The forked suture forcep is a traditional forcep with handle and split planar arms; however, the arm distal ends have a two prong fork attached. The pair of prongs on each arm fork allow holding tissue taut while suturing a wound or incision. In addition the prongs and the cross member between them have graduation measures to allow accurate approximation of needle insertion points for uniform suturing along the wound or incision. This provides for properly aligning the tissue to be closed to promote faster healing and to minimize scarring.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical instruments used to hold tissue for purposes of suturing incisions or wounds. The new device has a fork with two prongs at the distal end of each forcep arm to hold tissue at two locations simultaneously.
2. Description of Related Art
There are currently in use many shapes and styles of forceps for holding tissue as part of surgical procedures. However, these forceps have a handle with two planar arms extending therefrom. These arms are normally split and may be smooth or have teeth or serrations at the tip. The forceps are used by pinching the arms together such that the tips grip the tissue in the area in which a suturing is to be performed.
When such two arm forceps are used to hold tissue or membrane for suturing, the surgeon must move the forceps from side to side laterally across the wound while inserting the needle and therefore is required to guess distance to attempt to aline the sides of the incision to avoid wrinkling when closing. This problem exists along the longitudinal dimension of the incision as offset between sides will cause tissue to be pulled relative to the distance between stitches. Also, if needle insertions are not at the same relative distance from the edge of the tissue a pulling or twisting between stitches will occur. Both problems cause irregularities and distortions in joining the edges of the tissue which leads to slower healing and the likelihood of a noticeable scar.
The present invention adds a pair of prongs as a fork to each arm of the forceps. The prongs each have graduation measures to determine distance from the edge of the tissue being held. In addition the cross member between the prongs has graduation measures to determine the distance between stitches. The forked suture forceps thereby hold the tissue taut and allow the surgeon to measure longitudinal and lateral distance along each edge of an incision to locate needle insertion positions to align corresponding stitch points to more evenly close an incision.


A slider burnishing method is introduced, in which the slider is brought into a predetermined surface contact with the rotating disk for a specified period. The predetermined surface contact end the specified time period are selected together with the surface condition of the rotating hard disk, such that smoothened slider surface is abrasively formed. The smoothened slider surface is substantially parallel to the disk surface and thus provides reduced contact pressure during eventual operational contacting. In addition, the smoothened slider surface creates a constant gap together with the disk surface, which enhances the aerodynamic properties of the air bearing surface and stabilizes a small fly height.

The continuous development of magnetic recording disk drives results in ever increasing data storage densities in the storing layers. To read and write the magnetic signals, the read and write heads have to be kept in ever-closer distance to the rotating disc surface where the storing layers are deposited.
The read and write heads are typically integrated in the so-called sliders, which provide specifically designed three-dimensional features on their bottom side that is next to the disk surface. These three-dimensional features utilize the viscosity and kinetic energy of a rotating air stream induced by the spinning disk to lift the sliders on a predetermined fly height during the hard disk operation.
The viscosity of the air stream depends mainly on the air temperature and the air pressure. The kinetic energy of the rotating air stream depends on its velocity relative to the slider and subsequently on the rotational speed of the hard disk.
The bottom side performs the function of an air bearing in closest proximity to the disk surface. As a result fly heights in the nanometer range can be implemented.
Such small fly heights require high precision of the disk surface since even the smallest surface inconsistencies result in a contacting of the slider with the fast moving disk surf ace. Even though the utilized fabrication processes provide for sufficient surface evenness of the hard disk, special wear-in procedures are commonly performed to eliminate eventual and/or recognized surface unevenness. These wear-in procedures are typically performed by reducing the fly height below the operational level and moving the slider over the surface until no contacting is recognized anymore. The slider, which is made of a relatively hard material is thereby utilized as an abrasive tool to remove any interfering surface inconsistencies from the relatively soft top layers of the hard disk.
The fly height is typically reduced by changing the rotational speed of the hard disk and/or by changing the air pressure.
A number of U.S. Patents discloses variations of the hard disk wear-in procedure, which is commonly referred to as burnishing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,643 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,237, for instance, describe methods to burnish away topographic irregularities from the disk surface. After recognizing an surface irregularity via a thermal contacting signal, the rotational speed of the hard disk is reduced and the fly height of the read/write head is lowered. The burnishing is performed over a certain time period, during which the height of the surface irregularities is continuously reduced. After finishing the disk burnishing the interference signals no longer occur during operational rotation of the hard disk.
Japanese Patent JP 06309636 describes a similar burnishing method, except that the read/write head is lowered by reducing the air pressure under which the hard disk drive operates.
The thermal contacting signal results from a dynamic resistance change in the read head, which is thermally induced by the frictional energy created during the contacting of the head.
The dynamic resistance change itself may be recognized with various methods. In one method, it is recognized during the regular read operation of the hard disk. This requires a fully functioning hard disk drive, including a partitioned hard disk. U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,510 describes such a method.
In another method, the dynamic resistance change is obtained by the read/write head without reading any data from the hard disk. In such a case, an electrical stimulus voltage is applied to the read head. This method can be performed at an earlier hard disk fabrication stage since it does not require operational data read from the hard disk surface. A calibration signal and/or a calibration value has to be obtained for a known non-interference condition. U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,978, for instance, describes such a method.
With continuously decreasing fly heights a contacting and non-contacting operational conditions in the head/disk interface become less and distinctly able. Read/write heads operate typically with their air bearing surface in, an angulated orientation relative to the disk surface. The microscopic air bearing features are typically fabricated with a common protrusion direction normal to the substrate plane, which results in essentially coplanar surfaces and linear edges. The design of the air bearing surface defines the primary contacting edge, which initially contacts the moving disk surface. In the case where the front portion of the air bearing surface is raised sufficiently, the primary contacting edge becomes the front edge with the read and write elements. In such a case, the contacting of the slider during the regular hard disk operation occurs mainly with the slider front edge.
The linear contacting of the slider with the primary contacting edge results in relatively high surface pressures, which result in wear of the disk surface and/or the slider. As a result of disk wear, debris may adhesively build up on the primary contacting edge. Since it is desirable to have the read/write heads in closest proximity to the disk surface, they are preferably in an area adjacent to the primary contacting edge. Debris built-up alters the read and write characteristic of the heads and needs to be prevented. U.S. Pat. No. 6,088,199, for instance, discloses an abrasive section placed on the hard disk to remove eventual debris built-up on the slider. The patent does not prevent debris from building up, however. It provides only a cleaning method.
Wear in the head/disk interface related to operational slider contact is explored in a number of scientific disclosures.
In IEEE Trans. Magn. (USA) vol 34, no. 4, pt. 1, p. 1714–16, a conference/journal paper is disclosed, which describes the abrasive wear and adhesion of the slider surface.
In the 1996 AME/STLE Tribology Conference (TRIB-Vol. 6) p. 17–23, a conference paper is disclosed, which describes new techniques for evaluating slider wear and burnishing of the head/disk interface.
Further, in the Proceedings of the SPIE—The International Society of Optical Engineering (USA) vol. 2604 p. 236–43, contact force measurements at the head/disk interface for contact recording heads in magnetic recording are disclosed and correlated to the burnishing in the head/disk interface.
Finally, in the Journal of Materials Research vol. 8, no. 7 p. 1611–28, friction and wear studies of silicon in sliding contact with thin-film magnetic rigid disks are disclosed.
The ever decreasing fly heights make the limitations described in the above scientific paper increasingly stringent.
The present invention addresses these limitations and provides a solution for them.

Magnetic recording head burnishing method

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


Positioning of a mobile signal transmitter. A respective distance between the transmitter and each of a plurality of sensors is determined based on a direct sequence spread spectrum signal. A transmission delay of the signal is estimated with high accuracy by, in each sensor, cross-correlating an over-sampled representation of the signal with an appropriate local spreading sequence, which contains poly-phased symbol values being different from a set of symbols in the direct sequence used to spread the transmitted signal. The local spreading sequence has a nominal chip period, which is equivalent to the chip period of the over-sampled representation of the signal.

The present invention relates generally to positioning of mobile units by means of radio signals. More particularly the invention relates to a method for determining a position of a signal transmitter, a sensor and a system. The invention also relates to a computer program and a computer readable medium.
In modern life there are many situations in which an accurate positioning of a mobile unit is desirable, for instance in applications concerning freight, transportation, logistics and surveillance or when tracking soldiers and vehicles in a combat training area. In the latter case, the tracking data thus generated may either be used for later simulation or for online monitoring purposes. In any case, due to the normally harsh operating conditions, it is important that the tracking system be robust and provides a high degree of freedom of movement for the personnel and vehicles carrying the tracking units.
Today, there are a number of alternative solutions for accomplishing positioning data in respect of a mobile unit, which is associated with an individual or a vehicle. A GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System, of any type) can potentially provide a high accuracy for outdoor applications, at least in the order of 10 cm. However, since the GNSS requires a line of sight to multiple satellites, the system tends to be highly inaccurate in urban environments. Moreover, the system suffers serious performance degradation in the presence of radio channel multipath components.
An urban system or an indoor system may instead be based on the received signal strength of so-called radio propagation fingerprints. A calibrated systems based on such fingerprints may attain an accuracy of 1 m. However, the system requires that radio channel and strength measurements be made before the system is established, and its performance is highly environment specific. Moreover, the system suffers from significant inaccuracies whenever the radio conditions are altered, for example as a result of pedestrian traffic or a change in the room arrangement.
Alternatively, a highly accurate system may be built on the basis of frequency references. This type of systems namely allows a very high accuracy in fixed line-of-sight conditions. However, such systems are very expensive, require oscillators of exceptionally high accuracy both at the transmitter and the receiver end, and do not operate well in mobile environments. Furthermore, the design suffers from performance degradation in non-line-of-sight conditions.
It is also technically possible to accomplish positioning in a cellular infrastructure, such as that of a mobile telephone system. However, here the accuracy is limited to 10 m, or worse.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,573 describes a system which utilizes a digital correlator to determine the time of arrival of a received pseudonoise signal. Based on the time of arrival, in turn, a distance to a signal transmitter may be estimated. The correlation is performed by means of a low-resolution correlator with a low complexity, wherein an incoming phase code pattern is matched against an internally stored phase code pattern. N-bit in-phase and quadrature phase values are used to detect the time of arrival of the received signal. However, although the correlation process is iterative by involving one amplitude detection step and at least one time-of-arrival detection step, the correlation performed is exclusively of auto-correlation type, i.e. a matching between the incoming signal and local copies in the receiver representing the possibly transmitted sequences. Since this requires an extensive over-sampling, the complexity of the iterative process proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,573 increases very rapidly for each correlation iteration. Thus, in practice, an exceptionally large amount of processing power is required to attain a level of positioning accuracy, which is generally desired in many of today's urban and indoor applications.


A level shifter that shifts a voltage level of an input signal, where the input signal oscillates between a voltage level of a first supply voltage and ground. The level shifter includes a bias circuit, and first and second transistors. The bias circuit provides a bias voltage to the first transistor based on the first supply voltage. The second transistor is connected in series with the first transistor, and the series combination is connected between voltage supplies that provide second and third supply voltages. The second transistor receives the input signal at its gate, and a level-shifted version of the input signal is output at a node between the first and second transistors. The level-shifted signal oscillates between the voltage levels of the second and third supply voltages.

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and, more particularly, to a level shifter circuit.
Level shifters are used in integrated circuits to shift voltage levels of signals that cross voltage domains that operate at different voltage levels. Phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits commonly use level shifters to shift the voltage level of an oscillating signal generated by a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) of the PLL. The frequency of the oscillating signal is controlled by an input control voltage. The VCO includes a voltage-to-current converter and a current-controlled oscillator (CCO). The voltage-to-current converter converts the input control voltage into a current input, and the CCO modulates the frequency of the oscillating signal based on the current input.
A ring oscillator is the most commonly used CCO and includes an odd number of cascade-connected inverters, for example, three cascade-connected inverters. Such a ring oscillator generates three oscillating signals that have a predetermined phase difference between them. Each oscillating signal oscillates from zero (i.e., ground voltage level) to a voltage level that is equal to a ring voltage of the CCO. The VCO includes a level shifter that is connected to the CCO to shift the voltage level of an oscillating signal to a supply voltage level of the level shifter.
A known technique for shifting the voltage level of an oscillating signal requires the oscillating signal and another oscillating signal from the CCO as inputs to the level shifter. This technique requires the two input signals to be exactly 180° out of phase with each other for the level shifter to maintain the duty cycle of the level-shifted oscillating signal equal to that of the input oscillating signals. However, since the CCO contains an odd number of cascade-connected inverters, the phase difference between any two oscillating signals is not 180°, and hence, this technique does not provide an effective solution. Further, in order to match capacitive loading at each phase of the CCO, a level shifter is required for each oscillating signal, leading to an increase in power consumption and circuit area.
Another known technique is to use a bias circuit along with the level shifter to adjust the operating points (i.e., the quiescent points) of transistors of the level shifter using the ring voltage. However, this technique requires a bias circuit for each oscillating signal, which increases power consumption and circuit area.
It would be advantageous to have a level shifter that does not increase circuit area and power consumption, and maintains the duty cycle of the level-shifted oscillating signal substantially equal to that of the oscillating signal input to the level shifter.

Level shifter with low duty cycle variation


The process of the present invention provides for the sorption of residual gas in a vessel by means of a non-activated, non-evaporated barium getter. It comprises the steps of reducing an alloy of Ba.sub.z +(Ba.sub.1-x A.sub.x).sub.n B.sub.m to a particle size of less than 5 mm, under vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere and then placing the particulate alloy in the vessel. Upon exposing the particulate alloy to the residual gas in the vessel at room temperature the gas is sorbed. The metal A is a metal selected from the group consisting of elements of Group IIa of the periodic table of elements, excluding barium. The metal B is selected from the group consisting of elements of Group Ib, IIb, IIIa, IVa and Va of the periodic table of elements. Furthermore n=1, 2, 3 or 4 and m=1, 2 or 5, whereas o.ltoreq..times..ltoreq.0.5 and z is a value from zero to such a value that the total barium in the alloy is less than 95% by weight of the alloy.

Barium getters are well known in the art. In the form of the more or less pure element barium was placed inside a metal container to protect it from reaction with the atmosphere. Then, when required to be used, it was mounted inside a vacuum device where, after partial evacuated and seal-off of the device, the barium was caused to evaporate. The barium, after evaporation, deposited in the form of a thin film within the vacuum device where it sorbed residual or unwanted gases throughout the life of the device.
While these getter devices released barium they were also found to release a large amount of unwanted gases that had been picked up during storage or handling. This was due to the getter material being barium in the form of an element which is reactive with gases.
In order to reduce the reactivity of the barium, it was then alloyed with one or more metals. Such alloys were inter alia Ba-Mg, Ba-Sr-Mg, Ba-Mg-Al. See for example the book "Getterstoff und Ihre Anwendung in the Hochvackuumtechnik" by M. Littmann. E. Winter'sche Verlagshandlung. Leipzig 1939. One of the most successful was the alloy BaAl.sub.4 having a weight percent of barium from 40 to 60 percent. Such an alloy is very inert and, as with all inert barium alloys, it must be evaporated before it can sorb gases. It can be caused to dissociate and release barium by means of applying heat to the BaAl.sub.4 alloy alone but more recently it has become widespread to mix the BaAl.sub.4 with an approximately equal weight of nickel. These two materials, in powder form, when heated react exothermically to form a solid residue of Ni-Al and evaporated Ba. However, these getter materials have to be heated to about 800.degree. C. before the exothermic reaction starts, whereupon they reach 1000.degree. C., and more, when there is the sudden release of heat on reacting exothermically.
In Japanese Patent publication number SHO 42-4123 the barium-aluminium (about 50% Ba) alloy is mixed with, preferably, 15% by weight of powdered tin to produce getters. Said getters are heated by means of high frequency at about 600.degree. C. for one minute during the exhaust process. As a result of the reaction which may be produced by said heating, it is considered that BaSn.sub.2 may be produced, or liberated barium is produced from the barium-aluminium alloy by reaction of aluminium and tin. In either case, a mixed getter material of barium-aluminium alloy and tin which is stable at a normal temperature is activated and absorbs gases at a normal temperature. Nevertheless there is a heating process involved which requires temperatures of several hundreds of degrees centigrade. Furthermore an uncontrolled chemical reaction is taking place.
Another family of getter devices has been based upon the elements zirconium or titanium. Powdered Zr 84%-Al 16%, Zr.sub.2 Fe and Zr.sub.2 Ni are among these. They are known as non-evaporable or non-evaporated getters because they do not require any of their component elements to be evaporated in order to become capable of sorbing gas. However they do require heating to a high temperature to make them gas sorptive. This is because they are covered with surface layers of oxides and nitrides which passivate them and render them inactive. Upon heating, in vacuum, the passivating layers diffuse into the bulk material and the surface becomes clean and active. This heating process usually takes place at a high temperature say 900.degree. C. for about 10-30 seconds. This temperature can be reduced but requires a longer time, for instance several hours at 500.degree. C.
Even more recently non-evaporated getters based on Zr-V have been used. Such alloys as Zr-V-Fe and Zr-V-Ni have gained widespread acceptance as "low temperature" activatable non-evaporated getters. By low temperature activatable it means that a significant proportion of their gettering activity already becomes available within a relatively short time at moderate temperatures. It is believed that this is due to the ease with which the surface layers of passivating materials may diffuse into the bulk material at these relatively low temperatures. Whatever the reason for their ability to become active at these relatively low temperatures of 400.degree.-500.degree. this can still be an undesirably high temperature under many circumstances. All these gas sorptive materials have been used in admixture with other materials, both gas sorptive or not in an attempt to lower their temperature of activation.
There are many occasions in which it is desirable to remove residual or unwanted gases from a vessel which under no circumstances can be allowed to be subjected to a high temperature. Such may be the case for instance when the vessel is made of organic plastic or contains components of organic plastic. The organic plastic may melt and even if the organic plastic does not melt it may reach such a temperature that it starts to decompose or at least give off a large amount of gas which may be hydrocarbons or other organic gases. If these are sorbed by the getter material, this causes their premature failure as they only have a finite gettering power or ability to sorb a fixed quantity of gas. The rapid sorption of a large amount of gas impairs their ability to later sorb gas during the life of the device in which they are employed. Otherwise there remains too high a gas pressure for the device to work as intended. This temperature may be as low as about 150.degree. C. At these temperatures, and lower, oxygen and water vapour permeation can be a problem.
Although it has been suggested that non-evaporated getters can be introduced into the device in a pre-activated form, that is when they have already been heated to a high temperature, they have already been subject to many manufacturing processes such as grinding to fixed particle size, mixing with other materials, compaction and forming into pellets.

Process for the sorption of residual gas by means by a non-evaporated barium getter alloy


An automatic forced air ventilation system for recreational vehicles, railroad cars or the like designed to be operated during commode flushing The system creates negative pressure in the holding tank to prevent obnoxious odors from back-flowing into the vehicle. The sewer gases are exhausted outside of the vehicle during flushing of the commode. A ventilation fan assembly suctions a vent pipe leading to the sewage holding tank. The fan assembly comprises a tubular header with a fan disposed within. A circuit selectively operates the fan. In the preferred embodiment the tubular header is mounted on the roof of the vehicle over the existing vent pipe. A flange extends from the header and secures the fan assembly to the roof of the vehicle. The fan comprises an impeller of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the header and a direct current motor adapted to operate at the voltage provided by the vehicle. A collar circumscribes the interior of the header forming a sill directly below the impeller. The control circuit comprises a latching relay responsive to at least one of a plurality of isolated sources such as the bathroom light switch, one or more timer switches or microswitches operated by the flushing mechanism, or a movement sensor disposed within the bathroom.

The present invention broadly relates to sewer ventilation systems More particularly the present invention comprises a Sewer Ventilator System for Recreational Vehicles, Boats and the Like that automatically exhausts obnoxious sewer gases and prevents them from entering the vehicle.
Conventional recreational vehicles, camper trailers, boats, and the like are frequently equipped with bathrooms. Self-contained sewage storage tanks are provided for temporarily storing waste. Periodically, the wastes must be emptied to designated dump sites. Sewer gases are generated in the holding tank during this time. Although the overpressure is conventionally vented to atmosphere, when the commode is flushed objectionable gases nevertheless enter the vehicle.
When not connected to a source of water, water must be stored and transported. Since water must be rationed, commodes for such vehicles are designed to minimize the water used during flushing. They generally employ various types of trap-doors to release wastes into the holding tank of the system. There is seldom a water trap for preventing sewer gases from flowing back through the flush valve while it is in the open position. Deodorizing chemicals are used in these sewage holding tanks to help combat foul odors. Also, in the near future all railroad passenger cars will be equipped with self-contained sewer gas holding systems.
Numerous previous U.S. Patents have disclosed methods and apparatuses intended to cope with the odors produced by conventional household and "dry" toilet odors. Person U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,429 addresses a deodorizer to be secured to a conventional household toilet. Goodwin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,325 speaks to ventilation of commodes by using a portable filtering unit. Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,872 concerns outdoor toilets such as those used in remote park areas and some rural areas. This invention provides the holding tank of its system with continuous ventilation. Agelatos U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,045 is a ring shaped ventilation system that is adapted to sense and filter odorous air from conventional household toilets.
Many patents have addressed specific problems encountered by recreational vehicles and their sewer systems. Jacabis U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,207 covers ventilation for the interiors of recreational vehicles. Stewart U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,988 pertains to the design of recreational vehicle commodes and the flushing valve mechanism but, fails to speak to ventilation. Sigler U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,279 addresses vacuum toilet systems in the transfer of waste material. Most recreational vehicles do not have vacuum systems. They are generally gravity fed from the commodes to holding tanks. Mercer U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,578 basically addresses the way chemical is added to RV commodes and holding tanks. Largent-Antos U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,048 addresses a portable holding tank for a recreational vehicle commode. It discloses a removable tank for disposal of the sewage.
Also pertinent to the present disclose are U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,285,581 issued to Horton; 3,609,772 issued to Howard; 4,108,380 issued to Richardson; 4,704,747 issued to Brubakken; 4,805,660 issued to Antos; 4,867,047 issued Citron; and 4,892,039 issued to Sargent.
Known prior art systems for ventilating conventional recreational vehicle sewage storage tanks are deficient. In particular, an adequate system should operate automatically upon activation of the commode trap door. While such devices must be responsive to their own individual switching mechanisms, optionally they should be capable of automatic triggering when the bathroom lights (or other devices) are activated. When the lights are thereafter turned off, the system should run for a predetermined time and then shut down automatically. Such a device must vent the exhaust gases of the aforementioned tank to the ambient atmosphere by placing suction on the tank to prevent the gases from rising through the trap door of the commode when it is opened.
An adequate system must be easy to install, either during manufacture of the vehicle, or during subsequent retrofitting. The system would not need to operate continuously, and it must avoid draining of the vehicle battery. It should be responsive to the water pump associated with many recreational vehicle toilets. Alternatively, the system could be actuated by a micro switch contacted by the flush lever of the toilet. An acceptable system must therefore respond to any of a variety of electrical inputs, and they must be protectively isolated from one another to prevent mutual interference.

Sewer ventilator system for recreational vehicles, boats and the like


Described are techniques for processing data operations. A read request for first data is received at a data storage system. It is determined whether the read request results in a cache hit whereby the first data is stored in a cache of the data storage system, or whether the read request otherwise results in a cache miss. If the read request results in a cache miss, processing is performed to determine determining whether to perform cacheless read processing or deferred caching processing to service the read request. Determining whether to perform cacheless read processing or deferred caching processing is performed in accordance with criteria including a measurement indicating a level of busyness of a back-end component used to retrieve from physical storage any portion of the first data not currently stored in the cache.

1. Technical Field
This application generally relates to caching, and more particularly to techniques used for caching in connection with servicing read misses.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage devices such as those included in the data storage systems manufactured by EMC Corporation. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. Multiple data storage systems from one or more different vendors may be connected and may provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system.
A host may perform a variety of data processing tasks and operations using the data storage system. For example, a host may perform basic system I/O operations in connection with data requests, such as data read and write operations.
Host systems may store and retrieve data using a data storage system containing a plurality of host interface units, disk drives, and disk interface units. Such data storage systems are provided, for example, by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical units, logical devices or logical volumes. The logical units may or may not correspond to the actual physical disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data stored therein.
An application may execute on a host where the application performs I/O (input/output) operations issued to the data storage system. In servicing a request, such as a request to read data, the data storage system may utilizing caching. For servicing a read operation, the data storage system may first try to service the read request using data stored in cache. If the requested read data is all in cache, the read may be characterized as a read hit. Otherwise, if the requested read data is not all located in cache, the read may be characterized as a read miss whereby the data storage system may retrieve any portions of the requested data which are currently not stored in cache from physical storage device(s), store the retrieved data in cache, and then return the requested read data to the host. Data which is retrieved from physical storage may be stored in cache for servicing possible future read requests for the same data. In this manner, a first read request that is a read miss results in requested read data being stored in cache whereby a second subsequent read for the same read data now stored in cache results in a cache hit. Such caching techniques are utilized with a goal of increasing performance of the data storage system.

Techniques using cacheless read and deferred caching


A package for dispensing one or more condoms directly on a penis. The package consists of a flexible container having the general configuration of a penis with a first leak proof layer inside with the open end of the layer stretched over the outside of the container. The layer has a strip for providing penetration or unsealing. The condom is located within the layer and the open end is rolled over the outside of the container and the leak proof layer. A second leak proof layer lines the inside of the condom with the open end rolled over the first leak proof layer and the condom. To dispense the condom on a penis, the penis is inserted and the strip is pulled to unseal the condom from the first layer, permitting the penis and the condom to be removed from the container.

Among background art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,187 of Brazier which describes a rigid, cylindrical tubular container to dispense rigid male urine collection sleeve, not a flattened closed container openable by pressing upon the side edges corresponding to the major axis of the open end of the container, as noted in the present invention.
The use of the flattened, openable container in the present invention would be discouraged, if not clearly taught away from the rigid cylindrical tubular container of Brazier '187.
Brazier '187 discloses a sheath applicator for directing a steam of urine. Thus the single sheath is open at the distal end and not closed as in a condom. In addition, the tubular casing does not conform to the shape of a condom, has a flexible liner casing which is exposed by side openings to permit adjustment of the flexible liner casing on the penis. Strip 12 therein is designed to expose an adhesive so when the sheath is rolled over the penis, the end of the sheath can be cemented to the base of the penis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,095 of Elenteny has peel away multi-layered gloves which are peeled away one at a time. This arrangement is not suitable for use as a condom, as it lacks the leak proof layers in between the various layers of gloves.
Various devices have been made for releasing a single glove from a vacuum chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,405 of the Applicant describes a package for dispensing one or more gloves from a nested plurality of gloves, wherein a pump creates a vacuum to inflate the gloves in an open expanded state.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,405 also discloses a container for sequentially dispensing a single glove from a plurality of gloves placed inside each other, wherein a vacuum holds the plurality of gloves intact in an open position for insertion of a hand therein.
Wood '405 discloses a dispenser for gloves which are stored in a layered condition within a container and a vacuum is applied. Each glove can be removed without disturbing the vacuum. Each glove has the open end pulled around the outside of the container with each succeeding glove layered on top of the preceding one.
Adhesive is employed to maintain a seal. To remove a glove the open edge of the glove is pulled away thereby relieving the vacuum surrounding the glove. The glove is pulled away thereby relieving the vacuum surrounding the glove to be removed, thus easing the removal of the glove. This is a far different arrangement from the present invention.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,354 describes a package dispenser for garments such as one or more gloves or condoms, from a dispenser which is shaped like the garment to be dispensed. Among or other patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,695,493 of Karr, disclosing an apparatus for alternately donning and removing a single glove within a vacuum chamber 4,069,913 of Harrigan for a package for donning a single surgical glove, and 4,889,266 of Wight for an apparatus which removes a single glove from a disposable single use package.
Other related patents include U.S. Pat. No. 685,574 of Conboie which shows a hand-shaped case, but for an unrelated use in mortuaries. The U.S. Pat. No. 1,938,685 to Breulis shows a somewhat bulb-shaped cavity for applying a surgical glove. The cuff of the glove is stretched over the opening of the cavity. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,410 to Violette shows a rack for removing gloves that may be wall mounted.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,824 to Smith shows a rubber glove having a tapered wrist shape. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,826 to Schindler shows a surgical glove which is sterilized using radiation. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,445 to Stager shows a glove having a mylar outer coating and a polymer foam inner coating. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,928 to Joung and U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,266 to Momose show talc free surgical gloves. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,065 to Elenteny shows a single peel-away multi-layer glove. No powder is used between the layers. This glove has a slight taper at the wrist portion.
The U.S. Pat. No. to Richardson, 5,224,221 describes a single glove which is two layers, one inside the other, with the space between them evacuated.
Various devices have been made for packaging condoms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,405 of the Applicant herein describes a package for a plurality of condoms, wherein the condoms are nested within a tubular package having an open end and a closed end, wherein a pump creates a vacuum to inflate the condoms in an open inflated state. Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,354, noted above, describes a package for a plurality of condoms which specifically describes a removable layer between each of the condoms, to maintain each of the condoms sanitary before use.
Among prior art patents related to condom manufacturing are U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,825 of White for an apparatus and method for compacting condoms in a pleated package and U.S. Pat. No. 4, 867,176 of Lash for a vacuum formed package for a female condom, as shown in FIG. 16 therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,790 of Conway describes a rolled condom which is adhesively adhered to the skin of a male user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,019 of Jones described an annular applicator which functions as a package for a condom.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,575 of Hrisko describes a dispenser for an individual condom, wherein the condom is inflated before each use by blowing air through the dispenser to inflate the condom before donning. However, Hrisko '575 only describes an applicator for single condom, which must be inflated by the user blowing air into the dispenser before each use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,905 of Broad describes a "no hands" application for a condom, wherein a pair of strips are moved to release the condom.
However, none of the above patents for donning condoms disclose an apparatus for donning one of a plurality of hermetically sealed condoms within a condom shaped chamber. As defined in the Academic Press Dictionary of Science and Technology, Publishers, ed. C. Morris, 1992 edition, at page 1015, a "hermetic seal" is defined as a seal that is impervious to air and other fluids, i.e. made airtight.
The United States Department of Health, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that condoms be manufactured to prevent pregnancy and to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STD's), from the mixture of bodily fluids between sexually active persons.
Pursuant to Title 21 U. S. Code, Section 360(c) (a) (1), FDA regulations classify medical devices in a hierarchy of classification standards, namely, Class I for medical devices which require general controls in manufacturing, Class II for medical devices which also require performance tests, and Class III, for medical devices which require FDA pre-market approval.
The FDA has classified the condom as a Class II device under 21 CFR 884.5300. The condom must be subject to rigorous performance tests, such as air burst tests, to certify that the condoms are sealed from leakage.
The FDA utilizes the manufacturer's standards of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) entitled "Standard Specification for Rubber Contraceptives" (Condoms).sup.11 --Designation: D 3492-83 for quality control of leakage defects, wherein the acceptable quality level for leakage is 0.4 percent, that is, not to exceed 4 leaking condoms per 1000 is tested. The FDA's sampling inspections, pursuant to 21 CFR 800.20, are based on the tables of MIL - STD - 105 E which is the military sampling standards in "Sampling Procedure and Tables for Inspection by Attributes", dated May 10, 1989.
Among the tests for condoms include the Air Inflation Test, adopted in 1994 by U. S. inspectors, which includes inflating condoms, checking their elasticity, whereby experts determine the quality that keeps a condom intact during intercourse.
As noted in "How Reliable Are Condoms?" Consumer Reports, May 1995, pp 320-324, latex condoms are produced by dipping a cylindrical form in liquid latex and heating it. Machines shape and trim the condoms ring; then new condoms are washed and aged for a number of days, during a "curing" that lets the rubber complete the chemical actions that strengthen the latex. The final steps are rolling and wrapping individual condoms.
Industry standards require a width of no greater than 54 millimeters,--about 21/8 inches, to prevent slippage. The minimum length is 160 mm, roughly 61/3 inches.
Since 1987, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has allowed condom boxes to list all the diseases condoms help avert.. More recently, the FDA advised a condom manufacturing company that because the disease-prevention message is so important, manufacturers should also print a disease prevention message on the wrappers of individual condoms.
Therefore, both manufacturers and the FDA take steps to catch the flawed condoms before they can leave the factory.

Package dispenser for one or more condoms


The invention relates to a polymer energy absorber and a bumper system for motor vehicles, said system absorbing the kinetic energy released during collisions with motor vehicles. According to the invention, polymer energy absorbers are integrated into a bumper system.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a polymer energy absorber for motor vehicles which absorbs the kinetic energy released during collisions between motor vehicles and purposely discharges this energy. For this, the polymer absorber is installed in bumper systems and/or bumper arrangements of motor vehicles.
2. Related Art
Prior art discloses different types of energy absorbers which are presently used in the front and/or rear bumper areas of motor vehicles. These energy absorbers have different energy absorption capacities, owing to differences in material and design, as well as differences in the energy-absorption behavior for crash speeds in the typical range of 5 to 15 km/h. As a result of the spaces available for installing energy absorbers in the front and rear motor vehicle region, motor vehicle manufacturers prefer systems having an optimum force-distance characteristic for absorbing kinetic energy at the moment of collision, starting with an initially steep force increase with continuing energy absorption over time, which leads to a constant force level, so that the integral ∫F*ds reaches a maximum value for the force-distance characteristic curve. Reversible and irreversible energy absorber systems for motor vehicles are described in prior art. Hydraulic damping elements are one example of reversible energy absorbers which show a differing response behavior during crashes, depending on the medium used. These hydraulic damping elements have a complex technical design and their weight does not meet the requirements of present-day motor vehicle manufacturers. With respect to the irreversible effect, arrangements consisting of plastically deformable metal elements, e.g. hollow profiles with metal foam (aluminum foam), are known for use as motor vehicle energy absorbers, wherein the energy absorption behavior is mainly determined by the density of the metal foam filler. The production of these irreversible energy absorbers is expensive and involved.
In this connection, prior art also discloses systems combining reversible and irreversible energy absorber elements.
Furthermore known are different types of energy absorbers for motor vehicles which have a differing energy-absorption capacity and are used in a bumper system between the frame side rail and the bumper support in the form of so-called crash boxes or type-damage prevention devices. Besides the bumper support, the crash boxes also absorb crash energy and are irreversibly changed by the deformation. These energy absorbers function to protect the vehicle structure and discharge the crash energy during a collision for speeds up to 15 km/h.
Reference DE 2509265 C2 discloses the use of honeycomb-type deformation elements of plastic or metal which are attached to the bumper. These deformation elements are installed in longitudinal direction of the vehicle and absorb the peak force generated during a crash situation with the aid of the honeycomb structure, so as to dissipate the energy. The technical production of the honeycomb structure in the different types of materials as well as the connection technology are a disadvantage of this design, particularly when using polymer materials, because it results in high production costs and a less secure connection to the receiving elements in the bumper unit of future motor vehicles, given the predetermined installation situation.
Reference DE 3833048 C2 discloses a different energy-absorbing element for the dynamic absorption of crash energy during a vehicle collision phase. This arrangement consists of profile-extruded crash tubes of a composite fiber material with a matrix material from the group of epoxy resins, phenol resins, or vinyl ester resins, wherein these tubes are combined form-locking and coaxial to each other with the vehicle chassis. The disadvantage of this arrangement lies in the reduced force absorption if the vehicle is impact-stressed in vehicle longitudinal direction because of the spatial arrangement of the crash tubes.
Reference DE 4401805 A1 discloses crash dampers with speed-dependent energy conversion. These crash dampers contain fluid-filled pressure chambers for the energy conversion which deform the fluid-filled crash damping elements in longitudinal direction during a vehicle collision and effect an energy dissipation through the compression recovery effect of the selected fluid. The disadvantage of this design lies in the weight of the fluid-filled crash dampers.
A reversible deformation element is described in reference DE 10015294 C2 which discloses a device for absorbing impact energy by means of a tubular sleeve which is provided with an elastic collar that encloses the tube and is composed of a shape-memory alloy and which acts based on the physical memory effect. In the event of an impact, the collar fitted around the outside is expanded in radial direction and the material memory effect then counteracts the collar expansion with a time delay because of the shape-memory alloy characteristic, so that the deformation energy is dissipated slower. The radial and time-delayed energy absorption on the whole results in a lower response behavior of the energy absorber unit during a crash which, combined with the high material costs for the shape-memory alloy, does not meet the future requirements of motor vehicle manufacturers.
A bumper for motor vehicles is furthermore disclosed in reference DE 3232940 C2 which consists of a section that is rigidly attached to the vehicle and is provided with rigid support elements and bent end regions on the side, wherein an undulating plate spring is installed in front of this section. The plate spring and support unit form a single unit made of plastic.
Reference DE 19806541 A1 furthermore discloses a bumper system containing synthetic foam layers with different densities, wherein the energy absorption behavior is realized on two force levels, meaning it transfers an impact resulting from a crash to two different energy absorption levels.
In addition to the aforementioned disadvantages in prior art, the energy absorbers used so far in motor vehicles display an irregular energy absorption behavior, combined with a lower average energy absorption which results in a time delay in the force-distance behavior and, on the whole, negatively influences the response behavior of the energy absorbing unit. Also proposed are energy-absorbing systems for motor vehicles which do not meet the weight requirements of future motor vehicle generations.
Future technical requirements for energy absorbers and energy systems used in motor vehicles must meet the following factors:
high efficiency of the system in the event of a collision;
increasingly smaller installation space;
high reproducibility of the energy conversion;
easy assembly for a replacement or exchange;
stability to climatic influences and
recycling ability.

Polymer energy absorber for motor vehicles and bumper system


Method for MR imaging of an object in which various RF and magnetic field gradient pulse sequences are used to produce transverse magnetization and to generate echoes. The RF pulse sequence may include a sinusoidal waveform component defined by either y=sin x, 0.ltoreq.x .ltoreq.4.pi.; y=cos x, 0.ltoreq.x .ltoreq.4.pi.; or y=sin x, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq..pi./2, y=cos x, .pi./2.ltoreq.x.ltoreq..pi.; and a phase component defined by either y=0, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.2.pi., y=.pi., 2.pi..ltoreq.x.ltoreq.4.pi.; or y =-2.pi.cos x, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq..pi./2, y=-2.pi.sin x, .pi./2.ltoreq.x.ltoreq..pi.. The selected waveform and phase components may be combined to form a first, composite RF signal and the Hilbert transform of the composite RF signal selected as a second RF signal. Alternately, the second RF pulse sequence may be comprised of first and second phase shifting linear ramps. The selected gradient magnetic field pulse sequences may include a first sinusoidal readout pulse sequence defined by y=ax sin x, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.n.pi. and a second sinusoidal readout pulse sequence defined by y=ax cos x, 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.n.pi., first and second constant magnitude phase encoding pulse sequences, or a square wave as a readout pulse sequence and a series of positive amplitude spikes positioned at each transition for the readout pulse sequence as a phase encode pulse sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging techniques and, more particularly, to magnetic resonance imaging techniques which utilize various multiple shaped radiofrequency pulse sequences, either alone or in combination with multiple shaped magnetic field gradient pulse sequences, to generate an image of an object in which selected components thereof are suppressed and/or enhanced.
2. Description of Related Art
Magnetism results from the motion of electric charges such as electrons. Electrons can produce a magnetic field either by motion along a path or by virtue of their intrinsic spin. The particles that comprise the atomic nucleus, collectively called nucleons, also have spin and magnetic moment. Because both individual nucleons and nuclei have a charge distribution, rotation or spin of this charge produces a magnetic dipole whose value is called a magnetic moment. The numeric value of the magnetic moment determines the energies of the different orientations of a nucleus in an external magnetic field. The proton is positively charged and has a relatively large magnetic moment. Although neutral, the neutron also has a net magnetic moment. A neutron's magnetic moment is about two-thirds of the value of the proton's and points against the axis of spin. When in the nucleus, like nucleons align with their spins pointing against each other. This phenomena is called "pairing" and is favored because it leads to a lower nuclear energy state. Therefore, only the unpaired, odd proton or neutron, or both, contribute their magnetic moment to the nucleus. As a consequence, only nuclei with odd numbers of protons or neutrons, or both, have a magnetic moment. The magnetic properties of nuclei become important when they are placed in external magnetic fields as the nuclei will have a tendency to align with the external field.
Resonance occurs when an amount of energy equal to the difference of energy associated with the transition between states is absorbed or released. In the case of a magnetic moment of a nucleus, transitions between parallel or "up" and anti-parallel or "down" states can occur if the correct amount of energy is absorbed or released. Because the interaction is with a magnetic element, the necessary energy can be provided by a magnetic field. One way to obtain such a field is by utilizing electromagnetic radiations. To induce resonance, the frequency f of the electromagnetic radiation must be proportional to the local magnetic field H.sub.L. The particular proportionality constant which will induce resonance varies depending on the particular nucleus involved. The relationship between frequency and field is given by:
s EQU f=.GAMMA.H.sub.L /2.pi. (2)
where .GAMMA. is the magnetogyric ratio of the nucleus.
When the nuclei, originally in equilibrium with the field, are irradiated at the resonant frequency, the nuclei can adopt the anti-parallel state. When the nuclei return to equilibrium, if the field is unchanged, they will radiate emissions of the same frequency. If between excitation and radiation the field strength is changed, the nuclei will radiate a frequency corresponding to the new field value. This behavior of nuclei may be described by net magnetization vector N which characterizes the system by disregarding the state of each nucleus and considers only the net collective effect. In a magnetic field, the magnetization vector points along the field. The length of the magnetization vector is proportional to the number of nuclei in the sample and to the field strength and is inversely proportional to temperature. The length and direction of this vector characterizes the equilibrium magnetization of the sample; that is, the state that it will revert to after being disturbed if enough time is allowed to pass. This equilibrium magnetization is given by: EQU .nu..sup.2 H/kT (2)
where:
.nu. is the nuclear magnetic moment; PA1 k is Boltzmann's constant; and PA1 T is the absolute temperature. PA1 M.sub.TO is the value of M.sub.T immediately after irradiation; and PA1 t is the lapse time.
This vector can be disturbed from equilibrium by the application of a second external magnetic field. If such a field is superimposed upon the first magnetic field, M will align with the new net field. As M moves to its new direction, energy stored in the nuclei of the sample is provided by the second field. When the superimposed field is removed, M returns to equilibrium and the nuclei release the stored energy to the environment, either as heat or RF energy. These two fields are called the transverse field and the longitudinal field, respectively. More specifically, the component of M that points along the main field is called the longitudinal magnetization (M.sub.L) and the orthogonal component is called the transverse magnetization (M.sub.T). If the transverse field is an RF field at the resonant frequency, M behaves as a top such that, as it deviates from the longitudinal axis, it precesses about it. If the main magnetic field is defined as being aligned along the z axis, then M.sub.T rotates in the x,y plane and M.sub.L is reduced from its equilibrium value. If M is rotated onto the x,y plane by a 90 degree RF pulse, M.sub.L is 0.
Immediately after an RF irradiation, M.sub.L begins to grow again towards its equilibrium value M. This growth is exponential with a time constant T1 such that: EQU M.sub.L =M[1-exp(-t/T1)] (3)
where t is the time since irradiation.
During this process, M.sub.T decays exponentially with a time constant T2 such that: EQU M.sub.T =M.sub.TO exp(-t/T2) (4)
where:
When a proton is aligned with the magnetic field, it gives off no signal. When a proton is perpendicular to the field, it gives off a maximum signal. The rate at which a proton realigns with the static field is called its "T1" or "T1 relaxation time". The T1 relaxation time is also called "spin-lattice" or "thermal relaxation time". The individual protons exchange fixed amounts of energy when they flip from the down to up alignment in the process of returning to equilibrium. This exchange can occur only at the resonant frequency. A molecule in the lattice surrounding the resonant nucleus appears as an oscillating electric magnetic field with frequency that depends on its thermal velocity and mean free path. Since both vary over a broad range for any one temperature, of the whole ensemble of molecules, only a small fraction provide the right oscillating fields. These then couple with the nucleus and allow the relaxation to occur. As temperature and molecular composition changes so does the distribution of velocities and mean free paths, thus affecting T1.
When a group of protons precess in phase, the voxel gives off a maximum signal. When a group of protons precess out of phase, the voxel gives off no signal. The rate at which the protons de-phase is called its "T2" or "T2 relaxation time". The T2 relaxation time is also called the "spin-spin" or "transverse relaxation time". In a perfectly uniform magnetic field, all nuclei will resonate at exactly the same frequency, but if the field is even slightly inhomogeneous, nuclei resonate at slightly different frequencies. Although immediately after an RF irradiation, the nuclei are all in phase, they soon lose coherence and the signal that is observed, decays. Any such loss of coherence shortens T2. Thus, the effects due to inhomogeneities in the external field produce a rapid decay characterized by the relaxation time T2.
Magnetic resonance has become an established method for producing an image of the internal structure of an object. Such methods have numerous applications particularly in medical diagnostic techniques. For example, the examination and diagnosis of possible internal derangements of the knee is one such application of magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Most magnetic resonance techniques for knee imaging use a two-dimensional (or "2D") acquisition with a spin-echo pulse sequence to provide T1, T2 and proton density weighted images of the knee in multiple planes, typically the sagittal (y-z) and coronal (x-z) planes. However, the selective excitation techniques used by conventional 2D methods is limited in the ability to obtain thin slices by the gradient strength of the system. Furthermore, obtaining images in non-orthogonal planes is often advantageous for proper medical diagnosis. However, to obtain images in a non-orthogonal plane, the use of 2 gradients rather than a single gradient is required to obtain a slice.
As a result of the shortcomings of 2D methods, three dimensional (or "3D") acquisitions of magnetic resonance data has been used to produce thin slice, high resolution images. See, for example, the publications to Steven E. Harms, "Three-dimensional and Dynamic MR Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System"; Harms and Muschler, "Three-Dimensional MR Imaging of the Knee Using Surface Coils", Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography; 10(5): 773-777 (1986) and Sherry et al., ("Spinal MR Imaging: Multiplanar Representation from a Single High Resolution 3D Acquisition", Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography; 11 (5) : 859-862 (1987) ; Robert L. Tyrrell, "Fast Three-dimensional MR Imaging of the Knee: Comparison with Arthroscopy", Radiology; 166: 865-872 (1988); Charles E. Spritzer, et al., "MR Imaging of the Knee: Preliminary Results with a 3DFT GRASS Pulse Sequence", American Journal of Roentology; 150:597-603 (1987); Alan M. Haggar, et al., "Meniscal Abnormalities of the Knee: 3DFT Fast-Scan GRASS MR Imaging", American Journal of Roentology; 150: 1341-1344 (1988).
Also disclosed in the article to Steven E. Harms entitled "Three-dimensional and Dynamic MR Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System" is a pulse sequence referred to as a "fast adiabatic trajectory in steady state" or "FATS" pulse sequence. The FATS RF pulse sequence is characterized by the utilization of non-selective opposing 20 degree adiabatic half-passage pulses that result in no effective magnetization on resonance. Because the sequence is tuned to fat, water signal is detected off resonance. See also the article entitled "Method combines vascular, anatomic data", Diagnostic Imaging, pgs. 140-42 (February, 1991). While the FATS type RF pulse sequence tends to suppress the fat signal, the FATS type RF pulse sequence tends to have a relatively narrow null bandwidth, thereby decreasing the effectiveness of the fat suppression since off resonance fat would not be suppressed.
The use of various k-space scanning and reconstruction procedures for MR imaging techniques have been disclosed. See, for example, the publications to Craig H. Meyer, et al., "A Comparison of Fast Spiral Sequences for Cardiac Imaging and Angiograph", Proceedings, Ninth Annual Meeting of SMRM, p. 403 (1990); John Jackson, et al., "Projection Reconstruction with a Twist", Proceedings, Ninth Annual Meeting of SMRM, p. 428 (1990); H. Bruder, et al. "Reconstruction Procedures for Echo-Planar Imaging", Proceedings, Eighth Annual Meeting of SMRM, p. 359 (1989); R. Coxon and P. Mansfield, "EPI Spatial Distortion in Non-transverse Planes", Proceedings Eighth Annual Meeting of SMRM, p. 361 (1989); Craig Meyer, et al., "Square-Spiral Fast Imaging", Proceedings, Eighth Annual Meeting of SMRM, p. 362 (1989); and Douglas Noll, et al., "Partial k-Space Reconstruction for Square Spiral Fast Imaging", Proceedings, Eighth Annual Meeting of SMRM, p. 826 (1989).


A graphite sheet having a ratio of thermal diffusivity in horizontal and vertical directions of 300 or more is disclosed. Also, a graphite sheet having a ratio of thermal diffusivity in a vertical direction of 2.0 mm2/s or less is disclosed. The graphite sheet has excellent thermal conductivity in horizontal and vertical directions and excellent flexibility at the same time and can be produced at low manufacturing cost, thereby holding an economic advantage.

Recently, electronic devices have been lighter, thinner, shorter, and smaller, and also highly integrated for being multifunctional, resulting in increases in heat density therein. Thus, they are required to address heat radiation problems. Radiation of heat is critical since it is also closely related with the reliability and life span of the devices. Accordingly, various heat sinks have been developed and marketed in the form of heat dissipating pads, heat dissipating sheets, heat dissipating paints, etc. They assist or replace such conventional heat dissipating devices as heat dissipating fans, heat dissipating pins, and heat dissipating pipes.
The heat dissipating sheets are manufactured as graphite sheets, polymer-ceramic composite sheets, multicoated thin metal sheets, etc. The graphite sheets are light and slim, as well as have thermal conductivities comparable to, or even higher than, that of copper. Thus, they are used between electronic circuit boards, in a PDP for plasma televisions, etc.
A typical example of preparing film-shaped graphite includes a method referred to as "graphite expansion method." In this method, graphite is prepared by immersing natural graphite in a mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated acetic acid, and rapidly heating it. After the acids are removed by washing, the graphite thus obtained is formed into a film shape using a high pressure press. However, the film-shaped graphite thus prepared has defects that it has weak strength, its other physical properties are not so good, and there are potential adverse impacts of any residual acids.
In order to deal with the above defects, a method of graphitization by directly thermally treating a specific polymer film has been developed (hereinafter, referred to as "polymer graphitization method"). The polymer film used in this method includes, for example, polyoxadiazole, polyimide, polyphenylenevinylene, polybenzoimidazole, polybenzoxazole, polythiazole, and polyamide films. The polymer graphitization method is very simple compared with the conventional graphite expansion method and is characterized in that it essentially does not involve impurities such as acids and that graphite produced in this method has a good thermal conductivity or electric conductivity close to those of single crystalline graphite (see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. Sho 60-181129, Hei 7-109171, and Sho 61-275116).
Further, in the polymer graphitization method, an additive such as carbon nanotube is added to a polymer film to improve the mechanical properties of the graphite (see Japanese Patent No. 5275721).
It, however, is difficult for the polymer graphitization method to produce graphite in a thick film compared with the graphite expansion method.
Although the conventional graphite sheets have a high thermal diffusivity (or thermal conductivity) in the horizontal direction, they have a low thermal diffusivity in the vertical direction and are expensive.

Graphite sheet and method for manufacturing same


A method, computer program product and system for creating a mini information center. A user is presented with an initial set of questions to answer. Based on these answers, topics of interests are identified. These topics of interests are presented to the user. Each topic of interest may be associated with one or more articles. The user may then select the articles that are of interest to the user. Upon selection of each article, the user may be presented with a list of options including the option of storing the selected article and associated topic in a directory which will later be used to build a mini information center. Once the user has completed the selection of articles of interest, the mini information center is built using the stored selected articles and associated topics thereby enabling the user to access the desired information in the information center using less time.

An information center may refer to an information source, such as a website, that may be used for training users in applications and solving related personal computer problems. An information center may contain a listing of thousands of individual topics as well as thousands of electronic documents that are readily available to the user, such as in a PDF format. These electronic documents may be available to the user by the user selecting the appropriate link, displayed on the user's interface, to that document. An example of such an information center is illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a screen shot of an information center 100. Information center 100 may include two separate panes 101, 102. Pane 101 may be referred to as the "topic pane" where the topic pane includes a list of topics, e.g., "information roadmaps", for the user to select. Upon selecting one of these topics, pane 102 may appear that includes a list of articles that relate to the selected topic.
From the standpoint of the user, information centers may seem overwhelming due to the large number of topics and documents available to the user. Since there is so much information readily available to the user, it may be time consuming and cumbersome for the user to find the information desired.
For example, suppose the user is having difficulty installing an application server (application server may refer to software to facilitate the serving or running of other applications) on the user's computer. The user may access the information center, such as a website, to obtain online information to assist the user in installing the application server. However, the user is having difficulty finding the information the user needs to install the application server because there is an overwhelming number of topics and documents displayed in the information center. Hence, the information center, as currently structured, is not easy for the user to find the information they desire. That is, searching through an information center, as currently structured, is not robust and presents a laborious task for the user to find the information desired.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for the user to be able to access the desired information in an information center using less time.

Enabling a user to create a mini information center thereby reducing the time needed for the user to obtain the desired information

International Business Machines Corporation


A pigment dispersing agent, a pigment dispersion solution, a color photoresist, and a process for manufacturing the same, and use in the color film substrate and display device. The pigment dispersing agent is an amino-β-cyclodextrin modified polymethacrylate, the amino-β-cyclodextrin modified polymethacrylate being used to disperse a powdered pigment having an aromatic group, wherein the degree of modification by amino-β-cyclodextrin is 5.36%-35.40%. Because β-cyclodextrin moiety is a group having affinity for pigments, it can bind to the aromatic group in the pigment molecular structure, thereby capable of dispersing the powdered pigment having an aromatic group. The pigment dispersion solution prepared from the pigment dispersing agent has small particle size, narrow particle size distribution range, and high storage stability, thereby improving the yield of the display product.

In the flat panel display device, the thin film transistor liquid crystal display (briefly TFT-LCD) is characterized by small volume, low energy consumption, relatively low manufacturing cost, and no irradiation, and dominates in the current flat panel display market.
Currently, the structure of TFT-LCD mainly includes aligned array substrate and color film substrate (CF), wherein, the color film substrate primarily comprises a glass substrate, a black matrix (briefly BM), a color filter and a protective film. Generally, the black matrix is arranged between the colored patterns formed from color filter in the form of grid, stripes or flecks. The primary function of the black matrix is to increase the contrast of the picture by inhibiting the blending between colors. It can also shield scattered light to prevent malfunction of TFT caused by light leakage among pixels. The primary function of the color filter is to generate three primary colors, i.e., red, green, and blue, by filtering light, and blend the three primary colors—red, green and blue in different intensity ratios, thereby exhibiting different colors and enabling the TFT-LCD to display full colors.
Currently, there are many methods for manufacturing the color filter. However, considering economic benefit, manufacturing stability, and the functional requirements of the color filter, such as color saturation, resolution, and the like, the common techniques include staining methods, pigment dispersion methods, printing methods, as well as electrodeposition methods. Among these, the pigment dispersion method becomes the primary method for preparing the color filter due to the advantages such as high color purity, high precision, high resolution possessed by the thus-prepared color filter.
The basic principle for the pigment dispersion method is to coat a color photoresist on a transparent underlying substrate, then irradiate the coating with ultraviolet light or similar light to form a cured color filter. The color photoresist comprises a pigment dispersion solution which primarily comprises a colored pigment, a dispersing agent, a resin and a solvent. The colored pigment in the pigment dispersion solution can decide the color of the color filter finally formed.
The stability of the pigment dispersion solution is very important. However, the pigment dispersion solution known by persons skilled in the art often has the problem of poor stability. The pigment particles in the pigment dispersion solution are prone to deposition, or even agglomeration. This will directly result in the color film substrate having an uneven surface of the color filter layer, an uneven coating of the color filter layer, thereby causing adverse effect such as light leakage of the color film substrate to occur. Embodiments of the invention aim to provide a pigment dispersing agent that can improve the stability of the pigment dispersion solution, and a process for manufacturing the same.

Pigment dispersing agent, pigment dispersion solution, color photoresist and manufacture and use thereof


An inside-out wallet designed to carry currency completely exposed on the outside face of the wallet, allowing for easy access to currency with pockets to carry credit cards. The wallet can be folded and conveniently and comfortably carried in a front pocket, eliminating a bulky object in the hip pocket. Access to the currency may be achieved without unfolding the wallet and the user can conveniently remove bills one at a time without disturbing other bills.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an inside out wallet providing a compact design that can be carried in a front pocket with paper money accessible on the outside and completely in view.
2. Description of the Related Art
Despite the numerous designs of wallets that have been developed over the years, there is no convenient, inexpensive wallet specifically designed to carry paper money completely exposed on the outside face of the wallet, allowing for easy access, and containing additional pockets to carry additional cards.
Standard billfold wallets contain bills inside the wallet. This requires the user to fold open the wallet and reach into some type of pocket to withdraw the desired bills. It is often hard to distinguish between dollar denomination and requires several steps to withdraw and insert bills. This type of wallet is typically designed to be carried in the hip pocket or in a suit coat pocket. It is unsuitable to carry in a front pocket, where it is less apt to be lost or pick-pocketed, due to its bulk.
For convenience, money clips are often used to hold bills together. They are less bulky than traditional wallets, however, money clips restrict the user from carrying additional cards, such as credit cards and a drivers' license.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,392, issued to Lampert, discloses a one-piece billfold with the bills partially exposed. The bills are partially contained within a pocket formed by an extension which is folded into position over the bills so that the bills are still constrained within an enclosed section. There are no individual compartments or pockets to hold additional cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,752,976, issued to Goldstein, discloses another wallet variation that has the bills partially exposed. Again, this wallet is designed to partially hold bills within a pocket and does not leave the bills completely exposed. To insert bills into the wallet, several flaps must be folded away. The bills are placed inside and the same flaps must be folded again over the bills. This process is complicated and time consuming. Furthermore, there are no individual compartments or pockets to hold additional cards.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,659,419, issued to Klein, discloses still another wallet variation that only exposes the end of the bills. A pocket flap must be drawn back to further expose the bills.
An efficient, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use wallet specifically designed to carry paper money completely exposed on the outside face of the wallet is not found in the prior art.

One-piece wallet to carry bills on outside


Disclosure is a connector assembly of low insertion force type comprising first and second pairs of connectors which can be engaged with each other with a low insertion force. A connector assembly comprises: a frame on which an engaging lever member having cam grooves is swingably provided; a pair of female connectors which are set in the frame in advance; and a pair of connectors which are engaged with the first pair of connectors, respectively. The male connectors have cam pins. The female connectors and the frame have guide slots into which the cam pins are inserted. The guide slots of the female connectors are aligned with the guide slots of the frame when the female connectors are set in the frame.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a connector assembly comprising a pair of connectors which are operated with an operating lever so that they are engaged with each other by a low insertion force (hereinafter referred to as "a connector assembly of low insertion force type", when applicable).
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional connector assembly of this type, as shown in FIG. 14, comprises a male connector a and a female connector f. In the male connector a, an engaging operating lever c is rotatably mounted on a supporting pin d between the male connector body and a protective board b. The lever c has a cam groove e (cf. FIG. 15).
The female connector f has a cam pin g on its surface. When the female connector is engaged with the male connector, first the cam pin g is allowed to go in the inlet of the cam groove e (cf. the part (A) of FIG. 16). When, under this condition, the operating lever c is turned, the cam pin g is driven by the cam groove e, so that the female connector f is moved towards the male connector (cf. the part (B) of FIG. 16). When the operating lever has been fully turned, the female connector f is completely engaged with the male connector a (cf. Japanese Unexamined Utility Application. Hei. 3-4672.
In the above-described conventional connector assembly, it is necessary to provide the operating lever for one of the male and female connectors in advance so that they are engaged with each other.

Connector assembly of low insertion force type


A method for executing a selected input/output (I/O) command from a plurality of I/O commands based on a dependency graph of I/O commands includes building the dependency graph of I/O commands, wherein the dependency graph is built by requiring all children of the selected I/O command to be ready before the selected I/O command is ready, and executing the I/O command based on the dependency graph, wherein execution of the selected I/O command is completed when all of the children of the selected I/O command finish execution.

In a computer system, Input/Output, or I/O, is made up of the collection of interfaces that different components (e.g., CPU, keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.) use to communicate with each other, or the signals sent through these interfaces. Signals received by a component are inputs, and signals sent from the component are outputs. Output from one device is often taken as input to another, which allows different devices to be linked. I/O allows a person or other system to communicate with a computer and also allows devices within a computer to communicate with one another.
I/O may also refer to an input or output operation performed by one of these devices. Typical input devices include keyboards and mice, and typical output devices include monitors and printers. Modems and network cards, which provide communication between computers, are generally both input and output devices. Buses connect different computer components and can use the same set of wires to connect several peripherals. I/O is often transferred between devices using buses.
In computer architecture, any movement of information to or from the combination of the CPU and main memory (e.g., data transfer to or from a disk drive) is considered I/O. The CPU and supporting circuitry provide I/O methods that are used in low-level computer programming in the implementation of device drivers.
In operating a computer system, some I/O operations depend on one another. For example, data may have to be written to a device first before it is accessed by another device. Problems may occur if I/O operations are performed out of order. As a result, I/O operations in a system are often executed serially to ensure that they are performed in the right order. Doing so usually results in poor performance, as any multithreaded capabilities are not used. However, if dependency relationships between I/Os are known, then some I/Os can be executed in parallel in order to maximize throughput and minimize the overall latency in completing a large number of I/Os.


A sheet supplying device has a sheet delivering roller for delivering sheets one by one; a feeding roller for feeding the sheet delivered by the sheet delivering roller; a pinch roller urged by the feeding roller to be rotated by the feeding roller; a detecting lever swingable by being contacted by a leading of the sheet delivered by the sheet delivering roller; and a sensor for detecting the swing motion of the detecting lever. An area of said detecting lever to which the leading end of the sheet is contactable is such a curved surface that a distance from a nip between the feeding roller and the pinch roller is substantially constant.

The present invention relates to a sheet supplying device including delivering means for delivering sheets one by one and feeding means for feeding the delivered sheet to a sheet processing portion, and relates to a sheet processing device using the sheet supplying device.
A sheet processing device for processing the supplied sheet in a sheet processing portion such as an image forming station is used in a recording device (printer) which is an information output device of a personal computer or the like, and the sheet processing device includes delivering means for delivering the sheets one by one and feeding means for feeding the delivered sheets to the processing portion.
Conventionally, sheet supplying devices for feeding the sheets one by one from a stack of sheets are widely known, and are used in printers, copying machines, facsimile machines and other recording devices. Generally, such a sheet supplying device comprises stacking means for stacking the sheets, delivering means for separating and delivering the stacked sheets one by one, and sheet detecting means for detecting a leading end or a trailing end of the delivered sheet, and feeding means for feeding the delivered sheet to the processing portion such as the image forming station or the like. The sheet detecting means includes an actuator (swing lever, for example) which is operated by abutment of the leading end of the delivered sheet thereto to block or open an optical path of a sensor (photo-interruptor), so that electrical signal of the sensor is rendered on and off in response to presence and absence of the sheet, respectively.
The separation and delivery of the sheet by the delivering means is ordinarily as follows. First, the sheet is singled out of the stack of sheets by a pick-up roller and a separating mechanism. Then, the leading end of the sheet is detected by the sheet detecting means. On the basis of the output of the sheet detecting means (leading end detection information), the delivering means delivers the sheet to the feeding means in a manner matching various delivery conditions. Thereafter, the feeding means feeds the sheet to the downstream, and feeds it through the sheet processing portion such as the image forming station or the like. During the feeding, a trailing end of the sheet is detected by sheet detecting means (sheet end detecting means), and the sheet is further fed by a predetermined distance.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a sheet supplying device of a conventional recording device. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sheet supplying device of FIG. 6 in a state at an instance of detecting the leading end of the sheet. FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged major part longitudinal sectional view of a major part of the sheet supplying device of FIG. 6. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the sheet P delivered by an unshown delivering means is fed through a feeding passageway T defined as a predetermined gap by a pinch roller holder 305 and a platen 303. In the feeding passageway, there is provided a detecting lever 307 as if it blocks the passing of the sheet. A leading end of the delivered sheet P contacts (abuts) to the detecting lever 307 (actuator) to rotate the detecting lever, which blocks or opens, by the other end portion thereof, the optical path of the sensor 308 in the form of a photo-interruptor mounted on the electrical substrate 102. The position of the leading end of the sheet is detected by changes of the output signal of the photo-interruptor.
More particularly, the delivered sheet P is caught by a nip N provided by the feeding roller 302 and the pinch roller 304 contacted thereto. The position of the nip N is taken as a reference position, and the position of the leading end of the sheet P is determined on the basis of the design positional relations among the detecting lever 307, the sensor 308 and the nip. When a distance between the nip N and a sheet contact position of the detecting lever at the instance of actuation of the photo-interruptor 308 by rotation of the detecting lever 307 of the actuator about the pivot 307c, is L, the position of the leading end of the sheet P is upstream of the nip N by the distance L at the instance when the photo-interruptor 308 is rendered on (open). When the sheet P is fed through the feeding passageway T defined by the platen 303 and the pinch roller holder 305, the sheet is guided along the platen 303 defining the lower surface of the feeding passageway T because of the influence of the gravity and the influence of the rigidity of the sheet.
In FIG. 7, the time when the detecting lever 307 crosses the optical axis of the photo-interruptor (sensor) (when the optical path is changed from the blocked state to the open state) is the time when the position of the leading end of the sheet P is detected. The position of the leading end of the sheet known to the main assembly of the apparatus is the position which is upstream of the nip N by the distance L. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the sheet leading end contactable region 307b of the detecting lever 307 to which the leading end of the sheet is abuttable upon the detection is inclined from an upstream side toward a downstream side with respect to a downward direction.
With this structure, when the sheet shown by a solid line P1 in FIG. 8 is fed along the platen 303 which is the lower end surface of the feeding passageway, the situation is the same as that of the design, and therefore, the position of the leading end of the sheet can be detected correctly. However, the leading end portion of the sheet may be curled upwardly, or the leading end portion of the sheet may be waved under a high humidity ambience. In such a case, as shown by a broken line P2 in FIG. 8, the sheet may be fed along the pinch roller holder 305 defining the upper end surface of the feeding passageway, and therefore, a deviation arises between the position of the leading end of the sheet sensed by the device and the actual position of the leading end of the sheet, the deviation being δL=M−L. If this arises, the top position of the image formation may be inaccurate, or the top margin may be deviated from the intended margin, with the result of deterioration of the accuracy of the sheet processing such as image formation or the like on the sheet.
In some sheet supplying devices, the sheet is fed into the image forming station 401 without correcting obliqueness of the delivered sheet by the nip N between the feeding roller 302 and the pinch roller 304 after the leading end of the sheet is detected, and in the other supplying device, the sheet is fed into the image forming station with the obliqueness of the delivered sheet corrected. In the image forming station 401, there is provided a carriage portion 403 including a carriage 404 reciprocable in the main scan direction along a guiding shaft 405 and a recording head 402 carried on the carriage, and the image formation is effected on the sheet P by driving the recording head on the basis of image information. The sheet on which the image has been formed is discharged in the direction indicated by an arrow A by a sheet discharge portion 501 constituted by sheet discharging rollers 502, 503, spurs 504, 505 and so on.
In an example of obliqueness correcting mechanism, the leading edge of the sheet is abutted to the nip where the feeding means 302, 304 are not rotated, and the sheet is pushed by a predetermined degree, 3 mm, for example, thus forming a loop of the sheet to make the entirety of the leading edge of the sheet abuts the nip. Therefore, when the obliqueness correction is not carried out, the above-discussed deviation δL of the leading end position of the sheet results in the top margin deviation as it is in the print. On the other hand, when the obliqueness correction is carried out, the actual sheet pushing degree for the correction is deviated by δL from the proper degree of pushing, and therefore, the loop degree may be improper, resulting in deterioration of the obliqueness correction performance.

Sheet supplying device and sheet processing device using detecting lever


Tire or wheel for use on a vehicle, machine, equipment, toy or the like. The tire or wheel has an illuminable feature including at least one optical fiber.

Tires and wheels are well known and widely used for many different purposes, including use on or with motorized and non-motorized vehicles, equipment, machinery, tools, toys, etc. Historically, tires and wheels have lacked certain functionality and aesthetic features, typically due to the materials making up the wheels and tires, but also due to the purposes for which the wheels and/or tires are intended to be used. However, it has been discovered that with the improvements in materials, electronics and light sources, it is now possible to provide tires and wheels with previously unavailable and unrecognized aesthetic and functional benefits. For example, it has been discovered that illuminable features, such as lighting elements, can be incorporated into tires and wheels. Such illuminable features can be used to provide improved aesthetics (e.g. visual patterns or characters created by the illumination feature), functional purposes (e.g. to help light an area, to indicate wear, to show movement, to identify characteristics of the wheel or tire, to indicate the need for service, to make the wheel or tire more visible and/or to provide other functional benefits), or for both functional and aesthetic purposes.
As such, it would be desirable to provide a tire with an illuminable feature. It would also be desirable to provide a tire including one or more LED light sources. It would also be desirable to provide a tire including one or more optical fibers.
It would also be desirable to provide a wheel with an illuminable feature. Further, it would be desirable to provide a wheel including one or more LED light sources. It would also be desirable to provide a wheel including one or more optical fibers.
The invention disclosed herein may provide any one or more of the described or other features and/or benefits and such features and/or benefits may be provided separately or in any desired combination.


An adaptive filtering digital calibration circuit of ADC, which includes a control module, a fixed-point adder, and a fixed-point multiplier; the control module includes a finite-state machine, a shift register, and a register array; the fixed-point adder allows an addend and an augend to be added together after being encoded; the control module controls to complete all the calibration algorithmic operation, which includes the following steps: the control module controls to obtain an original binary value from an external ADC; calculating an error value according to weight and disturbance signals, and carrying out the weight updating operation and the disturbance signal updating operation according to the error value; carrying out the gain calibration operation; and carrying out the final result operation. The present invention also discloses a method of the adaptive filtering digital calibration of ADC.

The main error sources of ADC include comparator offset (Offset), capacitor mismatch (Mismatch), gain error (Gain error), etc., wherein the ADC capacitor mismatch caused by manufacture is impossible to avoid, causing non-linear change of the output characteristic curve of ADC, which influences the performance of ADC the most. Using a large capacitor unit is among the traditional simulation improvement methods, but it will consume the area and power. Or the linear characteristics of ADC are improved by substituting a small capacitor array for the large capacitor array, which, however, will increase the control difficulty and reduce the speed of ADC. Using the method of digital calibration of the adaptive filter algorithm is becoming a mainstream technology of calibrating capacitor mismatch. In an existing adaptive filter algorithm, generally comparing the output signal of ADC with another high-accuracy output signal of ADC to obtain an error value, correcting the weight according to the error value, and repeating the operation, thus finally making the output signal of ADC calibrated.

Circuit and method of adaptive filtering digital calibration of ADC

Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation


An outboard motor has a cowling structure that includes a top cowl and a bottom cowl. The top cowl has a hook mounting member which is bonded to an inner side of the top cowl. The hook mounting member has a top cowl hook configured to engage a bottom cowl hook mounted to the bottom cowl. The hook mounting member is formed by pressing a nonferrous metal plate. A hook fixing part of the housing mounting member is coupled to the top cowl hook and is formed by the way of drawing in the pressing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application generally relates to outboard motors, and more particularly to outboard motors with a cowling structure including a top cowl and a bottom cowl.
2. Description of the Related Art
Watercraft vehicles, such as boats, are often powered by an outboard motor having an internal combustion engine. Outboard motors can be used to propel watercraft. Outboard motors often have an engine disposed within a protective cowling. Protective cowlings typically include a top cowl and a bottom cowl. The top cowl is often releasably coupled to the bottom cowl so that the top cowl can be removed to expose the engine.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 60-60098, Japanese Patent Publication No. 02-32196, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 08-268384 disclose outboard motors that have top and bottom cowls coupled together by engaging bottom cowl hooks attached to an opening edge of the bottom cowl and top cowl hooks attached to an opening edge of the top cowl. These types of top cowls are often made of reinforced resin and thus are relatively heavy and non-recyclable. A bolt is often embedded in the top cowl and couples the top cowl hook to the top cowl. The bolt is typically embedded in a thickened portion of the top cowl, which is often formed by a die-cutting process. Unfortunately, the weight of the top cowl is undesirably increased due to this thickened portion.
Other outboard motor cowlings have top cowl hooks that are riveted to the top cowls. Unfortunately, the heads of the rivets are often on the outside of the top cowls and exposed to the external environment. These visible portions of the rivets may be unsightly and reduce the overall aesthetics of the outboard motor.