An apparatus for removing heat from the top surface of an electronic package. In one embodiment, an electronic package is attached to the top-side of a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has a first set of through holes positioned symmetrically about the electronic package. A heat sink is placed in thermal contact with the top surface of the electronic package. The heat sink has a second set of through holes that correspond and are align with the first set of through holes. Posts having a first end portion and a second end portion are positioned within the first and second set of through holes such that the first end portions are in abutting engagement with the top surface of the heat sink, and the second end portions protrude from the bottom-side of the printed circuit board. The heat sink is held in place by a spring clip. The spring clip includes a substantially flat cross member and a pair of legs extending outward from either side of the cross member. Each of the legs terminate at a flange section. The flange section of each leg has an opening for receiving the second end portion of a post. Attachment of the heat sink to the electronic package is accomplished by positioning the spring clip over the bottom-side of the printed circuit board such that the cross member is positioned substantially centered in one direction with respect to the electronic package mounted on the top-side surface of the board. Once the spring clip is properly positioned, the spring clip legs are compressed such that the second end portions of the post are disposed and secured within the flange openings of the clip.

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a composite of organic and inorganic materials with external and internal wiring, allowing electronic components to be mechanically supported and electrically connected. A PCB typically contains multiple insulation layers sandwiched between metal layers. A typical PCB contains at least one metal layer that is patterned to transfer signals between the electronic components, one power plane for distributing voltage throughout the PCB, and one ground plane.
The method and manner in which components are attached to a PCB has changed as integrated circuits and circuit board technology has improved. Today, a significant number of components are surface mounted to the PCB while others have pins soldered into plated-through-holes. In surface-mount technology, the components are soldered directly to the surface of a PCB via solder ball connections, in contrast to the through-hole mode in which the component leads are inserted through a PCB. The driving force for the use of surface-mount technology is the reduced package size, improved utilization of board real estate and assembly simplicity.
As integrated circuit technology has improved, substantially greater functionality has been incorporated into the devices. As integrated circuits have expanded in functionality, the size of the devices has diminished resulting in higher clocking frequencies and increased power consumption. As a consequence, the integrated circuit devices of today generate more heat while possessing smaller surface areas to dissipate the heat. Therefore, it is important to have a high rate of heat transfer from the integrated circuit package to maintain the junction temperatures of the integrated circuit within safe operating limits. Excessive junction temperatures may affect the performance of the circuit and cause permanent degradation of the chip. For this reason, heat sinks are typically mounted to the top surface of the package housing to increase the thermal performance of the package.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art method of attaching a heat sink to an integrated circuit package. FIG. 1 shows a surface mounted package 102 that is electrically coupled to a printed circuit board 104 via a plurality of solder ball interconnections 103. Generally, package 102 includes a heat slug 108 that is thermally coupled to the integrated circuit die that is housed within the package. Heat is removed from package 102 by a heat sink 106 that is thermally coupled to heat slug 108. A highly conductive thermal grease 110 is normally placed between heat slug 108 and heat sink 106. A thin layer of thermal grease 110 ensures that the thermal interface between heat slug 108 and heat sink 106 is devoid of any air gaps, which would reduce the heat removal capability of the packaged device. As shown in FIG. 1, a heat sink clip 112 is used to secure heat sink 106 to the packaged device. Clip 112 generally includes two legs 113a and 113b that terminate at hooked sections 114a and 114b. (Clip 112 is generally referred to as a "spider clip.") Attachment of the heat sink 106 to the package 102 is achieved by placing the heat sink clip on top of heat sink 106 and compressing legs 113a and 113b inwardly to enable the insertion of hooks 114a and 11b into through holes 116a and 116b formed within printed circuit board 104. Hooks 114a and 114b bear against the bottom side of printed circuit board 104 to provide a force to heat sink 106, forcing it to seat against heat slug 108.
As noted above, as integrated circuit technology has improved, substantially greater functionality has been incorporated into the devices. As a result, the integrated circuit devices of today generate more heat and require the use of heat sinks that are both larger and heavier than those used in the past. In order to meet certain shock and vibration performance requirements, a larger force must be applied to the heat sink to hold it securely in place.
Although the use of a spider clip to attach a heat sink to package has proved sufficient in the past, a number of problems arise when extending its use to the attachment of the larger and heavier heat sinks of today. First, the amount of force that may be exerted by a prior art spider clip is very limited. If the force necessary to hold a heat sink in place is too high, the spider clip hooks can easily become dislodged from the printed circuit board.
As described above, the force created by spring clip 112 causes hooks 114a and 114b to bear against the bottom side of the printed circuit board. A moment force is produced within the board since the forces acting on the printed circuit board are located at points away from the center of the package. Since the printed circuit board is flexible, this moment force causes the board to warp when hooks 114a and 114b bear against the bottom side of the board. This introduces a number of problems. First, warping or bending of the printed circuit board can cause a crack to form in the board. These cracks may cut metal traces in the board to create electrical opens. Another problem arises when the integrated circuit package attached to the board is a surface mounted device. As shown in FIG. 1, a surface mounted device is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board by a multitude of solder ball interconnections 103. The solder bumps are very small (approximately 4 to 8 mils in diameter) and are easily damaged. Excessive warping of the printed circuit board can cause these solder bump interconnections to fatigue or crack, thus resulting in an inoperable device.
Bending of the printed circuit board can also affect the thermal performance of the integrated circuit package. As previously discussed, a thermal grease is generally used at the heat sink/package interface to enhance the transfer of heat at the interface. The gap between the heat sink and package must be held to within a tight tolerance. The thickness of this gap, which is commonly referred to as the "bond line thickness", is chosen to account for the differences in the thermal expansion between the heat sink and package during the thermal cycling of the device. If the printed circuit board is permitted to warp, it may be impossible to maintain the proper bond line thickness which is critical to the thermal performance of the electronic device.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus for attaching a heat sink to an electronic package that solves the aforementioned problems.

Apparatus for attaching a heat sink to a PCB mounted semiconductor package


A balloon is disclosed that has two differing rates of distensibility. It can be used to perform angioplasty by taking advantage of its high strength and relatively low distensibility up to a predetermined range of pressure and still be used to set a stent by operating a pressure range where there is a higher distensibility. the balloon can be of a single material that is oriented less than fully or a blend of materials similarly oriented. In another embodiment, strands of a more crystalline material run longitudinally through a matrix of a less crystalline material, with the resulting balloon, when not fully biaxially oriented, exhibiting high burst strength and two different rates of distension at different applied inflation pressures.

Balloons are often used to dilate constricted tubular body cavities such as arteries, veins, urinary cavities, etc. Basically, a balloon is attached to a tubular catheter body with a facility to inflate such balloon using liquid media. Specifically, balloons are used in various angioplasty procedures such as coronary angioplasty, peripheral angioplasty, dilation of the esophagus and ureter and other urological cavities.
In the recent past, stents have been used to maintain patency of lumens that have been dilated by angioplasty balloons. Stents are medical devices made of metal or plastic material but essentially scaffold the lumen of the body cavity. Several stents, such as one made by Johnson & Johnson of New Jersey, have been used to maintain patency of the lumens so dilated by angioplasty balloons.
It is often necessary to use a balloon not only to place such metal stents in the required location but also to distend the stent so that the stent is well pressed into the tissue of the said body cavity. To press such metal stents to the body cavity requires very high pressure. For stents placed in the coronary artery, normal pressure required is between 15-20 atm. Different stents manufactured by different manufacturers require different pressures to press the stent to the body cavity.
Angioplasty balloons, dilation balloons, in general, are made from polyvinyl chloride, irradiated polyethylene, polyethylene terapthylate, polyamide, polyurethane, and from another host of polymers that can be biaxially oriented to impart strength. It is well-known in the art that a polymeric material that has been formed with a given shape, such as a tube, by melt processing can be subsequently processed to impart higher tensile strength by stretching. By stretching, the molecular structure of the polymer is oriented so that the strength in that direction is higher. In a typical process of making a balloon, a polymeric tube such as nylon of polyethylene terapthylate (PET) is extruded into a tube form first. The tube is subsequently heated to a temperature close to its glass transition temperature at which the tube softens and, by pressurizing the tube from inside, a bubble or balloon is formed. When this operation is carried out in a mold, a predetermined shape of balloon of a given size can be made. Sometimes it is necessary to stretch the tube in a lengthwise direction in order to orient the molecules in the lengthwise direction. This type of operation causes what is known as biaxial orientation. Balloons have been formed as early as 1977 by others for medical devices by biaxial orientation.
Biaxial orientation and the degree of biaxial orientation can be measured by studying the birefringence of the part so formed.
When balloons are formed from PVC, irradiated polyethylene (I-PE), polyethylene terapthylate (PET) or nylon (PA), polyurethane (PU) or others, in order to impart high strength as measured by its burst pressure, it is necessary to as fully as possible biaxially orient the molecules. Most balloons formed by biaxial orientation are, however, distensible. Distensible means that a balloon formed to a certain diameter (d) at a working pressure (p) will slightly grow in its diameter when the pressure is increased. Polyethylene, PVC, PU, and nylon balloons grow well over 10% of its diameter when the pressure is increased by 5-10 atm. On the other hand, PET grows very slightly, often less than 10%.
There are some advantages and disadvantages of distensibility. On one hand, when a balloon is distensible, especially at low pressure, 5-10 atm, it can cause damage to the body cavity or artery as the excessive distension will break, or damage unaffected tissue in the arterial wall. Such damage made during a procedure has been found to be the main cause for restenosis of the artery due to scar tissue formation. Most of the balloons that are distensible, when once expanded beyond their yield point, due to the nonreversibility of the process, are bulky. Polyethylene and nylon balloons, when once expanded, remain quite bulky and do not return to the original thin profile set at the time of manufacture of the balloon.
The other disadvantage, and the most important of all, is the fact that these distensible balloons distend at all pressures. In other words, the distensibility is uniform and happens even at lower pressures. The balloon starts growing its diameter from 2-20 atms in a uniform manner.
Nondistensible balloons, i.e., balloons that are distensible less than 10% of its diameter, such as PET balloons, have the advantage of high tensile strength and have very high burst pressure. These can also be made in very thin wall so that the balloon profile is quite small when folded over the catheter tube. These balloons can be made from material having different molecular weight and molecular weight distribution. Often the molecular weight characteristic is measured by the intrinsic viscosity of the material. Depending on the intrinsic viscosity of the PET polymer used, one will be able to make a very strong or less strong balloon. But in either case, the balloon is nondistensible.
An object of the present invention is to provide a balloon that is strong and that has at least two differing rates of distensibility so that a single balloon can be used effectively for angioplasty as well as to set a stent. In angioplasty, the increased distensibility at higher pressures allows use of a given balloon that is for example 3 mm in an artery that is somewhat larger such as 3.3 mm. The same catheter can be used in the angioplasty and later to deliver and set a stent. Alternatively, the balloon can carry a stent and the angioplasty can be performed by use of a first pressure. By then raising the pressure, the stent is pressed into the tissue to its set position.

Balloon catheter with multiple distensibilities


Systems and methods are presented for identifying and addressing anomalies in a system. An exemplary method comprises collecting parameters of one or more components of the system, assessing conformity of a state of the system by comparing the collected parameters to one or more state models, wherein the one or more state models describe normal and anomalous states, identifying one or more anomalies based on the assessment of conformity, obtaining a database of third party information for the one or more components, replacing the collected parameters with the third party information and interrogating the one or more state models using the third party information, responsive to identifying no further anomalies in the interrogation, identifying one or more components that are compatible with the system from the obtained database, and selecting a single component from the one or more components to address the identified anomalies, based on one or more criteria.

Companies and entrepreneurs often use advertising services in order to promote their products. Advertisement seeks to persuade potential customers to purchase a good, service or idea through various media channels. With the development of the Internet, advertisers now have expansive access to untapped markets to a point where it is estimated that more than 20% of advertising is conducted on the Internet.
However, advertising is not as effective as it could be, due to the lack of personalization and audience selection. Producers therefore strive to single out individual groups from the entire set of users and present advertising targeted to each group. This is known as targeted advertising, or advertising announcements (presentations) connected not to the content of a web page, but to a particular group of users, identified on the basis of their previous behavior or survey data.
During the course of the development of the Internet, the methods of delivering advertising to the user have themselves begun to change. The user has come to encounter advertising not only during surfing, but also in applications having access to the web and on information boards on the way to work or on the way home.
Advertising however has one major shortcoming: oftentimes it irritates a user who does not need the product being advertised. Such a user then seeks to avoid applications and web resources with advertising. If the user in fact needs the product, but the advertising is too intrusive, this may redirect the consumer to a competitor.
Thus, existing advertising products have low efficiency, and they gather, transmit information about, and profile the user, which may entail legal risks. Advertising often irritates the user who then avoids applications with advertising since the application is monetized through advertising. The proposed disclosure describes aspects that are free of these shortcomings.

System and method of identifying and addressing anomalies in a system


Multi-color CL images of nanoparticle samples may be generated, by irradiating with a scanning electron beam a nanoparticle sample that containing a plurality of spectrally distinct optical emitters configured to generate CL light at respective different color channels, then detecting the CL light from the nanoparticles to generate multi-color NP-CL images of the nanoparticle sample. In some embodiments, SE (secondary electron) images of the sample may be acquire, substantially simultaneously with the acquisition of the CL images, so as to generate correlative NP-CL and SE images of the nanoparticle sample. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles may be surface-functionalized so that the nanoparticles selectively bind only to particular structures of interest.

Electron microscopy, for example SEM (scanning electron microscopy), is a powerful imaging modality that provides structural information at high spatial resolutions, typically a few nm (nanometers), due to the short DeBroglie wavelength of electrons at keV energies.
The interaction of keV electrons with a solid can produce CL (cathodoluminescent) photons, a phenomenon widely used for spatially-resolved characterization of semiconductors and insulators. For a variety of applications, including without limitation bio-imaging, it is desirable to supplement SEM structural data with functional information obtained by optical microscopy.
For imaging biological samples, the potential of CL to provide molecular localization has been recognized for some time. However, efforts to obtain nanoscale CL image resolution have been hindered by low photon count rates and rapid signal degradation due to the destruction of biomolecules and organic fluorophores under electron beam irradiation.

Multi-color nanoscale imaging based on nanoparticle cathodoluminescence

PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE


A method includes providing frames of video data for being displayed by a head mounted display (HMD). Pixel data is encoded in a pixel of at least some of the video data frames, the encoded pixel data defining a focal state of an optics block of the HMD for displaying the respective frame of the video data to a user. The predetermined focal state is determined from a plurality of available focal states of the optics block, each focal state corresponding to a different focal plane of a virtual image generated based on the video data. The pixel used for encoding may be disposed outside a region of the frame that is displayable by the HMD.

Head-mounted displays (HMDs) can be used to simulate virtual environments for display to a user in an artificial reality system. For example, stereoscopic images can be displayed on an display module inside the HMD to simulate the illusion of depth, and head tracking sensors can be used to estimate what portion of the virtual environment is being viewed by the user. Such a simulation, however, can cause visual fatigue and nausea resulting from an inability of existing HMDs to correctly render or otherwise compensate for vergence and accommodation conflicts.
Typically, eyes converge (rotate toward one another) to focus on closer objects and diverge (rotate away from one another) to focus on objects that are further away. The vergence therefore represents the simultaneous movement of both eyes in opposite directions to obtain or maintain single binocular vision. Accommodation is coupled with vergence and is the process where the lenses of the eyes focus on a close or far away object. During accommodation of an eye, a lens of the eye changes optical power to maintain a sharp, in-focus image of an object as the object's distance from the viewer varies.
Some HMDs may display objects in a virtual or augmented reality scene at different perceived distances by using the stereoscopic effect, as well as by placing different virtual objects at different focal planes or focusing states. The perceived stereoscopic image depth and position of the virtual objects needs to be accompanied by corresponding focal positions and the focusing distances of the virtual objects, to reduce the fatigue or nausea caused by vergence/accommodation conflict.

Image frame synchronization in a near eye display


The input branch of the current mirror is responsive to a single input signal current and each output branch of the current mirror mirrors the input signal current to produce an output current proportional to (e.g., substantially equal to) the input signal current. In one embodiment, the input branch has an input mirror MOS transistor connected to a threshold voltage generator, the output branch has an output mirror MOS transistor connected in cascode to an output cascode MOS transistor, and all of the transistors operate in saturation. The threshold voltage generator may be implemented in different ways, including using four MOS transistors forming two current paths, such that, in one current path, two transistors have channel constants of X and 4X, respectively, and, in another current path, two transistors both have channel constants of A, which may be different from X. In this implementation, the input and output mirror transistors have channel constants of B, which may be different from X and A, and the output cascode transistor has a channel constant of 4X+A.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated electronic circuits, and, in particular, to current mirrors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A current mirror is a type of current amplifier that provides a high impedance output current proportional to an input signal current. The output current may be used, for example, to drive a load for high gain.
FIG. 1 shows a representation of a simple current mirror 100 consisting of a single input transistor 102 and a single output transistor 104, with the gate electrodes G of the pair being tied together and to an input voltage node V which is common to both. The sources of the transistors are connected to a reference voltage node which is common to both (e.g., ground). The drain and the gate of the input transistor are connected to an input signal current source I.sub.IN that provides a reference current. Because the input and output transistors have their gates tied together and their sources tied together, a corresponding output current I.sub.OUT arises in the conduction path of the output transistor. In some current mirrors, the input and output transistors are identical (e.g., have the same width-to-length ratio) and there is a substantially unity gain in the current. Such current mirrors are commonly used to provide active loads in high-gain amplifier stages. Unfortunately, the output impedance of such current mirrors is too low for many applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,782 (Swanson), the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses current mirrors in which two input signal currents are used to generate the output current. In certain applications, it may be inefficient to use a current mirror that uses two input signal currents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,284 (Sooch), the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses current mirrors in which, during operation, some of the transistors are in the saturation region, while other transistors are in the triode region. In order to ensure proper operation, the transistor model parameters in Sooch need to be consistent from transistor to transistor.
It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a current mirror that does not suffer from the limitations of the prior art of having either two input signal currents or transistors that operate in different regions.
Further aspects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.


A resealable plastic bag having a substantially planar shaped body exhibiting first and second opposing panels, sealingly connected along a pair of sides and with a bottom interconnecting the sides such that the body forms an interior receptacle volume. A pair of re-sealable bead portions are integrally formed into the planar shaped body and arranged at first and second opposing and extending locations along a top of the body. A header is integrally formed with the planar shaped body and in proximity to the bead portions. A perforation line is established between the header and resealable bead portions, in order to facilitate tear-away removal of the planar shaped body from the header. A sliding zipper is attached to the bag and in order to contain the resealable bead portions therebetween. A plurality of headers can be heat staked together and in order to support a like plurality of bags. A method for constructing a resealable plastic bag is also disclosed according to the above structure and which utilizes a die extrusion process in the bag and header manufacture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to plasticized and resealable bags. More specifically, the present invention discloses a resealable bag and method of constructing the same in a single piece extrusion, and exhibiting both a top tear-away header and an attachable zipper operating in communication with first and second resealable beads formed into the bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with various types of resealable and plasticized bag constructions. The purpose of such bag constructions is to efficiently and inexpensively store items, such as solid and liquid edibles, in a sanitary and secure fashion.
A first example of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,951, issued to Sill, and which discloses a plastic bag including first and second opposing body panels fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides and a bottom bridging the pair of sides to form a receptacle space having a mouth formed opposite the bottom. A reclosable fastener extends along the mouth and an overlay strip is connected to the body panels at the sides thereof.
The overlay strip overlays at least a portion of the body panels, extends beyond the panels, and typically includes a header portion having at least one opening for mounting the plastic bag to a dispensing post, as well as a perforation line such that the header is removable from the remainder of the overlay strip. The arrangement of the overlay strip and header is further such that it is disposed along an edge of the bag opposite that of the reclosable fastener and it is further disclosed in Sill that the strip and header are formed by plasticized portions which are separately attachable to the bag, such as through a heat staking process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,730, issued to Dobreski, teaches another plastic bag design exhibiting a first (top) resealable end and a second (bottom) header-attached end. As described, Dobreski includes first and second opposing panels fixedly connected to each other along a pair of sides, a primary bottom and a secondary bottom which extend between the pair of sides. The sides and secondary bottom define a receptacle space having a mouth formed opposite the secondary bottom. The bottom disposed header extends between the primary and secondary bottoms and includes first and second opposing header panels. The first header panel is extruded with and extends downwardly from the first body panel and the second header panel is extruded with and extends downwardly from the second body panel. The bottom header further includes an opening for mounting the plastic bag to a dispensing post.
Finally, Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0044093 A1, issued to Schneider et al., teaches a tamper evident and reclosable slider package formed by opposing panels of web with four sealed sides. A zipper is sealed within the bag and such that a first zipper profile is sealed to a first opposing panel and a second zipper profile is sealed to a second opposing panel. A slider engaging the zipper profiles in a closed position protrudes from an opening in at least one of the opposing panels and may be further secured in place by a label. The slider cannot be moved from the position wherein the zipper profiles are closed to the position wherein the zipper profiles are open prior to the user tearing a perforated or otherwise weakened line across the panels, the existence of the tear providing effective tamper indication.

Resealable bag with top tear-away header and zipper and method of manufacturing the same


An assembly for smoothing and throttling a gaseous stream, which can be installed downstream of a region of discontinuity between areas of controlled outflow of the gas, includes an aerodynamic guide that is substantially teardrop-shaped. The assembly further includes at least one baffle that faces and is proximate to at least one respective surface of the aerodynamic guide. The baffle has the face directed toward the surface of the guide substantially similar in shape to that of the surface.

In various sectors of the art, the need arises to strike appropriate components with a stream of gas in order to subject them to a specific treatment.
For example, in dryers, a stream of warm air is used to strike specific components that need to be dried after having been subjected to washing operations.
Similarly, in high-temperature sterilizers, the components to be treated are conveyed into a chamber in which a stream of high-temperature air is maintained, and this results in a superheating of the components with consequent sterilization thereof (if they remain inside the chamber for a preset time).
The creation of the stream of gas in the operating chamber is in any case obtained by way of a ventilation apparatus (arranged, for example, downstream of a heat exchanger or of a heater) which sends the gas to a circulation hood that surmounts the chamber.
By suitably selecting the dimensions and the geometries of the circulation hood, with respect to the volume of the chamber and to the speed and flow-rate of the stream of gas introduced, it is possible to ensure that the stream of gas that will strike the components to be processed is laminar.
More often, partitions are interposed between the circulation hood and the chamber in order to control and laminate the stream of gas.
If the chamber is very large, it will therefore be necessary to arrange a plurality of partitions side by side, because they have preset dimensions and it would not make economic sense to provide a single partition of identical shape and dimensions to those of the chamber.
The partitions will therefore be arranged side-by-side so as to be distributed in order to provide an upper wall of the continuous chamber; the partitions, in order to be capable of assuming such configuration, must be supported by a frame.
Obviously, at the discontinuity surface between two contiguous partitions, a region will be defined in which the stream of gas will not be correctly subjected to lamination and therefore incidences of turbulence may be created which are negative for the treatment to be carried out on the components present in the chamber.
In order to minimize such problems and ensure that the entire stream of air that will strike the components to be processed is substantially laminar, it is known to arrange aerodynamic guides (with a substantially teardrop-shaped profile) below the frame, at the portions of discontinuity between two contiguous guides.
The stream of gas that exits from the edge of a partition, thanks to the presence of such aerodynamic guides, follows a surface of the guide remaining laminar and joins the stream that flows over the opposite face of the guide (originating from the contiguous partition) without causing turbulence.
In reality the flow is not laminar but still has some turbulence which is generated at the meeting point of the two currents originating from opposite faces of a same aerodynamic guide.
In some specific applications, even the minimal presence of turbulent motion of the gases conveyed can be negative and/or counterproductive, demonstrating that the adoption of aerodynamic guides with teardrop-shaped profile is, effectively, insufficient to create laminar streams of gas that meet requirements.

Assembly for smoothing and throttling a gaseous stream

I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A IN SIGLA IMA S.P.A.


The invention provides for a lithium secondary battery using a non-aqueous solvent wherein the anode material is prepared by the pyrolysis of organic compound starting materials obtained by reacting at least one conjugated polycyclic compound with a nitro compound or with a nitrating agent. The anode material contains at least the elements carbon and nitrogen, the nitrogen content ranging from 0.5% to 6% by weight. Eighty percent or more of this nitrogen is bound to carbon by either C--N or C.dbd.N bonds. The ratio of the intensity of the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ("XPS") peak observed for the anode material at 401.2.+-.0.2 eV to the intensity of peak observed for the anode material at 398.8.+-.0.4 eV is 1.0:1 or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved lithium secondary battery with a large capacity and superior charge - discharge cycle characteristics.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lithium primary batteries using metallic lithium as the anode material, because of such advantages as high energy. density, light weight, small size and the ability to function well after long storage, have already been put into practical use in a variety of applications.
However, when lithium metal, which is so effective as an anode material for lithium primary batteries, is used as the anode material for a secondary battery, various new problems arise that were not foreseeable in the primary battery, and, consequently, it has not been possible to put lithium metal into practical use as the anode of a lithium secondary battery. The reason is that lithium secondary batteries having a lithium metal anode possess such serious flaws or defects as short charge - discharge cycle lifetimes and low charge - discharge efficiency. These flaws or defects are caused by the deterioration of the anode arising from an electrochemical reaction in which lithium metal is separated from solution by charging and discharging in the form of dendrites growing on the anode. In lithium secondary batteries possessing a lithium metal anode, it is not possible to avoid this kind of deterioration of the anode.
As stated above, when lithium metal is used as the anode of a secondary battery, the battery suffers from the defect of deterioration of the anode, and methods for using lithium - aluminum alloys as the anode material have been proposed to overcome this defect. Batteries prepared by these methods are at present widely used in such applications as memory backup for various small scale electronic devices. However, the danger originating in the use of lithium metal as a secondary battery anode is intrinsic to lithium metal, and there are serious problems involved in the application of such lithium aluminum alloy anode secondary batteries to such fields as power sources for portable electronic equipment that require a high capacity and in which nickel - cadmium batteries are presently used.
In addition, various secondary batteries having anodes made of carbon materials that occlude lithium ion have been proposed in place of batteries having anodes made of lithium metal.
For example, methods of using graphite as a lithium secondary battery anode material were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,825, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 208079/1982, U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,125 and Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 102464/1983. However, since graphite crystallites are extensively developed, the destruction of the graphite crystalline structure occurs during the intercalation and deintercalation of lithium, and, as a result, the reversibility of intercalation-deintercalation is limited. Additionally, these batteries exhibit such defects as a large magnitude of self discharge and the decomposition of the electrolyte due to the high reactivity of lithium - graphite intercalation compounds. Consequently, such batteries are not applicable to practical use.
On the other hand, the use as a lithium secondary battery anode material of activated carbon, which is a carbon material possessing a high surface area, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,883 et al. That patent discloses a device that makes use of electric double layer formation based on the high surface area of activated carbon However, the secondary batteries of that patent, which use the described activated carbon material as the anode, possess such defects as low charge - discharge efficiency and low battery voltage.
In order to solve these kinds of problems, the use as the anode material of carbon materials that differ both from graphite with its extensively developed crystallites and activated carbon with its high surface area has been proposed. In particular, the definition of carbon materials in terms of the pyrolysis temperatures used in their formation has been proposed, and a method for using pyrolyzed organic compounds obtained by heating organic compounds at temperatures of 1500.degree. C. or less as secondary battery anode materials is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 93176/1983 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,959. Moreover, the use of carbon fibers obtained by pyrolysis at around 2000.degree. C. as anode material is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 54181/1985, and, additionally, the use of carbon materials containing graphite structure and prepared by pyrolysis at temperatures ranging from 1000.degree. C. to 2500.degree. C. is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 221973/1985. On the other hand, the definition of carbon materials in terms of the values of their physical properties has also been proposed. For example, the use of a carbon material having a pseudographite structure in which the x-ray diffraction values for the interlayer spacing of carbon atoms (d002) and the size of the crystallites in the direction of the c axis (Lc002) are 3.39.ANG..ltoreq.d002.ltoreq.3.75 .ANG. and 8 .ANG..ltoreq.Lc002 .ltoreq.100 .ANG. respectively is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,977. Moreover, a method for using carbon materials that possess a surface area A (m.sup.2 /g) having a range of 0.1<A<100 and Lc002 and true density .rho. (g/cm.sup.3) values that simultaneously satisfy the conditions that 1.70<P<2.18 and 10<Lc002<120.rho.- 189 as anode materials is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,595. However, although the use of the carbon materials disclosed in the above patents and patent applications represents a significant improvement over the use of the above mentioned graphite and activated carbon, the battery capacity of batteries made with these carbon materials, particularly the capacity when the battery voltage is high, is still not adequate.
As the situation is understood, there has been a long-felt need by industry to provide anode materials that impart to the batteries made therefrom high capacity, specifically in excess of 500 mAh/g, and that exhibit superior characteristics in the constant potential region, that region in the anode charge - discharge curve (mAh/g versus potential) that is relatively flat and low in potential, and there have been substantial efforts by many people working in this field in recent years. Yet, despite all of this prior effort and the need for such an improved anode material, it has been left to the inventors of the present invention to provide a material that will satisfy this need.

Lithium secondary battery using a non-aqueous solvent


Methods and systems for governing execution of a geography dependent computer process are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a target location comprising a geographic identifier. The method also includes accessing a data store comprising a plurality of maps. Each map of the plurality of maps includes a plurality of geometric shapes and each geometric shape is associated with an execution rule. The method also includes determining which geometric shape of the plurality of geometric shapes the geographic identifier is bounded within for at least two maps of the plurality of maps. The method further includes generating an aggregate rule set based on each execution rule associated with each geometric shape determined to bound the geographic identifier. The method further includes applying the aggregate rule set. Machine-readable media are also provided.

Execution of some computer processes are regulated by various laws, regulations, and other administrative rules. For example, the use and distribution of encryption technology is regulated by export control laws. The execution of certain electronic media is regulated by digital rights management policies and copyright law. Certain e-commerce transactions, for example, banking transactions or the purchase and delivery of certain products, such as alcohol and prescription drugs, may be regulated by national, state, and local laws as well as vendor set rules and regulations. The applicability of many of these rules and regulations are triggered based on a geographic location associated with the execution of the process, such us a download destination, a media playback location, or a delivery address. Managing the execution of such computerized processes can be computationally intensive and technically challenging to maintain, particularly given the variation in and dynamic nature of applicable laws, regulations, and rules and the varying and sometimes overlapping boundaries that determine which of such laws, regulations, and rules apply.
The description provided in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely because it is mentioned in or associated with the background section. The background section may include information that describes one or more aspects of the subject technology.

System and method for governing execution of a geography dependent computer process


A method and apparatus for exercising the subtalar complex with controlled triplaner motion. The principal embodiment includes a standing platform and handrail in association with a rotatable foot plate. The foot plate is controllable and adjustable in three planes with fixed settings in all planes, including the oblique. The exerciser provides a method for isolating specific muscle groups involved with foot, ankle and calf extensions or where combinations of muscles are used, such as, with dorsiflexion-eversion or plantarflexion-inversion, while preventing tibial rotation of the foot. A second embodiment provides a more portable exercise apparatus utilizing the concepts employed with the principal embodiment wherein a rocker member is provided, attached to a support member. A foot plate attaches to the support member opposite the rocker and is pivotal in the transverse and frontal planes.

Prior art apparatus used primarily for the therapeutic stretching of the calf muscles of the lower leg are not usually linked with foot control. In order to properly stretch the calf muscles, it is necessary to position the foot in such a way as to increase the stability of the ligaments and joints of the foot while maintaining mobility of the ankle. The subtalar joint of the foot can be moved around one axis while the ankle joint is being moved around a different axis, if desired. It is also necessary for the motion in each plane to be controlled in a manner which provides a means for repetition of the same movements. Such control further prevents over extension of the muscles or ligaments which could cause additional damage to someone who has a physical impairment in that area.
The prior art discloses various means for exercising the ankle and feet. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,986 to Kucharik et al, describes a spring loaded ball joint apparatus which uses the swivel action of the ball and spring to exercise the ankle.
Seel et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,748, describes an ankle platform that sits on a hemisphere with the platform moved through various axes limited only by contact by the platform with the floor.
Dewees U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,932, describes a flexible foot plate for exercising the ankle through various planes of movement for the purpose of proprioceptive rehabilitation.
Troxel, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,220, describes an apparatus for exercising the muscles involved in dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, and eversion while preventing tibial rotation with some controlled limitations.
However, movement is limited to the four basic directions and in the longitudinal and transverse axis only. There is no control of the ankle and subtalar joint motion, and there is no provision for triplane rotation. Smith, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,938, discloses a semicircular exercise shoe in which the foot plate has heel and toe portions fixed at different angles and provides only dorsiflexion and plantartlexion exercise.
Kucharik and Troxel are mainly strengthening devices using spring and hydraulic resistance. However, Kucharik uses no control over the biplane movement, and Troxel provides control in only the longitudinal and transverse axis. Seel and Dewees do not provide for guided, controlled movement with respect to the subtalar joint. The Smith device does not provide biplane motion.
The above described apparatus fail to disclose a method for controlling the movement of muscles involved in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion in combination with inversion an eversion while preventing tibial rotation. Muscles affecting the triplane combinations of movements in the transverse, sagittal and frontal planes are specific and in unison. Injury to them constitutes a significant impairment to the foot and ankle function.
Only Seel's patent teaches the loading off the ankle, such as when standing, during the exercise routine. However, Seel makes no provision for controlling repetitive routines nor for the need to locate and position the subtalar joint based on each individual's need. Ankle exercise devices which are capable of rotating the ankle on an involuntary base such as that disclosed by Kost in U.S. Pat. No. 2,206,902 are slow, complicated and fail to properly load the ankle joint as is the case with other ankle exercise apparatus which require the user to be seated as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,501,421 and 478,166. Another type of ankle exercise apparatus are those which are not therapeutic in nature such as that used by a physical therapist or the like but used by individuals to strengthening the ankle and/or muscles. Such devices are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,135,450, 4,905,994 and French Patent 2,654,639. Although the U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,450 and the 2,654,639 patents do provide a rocking means they have very definite disadvantages. For example the invention disclosed by the French Patent requires both a left and right apparatus and has only one rocker located outboard each foot while utilizing a peg inboard of the stop as a pivotal means, restricting pivotal rotation and oscillations by a single heel stop. This arrangement makes rocking movement very jerky and erratic and could result in injury if not performed with great care. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,450 patent remedies the rocker problem but fails to provide arch support, thereby strengthening leg muscles but placing excessive strain on the ankle joint itself This patent further relies on a an elongated stop apparatus which is pivotal and allowed to move between fore and aft oscillations of the rocker thus creating a more cumbersome, expensive and complicated apparatus.
The prior art does not teach the need for ankle exercise apparatus attached to elliptical rockers having a foot plate which may be rotated perpendicular to the rockers thereby allowing eversion and inversion to be combined with dorsiflexion and plantarflexion.
It is, therefore an object of the present invention to improve ankle exercise technology in a manner which addresses the need for a controlled therapeutic regimen which links the motions of the foot and ankle with regard to the subtalar joint complex with extension of the calf muscle groups.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a subtalar joint and muscle exercise apparatus which is repeatable and controllable in all three planes.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an ankle exerciser that is versatile and useful to both the healthy and physically impaired individual. Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of an ankle exerciser whereby each adjustment setting for each set of repetitions can be recorded.
A further object of the present invention is to provide the user with a means for safely standing on the apparatus with one foot while exercising the foot, ankle and leg while providing normal loading of the subtalar joint and the lower extremity thus, providing normal, functional motion of the subtalar joint in the triplane motion and the ankle in the normal, Biplane motion.


Apparatus for supplying an exact quantity of a water to an the ice tray is provided. The apparatus includes a first container having a same volume as the ice tray and being rotatably installed below the water tank, and a valve unit for opening and closing the water tank. A driving member for rotating the first container and at the same time, raising and lowering the valve unit is provided. A water supply member is installed in a partition wall which partitions off the freezing and refrigerating compartments. The water supply member flows water from an outlet pipe of a second container to the ice tray. At first, water is supplied to the first container, and then water supplied to the first container is supplied to the ice tray. Therefore, an exact amount of water is supplied to the ice tray.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically supplying an exact amount of water to an ice tray provided in a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a refrigerator includes a water supplying apparatus which supplies a water to an ice tray which is disposed in a refrigerating compartment of the refrigerator. Hereinafter, a refrigerator having a conventional water supply device be explained. FIG. 8 shows the structure of a conventional water supply device. As shown in FIG. 8, a refrigerator has a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment 110 which is arranged above the freezing compartment 115. A water tank 6 and a water container 2 are interconnected with each other, and are contained in the refrigerating compartment 110. An ice tray 5 for making ice cubes is provided in the freezing compartment 115. The water container 2 has a partition plate 4 which partitions the inner of the water container 2 into a first chamber 2a and a second chamber 2b. The partition plate 4 has a hole 4a for communicating the first chamber 2a and the second 2b with each other. The first chamber 2a communicates with the water tank, and the second chamber 2b communicates with the ice tray 5 by a water supply pipe 8. A pump 3 is provided in the refrigerating compartment 110 for pumping water contained in the second chamber 2b to the ice tray 5. Reference numeral 7 in the FIG. 8 denotes a valve unit for opening and closing the communicated port 6a of the water tank 6 and the first chamber 2a.
In the conventional apparatus for supplying water as described above, the water which is contained in the water container 2 is supplied to the ice tray 5 by the driving force of the pump 3. However, the conventional apparatus for supplying water doesn't have a sensing device for sensing a quantity of water which is supplied to the ice tray 5. Therefore, the water can overflow from the ice tray 5 when a lot of water is supplied to the ice tray 5, and an ice having a smaller size than a required size can be made when little water is supplied to the ice tray 5.
Further, in order to sense a quantity of the water which is supplied to the ice tray 5, there must be additionally provided a sensing device, which heightens the cost of the apparatus for supplying water.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,743 issued to Hidehara Hatanaka et al. discloses an apparatus for supplying water to an automatic ice making apparatus. However, in Hidehara Hatanaka et al.'s apparatus, since the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment are always communicated with each other by the water supply route, the cooling air may flow from the freezing compartment to the refrigerating compartment.

Apparatus for supplying water to an ice tray of a refrigerator


A processor may include a set of primitive operators, receive a set of data-driven operators, at least one of the set of data-driven operators including a machine learning model, and receive an input-output data pair set. Based on a grammar specifying rules for linking the set of primitive operators and the set of data-driven operators, the processor may search among the set of primitive operators and the set of data-driven operators to find a symbolic model that fits the input-output data set.

The present application relates generally to computers and computer applications, and more particularly to artificial intelligence, machine learning, and constructing a symbolic model, which can include a machine learning model and/or training a machine learning model such as a neural network, which for example, can be coupled with a physical system to control the physical system.
Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence, which enables a computer, device or machine to learn and make autonomous decisions, for example, without human intervention or least amount of human intervention. Machine learning can allow a computer to automatically or autonomously improve itself, for example, self-learn through experience in performing a task. An example of machine learning includes, but is not limited to, neural networks and training such neural networks. Various different algorithms of machine learning and neural networks exist. Free-form symbolic discovery relies on inference of both model functional form and its parametrization. Given a training dataset with features and targets (e.g., input-output data pairs), symbolic regression finds a symbolic function that predicts the target given the features. Most free-form model discovery such as symbolic regression approaches are based upon imperative synthesis formulation. Alternatively, it is possible to consider a declarative formulation, in which a symbolic model constitutes a valid phraseable sentence in a formal language including operators, variables and coefficients. In such formulation, a search in the space of sentences (mathematical expressions) can be performed. Yet, the utility of such approaches is limited to simple mathematical expressions, for example, expression only containing mathematical primitives.

Free-form integration of machine learning model primitives

International Business Machines Corporation


A chip inductor is provided and a ceramic enclosure is formed with a central bore therein by means of known powder metallurgy techniques. The ceramic powders are bonded with a suitable bonder, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), to form particles of a suitable size. The particles are then compacted and pressed by, for example, a hydraulic device to form a desired shape and then sintered and 1,300 to 1,500 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, terminals for external connection, which has three layers of different metals and/or alloys, such as silver, nickel and the alloy of tin and lead, are formed on suitable locations of the ceramic enclosure. The naked chip inductor is disposed inside the central bore of the ceramic enclosure and soldered to the pre-formed terminals. The final phase of the manufacturing process is to seal the openings of the central bore of the ceramic enclosure with resin, such as epoxy resin or acrylic resin.. A ceramic chip inductor is formed with a ceramic shield and since no high temperature process is involved, the physic property of the chip inductor is maintained constant during the manufacturing process.

Conventionally, chip inductors are either produced without an insulating jacket or enclosed with an epoxy resin shield. The disadvantage of the shieldless or naked chip inductors is evident and the epoxy enclosed chip inductor (which will be also referred to as the epoxy chip inductor hereinafter) is to overcome the disadvantage of shieldlessness. The manufacture process of the epoxy chip inductor is first to make a naked chip inductor by winding wires on a core of magnetic material and then soldering metal terminals to the wire. The portion of the metal terminals in the proximity of the soldering connections are then struck flat to form a desirable terminal shape and thereafter the naked inductor is covered completely with the epoxy material, except the flat terminals, by means of the modeling injection technique, which in some respects is a high temperature process, epoxy being serving as an insulation shield for the chip inductor, but the manufacturing process for the epoxy chip inductor and the epoxy chip inductor itself have several disadvantages:
(1) the epoxy material should be kept in a low temperature and thus difficult to handle in storage;
(2) the naked chip inductor, particularly the wound wire thereof, is easy to be damaged during modeling injection;
(3) it takes time to harden the epoxy material;
(4) workers have to work in a high temperature environments;
(5) the manufacture process is very long and thus reducing the manufacturing efficiency;
(6) the metal terminals are easy to be oxidized in the high temperature injection process and the soldering connection may be damaged in the high temperature environments due to the melting of the solder; and
(7) the variation of the injection pressure usually results in a variation in the finished epoxy chip inductors and sometime breaking the terminals and thus deteriorating the product quality as a result.

Method of manufacturing a chip inductor with ceramic enclosure


A method and system for navigation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in an urban environment are provided. The method comprises capturing a first set of Global Positioning System (GPS)-tagged images in an initial fly-over of the urban environment at a first altitude, with each of the GPS-tagged images being related to respective GPS-aided positions. The captured GPS-tagged images are stitched together into an image mosaic using the GPS-aided positions. A second set of images is captured in a subsequent fly-over of the urban environment at a second altitude that is lower than the first altitude. Image features from the second set of images are matched with image features from the image mosaic during the subsequent fly-over. A current position of the UAV relative to the GPS-aided positions is calculated based on the matched image features from the second set of images and the image mosaic.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are remotely piloted or self-piloted aircraft that can carry sensors, communications equipment, or other payloads. They have been used in a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering role for many years. More recently, UAVs have been developed for the purpose of surveillance and target tracking. Autonomous surveillance and target tracking performed by UAVs is either military or civilian environments is becoming an important aspect of intelligence-gathering methods.
Typically, UAVs use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to provide navigation over various terrains. In many scenarios, UAVs are required to fly in an urban environment, which often have an urban canyon effect. An "urban canyon" is an artifact of an urban environment similar to a natural canyon. The urban canyon is caused by streets cutting through dense blocks of high rise buildings such as skyscrapers. It is known that the urban canyon can cause problems in reception of GPS signals.
For example, GPS receivers can suffer from multipath errors which are caused from receiving a composite of direct GPS signals and reflected GPS signals from nearby objects such as buildings. In an urban canyon, a direct line of sight (LOS) GPS signal can be completely blocked by a building structure and a reflected signal can reach the receiver, resulting in position and velocity errors of significant magnitudes. Thus, when UAVs operate in an urban environment, access to the GPS signals needed to navigate without drift is often denied by the urban canyon.
Many methods have been proposed for using image-aided navigation of autonomous vehicles such as UAVs. For example, matching or referencing a GPS-denied vehicle's current image of terrain to a satellite image of the same terrain has been suggested. However, these methods lack the temporal and spatial proximity needed in order to use the images for UAV navigation in an urban canyon.

Method and system for navigation of an ummanned aerial vehicle in an urban environment


A forward looking cross-track laser altimeter comprises: a first configuration of optical elements for guiding pulsed laser beams along a first optical path; a mirror element coupled to a scanner and disposed in the first optical path, the scanner operative to oscillate the mirror element to sweep the reflected laser beams back and forth across a line at a predetermined frequency; the scanner and mirror element configurable to reflect the pulsed laser beams along paths forward and downward at a predetermined angle to the flight path of the aircraft, wherein the pulsed laser beam paths are caused to be line swept across a ground track forward the aircraft; the mirror element for receiving returns of the pulsed laser beams from the terrain and objects on the terrain forward the aircraft and reflecting the returns along a second optical path to a light detector which produces a return signal in response thereto; a first circuit governed by the return signals for measuring times-of-flight of the returns and generating time-of-flight signals corresponding thereto; the scanner for generating a line sweep position signal; and a second circuit for generating for each return a data profile comprising range and line sweep position thereof based on the corresponding time-of-flight and position signals.

The present invention is directed to avionic systems for measuring height above ground level for terrain avoidance during flight and landing in general, and more particularly, to a system for profiling objects on the terrain forward and below the aircraft utilizing a cross-track laser altimeter to avoid collision therewith during flight and landing.
Today's military and commercial aircraft desire more precise measurements of aircraft position and position information. Ground based RADAR systems and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) allow for precise positioning of an aircraft in latitude and longitude desirable for air traffic control, aircraft separation, and navigation. However, precise measurements of altitude are often difficult to achieve with such systems, especially for applications in which precise placement above ground is needed. New levels of precision for altitude measurements, on the order of +/−6 inches (15 cm), for example, are often required for flight profiles ranging from hover, to nap of the earth (NOE) flight, and autonomous landing.
Although a GPS has the ability to determine altitude of the aircraft, without a differential GPS receiver, precision above ground level (AGL) information is not possible due to the approximations in the GPS altitude estimation and the particular geodetic datum used. Systems have been developed to augment this limitation in GPS AGL accuracy by referencing GPS latitude and longitude to a terrain elevation map stored digitally in the avionics. With GPS alone, AGL accuracy can be on the order of 20 feet or more, but adding the digital terrain map reference allows for compensation to a suitable AGL measurement for navigation. However, such an augmented system does not provide for other information, such as the presence of trees and other ground objects, for example, which is critical for avoiding collisions during hover and NOE flight conditions.
Commercial and military aircraft often employ a barometric pressure altimeter for a common altitude reference measurement. With known airport ground level elevations relative to sea level, navigation of an aircraft during landing can be easily accomplished using barometric pressure altitude readings to establish height above the ground level of the airport. With this system, AGL accuracy is commonly on the order of units of feet. However, this technique does not account for ground features such as buildings, power lines, and other ground objects resulting in separation differences between the object, ground, and aircraft.
In each case, these AGL measurements are often insufficient for manned or unmanned aircraft flight profiles when exact AGL distancing is required. Further, digital terrain and object mapping data used in navigation may not always reflect changes in terrain, buildings, or other ground obstacles.
For military applications, it is sometimes necessary for aircraft to minimize the height above ground during flight to avoid detection. Thus, military aircraft, especially unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), that fly near the terrain for mission execution or autonomous landing require sensory data to not only accurately measure height above ground, but also height above ground objects as well. To address this problem in cruise missiles and other unmanned aircraft, radar altimeters were developed and employed to operate in radio frequency (RF) bands in frequency modulated (FM) continuous wave (CW) and pulsed, time of flight systems. Using a time of flight technique, radar altimeters transmit a radar pulse towards the ground and receive a reflection of the transmitted pulse from the ground. Range or distance R from the aircraft to the ground feature is determined from a formula R=c*T/2, where c is the speed of light, and T the measured round trip time of flight of the radar pulse.
Although radar altimeters are widely used to measure AGL height for pilot reference, they often do no provide the necessary spatial resolution required by the aircraft guidance and control systems for autonomous landings or control. With these commonly available systems today, AGL measurement precision can vary from 1-3%, which is primarily a result of the radiated pulse beam width, often having a solid angle as large as units of degrees. Also, as the pulsed beams strike the uneven terrain surface, different AGL heights are measured, which affect the precision of the overall aircraft AGL height measurement, the accuracy of which being a function of AGL height. In these systems, careful attention to installation of the radar altimeter to the aircraft is also needed to ensure isolation of the radiated field and so that multi-path secondary reflections do not confuse the receiver electronics. This multi-path interaction between the aircraft and the radar altimeter combined with the requirements for field isolation result in a limited number of locations on the aircraft where the device may be installed for practical applications of use.
Accordingly, a system is needed to measure height of the aircraft above ground including ground objects with the desired precision for autonomous control and landings, especially for UAVs. The present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the present systems and provides for the profiling of ground objects for use in determining the AGL height precision desired utilizing a cross-track laser altimeter.

System for profiling objects on terrain forward and below an aircraft utilizing a cross-track laser altimeter


A fuel nozzle guard, in some embodiments, comprises a static control material. When a consumer grabs the fuel nozzle, his or her hand will touch the static control material, thereby, safely dissipating any electrostatic charges at a controlled rate of discharge without a spark. The fuel nozzle guard, in some embodiments, slides onto the nozzle interfacing with the nozzle so that retaining edges secure the fuel nozzle guard to the nozzle, without removing the nozzle from its hose. The material, in some embodiments, lacks plastisol and allows labels to adhere directly to it.

This invention relates to devices used with fuel nozzles. In the field of commercial gasoline stations, there is an increased awareness of the dangers of electrostatic discharge around fuel pumps. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is often defined as a transfer of electrostatic charge between bodies at different electrostatic potentials caused by direct contact or induced by an electrostatic field. For purposes of this application, ESD refers to a rapid transfer of an electrostatic charge, resulting in a spark sufficient to ignite combustible gases. When ESD occurs around a fuel pump, it can ignite the gasoline vapors and start a fire. These fires may, for example, be caused by a person re-entering his or her vehicle during refueling to get warm, or by containers not being filled on the ground. As a result, different devices and methods have been developed to try to safely discharge static charges around fuel pumps.
One method of solving the problem of ESD near a fuel dispensing apparatus places static dissipative signs near the pump for consumers. These signs require the consumer to purposely approach and touch the sign to safely discharge any static charges he or she is carrying. However, if the consumer fails to notice or use the sign, the risk of ESD occurring and starting a fire is still present. It is now common to require that a fuel hose connected to the fuel nozzle be grounded. In theory, static charges are safely dissipated through the hose when the consumer contacts the nozzle or fuel hose, before fueling begins. However, in practice the nozzle and fuel hose are typically covered with insulating materials that may prevent safe discharge of the user, and in any event the consumer may take actions, like re-entering the vehicle, which change his or her electrostatic potential after fueling has begun. Unless the user has previously been grounded, contact by the user with the fuel nozzle or other objects may cause a dangerous spark by ESD.
It is common practice to equip fuel dispensing nozzles with a guard, which is generally a close-fitting elastomeric jacket or cover that is pulled over the nozzle to provide a comfortable handgrip for the nozzle user, and to provide a bumper surface to keep from nicking the finish of vehicles with the nozzle as gasoline is dispensed. The guard is usually formed of a soft plastic material such as vinyl, which may be easily injection molded, or dip molded using a formed mandrel plunged into a vinyl plastisol, wherein the vinyl guard may be then stripped from the mandrel for use on the nozzle. The vinyl compounds used for guards are fairly impervious to gasoline and other contaminants encountered in the field, and may be replaced when damaged.
However, there are some disadvantages to this type of guard. The vinyl compounds can prevent safe static discharge through a grounded nozzle or hose, generally not because they are inherently Insulative, but because they are so thin that they do not prevent sparking between a user and the nozzle. In addition, it is cumbersome to replace the guard because, typically, the nozzle must be disconnected from the fuel pump hose before removal and replacement of the guard. Another disadvantage is that adhesive labels used for information and advertising do not readily adhere to vinyl plastisols. As a result, recent trends to include advertising on nozzles require installation of a second display cover on top of the guard. While the second display covers provide an effective surface for advertising and information, they are usually large, bulky, and comprise multiple parts which complicate installation and replacement of ads.


An apparatus for transferring a container disposed in a transfer area of a container-processing machine from a first component to a second component includes a first gripper for holding the container in a neck area thereof, the first gripper being associated with the first component; a second gripper for receiving the container from the first gripper by holding the container in a neck area thereof, the second gripper being associated with the second component; and a diverting element for sliding or transferring the container from the first gripper to the second gripper when the first and second grippers are in the transfer area. When disposed in the transfer area, the first and second grippers are coplanar with each other and positioned facing each other.

In the course of being transported through a plant, a bottle is held in the neck area by grippers, clips, clamps and comparable elements. The clamps are positioned on transport star wheels. Some clamps have an inherent opening and closing behavior for instance due to an intrinsic flexibility or due to being spring-loaded. Other clamps are actively opened and closed.
To transfer bottles from one transport star wheel to another transport star wheel, it is known to configure the transport star wheels with their clamp paths partially overlapping and to push the bottles from one clamp into the other. This construction is relatively complicated and difficult to clean.
It has become increasingly to handle PET bottles without a securing groove in order to save weight. As a result, the neck ring must perform the task of a securing groove.

Device for transferring bottles held in the neck area by means of grippers or the like


The disclosure describes various aspects of techniques for using global interactions in efficient quantum circuit constructions. More specifically, this disclosure describes ways to use a global entangling operator to efficiently implement circuitry common to a selection of important quantum algorithms. The circuits may be constructed with global Ising entangling gates (e.g., global Mølmer-Sørenson gates or GMS gates) and arbitrary addressable single-qubit gates. Examples of the types of circuits that can be implemented include stabilizer circuits, Toffoli-4 gates, Toffoli-n gates, quantum Fourier transformation (QTF) circuits, and quantum Fourier adder (QFA) circuits. In certain instances, the use of global operations can substantially improve the entangling gate count.

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to efficient quantum circuit constructions, and more specifically, to techniques that use global interactions to enable efficient quantum circuit constructions with reduced number of gates.
Trapped atomic ions and superconducting circuits are two examples of quantum information processing (QIP) approaches that have delivered small yet already universal and fully programmable machines. In superconducting circuits qubit interactions are enabled through custom designed electronic hardware involving Josephson junctions and microwave resonators. Different interactions can be controlled individually to invoke the two-qubit gates. A global coupling, however, would not necessarily be natural to such a system, due to the difficulty of placing and connecting O(n2) individual resonators in the same area as n qubits. One alternative is to couple Josephson junction qubits to a single resonator mode, thereby enabling global interactions. In a trapped ion QIP, on the other hand, global interactions are more naturally realized as an extension of common two-qubit gate interactions. The ability to implement arbitrary selectable two-qubit interactions generally requires a higher level of control, which can be achieved by having individually focused external fields addressing each qubit (e.g., each trapped ion or atom).
Given the ability to implement a global interaction over these two leading QIP approaches, it is desirable to use global entangling gates for efficient (e.g., reduced gate count) quantum circuit constructions, particularly as it applies to the trapped ions technology.

Use of global interactions in efficient quantum circuit constructions


A new and useful curtain air bag having an inflatable fluid cushion with inflatable fluid sections, and a flexible bladder located within the inflatable cushion. A fluid inlet conduit is configured to direct inflation fluid into the bladder from an inflation fluid source. The bladder is configured to redirect, diffuse and distribute the inflation fluid to the inflatable sections of the inflatable cushion, to inflate the portions of the inflatable cushion in a predetermined manner. Another type of curtain air bag assembly includes an inflatable cushion with a pair of similar volume inflatable sections, on opposite sides of an inlet conduit. In each type of air bag assembly, the fluid can be redirected by the bladder or the inflatable cushion, or by a transverse fluid conduit disposed in the bladder or the inflatable cushion.

The present invention relates to a side impact air bag and more particularly to a side curtain air bag.
A side curtain air bag is typically located inside a vehicle headliner. At the onset of a side collision or a vehicle rollover, the curtain air bag is deployed and inflated along the side of the vehicle, to protect the vehicle occupant's head and upper torso against impact with the side of the vehicle.
A known way of constructing a side curtain air bag is to provide a pair of panels that are sewn together to form an inflatable cushion. Alternatively, rather than using a pair of panels a main panel that is folded over a centerline is used to provide the panel or panel parts that are sewn together to realize the inflatable cushion. The manner in which the panels are sewn together configures the inflatable cushion into inflatable sections that are inflated to protect the occupant's head and upper torso during a side impact or a vehicle rollover. It is also known to inflate the inflatable sections by a cylindrical passage located in the inflatable cushion, and which distributes inflation fluid from a source along the length of the cushion and into the inflatable sections of the cushion.
The present invention provides a new and useful configuration for a curtain air bag and particularly a new and useful structure for controlling the flow of inflation fluid in a side curtain air bag.
In one type of curtain air bag configured according to the present invention, a curtain air bag has a flexible bladder within an inflatable cushion. A flexible fluid inlet conduit is configured to direct inflation fluid into the bladder. The bladder is configured to redirect, diffuse and distribute the inflation fluid. Fluid vents are configured to communicate the inflation fluid from the bladder into the inflatable sections of the inflatable cushion, to inflate these sections in a predetermined manner.
In another type of curtain air bag configured according to the present invention, the curtain air bag comprises an inflatable cushion with two similar size inflatable sections, on opposite sides of a fluid inlet conduit. The inflation fluid is redirected, diffused and distributed to the two inflatable sections in accordance with the principles of the present invention, but this type of curtain air bag may not require a bladder.
The present invention is particularly useful with an inflation fluid source located between the front and rear ends of the inflatable cushion, and whose inflation fluid is directed toward both the front and rear ends of the inflatable cushion. This inflation fluid source is sometimes referred to as a "mid-mount" inflation fluid source. However, it will be recognized by those in the art that the term "mid-mount" is not intended to define a precise location for the inflation fluid source, but rather is used in the sense that fluid from such a source is directed toward both the front and the rear ends of the inflatable cushion. According to the present invention, fluid from a mid-mount inflation fluid source is redirected, diffused and distributed, to inflate the inflatable sections of the curtain air bag in a predetermined manner.
In addition, the curtain air bag assembly of the present invention is designed in a manner believed to provide a cost-effective way of producing the curtain air bag assembly.
Further features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.


A radially expandable stent for implantation within a body vessel, comprising one or more continuous, discrete, metal strands. At least three strands repeatedly cross over each other to form a bundle. The strands are joined at the proximal and distal end such that the strands are free to adjust their position relative to each other in response to compression forces. One or more bundles are wound together to form an elongate hollow tube.

The present invention relates to intravascular stent implants for maintaining vascular patency in humans and animals and more particularly to a stent in the form of a braided stent.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is used to increase the lumen diameter of a coronary artery partially or totally obstructed by a build-up of cholesterol fats or atherosclerotic plaque. Typically a first guidewire of about 0.038 inches in diameter is steered through the vascular system to the site of therapy. A guiding catheter, for example, can then be advanced over the first guidewire to a point just proximal of the stenosis. The first guidewire is then removed. A balloon catheter on a smaller 0.014 inch diameter second guidewire is advanced within the guiding catheter to a point just proximal of the stenosis. The second guidewire is advanced into the stenosis, followed by the balloon on the distal end of the catheter. The balloon is inflated causing the site of the stenosis to widen. The dilatation of the occlusion, however, can form flaps, fissures and dissections which threaten reclosure of the dilated vessel or even perforations in the vessel wall. Implantation of a metal stent can provide support for such flaps and dissections and thereby prevent reclosure of the vessel or provide a patch repair for a perforated vessel wall until corrective surgery can be performed. It has also been shown that the use of intravascular stents can measurably decrease the incidence of restenosis after angioplasty thereby reducing the likelihood that a secondary angioplasty procedure or a surgical bypass operation will be necessary.
An implanted prosthesis such as a stent can preclude additional procedures and maintain vascular patency by mechanically supporting dilated vessels to prevent vessel reclosure. Stents can also be used to repair aneurysms, to support artificial vessels as liners of vessels or to repair dissections. Stents are suited to the treatment of any body lumen, including the vas deferens, ducts of the gallbladder, prostate gland, trachea, bronchus and liver. The body lumens range in diameter from small coronary vessels of 3 mm or less to 28 mm in the aortic vessel. The invention applies to acute and chronic closure or reclosure of body lumens.
A typical stent is a cylindrically shaped wire formed device intended to act as a permanent prosthesis. A typical stent ranges from 5 mm to 50 mm in length. A stent is deployed in a body lumen from a radially compressed configuration into a radially expanded configuration which allows it to contact and support a body lumen. The stent can be made to be radially self-expanding or expandable by the use of an expansion device. The self expanding stent is made from a resilient springy material while the device expandable stent is made from a material which is plastically deformable. A plastically deformable stent can be implanted during a single angioplasty procedure by using a catheter bearing a stent which has been secured to the catheter such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,600 to Beyar et al. which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The stent must be reduced in size to facilitate its delivery to the intended implantation site. A coil stent is delivered by winding it into a smaller diameter and fixing it onto a delivery catheter. When the device is positioned at the desired site, the coil is released from the catheter and it either self-expands by its spring force or it is otherwise mechanically expanded to the specified dimension.
As with many stents, the deformation of the stent when it is assembled on the delivery catheter causes a strain in the stent material. If the strain is too large the material will experience plastic deformation to such an extent that the stent will not recover to the intended dimensions following deployment. This is true of superelastic or pseudoplastic alloys such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,378 issued to Jervis, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thus a maximum allowable strain based on material is a limiting parameter in stent design.
Two parameters influence the amount of strain a stent will experience during the deformation described above. The first is the degree of deformation applied to the stent and the second is the thickness of the stent material. For a given deformation, the strain experienced by a material is proportional to the thickness of the material. Since it is desirable to deliver a stent on the smallest delivery system possible it follows that the thickness of the stent material should be reduced to keep the strain within acceptable parameters. When forming a stent with a single solid strand (such a length of solid wire), a limit will be reached where the thickness of material becomes so small that the stent will meet the maximum allowable strain but will no longer have the hoop strength to provide adequate scaffolding.
Current helical coil stents are delivered on the smallest profile catheter that the stent will allow. Strain on the stent during assembly on the catheter is the limiting factor with stents made from solid round or flat wire helical coil stents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,348 to Kaplan for xe2x80x9cMethod and Device for Treating and Enlarging Body Lumensxe2x80x9d discloses a single helically wound strand and two counterwound delivery matrix filaments. A two stranded stent is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,298 to Simon for xe2x80x9cVascular Prosthesis Made of Reasorbable Materialxe2x80x9d.
Mesh stents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,275 to Wallsten et al. for xe2x80x9cSelf-Expanding Prosthesisxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,435 to Porter for xe2x80x9cSelf-Expanding Prosthesis Having Stable Axial Lengthxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,372 to Schmaltz et al. for xe2x80x9cTemporary Stent and Methods for Use and Manufacturexe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,222 to Susawa et al. for xe2x80x9cMethod of Manufacturing a Device to Dilate Ducts in Vivoxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,559 to Hachtmann et al. for xe2x80x9cMultiple Layer Stentxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,169 to Thompson for xe2x80x9cProcess for Manufacturing Three-Dimensional Braided Covered Stentxe2x80x9d.
Woven mesh stents typically have warp and weft members as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,687 to Liebig et al. for xe2x80x9cSynthetic Woven Double-Velour Graftxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,113 to Matterson for xe2x80x9cVascular Grafts with Cross-Weave Patternsxe2x80x9d, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,092 to Webster for xe2x80x9cBraided Catheter with Low Modulus Warpxe2x80x9d and EP 122,744 to Silvestrini for xe2x80x9cTriaxially-braided Fabric Prosthesisxe2x80x9d. The warp strands are typically the strands in the longitudinal direction on a prosthesis. The weft strands are typically the strands which are shuttled through warp strands to form a two dimensional array.
WO 95/29646 to Sandock for a xe2x80x9cMedical Prosthetic Stent and Method of Manufacturexe2x80x9d discloses a geometric pattern of cells defined by a series of elongate strands extending to regions of intersection and interlocking joints at regions of intersections formed by a portion of at least one strand being helically wrapped about a portion of another.
Various helical stents are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,922 to Wiktor for xe2x80x9cCatheter Arrangement Having A Variable Diameter Tip and Spring Prosthesisxe2x80x9d discloses a linearly expandable spring-like stent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,062 to Wiktor for xe2x80x9cIntravascular Radially Expandable Stent and Method of Implantxe2x80x9d discloses a two-dimensional zig-zag form, typically a sinusoidal form. U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,458 to Wiktor for xe2x80x9cIntracoronary Stent and Method of Simultaneous Angioplasty and Stent Implantxe2x80x9d discloses a stent wire coiled into a limited number of turns wound in one direction then reversed and wound in the opposite direction with the same number of turns, then reversed again and so on until a desired length is obtained.
Braiding is a well known craft. See Braidmaking by Barbara Pegg, published by A and C Black Ltd, 35 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4JH, pp. 9-16 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
It is an object of the invention to produce a stent which has the ability to tolerate greater deformations, yet has a smaller profile to permit the use of a smaller delivery system thereby reducing the amount of trauma experienced by the patient. It is a further object of the invention to produce a stent which would recover to specified dimensions with maximized radial hoop strength and resistance to lateral force.
The present invention is accomplished by providing an apparatus for a radially expandable stent for implantation within a body vessel, comprising one or more continuous, discrete, metal strands. At least three strands repeatedly cross over each other to form a bundle. The strands are joined at the proximal and distal end such that the strands are free to adjust their position relative to each other in response to compression forces. One or more bundles are wound together to form an elongate hollow tube.


A manifold of an injection molding apparatus includes a primary melt channel and secondary melt channels extending from the primary melt channel. A shear rod is disposed at the junction between the primary and secondary melt channels. The shear rod extends from the junction into the primary melt channel and is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the primary melt channel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is relates generally to an injection molding apparatus and, more particularly, to a rod disposed in a manifold melt channel to balance filling of mold cavities.
2. Related Art
The use of manifolds in a hot runner injection molding apparatus is well known. Furthermore, it is well known that in many applications it is important that a runner layout be provided such that each cavity receives the same flow of melt having the same temperature and the same composition. Balancing of the runner system results in overall higher quality molded parts because consistency is achieved from mold cavity to mold cavity in a multi-cavity application. Even in multi-runner, single cavity applications, the benefits of balancing are well known and important.
A well-known technique for balancing a manifold is to match runner diameters and lengths and to match the number of turns in the runners, so that the pressure drop through the manifold to each cavity is the same. However, despite a runner layout having matched runner lengths and turns, unbalanced filling of cavities may occur at least partly due to a combination of shear heating of the melt flow combined with the layout of the runner system.
When melt is forced under pressure through a bore, as is done in a hot runner system, the melt experiences friction or shear in the area adjacent to the channel wall. This results in a localized elevation of the temperature of the melt. The result is a differential in temperature across the bore, with the center of the channel being cooler than the material closer to the bore. Due to this shear difference, the outside of the melt adjacent to the channel wall is less viscous than the center core of the melt. Many hot runner systems split the melt flow from a primary runner through two or more secondary runners. When the melt is split, the heat distribution profile in the melt is divided as well. This occurs because the flow through the runners is laminar, and therefore the shear-heated material remains adjacent to the wall as the corner is turned. After the corner, the heated peripheral portion is no longer annular, but is instead generally crescent-shaped and remains on one side of the melt flow. The mass flow through each of the secondary runners is substantially equal; however, the heated peripheral portion in each secondary runner is asymmetrically distributed about the periphery. If, as is usually the case, each secondary runner is divided into a plurality of tertiary runners, the asymmetric heated peripheral portion may be unequally divided between these plurality of tertiary runners. As a result, the material flowing into one of the tertiary runners from a secondary runner may include a higher proportion of shear-heated material compared to the melt flowing into the other of the tertiary runners downstream from that secondary runner. This phenomenon can, in some applications, cause preferential flow to some drop locations or mold cavities, and can cause poor part quality and out-of-spec product to be produced. Specifically, there will typically be preferential flow to the tertiary runner receiving a higher proportion of shear-heated material from its upstream secondary runner compared to the other of the tertiary runners fed by that secondary runner.
Previous methods of equalizing the flow include mixing or re-orienting the melt.

Melt balancing element in a manifold melt channel


Systems and methods for using an extrusion, forging, casting and/or machining process to provide an aluminum hitch component with increased strength that eliminates encumbrances, such as rusting and fusing, associated with traditional hitch components. Accordingly, an extruded hitch is provided that includes increased tensile strength, does not rust, is lighter, and is more appealing to consumers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing aluminum hitch components. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for using an extrusion, forging, casting and/or machining process to provide aluminum hitch components with increased strength that eliminate encumbrances associated with traditional hitch components.
2. Background and Related Art
Techniques are currently available to manufacture and use hitches that are configured to selectively couple a towing vehicle to a trailer. Originally, the hitch included an elongate body having a proximal end mounted or welded to the frame of the towing vehicle and a distal end coupled to a ball mount. The trailer included a receiving arm having a cavity configured to match the ball mount. The portion of the receiving arm about the ball mount would then be secured to enable the vehicle to tow the trailer. When the user desires to decouple the trailer from the vehicle, the portion of the receiving arm about the ball mount could be selectively unsecured from and lifted off the ball mount, thereby decoupling the vehicle from the trailer.
More recently, hitch adapters have been mounted to the frame of the towing vehicle to selectively remove the hitch from the vehicle. The hitch adapter receives a proximal portion of the hitch, and secures the hitch to the hitch adapter by aligning holes in the hitch adapter and the hitch and placing a secured pin through the holes. When desired, the user may selectively un-secure and pull out the pin, and remove the hitch from the hitch adapter.
Hitches have traditionally been made of steel to provide the strength needed. The individual components have been forged or fabricated and then welded together. While traditional techniques have enabled the manufacturing of hitches for towing purposes, the traditional techniques have resulted in undesirable features. For example, steel rusts. Accordingly, a rusted hitch on a towing vehicle has proven to be undesirable, especially when the towing vehicle is a truck that has been detailed and for which the owner has purchased and provided custom paint, wheels, accessories and/or options. Moreover, the process of rusting has caused the steel hitch to fuse with the hitch adapter, thereby preventing removal of the steel hitch from the hitch adapter. Furthermore, the steel hitch typically includes edges or corners that have caused injury.
Thus, while techniques currently exist that are used to manufacture or otherwise provide a hitch for use in towing, challenges still exist with such techniques. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art of manufacturing and/or providing hitches to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.

Systems and methods for manufacturing a drop bar