Compositions and methods for preventing and treating pneumococcal infections are provided. Compositions include novel polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence corresponding to the R21 or R22 domain of CbpA or a consensus sequence of one of these domains, and variants and fragments thereof, wherein the polypeptide is stabilized in a desired conformation, particularly a loop conformation. The polypeptides of the invention may be engineered to comprise a first and a second cysteine residue, thereby resulting in the formation of a disulfide bond that stabilizes the polypeptide in the desired conformation. Alternatively, a polypeptide of the invention may be modified to create a synthetic linkage between a first and second amino acid residue present within the polypeptide, wherein the synthetic linkage stabilizes the polypeptide in the desired conformation. The polypeptides of the invention may further comprise an amino acid sequence for a T cell epitope. Compositions further include isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode the polypeptides of the invention, immunogenic compositions and vaccines comprising the disclosed polypeptides, and antibodies specific for these polypeptides.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram positive bacterium which is a major cause of invasive infections such as sepsis, meningitis, otitis media and lobar pneumonia (Tuomanen et al. NEJM 322:1280-1284, 1995). Infection by S. pneumoniae remains a significant health threat worldwide. Pneumococci bind avidly to cells of the upper and lower respiratory tract and to endothelial cells present in blood vessels. Like most bacteria, adherence of pneumococci to human cells is achieved by presentation of bacterial surface proteins that bind to eukaryotic cell surface proteins (Cundell, D. & Tuomanen, E. (1994) Microb Pathog 17:361-374). Pneumococci bind to non-inflamed epithelium, a process that can be viewed as asymptomatic carriage. It has been proposed that the conversion to invasive disease involves the local generation of inflammatory factors which, activating the human cell, change the number and type of receptors available on the human cells (Cundell, D. et al. (1995) Nature, 377:435-438). Presented with an opportunity in this new setting, pneumococci appear to take advantage and engage one of these up-regulated receptors. For example, bacteria translocate across cells of the respiratory tract via the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) (Zhang et al. (2000) Cell 102:827-837). Alternatively, when the bacteria are in the blood stream, the pneumococcal bacteria bind to endothelial cells, and the bacteria cross the blood vessel endothelium by binding to and transcytosing with the platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor (Cundell et al. (1995) Nature, 377:435-438). Within minutes of the appearance of the PAF receptor on activated cells, pneumococci undergo waves of enhanced adherence and invasion. Inhibition of bacterial binding to activated cells, for instance by soluble receptor analogs, or absence of the receptor blocks the progression to disease in animal models (Idanpaan-Heikkila, I. et al. (1997) J. Infect. Dis., 176:704-712; Radin et al. (2005) Infect. Immun. 73:7827-7835).
Pneumococci produce a family of proteins tethered to the bacterial surface by non-covalent association to the cell wall teichoic acid or lipoteichoic acid. This family of CBPs (choline binding proteins) is non-covalently bound to phosphorylcholine on the cell wall. CbpA, is a 75 kD surface-exposed choline binding protein that shows a chimeric architecture. There is a unique N-terminal domain, a proline rich region followed by a C-terminal domain comprised of 8 repeated regions responsible for binding to choline. CbpA binds specifically to pIgR on epithelial cells. When CbpA binds an extracellular domain present on pIgR, the pneumococcal bacteria are able to hijack the endocytosis machinery to translocate across nasopharyngeal epithelial cells into the blood stream. Mutants with defects in cbpA showed reduced virulence in the infant rat model for nasopharyngeal colonization and in mouse models of meningitis.
The choline binding domain was fully characterized by Lopez et al. in his studies of the autolytic enzyme (Ronda et al. (1987) Eur. J. Biochem, 164:621-624). Other proteins containing this domain include the autolysin of pneumococcus and the protective antigen, pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) (Ronda, C. et al. (1987) Eur. J. Biochem., 164:621-624 and McDaniel, L. S., et al. (1992) Microb. Pathog., 13:261-269). CbpA shares the C-terminal choline binding domain with its other family members but its activity of binding to human cells arises from its unique N-terminal domain. Since the process of colonization and the progression to disease depend on pneumococcal attachment to human cells as a primary step, interruption of the function of the N terminal domain, either by cross reactive antibody or by competitive inhibition with a peptide mimicking this domain, may be critical to blocking disease.
The N-terminus of CbpA, corresponding to amino acid residues 39-514 of the CbpA protein from the Tigr4 strain, contains numerous repeats of the leucine zipper motif that cluster within 5 domains termed the A, B, R1, R2, and C domains. Domains A, B, and C are predicted to form coiled-coiled dimers. The R1 and R2 are also predicted to form self-associated, coiled-coil structures. The solution structure of CbpA was recently elucidated in Luo et al. (2005) EMBO J. 24(1):34-43, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. In particular, the R2 domain of CbpA (amino acid residues approximately 327 to 442) was determined to comprise three anti-parallel alpha-helices. This three alpha-helix structure is similarly predicted for R1 domain, as was recently reported in Jordan et al. (2006) J Am. Chem. Soc. 128(28):9119-9128.
Notably, the R domains from the Tigr4 strain of S. pneumoniae are highly conserved among CbpA sequences from other pneumococcal strains. Therefore, the R domains of CbpA are potentially important targets for the development of vaccines that are protective against numerous pneumococcal strains. Choline binding proteins for anti-pneumococcal vaccines are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,858,706 and PCT International Application No. PCT/US97/07198, both of which are incorporated in their entirety by reference. Current vaccines against S. pneumoniae employ purified carbohydrates of the capsules of up to the 23 most common serotypes of this bacterium, but such vaccines are only 50% protective against pneumonia (Shapiro et al. NJEM 325:1453, 1991) and are not immunogenic under the age of 2. Conjugate vaccines are based on pneumococcal capsular carbohydrates linked to diphtheria toxoid or tetanus toxoid. Protection against pneumonia, sepsis, or meningitis for these vaccines is limited to the serotypes present in the formulation, thereby leaving patients unprotected against most of the ninety-two serotypes of this bacterium. Further, vaccines that are protective against both the colonization of pneumococcal bacteria in the nasopharynx as well as against entry of pneumococcal bacteria into the bloodstream are needed in the art. Therefore, the invention herein fills a long felt need by providing pharmaceutical compositions (e.g., vaccines) for the prevention and treatment of a wide range of serotypes of pneumococcal infections.


Modular storage and/or display system including substantially rectangular modules each including opposed first and second sides, opposed third and fourth sides perpendicular to the first and second sides and coupled thereto. A male connecting member is provided on an outer surface of each of the first and third sides and a female connecting member is provided on an outer surface of each of the second and fourth sides. The female connecting member has a structure complementary to the male connecting member. An additional male or female connecting member is provided on each of the first and second sides. By providing the same male and female connecting members on all sides of the modules, each module is connectable to any other module by coupling a connecting member on that module to an opposite connecting member on the other module.

Many devices and structures are known for storing and/or displaying various items, particularly in the ready-to-assemble furniture industry. Most storage structures, however, are designed to be assembled only in a single configuration. Some though are designed to be assembled in any one of a plurality of different configurations.
As to the latter type, U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,657 to Hiltzman shows a modular shelf system including a plurality of rectangular shelf modules which can be assembled in various configurations. Each shelf module has two male connecting members on one long side and two female connecting members on the other long side. Several shelf modules can be connected together along their long sides by inserting the male connecting members of one shelf module into the female connecting members of another shelf module. Further, in each module, one short side has a plurality of spaced apart apertures while the other short side has a plurality of spaced apart connectors adapted to be inserted into the apertures in the short side of another shelf module. Several shelf modules can be connected together along their short sides by inserting the plurality of connectors of one shelf module into the plurality of apertures of another shelf module.
A major disadvantage of the modular shelf system of Hiltzman is that the short sides and long sides do not include mating structures which can cooperate with one another. That is, it is not possible to connect the short side of one shelf module to the long side of another shelf module since the long sides have unique male and female connecting members whereas the short sides have different connecting members, i.e., the unique connectors and corresponding apertures. The inability to connect the long sides of the modules to the short sides of the modules resulting from the presence of two different cooperating connecting mechanisms, significantly limits the number of different configurations that can be formed using the modules of Hiltzman.
It is therefore desirable to provide a system of individual modules which can be assembled together in various configurations without limitations on the manner in which the modules can be connected together and specifically so that each side of every module can mate with more than one side of the other modules. It is also desirable to provide a modular system including a kit of various sized and shaped modules which can be assembled in a variety of different configurations so that the assembled structure can be used for storage and/or display purposes.

System of interlocking storage and display modules connectable in a plurality of different configurations


A wireless vehicle identification assembly includes a portable controller that generates and sends a wireless locating signal. The locating signal has a preprogrammed verification data stream encoded therein. A flag assembly is mounted to a top ledge of a window of the vehicle and includes a flag that is and pivotally connected thereto. The flag assembly is formed from non-corrosive material. A mechanism is included for lowering and raising the flag when the flag assembly receives the wireless locating signal from the portable controller. A mechanism is included for automatically illuminating a distal end of the flag after the flag is articulated to the raised position. The illuminating mechanism automatically deactivates when the flag is articulated to the lowered position. The automatic illuminating mechanism is coupled to a vehicle internal power source.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to locating devices and, more particularly, to a vehicle locating device for determining a location of a parked vehicle in a crowded parking lot.
2. Prior Art
People often times go to the mall, to the airport or to sporting events where they park there vehicle among hundreds of other vehicles. After spending several hours going about their business, it is not uncommon for persons to forget exactly where they had previously parked their vehicle. This is rather inconvenient, especially if the person is carrying heavy parcels or bags, or if it is late at night and the parking area is poorly lit. The latter situation is also dangerous for woman or the elderly that are by themselves. As such, several attempts have been made to assist people in locating their vehicle in large parking areas.
One prior art example discloses a vehicle locator device that includes a base adhesively attached to the exterior roof surface of an automotive vehicle. A connector member is pivotally mounted on the base, and a cylindrical mast attachment member is pivotally attached to the connector member. The multiple pivot connections enable the mast to be adjusted between a prone, or inactive, position lying against the automobile roof surface, and an upstanding, or active, position projecting generally vertically upwardly from the roof surface. A flag is attached to the upper end of the mast to provide an indication of the vehicle location when the vehicle is parked in a crowded parking lot.
One disadvantage of the locator device is that when the mast is in the prone position, it is likely to rattle against the roof surface, especially when the vehicle is moving on rough roads or through light winds. The pivotal connections further promote such rattling. Another disadvantage of the device is that the device is adhesively attached to the roof surface. Over time, the adhesive connection would tend to mar the finish on the roof surface. Also, the device is conspicuous in the prone position; thus, some motorists might consider the device to detract from the appearance of the vehicle. Further, while the vehicle is moving, with the device in the prone position, the flag would very likely flap back and forth in the vehicle wind-stream, thereby creating an annoying flapping sound.
A further disadvantage of the device is that when the mast is in its active or upstanding position, the flag may not be readily visible to the motorist located far away from the vehicle. A flag, formed of a flexible cloth material, would tend to hang downwardly alongside the mast, so as to be relatively inconspicuous when viewed from points far away from the vehicle. Yet another problem is that the various pivotable connections are formed by screws that require screw driver adjustment to achieve a desired friction drag. Most motorists do not want to keep a screw driver on hand for adjustment purposes.
Accordingly, a need remains for a vehicle locating device in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a vehicle locating device that is easy and convenient to use, durable in design, and improves the security of the user. Instead of searching aimlessly through a parking lot for a misplaced car, the raised flag or light directs the person straight towards their vehicle. This saves a considerable amount of time and effort, especially when carrying heavy bags after shopping or when searching for the parked car in a thunderstorm. The system proves especially useful to forgetful individuals, women, night shift workers, and single travelers by minimizing the amount of time spent wandering around parking lots at night, which might pose a personal security risk.


A silicone rubber composition comprising. (A) 100 parts by weight of a polyorganosiloxane having, per molecule, at least two structural units represented by the following formula: EQU (R.sup.1).sub.a (R.sup.2).sub.b SiO.sub.(4-(a+b))/2 (I) PA1 (B) a polyorganohydrogensiloxane comprising structural units shown by the following formula: EQU (R.sup.3).sub.c H.sub.d SiO(4-(c+d))/2 (II) PA1 (C) from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a compound selected from the group consisting of an organosilicon compound having, per molecule, at least one silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms and at least one group represented by the following formula: ##STR1## and an acrylic- or methacrylic-functional silane coupling agent, (D) from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of an epoxyalkylalkoxysilane represented by the following formula: EQU X-Q.sup.3 -Si(R.sup.6).sub.f (OR.sup.7).sub.3-f (IV) PA1 (E) from 0 to 5 parts by weight of an aluminum chelate compound, and PA1 (F) platinum and/or a platinum compound in an amount of from 1 to 100 ppm of the polyorganosiloxane, component (A), in terms of the amount of platinum atoms.. and having at least three silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule, the amount of component (B) being such that the number of silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in component (B) is from 0.5 to 4.0 per R.sup.1 group in the structural units shown by formula (I) of component (A),. All groups and subscripts are identified in the specification.

Since silicone rubbers are excellent in heat resistance, durability, weatherability, and other properties, they are being extensively used in applications in which these performances are required.
In particular, so-called addition reaction type silicone rubbers which are cured by forming crosslinks between a vinyl group-containing polyorganosiloxane and a hydrosilyl group-containing polyorganosiloxane by means of addition reaction are used as fiber-coating materials, because curing of these silicone rubbers proceeds rapidly upon heating at relatively low temperatures and the rubbers after cure have water repellency and water vapor permeability which are inherent characteristics in silicones.
However, silicone rubbers of this kind originally have poor adhesive properties and have had problems concerning the property of bonding or adhering to fibers. As an expedient for this, it has been attempted to impart self-adhesive properties to silicone rubbers by adding a suitable additive ingredient to silicone rubber raw compositions. However, this technique has failed to impart sufficient adhesive properties to especially synthetic fiber fabrics, in particular nylon fiber fabrics and polyester fiber fabrics. Hence, there has been a desire for such a silicone rubber-processed fabric.

Silicone rubber composition and silicone rubber-processed fabric


A conveying apparatus includes a guide mechanism and a moving body guided by the guide mechanism. The moving body includes a first support, a second support and a holding portion. The first support has a first engagement portion engaged with the guide mechanism. The first support, supported by the guide mechanism, is movable in a first direction. The second support has a second engagement portion engaged with the guide mechanism. The second support, supported by the guide mechanism, is movable in the first direction. The holding portion, supported by the first and the second supports, holds a workpiece. The first engagement portion receives a moment applied thereto by deformation of the moving body, where the moment is opposite in direction to a moment applied to the first engagement portion by a load of the workpiece held by the holding portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveying apparatus and a conveying system.
2. Description of Related Art
In the process of manufacturing semiconductors and manufacturing liquid crystal panels, a conveying robot that can convey workpieces in a straight line is used to convey workpieces to and from a process chamber. In recent years, due to the increasing size of semiconductor wafers and liquid crystal panels, technology for using a linear guide to convey workpieces has been proposed in order to realize an accurate linear movement process (e.g., see JP-A-2005-125479). Two linear guide rails (hereinafter, referred to as rails) placed parallel to each other are provided with blocks that can move along the rails, hands are attached to the tops of the blocks via coupling members or the like, workpieces are placed on the hands, and the workpieces are conveyed linearly.
When a workpiece is placed on a hand, a moment about the rail axial direction is applied to the block due to offset load. Accordingly, there is a possibility of the block and members in the vicinity thereof becoming damaged prematurely.

Conveying apparatus and conveying system with cant surfaces


An automobile tire anti-skid chain includes lateral chains, one or more longitudinal chains, two tightening side chains and connecting parts. The longitudinal chain has an anti-skid blocks combination and a single anti-skid block in longitudinal alternate series connection. The lateral chain has an anti-skid blocks combination and a single anti-skid block connected in horizontal alternate series. The longitudinal and lateral chains cross and are connected. The single anti-skid block at the intersection is replaced by a connecting part. Ends of the lateral chain are linked to one tightening side chain through the connecting part. A detachable connection device is provided on the tightening side chain, through which the tightening side chain could be jointed into a closed loop. The anti-skid blocks combination has two abreast anti-skid blocks. Part of a single anti-skid block is sandwiched between and hinged with the two abreast anti-skid blocks.

In rainy or snowy days, and in mountainous areas, in order to prevent automobile tires from slipping, an anti-skid chain needs to be set outside the tire. However, the existing anti-skid chains in motion show outstanding problems: 1. Installation on the tire is not very firm, which makes the chain easily loose and slip, affecting the safety of vehicles and pedestrians around. 2. The anti-slip effect is poor. 3. The anti-skid chains units appears suspending in the air and uneven loading capacity, which is easy to make the anti-skid units broken, destroyed and affecting its serving life. 4. The installation is complex and troublesome.

Automobile tire anti-skid chain equipped with tightening side chains

Shangqui Hongda Automobile Anti-Skid Equip Co., Ltd.


A zeolite catalyst for hydroxylating benzene to phenol is treated hydrothermally with a gas comprising approximately 1-100 mole percent water at a temperature between approximately 350.degree.-950.degree. C., and subsequently is treated with an acid. This treatment selectively removes aluminum species from the zeolite catalyst in a manner that increases catalyst stability in phenol production without reducing the activity of the catalyst.

The present invention relates to improved catalysts for use in the hydroxylation of benzene or derivatives thereof to form phenol or related compounds.
Phenol or a derivative thereof can be produced by a single-step oxidative hydroxylation of benzene or a derivative thereof, using nitrous oxide over a catalyst. For example, PCT publication WO 95/27560 describes such a process that employs a zeolite catalyst whose performance is enhanced by hydrothermal treatment. The zeolite catalyst is treated with a water vapor-containing gas phase at a temperature in the range of 350.degree. to 950.degree. C. Zeolite catalysts that have been hydrothermally treated in this fashion are characterized by relatively stable performance. In other words, when such a hydrothermally treated catalyst is used in a process to convert benzene to phenol by oxidation with nitrous oxide, the reduction in benzene conversion as time passes is less than it would be if the catalyst had not been hydrothermally treated.
However, a need remains for catalysts having further improved performance, so that a process for conversion of an aromatic hydrocarbon such as benzene to phenol or another desired product can be made more economical. Any improvements which increase catalyst stability and therefore increase the time between catalyst regeneration would enhance the commercial desirability of the process. Many of the efforts to date to achieve such additional catalyst improvements have focused on optimizing the hydrothermal treatment of the catalyst.

Benzene hydroxylation catalyst stability by acid treatment


A dairy-based food component is provided that includes high levels of lactose in moisture, but still retains a smooth and creamy consistency. The compositions and methods provide for higher levels of lactose in moisture phase than previously found possible and still retain low crystal sizes in a finished product to maintain a smooth and creamy texture.

Increasing the levels of dairy ingredients in foods, such as confections, cheeses, spreads, snack bars, cereal bars, and the like, is often desired due to the nutritional benefits that many of the components in dairy ingredients impart to foods. For example, it may be beneficial to increase the amount of whey or milk components in processed cheeses or cheese spreads to increase the levels of protein. Snack and cereal bars are popular with consumers for their ease in providing a convenient and ready-to-eat product. Chewy snack and cereal bars can, in some instances, be more desired by consumers because they resemble the texture and mouthfeel of candy bars. Dairy-based components can be used as binders in snack and cereal bars. It may also be beneficial to provide an increased level of dairy protein in the snack and cereal bars.
However, when using large amounts of dairy ingredients in foods, it also generally results in a corresponding increase in the amount of lactose. For example, whey and non-fat dry milk powders generally comprise about 65 percent and about 50 percent lactose, respectively. Thus, increasing the amounts of these ingredients in foods can also result in corresponding increases in the lactose composition of the resulting foods as well. Increasing lactose in food can, in some cases, have undesired effects on the organoleptic characteristics of the food.
For instance, heating foods containing high levels of dairy ingredients and the corresponding high levels of lactose may cause organoleptic problems due to the solublization of the lactose in the moisture phase of the food. Upon cooling, the lactose may solidify into crystals that can grow into relatively large agglomerates. Such large crystals or agglomerates may result in a gritty mouthfeel or a food that does not have texturally smooth or creamy characteristics. Lactose tends to solublize in moisture when exposed to temperatures of about 130° F. or more. Thus, lactose crystallization tends to be a problem in foods and other comestibles, which desire a smooth and creamy texture, when the dairy ingredients are exposed to temperatures of at least about 130° F., such as during manufacturing, pasteurizing, and/or storage.
In view of this undesired lactose crystallization, it is generally accepted that there is a limit to the amount of dairy components, and thus the amount of lactose, that can be added to dairy-based foods while still retaining a smooth and creamy texture. If dairy components are added at too high a level, then the high levels of associated lactose may result in even a greater tendency for large lactose crystal growth. Large lactose crystals detract from the smooth eating experience of the foods. In order to minimize this tendency, the book PROCESS CHEESE (Vincent L. Zehren) states there is a maximum limit to the amount of lactose that can be included in certain dairy-based foods in order to avoid large crystal formation in the moisture phase. Zehren states that the reported levels of lactose should not be exceeded due to the possibility of causing the formation of large lactose crystals.
In some cases, attempts have been made to minimize lactose crystal growth by purposely forming crystals through seeding, controlling lactose crystal growth via a combination of high temperatures and high shear, or conversion of the lactose to other ingredients. Prior processes that attempt to control lactose crystal size through seeding use lactose micro-crystals. This approach is generally undesired because the lactose micro-crystals complicate the manufacturing process with extra ingredients and process steps. It is often difficult to add the crystals at precisely the correct time and temperature. With lactose seed crystals, good mixing is needed and such additions are difficult to control because the small seeding crystals can melt easily rendering them ineffective as a seed crystal. Prior processes that attempt to control crystal growth through high temperatures and high shear are generally undesired because exposing products with high levels of dairy proteins and lactose to high temperatures can also result in other undesired organoleptic problems due to browning of the dairy components. High shear levels can also increase temperatures to undesired levels. Lactose can also be converted to glucose and galactose through the addition of lactase enzymes. However, these processes are also undesired because lactase enzymes can add additional costs and processing times for the enzyme to convert the lactose to its monosaccharides. Lactose conversion may also impart other undesired organoleptic changes, such as darker colors, increased sweetness, and softer textures.

Dairy-based foods having high levels of lactose


The invention relates to a shield connection element for a printed circuit board, comprising a contact part with a central flat soldering section for soldering onto a printed circuit board, and two crimping sections adjacent thereto, of which at least one is designed for connection to a cable shield of a cable.

Shield of electronic devices and appliances generally serve to keep electrical or magnetic fields away from said electronic devices and appliances or, conversely, to protect the surrounding area from the fields emanating from the device. That is to say, electromagnetic shielding can be required both in and also from an electrical device a cable and the like.
Since electromagnetic waves can have negative influences on other electrical appliances, both emitted magnetic and electrical radiation have to be reliably prevented or sufficiently shielded and reduced.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) identifies the usually desired state of an appliance or an apparatus. This means that apparatuses of this kind are not influenced in an interfering manner by unintentional or improper electrical or electromagnetic effects. It is important for ensuring the electromagnetic compatibility of electrical operating means that they are correctly designed and configured. Proof and confirmation of corresponding interference sensitivity are regulated by the EMC guidelines and EMC standards.
In this respect, it is also generally required that shielded lines are used which, in turn, can be connected in as cost-effective and simple a manner as possible on the printed circuit boards of electrical appliances of this kind.
It is also necessary in this respect both to electrically connect the signal- or current-carrying conductors to the printed circuit board and also to make contact with the cable shield by way of corresponding shield apparatuses.
The solutions known in the prior art for connecting shielded lines directly to a printed circuit board have various disadvantages.
For example, there are solutions in which the cable has to be unraveled in such a way that the shield is to be fastened directly to a shield connection on the printed circuit board, while secondly an electrical connection to the signal-carrying conductors is to be established.
In this case, it is generally already difficult for reasons of space to initially perform the connection of the signal lines or current-carrying lines and subsequently the shield connection.
Other plug-in connector solutions which are already complete and comprise a housing, a shield contact-making system which is arranged in the housing, and also a contact carrier with contacts are of complex construction, expensive in respect of production and also complicated in respect of adapting to different applications and appliances.
The present invention overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages and provides a particularly universally usable and simple solution for making shielding contact between a printed circuit board and a shielded cable.
This object is achieved by a shield connection having the features of claim 1.
The basic idea of the present invention is to provide a shield connection element of the kind which has at least one flat soldering section which is arranged between a cable crimping and a shield crimping such that the current-carrying conductor can be routed beyond the contact part, while 360° shield connection of the cable shield to the cable to be connected is possible.
According to the invention, the central flat soldering section which is arranged therebetween can further already be directly soldered onto or electrically connected on the surface of a printed circuit board, for example on a contact-making pad of a printed circuit board, owing to its flat geometry.
Owing to the universal configuration of a shield connection element according to the invention of this kind, it is possible to make direct contact with an extremely wide variety of types of printed circuit boards and applications by way of a shield connection element according to the present invention.
Therefore, according to the invention, a shield connection element is provided for a printed circuit board, said shield connection element comprising a contact part with a central flat soldering section (soldering plate) for soldering onto a printed circuit board and two crimping sections which are adjacent to said soldering section, at least one of which crimping sections is designed for connection to a cable shield of a cable.
It is further advantageous when the soldering section is formed directly between the first crimping section and the second crimping section. In this way, a particularly installation-friendly connection to the printed circuit board can be formed and a corresponding sequence of cable crimping, soldering connection and shield connection can take place.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the first crimping section forms crimping tabs which each laterally protrude and extend in a direction Q transverse to the direction A of connection to the soldering section. The direction A of connection of the two crimping sections to the soldering section also constitutes the direction of longitudinal extent of the shield connection element.
It is further advantageously provided when the second crimping section forms crimping tabs which each laterally protrude and likewise extend in a direction transverse to the direction A of connection to the soldering section and therefore extend substantially in the same lateral direction as the first crimping tabs of the first crimping section.
According to the invention, it is further advantageously provided that each crimping section is connected to the soldering section by means of a transition section.
The width of the soldering section as viewed in the transverse direction Q is advantageously greater than the width of the respective transition sections.
In a further advantageous refinement of the invention, it is provided that the crimping tabs of the first crimping section are designed as V-shaped tabs which extend substantially diametrically away from the crimping section and further preferably are diagonally offset in relation to one another to a certain extent, so that, when folded around the cable to be attached, they come into contact with the cable substantially with their ends next to one another.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the crimping tabs of the second crimping section are designed as U-shaped or rectangular tabs, wherein the length of the crimping tabs of the second crimping section is further preferably smaller than the length of the crimping tabs of the first crimping section as viewed in the transverse direction.
It is further preferred when the contact part is connected to a shielded line, and one of the crimping tabs fully encloses the shield of the cable over the entire circumference, preferably over an angle of 360°, so that 360° contact is achieved.
According to the invention, an encircling O-crimp and also a planar face for soldering an auxiliary contact are accordingly provided, said encircling O-crimp and planar surface being realized by the features mentioned above.
Damage to the dielectric and also penetration of the printed circuit board can be prevented by a 360° shield connection of the line in this way.
A further aspect of the present invention accordingly relates to a printed circuit board comprising a shield connection element as described above, wherein the shield connection element, by way of its soldering section, is mounted directly onto the printed circuit board in an electrical contact-making manner.

Shield connection element for a printed circuit board


A medical image processing apparatus comprises processing circuitry configured to: acquire a series of medical imaging data sets acquired across multiple time phases, wherein the medical imaging data sets are representative of a first body part and a second body part in the vicinity of the first body part, and wherein the first body part and second body part undergo relative motion across the multiple time phases; and automatically determine a viewing surface for rendering a series of images from the medical imaging data sets, wherein the determining of the viewing surface is based on respective positions of the first body part and second body part in each of the series of medical imaging data sets.

There is a clinical need to understand and analyze a joint while it is in motion. Certain orthopedic pathologies may only manifest when a joint is in motion.
It is known to acquire four-dimensional (4D) medical imaging data that is representative of motion, for example motion of a joint. The 4D medical imaging data is representative of three spatial dimensions plus time. A 4D acquisition may be displayed as an animated sequence of a three-dimensional (3D) view.
Certain 4D orthopedic applications provide an advanced feature to lock a bone or set of bones in one place over a full series of images. A bone or set of bones may be given a constant position, orientation and/or projection in a 3D view over an animated sequence.
In one 4D application, a series of volumes represents a movement of a plurality of bones including a locked set of bones (for example, movement of one or more joints). Each of the series of volumes may be rendered to provide a respective frame of an animated display showing the movement. The animated display is rendered such that the locked set of bones are held static across all frames, and other bones are presented as moving relative to the locked set of bones.
By rendering an animated display such that one or more bones are held static, a clinician may obtain additional information about the relative position of the bones that may not be available if each image was rendered in its original position. By holding one or more bones static, it may be easier to see the relative motion between those bones and a further bone or bones, which may give insight into any problems with the motion and may be helpful in describing the dynamics of the surrounding bones and ligaments.
The presentation of images in which motion occurs relative to one or more locked bone may be referred to generally as bone locking. Locking bones in one place may also be referred to as fixing the bones.
A user may navigate through a series of volumes (which may be referred to as a 4D bone locked stack) using standard views, for example multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) and oblique views.
The wrist is one of the most intricate articulations of the musculoskeletal system. The wrist comprises eight small bones (the carpal bones) and a complex intrinsic and extrinsic ligament system. FIG. 1 shows the eight small carpal bones 10A to 10H together with parts of the radius 12 and ulna 14 (the bones of the forearm). FIG. 1 also shows parts of the metacarpal bones 16. Because of the complexity of the wrist, injuries to the bones or ligaments of the wrist may potentially cause irreversible disruption to the movement of the wrist, and may initiate progressive osteoarthritis.
It is known to study the movement of the wrist by taking a series of images of the wrist, each image being taken with the wrist at a different position. For example, the wrist may be moved such that the hand moves from side to side in the plane of the hand, as in a waving motion (this motion may be referred to as radial-ulnar deviation). The movement of the wrist may be studied to provide a comparison of the movement pre- and post-treatment, for example to determine a change in movement due to surgery.
If a series of images of the wrist are rendered without bone locking, such that all bones and joints are in motion, it may be difficult for a user to interpret the images. For example, it may be difficult for a user to assess relative movement of a pair of bones when both of the bones are moving.
The use of bone locking may enable a user to better interpret joint motion. For example, it may be easier to interpret the relative movement of a pair of bones when one of those bones is locked, and the movement of the other bone is displayed relative to the locked bone.
When viewing images of a joint, a user may choose which view to use. For example, the user may choose a plane on which to perform multi-planar reconstruction. The user may manually change the plane in order to obtain the best view of the joint. For example, the user may wish to see gaps between bones in the joint, and so may attempt to choose the plane that best shows the gaps between bones.
In some circumstances, it may be difficult for a user to manually navigate through a 4D bone-locked stack to find a good plane to observe multiple joints. For example, the best plane for viewing one frame of a series may not be the same as the best plane for viewing another frame of the series. It may therefore be difficult to find a plane that produces an acceptable result for all of the frames in the series.
Manually navigating through the 4D bone-locked stack to find a good plane may be time-consuming. Manually navigating through the 4D bone-locked stack to find a good plane may be especially challenging for 4D acquisitions in which the range of motion is not very planar. Bending the fingers or twisting the wrist may be examples of non-planar motion.

Medical image processing apparatus and method


Methods for monitoring and managing glycemia status in a diabetic patient are disclosed. The methods comprise measuring in a diabetic patient, serum concentrations of HbA1c, glucose and inorganic phosphate and comparing the measured concentrations with reference concentrations. An equation representing the reference relationship of HbA1c, glucose and inorganic phosphate is also provided.

Diabetic complications are believed to involve elevated amounts of advanced glycation end products (AGE's) (Vlassara et al., Lab. Invest. 70:138-151, 1994; Jakus et al., Physiol. Res. 53:131-142, 2004). AGE's are formed by the non-enzymatic reaction of amino acids and amino groups of proteins with reducing sugars (Maillard, CR Acad. Sci. 154:66-8, 1912). The AGE's thus formed can eventually cross link with peptides and proteins to form complexes that can lead to diabetic complications (for review see Bucala et al., Adv. Pharmacol. 23:1-34, 1992; Brownlee, Metabolism 49:9-13, 2000; Singh et al., Diabetologia 44:129-146, 2001).
One detectable measure of glycation is the formation of fructose amine on plasma proteins like human serum albumin as well as serum HbA1c, both by the non-enzymatic glycation reaction of hemoglobin with glucose (McDonald et al., J. Biol. Chem. 253:2327-2332, 1978). Both fructose amine and the HbA1c levels in diabetic patients have been shown to reflect mean blood glucose concentration over the previous two weeks to almost four months, thus providing a way of documenting the degree of control of glucose metabolism (Koenig et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 295:417-420, 1976). Of the two indicators, the relationship between HbA1c and plasma glucose has been defined based upon a regression analysis of values observed in a multicenter clinical trial and the relationship has been reported to be useful in diabetes control (Rohlfing et al., Diabetes Care 25:275-8, 2002).
Factors other than glucose have also been reported to influence non-enzymatic glycation including oxygen tension and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentrations which is an example of an organic phosphate catalyzed glycation (Smith et al., J. Clin. Invest. 69:1164-1168, 1982). Increasing phosphate concentrations have also been reported to enhance glycation in vitro (Hall et al. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 993:217-223, 1989; Kunika et al., Life Sci. 45:623-630, 1989; Kunika et al., Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 17:9-16, 1992). In addition, in non-diabetic healthy humans, inorganic phosphate concentrations have been reported to be significantly correlated to the levels of the glycation product, fructosamine, corrected for glucose concentrations. (Kunika, supra, 1992). The magnitude of protein glycation was estimated in this report from blood glucose concentration and inorganic phosphorus concentration based upon an in vitro rate of glycation (Id.). Nevertheless, the combined role of HbA1c, glucose and inorganic phosphorus concentrations in determining glycemia status in diabetic patients has not been heretofore defined.

Managing glycemia status in diabetic patients


The present invention provides a position data notification system and a position data notification method whereby, in consonance with the will of a transient person, the current position of the pertinent person can be reported. The system of the invention includes a position search server, which is requested for position search request from a communication terminal, receives position data from another communication terminal, and creates a map on which the position of an individual user is indicated. This system also includes a group/user management DB for managing a user or a group that consists of a predetermined number of users. This system can be applied to notify current position information of a user carrying a device, which is not pre-registered for utilizing this system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position data notification system and a position data notification method, for obtaining a current position of a moving person by receiving a notification from the moving person.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, a position search system or service utilizing a device, such as a portable telephone or a GPS notebook computer, for identifying and displaying a current position of a user who carries the device, is provided. In addition, a peripheral data provision system or service is also presently provided, that can provide for the user owning the device the positions of restaurants around the area whereat the portable telephone or GPS notebook computer is located, as well as attribute information for the positions.
However, the conventional position search system or service capable to search for a current position of an user carrying the device, such as a portable telephone or a GPS notebook computer, is provided to only devices which are pre-registered, and is not applicable to search for positions of any devices which are not registered. Therefore, a demand exists for a system or a service whereby, regardless of whether registration has taken place, the position data for an arbitrary device can be readily obtained and the current position of the user of the device can be established.

Position data notification system and method using email communications


A gripper (1) for a contact lens comprises a gripper head (2) having a bearing surface (21) for the contact lens (L) to adhere thereto. The gripper (1) further comprises an ejector (23) for mechanically displacing the contact lens, at least partially, away from the bearing surface (21). Also a process for transporting a contact lens (L) from a start location to a destination location, comprising the steps of providing the gripper (1) and positioning the gripper head (2) of the gripper at the start location with its bearing surface (21) adjacent to the contact lens (L) at a distance sufficiently close to the contact lens (L) to cause the contact lens to adhere to the bearing surface (21), moving the gripper (1) together with the contact lens (L) adhered to the bearing surface (21) to the destination location, and actuating the ejector (23, 24) in order to mechanically displace the contact lens (L) at least partially from the bearing surface (21) until the contact lens comes into sufficient contact with a receiving liquid at the destination location in order to release the contact lens (L) from the gripper (1).

In the automated production of contact lenses in general, but especially in the production of large batches of contact lenses, as is the case for example with disposable contact lenses, it is necessary at certain stations in the production process to be able to manipulate the contact lenses safely, quickly and efficiently. An example of such manipulation of a contact lens is when the contact lens is removed from a test cell in which said contact lens has been placed in a liquid, for example in water, in order to inspect it (e.g. by image processing).
To remove the inspected contact lens from the test cell known devices called grippers are typically used. Grippers are also used at other stations in such automated production process. The contact lens is gripped with the aid of the gripper, and in the example described above the gripper together with the gripped contact lens is removed from the test cell. The gripper together with the contact lens is then moved, for example, to a receptacle which can be part of the final package for the contact lens and into which a storage solution (e.g. saline) has been or will be dispensed. The contact lens is then released from the gripper and deposited in the receptacle. The receptacle is then covered with a foil which is later on welded or sealed to the receptacle, and after subsequent autoclaving the final package can be distributed.
In the above-described removal of the contact lens from the test cell, or other environment from which it is removed, and the subsequent dispensing of the contact lens into a receptacle in which a saline is (or will be) present, care must be taken to ensure that only a very small amount of water, preferably no water at all, is entrained with the contact lens, otherwise the saline may become diluted. This is a problem which is not at all easy to solve, because the contact lens in the above-mentioned test cell has to be sucked from "under water" (with the result that water is necessarily also sucked out with the lens), then transported to the receptacle which is part of the final package, and finally deposited in this receptacle, for which purpose the contact lens has to be released again from the gripper. In addition, the contact lens has to be gripped securely by the gripper (even "under water"), and in the case of small receptacles the contact lens has to be reliably deposited in the receptacle so that it cannot later get damaged during the welding or sealing of the cover foil.
A gripper suitable to fulfill these requirements is known from WO 2011/026868 A1. Removal of the contact lens from the bearing surface of this gripper is accomplished by discontinuing the underpressure and by applying overpressure through the suction openings in the bearing surface. Due to the overpressure applied through the suction openings the contact lens is blown off the bearing surface. However, care must be taken in controlling the overpressure to ensure that the air flow through the suction openings in the bearing surface of the gripper does not have an adverse effect on the storage solution contained in the receptacle or on the contact lens deposited in the receptacle. For example, if too high an overpressure is applied the storage solution (e.g. saline) which has been dispensed into the receptacle before, may at least partially be blown out of the receptacle. This may lead, for example, to problems in the subsequent welding or sealing of the cover foil to the receptacle, since droplets blown out of the receptacle may deposit in the area where the cover foil is to be sealed to the receptacle, so that welding or sealing may be incomplete. Or, in an even worse case the contact lens itself may be blown out of the receptacle.
On the other hand, in case too low an overpressure is applied the contact lens may not be completely released from the gripper but instead may at least partially adhere to the bearing surface of the gripper. In both cases, if a contact lens has been blown out of the receptacle or if it has not been completely released from the gripper despite the application of overpressure, no contact lens is contained in the receptacle so that the welded or sealed package does not contain a contact lens. Such package and any additional packages connected to such package (for example when being sealed by a common foil extending over a plurality of packages) must be sorted out and discarded, and cannot be distributed. In addition, when the contact lens has not successfully been released from the bearing surface and the gripper subsequently returns to its starting position to grip (suck) another contact lens, it may be unable to grip the next contact lens since the previously gripped contact lens still adheres to the bearing surface.
Therefore, there exists a need to ascertain that a contact lens gripped by a gripper at a starting location is safely released from the bearing surface of the gripper at a destination location. Concurrently, adverse effects due to too high an overpressure or due to too low an over-pressure applied through the suction openings in the bearing surface of the gripper shall be avoided.

Gripper for a contact lens and process for transporting a contact lens


A time base correcting apparatus for reducing hindrance to a carrier chrominance signal due to clock jitter, when a sampling clock is generated by a digital circuit. In the time base correcting apparatus, a video signal is sampled with a clock synchronized with the video signal to be written to an FIFO memory. The video signal is then read out therefrom with a fixed clock to remove time base changes of the video signal. The fixed read clock is generated by multiplying two different frequency signals together, where one of the signals has a lower frequency approximately equal to (n+1/4) f (where n is an arbitrary integer, and f is a horizontal sync frequency) and using one of the resultant sidebands obtained through use of a bandpass filter. The read clock frequency is separated by 1/2 f from the other sideband frequency to reduce hindrance between the signals, and in turn to reduce viewable hindrances during the display of the video signal read out from the FIFO.

The present invention relates to a time base corrector, used with an image reproducing system such as a video disc player, in which a video signal is sampled to be digitized and the jitter of the video signal is removed.
A time base corrector (TBC) for removing the change in time base (jitter) of a video signal, used with a video disc and a VTR, is heretofore realized by sampling the video signal with a clock following the jitter of the video signal to write the resultant signal to a memory. At this time, the clock is generated using an analog VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) which is controlled by a PLL (phase locked loop). As an example for performing the full digital processing with PLL including VCO, as described in JP-A-2-58947, there is known a method in which a clock of low frequency is generated with a digital VCO, and the clock thus generated is multiplied by a frequency of a fixed oscillator to perform the frequency conversion to obtain a clock having a predetermined frequency. In this case, however, jitter is generated in the clock due an unnecessary frequency component which was produced during the processing, and the video signal is processed with that clock, and therefore, the jitter is also generated in the video signal. As a result, in the case where the video signal includes a carrier chrominance signal, there arises a problem in that a beat is generated in a chrominance signal.

Apparatus for rejecting time base error of video signal

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for automatically generating features of computer animated objects that are represented by a skeleton surrounded by an envelope. An animator may modify the shape of the envelope for a particular configuration of the object's skeleton ("pose"). These envelope modifications for these poses are stored. When an animator desires to create a new pose, the stored modifications for previous poses are blended together, based upon the difference between each pose and the new pose, to automatically generate a modified envelope shape for the new pose. When satisfied with a particular envelope shape for a pose, the animator may store the modification in the database and the modification may then be used for subsequent poses.

The computer animation of an object whose characteristics change through time has proven an exceedingly difficult problem to solve. A common technique for digitally representing an object is to define a "skeleton" for the object and to surround the skeleton with an envelope that represents the actual shape of the object. See FIG. 1. Current animation software allows an animator to move the object by selecting a segment on the skeleton and moving the segment. For example, by clicking, with a mouse, on a forearm skeletal section 10 of an object 12 shown in FIG. 1 and moving a cursor, the entire segment moves according to the desired motion, which is shown in the FIG. 2a as a rotation. In this manner, an animator may efficiently create moving sequences of an object.
The procedure just described presents difficulties for the modeling of the actual shape of the object as opposed to its skeleton. The outer surface of the object may stretch, shrink or otherwise transform in a manner that cannot be completely accounted for in the movement of the skeleton. Prior art techniques provide imperfect corrections to the transformation of the envelope.
FIG. 2a illustrates an example of a problem caused by the rotation operation illustrated in FIG. 1. The envelope of each part of an object is defined with reference to a specific segment of the skeleton. For example, an envelope 16 of the forearm 10 may be defined as a set of points which lie at a predetermined distance from the forearm segment 10 while an envelope 18 of the bicep may be defined as a set of points which lie at a predetermined distance from the upper arm segment 14. When the forearm segment 10 is rotated, the forearm envelope 16 rotates along with the forearm 10 to create the shape illustrated in FIG. 2a, which does not account for the stretching and shrinking respectively of the bottom and top of the envelope 16. To solve this problem, those parts of the envelope that correspond to a skeletal segment and that are influenced by another segment(s) are moved as a weighted function of the influences. For example, a point 20 near the elbow illustrated in FIG. 2a may move 80% according to the movement of the forearm 10 and 20% according to the movement of the upper arm 14 while points 22 and 24 exactly at the joint may move 50% according to the movement of both the forearm 10 and the upper arm 14. In this manner, as illustrated in FIG. 2b, the envelope surrounding a joint may be transformed so that there are no overlaps or breaks in an object's envelope.
The technique outlined above, however, provides only a first order correction of the envelope. Second order corrections (or "secondary corrections"), beyond the overlapping and tearing described above, cannot at present be generated without some assistance from an animator. For example, if the skin at the elbow of the object shown in FIG. 2a has wrinkles, the wrinkles may transform in a very complicated fashion as the elbow bends. Present animation software does not provide the ability to model such sophisticated transformations. Further, many transformations may require a detailed analysis of the properties of the modelled objected. Continuing with the example of FIGS. 1, 2a and 2b, a human may rotate his or her forearm and the amount of bicep flex may depend on factors such as muscle tension other than the simple rotation. It will be appreciated that there are limitless examples of envelope transformations that cannot be modelled simply by knowledge of the movement of an underlying skeleton.
Thus, according to current techniques, each time the skeletal movement process results in a form of the object corresponding to a particular positioning of the skeletal segments (hereinafter "pose") that does not accord with the desired shape of the object for that pose, animators must make these corrections by hand, which is a tedious and time consuming process. Even where an animator has previously obtained the desired shape for similar or identical poses, the animator must manually make the same corrections that had previously been made.
There is thus a need to assist animators in the process of correcting the envelope that corresponds to a particular pose. In particular, there is a need to eliminate the time consuming and expensive process of manually correcting the envelope of an object each time the primary enveloping correction for a pose does not result in the desired envelope.

Method and apparatus for creating lifelike digital representations of computer animated objects by providing corrective enveloping


The purpose of the present invention is to provide the external preparation for skin sufficiently exhibits a moisturizing function and skin improvement function of a specific quaternary ammonium salt.. Therefore, the external preparation for skin in accordance with the present invention comprising a quaternary ammonium salt which is shown in following constitutional formula (I), has an enhancer of moisturizing effect and skin roughness improvement effect of a quaternary ammonium salt selected from the group of vitamin E types, vitamin A derivatives, and alkyl denatured carboxyvinyl polymer. ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 show alkyl groups having a carbon number from 1 to 6. A sum total of the carbon number of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and n is 8 or less. Each carbon number of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 can be same or different).

A maintenance function of a beautiful skin state is one of the fundamental functions of an external preparation for skin such as cosmetics. In order to maintain this beautiful skin state, it is essential to condition the sulci cutis and cristae of the skin by preventing or improving a skin roughness.
In order to attain this object, various humectants such as glycerin, sorbitol, propylene glycol, polysaccharide, and the like have been compounded into cosmetics.
However, among these humectants, e.g., polysaccharide may cause precipitation in the formulation which contains a large amounts of alcohol. Cosmetics which are compounded with glycerin, sorbitol, propylene glycol, and the like in large amounts for the purpose of improving the moisturizing effect, have a tendency to be attended with the sticky feel of use.
In order to remove the sticky feel of use of the cosmetics which is attendant to the improvement of the moisturizing effect, an experiment of compounding trimethylglycine (quaternary ammonium salt) into a cosmetic has been done (cf. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Hei No. 6-293625).
A cosmetic which is compounded with trimethylglycine independently can reduce the sticky feel of use. However, in the case where trimethylglycine is compounded in the dosage which is enough to exhibit the improvement effect of the skin state that trimethylglycine is possessed, such an external preparation for skin has a tendency to be attended with "powdery feel of use" by the presence of trimethylglycine. Therefore, the external preparation for skin which is compounded trimethylglycine independently, does not sufficiently satisfy the requirements of users.

External preparation for skin containing a low-molecular-weight betaine


A conductor pattern of a coil part formed in a spiral shape on a magnetic substrate, which includes: a primary conductor pattern; and a secondary conductor pattern formed on the primary conductor pattern. The primary conductor pattern is formed to have a longitudinal section including a first horizontal portion and a first vertical portion electrically connected to an end portion of one surface of the first horizontal portion. The secondary conductor pattern is formed to have a longitudinal section including a second horizontal portion corresponding to the first horizontal portion and a second vertical portion electrically connected to an end portion of one surface of the second horizontal portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conductor pattern and coil parts having the same, and more particularly, to a conductor pattern and coil parts having the same that are capable of achieving miniaturization by reducing a horizontal size of a coil part compared to the same size of a conductor pattern and implementing high performance and characteristics by increasing a cross section of the conductor pattern compared to the same size of the conductor pattern to obtain high inductance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic products, such as digital TVs, smart phones, and notebook computers, have functions for data communication in radio-frequency bands. Such IT electronic products are expected to be more widely used since they have multifunctional and complex features by connecting not only one device but also USBs and other communication ports.
Here, for higher-speed data communication, data are communicated through more internal signal lines by moving from MHz frequency bands to GHz radio-frequency bands.
When more data are communicated between a main device and a peripheral device over a GHz radio-frequency band, it is difficult to provide smooth data processing due to a signal delay and other noises.
In order to solve the above problem, an EMI prevention part is provided around the connection between an IT device and a peripheral device. However, conventional EMI prevention parts are used only in limited regions such as specific portions and large-area substrates since they are coil-type and stack-type and have large chip part sizes and poor electrical characteristics. Therefore, there is a need for EMI prevention parts that are suitable for slim, miniaturized, complex, and multifunctional features of electronic products.
A common-mode filter of EMI prevention coil parts in accordance with the prior art is described below in detail with reference to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 2c, a conventional common-mode filter includes a lower magnetic substrate 10, an insulating layer 20 disposed on the lower magnetic substrate 10 and including a first coil pattern 21 and a second coil pattern 22 which are vertically symmetrical to each other, and an upper magnetic body 30 disposed on the insulating layer 20.
Here, the insulating layer 20 including the first coil pattern 21 and the second coil pattern 22 is formed on the lower magnetic substrate 10 through a thin-film process. An example of the thin-film process is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-203737.
And, a first input lead pattern 21a and a first output lead pattern 21b for inputting and outputting electricity to and from the first coil pattern 21 are formed on the insulating layer 20. A second input lead pattern 22a and a second output lead pattern 22b for inputting and outputting electricity to and from the second coil pattern 22 are formed on the insulating layer 20.
In more detail, the insulating layer 20 consists of a first coil layer including the first coil pattern 21 and the first input lead pattern 21a, a second coil layer including the second coil pattern 22 and the second input lead pattern 22a, and a third coil layer including the first output lead pattern 21b and the second output lead pattern 22b.
That is, the first coil layer is formed by coating an insulating material after forming the first coil pattern 21 and the first input lead pattern 21a on an upper surface of the lower magnetic substrate 10 through a thin-film process.
And, the second coil layer is formed by coating an insulating material after forming the second coil pattern 22 corresponding to the first coil pattern 21 and the second input lead pattern 22a on an upper surface of the first coil layer through a thin-film process.
Next, the third coil layer is formed by coating an insulating material after forming the first output lead pattern 21b and the second output lead pattern 22b on an upper surface of the second coil layer through a thin-film process for external output of the first coil pattern 21 and the second coil pattern 22.
At this time, the first coil pattern 21 and the second coil pattern 22 may be electrically connected to the first output lead pattern 21b and the second output lead pattern 22b through via connection structures, respectively.
Meanwhile, the first input lead pattern 21a is connected to a first external input terminal 41a, the first output lead pattern 21b is connected to a first external output terminal (not shown) corresponding to the first external input terminal 41a, the second input lead pattern 22a is connected to a second external input terminal 42a, and the second output lead pattern 22b is connected to a second external output terminal (not shown) corresponding to the second external input terminal 42a.
Although not shown in detail, the first coil layer to the third coil layer may be formed in a sheet shape and combined in a stack-type to form the above-described insulating layer including the first and second coil patterns, the first and second input lead patterns, and the first and second output lead patterns.
However, in the conventional common-mode filter configured as above, in order to improve performance and capacity, lengths of the first coil pattern 21 and the second coil pattern 22 are increased. In this case, even though the performance and capacity of the product are improved according to an increase in the cross section of the first coil pattern 21 and the second coil pattern 22, an increase in the size of the product is caused by an increase in the horizontal size, that is, left and right size of the product, and manufacturing costs are increased due to an increase in the size of components other than the first coil pattern 21 and the second coil pattern 22.
Accordingly, the conventional common-mode filter has limits and restrictions in improving the performance and capacity of the product due to problems occurring when improving performance and capacity.

Conductor pattern and coil parts having the same


A composite frame member includes a pair of profile members extending in a longitudinal direction (Z) and held at connection regions thereof in a parallel, spaced apart relation by an insulating bridge member. The bridge member carries first and second head portions on opposite ends in a height direction (Y) wherein the head portions define outer planar surfaces and first and second inner planar surfaces. The first outer planar surface and the first and second inner planar surfaces of each head portion are mutually parallel and spaced apart in the height direction (Y). Opposed first and second flange members of each connection region are crimped inwardly and abut the outer planar surfaces and generate holding forces F exclusively in the height direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal (Z) and transverse (X) directions.

Thermally insulating composite frame members for windows, curtain walls, storefront framing systems, and the like are known wherein elongated inner and outer metallic frame members are structurally interconnected by a thermal isolator formed of a plastic or other material. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,919 to Bischlipp discloses a connecting element which has two elongated profiled members bounding with one another in a channel wherein the two elongated profiled members are connected with at least two thermal separating members. The thermal separating members are formed by supplying a hardenable heat insulating material into the sections of the channel so as to harden and to form the heat insulating inserts separated from the intermediate hollow space by the bottom walls. The metallic profiled members together with the bottom walls form a unitary one-piece profiled element. In order to thermally isolate the metallic profiled members, a de-bridging operation is needed wherein a grinding tool is inserted into the intermediate hollow space for removal of selected portions of the profile material to separate the bottom walls from the remainder portions of the profiled members as well as to remove the same from the intermediate hollow space. De-bridging is a costly, dirty, and time consuming procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,683 to McKenna discloses a thermally insulating composite frame member having a snap-in thermal isolator and which overcomes the need for a de-bridging operation wherein the snap-in thermal isolator is an elongated extrusion of generally H-shaped cross section. The complicated H-shape is necessary to hold the inner and outer frame members in alignment during assembly of the composite frame member. In this regard, the disclosed thermal isolator includes a pair of resilient, spaced apart legs projecting forward from an outwardly facing portion of the isolator. A second pair of resilient, spaced apart legs project rearward from an inwardly facing portion of the isolator. Each of the first and second pairs of spaced apart legs forms a jaw-like clamp configured to engage and to secure about a corresponding one of the facing flanges. In order to improve the shear force characteristics of the construction, the isolator of the disclosed embodiment is adhesively bonded to the gutter member and to the frame member in addition to the mechanical coupling provided by the jaw-like clamps of the isolator. Also in the disclosed embodiment mutually engaging surfaces of each of the jaw-like clamps and their respective flanges are knurled to provide further enhanced resistance to longitudinal shear forces.

Thermally insulating composite frame apparatus with slide-in thermal isolator and method for making same


A method and apparatus for reattaching soft tissue to a selected boney structure using a rivet. Generally, a rivet having first portion and a second portion is provided to fully secure a soft tissue in the boney structure. The first portion of the rivet retains the soft tissue via a suture which is threaded through the first portion. The second portion of the rivet has at least one expanding member which engages the boney structure upon contact with the first portion of the rivet. Thus, the soft tissue is fully secured to the boney structure, ensuring proper healing.

Various procedures may be performed to repair soft tissue in the body. For example, tendons that attach muscle to bone or ligaments that attach bones to other bones may need to be repaired or replaced for various reasons. Specifically, an injury to a ligament in the leg for example, may require the ligament to be replaced. Alternatively, a tendon from a muscle may simply be loosened from its attachment point and need to be reattached without the necessity of a replacement.
Generally, it is known to fix the soft tissue to a selected area on the bone by providing a suture through a selected portion of the soft tissue while securing the other end of the suture to a selected area on the bone. Various structures and methods, such as soft tissue suture anchors, can be provided to anchor or hold the suture in the selected bone area. Typical soft tissue suture anchors may require the placement of the soft tissue suture anchor into the bone prior to the engagement of the soft tissue with the suture anchor. This procedure may be time consuming and require precise placement. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a soft tissue attachment mechanism that may substantially simplify the reattachment or replacement of soft tissue during a surgical procedure.


A method of operating a switched communications network redirects certain types of messages away from the switch to free up switch resources for other messages, thereby decreasing the size of switch needed or delaying necessary switch size upgrading. Messages are redirected by intelligent concentrators that can connect certain types of messages to their destinations without routing them through the switch. For example, messages between an origination and a destination connected to the same concentrator need not be sent through the switch. Similarly, messages between originations and certain high-volume, long-duration destinations such as data service gateways can be connected directly without passing through the switch. The intelligent concentrators communicate with the switch on a control channel so that the switch remains aware of the status of each origination or destination (e.g., so that it knows not to attempt to route messages to an origination or destination that is in use).

This invention relates to switched communications networks. More particularly, this invention relates to a switched communications network in which certain types of call traffic are redirected to avoid the network switch, thereby freeing up switch resources.
One example of a known switched communications network is the public switched telephone network. In that network, individual subscriber lines are connected to a local switching office, which houses a large switch, capable of connecting one subscriber line to another subscriber line or to a trunk line that connects to other switching offices. Each incoming or outgoing line occupies one termination at the local switching office. However, the number of "ports" in the switch--i.e., the number of lines that can be in use at any one time--is smaller than the number of terminations, based on statistical "call blocking" objectives that rely on the fact that not all subscriber lines will be in use at all times, and on the acceptability of the unavailability of a port to a subscriber for a small percentage of the time if the number of lines in use exceeds the number of ports.
Known "call blocking" models are based, inter alia, on certain assumptions regarding the volume and duration of calls. As the product of volume and duration increases, so does the number of ports. The number of ports provided in switches heretofore has been determined based on traditional voice calling patterns.
With the increasing popularity, however, of on-line services such as the Internet, the existing assumption have begun to break down because of the increasing volume of voice-band data calls, which tend to have much longer durations than traditional voice calls. As a result, the number of ports provided in existing switches may soon, if not already, be inadequate. Heretofore, the only remedy for this situation has been the provision of more switch resources, either by providing additional switches, or larger switches. Because of the great expense of telephone switches, that option may not always be practical.
It would be desirable to be able to provide a method for handling increased volumes of calls on a switched communications network using existing switch capacity or with a slower increase in the required switch capacity.

Method for redirecting traffic on a communications network for conservation of network resources


An amplifier operates to provide a high output impedance at an output through a push stage having a first transistor of a first transistor type and a pull stage having a second transistor of a second transistor type that is different from the first transistor type. The first transistor and the second transistor are coupled in a common-gate configuration. The first transistor and the second transistor are shorted together via a capacitor coupled to an input and share a common current path as a push-pull current-reusing common-gate low noise amplifier with a broadband input matching.

The demand for multiple carrier aggregation to achieve faster data rates continues to rise as driven by 3GPP technologies. This raises the complexity of the cellular transceiver, such as with triple carrier aggregation, for example, having three corresponding local oscillator (LO) distribution chains. Additionally, the number of bands to be supported and the frequency coverage by a cellular transceiver for mobile communications continues to increase. Each band has its own assigned duplexer band-pass filter with very sharp characteristics. For each duplexer assembled on the printed circuit board (PCB), a corresponding receiver input port is also provided. Thus, the amount of input receiver ports on the integrated transceiver is also steadily increasing. This demands very large chip area/volume, increasing the cost of the chip and complexity of the LO routing for the receivers. Longer LO distribution results in an increase in power consumption by the amplifiers, buffers or amplifiers for buffering the signal. Denser LO lines increase the cross talk between the channels resulting in a large amount of spurious components in the base band, which stem from either continuous-wave or frequency building laws. As more input receiver ports are integrated, the higher power consumption becomes. Thus, there is an increasing desire to reduce the power consumption, which is an important key performance indicator (KPI), as mobile devices (e.g., smartphone, tablet, ultra-book, etc.) are designed to operate as long as possible while supporting phone calls, large data streaming with a maximum time between charging, and more functionality. Efforts are thus being undertaken to design the power consumption of circuits in devices to perform various functions while consuming the minimum amount of battery power. Reducing the power consumption has a further advantage of reducing the amount of heat being generated, which typically can be utilized to reduce efforts for cooling the mobile device or to facilitate further integration and miniaturization of the mobile device.

High linearity push-pull common-gate amplifier


In the present invention, one-time programmable memory includes a diode as an access device and a capacitor as a storage device, the diode includes four terminals, wherein the first terminal is connected to a word line, the second terminal is connected to one plate of the capacitor, the third terminal is floating, and the fourth terminal is connected to a bit line, and the capacitor includes two electrodes, wherein one of the capacitor plate serves as a storage node which is connected to the second terminal of the diode, and another plate of the capacitor is connected to a plate line, and the plate line is asserted to programming voltage which is higher than the regular supply voltage of the decoders and data latches, in order to breakdown the insulator of the capacitor when programming, but the plate line is connected to the regular supply voltage when read. And during read, the diode also serves as a sense amplifier to detect whether the storage node is forward bias or not, and it sends binary data to a latch device wherein includes a current mirror and a feedback loop, which cuts off the current path after latching. And dummy columns generate replica delay signals which guarantee timing margin and reduce cycle time. In addition, the memory cells are formed in between the routing layers, which memory cells can be stacked over the transistor or another capacitor memory cell.

One-time programmable (OTP) memories are used in integrated circuits for a variety of applications including nonvolatile memory applications. They may be used as a single memory cell, or in arrays of memory cells to provide unique chip identifications and to set operating parameters such as clock multipliers and voltage levels for devices such as microcontrollers and microprocessors, and also high-density memory applications. They may also be used to configure, customize, and repair a chip after testing, in order to repair a controller's cache memory array. One-time programmable memories are typically implemented using charge storage, fuse, or anti-fuse approaches. Charge storage approaches have typically involved defining a bit value based on charge stored on an insulated metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) type gate structure. Such charge storage approaches, however, are not practicable with current and deep sub-micron technologies that feature very thin gate oxide because of the high gate leakage current that prevents a long retention time of the information. And other type of OTP memory is the capacitor type, wherein oxide breakdown is used to program the capacitor type memory cells, as published, U.S. Pat. No. 7,102,951, U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,293 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,046,569.
In FIG. 1A, the capacitor type OTP memory cell is illustrated, as a prior art, wherein a select line (word line) 111 is connected to the gate of MOS transistor 101, a plate line 112 is connected to one plate of a capacitor 102, the other plate 102 of the capacitor is connected to the drain 103 of the MOS transistor, the source 105 of the MOS transistor is connected a data line 113 (bit line). One of major problem of the structure is that the gate oxide of the MOS transistor 101 is damaged during high voltage program. In order to breakdown the oxide of the capacitor 102 during program, the plate line 112 is asserted to high voltage when the MOS transistor 101 is turned on. Thus, the oxide of the capacitor 102 is broken. After broken, the drain 103 is raised near plate line. At the same time, the applied voltage of the gate is also raised. Even though thick oxide is used for the gate, the high voltage may damage the MOS transistor 101 in the deep sub-micron process. In order to avoid the high voltage stress, there was an effort to add one more MOS transistor as published, U.S. Pat. No. 6,927,997. However, this structure can only reduce high voltage stress but it can not remove the high voltage stress, and also increases area.
Still there is a need to improve the access device of the OTP memory cell, and also reduce the process cost. As explained above, the conventional switching (access) devices are based on three-terminal field-effect transistor. In order to stand high voltage stress during program and also to obtain fast switching with low process cost, the MOS access device is replaced with a diode in the present invention. Four-terminal diode can be used as an access device, which includes two bipolar transistors inside. The four-terminal diode is known as Shockley diode or thyristor, is a solid-state semiconductor device similar to two-terminal p-n diode, with an extra terminal which is used to turn it on. Once turned on, diode (p-n-p-n diode or n-p-n-p diode) will remain on conducting state as long as there is a significant current flowing through it. If the current falls to zero, the device switches off. Diode has four layers, with each layer consisting of an alternately p-type or n-type material, for example p-n-p-n and n-p-n-p. The main terminals, labeled anode and cathode, are across the full four layers, and the control terminal, called the gate, is attached to one of the middle layers. The operation of a diode can be understood in terms of a pair of tightly coupled transistors, arranged to cause the self-latching action.
Diodes are mainly used where high currents and voltages are involved, and are often used to control alternating currents, where the change of polarity of the current causes the device to automatically switch off; referred to as 'zero cross operation'. The device can also be said to be in synchronous operation as, once the device is open, it conducts in phase with the voltage applied over its anode to cathode junction. This is not to be confused with symmetrical operation, as the output is unidirectional, flowing only from anode to cathode, and so is asymmetrical in nature. These properties are used control the desired load regulation by adjusting the frequency of the trigger signal at the gate. The load regulation possible is broad as semiconductor based devices are capable of switching at extremely high speeds over extremely large numbers of switching cycles.
In FIG. 1B, the schematic of p-n-p-n diode is illustrated. It consists of four terminals, such that the anode 131 is connected to power supply or regulating node, the base 132 of p-n-p transistor 135 serves as the collector 132 of n-p-n transistor 134, the collector 133 of p-n-p transistor 135 serves as the base of n-p-n transistor 134 which is controlled by the voltage controller 136. In order to turn on diode and hold the state of turn-on, the voltage controller should raise the voltage from ground level to VF (forward bias, 0.6 v˜0.8 v for silicon). And the voltage controller 136 should supply the current 137, referred as the base current, which current depends on the characteristic of transistor 134 and 135. Once the base current 137 establishes the forward bias (VF), the collector 132 of n-p-n transistor 134 holds the current path 139 from the base of p-n-p transistor 135. After then, p-n-p transistor 135 is turned on because the base 132 has forward bias from the emitter 131. This sets up the current path 138 which can keep the turn-on state. This is the holding state as long as the base has not so much leakage to drive the base voltage under forward bias (VF) even though the voltage controller 136 is open. To turn off diode, the voltage controller 136 should lower the voltage of the base of n-p-n transistor 134 under forward bias. To do so, the voltage controller 136 should (negatively) flow more current than the current path 138.
In the present invention, four-terminal diode replaces the MOS (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) field-effect transistor as a switching element. However four-terminal diode can not easily replace the MOS transistor as a switching device because it has unidirectional current control characteristic and internal feedback loop. Now the present invention devotes to replace a MOS transistor with four-terminal diode and sophisticated circuit techniques are introduce to control the diode for the one-time programmable memory. The four-terminal diode can work for the one-time programmable memory as a switching device. It gives as many as advantages to design and fabricate on the wafer.
In the conventional MOS field-effect transistor, there is a parasitic bipolar transistor, as shown in FIG. 1A, wherein the base 104 controls the collector/emitter 103 and 105, and the base 104 serves as a body of the MOS transistor 101. The parasitic bipolar transistor is not wanted device in the conventional MOS transistor which is usually turned off, but now adding one more terminal to the parasitic bipolar transistor, a p-n-p-n diode (or n-p-n-p) can serve as a switching device for the next generation memory.


Disclosed are high wet-friction, highly adherent, non-abrasive elastomeric compositions producing smooth, slip-resistant coatings on surfaces, containing as primary components a thermoplastic rubber block copolymer and a petrolatum, and optionally independently including a plasticizer such as a hydrogenated polybutene, a tackifier such as polyisobutylene or a hydrocarbon resin, an antioxidant or a UV light absorber, in a carrier organic solvent, and containing no abrasive filler or particulate additives.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to modified thermoplastic rubber formulations useful as coatings in wet use environments and particularly to such coatings useful as high wet friction coatings on surfboards, bathtubs, shower stalls, boat decking and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Literally hundreds of use environments exist wherein safety or other considerations are improved by the availability of a surface coating which provides improved friction when the surface is wetted. A typical application is for the deck of a surfboard and on surfaces of similar equipment including wind surfing watercraft, bodyboards, and certain surfaces of jet skiis including the rubber pads which are normally intended to contact a user's feet. Other sporting equipment such as gloves, diving boards, hand rails and ladders used around swimming pools as well as boat decks and docks would have improved performance by the availability of an anti-slip coating which is effective when wetted by water and particularly over a relatively wide range of temperatures. Other surfaces which typically become slippery when wetted with water include shoe soles, surgical gloves, automobile tires, bathtub surfaces and shower stall surfaces, particularly shower stall floors, bathroom floors, conveyor belts handling wet products, there being a substantial need over a very wide range of applications for coatings which exhibit substantial traction or friction when said surfaces are wetted by water.
In the prior art, it has generally been necessary to provide enhanced friction in coatings on surfaces as described above by the provision in such a coating of a filler material such a silicon dioxide, high-strength glass microspheres, or other filler materials which provide increased surface roughness and therefore increase the overall anti-slip characteristics of such coatings. However, the prior art coatings having at least some degree of anti-slip properties and which include fillers and materials for increasing the roughness of the surface coating are inadequate in many situations due to the fact that the abrasiveness imparted by the fillers is unacceptable when such coatings must contact human skin. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,139 to Haasl et al provides surface coating formulations which are intended to improve traction on a surface which is frequently contacted with water, the disclosed coatings being provided with fillers including particulate colloidal or powdered silicon dioxide and/or glass microspheres. When a coating according to Haasl et al is applied to the deck of a surfboard, for example, the roughened coating irritates and abrades the skin of a user, especially when a user lies prone on the surfboard as when paddling the board out to catch a wave. The present coating formulations provide increased frictional and anti-slip surface characteristics without incorporation of fillers to roughen the surfaces of the coatings. The present coating formulations thus are useful in at least those applications delineated by Haasl et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,139 and further provide the advantage of being unabrasive to the skin of a user.
Haasl et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,139, and Haasl in U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,454, provide thermoplastic rubber formulations which are compounded with styrene/ethylene/butylene/styrene block copolymers. The thermoplastic rubber formulations provided in these patents derive increased anti-slip characteristics by virtue of fillers included in the thermoplastic rubber formulations and which fillers act to roughen the surfaces of coatings formed from said formulations. The formulations of Haasl and Haasl et al do not provide relatively soft surfaces for their coatings which are non-abrasive to human skin and which can contact human skin with a high degree of comfort. The present invention improves the anti-slip coating formulations of Haasl and Haasl et al at least by the provision of petrolatum in thermoplastic rubber formulations, this additional material providing in thermoplastic rubber formulations a surface coating having high anti-slip properties when wet and which also is compatible with contact with the skin of a user of the coating, the coating formulations also adhering reliably to surfaces such as the decks of surfboards, etc. and which also have high tensile strengths.
Dotson et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,184, provides coating compositions containing petrolatum and polymerizable materials used to form corrosion resistant coatings. However, Dotson et al do not provide coatings which have anti-slip properties when wet. The polymers used by Dotson et al include linear polyethylene polymers having terminal carboxylic acid groups, polybutenes and amorphous polypropylenes. Accordingly, the coatings of Dotson et al, even though including a petrolatum material, would not lead a person of ordinary skill in the art to the compounding of thermoplastic rubbers with petrolatum to provide a film or coating having increased traction when wet. The present invention thus provides a substantial advance in the art relative to the compounding of thermoplastic rubbers with petrolatum to provide a surface coating for the surface of a surfboard or the like whereby the surface coating is adherent to the surface of the surfboard and which provides traction or friction improvement when wet and which is also agreeable to skin touch.

High wet-friction elastomeric coatings including a thermoplastic rubber and petrolatum