The present invention offers a safe and economic method for manufacturing chitosan fiber wherein an aqueous solution of sodium thiocyanate is used. In the present invention, chitosan having a degree of deacetylation of not less than 60% is dissolved in an aqueous solution of not less than 44% by weight of sodium thiocyanate and the resulting spinning solution is subjected to a wet spinning to manufacture a chitosan fiber.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing chitosan fiber by means of wet spinning using an aqueous solution of sodium thiocyanate as a solvent.
Because of the necessity of providing a healthy and hygienic environment, many fiber products processed with an antibacterial treatment have been produced. The art of providing antibacterial properties using antibacterial metal carried on zeolite is disclosed in Japanese patent publication Sho-63/054,013 and in Japanese laid-open patent publications Sho-63/175,117 and Hei-01/250,413. Also, a method of applying antibacterial agents of an antibacterial quaternary ammonium salt type to fiber or to cloth has been known in the art.
However, fiber and cloth prepared by such methods often cause inflammation, etc., to human skin depending upon the use, resulting in discomfort and problems in terms of safety and hygiene.
In view of the above, attempts have been made to utilize chitin or chitin derivatives having relatively low toxicity and high safety to human body.
Chitosan, which is one of the derivatives of chitin, is prepared by heating chitin in the presence of an alkali followed by hydrolyzing for deacetylation. Said chitin, which is a polysaccharide having an N-acetyl-D-glucosamine-beta-1-,4-glucoside bond, is contained in crustaceans, such as shrimp and crabs, and insects, such as beetles and grasshoppers, and is available in large quantities in nature. Chitosan has the properties of allowing permeation of water and low-molecular compounds therethrough, exhibiting a good anticoagulant action, and shows a good affinity with tissues of living organisms, rarely causing an undesirable tissue reaction. In view of such characteristics, application of chizosan as a biomaterial has been conducted and its utilization in microcapsule materials, dialysis membrane, artificial organs, surgical materials, etc. has been attempted.
At present, in order to subject chitosan to wet spinning, there is a disclosure in Japanese laid-open publication Sho-56/026,049 of a method in which chitosan is dissolved in an aqueous solution of acetic acid and the resulting solution (a spinning solution) is spun into a mixed solvent of alcohol and water to make into fiber. However, this method has a disadvantage that, when chitosan is dissolved in an aqueous solution of acetic acid, the viscosity of the resulting spinning solution is extremely high, since the intermolecular hydrogen bond of chitosan is strong, whereby the ability of the solution to be spun decreases. In order to improve this disadvantage, there is a proposal in Japanese laid-open patent publication Sho-59/116,418 where a spinning solution is prepared by dissolving chitosan in a mixed solvent of water and dichloroacetic acid or by dissolving acid addition salt of chitosan in water or in a mixed solvent of water and dichloroacetic acid, and the resulting spinning solution is molded/coagulated in an aqueous solution of metal salt followed by treating with a chelate reagent, whereby improvement in the ability of the solution to be spun and acceleration of coagulation of the spinning solution are attempted.
However, some of the chemicals used in the above processes are strongly irritative and cause a danger upon actual use and, therefore, in Japanese laid-open patent publication Sho-60/059,123, chitosan or an acid addition salt thereof is dissolved in a mixture of an aqueous solution of acetic acid and urea whereupon the problem of use of irritative, dangerous chemicals is solved.
Another study in which a specialized solvent such as hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol or hexafluoroacetone is used has also been reported.
In the above-mentioned methods for manufacturing chitosan fiber which have been proposed up to now, chemicals which are toxic to human body, such as being strongly irritative to skin, have been used. Even in the invention of the Japanese laid-open patent publication Sho-60/059,123 wherein such a problem is improved, the strong odor associated with the chemicals in that process is a disadvantage, and upon production on an industrial scale, the method is not practical because of this strong, offensive odor. In addition, the organic acids used are highly corrosive to metal and, therefore, in a process for manufacturing chitosan fiber using acetic acid and dichloroacetic acid as solvents, measures against corrosion are to be taken into consideration. In the case of use of specialized solvents, such solvents are very expensive and, therefore, use of such solvents is also not practical.


To enable, with a simple control, a malfunction of a type wherein the output from a knock sensor becomes excessively large to be detected, a knock-sensor malfunction diagnosis device includes a control section configured to determine that knocking has occurred when the magnitude of a knocking vibration frequency component derived from an output signal from a knock sensor exceeds a first threshold value, and diagnose the knock sensor as malfunctioning when a prescribed diagnostic condition wherein knocking cannot occur is satisfied and the magnitude of the knocking vibration frequency component derived from the output signal from the knock sensor exceeds a second threshold value. The control section is further configured to determine that the diagnostic condition is satisfied for a time interval from a time when a predetermined time period has expired after fuel-cutoff has started to a time when the fuel-cutoff ends, during execution of the fuel-cutoff.

In a prior-art knock-sensor malfunction diagnosis device disclosed in Patent document 1, vibrations, which are generated due to seating of each of intake and exhaust valves, are detected by a knock sensor, and a diagnosis that the knock sensor is malfunctioning is made when the magnitude of a prescribed frequency component of the detected signal is less than a predetermined signal value and thus there is no detection of the vibration caused by the valve seating.

Malfunction diagnosis device and malfunction diagnosis method for knock sensor


A method of producing a radiating plasma with an increased flux stability and uniformity is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of generating a primary target by urging a liquid under pressure through a nozzle; directing an energy pre-pulse onto the primary target to generate a secondary target in the form of a gas or plasma cloud; allowing the thus formed secondary target to expand for a predetermined period of time; and directing a main energy pulse onto the secondary target when the predetermined period of time has elapsed in order to produce a plasma radiating X-ray or EUV radiation. The pre-pulse has a beam waist size that is larger, in at least one dimension, than the corresponding dimension of the primary target.

EUV and X-ray sources of high intensity are applied in many fields, for instance surface physics, materials testing, crystal analysis, atomic physics, medical diagnostics, lithography and microscopy. Conventional X-ray sources, in which an electron beam is brought to impinge on an anode, generate a relatively low X-ray intensity. Large facilities, such as synchrotron light sources, produce a high average power. However, there are many applications that require compact, small-scale systems which produce a relatively high average power. Compact and more inexpensive systems yield better accessibility to the applied user and are thus of potentially greater value to science and society. An example of an application of particular industrial importance is future narrow-line-width lithography systems.
Ever since the 1960s, the size of the structures that constitute the basis of integrated electronic circuits has decreased continuously. The advantage thereof is faster and more complicated circuits needing less power. Typically, photolithography is used to industrially produce such circuits having a line width of about 0.18 μm with projected extension towards 0.065 μm. In order to further reduce the line width, other methods will probably be necessary, of which EUV projection lithography is a prime candidate and X-ray lithography may become interesting for some technological niches. In EUV projection lithography, use is made of a reducing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) objective system in the wavelength range around 10–20 nm. Proximity X-ray lithography, employing a contact copy scheme, is carried out in the wavelength range around 1 nm.
Laser produced plasmas are attractive table-top X-ray and EUV sources due to their high brightness, high spatial stability and, potentially, high-repetition rate. However, with conventional bulk or tape targets, the operating time is limited, especially when high-repetition-rate lasers are used, since fresh target material cannot be supplied at a sufficient rate. Furthermore, such conventional targets produce debris which may destroy or coat sensitive components such as X-ray optics or EUV multi-layer mirrors positioned close to the plasma. Several methods have been designed to eliminate the effect of debris by preventing the already produced debris from reaching the sensitive components. As an alternative, the amount of debris actually produced can be limited by replacing conventional solid targets by for example gas targets, gas-cluster targets, liquid-droplet targets, or liquid-jet targets.
Targets in the form of microscopic liquid droplets, such as disclosed in the article "Droplet target for low-debris laser-plasma soft X-ray generation" by Rymell and Hertz, published in Opt. Commun. 103, p. 105, 1993, are attractive low-debris, high-density targets potentially capable of high repetition-rate laser-plasma operation with high-brightness emission. Such droplets are generated by stimulated breakup of a liquid jet which is formed at a nozzle in a low-pressure chamber. However, the hydrodynamic properties of some fluids result in unstable drop formation. Furthermore, the operation of the laser must be carefully synchronized with the droplet formation. Another problem may arise in the use of liquid substances with rapid evaporation, namely that the jet freezes immediately upon generation so that drops cannot be formed. Such substances primarily include media that are in a gaseous state at normal pressure and temperature and that are cooled to a liquid state for generation of the droplet targets. To ensure droplet formation, it is necessary to provide a suitable gas atmosphere in the low-pressure chamber, or to raise the temperature of the jet above its freezing temperature by means of an electric heater provided around the jet, such as disclosed in the article "Apparatus for producing uniform solid spheres of hydrogen" by Foster et al., published in Rev. Sci. Instrum. 6, pp 625–631, 1977.
As an alternative, as known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,744, which is incorporated herein by reference, the laser radiation is instead focused on a spatially continuous portion of a jet which is generated by urging a liquid substance through an outlet or nozzle. This liquid-jet approach alleviates the need for temporal synchronization of the laser with the generation of the target, while keeping the production of debris equally low as from droplet targets. Furthermore, liquid substances having unsuitable hydrodynamic properties for droplet formation can be used in this approach. Another advantage over the droplet-target approach is that the spatially continuous portion of the jet can be allowed to freeze. Such a liquid-jet laser-plasma source has been further demonstrated in the article "Cryogenic liquid-jet target for debris-free laser-plasma soft x-ray generation" by Berglund et al, published in Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, p. 2361, 1998, and the article "Liquid-jet target laser-plasma sources for EUV and X-ray lithography" by Rymell et al, published in Microelectronic Engineering 46, p. 453, 1999, by using liquid nitrogen and xenon, respectively, as target material. In these cases, a high-density target is formed as a spatially continuous portion of the jet, wherein the spatially continuous portion can be in a liquid or a frozen state. Such laser-plasma sources have the advantage of being high-brightness, low-debris sources capable of continuous high-repetition-rate operation, and the plasma can be produced far from the outlet nozzle, thereby limiting thermal load and plasma-induced erosion of the outlet nozzle. Such erosion may be a source of damaging debris. Further, by producing the plasma far from the nozzle, self-absorption of the generated radiation can be minimized. This is due to the fact that the temperature of the jet (or train of droplets) decreases with the distance from the outlet, resulting in a correspondingly decreasing evaporation rate. Thus, the local gas atmosphere around the jet (or train of droplets) also decreases with the distance from the outlet.
However, many substances, and in particular liquid substances formed by cooling normally gaseous substances, gives a jet or a train of droplets that experiences stochastic changes in its direction from the jet-generating nozzle. Typically the change in direction can be as large as about ±1° and occurs a few times per minute to a few times per second. This comparatively coarse type of directional instability can be eliminated by means of, for example, the method disclosed in Swedish patent application No. SE 0003715-0. However, for some applications, an extremely high flux stability and uniformity is required. One example of an application where a very high degree of flux stability and uniformity is required is in EUV lithography. In particular, this high degree of stability is required in so-called steppers and in metrology and inspection apparatuses. Even though the method as disclosed in the above-mentioned Swedish application is employed, there are still some micro-fluctuations left in the position of the target. This in turn results in a spatial instability at the focus of the laser beam, i.e. at the desired area of beam-target-interaction, which should be as far away from the outlet nozzle as possible for the reasons given above. The spatial instability leads to pulse-to-pulse fluctuations in the emitted X-ray and EUV radiation flux and spatial instability of the radiating plasma.

Method and arrangement for producing radiation


Provided according to some embodiments of the present invention are hybrid chemically-produced toners produced by a method including forming a resin component including a) at least one of a water reducible acrylic resin and a water dispersible polyester resin; and b) an epoxy; subjecting the resin component to conditions sufficient to form a hybrid resin component; and dispersing the hybrid resin component into water.

In typical dry-type electrophotographic processes, latent electrostatic images formed on a photoconductor are developed by means of a triboelectrically charged toner. Specifically, when an image is formed by a photographic copying machine, a surface of a roller composed of a photoconductive and photosensitive material is charged. An electrostatic latent image is formed by exposure to the light reflected from the surface of an original to be copied. The latent image is developed by a toner, with the formed visible image being transferred to a paper or the like. The transferred image is fixed on the paper by compression under heating, and thus a copy print is obtained.
A typical toner includes several components including a toner resin, a colorant and an electrostatic carrier material. Traditionally, toner resins have been made by compounding and melting the toner components (resin, colorant, etc.), followed by extruding the mixture into strands or pellets. These solid masses are then pulverized into small particles and sorted to provide the desired particle size and particle size distribution. While this method has been widely used, it has several limitations. For example, forming toner particles having a size less than about 8 micron is not economically feasible using conventional techniques. In addition, the shape of the toner particles may be undesirably non-uniform, which may affect toner properties, such as charge-to-mass ratio. Furthermore, narrow particle size distributions may be difficult to achieve. Other problems include the energy intensive pulverizing process and the inability to tailor the microstructure of the toner particles.
The disadvantages associated with conventional methods of producing toner have led to the so-called "chemically-produced toner" or CPT. As opposed to the "large-to-small" approach of conventional toner processes, CPT processes use a "small-to-large" approach, using polymerization techniques to form the basic toner particle structure. While there are many different types of CPT, typical polymerization techniques include suspension polymerization, emulsion polymerization and aggregation, microencapsulation, dispersion and condensation polymerization. These techniques can produce toner particles in a 3 to 5 micron size or less range, and may produce narrower particle size distributions than typically obtained from conventional processes. In addition, relatively uniform toner particle shape may be achieved and particle composition may be more precisely controlled. Examples of CPT include the toner resins discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,251, which describes CPT synthesized by a suspension polymerization process; and the toner resins discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,048, which describes a CPT microencapsulation process.
One disadvantage with current methods for producing CPT is that they require an emulsifier/surfactant. This may be problematic because a small amount of residual surfactant may undesirably affect the properties of the toner particles, including the tribocharge, and the removal of all of the surfactant from the particles may be difficult to achieve. Furthermore, these processes also often require a chain transfer agent, such as dodecanthiol, to control molecular weight. Residual chain transfer agent may also undesirably affect the toner properties.
Therefore, it would be desirable to obtain CPT that is not synthesized using a surfactant and/or a chain transfer agent. Such toner resins should ideally have desirable pigment dispersion, heat resistance and chargeability, as well as relatively low fusing temperatures.


The push-back storage system includes an elongated storing lane defining opposite front and rear ends and at least one pair of spaced-apart parallel elongated rails extending between the front and rear ends of the storing lane and being inclined downwardly from the rear end towards the front end. Each rail includes a pair of elongated inclined side walls integrally linked at a common elongated top edge. At least one cart is rollably carried by the pair of rails and is rollable along the pair of rails between the storing lane front and rear ends, the cart having a load-bearing frame rollably carrying a number of wheels each engaging a corresponding one of the rails. Each wheel has a web rotatable about a rotational axis and a pair of side flanges radially extending from and axially spaced-apart along the wheel web so as to define a rail-engaging surface on the wheel web between the spaced-apart side flanges. The rail-engaging surface is wider than the top edge of the corresponding rail.

For archiving facilities, warehouses, or companies having large amounts of articles to store, storage optimization is of utmost importance. Trying to reduce the amount of unused potential storage space in these facilities is a common concern.
Rudimentary storage racks having three, four, or more shelves or levels are used as storage means in some warehouses or the like facilities. These racks can support a certain number of palletized articles. Forklift vehicles are used to install palletized articles on the shelves of the racks.
Development directed towards storage optimization has led to more sophisticated storage systems. In particular, a known optimized storing system is the so-called push-back storage system. These push-back storage systems have a series of elongated storing lanes, the frontmost end of each lane defining a forklift access opening. Each lane comprises a number of frontwardly inclined pairs of rails and a number of carts each engaging a corresponding pair of rails. The pairs of rails are arranged in the following manner: the first or innermost pair of rails is the narrowest, and also vertically projects above the level of the other pairs of rails. The second and following pairs of rails are gradually wider and vertically lower than each preceding pair of rails. Each pair of rails is engaged by a corresponding cart which may roll therealong between a frontmost position near the forklift access opening, and a rearmost position away from the forklift access opening. The first cart engaging the innermost pair of rails is the narrowest, and the other carts are gradually wider than the preceding cart. A front stop member prevents the carts from rolling along the frontwardly downwardly inclined rails beyond the forklift access opening.
To store a first article-loaded pallet on such a storage system, the forklift places through the forklift access opening the article-loaded pallet over the vertically topmost and narrower cart. The first pallet is prevented from rolling beyond the forklift access opening under its own weight, by the abutment of its cart against the front stop member. Then, after having picked-up a second item-loaded pallet, the forklift horizontally pushes this second pallet against the first pallet, the latter being pushed back, with its cart rearwardly rolling along its corresponding first pair of rails against the rearwardly upward inclination of the rails, until the second topmost cart is cleared to allow the second pallet to be placed thereon. The second pallet, located near the forklift access opening, now abuts against the front stop member under its own weight and due to the frontwardly inclined rails, and the first pallet abuts against the second pallet.
This process can then be repeated until all carts are full: each new pallet comes to rest on the topmost available cart, after the preceding pallet-loaded carts have been pushed back up along the inclined rails.
To unload the pallets from the storage system, the pallets are recuperated by the forklift truck in a last-in first-out order. Thus, the frontmost article-loaded pallet is first retrieved, and by doing so, all the other stacked pallets are allowed to advance towards the forklift access opening, allowing a new frontmost pallet to be available at the storing lane forklift access opening. This advancement of the pallets towards the front end of the storage rack lane occurs automatically under their own weight by the rolling engagement of their respective carts on the inclined rails.
In push-back storage systems such as the one described hereinabove, the carts can support very heavy loads, and their movement about the rail assembly will often be significantly hampered by friction. Prior art storage systems comprise lanes that are longitudinally inclined at a 2° or 3° angle or more, to defeat the action of friction-borne forces resulting from the rolling engagement of the carts on the rails, and to allow the carts to readily roll towards the forklift access opening of the lane under the action of gravity-borne forces. These prior art rail inclination angles do not allow the use of storage systems having longer rails allowing a greater number of pallets to be loaded thereon, since the weight of the palletized articles will become too important to allow the forklift truck to push a greater number of pallets back when an additional article-loaded pallet is to be stored.
Also, prior art rails present flat top surfaces that do not prevent accumulation of macroparticulate debris thereover. This debris may eventually hinder or prevent the rolling engagement of the carts on the rails.


The present invention is directed to a nonwoven fabric which is formed from a network of interconnected multi-length, multi-denier thermoplastic fibers. The nonwoven fabrics of the present invention provide enhanced comfort and performance not found in conventional nonwoven fabrics and have been found to be particularly useful as cover materials in disposable sanitary absorbent articles.

Medical and disposable absorbent products usually include a body-facing covering or lining material formed from a nonwoven fabric. Typical nonwoven fabrics are derived from fibers or filaments which are chemically, hydraulically, thermally or mechanically linked together and made through technologies which are known to the expert such as, for example, "thermobonding", "spunbonding" or "through air bonding". Such fabrics must be comfortable, capable of remaining in contact with internal and external surfaces of the body for prolonged periods without causing itching or allergic reactions and capable of transmitting body fluids to a central absorbent core. In an attempt to provide absorbent articles with covering or lining materials which remain clean and dry during their use, it is conventional to use synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester and the like.
Nonwoven fabric coverings of synthetic fibers of up to 3 denier have been used as coverings for personal disposable absorbent articles. These fabrics, though they possess great softness due to the fine denier of their fibers, tend to retain more liquids than desired due to the small capillary pore size provided by these fine denier fibers. Alternatively, an increase in fiber denier results in a decrease in fluid retention, but the softness of the fabric is decreased. Therefore, the search for an adequate technical solution still persists.

Nonwoven fabric of multi-length, multi-denier fibers and absorbent article formed therefrom


A system or computer usable program product for mapping infrastructure layout between non-corresponding datasets including accessing from a memory a set of long links with points that trace the curvature of a set of linestrings, accessing from the memory a set of short links that are short enough for analytical purposes wherein each short link represents a straight line, and from the set of long links and the set of short links, using a processor to create a set of hybrid links for storage in the memory, each hybrid link corresponding to one short link for analytic purposes, a plurality of the hybrid links including at least one of the points for tracing the curvature of the set of linestrings.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to mapping infrastructure, and in particular, to a computer implemented method for mapping infrastructure layout between non-corresponding datasets.
2. Description of Related Art
Mapping infrastructure such as roadways may be accomplished through various types of datasets. Often a roadway may be divided up into a set of links, each link having two endpoints that may be located spatially such as by using a geographic coordinate system of latitude and longitude. Additional data may be stored for each endpoint or link. There are two primary categories of links, known as long links and short links, which may be utilized depending on the application.
Long links are a dataset typically used for display purposes. Long links typically have two endpoints with a series of midpoints connected by segments. The segments may be represented by vectors. Long links typically require less storage than short links, yet can be rendered into finely detailed maps including apparent curves. Long links typically do not contain information other than what is needed to render maps and are sometimes referred to as shape files as a result. For example, long links typically do not include analytic information such as traffic volume or speed limits. A common type of long link data format is the esri shape file format promoted by the Environmental Systems Research Institute.
Short links are a dataset generally used for analytic purposes. That is, short links are utilized where analytics are performed on the dataset such as calculating traffic volume given road conditions. Each short link includes a start point and an end point although the endpoint may be the start point for the next link. The endpoints contain geospatial coordinates where each link generally contains one speed limit, traffic volume, road conditions, average speed, etc. These links are short enough for meaningful analytics and may be updated automatically with collections devices, sensors and other data sources. One typical format utilized for short links is TMDD (traffic management data dictionary). TMDD describes a format that represents links as a start point and an end point. The main purpose of the TMDD standard is to supply traffic data for the purpose of analytics such as traffic prediction.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Mapping infrastructure layout between non-corresponding datasets

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A communication network configured to substitute serving gateway (“SGW”), packet data network gateway (“PGW”), and mobility management entity (“MME”) with an OpenFlow network controller (“OFNC”) for packets routing between mobile devices and the Internet is disclosed. The network includes a cellular base station, a packet data network (“PDN”), and OFNC. The cellular base station provides wireless communication for user equipments (“UEs”). The PDN is able to route packet flows to their destination(s). The routing controller or OFNC manages a cluster of routers including at least one edge router via OpenFlow protocol. The OFNC, in one embodiment, establishes a routing path between the cellular base station and the PDN for an authenticated UE via a group of routers based on information obtained from an authenticating server and a charging system.

With rapid growth of mobile data transfer over a high-speed communication network such as 3G or 4G cellular services, managing and routing such data transfer efficiently become increasingly difficult. A conventional network layout, for example, typically includes various networks, such as Internet, packet data network ("PDN"), local area network ("LAN"), wireless local area network ("WLAN"), and cellular radio network. A conventional mobile or wireless network may include 3rd Generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System ("3G UMTS"), long term evolution ("LTE"), 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 ("3GPP2") and/or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access ("WiMAX"). It should be noted that a typical network could include hundreds of network devices, such as access switches, routers, and bridges, used for data delivery from source devices to destination devices.
A conventional LTE enhanced packet core ("EPC") architecture generally deploys specialized nodes such as serving gateways ("SGWs"), packet data network gateways ("PGWs"), and mobility management entity ("MME") for handling user authorization, packets routing, and usage between cellular network(s) and PDN(s). A problem, however, associated with using SGWs, PGWs, and MME is that they are more complex and expensive than typical Ethernet based network devices such as routers and/or Internet Protocol ("IP") switches.
Another drawback associated with using SGW, PGW, and/or MME is that such device typically consumes additional bandwidth because of packet tunneling. For example, implementing packet tunneling generally requires additional overhead as well as bandwidth. As such, support of mobility and/or QoS in a conventional LTE EPC architecture can be complicated and expensive.
Another shortcoming associated with employing SGW, PGW, and/or MME is that in order for SGW, PGW, and MME to operate, a set of complex protocols is used to facilitate communications between SGW, PGW, and MME, QoS, and inter-operability. It should be noted that in a packet core network ("PCN"), operators generally have limited influence over control functions thereby introducing value added features to a network can be difficult.

Method and apparatus for improving LTE enhanced packet core architecture using openflow network controller


An imaging lens assembly includes first, second, third and fourth optical lens elements that are arranged sequentially from an object side to an image side along an optical axis and that respectively have negative, positive, positive and negative refractive powers, and a fixed aperture stop that is disposed between the first and second optical lens elements. The fourth optical lens element has object-side surface and an image-side surface that has at least an inflection point. The imaging lens assembly satisfies the optical condition of 1.8<TL/f<2.4, in which, TL represents a distance from an object-side surface of the first optical lens element to an imaging plane, and f represents a focal length of the imaging lens assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging lens assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
An imaging lens set is generally adopted in a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer or an imaging lens assembly. With the rapid development of technology, these electronic devices are designed to be increasingly thinner. Therefore, the imaging lens set for these electronic devices should be made correspondingly smaller as well.
A conventional imaging lens set as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,274,593 includes four lenses.

Ability Opto-Electronics Technology Co., LTD.


The present invention provides improved multi-layer general purpose stretch film products. The products comprise at least five layers. In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a multi-layer film comprising at least two outer layers, two inner layers and a core layer. A first outer layer represents from 8 to 25 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene, a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene plastomer and an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer. A first inner layer represents from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene. A core layer represents from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and polypropylene. A second inner layer represents from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene. A second outer layer represents from 8 to 25 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene, a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene plastomer and an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer. The second outer layer is optionally different than the first outer layer and comprises a linear low density polyethylene.

The present invention is directed to stretch wrap films and methods for their manufacture. In particular, the present invention is directed to stretch wrap films having excellent maximum stretch, moderate holding force, superior puncture resistance, high total energy dart drop, high cling force and overall strength.
The use of thermoplastic stretch wrap films for the overwrap packaging of goods, and in particular, the unitizing of palleted loads is a significant commercially important application of polymer film, including generically, polyethylene and other polyolefins.
Over-wrapping a plurality of articles to provide a unitized load can be achieved by a variety of techniques. In one procedure, the load to be wrapped is positioned on a platform, or turntable, which is made to rotate and in so doing, to take up stretch wrap film supplied from a continuous roll. Braking tension is applied to the film roll so that the film is continuously subjected to a stretching or tensioning force as it wraps around the rotating load in overlapping layers. Generally, the stretch wrap film is supplied from a vertically arranged roll positioned adjacent to the rotating pallet load. Rotational speeds of from about 5 to about 50 revolutions per minute are common.
At the completion of the overwrap operation, the turntable is completely stopped and the film is cut and attached to an underlying layer of film employing tack sealing, adhesive tape, spray adhesives, etc. Depending upon the width of the stretch wrap roll, the load being overwrapped can be shrouded in the film while the vertically arranged film roll remains in a fixed position. Alternatively, the film roll, for example, in the case of relatively narrow film widths and relatively wide pallet loads, can be made to move in a vertical direction as the load is being overwrapped whereby a spiral wrapping effect is achieved on the packaged goods.
Some of the properties desired of a good stretch wrap film are as follows: good cling or cohesion properties, high puncture resistance, good machine direction tear resistance, good transparency, low haze, low stress relaxation with time, high resistance to transverse tear especially when under machine direction tension, can be produced in thin gauges, low specific gravity and thus high yield in area per pound, good tensile toughness, high machine direction ultimate tensile strength, high machine direction ultimate elongation, and low modulus of elasticity.
Currently, different grades of stretch wrap films are commonly marketed for different end uses according to overall film properties. For example, certain stretch wrap films have superior properties for load retention, but these films are characterized by having poor stretching characteristics. On the other hand, certain stretch wrap films having superior stretching properties have low load retention properties, thus limiting their use. Some of the broader categories include: general purpose stretch films, premium or heavy duty stretch films, single sided cling films, general purpose hand wrap films, heavy duty hand wrap films, and special formulation hand wrap films.
A need exists to develop superior stretch wrap films characterized by having heavy load retention characteristics and excellent stretching characteristics while still maintaining other important stretch film properties. Such films could be used in a wider variety of end applications and, thus, not unduly limit users of stretch wrap films to selectively choosing a film based on its properties prior to initiating a stretch wrap application.
Accordingly, the present invention provides for multi-layer films for premium stretch applications including stretch wrap films. The preferred resultant film has five layers with each layer being a single component or blended components to achieve the desired improved results.
In accordance with the present invention, attention has been focused on developing higher performance stretch films, while maintaining cost efficient production capabilities. Performance enhancements include improvement of load retention, tear resistance in machine direction (MD) and transverse direction (TD), puncture resistance, ultimate elongation, and overall strength. Desired properties of a xe2x80x9cgoodxe2x80x9d stretch film are good cling or cohesion properties, good tear resistance in MD and TD directions, good clarity (low haze), high ultimate elongation, high tensile values, good stiffness (modulus), and high yield per pound.
The present invention is a co-extruded film comprised of a 5-layer construction that is used for cling/cling film applications or premium grade stretch film applications. In one embodiment, these multi-layer stretch wrap films are manufactured as cast films with conventional co-extrusion methods. Each of the five layers comprises a mixture of polyolefin polymers. When a mixture of polymers is utilized in a single layer, the polymers are introduced into an extruder to be mixed and extruded as a single layer. Cling/cling or premium grade stretch film application construction comprises the utilization of at least five layers of the following compositions.
In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention provides a multi-layer film comprising at least five layers. A first outer layer comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene, a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene plastomer and an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer. A first inner layer comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene. A core layer comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and polypropylene. A second inner layer comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene. The second inner layer may be the same or different than the first inner layer. A second outer layer can have the same or a different formulation as the first outer layer. The second outer layer comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene, a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene plastomer and an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer.
In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a multi-layer film comprising at least two outer layers, two inner layers and a core layer. A first outer layer represents from 8 to 25 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene, a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene plastomer and an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer. A first inner layer represents from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene. A core layer represents from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and polypropylene. A second inner layer represents from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene and a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene. A second outer layer represents from 8 to 25 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of linear low density polyethylene, a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene, an ethylene plastomer and an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer. The second outer layer is optionally different than the first outer layer and comprises a linear low density polyethylene.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a multi-layer film comprises a first outer layer representing from 8 to 25 percent by weight of the film and comprising a blend of 20 to 40 percent by weight of a linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, 25 to 65 percent by weight of a low polydispersity linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, 1 to 15 percent by weight of an ethylene plastomer having a melt index from 3.5 to 5.5 g/10 min. and a density of from 0.871 to 0.875 grams per cubic centimeter, and 10 to 30 percent by weight of an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer. The film also comprises a first inner layer representing from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprising a blend of from 50 to 95 percent by weight of a linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, and from 5 to 50 percent by weight of a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene.
A core layer representing from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film comprises a blend of from 60 to 90 percent by weight of a linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, and from 10 to 40 percent by weight of a propylene ethylene random copolymer. A second inner layer representing from 15 to 35 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of from 50 to 95 percent by weight of a linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, and from 5 to 50 percent by weight of a metallocene catalyzed linear low density polyethylene.
A second outer layer representing from 8 to 25 percent by weight of the film and comprises a blend of 20 to 40 percent by weight of a linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, 25 to 65 percent by weight of a low polydispersity linear low density polyethylene octene copolymer, 1 to 15 percent by weight of an ethylene plastomer having a melt index from 3.5 to 5.5 g/10 min. and a density of from 0.871 to 0.875 grams per cubic centimeter, and 10 to 30 percent by weight of an ethylene/methyl acrylate copolymer.

Premium stretch multilayer film products


The present invention relates to a method for deuteration of an inert alkane using activated palladium carbon. The present invention discloses

A compound labeled with an isotope is useful to examine in vivo kinetics of drug, in particular, a compound labeled with deuterium (D) is generally utilized for this purpose.
The compound labeled with deuterium has generally been synthesized by a conventional method using a preliminary deuterated starting material, however, said synthetic method has a problem with requiring multiple synthetic steps, so it is desired to develop a method for obtaining a compound labeled with deuterium by directly exchanging C—H of a final objective compound for C-D (H-D exchange).
The present inventors have conducted extensive study and have found a method for selective deuteration of only a hydrogen atom binded to a carbon atom directly bonded to an aromatic ring (a hydrogen atom at the benzyl position). However, said deuteration method provides still low deuteration rate of a hydrogen atom at terminal carbon even at benzyl position (a hydrogen atom of a methyl group directly bonded to an aromatic ring) and no deuteration of a hydrogen atom bonded to-a carbon atom other than at benzyl position. Therefore, it has been desired to develop a method for attaining high deuteration rate of a hydrogen atom of a methyl group directly bonded to an aromatic ring and also deuteration of a hydrogen atom bonded to a carbon atom other than at benzyl position.
Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to develop a method for high deuteration rate of a hydrogen atom in a methyl group directly bonded to an aromatic ring and also an effective deuteration of not only a hydrogen atom at benzyl position but also a hydrogen atom bonded to the other carbon atoms.

Method for deuteration of an inert methylene

Abstract: “A method for deuteration of a hydrogen atom of a methyl group or a hydrogen atom bonded to a carbon atom at benzyl position and the other carbon atoms of an alkylene group having not less than 2 carbon atoms, in a compound containing the methyl group or the-alkylene group having not less than 2 carbon atoms, directly bonded to an aromatic ring which may have a substituent, which comprises placing said compound in a deuterated solvent in the presence of activated palladium carbon, under sealed reflux condition”.


A medical instrument capable of maintaining medicament liquids such as pharmaceuticals, nutriments in high quality and dosing correctly and sanitarily is provided. This medical instrument comprises a material containing a resin formed of a cyclic olefin compound or a bridged polycyclic hydrocarbon compound, as a polymeric component.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a medical device, and more particularly, it is concerned with a medical instrument used for administering to or receiving from medical fluid, for example, syringes, transfusers (introducer), operation devices for blood gathering or blood transfusion, mechanical parts, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As to the medical instruments, the varieties, performances, qualities and standards of instruments or machines are provided in the Drugs, Cosmetics and Medical Instruments Act. In this age of rapid progress of medical techniques, instruments or machines having more excellent performances than such standard values or standard items have appeared.
As a soft elastic material for a medical instrument, there is mainly used natural rubber (NR), but at the present time, isoprene rubber (IR), butyl rubber (IIR), halogenated butyl rubbers (BIIR, CIIR), nitrile rubber (NBR), styrenebutadiene rubber (BR) have widely been used in view of that these rubbers are more sanitary and have more excellent properties.
As to a synthetic resin, polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP) have been authorized by the Japanese Pharmacopoeia of 8th Revision and applied to a number of medical instruments or machine parts.
PVC seems to be a clear and soft sanitary article, but detailed examination thereof tells a problem that a plasticizer such as dioctyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate (DOA) and tricresyl phosphate (TCP) or a stabilizer such as zinc stearate, calcium stearate and tin compounds is dissolved out in a medical fluid. The use of PVC in the future is questionable because of a problem on protection of environment such that raw material monomers of PVC remain and poisonous gases are generated when used instruments are burnt up as a waste. On the other hand, a number of studies have been made on a medical instrument for preservation of blood (Japanese Patent Publication No. 42507/1990, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 212536/1990).
Lately, PE has widely been used, since a gas sterilization method of ethylene oxide or formaldehyde is authorized and is sanitarily excellent. In particular, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene is relatively excellent in softening point (130.degree. C.) and laminated articles thereof with a vulcanized rubber, PP, nylon, PVC, etc. has being authorized. However, PE has a large disadvantage that the softening point is low.
PP has a large feature of its high softening point, but because of difficulty in obtaining a transparent article, it has been proposed to modify PP to give a transparent article which can be applied to medical instruments or pharmaceutical agents (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 163144/1991 28246/1991).
Polyvinylidene chloride is generally blended with PVC to form an article because of difficulty in molding an article of polyvinylidene chloride.
Fluoro resins are excellent in sanitary property, heat resistance, acid resistance, alkali resistance, etc., but are so inferior in adhesiveness and in workability that these resins cannot be applied to parts for widely used medical instruments.
In addition, nylons, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, polyethylene terephthalates, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, polystyrenes, acrylic resins, thermoplastic elastomers, etc. are resins each having various properties, but having many problems from the standpoint of a raw material for a medical instrument and having no property to substitute for PE or PP.
The present invention has been made under the situation to develop an article for a medical instrument using a novel material capable of dosing a patient with a medical fluid in a very sanitary manner.


Ceramic/structural protein composite scaffolds and their preparation in a simple one-step process are shown.

Implantable medical devices, such as orthopedic and dental prostheses, can be made more permanent if the interface between the existing bone and the device contains some natural bone growth to knit the two components together. Such ingrowth has advantages over the use of bone cement, both in terms of stability and permanency.
"Bioactive" coatings on implantable medical devices allow for the ingrowth of natural bone into and around the device, forming chemical bonds between the device and natural bone. Bone is composed of substituted apatite crystals in an abundant collagen network. Type I collagen is the major protein of bone tissue, making up about thirty percent of the weight of bone. It has been shown that apatite crystals can grow and bond to collagen fibrils, and prepared apatite/collagen composites have been shown to promote direct bone apposition.
In addition to coatings, other materials made from apatite are used for bone repair and replacement. The cross-linked apatite/collagen porous scaffold materials have been studied for their excellent compatibility with human bone. Several approaches to preparing an apatite/collagen composite scaffold have been studied, but have exhibited drawbacks with respect to variable porosity of the composite.
One known approach is to prepare a composite material containing protein osteoinductive factor, mineral (mixture of hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate) and collagen in a water suspension by a mechanical mixing means.
Another approach is by mixing insoluble collagen with calcium chloride and tribasic sodium phosphate at pH around 11.0. However, insoluble collagen was used to directly mix with apatite to form into composites, which may render an inhomogeneous apatite/collagen composite.
Finally, it is known to prepare an apatite/collagen composite using soluble collagen, phosphoric acid and calcium salt. Instead of forming apatite/collagen composite in one step, once the soluble collagen, phosphoric acid and calcium salt mix, the slurry-like mixture is freeze-dried. The gelation of collagen is carried out after freeze-drying apatite/collagen composite at a pH around 11.0. After gelation of collagen, the apatite/collagen composite is freeze-dried again to synthesis the apatite/collagen scaffold. Then the apatite/collagen scaffold is cross-linked and cleaned. This process requires two freeze-drying procedures and two cleaning procedures to form apatite/collagen composite scaffolds.
None of the above processes addresses the variable porosity of apatite/collagen scaffold, a factor that is important to control the regeneration of new bone tissue.
There remains a need in the art for improved apatite composite scaffolds, as well as improved processes to prepare porosity controllable apatite composite scaffolds.

Calcium phosphate/structural protein composites and method of preparation thereof


A keyboard device is located in an accommodating space of a housing having first openings and a second opening. The keyboard device includes a flexible body and a transparent liquid. The flexible body is located in the accommodating space, and includes a main body, first pressing portions, patterns, and a second pressing portion. The first pressing portions are respectively located in the first openings. The patterns are located on the main body or the first pressing portions and are respectively exposed through the first openings. The second pressing portion is located in the second opening. The main body, and the first and second pressing portions have an enclosure space therein. The transparent liquid is located in the enclosure space. When the second pressing portion is pressed, the first pressing portions expand to protrude from the first openings, such that the patterns are enlarged.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a keyboard device.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of science and technology, many kinds of consumer electronic products are being sold in the consumer market. Methods of inputting signals of electronic products may include remote input, touch input, mouse input, button input, etc. Physical buttons are more intuitive for users, and in addition, physical buttons have the advantages of allowing for quick operation and for providing a good tactile sensation for users. Therefore, physical buttons are widely used in as part of the input device in various electronic products, such as cellular phone key pads, telephone key pads, and computer keyboards.
The surfaces of keys often have numbers or letters provided thereon. However for users who are elderly or have poor eyesight, the small numbers and letters on the keys are not easily read. Therefore, manufacturers need to manufacture specific models of electronic products having large keys, and they must print large numbers and letters on the keys for such users. As a result, the large keys occupy a significant amount of space of the electronic product, such that it is difficult to reduce the overall size of the electronic product. Additionally, the cost of the electronic product is increased.
In the case of handheld electronic products, the size of the keys thereof is limited by the size of the housings of such electronic products. Hence, the handheld electronic product only can use small keys and cannot use large keys. That is to say, even if the numbers and letters printed on such keys are the same size as the keys, users who are elderly or have poor eyesight still cannot read the numbers and letters, often leading to the users easily pressing the wrong keys.


Embodiments of the invention include system for monitoring the effectiveness of pulse shaping in a nonlinear optical fiber (40). The spectral content of the pulse, after passing through the nonlinear fiber (40), provides an indication of how effectively the pulse was regenerated. A portion of the pulse exiting the nonlinear fiber is tapped off and its pulse energy is measured in at least one selected spectral region. The selected spectral region is one in which the pulse tends to gain energy when effective regeneration is taking place. The information concerning the effectiveness of pulse shaping in a nonlinear optical fiber is fed back to dynamically change the residual dispersion at the regenerator input. The spectral measurement leads to a control signal (48) to indicate a level of performance of the system, or to improve the performance of the system by adjusting an operational parameter.

In high-speed optical fiber communication systems, digital data are transmitted in the form of optical pulses propagating in the fiber. An ideal pulse is well localized within a time window and has a well-defined amplitude that stands out distinctly from a low background level. However, noise, chromatic dispersion, and other effects tend to spread the pulses out and to obscure the distinction between pulse and background. These effects can lead to the misinterpretation of high pulse levels (e.g., "ones" in a binary system) as low levels (e.g., as "zeroes" in a binary system) and vice versa. This, in turn, tends to drive up the Bit Error Rate (BER) of the system.
Practitioners have devised regenerators for optical pulses. Ideally, optical energy enters a regenerator as a degraded pulse having a high noise level, a reduced peak amplitude, and expanded width, and exits the regenerator with low background noise and with its original peak amplitude and width restored. Even if they only approximate such ideal behavior, optical regenerators can be advantageous in communication systems for counteracting the degeneration of pulses over long propagation distances.
One particular approach to optical regeneration is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,129, issued on Oct. 31, 2000 to P. V. Mamyshev under the title "Method And Apparatus For All-Optical Data Regeneration." Central to the Mamyshev regenerator is a nonlinear optical fiber, that is, an optical fiber that can alter the spectral content of a pulse of sufficient amplitude through nonlinear coupling between the fiber material and the electromagnetic field associated with the pulse. As a result of such coupling, stronger portions of a given pulse become spectrally broadened; but the amount of such broadening decreases sharply for weaker portions of the pulse. The spectrally altered pulse is then passed through a filter whose transmission characteristic is offset from the original spectral content of the pulse. We refer to such a filter as an "output filter" of the regenerator. The output filter substantially blocks the weaker portions of the pulse, which were not spectrally broadened, but substantially passes the stronger portions, which contain enhanced spectral content that lies within the passband of the filter. Because only the strongest portion, typically the central portion, of the pulse is passed by the filter, an approximation to the original shape of the pulse is obtained and relatively low background noise is eliminated. If desired, the original amplitude is restored by amplification before the nonlinear fiber, or after it, or both.
Typically, a Mamyshev regenerator includes a dispersion-compensator placed before the nonlinear fiber. The dispersion compensator is an element that has, in effect, a dispersion coefficient opposite in sign to that to which the pulses have been subject while propagating through the system. Such an element is selected, and in some cases can be tuned, to provide a sufficient amount of dispersion to at least approximately cancel the dispersion accumulated during propagation through the system.
We have discovered that in some operating regimes, the performance of the Mamyshev regenerator is very sensitive to the residual dispersion effects that remain impressed upon the optical pulses. However, the magnitude of these effects is not always known in advance. For this reason among others, there is a need for a device to monitor the effectiveness of pulse shaping in a nonlinear optical fiber.

Nonlinear device comprising a spectrally broadening fiber


Folding plastic tongs for serving food items are disclosed. The tongs have arms joined at a hinge and extending in a lengthwise direction from the hinge. A first protrusion extends from an inner surface of the first arm and a second protrusion extends from an inner surface of the second arm. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured to connect to each other to restrain an opening movement of the arms. Gripping portions are formed at ends of each of the arms. The hinge is configured to allow the arms to open to a position such that the first arm forms at least an obtuse angle with the second arm when the first protrusion and the second protrusion are not connected.

The use of plastic disposable containers, trays, and utensils for packaging, distributing, food are widespread in the marketplace. Plastic tongs, in particular, are used to serve food items contained in various receptacles, including in plastic containers, and on plastic trays. Most conventional plastic tongs are not efficiently stackable for shipment purposes because they do not open to 180 degrees. Moreover, even tongs that open to 180 degrees are not efficiently nestable because they are not configured to allow a portion of the tongs to fit snugly inside a portion of an adjacent pair of tongs.


A technique is disclosed for preventing un-authorized attachment of computer peripherals to a computer or computer network. Illustrative embodiments comprise two mating keyed-adapters between network/host computer ports and peripheral ports. One or both adapters can contain hardware for enabling and disabling communications to and from peripherals under software control from a host computer. The peripheral-side adapter contains a first hardware for storing a unique identifier corresponding to the attached peripheral. The host computer retrieves this stored identifier and compares it to a database of authorized identifiers. If a match is found, then communication to and from the peripheral is enabled either in a second hardware within the adapter or software within the host computer. If a match is not found, then communication to and from the peripheral is not permitted.

FIG. 1 depicts block diagram of a portion of a typical computer network in the prior art. Computer network 102 comprises computer network bus 104 to which computer peripherals can be attached or shared across the network. In particular, host computer 106 via computer port 108 is attached to computer network bus 104 via computer network port 110. Peripheral 118 is directly connected to the computer network via peripheral port 120 and computer network port 122. Alternatively, peripheral 114 is directly connected to host computer 106 via peripheral port 116 and host computer port 112.
If such a network is a classified network, provision must be made to track configuration changes, particularly the un-authorized attachment of computer peripherals. If this is not done, then un-authorized data and "viruses" residing in software/firmware contained within computer peripherals attached to a host computer or computer network can reap havoc upon the computer or network or both. The expense and time required to track configuration changes manually is high. Manual tracking often leads to long delays and waits when changes must be made in a classified development environment.
Automated configuration control and logging of attachments of computer peripherals is superior to manual tracking. The prior art, however, concentrates primarily on enhanced automated software protection of computer assets. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,144,659 and 5,289,540, Jones discloses a security method wherein a hard drive controller provides extra security functions. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,562, Reardon discloses the use of CPU-independent, user activated key lock switches by which a CPU-independent security controller can be configured and reprogrammed in a secure fashion.

Method and apparatus for preventing un-authorized attachment of computer peripherals


This invention relates to bicistronic flavivirus vectors, methods of using such vectors in the prevention and treatment of disease, and methods of making such vectors.

Vaccination is one of the greatest achievements of medicine, and has spared millions of people the effects of devastating diseases. Before vaccines became widely used, infectious diseases killed thousands of children and adults each year in the United States alone, and so many more worldwide. Vaccination is widely used to prevent and treat infection by bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, and also is an approach that is used in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Several different approaches are used in vaccination, including the administration of killed pathogen, live-attenuated pathogen, and inactive pathogen subunits. In the case of viral infection, live vaccines have been found to confer the most potent and durable protective immune responses.
Live-attenuated vaccines have been developed against flaviviruses, which are small, enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses that are generally transmitted by infected mosquitoes and ticks. The Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family includes approximately 70 viruses, many of which, such as yellow fever (YF), dengue (DEN), Japanese encephalitis (JE), and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) viruses, are major human pathogens (rev. in Burke and Monath, Fields Virology, 4th Ed., p. 1043-1126, 2001).
Different approaches have been used in the development of vaccines against flaviviruses. In the case of yellow fever virus, for example, two vaccines (yellow fever 17D and the French neurotropic vaccine) were developed by serial passage (Monath, "Yellow Fever," In Plotkin and Orenstein, Vaccines, 3rd ed., Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 815-879, 1999). Another approach to attenuation of flaviviruses for use in vaccination involves the construction of chimeric flaviviruses, which include components of two (or more) different flaviviruses. Understanding how such chimeras are constructed requires an explanation of flavivirus structure.
Flavivirus proteins are produced by translation of a single, long open reading frame to generate a polyprotein, which is followed by a complex series of post-translational proteolytic cleavages of the polyprotein by a combination of host and viral proteases to generate mature viral proteins (Amberg et al., J. Virol. 73:8083-8094, 1999; Rice, "Flaviviridae," In Virology, Fields (ed.), Raven-Lippincott, New York, 1995, Volume I, p. 937). The virus structural proteins are arranged in the polyprotein in the order C-prM-E, where "C" is capsid, "prM" is a precursor of the viral envelope-bound M protein, and "E" is the envelope protein. These proteins are present in the N-terminal region of the polyprotein, while the non-structural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5) are located in the C-terminal region of the polyprotein.
Chimeric flaviviruses have been made that include structural and non-structural proteins from different flaviviruses. For example, the so-called ChimeriVax™ technology employs the yellow fever 17D virus capsid and nonstructural proteins to deliver the envelope proteins (M and E) of other flaviviruses (see, e.g., Chambers et al., J. Virol. 73:3095-3101, 1999). This technology has been used to develop vaccine candidates against dengue, Japanese encephalitis (JE), West Nile (WN), and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) viruses (see, e.g., Pugachev et al., in New Generation Vaccines, 3rd ed., Levine et al., eds., Marcel Dekker, New York, Basel, pp. 559-571, 2004; Chambers et al., J. Virol. 73:3095-3101, 1999; Guirakhoo et al., Virology 257:363-372, 1999; Monath et al., Vaccine 17:1869-1882, 1999; Guirakhoo et al., J. Virol. 74:5477-5485, 2000; Arroyo et al., Trends Mol. Med. 7:350-354, 2001; Guirakhoo et al., J. Virol. 78:4761-4775, 2004; Guirakhoo et al., J. Virol. 78:9998-10008, 2004; Monath et al., J. Infect. Dis. 188:1213-1230, 2003; Arroyo et al., J. Virol. 78:12497-12507, 2004; and Pugachev et al., Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 71:639-645, 2004).
ChimeriVax™-based vaccines have been shown to have favorable properties with respect to properties such as replication in substrate cells, low neurovirulence in murine models, high attenuation in monkey models, high genetic and phenotypic stability in vitro and in vivo, inefficient replication in mosquitoes (which is important to prevent uncontrolled spread in nature), and the induction of robust protective immunity in mice, monkeys, and humans following administration of a single dose, without serious post-immunization side effects. Indeed, the ChimeriVax™-JE vaccine virus, containing the prM-E genes from the SA14-14-2 JE virus (live attenuated JE vaccine used in China), was successfully tested in preclinical and Phase I and II clinical trials (Monath et al., Vaccine 20:1004-1018, 2002; Monath et al., J. Infect. Dis. 188:1213-1230, 2003). Similarly, successful Phase I clinical trials have been conducted with a ChimeriVax™-WN vaccine candidate, which contains prM-E sequences from a West Nile virus (NY99 strain), with three specific amino acid changes incorporated into the E protein to increase attenuation (Arroyo et al., J. Virol. 78:12497-12507, 2004).
In addition to being used as vaccines against flavivirus infection, flaviviruses, such as chimeric flaviviruses, have been proposed for use as vectors for the delivery of other, non-flavivirus peptides. In one example of such a use, a rational approach for insertion of foreign peptides into the envelope protein of YF 17D virus was described, based on knowledge of the tertiary structure of the flavivirus particle, as resolved by cryoelectron microscopy and fitting the known X-ray structure of the protein dimer into an electron density map (Rey et al., Nature 375:291-298, 1995; Kuhn et al., Cell 108:717-725, 2002). The three-dimensional structure of the protein trimer in its post-fusion conformation has also been resolved (Modis et al., Nature 427:313-319, 2004; Bressanelli et al., EMBO J. 23:728-738, 2004). Galler and co-workers examined the three-dimensional structures of the envelope protein dimer and trimer and concluded that the fg loop of dimerization domain II should be solvent-exposed in both the dimer and trimer conformations. They used this loop to insert malaria humoral and T-cell epitopes into the envelope protein of YF 17D virus and recovered a few viable mutants (Bonaldo et al., J. Virol. 79:8602-8613, 2005; Bonaldo et al., J. Mol. Biol. 315:873-885, 2002; WO 02/072835). Use of this approach, however, does not ensure that a selected site is permissive/optimal for the insertion of every desired foreign peptide in terms of efficient virus replication (as evidenced by some of the Galler et al. data), immunogenicity, and stability. Further, this approach is not applicable to viral proteins for which three-dimensional structures are unknown (e.g., prM/M, NS1, and most other NS proteins of flaviviruses).
In another approach, the envelope protein of ChimeriVax™-JE was probed for permissive insertion sites using a transposon. According to this approach, an inserted transposon in a viable mutant virus is replaced with a desired foreign peptide (see, e.g., WO 02/102828). In yet another approach, foreign sequences were inserted into the yellow fever virus strain YF-17D, downstream of the polyprotein open reading frame (US 2004/0241821).

Recombinant bicistronic flavivirus vectors


A method is provided for increasing the contact area between a damper wire and a sheet metal component in a combustion cowl of a gas turbine engine. This increase in contact area reduces the wear rate on the combustor cowl. A first curl is formed in the sheet metal component. A damper wire is situated to have a common contact area with the sheet metal component within the first curl. The first curl is die-formed around the damper wire before applying a heat treat operation to the structure. A final die-form closes the sheet metal curl around the damper wire.

The present invention relates to an improved sheet metal structure, and more particularly to an improved cowl damping structure for use in the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine.
In a combustor of a gas turbine engine, guide vanes direct pressurized air from the compressor. This air moves over the inner and outer liners of the combustion chamber, or combustor, to provide a cooling effect. Gas turbine combustors generally require a combustion cowl for dividing the incoming air into the primary zone dome flow and into the upper and lower combustor annulus air flows. The impinging air from the compressor exit causes the cowl to vibrate mechanically, which leads to high cycle fatigue of the cowl.
In the existing art, a formed sheet metal part is rolled on a forward end to encase a continuous damper wire. Typically gaps or spaces exist between the formed sheet metal part and the damper wire where they are not in contact with each other. The locations where the components are in contact with each other produces a sliding friction force between the wire and the sheet, which dampens the vibration force. Over a long time exposure, the wire-damped cowl having such gaps experiences typical wear problems associated with friction damping systems. The wear causes thinning of the sheet metal that leads to a shortened part life, requiring frequent replacement of the combustion cowl.
It would be desirable, then, to improve the cowl damping structure in a gas turbine combustor, by improving or increasing the contact area between the damper wire and sheet metal to reduce the wear rate of the combustion cowl.
To improve the existing cowl design, a cowl wrap wire process is proposed. The manual spinning process of the existing art is eliminated, and replaced with a controlled die-form operation and heat treat. The heat treat will occur after the first curl of the sheet metal around the wire. After heat treat, a final controlled die-form process is applied to close the sheet metal around the wire. This yields a consistent contact area around the part that is greater than the contact area using the existing art process.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for increasing contact area between a damper wire and sheet metal component in a combustion cowl of a gas turbine engine is provided. The method comprises of several steps that include the following. Processing a sheet metal component having a forward diameter at a forward end and an aft diameter at an aft end wherein the forward diameter is smaller than the aft diameter. Placing or situating a damper wire onto the sheet metal component adjacent to the forward end so that an area of contact is created between the damper wire and the sheet metal component. Die-forming a first curl in the sheet metal component around the damper wire prior to heat treat to create a cowl wrap wire structure. Applying a heat treat operation to the cowl wrap wire structure to conform the sheet metal component and the wire thereby increasing the area of contact between the damper wire and the sheet metal component. Then die-forming a final curl in the sheet metal component around the damper wire in the cowl wrap wire structure after heat treat to create a combustion cowl.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a combustion cowl for use on a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustion cowl comprising a sheet metal component, a damper wire, and an area of contact between the sheet metal component and the damper wire. The sheet metal component having a forward diameter at a forward end and an aft diameter at an aft end wherein the forward diameter is smaller than the aft diameter. The damper wire on the sheet metal component is adjacent to the forward end. The area of contact between the damper wire and the sheet metal component is increased by applying a first die-forming operation, a heat treat operation, and a final die-forming operation after the heat treat operation in order to curl the forward end of the sheet metal component around the damper wire.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an effective technique for improving the contact area between the damper wire and sheet metal to reduce the wear rate of the combustion cowl.


A transmitting device is disclosed. A lighting device changes a first characteristic and a second characteristic of light to be emitted along time series. A processor controls, in a period having a first time length, the lighting device to modulate the first characteristic of the light from the lighting device in the time series in accordance with a light emission pattern having a waveform according to information to be transmitted and having the first time length. The processor controls the lighting device to perform pulse modulation with a pulse pattern having a second time length shorter than the first time length for the second characteristic in accordance with the information. The processor sets peak and bottom values of the second characteristic of each pulse included in a subsection, for an average of the second characteristic to be a value maintaining the waveform of the light emission pattern.

Conventionally, a light emitting diode (LED) has been widely used as an illumination light source. LEDs are characterized by a fast response speed as compared to incandescent bulbs or fluorescent lamps. Using this feature, visible light communication technology has been studied, in which communication is performed by superimposing information on light emitted from an LED by blinking the LED at a speed, which may not be recognized by human eyes. In particular, a technique for superposing information to be transmitted on illumination light is also referred to as illumination light communication.
Use of a visible light communication has been considered as communication application at places where the use of radio waves is restricted, information distribution limited to a range where light reaches inside a room or the like, utilization in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), or the like.
In the visible light communication, in order to transmit data, it is proposed to modulate transmission data into a visible light signal formed by high-power pulsed light and low-power pulsed light (for instance, refer to Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-290359

Transmitting device, transmission control device, and transmission method


A method of fabricating a device using a multi-layered wafer that has an embedded etch mask adapted to map a desired device structure onto an adjacent (poly)silicon layer. Due to the presence of the embedded mask, it becomes possible to delay the etching that forms the mapped structure in the (poly)silicon layer until a relatively late fabrication stage. As a result, flatness of the (poly)silicon layer is preserved for the deposition of any necessary over-layers, which substantially obviates the need for filling the voids created by the structure formation with silicon oxide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated devices and, more specifically, to methods for fabricating micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) structures and/or devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fabrication of a MEMS device often involves forming structures in one or more relatively thick (e.g., about 10 μm or thicker) layers of (poly)silicon. A typical prior-art method of forming such structures usually includes a sequence of: (1) patterning and etching a thick (poly)silicon layer down to an underlying silicon-oxide, etch-stop layer, which etching produces variously sized voids (some relatively deep and narrow) in the (poly)silicon layer; (2) filling the voids with silicon oxide; and (3) planarizing the surface of the silicon oxide in preparation for the deposition and processing of the subsequent over-layers required to complete the fabrication process of the MEMS device. One significant difficulty associated with the oxide-filling step (i.e., step (2)) is that it often requires multiple deposition, etch-back, annealing, and polishing steps to achieve uniform filling of the voids and appropriate control of local stresses in nascent silicon structures (often having sub-micron dimensions). Excessive local stresses are detrimental because these stresses can lead to fractures, e.g., during the final release procedure, when sacrificial silicon oxide is removed and substantial stresses might occur.

Fabricating integrated devices using embedded masks


A portable training device and training method is disclosed. The portable training device includes a non-linear section. The non-linear section is configured to form a target area that substantially imitates the reach of a goalkeeper. The training method includes covering a portion of an opening of a goal with the portable training device to create a target area configured to substantially imitate the reach of a goalkeeper.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to subject matter comprising a means adapted and intended to enable a player of a playing field or court game to improve or perfect his or her skills in the playing of any aspect of the game or sport, particularly subject matter configured to enable a practicing or training player to improve or perfect his or her play of any aspect of a playing field or court game involving impelling, sliding, rolling, propelling, kicking, throwing, or otherwise projecting a game projectile into or through an apertured or pocketed goal or target.
Description of Related Art
Portable training devices for an apertured or pocketed goal are often used to enable a player of a playing field or court game to improve or perfect his or her skills. Typically, the portable training device is attached to the goal or otherwise positioned near the goal to form a target area in a desired area of the goal that is generally considered to be a difficult area for a goalkeeper to defend. For example, in soccer or hockey, the portable training device is often attached to the goal or otherwise positioned near the goal to form a target area in the upper and lower corners of the goal opening. The upper and lower corners of the goal are commonly known as upper 90s and lower 90s.
Although many of the existing portable training devices can form a target area in the goal opening, these existing devices typically do not form a target area that accounts for the reach of a goalkeeper. For example, in a typical goalkeeping situation, the reach of the goalkeeper can be approximated by the shape of the goalkeeper's foot or outstretched hand, which is often non-linear. However, in many existing devices, the boundaries that define the target area typically do not approximate the goalkeeper's reach.
In addition, many existing portable training devices require a significant amount of time to assemble, disassemble, secure to the goal, or position in an area near the goal opening. An individual typically wants to pack-up equipment and leave the practice field quickly, particularly a fatigued player or coach following a long practice or training session. For example, many existing portable training devices are constructed from flexible sheets of plastic or fabric that hang from the posts or crossbar of the goal or that must be attached across the whole face of the goal. Further, many existing portable training devices are constructed from materials that do not allow the portable training device to be positioned in many areas of the goal such as the lower corners of the goal opening, i.e., the lower 90s.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a portable training device that can function with a variety of sized goals and be quickly attached to or removed from the goal or the area near the goal opening and that is also capable of enabling an individual to practice aiming at one more desired areas of the goal opening, which are considered the most difficult areas for a goalkeeper to defend, while also capable of substantially imitating the reach of the goalkeeper.


A food product and related method is provided in which the product is prepared in a manner that allows for optimum removal of food for consumption while retaining the delectable taste of the food and the overall easy storage and disposal of the food product. The food product includes a wrapper that contains a food item having a primary fruit substance and a release agent that is associated with the outer surface of the food item such that it substantially prevents the wrapper from adhering to the food item as the wrapper is removed from the food item. Consequently, the wrapper can be removed from the food item without a portion of the wrapper clinging or sticking to the food item and without any portion of the wrapper tearing away from the body of the wrapper and attaching itself as a remnant to the food item. Thus, the consumer does not have to contend with the tediousness of detaching the wrapper from the food item or the messy experience of sticky hands. The food item is made by a method that includes extruding a fruit substance so as to form the food item and then coating the food item with a release agent that substantially prevents the wrapper from adhering to the food item as the wrapper is removed from the food item. The coating is in turn effectuated by a freeze drying process. Alternatively, in lieu of coating the food item with the outer surface of the food item with a release agent, the method includes baking the outer surface of the food item as to provide an anti-stick barrier.

The present invention relates to food products and methods and, more particularly, to snack food products and related methods.
Snack foods are a staple part of the public's diet. Indeed, a not insubstantial amount of the public has displayed a penchant for "grazing" on small amounts of food throughout the day in lieu of eating regular meals. Not surprisingly, these conditions have fostered a burgeoning demand for a greater variety of snack foods, including snack foods such as fruit based snacks, that at least arguably have better nutritional value than certain other types of snack foods. Moreover, there remains considerable demand for snack foods that have a relatively long shelf life, are fit for immediate consumption, and are compactly packaged for easy storage and disposal. To this end, snack food products often contain snack foods that are wrapped in relatively compact wrappers which may only contain a few items of snack food or even only one "bite sized" item.
Pre-existing snack food products do, however, have drawbacks in terms of their suitability for immediate consumption, especially over the useful shelf life of the snack food. Specifically, various snack food products tend to be made in a manner that makes the snack food unacceptably messy to remove from its wrapper and consume. This is especially troublesome when one considers the wide variety of different environmental conditions that a snack food is ordinarily exposed to over a period of time. By way of example, a fruit-based snack food, typically has a tendency to undesirably adhere to its wrapper as the wrapper is removed from the snack food. Consequently, a portion of the wrapper may cling or stick to the snack food or the portion may even tear away from the body of the wrapper so as to leave a remnant attached to the snack food. The consumer then may experience sticky hands in attempting to remove the wrapper, not to mention the tediousness and overall messy experience associated with removing the wrapper. The frustrated consumer may also ultimately discard some or all of the snack food, thereby wasting otherwise edible food.
Accordingly, it should be appreciated that there is a definite need for a more consumer-friendly food product in which the consumer can relatively effortlessly remove the product from the wrapper and avoid having to deal with the unpleasantness of sticky hands and the unfortunate waste of the food product.


A movable member is situated within a cylindrical member so as to be axially movable The movable member is supported by a magnetic bearing device in relation to the cylindrical member in a perfect non-contact manner. The cylindrical member and movable member are provided with an electromagnetic force generating mechanism for selectively applying an axial driving force to the movable member in a non-contact manner. The movable member is provided with an auxiliary plate having an inclined surface inclined with respect to the axis of the movable member. The axial position of the movable member is detected by the output of a detector which detects the distance between itself and the inclined surface. On the basis of the detected axial position and an objective position, the electromagnetic force generating mechanism is activated to set the axial position of the movable member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for sup porting and linearly moving an object such as a scan mirror of an optical interferometer or a precision linear table, which must be positioned precisely.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, a supporting device for supporting an object such as a scan mirror of an optical interferometer or a precision linear table is required to have a function for precisely positioning the object. To meet this requirement, a device for supporting and linearly moving an object comprises, in general, the mechanical elements: a movable member for supporting an object such as a scan mirror, a guide mechanism for linearly guiding the movable member smoothly, and a precise ball screw feed mechanism for moving the movable member.
In this linear movement/support device adopting the above mechanical positioning system, the structural parts must be machined with very high precision. Even if the parts are machined precisely, a problem of a ball screw, e.g. backlash, cannot perfectly be prevented. Thus, the linear movement/support device adopting the mechanical positioning system has a limit in positioning precision. In addition, when this linear movement/ support device is used in special environment (e.g. high temperature, high vacuum, etc.), lubrication of the ball screw may be deteriorated. Thus, this device cannot be used in the special environment for a long time.
In order to overcome the above problems, there has been proposed a linear movement/support device wherein an object which is moved by linear actuator is supported by a support spring. However, since the range of positioning for the object is limited by the resiliency of the plate spring, it is difficult to perform positioning in a wide range.
Further, in order to overcome the above problems, there has been proposed a linear movement/support device wherein a movable member is levitated by a magnetic force, i.e. a magnetic bearing, in a perfect non-contact manner. However, this device using the magnetic bearing has the following problem. In the linear movement/support device using the magnetic bearing, if the top portions of the stationary member-side magnetic poles face to the movable member-side, which magnetic poles are formed in projecting shapes, vibration of the movable member about its axis due to external disturbance can be passively damped by a magnetic attraction force acting between both magnetic poles. However, the vibration damping effect of such passive manner is low, and vibration may continue and a control system for the magnetic bearing may become unstable. Further, when the movable member must be positioned precisely, high precision cannot be maintained owing to the vibration.
Besides, in order to solve the above problems, it has been thought that new structural parts are added to construct a linear movement/support device wherein a fluid damper is used or mechanical friction is utilized According to this, however, the load capacitance of the linear movement/support device itself lowers.
This type of linear movement/support device has more problems. Specifically, the center of gravity of the movable member moves relative to the magnetic bearing in accordance with axial movement of the movable member, with the result that a magnetic support control system becomes unstable. Further, when the stationary member for supporting the movable member is vibrated owing to external vibration, the movable member makes a compound movement of movement of its center of gravity and rotational movement about the center of gravity. Thus, the positioning precision cannot be maintained.
Furthermore, this type of linear movement/support device has the following problem. Regarding the magnetic bearing, it is necessary to detect a radial position of the movable member by means of a position detector and feed the detection output back to a levitation control system, thereby controlling the levitation position. Thus, the precision of the position of the movable member in the case of linearly moving the movable member over a long distance is determined by the machining precision of position-detecting parts such as position detecting on surfaces. Since the machining precision of the parts is limited, the precision of, e.g. directivity of a scan mirror of an optical interferometer is limited by the machining precision When the movable member is supported by the magnetic bearing, all six degrees of freedom of the movable member must be controlled, resulting in complexity of control circuits.

Device for supporting and linearly moving an object