver 6, and the twisting driver 9 are electrically connected to and controlled by an NC controller 7 having a memory. Information detected by the load cell 8 is transmitted to a calculating device 82 and a result of the calculation based on the information of the load cell 8 is transmitted to the NC controller 7.
When an operation is started, each driver 4, 5, 6 is driven respectively according to a command signal outputted by the NC controller 7. The rotary table 1 is rotated by a driving force from the rotary driver 4 and the workpiece W is bent along the side wall surface of the die 2. The second holding member 32 is moved upward by a driving force from the up-down driver 5 and the workpiece W is bent along the upper wall surface of the die 2. Further, the second holding member 32 is rotated to twist the workpiece W by applying the driving force from the twisting driver.
In case of bending a stiff workpiece, it is necessary to bend the workpiece while applying a tension force to the workpiece to prevent the workpiece from being broken. For that reason, the second holding member 32 stretches the workpiece by applying a stretching force via the forward and backward driver 6.
Since each driver 4, 5, 6, 9 is operated as described above, the workpiece W is bent to form a desired shape.
According to this method of bending the workpiece, when the second holding member 32 is moved in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 13), the portion of the workpiece W held by the second holding member 32 is inclined relative to the horizontal direction (at X-axis direction shown in FIG. 14), which is the direction the workpiece is stretched by the forward and backward driver 6 in the vertical plane. Further, when the rotary table 1 is rotated, the portion of the workpiece W held by the second holding member 32 is inclined relative to the horizontal direction in the horizontal plane. Therefore, the direction of the tension force acting on the workpiece is different from the direction of the stretching force applied to the workpiece W by the forward and backward driver. Since the direction of the tension force is different from the direction of the stretching force, not all of the stretching force is transmitted to the workpiece as a tension force. Further, an inclination angle made by the direction of the tension force and the direction of the stretching force is variable in the bending process. Since the amount of spring back after bending is related to the tension force, an error in the dimension of the workpiece generated by the spring back after bending become larger.

Apparatus and method for bending a workpiece


A compact assembly for mixing two or more fluids comprising a housing having interior serpentine flow channels. The channels are defined by alternating upward and downward extending partitions. The tip end of each partition is offset from respective interior surfaces of the housing top and bottom walls. Each offset defines a curved passage which interconnects the channels and forms a continuous zigzag flow path through the housing. Fitted within the channels are preformed static mixing units to provide additional mixing action.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus of compact length that directs and mixes fluids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many industrial and manufacturing applications require mixing fluids and applying the mixtures to a designated area. Mixing is often accomplished by directing a pressurized flow through a mixing device comprising a housing and mixing means, where the mixing means include static mixers that align longitudinally along the length of the housing.
Moreover, many applications often require mixing two fluids that are difficult to mix. In such instances, a satisfactory mixture may be created by exposing the fluids to a mixing means for an extended period of time.
With reference to FIG. 1, a mixture of such fluids is accomplished by the prior art device comprising a housing 60 that is elongated to accommodate a necessary number of axially aligned static mixers. In this manner, elongation of housing 60 increases the exposure of such fluids to a mixing means.
However, the elongated dimensions of the prior art device has disadvantages. Most notably, the elongated housing distances the user from the surface being supplied with the mixture, thereby making precision application of the mixture difficult. The additional length of the prior art device also renders it tedious and cumbersome to the user.


A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining the movements of an adult and/or a child during a vehicle collision includes an inflatable air bag (18). The air bag has an upper chamber (26) for holding gas to restrain the adult and a lower chamber (28) for holding gas to restrain the child. A first gas source (22) is provided for inflating the upper chamber to a first pressure to restrain the movement of the adult. A second gas source (24) is provided for inflating the lower chamber to a second pressure which is less than the first pressure, to restrain the movement of the child. The first and second gas sources (22, 24) are simultaneously activated to inflate the upper and lower chambers.

The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant restraint for restraining movement of a vehicle occupant during a collision, and particularly relates to a vehicle air bag system for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child during a collision.
The design of an air bag system to protect a child is complicated by the fact that the child may be in any one of several positions in a vehicle. Thus, the child may be sitting on the vehicle seat, standing in front of the vehicle seat, sitting on the lap of an adult, or otherwise located in the vehicle. Frequently, the child is at a lower level in the vehicle than the adult. Moreover, the child typically has a weight and stature smaller than the weight and stature of the adult.

Air bag system for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child


A combination of a freezer/refrigerator appliance door ajar alarm indicating system with an appliance occupant emergency condition indicating system in a single unit utilizes two visual indicator means, one for each of the emergency conditions, and an audio alarm means with two tone operation, one for each of the emergency conditions indicated. The alarm system incorporates a first light indicator means in conjunction with a first audio alarm means that is triggered in response to a door ajar condition switch is being activated for longer than a preset period of time. The time period before the alarm is triggered may be adjusted by means of timer circuitry. The alarm system also incorporates a manually operated switch installed on the interior of the appliance that allows an occupant of the appliance to indicate to those on the outside the existence of an emergency condition that requires assistance. The occupant emergency alarm system also incorporates a visual indicator means comprising a second light attached near, but distinctive to the visual alarm indicator for the door ajar system. The occupant emergency alarm system also incorporates a trigger to the audio circuitry that initiates an audible alarm signal of a characteristic distinctive of that initiated for the door ajar system.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to contained environmentally controlled appliances such as refrigerators and freezers. The present invention relates more specifically to a device for providing an audible and visual alarm when an emergency condition exists within a container appliance and a distinctive audible and visual alarm when the appliance door is ajar for more than a certain period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are generally two critical problems that can occur with large stationary container appliances such as refrigerators and freezers that immediately demand the attention of a person in a position to rectify the problem within the appliance. The first of these situations occurs when a door to the appliance has been left ajar for a period of time sufficient to affect the stability of the environment within the appliance and the integrity of whatever is being kept within the appliance. The second condition occurs when an individual, either because of the typical latching features of such appliance doors, or because the door becomes blocked from the outside, or because the individual inside is otherwise unable to open the door, becomes trapped within the appliance and runs the risk of prolonged exposure to low temperatures or suffocation due to their inability to exit.
In either of the above referenced situations, it is imperative that someone capable of rectifying the situation is alerted to the condition in time to prevent damage to the appliance and or its contents or to extricate the individual who might have become trapped. While access to large cooling container appliances such as freezers and refrigerators is necessary for their efficient use, the maintenance of this access way between the inside and outside of the appliance for anything longer than a very short period of time can greatly increase the expense of operating the appliance.
Likewise, in an effort to adequately seal the apertures through which access is maintained, such appliances are normally manufactured with very tight fitting doors and latch mechanisms that are sometimes operable only from the outside of the appliance. It is also possible that an individual working within the freezer or refrigerator might become injured in a manner that would prevent him from being able to open the door even if it were structured to be opened from the inside. Becoming trapped within the appliance, therefore, creates the immediate concern of exposure or suffocation for the trapped occupant. Unless attention can be called to the situation and someone on the outside of the appliance can open the door, serious injury or death could result.
It is well known in the field to provide an alarm system for indicating when a door to such an appliance has been left open for more than a preselected period of time. The mechanisms for triggering the alarm range from simple time delay circuitry that is initiated when the door is opened and remains opened for a period of time, to thermal switches that sense the temperature within the appliance and trigger an alarm when the temperature deviates from some preselected range. Depending upon the requirements of the contents of the appliance and the exchange of heat that results from the opening of the door, the time delay could be anywhere from a few seconds to more than a few minutes. The alarm associated with indicating that the door is ajar is typically a light indicator that turns on steadily or flashes so as to attract attention. It is also known to use audible alarms to indicate that the appliance door is ajar.
For very large refrigerators and freezers such as those used in cold storage warehouses and in grocery store coolers, it is often necessary to enter and exit the appliance for the purpose of storing or removing products from its interior. This process normally requires that one or more individuals enter the appliance and, at times, close the door behind them. While some newer walk-in freezers and refrigerators are constructed with latching mechanisms that can be opened from the interior, a good number of older and even some new freezer and refrigerator units do not anticipate the possibility of an individual being trapped inside. It is, therefore, desirable to have some means whereby an individual who does become trapped inside is capable of notifying those on the outside that they are in need of assistance. Even with the possibility that a door latch could be opened from the inside, the failure of such a latch to open as it is structured to do, would have consequences much more severe than usual because of the conditions within the freezer/refrigerator. The above described situation the occupant is unable to operate the appliance door due to a fall or other injury or because the door is blocked from the outside, also creates a condition with severe consequences.
It is, therefore, desirable, even with an appliance door that may normally be opened from the inside to have a means whereby an occupant of the freezer or refrigerator can signal the outside if the door latch means fails or for some other reason they are unable to open the appliance door.
These two situations, therefore, are the most common and the most serious conditions for which an alarm or other indicator means is appropriate during the operation of a freezer/refrigerator unit. While alarms of either the audio type or visual type are known for each of these situations, the devices previously described suffer from a number of limitations. Very often, the alarm systems are so complex and expensive to implement that they require significant initial costs for installation or significant maintenance costs or both. It is also typical to have to install separate alarm systems for each of the indicated situations that often results in increased costs and some duplication of effort.
It would be advantageous, therefore, to have a single alarm system for refrigerator and freezer appliances that incorporates both a system for notifying the operators of the appliance when the door to the appliance is ajar or open for an extended period of time and when there exists a situation within the appliance that requires immediate attention or assistance.

Emergency condition and door ajar alarm for appliances


A method, system, computer system, and computer program product including an algorithm that performs the constraints-based global routing step in the physical design of integrated circuits. The algorithm is based on finding routes for the entire circuit based on constraints being satisfied for the entire design. Initially, for each net, a set of possible routing solutions is determined based on applicable constraints. The possible solutions for the nets are combined to create a highly-connected “intersection graph,” with each intersection graph node representing a net. The intersection graph is partitioned based on constraints and performance criteria. An optimal solution is determined for each partition. The optimal solutions for the partitions are then combined to produce a global routing solution. The global routing solution is provided to a detailed router, which completes the routing for the design.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated routing tools for integrated circuit designs.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advent of circuit feature sizes in the sub-micron range, integrated circuits involving millions of transistors on a single chip have become commonplace. Due to the sheer number of devices on a single chip, an entire industry has evolved specifically to supply the semiconductor industry with software and hardware tools to automate much of the process of integrated circuit design.
Design automation tools are computer-based tools that assist through automation of procedures that would otherwise be performed manually. Simulation of proposed design functionality and synthesis of integrated circuit logic and layout are two examples. Design verification tools are computer-based tools used to verify that circuit design or layout meets certain prescribed objectives.
Both design automation and design verification tools require computer-readable descriptions of the underlying circuit function and structure to operate. These computer-based descriptions vary from simple geometrical specification languages, such as Caltech Intermediate Form (CIF) to high-level functional description languages such as VHDL (a hardware design language). Geometrical specification languages for integrated circuits allow computer-readable definition of the geometries of the mask layers required to fabricate an integrated circuit. These specification languages contain primitive structures such as wires and boxes to specify geometrical shapes and layout levels. Organizational constructs are also provided to allow placement and repetition of the geometrical structures.
Most design tools are hierarchical in nature and employ more than one type of routing algorithm for routing interconnections between circuit components. Most routing tools used for cell-based designs begin with the placement of circuit elements, cells and/or cell blocks. Placement can be manual or automated, and typically decisions are made about where connectors to the circuit elements, cells and/or cell blocks should be located. Placement also includes determining the placement and orientation of blocks relative to one another. Such decisions can be driven by considerations of circuit compaction, which affects circuit congestion (similar to traffic congestion), the number of interconnect lines running between the blocks, and so on. With gate array designs, there is no placement step because placement has been predetermined by the manufacturer.
The next step in completing the circuit design is typically a global routing step, which is an attempt to logically determine a path for each interconnection between cells in the entire design. Routing decisions are made based on the available avenues formed by the current placement of circuit elements and/or blocks, and are assigned in consideration of various costs, also referred to herein as constraints (e.g., to incur the shortest total length of interconnect lines between the connectors). Once the global router has assigned the general flow of interconnect lines, a detailed router attempts to make the interconnect lines fit the assignments made by the global router.
A set of two or more interconnected cells in a circuit design is referred to herein as a "net." A "net list" is a set of statements in a geometrical specification language that specifies the elements of a circuit, such as transistors and gates, and their interconnections. Individual transistors are described, along with cells to which they connect. The net list allows creation of a circuit diagram based on the actual geometrical specification statements. The creation of the circuit diagram is referred to as "circuit extraction," and the extracted circuit can be compared to the original circuit specified by the designer to determine differences. A difference usually indicates an error that must be corrected.
In addition to providing the details of circuit interconnection, circuit extraction is useful for calculating layout areas and perimeters for each integrated circuit layer at each node of the circuit. These layout areas and perimeters can be used to accurately calculate the parasitic capacitances and resistance that load the active devices. With accurate capacitances and resistances from circuit extraction, a design can be accurately simulated to ensure correct operation. Thus, circuit extraction is an essential design verification tool for accurate characterization of modern integrated circuits.
A typical analysis in designing a circuit involves developing a routing solution for routing interconnections between circuit components. The routing solution is then evaluated using a constraint engine to identify nets that do not meet specified criteria, such as minimum spacing between nets. Offending nets are manually re-routed, and the routing solution and constraint engine re-run. This process is referred to as "parasitic extraction."
As more complicated designs are developed to achieve higher performance and higher reliability, the demands placed on routing tools increase. Most current routing tools, provided by Electronic Design Automation (EDA) vendors, are insufficient to achieve the quality of route desired without several iterations and design cycles. Furthermore, most routing tools are primarily concerned with minimal distance as a constraint on global routing and do not permit timing to be directly considered.
What is needed is a new global routing technique to achieve a high quality, highly reliable route in as few iterations as possible. The global router should provide the capability to handle timing, noise avoidance, shielding and cell (repeater or latch) insertion constraints. The global router should produce output that can be used by a commercially available detailed router to complete the routing.

Constraint-based global router for routing high performance designs


The system and method described herein provide grid-forming control of a power generating asset having a double-fed generator connected to a power grid. Accordingly, a stator-frequency error is determined for the generator. The components of the stator frequency error are identified as a torsional component corresponding to a drivetrain torsional vibration frequency and a stator component. Based on the stator component, a power output requirement for the generator is determined. This power output requirement is combined with the damping power command to develop a consolidated power requirement for the generator. Based on the consolidated power requirement, at least one control command for the generator is determined and an operating state of the generator is altered.

As disclosed herein, power generating assets may take a variety of forms and may include power generating assets which rely on renewable and/or nonrenewable sources of energy. Those power generating assets which rely on renewable sources of energy may generally be considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available. For example, wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, a generator, a gearbox, a nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The nacelle includes a rotor assembly coupled to the gearbox and to the generator. The rotor assembly and the gearbox are mounted on a bedplate support frame located within the nacelle. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy of wind using known airfoil principles. The rotor blades transmit the kinetic energy in the form of rotational energy so as to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy and the electrical energy may be transmitted to a converter and/or a transformer housed within the tower and subsequently deployed to a utility grid. Modern wind power generation systems typically take the form of a wind farm having multiple wind turbine generators that are operable to supply power to a transmission system providing power to a power grid.
Wind turbines can be distinguished in two types: fixed speed and variable speed turbines. Conventionally, variable speed wind turbines are controlled as current sources connected to a power grid. In other words, the variable speed wind turbines rely on a grid frequency detected by a phase locked loop (PLL) as a reference and inject a specified amount of current into the grid. The conventional current source control of the wind turbines is based on the assumptions that the grid voltage waveforms are fundamental voltage waveforms with fixed frequency and magnitude and that the penetration of wind power into the grid is low enough so as to not cause disturbances to the grid voltage magnitude and frequency. Thus, the wind turbines simply inject the specified current into the grid based on the fundamental voltage waveforms. However, with the rapid growth of the wind power, wind power penetration into some grids has increased to the point where wind turbine generators have a significant impact on the grid voltage and frequency. When wind turbines are located in a weak grid, wind turbine power fluctuations may lead to an increase in magnitude and frequency variations in the grid voltage. These fluctuations may adversely affect the performance and stability of the PLL and wind turbine current control.
As such, it may be desirable to operate asynchronous power generating assets, such as some wind turbines, as a grid-forming asset. Generally, grid-forming type converters may provide a voltage-source characteristic, where the angle and magnitude of the voltage are controlled to achieve the regulation functions needed by the grid. With this structure, current will flow according to the demands of the grid while the converter contributes to establishing a voltage and frequency for the grid. This characteristic is comparable to conventional generators based on a turbine driving a synchronous machine. Thus, the asynchronous power generating assets may share the burden of grid formation with other grid-forming sources, such as fossil-fuel-based generators, connected to the grid.
In addition to providing grid-forming power to the power grid, the power generating assets generally also must conform to certain grid requirements. For example, power generating assets may be required to offer fault-ride through (e.g. low-voltage ride through) capability. This requirement may mandate that a power generating asset stay connected to the power grid during one or more transient grid events, such as a grid fault. As used herein, the terms "grid fault," "fault," or similar are intended to cover a change in the magnitude of a grid voltage for a certain time duration. For example, when a grid fault occurs, the voltage of the system can decrease by a significant portion for a short duration (e.g., typically less than 500 milliseconds). In addition, grid faults may occur for variety of reasons, including but not limited to a phase conductor being connected to a ground (i.e. a ground fault), short-circuiting between phase conductors, lightning and/or windstorms, and/or accidental transmission line grounding.
In the past, the wind turbine may have been immediately disconnected in response to the voltage reduction, but as the power production of the wind turbines has increased as a percentage of the power of the power grid, the desirability for the wind turbines to remain online and ride through the transient grid events has increased. However, the voltage reduction of the transient grid event may result in the torque of the generator being significantly reduced while the rotational speed of the rotor may remain essentially unchanged. As such, when the grid voltage returns to pre-fault levels, a mismatch between the torque of the generator and the inertia of the rotor may result in undesirable torsional vibrations in the drivetrain of the wind turbine. The torsional vibrations may manifest as oscillations in the power produced by the wind turbine which exceed certain power grid limits.
Typically, power generating assets may be equipped with damping systems, such as drivetrain dampers, which may generate a generator setpoint configured to rapidly damp the oscillations resulting from the transient grid event. However, when operating as a grid-forming asset, the commands from the damping system may interfere with, or be negated by, the setpoint commands of the power generating asset seeking to develop the grid voltage and frequency required to form the grid power.
Thus, the present disclosure is directed to a system and method for addressing drivetrain damper oscillations while providing grid-forming control to the power grid to address the aforementioned issues.

System and methods to address drive train damper oscillations in a grid forming power generating asset

General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.


A water purification apparatus comprising an injection molded floating non-toxic, biodegradable, and recyclable polymer planar structures that are easily stackable, shippable, and connectable to as many companion units as the user desires; such apparatus further comprising many receiving structures made to accommodate plants without inhibiting them so that the user may create a film of plants over a toxic body of liquid for bioremediation purposes.

Many related art technologies are currently utilized for purifying water. One of the greatest challenges facing humankind is the ability to treat, purify, and render water usable and/or potable in many distinct and different regions of the globe. Increasingly, these challenges are addressed by methods of treating water with biological materials, such as plant materials, that may involve natural and organic processes to accomplish this objective. These methods often require specialized tools, such as "laminae," laminate, or laminated mats, to insure that the biological materials, such as plant materials, therein grow as well as thrive. Additionally, the laminae mat insures that the roots and other "active" parts of a plant or other biological material, being used in organic processes, are applied to the water source in a manner such that the filtration occurs with maximum efficiency. Related art laminae mats or other floating "tools" that are not homogeneous, e.g., having differing characteristics, result in less optimal growth and inefficient filtration. These challenges in the related art are exacerbated by the absence of adequate tools for applying such biological approaches to water filtration.
For example, many of the laminae mats available in the market today involve three elements: the supports, the cup positioners, and the receiving cups. These three elements often have different measurements and characteristics and are, therefore, separately fabricated, thereby requiring additional assembly during manufacturing, and thereby adding both cost and complexity to the process. Also, related art technologies require various connections to be made between a plethora of elements, thereby compromising structural integrity and adding undue complexity. Furthermore, many of these related art assemblies involve the use of undue amounts of material in their manufacture, thereby rendering these related art assemblies overly heavy, overly voluminous, and overly expensive, especially in relation to large-scale operation markets where these related art assemblies are cost-prohibitive. Finally, many of the related art assemblies that are currently available have noncompliant dimensions in relation to standard shipping sizes, e.g., standard shipping sizes that are outlined by the European Union for pallets, thereby rendering packaging and shipping an inefficient and expensive operation.
While these background examples may relate to water purification technologies in general, they fail to disclose a simple, modular, low density structure, having evenly distributed substructures for which macrophyte plants are disposable in order to permit adequate growth, that can be sequentially fabricated without leaving any gaps or uncovered areas. As such, a long-felt need has been experienced in the related art for a large-scale "organic" laminae mat, adaptable for floating on a surface of water to be treated and/or purified, wherein the large-scale "organic" laminae mat is an integrated structure, having sufficient structural integrity, is compliant with standard packaging and shipping guidelines, is both manufacturable and distributable at a low cost.

Purification apparatus, system, and method


A semi-cartridge seal is provided incorporating two components each comprising a plurality of preassembled parts. The first component includes an annular holder for snug but slidable positioning along a shaft and loosely supports an annular seal face structure therefrom with an O-ring seal forming a fluid tight seal between the seal face structure and the annular holder, centering the seal face structure relative to the annular holder and frictionally resisting rotation of the sell face structure relative to the annular holder, the latter being sealed relative to the associated shaft. The second component includes an annular gland insert loosely disposed about the shaft but including a centering bushing centering the gland insert relative to the shaft and the gland insert loosely supports a second seal face structure therefrom with a second O-ring seal forming a fluid tight seal between the second seal face structure and the annular gland insert and centering the second seal face structure relative to the annular gland insert, the second annular seal face structure being guidingly supported from the annular gland insert for shifting axially relative thereto and being yieldingly biased in one direction relative to the annular gland insert.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to mechanical shaft seals and more specifically to a shaft seal which is neither a purely component seal nor a purely cartridge-type seal. Rather, the semi-cartridge seal of the instant invention utilizes two cartridge components comprising inner and outer components each consisting of a plurality of assembled parts.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Various forms of sealing devices have been used between stationary housing members and rotating shafts. These devices range from various braided and compressed packings to various types of end face mechanical seals. These end face mechanical seals vary in design from component seals which are assembled insitu on the shaft during equipment assembly to those designs which are termed cartridge seals such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,820 which are preassembled in a factory or other location and merely placed into position and fastened to the equipment by bolting, set screws or other similar methods.
Upon removal of some types of centering and spacing devices, the cartridge seal is ready for operation. The advantage of this preassembled cartridge-type seal has been ease of installation and longer seal life, partly due to the prevention of installation errors common to the aforementioned component design of seals which are assembled on the shaft. The errors primarily deal with errors in centering the stationary portion or portions of the seal around the rotating shaft or in precisely locating the rotating portion or portions of the seal in relation to the stationary portion or portions.


An optical information recording reproduction device is disclosed which finds the correlation between the ratio of the minimum pit amplitude to the maximum pit amplitude of an RF signal obtained from the light reflected by the pits recorded on an optical disk in a tracking servo mode and spherical aberration in advance, and stores it. In recoding information on the optical disk, the optical information recording reproduction device calculates the ratio of the minimum pit amplitude to the maximum pit amplitude of the RF signal, and compares the calculation to the stored correlation, and feeds back to an aberration correction optical system and a driving mechanical system to correct the aberration into an aplanatic state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information recording reproduction device for recording signals on an optical recording medium with laser light.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Recording of information on optical recording media such as optical disks is performed in such a manner that record data is modulated by Eight to Fourteen Modulation (EFM) or Eight to Sixteen Modulation; a recording pulse is formed according to the modulation signals; the intensity and radiation timing of laser light are controlled according to the recording pulse; and thus recording pits are formed on the optical recording media.
For such optical information recording, an object lens with a large numerical aperture (NA) is effective in recording and reproducing data to/from high-density mass-storage recording media. However, the allowable variations of the laser-beam spot diameter are extremely small for the high-density mass-storage recording media and the manufacturing tolerances of optical recording media and optical pickups (thickness and warping for media, lens tilt etc. for pickups) are also significantly reduced.
A known optical information recording reproduction device adopts a method of allowing variations in spot diameter by determining the spot diameter of the laser light radiated on an optical recording medium from the level of RF signals and reading the optimum strategy for the spot from a strategy table stored in a memory and recording it (Method for Controlling Optical Disk Recording and Reproduction Device disclosed in JP-A-2006-85842).
The tolerance of optical recording media and optical pickups causes the problem of aberration. Means for reducing the aberration includes a method for preventing aberration in such a manner that a first negative lens and a second positive lens are arranged in sequence behind a collimating lens, wherein when the substrate of an optical recording medium is increased in thickness, the distance on the optical axis between the first negative lens and the second positive lens is reduced, and when the substrate of the optical recoding medium is decreased in thickness, the distance on the optical axis between the first negative lens and the second positive lens is increased (Object Lens System Variable with Thickness of Disk Substrate disclosed in JP-A-9-197264 by Mark KK) and a method for reducing aberration by changing the distance between an object lens and an attachment lens according to the thickness of the substrate of an optical recoding medium using a pickup having the attachment lens (Apparatus and Method for Recording and Reproducing Data to/from Recording Medium disclosed in JP-A-9-251662 by Sony Corp.).
Requirements for high-recording-quality optical disk recording reproduction devices are optimization of the spot diameter of a laser beam applied on a recording medium, selection of strategy optimized for laser beam spots and the recording medium, and prevention of aberration caused by tolerance.
However, "Method for Controlling Optical Disk Recording and Reproduction Device" disclosed in JP-A-2006-85842 by SANYO Electric Co. Ltd. does not cope with the aberration, although it optimizes the strategy for laser beam spots. "Object Lens System Variable with Thickness of Disk Substrate" disclosed in JP-A-9-197264 by Mark KK does not refer to a method for determining aberration, although it shows means for correcting aberration.
"Apparatus and Method for Recording and Reproducing Data to/from Recording Medium" disclosed in JP-A-9-251662 by Sony Corp. shows a method for determining the thickness of the substrate of a recording medium by detecting a focus error (FE) signal, although it may be difficult to separate the influence of defocusing from the influence of the thickness of the substrate of the recording medium.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an optical information recording reproduction device capable of stable aberration detection for achieving high recording quality.

Optical information recording reproduction device


A molding apparatus for molding an edge card connector and an edge card connector, wherein the molding apparatus is composed of a male and female molding die. The male molding die has a middle protrusion and a plurality of first holding portions, and said female molding die has a plurality of core pins. When the integral molding apparatus is assembled to mold an edge card connector, each core pin is received securely in a corresponding first holding portion, for retaining each core pin in a straight manner without inclination via injection molding process, so that the formed edge card connector of which each passageway defines a through bore extending into and connected with central slot of housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates particularly to a molding apparatus, which enable molding core pin therein to retain straight without inclination in the rejection molding process, for ensuring the properly forming of edge card connector.
2. The Prior Art
The conventional edge card connector 1, such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 & 5, includes therein a elongated, insulated housing 2 provided with central slot 4 for receiving a inserted electrical card (not shown) from exterior, one pair of opposed guiding means 3 located respectively in two opposed ends of said insulated housing 2 for guiding said electrical card, and a plurality of passageways 5 in two rows, each extending through the opposed top and bottom sides 7, 8 of said housing 2 and connected laterally with central slot 4, for receiving corresponding contacts (not shown) therein.
In FIGS. 3 & 4, it is indicated that the molding die 10 includes a male molding die 11 and female molding die 12, for molding a conventional edge card connector as shows in FIGS. 1, 2 & 5. The male molding die 11 is provided with a middle protrusion 13 extending along a longitudinal axis of the molding die 10 as the inserting direction of molding dies 11, 12 with each other, so that it defines a T-shape of lateral cross-section thereof. The female molding die 12 is provided with a plurality of core pin 16 in two rows which extend along a longitudinal axis of the molding die 10 as the inserting direction of molding dies 11, 12 with each other, and said two rows of core pins 16 are further separated by a space 161 and each core pins 16 having a inward side 17 facing the space 161. For the male molding die 11 being assembled with female molding die 12 to configure a integral molding die 10 for use with injection molding process, such as shown in FIG. 4, the middle protrusion 13 of male molding die 11 is inserted into said space 161 separating two rows of core pins 16 of female molding die 12, until that the forward end 19 of each core pin 16 engages closely with bottom wall 111 of male molding die 11 and a clearance "a" forms in between the forward side 18 of middle protrusion 13 and bottom wall 121 of female molding die 12, as the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with IV--IV crossing line in FIG. 3. Wherein an inward sides 17 of each core pin 16 in two rows engage closely with the two opposed surface 14, 15 of middle protrusion 13, respectively. According to the mentioned above, it can be found in FIGS. 5, 6 & 7 that the central slot 4 of connector 10 is formed by said middle protrusion 13 of male molding die 11. Two rows of passageways 5 through the opposed side 7, 8 are formed by two rows of core pins 16 engaging closely with bottom wall 111 of male molding die 11, and each passageway 5 connected with central slot 4 is formed by inward side 17 of each core pin 16 engaging closely with the opposed surface 14, 15 of middle protrusion 13. The depth "a" of bottom side 8 of connector 1 is formed by the clearance "a" between the forward side 18 of middle protrusion 13 and bottom wall 121 of female molding die 12 The aforementioned as the cross-sectional views shown in FIGS. 6 & 7, in accordance with VI--VI, VII--VII crossing lines in FIG. 5.
However, in the injection molding process of conventional connector 1, some molding material injected speedily into the molding die 10 via compressing process, may directly impact some core pins 16 and result in core pins 16 being inclined with respect to the inserting direction of molding dies 11, 12 with each other, and since the core pins 16 of female molding die 12 each is an cantilever beam structure and only engages the surface 14, 15 of male molding die 11 without being latched in traversal direction as injecting direction of molding material, so that this will causes the dimensions of products being inaccurate or the molding die 11, 12 to be damaged due to mutual collision, in next the inserting and drawing motion of molding die 11 12.
For resolving the above disadvantages, an object of the invention is to provide a molding apparatus for ensuring the core pin retaining straight without inclination and edge card connector having accurate dimensions through the mutually inserting and drawing motions of molding dies in many times.
Another one object of the invention is to provide a molding apparatus for avoiding core pin being inclined to damage the molding die through the mutually inserting and drawing motions of molding dies in many times.
Another one object of the invention is further to provide an edge card connector in accordance with said molding apparatus, defining therein a plurality of through bores partially extending into and connected with central slot of connector.

Molding apparatus for molding edge card connector


An anisotropic conductive film includes a first connection layer and a second connection layer formed on one side of the first connection layer. The first connection layer is obtained by photo-radical polymerization of a photo-radical polymerizable resin layer containing an acrylate compound and a photo-radical polymerization initiator. The second connection layer includes a thermal- or photo-, cationic or anionic polymerizable resin layer containing an epoxy compound and a thermal- or photo-, cationic or anionic polymerization initiator, or a thermal- or photo-radical polymerizable resin layer containing an acrylate compound and a thermal- or photo-radical polymerization initiator. Conductive particles for anisotropic conductive connection are arranged in a single layer on a second connection layer-side surface of the first connection layer.

Anisotropic conductive films are widely used in mounting electronic parts such as IC chips. In recent years, from the viewpoint of application to a high mounting density, there is proposed a two-layer structured anisotropic conductive film in which conductive particles for anisotropic conductive connection are arranged in a single layer on an insulating adhesive layer, for the purpose of improvement in connection reliability and insulating properties, improvement in particle capturing efficiency, reduction in production cost, and the like (Patent Literature 1).
This two-layer structured anisotropic conductive film is produced by arranging conductive part idles on a transfer layer in a single layer and in a closely packed manner, followed by performing biaxial stretching treatment of the transfer layer, to form the transfer layer on which the conductive particles are uniformly arranged at prescribed intervals, then transferring the conductive particles on the transfer layer to an insulating resin layer containing a thermosetting resin and a polymerization initiator, and further laminating another insulating resin layer that contains a thermosetting resin but does not contain a polymerization initiator, on the transferred conductive particles (Patent Literature 1).

Anisotropic conductive film and method of producing the same


A dual purpose, single use wood grill brush for cleaning a grilling surface and thereafter providing a flavor enhancing smoke. The device is a thin sheet of wood selected for the flavor enhancing characteristics of the smoke therefrom when slowly burned, which sheet is desirably soaked in water to make the wood flexible so that it may be manually used to clean the grilling surface prior to grilling, and then deposited on the heat source where it smokes rather than flames because of the absorbed water content. Exposing the food being grilled to such smoke during the grilling process provide a unique flavor to the food. One embodiment of the device includes a flat edge on one end and a plurality of longitudinally extending fingers at the other end, both useful in the cleaning process. Other embodiments of the device specifically for grilling surfaces with spaced parallel rods include a thin sheet of wood with notches for selectively cleaning the entire surface of the rods. Methods are also disclosed.

Outdoor grills are extremely popular. They are commonly found on wheels on the back porches and balconies of homes and apartments, as permanent installations on patios and in back yards, and alongside the picnic tables at camp sites in many parks and other outdoor recreational areas.
Cleaning the Grilling Surface.
The most common grilling surface for home owner use is a rod or wire grate positioned over charcoal briquettes, i.e. a series of spaced-apart, parallel, cylindrical cross-section rods on which the food to be grilled is placed. The rods are typically about 5/32″ in diameter with a spacing of about ½″. It is more common for the rods for gas or electric grills to non-circular or flattened, typically about ⅜″ wide with W spacing. Plates of slit and expanded metal with their pattern of diamond-shaped openings are more common for large or commercial grills.
All grilling surfaces have to support the food being cooked above the heat source while at the same time permitting access of heat and flavor enhancing smoke to the food. The result of the grilling process is generally the accumulation on the grilling surface of charred bits of food, sauces and carbon from the heat source ("debris") which has to be removed before the grill can again be used.
A great many devices have been used to clear this debris, many of them brushes containing metallic bristles. Examples of such known devices are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,916,382 to Alderidge; U.S. Pat. No. 7,039,983 to Outlaw; Publication US 2005/0086755 to Dulles; and Publication No. US2005/90160544 to Geller. There is a risk of serious injury from individual bristles which on occasion become lodged in the debris during the brushing process, are transferred to the food being grilled, and are consumed.
Other known devices employ scrubbing pads or soft brushes of various materials. Examples of such devices are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,023 to Grundy; Publication No. US 2013/0061411 to Witzel et al.; Publication No. US 2012/0060864 to Nowakowski, and Publication No. US 2006/0207042 to Rolston. While such devices avoid the health risk of wire bristles, and while they are generally effective in superficially cleaning a grilling surface, they are often ineffective in removing debris because the lack of rigidity of the brush bristles pad material prevents the application of sufficient mechanical force to clean the grilling surface.
Still other known devices are made of rigid metal and are configured to conform to the rod surface to mechanically scrape debris from one, sometimes two, rods at a time. Examples of such scrapers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,302 to Kolodziej; U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,342 to Amundsen; and Publication No. US 2013/0104331 to Leis. Where the grilling surface is a sheet of expanded metal, such devices are ineffective because they do not conform to the spaced diamond-shaped openings. Where the grilling surface is parallel wire rods, the scraping of one rod at a time is time consuming and, while effective in dislodging debris from the upper surface of the rods, the cleaning of the rods may be unsatisfactory because of the debris accumulated on the sides and even underneath the rods in the grilling process.
All of the foregoing devices are multiple use devices, and are retained for subsequent uses, often without cleaning. The accumulation of fungus or bacteria on such devices creates a health risk. In addition, the eventual disposal of such metallic or plastic devices in landfills is problematical.
Flavoring by Smoking.
It is also common when grilling to add a flavor to the food being grilled by placing wood chips on the heat source, which chips have been water soaked to provide the flavor enhancing smoke over a longer combustion period rather than flaming which reduces the combustion period, provides less smoke and may be detrimental to the grilling process. Woods such as hickory, mesquite and alder, and the fruit woods such as apple or cherry, provide smoke which adds a unique flavor to the food grilled. None of the foregoing known grill surface cleaning devices have any utility in providing a flavor enhancing smoke during the grilling process.
One known device, disclosed in US Publication No. US 2011/0258801 to Thompson et al., comprises a rigid wooden paddle for mechanically scraping a grilling surface of spaced rods, where the scraping surface is conformed to the spaced rods by repeated use over heated rods, i.e., the rods burn a conforming indentation into the scraping surface through repeated use of the device. The species of wood is said to be selected to apply a "seasoning" to the rods which "seasoning" is said to transferred to the food placed on the rods for grilling. No data is provided and the efficacy of seasoning food in this manner is highly doubtful. Because the wooden paddle is retained for many uses, it suffers from many of the deficiencies described above.

Dual purpose single use wood grill brush and method


A first cigar cutter money clip (110) having a cigar cutter (12) which has a hollow cigar cutter housing (12A) having at least one cigar cutter housing opening (12AA) positioned through a side thereof. The cigar cutter (12) further has a cigar cutter gilliotine (12B) slidably disposed in the cigar cutter housing (12A). The cigar cutter gilliotine (12B)has a cigar cutter gilliotine blade (12BA) having a sharp cigar cutter gilliotine blade edge (12BAA). The first cigar cutter money clip (110) further having a money clip (14) movably connected along a bottom edge of the cigar cutter housing (12A) by a hinge (16). The money clip (14) functions to hold at least one bill (18) against the side of the cigar cutter housing (12A).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to smoking accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cigar cutter in combination with a money clip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Money clips are used to secure bills when they are removed from a user's pocket. A cigar clip is used to clip the ends of a cigar before smoking. When both are, contain in a pocket the combination creates a unwanted and unsightly bulge. What is needed is a combination money clip and cigar clip.
Numerous innovations for a cigar cutter and money clip have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,094,338, titled Cigar Cutter, invented by Conrad H. Leisegang, a cigar cutter is described having a means for slitting the wrapper of a cigar at the proper end without severing the remainder of the wrapper. A cutting blade is arranged to retract into a protective housing. The housing has an engagement means which latches the blade to prevent inadvertent opening.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,759,260, titled Cigar Clipper, invented by Leo J. Wisniewsk, a device is described which produces a V-shaped groove in the end of a cigar. A spring bias returns the cutter blade to an initial position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,776,283, titled Combination Key Pencil Sharpener and Cigar Clipper, invented by Waclaw Harasimiak, is a combination pencil sharpener and cigar clipper which attached to a lock key. The patented invention functions with a single blade used for both cutting and clipping.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,757,607, titled Cigar Cutter, invented by Samuel Zuilo, a cigar lighter and cutter are combined into a device having a cutter on one end and a lighter on the opposite end.
The above patented inventions differ from the present invention because they fail to describe or claim at least one combination of the following features depicted in the present invention a combined money clip device and a cigar cutter.
Numerous innovations for a cigar cutter and money clip have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A nitride semiconductor device is provided. In the device, first and second conductivity type nitride layers are formed. An active layer is formed between the first and second conductivity type nitride layers. The active layer includes at least one quantum barrier layer and at least one quantum well layer. Also, a current spreading layer is interposed between the first conductivity type nitride layer and the active layer. The current spreading layer has an In content greater than the quantum well layer of the active layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride-based nitride semiconductor device, more particularly which is improved in internal quantum efficiency, operating voltage and inverse voltage properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a nitride semiconductor layer is broadly applied to a green or blue light emitting diode (LED) used as a light source in full-color displays, image scanners, various signal systems and optical telecommunication devices, and a laser diode (LD).
Efficiency of the nitride semiconductor device is determined by internal quantum efficiency. i.e., recombination probability of electrons and holes in an active layer. In a major effort to boost the internal quantum efficiency, the active layer has been structurally improved and effective mass of carriers has been increased. Meanwhile, current crowding is mainly responsible for decline in efficiency of the nitride semiconductor device since carriers are not uniformly injected into the active layer.
Especially, current crowding is aggravated by inevitable arrangement of electrodes in the nitride semiconductor device. That is, when the nitride semiconductor device includes an insulating substrate such as a sapphire substrate, two electrodes are not disposed on opposed faces, but formed to face the same direction by mesa-etching an epitaxial layer. This is a planar nitride semiconductor light emitting device.
Such a planar nitride semiconductor device is disadvantaged in some aspects over a vertical light emitting device which has two electrodes formed on opposed faces of a light emitting structure. That is, in the planar nitride semiconductor device, current fails to travel uniformly across an overall light emitting area, thereby decreasing an effective light emitting area and also light emitting efficiency per light emitting area.
Therefore, in the art, to manufacture a high-efficiency nitride semiconductor device, there has arisen a need for a novel nitride semiconductor device which can spread current uniformly across the overall active layer to enhance light emitting efficiency.


Methods for treating persons with glaucoma or ocular hypertension with polyamine antagonists and an IOP-lowering compounds are also disclosed.

Although the underlying causes of glaucoma are not understood at this time, glaucoma is characterized by damage to the optic nerve, accompanied by a decrease in the normal visual field. One early warning sign of possible glaucomatous visual field loss is elevated intraocular pressure ("IOP"). In fact, glaucoma has historically been treated by medically and/or surgically lowering elevated IOP, for example, by the administration of IOP-lowering agents such as motics, sympathomimetics, beta-blockers, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. However, factors other than IOP may play a role in the occurrence of visual field loss. Degeneration of retinal ganglion cells may be related to ischemia or mechanical distortion of the nerve fibers as they exit through the optic nerve head or from pathological perturbations of the retina.
There has been a growing interest in retinal dysfunction as a contributor to the glaucomatous process. Retinal dysfunction, and hence pathology, may be related to ischemia or excitotoxicity. Excitotoxicity is neuronal injury due to excessive excitatory amino acid ("EAA") stimulation. In the inner retina, glutamate is the major EAA that permits the bipolar and amacrine cells to communicate with the ganglion cell. In the central nervous system, excitotoxicity results from hypoxia, ischemia, hypoglycemia or trauma. (See, for example, Beal, M. F., "Mechanisms of excitotoxicity in neurologic diseases," FASEB J., 6:3338-3344 (1992); and Choi, D. W., "Excitotoxic cell death," J. Neurobiol., 23:1261-1276 (1992).) Toxicity to the inner retina has been observed following intravitreal injection of EAAs following application of EAAs to the isolated animal retina or from exogenously applied glutamate to retinal ganglion cells in culture. See generally, Sattayasai, et al., "Morphology of quisqualate-induced neurotoxicity in the chicken retina," Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 28:106-117 (1987); Tung et al., "A quantitative analysis of the effects of excitatory neurotoxins on retinal ganglion cells in the chick", Visual Neurosci., 4:217-223 (1990); Sisk et al., "Histological changes in the inner retina of albino rats following intravitreal injection of monosodium L-glutamate," Graefe's Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol., 223:250-258 (1985); Siliprandi et al., "N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced neurotoxicity in the adult rat retina," Visual Neurosci., 8:567-573 (1992); Reif-Lehrer et al., "Effects of monosodium glutamate on chick embryo retina in culture," Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 14(2):114-124 (1975); Blanks, J. C., "Effects of monosodium glutamate on the isolated retina of the chick embryo as a function of age: A morphological study," Exp. Eye Res., 32:105-124 (1981); Olney et al., "The role of specific ions in glutamate neurotoxicity," Neurosci. Lett., 65:65-71 (1986); Olney et al., "The anti-excitotoxic effects of certain anesthetics, analgesics and sedative-hypnotics," Neurosci. Lett 68:29-34 (1986); Price et al., "CNQX potently and selectively blocks kainate excitotoxicity in the chick embryo retina," Soc. Neurosci. Abst., 14:418 (1988); David et al., "Involvement of excitatory neurotransmitters in the damage produced in chick embryo retinas by anoxia and extracellular high potassium," Exp. Eye Res., 46:657-662 (1988); Caprioli et al., "Large retinal ganglion cells are more susceptible to excitotoxic and hypoxic injury than small cells" Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., 34(Suppl):1429 (1993); Cummins et al., "Electrophysiology of cultured retinal ganglion cells to investigate basic mechanics of damage," Glaucoma Update IV, 59-65 (1991); and Sucher et al., "N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists prevent kainate neurotoxicity in rat retinal ganglion cells in vitro," J. Neurosci., 11(4):966-971 (1991).
EAA receptors have been characterized as metabotropic or ionotropic. Activation of a metabotropic receptor affects cellular processes via G-proteins; whereas ionotropic receptors affect the translocation of mono- and divalent cations across the cell membrane. There are at least three ionotropic receptors that have been named for the agonist that preferentially stimulates the receptor. These receptors have been classified as: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA); kainate; and AMPA (2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazol-4-yl) propanoic acid). These EAA receptors are differentially distributed to specific cells in the retina. (See, for example, Massey, S., "Cell types using glutamate as a neurotransmitter in the vertebrate retina," N. N. Osborne and G. J. Chader (Eds.) Progress in Retinal Research, Ch. 9, Pergammon Press: Oxford, 399-425 (1990); and Miller et al., "Excitatory amino acid receptors in the vertebrate retina," in Retinal Transmitters and Modulators: Models for the Brain, (W. W. Morgan, Ed.) CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, II:123-160 (1985).) The localization of such receptors would account for the pathologies associated with glaucoma or inner retinal ischemia. For example, death of the retinal ganglion cell has to a large part been attributed to the NMDA receptor. (See, for example, Sucher et al., "N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists prevent kainate neurotoxicity in retinal ganglion cells in vitro," J. Neurosci., 11(4):966-971 (1991).). Thus, antagonists of the NMDA receptor are neuroprotective; however, not all antagonists of the diversely distributed EAA receptors are neuroprotective to the inner retina through antagonism of the NMDA receptor, Zeevalk et al., "Action of the anti-ischemic agent ifenprodil on N-methyl-D-aspartate and kainate-mediated excitotoxicity," Brain Res., 522:135-139 (1990)), and many of these EAA antagonists have significant CNS side-effects and are therefore not suitable for treating these degenerative diseases of the eye.

Combination therapy for treating glaucoma


A system using electrical discharge plasma (EDP) for treating a liquid, such as water or waste water to degrade or destroy polar contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds, the system includes a sealed process tank and multiple submerged EDP channels stacked horizontally. Each EDP channel consists of a cathode and an anode, a gas hood, and a gas diffuser. The basic submerged EDP channel is bounded by a plate at the bottom and a submerged gas hood at the top which creates a gas headspace, and hence, a local water surface to provide a local gas/liquid interface in each channel. The cathode lies above the local water surface and anode lies below the local water surface. Each EDP channel may have a gas diffuser at the bottom of the EDP channel for introducing a process gas into the liquid creating bubbles that carry contaminants in the liquid to the local gas/liquid interface. An electrical discharge arcs between the cathode and the anode to generate a plasma used for destruction of contaminants in the water or wastewater at the local gas/liquid interface.

This section is intended to provide information relating to the field and background of the invention and thus any approach/functionality described below should not be assumed to be qualified as prior art merely by its inclusion in this section.
There is significant interest in using plasma to treat contaminants in water and wastewater that are highly resistant to destruction by other means. Consequently, plasma is the subject of ongoing research in university and private sector laboratories. While the technology shows progress, scientists and engineers are still working to identify superior system configurations and address economical scale-up for those systems.
Synthetic organic compounds as a major group of contaminants in wastewater are of concern worldwide due to their severe problems for the environment and human health. Thus, in the cases of unavoidable contaminant emissions, these emerging compounds must be treated to satisfy the stringent water quality regulations before discharging into aquatic ecosystem. As wastewater remediation becomes a global concern, the development of innovative advanced processes for wastewater treatment is still a major challenge. With regard to its fast reaction rate and environmental compatibility, electrical plasma generation for contaminant removal from liquids is utilized.
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of fluorinated organic anthropogenic chemicals that are resistant to chemical destruction. Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a class of xenobiotic compounds that have contaminated the environment through human activity and production. PFAS are found in wastewater, drinking water, and groundwater, and are not substantially removed by traditional water treatment technologies. Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of organofluorine compounds that are persistent in the environment, bioaccumulative, and can be soluble in aqueous matrices PFAS are thermally stable, lipid and water repelling, and have been deemed "forever chemicals".
PFAS have been liberally used over the past 60 years in aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), household products such as carpets, paper, and non-stick cookware, and even coated cardboard takeout containers. Extensive groundwater and surface water contamination of PFAS originates from a variety of sources, including industrial and commercial manufacturing plants that produce or use PFAS, contaminated biosolids application, contaminated landfill leachate, wastewater and water treatment plants discharges, and AFFF training facilities. Drinking water supplies for millions of U.S. residents have been contaminated with various PFAS, with both perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) often surpassing the US EPA's lifetime health advisory (70 ng/L). Since this advisory was set for these two compounds, most research done to date focuses on PFOS and PFOA, but a growing number of studies are investigating a wider range of PFAS, including perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA), fluorotelomer sulfonates (FtS), and a number of unknown precursor PFAS compounds that are also present in the contaminated water.
One example of prior art is known. The Plasma Research Group at Clarkson University, led by Dr. Selma Mededovic Thagard, has developed two prototypes of an Enhanced Contact Electrical Discharge Plasma (EDP) system, which they have been testing for destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds. The shallow, rectangular prototype version (subsequently referred to as the Clarkson prototype) is considered prior art for the current invention. A description of Clarkson prototype is given in Chemical & Engineering News, Vol. 97, No. 12, p. magazine/97/09712 (Mar. 25, 2019) and US Publication No. 2018/0339921 laid open on Nov. 29, 2018, for example. The disclosure of US Publication No. 2018/0339921 is incorporated herein by reference as background of invention. However, Clarkson's pipe-based prototype is not relevant to the current invention and will not be considered further. For the purposes of this discussion, target contaminant(s) will refer to PFAS or generic target compounds.
The Clarkson prototype is a flow-through system consisting of a reservoir with a diffuser for argon gas, at the bottom. A cathode grid is located above the water surface and anodic plates are located below the water surface. The system is closed at the top, with argon gas in the headspace. As water is pumped through the system, argon gas is bubbled through the diffuser, conveying the PFAS to the gas/water interface. The plasma generated by the electrodes destroys the PFAS by breaking the hydrophobic, hydrocarbon chains above the gas/liquid interface. For the purposes of this discussion, process gas will refer to argon or other gases (or gas mixtures) suitable for plasma generation.
The need for a gas headspace makes it difficult to scale up this type of EDP system. In fact, DMaxPlasma, a spinoff company started by Dr. Thagard and Dr. Holsen of Clarkson University, indicate on their web site (as of Aug. 22, 2019), "The plasma reactor is modular (reactor dimensions are: L×W×H=30″×20″×0.25"), meaning it can be scaled for a specific treatment rate and/or multiple reactors can be used side-by-side. The reactors are mobile, easy to bring to a contaminated site and place in line with other treatment operations, can readily be moved within a site to operate at different locations at different times, and can be operated either continuously or pulsed on demand." The description of multiple units placed side by side suggests that the team is currently not able to stack these units in a common process tank. It should be noted that the height given for the unit does not appear to be correct. From the information available, the height is greater than 0.25 inches. That apparent error does not affect the present invention.
Another example of prior art is known. The Nanjing Gongcheng Energy Saving New Materials Research Institute has carried out "Water treatment method based on plasma," which was led by Liu Dong, Sun Junjie, Lu Jun, and Ye Tianbao. A description of the Nanjing Gongcheng Energy Saving New Materials Research Institute water plasma treatment method is given in Chinese Application No. CN110844975A laid open on Feb. 28, 2020. This water treatment method based on plasma includes a sewage storage reactor, a high-voltage power supply and a high-voltage electrode, wherein the high-voltage electrode contains a positive electrode and a grounding electrode, the positive electrode and the grounding electrode are respectively fixed at the upper part and the lower part of the sewage storage reactor, and the two electrodes are connected with a high-voltage power supply through wires. A baffle is provided at a side of the effluent storage reactor near the effluent outlet, wherein the baffle plate is loaded with a first catalyst on the left side.
This application is an example of water plasma treatment, but it performs its operation with a catalyst for preventing harmful byproducts and does not utilize either a gas diffuser or gas hood for contaminant(s) removal.
Another example of prior art is known. The University of Michigan has carried out a project entitled "Plasma water purifier having packed bed discharges with water dielectric barriers," which was led by John E Foster and Mujovic Selman. A description of The University of Michigan plasma water purifier with water dielectric barriers is given in US Patent No. U.S. Ser. No. 10/662,086B2 issued on May 26, 2020. The system for water purification having a water inlet being distributed into a plurality of streams defining extended dielectric barrier layers with high surface area to volume ratios and a plasma disposed between at least a pair of the plurality of water streams forming a surface plasma attachment producing radicals that treat the water via diffusion. Plasma system having a powered electrode and a ground electrode disposed within the chamber responsive to an applied voltage, the plasma system configured to receive the gas from the gas inlet and output a plasma within the interstitial spaces between each of the plurality of water streams, at the surface of each of the plurality of water streams, and within each of the plurality of water streams via propagation forming at least a surface plasma attachment producing reactive species that purify the water. The aforementioned system utilizes plasma (ionized gas) for the purpose of water purification; plasma produces radicals that oxidize organic contaminant(s); and it removes them on oxidation principle instead of diffusion mechanism.
Another example of prior art is known. The Wuhu Hualu Environmental Protection Technology Co Ltd has carried out a project entitled "Apparatus and method for treating medical wastewater by low temperature plasma", which was led by Huang Qing, Zhang Qifu, Wei Xing, Zhang Hong and Ke Zhigang. A description of Wuhu Hualu Environmental Protection Technology Co Ltd on medical wastewater treatment by low temperature plasma is given in Chinese Application No. CN108640228A laid open on Oct. 12, 2018. The apparatus includes a low temperature plasma power supply, a plasma discharge reactor, a water collecting tank and a gas supply system, wherein the low temperature plasma power supply is connected with the plasma discharge reactor, and the plasma discharge reactor is arranged in a gas-collecting hood of the gas supply system, high-voltage electrodes of the plasma discharge reactor perform plasma discharge on oxygen in the gas-collecting hood to generate ozone, and finally, the ozone is used to treat the medical wastewater in the water collecting tank. According to the apparatus and method, a dielectric barrier discharge technology is adopted to generate the low temperature plasma, high energy electrons, ultraviolet light, ozone, etc. generated by the low temperature plasma discharge are used to degrade the medical wastewater. This patent is an example of wastewater treatment by using plasma, but it does not contain a channel arrangement for contaminant removal.
Yet another example of prior art is known. The Korea Basic Science Institute has carried out a project entitled "Recalcitrant Organic Matter Treatment Apparatus and Method Using Plasma Underwater Discharge Method", which was led by Ryu Seung Min and Park Jun Seuk. A description of The Korea Basic Science Institute on its method of using plasma underwater discharge is given in Korean Patent No. KR101660712B1 laid open on Sep. 29, 2016. The Korean device for treating a non-biodegradable organic material by using a plasma underwater discharge method includes a non-biodegradable organic material supplying unit; a reaction unit for converting a the non-biodegradable organic material into a decomposable organic material by performing plasma underwater discharge treatment using a plasma dual electrode on a material supplied from the non-biodegradable organic material supplying unit; and a microorganism reaction unit for biologically treating the decomposable organic material treated from the reaction unit. The plasma dual electrode has an inner side made of a ceramic material, and an outer side made of a metal material, wherein discharge is performed only in the outside of a capillary tube of the ceramic material. The above mentioned system and method is an example of plasma treatment of decomposable organic material from water, but it does not involve horizontal channels for operation.
It would be desirable to have an effective method to scale up the EDP system by stacking multiple EDP channels in a common process tank, each EDP channel having a gas headspace and corresponding local water surface (i.e., gas/liquid interface).
It would further be desirable to be able to operate such a system in either continuous flow or batch modes.
It would further be desirable to be able to treat either water or wastewater, or a stream resulting from pretreatment of a water or wastewater stream to concentrate the target contaminant(s) (via DAF, RO, or other technologies). Pretreating to concentrate the target contaminant(s) could reduce the required EDP system size and cost. It could also further reduce the system size by reducing or eliminating the need for bubbling process gas through diffusers in the EDP process tank.
Consequently, there is a need for the EDP system which is made by stacking multiple EDP channels in a common process tank. There is a growing need to develop a system and method for treating contaminants in liquid that are highly resistant to destruction. Thus, the present invention, which is devised to solve the problems and disadvantages of prior art as described above.

Plasma treatment system with multiple horizontal channels


Transpiration cooled ceramic fiber seals are provided for high temperature use, said seals providing transpiration cooling by passage of a cooling medium through controlled porosity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ceramic seal capable of enduring high temperature environments and dynamic conditions. The invention is particularly directed to sealing gaps between moveable engine panels and adjacent engine sidewalls.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many ceramic fiber sealing rings or gaskets are known in the prior art. Conventionally, these sealing materials comprise resilient ceramic fibers in the form of a fiber tow, randomly oriented, or in the form of a braided rope. Such ceramic seals are limited in their application by such factors as the operating temperature of the environment, frictional wear, vibrational factors, strength, and brittleness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,917 to Sirocky et al describes a flexible thermal barrier seal for use at temperatures up to about 1370.degree. C. The seal disclosed comprises a high temperature outer sheathing such as a braided ceramic fiber, surrounding a core of densely packed high temperature particles, e.g. particulate ceramic. The seal is highly flexible due to the particulate core, but highly temperature resistant due to the specific materials employed.


PROBLEM: To reduce occurrence of an error of not closing a tube and to simplify a structure and an operation procedure.

Conventionally, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, this type of a tubing pump related to the invention is equipped with: a pump body (transfusion device 1); a door (11) openable or closable with respect to the pump body; a transfusion tube (2) attached between these pump body (transfusion device 1) and door (11); a slide clamp (21) attached to the transfusion tube (2) and opening and closing the tube; and a safety clamp (9) for automatically closing the transfusion tube (2) by opening of the door (11).
In this background art, the slide clamp (21) is attached to the transfusion tube (2), and the slide clamp (21) is slid. In this way, the transfusion tube (2) can be closed by a slit (23) of the slide clamp (21). Furthermore, the transfusion tube (2) can be attached to and detached from the transfusion device (1) while a closed state thereof by this slide clamp (21) is maintained. In addition, since the safety clamp (9) automatically closes the transfusion tube (2) by the opening of the door (11) during the attachment or detachment, it is possible to prevent a flow of the remaining fluid in the transfusion tube (2) that is caused by gravity.
However, according to the above background art, in the case where a worker forgets to perform a closing operation for sliding the slide clamp (21) as being distracted by another operation or the like, for example, after the slide clamp (21) is attached to the transfusion tube (2), the fluid in the transfusion tube (2) possibly flows by the gravity.
In addition, since two types of the clamps, which are the slide clamp (21) and the safety clamp (9), are used, structures, operation procedures, and the like thereof tend to be complicated.

Abstract: SOLUTION: In a tube clamp structure of a tubing pump for closing a tube 30 attached to and detached from a pump body 10 by a clamp device 40, the clamp device 40 is equipped with: a first holding piece 41; a second holding piece 42 engaged to approach or separate from the first holding piece 41; and an urging member for urging these first holding piece 41 and second holding piece 42 in approaching directions, is configured to hold and deform the tube 30 between these first holding piece 41 and second holding piece 42 for closing, and is detachably attached to the pump body 10.

NAMIKI SEIMITSU HOUSEKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA


For use in a wireless network having geographically-distributed base stations that serve wireless terminals, a system for, and method of, improving an operation of the wireless network. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a signal quality determination circuit that determines a relative quality of signals communicated between one of the wireless terminals and a set of base stations within range of the one of the wireless terminals and (2) a base station selection circuit, coupled to the signal quality determination circuit, that selects a base station in the set to serve the one of the wireless terminals based on the relative quality of signals.

The present invention is directed, in general, to wireless communications and, more specifically, to a system and method for optimizing a wireless network by adaptive configuration of base stations and wireless terminals.
Recent legislation in telecommunications promote competition among telephone service providers by allowing long distance carriers to enter into the local telephone market to compete with local service providers. The competition provides benefits such as competitive pricing and one-stop shopping for international and domestic long distance and local service. Long distance carriers seeking to enter the local telephone market face severe disadvantages, however, in competing with the entrenched local service providers. One disadvantage results from the local service provider""s ownership of a local loop, the wired connection from a local service provider""s central office to its customers"" telephones at individual homes and businesses. Long distance carriers may either lease the local loop from the local service providers, or they may build their own networks, connecting customers"" telephones to the central office. Since the local loops are currently leased at high prices, many long distance carriers seeking to enter the local telephone market have chosen instead to build their own networks.
It has proven uneconomical to build the new networks using wire. Therefore, many long distance carriers have chosen to bypass the local loops entirely with the use of wireless networks (giving rise to the term xe2x80x9cwireless bypass networksxe2x80x9d). Wireless bypass networks are essentially stationary versions of cellular communications networks, consisting of a network of multiple base stations with fixed antennas, connected to wireless terminals placed in customers"" homes and businesses.
Wireless bypass networks thus provide an economically sound solution to the problem of connecting individual customers to the communications network. Wireless bypass networks, however, have some inherent problems.
One problem, commonly found in wireless networks, is poor signal quality. Although users may tolerate low signal quality and dropped connections with respect to their cellular phones, they expect and receive a much higher level of service from the local loops. Service providers wishing to enter the local market must therefore focus on improving signal quality to provide service comparable to that of the local loops.
Another problem, commonly found in cellular networks, is traffic overload. Since the cost of initially installing a large number of base stations is prohibitively high, service providers typically start operations with a small number of base stations, installing additional base stations as traffic increases. With a smaller number of base stations, traffic overload situations are more likely to occur. Cellular systems experience traffic overloads during peak usage hours. When this occurs, many cellular users are unable to place calls on an initial attempt and must redial, sometimes repeatedly, until the base station is able to process the call. Cellular users are typically willing to accept this inconvenience in exchange for mobility. Home and business users, however, are much less tolerant of traffic overloads. A successful wireless bypass network, therefore, must be able to effectively resolve the traffic overload problem.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that provide optimal and automatic load-sharing among the base stations in a wireless network. More specifically, there is a need in the art for improved systems and methods that allow a wireless network to adapt itself optimally and automatically to a given geographical distribution of base stations and wireless terminals.
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides, for use in a wireless network having geographically-distributed base stations that serve wireless terminals, a system for, and method of, improving an operation of the wireless network. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a signal quality determination circuit that determines a relative quality of signals communicated between one of the wireless terminals and a set of base stations within range of the one of the wireless terminals and (2) a base station selection circuit, coupled to the signal quality determination circuit, that selects a base station in the set to serve the one of the wireless terminals based on the relative quality of signals.
The present invention therefore introduces a way to improve the operation of a wireless network by examining at least some of the signals in the network and making base station/wireless terminal pairing decisions based thereon.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the system is contained within the one of the wireless terminals. In this embodiment, the present invention provides a way for a given wireless terminal to select the xe2x80x9cbestxe2x80x9d base station to use.
In an alternative embodiment, the system is associated with each of the base stations. In this embodiment, the base station selection circuit optimizes an assignment of the wireless terminals to the base stations based on the relative quality of signals. This results in an improvement in wireless network operation that is more from the perspective of the network. In a more specific embodiment, the base station selection circuit further optimizes the assignment of the wireless terminals to the base stations based on a loading of the base stations thereby to optimize an overall traffic assignment of the wireless network. In some applications, optimizing solely based on signal quality may result in uneven loading of base stations, harming overall wireless network operations. It may prove valuable, therefore, to consider base station loading in addition to signal quality when making traffic assignment decisions.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the one of the wireless terminals is associated with a fixed location. xe2x80x9cFixed locationxe2x80x9d is defined as a sedentary venue, such as a house, an apartment, an office suite, or the like (those places served by wireless bypass networks), as opposed to a moving location, such as a vehicle. Of course, those skilled in the art will readily see that the present invention is advantageous in conventional wireless networks wherein wireless terminals readily move about from one base station to another.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the relative quality of the signals is determined with reference to a signal characteristic selected from the group consisting of: (1) signal strength, (2) signal distortion and (3) signal continuity. Those skilled in the art will readily perceive that other measures of signal quality may prove advantageous in certain applications.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the signal quality determination circuit and the base station selection circuit operate continually. This means that traffic assignments in a given network may be made completely dynamic, dependent upon time of day, weather, traffic, addition or removal of base stations or any other network-affecting occurrence.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, one of the base stations has a multi-beam antenna associated therewith. In another embodiment of the present invention, one of the wireless terminals has a multi-beam antenna associated therewith. Of course, an electrically or mechanically steerable antenna may also be associated with the base station or the wireless terminal. The directional focusing ability of the multi-beam and steerable antennas allow the use of lower power levels, resulting in a decrease in electromagnetic interference with other sensitive electronic devices.
The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, preferred and alternative features of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

System and method for optimizing a wireless network by adaptive configuration of base stations and wireless terminals