In the thin film magnetic transducer element, the front end portions of the upper pole piece and the lower pole piece are partially removed in such a manner that they align non parallel to the gap film on the opposite sides of the gap film. The condition .DELTA.P1>.DELTA.P2 is satisfied when the difference between the maximum pole length P1max and the minimum pole length P1min of the lower pole piece is .DELTA.P1 and the difference between the maximum pole length P2max and the minimum pole length P2min of the upper pole piece is .DELTA.P2. The sub pulse is reduced and so the partial response method can be employed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film magnetic head and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus.
2. Discussion of Background
A thin film magnetic head in the prior art is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,181. Its basic structure includes rail portions provided at intervals on the surface of the slider, constituted by a ceramic structure, that faces opposite the medium . The surfaces of the rail portions are air-bearing surfaces with a high degree of flatness. At the end of each rail portion in the direction of air flow, a thin film magnetic transducer element is mounted. The thin film magnetic transducer element is a thin film element formed by a process similar to that of IC manufacturing technology and it is formed by integrating a lower magnetic film, a gap film, an upper magnetic film, a coil film, an insulating film, a protective film and the like. The lower magnetic film and the upper magnetic film have a lower pole piece and an upper pole piece respectively that face opposite each other across the gap film at their front end surfaces. The structure of these pole pieces and the gap film constitutes a transducing gap.
Such a thin film magnetic head is mainly used in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus that is used in storage system for computers and the binary data to be handled are modulated in correspondence with magnetized and non magnetized regions, or the direction of magnetization of the medium. Typical methods of modulation include the peak detection method and the PRML (partial response maximum likelihood) method which combines the regenerated waveform equalization processing based upon the partial response method, and the signal decoding system based upon the Viterbi decoding algorithm. Of these, PRML has been attracting much attention as a signal processing method that can support high-density recording and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,734, U S. Pat. No. 4,644,564 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,681.
Since the thickness of the tips at the end surfaces of the pole pieces of a thin film magnetic head is approximately consistent at the thickness of the magnetic film which is formed during the manufacturing process, a sub pulse, attributable to a pseudo gap, is generated at the position that corresponds to the end edge of the pole piece. This sub pulse is characteristically manifested in a thin film magnetic head in which the pole pieces are very thin. If a sub pulse occurs, it interferes with the main pulse, changing the main pulse. When a sub pulse interferes with and changes the main pulse, it becomes difficult to use the PRML method.
The concept for inhibiting this sub pulse is disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 29090/1978, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 287411/1987, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 91812/1988 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 103410/1988. In Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 29090/1978, a method is disclosed wherein after forming the upper magnetic film or the lower magnetic film, a third magnetic film is sputtered on at least one of these magnetic films. It is then etched to ensure that the entirety of the magnetic films will not lie parallel to the gap film. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 287411/1987 discloses a method whereby the entirety of both the upper magnetic film and the lower magnetic film are formed in such a way that their edges will lie non parallel to each other. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 91812/1988 discloses a method whereby the effect of the pseudo gap is reduced by lowering the magnetic permeability .mu. on the outside of the pole pieces.
In another facet of the prior art, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 13210/1992 discloses a method whereby the sub pulse is suppressed by changing the thickness of at least one of the pole pieces in such a manner that the surface on the opposite side of the gap film will form a curved surface. Then, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 146510/1992, a method is disclosed whereby the sub pulse is suppressed with stages provided on the opposite side of the gap film in the pole pieces. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 163707/1992 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 163708/1992 disclose a method whereby the sub pulse is suppressed by structuring the pole pieces with a plurality of layers of magnetic film integrated with one another to control the saturation magnetic flux density of the magnetic films.
Additionally, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 263603/1991 discloses a method whereby the contour effect is suppressed by forming the core end in a shape that is unparallel with the gap. The publication details that the contour effect can be even more effectively reduced if the shape of the core end is set in such a manner that the difference .DELTA.P between the maximum pole length Pmax and the minimum pole length Pmin of the core end will fall within the, range of approximately 1/3 to 2 times the recording wavelength.
However, with the prior art technology described above, it has not yet been possible to suppress the sub pulse to such an extent that PRML can be adopted. Although the technology disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 263603/1991 is effective in reducing the sub pulse, the publication does not disclose a means for reducing the sub pulses that are generated at the lower pole piece and the upper pole piece to a similar degree so that they will be well balanced. Because of this, even when the sub pulse generated at the upper pole piece has been flattened to the extent whereby the partial response method could be adopted, the sub pulse at the lower pole piece is not reduced as much as the one at the upper pole piece. Therefore, adoption of PRML is still quite difficult.

Thin film magnetic head and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus


A low voltage high density memory device is described. The memory device uses isolation transistors to adjust the voltage stored on memory cells. The memory device is designed to reduce the differential voltage between memory cells storing different data states. A method is described for reducing leakage current of the memory cells to decrease the need for excessive refresh operations. The memory device is described as operating on a one volt supply and producing a 250 mv digit line swing.

Integrated circuit memories have become increasingly dense as the need for more memory storage increases. While fabrication techniques and design options have been fairly successful in maintaining steady increases in memory storage from design generation to generation, the need for new highly populated circuits continues.
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device is typically comprised of an arrangement of individual memory cells. Each memory cell comprises a capacitor capable of holding a charge and an access transistor for accessing the capacitor charge. The charge is referred to as a data bit and can be either a high voltage or a low voltage. Data can be either stored in the memory cells during a write mode, or data may be retrieved from the memory cells during a read mode. The data is transmitted internally on signal lines, referred to as bit or digit lines, which are coupled to input/output lines through transistors used as switching devices.
Although unique fabrication techniques and processes have been developed to reduce the size of the memory cells and access circuitry, reliability and power consumption remain concerns in the move for giga-bit memory devices. The solution to these concerns appears to be lower operating voltages. However, lower operating voltages create additional problems. One such problem is the need for increased memory refresh operations due to leakage currents.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a high density, low voltage memory device having minimum memory cell leakage.


A process and an installation for treating liquids, which are charged with pollutants that are difficult to break down, by means of wet oxidation with ozone-containing gas and UV radiation. The installation comprises injectors by means of which ozone-containing gas produced in an ozone generator can be passed into the liquid. The liquid is then introduced into a reaction and degasification vessel, before it passes through the UV irradiation units.

The invention relates to a process for treating liquids containing pollutants using ozone-containing gas and UV radiation as well as to an apparatus for carrying out the process.
The invention is directed first and foremost towards a process for treating liquids which are charged with pollutants that are difficult to oxidize. Chlorinated hydrocarbons, for example, belong to this substance group. Many of them are not biodegradable and some even have a toxic effect on organisms.
These substances can be saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons, in which some hydrogen atoms are substituted by halogens.
They can be low-molecular substances, for example the solvent trichloroethylene, or high-molecular lignins or humic acids.
Among these are compounds, which react slowly or not at all with ozone, one of the strongest oxidizing agents.
The compounds, which can hardly be broken up and which in this form cannot be attributed to the natural ecological cycle of elements and substances on our earth, are artificially and chemically synthesized to be used, for example, as propellants, coolants, solvents, pesticides and herbicides, or they are formed as by-products in some industrial processes, such as the chlorolignins formed in chlorine bleaching processes.
They seep out of garbage dumps and poison ground water and rivers. It is imperative to look for ways to detoxify these substances.
It is generally known that UV light is absorbed by some chemical compounds between the atoms in certain organic molecules and that it therefore loosens these compounds, so that they can be oxidized, that is broken up, by radicals.
Such oxidants for energetically excited compounds can be 0H radicals. OH radicals can be formed by exposing aqueous solutions of hydrogen superoxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) or ozone (O.sub.3) to UV, in that the parent compounds H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and O.sub.3 also absorb UV light and split off oxygen atoms, which react with the water to form 0H radicals.
Radical reactions with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and UV on organic compounds are generally known for water conditioning [applications] and have also been described (B. Gabel, B. Stachel and W. Thiemann, Expert Reports HWW2, pp. 37-42, 1982, "Moglichkeiten der technischen Anwendung einer Kombination von Ultraviolett-Bestrahlung und H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -Behandlung zur Desinfektion von Trinkwasser und Oxidation von Inhaltsstoffen" [Possibilities for the Technical Application of a Combination of Ultraviolet Radiation and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 Treatment for Disinfecting Drinking Water and Oxidation of Components]).
In the same way, the process combinations, UV radiation and ozone, are also described (D. B. Fletcher, Water World News, vol. 3, no. 3, 1987, UV/Ozone Process Treat Toxics and K. Brooks, R. McGinty, Chemical Week, McGraw-Hill Publication, Ground Water Treatment Know-How Comes of Age and J. D. Zeff, E. Leitis, J. Barich, Ca., U.S., Ozone in Water Treatment, Vol. 1, Proceedings, 9th Ozone World Congress, New York, 1989, Uv Oxidation Case Studies on the Removal of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ground, Waste and Leachate Waters, pp. 720-731).
The Ultrox process (Ultrox =registered trademark of the firm Ultrox International, Santa Ana, Ca, V.St.v.A.) dealt with in these works has an UV-oxidant contact system for a continuous or a discontinuous liquid flow. The UV radiators are vertically mounted in a widely varying number in several chambers, which are arranged together in series. The water flows or is stagnant in these chambers and surrounds the lamps which are protected with quartz shield tubes. Ozone or other oxidants are fed into the chambers by means of jet diffusors.
The APO process (APO=registered trademark of the firm Ionization International, Dordrecht, Holland) (J.-A. Moser, M. Sc., ozone in Water Treatment, Vol. 1, Proceedings, 9th Ozone World Congress, New York, 1989, S. 732-742, The Treatment of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons at a High Concentration Level with a Photochemical Process) produces ozone with UV light of a short wavelength and enables the ozone to act in the water phase or in the gas phase on chlorinated hydrocarbons.
The problem with the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 -UV combination processes is that they do not achieve oxidation potentials that are as high as is possible with the O.sub.3 -UV combinations.
The previously known O.sub.3 -UV combination processes work with UV immersion radiators, such as Ultrox. These have large water-layer thicknesses in the radiation chambers, which are more difficult to penetrate with UV rays than is the case with continuous-flow radiators with thinner water layers. Moreover, in the case of these chambers, the ozone is fed directly with the carrier gas, whereby the ozone solution in the water is not optimal, and the gas bubbles of the gas which is not physically dissolved likewise have a disadvantageous effect for an UV-ray utilization.
The processes of generating ozone by means of UV rays, such as the APO process, or by means of electrolytic, anodic oxidation, produce ozone only in a small concentration, which is disadvantageous for the oxidizing capacity.

Process and installation for treating liquids charged with pollutants

Wedeco Umwelttechnologien Wasser Boden Luft GmbH


A metal wire is first coated with a coating. In this first coating, retro-reflective beads are partly embedded. Thereafter the beads and the first coating are covered by a protective coating. The metal wire is made from a strand or wire made of stainless steel, or low carbon steel, or high carbon steel. The retro-reflective metal wire is used for diverse applications, such as spoke wire, signalization means, or bookbinding wire.

The ever-increasing traffic density has spurred pedestrians and cyclists to make themselves more visible in twilight or nightly illumination conditions in order to survive. To this end they carry retroreflective strips either as arm or leg bands or integrated into their garments or on their bikes. Such lifesaving gadgets are generally made in the form of strips. Characteristic for such retro-reflective strips is that upon illumination by a beam of light, they return the light in a cone having an axis in the direction of the impinging beam. The term retroreflective is used here to discriminate the reflection mechanism from diffusive reflection—in which the impinging light is scattered in all directions evenly—or specular reflection—when the incident light is reflected away under an equal but opposite angle to the normal on the surface.
There are a number of means available to entail this retroreflectivity into an article. Cube corner reflectors are generally used in reflectors that are rigid as for example in the fixed reflectors of a car. As such they cannot be used on flexible substrates such as strips or rope like material. In order to overcome this latter difficulty, very small (smaller then 1 mm) glass pyramids have become available. When such glass pyramids are embedded into a coating on a substrate some of the pyramids will be properly aligned with the incident beam and effectively shine back the light. Such a structure can be recognised in the dark because it tends to twinkle when one is moving by, the twinkling being due to different micro pyramids that become properly aligned with the impinging beam. The micro pyramids are less preferred for products with a limited area available for retroreflection (such as e.g. spokes of a bicycle wheel). By far the most preferred retroreflective means are very small 'glass beads' made out of a highly refracting, transparent material. Indeed, geometrical optics readily shows that a caustic focal region of a transparent sphere forms close to the surface opposite from the impinging light on the optical axis. When now a reflective layer is provided on the back surface, most of the converging light will return in a cone around the incident beam direction. It is readily shown that the higher the refractive index of the material is, the smaller the focus region becomes while it nears the sphere and eventually enters the sphere (for refractive indices larger than 2). Likewise, it can be shown that the cone angle of the returning beam becomes smallest for materials with a refractive index of about 1.547, while smaller and larger refractive indices show larger exit cones. Nowadays, tiny beads with a size between 10 and 500 microns are readily available.
Such glass beads are used in coatings on predominantly planar structures such as strips, or traffic signs or the like. With planar structures of a given area a lot of light is readily caught and returned, while elongated, cylindrical structures having the same retroreflective area do not have a large head-on reflection as already half of the area is concealed behind the carrier. However, elongated cylindrical structures have the advantage that they keep on reflecting for each radial incident beam of light while for a planar structure the reflection readily diminishes when the beam strikes the surface off normal.
Most of the methods known today to make an elongated retroreflecting product rely on the use of strips that on themselves are retroreflective. Known techniques to apply those strips on elongated products are taping and wrapping. An example of this is given in U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,349 wherein a steel wire rope is wrapped into a reflective strip and subsequently coated with a clear coating. Another way to make retroreflective elongated products is to start from a retroreflective foil that is slit into narrow strips. These 'threads' are twined together into a yarn or rope as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,407. US 2004/0180199 is a publication that describes a method to embed the retroreflective beads or pyramids into a polymer that is subsequently melt spun to form a yarn. So here the beads are inside the thread and not only at the surface.
Working with strips that are wrapped or taped around elongated products entails some drawbacks. As these products are normally used outdoors, there is a risk that the strip loosens from the product even if an adhesive has been used, due to the weather conditions. There is also a cost disadvantage in that first a retroreflective tape has to be made that is then subsequently wrapped around the product. There is also a tendency for the wrapped strip to tear when the elongated product is bent.

Retroreflecting elongated metal wire product


A radio-interrogated, surface-wave technology current transformer for high/medium-voltage systems includes a magnetosensitive element connected to a surface-wave structure of a surface-wave configuration as a termination of the surface-wave structure. A response signal of the surface-wave configuration is information regarding current strength/direction and phase of the current instantaneously flowing through the system, which is evaluated by a ground station. By virtue of the radio transmission, there is no electrical insulation problem, and the use of a radio-interrogated surface-wave configuration makes that part of the overall current transducer which is at high potential into a passive element of the same.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a current transformer which is used for current strength measurement on/in electrical devices that are at high/medium voltage, such as, for example, overhead power transmission lines, cables, substations, transformers and the like.
A current transformer with which the invention is concerned is constructed with surface-wave technology, that is to say it has as its essential component an electroacoustic surface-wave configuration with surface-wave structures.
Surface-wave configurations relevant to the invention are disclosed by Published International Patent Applications WO 93/13495 and WO/CH93/00252 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,273,146; 4,725,841 and 4,620,191. The cited applications and patents describe methods of building and operating various surface-wave configurations, all of which have the common factor that, through the use of an interdigital transducer, surface waves are produced in a piezoelectric substrate body from an electrical signal, and those surface waves as a rule propagate essentially perpendicularly to the interdigital alignment of the transducer electrodes at the surface of the substrate body. It is possible to recover a characteristically altered radiofrequency signal from the surface wave with a second interdigital transducer, which may even be the transducer already described above, in double-mode operation. As described in the prior art, such a surface-wave configuration may include even further structures such as reflector structures, further transducer structures, etc. which, for example, may also have a dispersive configuration of reflector/transducer fingers, an encoded configuration of fingers, and the like.
An essential aspect and subject of the present invention is that the current transformer has a radio-interrogated sensor part made by using surface-wave technology, which is passive, that is to say it requires no (DC) power supply, and to which a radiofrequency signal, for example a burst pulse, an FM-CW signal, a chirped pulse and the like, is transmitted from a remote radiofrequency transmitter. For that purpose, the surface-wave configuration of the sensor part, that is to say its input transducer structure, is equipped with an antenna for radio reception of that transmitted pulse. A corresponding antenna, which is connected to a second transducer structure of the surface-wave configuration, or, in the case already mentioned of a transducer structure with double-mode operation, is the same antenna, is used to transmit back the impulse-response signal of the surface-wave configuration, which is to be received in a remote receiver. The impulse-response signal that is transmitted back as a rule is different from the signal received by the surface-wave configuration, namely according to the current-strength measured value to be determined, and that is actually because of corresponding physical action on the surface-wave configuration.
Radio-interrogated surface-wave configurations are already used, for example in toll systems on roads, in road tunnels and the like, but in that case the detection of preprogrammed individual encoding of the impulse-response signal for object identification is involved. Radio-interrogated surface-wave configurations have also been used in metrology. Those configurations as a rule are constructed as delay lines, and measures are taken for the purpose of measurement in such a way that the measured quantity to be determined in the surface-wave configuration causes a change in the propagation time of the acoustic wave. That change in propagation time may be based on an electric field (oriented transversely to the propagation direction of the surface wave) in the substrate body, with that field producing, for example by piezoelectric effect, a change in propagation time in the corresponding partial region of the substrate body (Published European Patent Application 0 166 065 A1). By way of example, a temperature sensor using a change in the wave propagation time is known (Published European Patent Application 0 465 029 A1, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,109). A configuration which exploits an impedance change of an organic layer applied on the surface of the substrate body of the surface-wave configuration is suitable for measuring surface loading of that layer, for example with a chemical substance to be identified/quantitatively measured (Electronics Letters, Vol. 23 (1987) No. 9 pp. 446/447). A relevant pressure meter is also known, in which the mechanical property of the body, for example flexion, altered as a function of pressure in the material of the substrate body of the surface-wave configuration, causes a change in the propagation time of the acoustic wave and renders it usable for determining the measured value (Proceedings IEEE, Vol. 64, (1976) pp. 754-6). However, in the case of the configurations last mentioned herein, a remote interrogation by radio is not provided. Magnetosensitive sensors per se are likewise known in a different context, for example from German Published, Non-Prosecuted, Patent Application 38 28 005 and from a paper entitled "Magneto-Resistive Sensoren, Grundlagen . . ." [Magnetoresistive Sensors, Fundamentals . . ."] in Proceedings of the Symposium of Jun. 25, 1992, Dortmund, Dienstleistungszentrum MIOK, Institute for Applied Physics, University of Jena.

Radio-interrogated, surface-wave technology current transformer for high-voltage systems


The invention is related to methods and apparatus that manipulate droplets in a microfluidic environment. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention manipulate droplets by controlling the electro-wetting characteristics of a surface with light, thereby inducing a gradient in the surface tension of a droplet. The gradient in the surface tension propels the droplet by capillary force. A variety of operations, such as transporting, joining, cutting, and creating can be performed. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention obviate the need to create a relatively large and complex control electrode array. A plurality of photoconductive cells or a layer of a photoconductive material selectively couples an electrode carrying an electrical bias to otherwise floating conductive cells in response to a beam of light. The electrical bias applied to the conductive cell generates a localized electric field, which can change the contact angle of the droplet, thereby permitting the droplet to be propelled.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the manipulation of droplets. In particular, the invention relates to the manipulation or actuation of droplets in a microfluidic circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The handling of liquids is fundamental to many fields in science, such as biology and chemistry. To efficiently perform relatively large numbers of tests, miniature laboratory environments have been produced. Conventional miniature laboratories can include relatively intricate, complex, and expensive micro-machined pumps and valves.
One known technique which appears to eliminate the need for micro-machined pumps and valves actuates droplets by electro-wetting. See Cho, S., et al, "Towards Digital Microfluidic Circuits: Creating, Transporting, Cutting and Merging Liquid Droplets by Electrowetting-Based Actuation," Technical Digest, 15th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (2002), pp. 32-35. Disadvantageously, conventional electro-wetting techniques require relatively large and expensive control electrode arrays. In addition, it may be desirable to utilize alternating current (AC) biasing, which can be relatively difficult to switch in an array. As a result, conventional electro-wetting techniques are relatively expensive and can be cost-prohibitive in applications where large amounts of tests are conducted, and the miniature laboratory environments are discarded after a single use. Moreover, the simultaneous control of multiple droplets using conventional electro-wetting techniques may not be achievable as a practical matter due to the impracticality of independently controlling a large number of AC biased electrodes.
One known technique coats a surface with a chemical that reacts with light to change a contact angle and thereby manipulate a droplet. Disadvantageously, such chemical reaction techniques can take on the order of minutes to react and are too slow for practical use. See Ichimura, K., et al., "Light-Driven Motion of Liquids on a Photoresponsive Surface," Science, Vol. 288 (June 2000), pp. 1624-1626. In addition, at least one such technique cannot manipulate water droplets. See Ichimura, K., et al.
Another known technique with zinc oxide (ZnO) or with titanium oxide (TiO2) can change the contact angle of an aqueous or water-based solution. See Sun, et al., "Photoinduced Surface Wettability Conversion of ZnO and TiO2 Thin Films, J. Phys. Chem. B, Vol. 105 (February 2001), pp. 1984-1990. Disadvantageously, ultraviolet light is used to generate the chemical reaction. See Sun, et al. Ultraviolet light can be harmful to biological organisms. Further disadvantageously, the chemical reaction is slow and may require at least 20 minutes to occur. See Sun, et al. Thus, while such chemical reaction techniques may be applicable to "anti-fogging glass and self-cleaning construction materials," see Sun, et al., such chemical techniques may be ill suited to laboratory environments.
What is needed is an efficient and low-cost technique to build an electro-wetting surface.

Systems and methods for optical actuation of microfluidics based on OPTO-electrowetting

The Regents of the University of California


An information processing apparatus capable of printing printing information input from the outside of the apparatus using an incorporated printing device, an information processing method for such an apparatus, and a storage medium which stores control programs for such a method are provided. Also provided are an information processing apparatus which satisfies both a request to print printing information input from another information processing apparatus to an incorporated printing device and a request to print printing information formed by itself even if the two requests are simultaneously provided, an information processing method for such an apparatus, and storage medium which stores control programs for such a method.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing apparatus which incorporates a printing device, to an information processing method for such an apparatus, and to a storage medium which stores control programs for such an apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an information processing apparatus is connected to an independent external printing device via an interface in order to print printing information which has been formed and edited, and printing is performed by outputting the printing information to the external printing device.
Recently, however, various kinds of word processors or the like have been anounced in which an information processing unit for forming and editing printing information and a printing device are incorporated within a case. Furthermore, very small information processing apparatuses, such as so-called notebook-size personal computers or the like, have also been announced in which a printing device is incorporated.
In such a conventional information processing apparatus incorporating a printing device, the incorporated printing device prints only printing information which has been formed and edited by the main body of the information processing apparatus, because the printing device is provided for that purpose. Accordingly, in order to input printing information from the outside of the apparatus and print the input printing information by the incorporated printing device, it is necessary to perform programming using the information processing apparatus as a printer server, and perform printing by connecting the information processing apparatus to another information processing apparatus via a network using an interface, such as RS-232C or LAN. Hence, it is difficult to construct an information processing system including a printing device at a low cost.

Information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a storage medium


A piezoelectric ceramic base member is formed of a bar shaped bismuth layer compound, and has main electrodes on two end surfaces in an oscillation direction, with connection electrodes at side-surface central portions of the piezoelectric ceramic base member electrically connected to the main electrodes through extraction conductors interposed therebetween, respectively. The oscillation and polarization directions are set in the same direction, and the piezoelectric ceramic base member is driven at a resonant frequency or at a frequency in the vicinity thereof. The crystal c axis is preferably oriented in a direction orthogonal to the polarization direction. The resonant actuator is able to obtain a high oscillation speed as it has a large mechanical quality factor Qm, and the oscillation is not disturbed by mechanical factors.

Heretofore, as shown in FIG. 12, a resonant actuator has been known that includes a ceramic base member 101 formed to have a square bar shape and electrodes 102a and 102b provided on two end surfaces thereof.
This resonant actuator is polarized in the direction shown by arrow a and is driven at a resonant frequency or at a frequency in the vicinity thereof by applying an alternating electric field to the electrodes 102a and 102b so as to obtain a longitudinal oscillation in the direction of arrow b, which is the same direction as the arrow a direction. In general, the electrodes 102a and 102b and lead wires 104a and 104b are held by spring terminals 103a and 103b, respectively, or the electrodes 102a and 102b are directly connected to lead wires 104a and 104b, respectively, and an alternating electric field is applied to the electrodes 102a and 102b.
In this type of resonant actuator, it has been believed that the amount of displacement in the oscillation direction is generally proportional to the piezoelectric constant d. Accordingly, as a ceramic material for resonant actuators, research and development of a piezoelectric material primarily including Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (lead zirconate titanate; hereinafter referred to as "PZT") that has a large piezoelectric constant has heretofore been aggressively carried out.
Since power devices, such as a piezoelectric actuator, use the large-amplitude elastic oscillation of a piezoelectric ceramic, large amplitude characteristics of piezoelectric ceramics have been disclosed for example, in Non-Patent Document 1.
In this Non-Patent Document 1, it has been reported that although the oscillation speed (equal to oscillation amplitude×frequency) is theoretically changed in proportion to an applied electric field E, when a PZT-based piezoelectric ceramic is driven at a resonant frequency, and when the electric field strength exceeds a certain predetermined level, the oscillation speed is gradually decreased to less than the theoretical value and is finally saturated. In addition, the relationship between an oscillation speed limit of PZT and a driving electric field has also been disclosed in this Non-Patent Document 1, and it has been reported that although the above oscillation speed limit changes with a change in material composition, the oscillation speed of a PZT-based piezoelectric ceramic material does not exceed 1 m/s at the maximum.
Since a high-power material having a high oscillation level has been desired in the fields of a piezoelectric actuator and the like, a method for evaluating piezoelectric properties, and the relationship between the composition of a PZT-based piezoelectric ceramic and high-power characteristics, such as oscillation level characteristics, have been reported in Non-Patent Document 2.
In this Non-Patent Document 2, it has been reported that when a PZT-based piezoelectric ceramic is driven at a resonant frequency, and when the oscillation level exceeds a certain predetermined level, the resonant frequency fr and the mechanical quality factor Qm are degraded.
[Non-Patent Document 1]: Sadayuki Takahashi, "New Development of Piezoelectric Materials", TIC Corp., New Ceramics, Vol. 11, No. 8, (1988), pp. 29 to 34
[Non-Patent Document 2]: Sadayuki Takahashi, "Evaluation of High-Power Material", TIC Corp., New Ceramics, (1995), No. 6, pp. 17 to 21


A process for the continuous chipless separation of identical individual rings from tubular workpieces by using cutting rollers. In order to produce highly-accurate rings, preferably from antifriction bearing steel, the section of the tubular workpiece to be separated is completely encompassed by the longitudinal contour of the cutting rollers and the faces of the rings are produced plane-parallel and vertical relative to the workpiece axis. What is essential is that prior to the cutting process the tubular workpiece is heated to a temperature that substantially lowers the deformation resistances of the material used.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for the continuous chipless separation of identical individual rings from tubular workpieces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ring-shaped components are widespread in technology. In roller bearing technology, such components constitute a substantial portion, in terms of quantity, of the parts used. As is generally known, each roller bearing consists of at least two ring-shaped components, namely, the inner ring and the outer ring. These rings are produced in great numbers, for example, from tubular semifinished products of antifriction bearing steel. The division of tubular material into rings of equal size is thus a standard production step during the production of roller bearings. It is also a very important step, given the growing competition in the roller bearing industry. As efforts are made to achieve greater productivity and lower manufacturing costs, this production step assumes great significance. Especially during chip-producing separation, greater material expensive contributes to high costs.
A generic process for the chipless separation of identical individual rings from tubular workpieces is disclosed in German reference DE-OS 1602950. In this process, three cutting rollers with thread-shaped cutting edges are arranged around the workpiece to be processed. All three cutting rollers are driven in the same direction and pressed against the workpiece surface. The tubular workpiece rotates in the direction opposite to that in which the cutting rollers rotate and is thereby moved forward axially. The respective rotational positions of the three cutting rollers are such that the cutting contact with the workpiece occurs on an exactly shared cutting plane. The diameter of the cutting rollers increases, starting from the beginning and going toward the end, forming a narrowing channel. This device is not suitable for producing highly-accurate roller bearing rings, because the face regions of the separated rings are very rounded. Furthermore, the cutting edges of the cutting rollers wear out rapidly, because antifriction bearing steel has especially high deformation resistance; no measures to reduce this deformation resistance are indicated.
Another process for dividing tubular material is known from German reference DE-PS 10 13 487. In this process, a working head revolves around the tube to be divided. The working head has die holders arranged peripherally on a cross-sectional plane as well as cutting rollers mounted detachably in these holders. The cutting, rollers have cutting edges with substantially radial flanks, which can be brought to rest on the face of the tube to be divided during the dividing process. This process permits only discontinuous separation of individual tube segments. The device is not suitable for continuously separating identical rings from tubular material in short cycles.

Process and device for the continuous, chipless separation of individual rings from tubular workpieces


Systems and methods that provide self-describing transport protocol segments are provided. In one embodiment, a system that handles transport protocol segments may include, for example, a sender that adapts a transport protocol segment. The transport protocol segment may include, for example, a self-describing header and an indicator. The indicator may indicate at least one of the presence and the location of the self-describing header.

The transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) is a protocol that has become widely used for communications. However, receiving, buffering, processing and storing the data communicated in TCP segments can consume a substantial amount of host processing power and memory bandwidth at the receiver. In a typical system, reception includes processing in multiple communications layers before the data is finally copied to a final destination (e.g., an application buffer).
A conventional network interface card (NIC) processes layer 2 (L2) headers (e.g., Ethernet headers) and then copies at least, for example, the remaining headers (layer 3 (L3) and higher) and the upper layer protocol (ULP) payload to a transport buffer (e.g., a TCP buffer) for networking and transport layer processing. The transport and networking processing (e.g., TCP/IP processing in which TCP is the transport layer protocol) typically performed by the central processing unit (CPU) removes L3 headers and L4 headers and then copies, for example, any remaining headers and the ULP payload to another buffer. The process repeats for subsequent levels until the last header is removed and then ULP payload is copied to the buffer assigned by an application.
Typically, most of bytes of the frames are payload (e.g., data), but it is difficult to know the boundary between the various headers and the payload. For the above-identified and other reasons, the payload bytes are copied repeatedly as the control portion of the frames (e.g., the headers) is processed in a layered fashion. The host CPU incurs a substantial overhead for this processing and copying including, for example, handling many interrupts and context switching. Thus, fewer cycles are available for application processing, which is the desired use of a computer (e.g., a server machine). For high-speed networking (e.g., 10 Gigabits per second), the additional copying strains the memory subsystem of the computer. For an average of three data copies, the memory subsystem of most commercially available server computers becomes a bottleneck, thereby preventing the system from supporting, for example, a 10 Gigabit network traffic. In some cases, each host copy can consume more than three times the wire bandwidth for each copy (e.g., 30 Gigabits per second for a 10 Gigabit per second network traffic). Since TCP/IP is the dominant transport protocol used by most applications today, it would therefore be useful to ease the burden of this processing to achieve, for example, scalable low CPU utilization when communicating with a peer machine.
Conventional systems may not reduce overhead, for example, by copying data once from the wire to the application buffer. Typically, the NIC cannot distinguish which portion of a received frame contains ULP data and which portion contains ULP control. Conventional senders may not build frames in a way that facilitates the receiver NIC to make such distinctions. In addition, a typical TCP sender has no mechanism that allows it to segment the byte stream based on PDU boundaries. Conventional systems may not be able to handle such complexities such as, for example, every ULP having its own method for mixing data and control, thereby making it impractical to build a NIC that can distinguish control from data for all of the ULPs or even for a substantial subset of all of the ULPs.
Conventional systems may not be able to directly move data from the TCP byte stream service to the ULP. It is not possible to tell the beginning of a ULP message (e.g., a protocol data unit (PDU)) inside that endless stream of bytes. Assuming that the frames arrive without resegmentation at the receiver (e.g., a server), it is possible that the receiver might be able to unpack the frame using TCP and might be able to locate the ULP header. The ULP header may include, for example, control information that may identify a location in the application buffer where the ULPDU may be directly placed. However, resegmentation is not uncommon in TCP/IP communications. There is no guarantee that the TCP segments will arrive, on the other end of the wire, the way the sender has built them. At present, there is no mechanism that allows the receiver to determine whether a byte stream (e.g., TCP segments) has been subject to resegmentation or whether a byte stream has been received as originally segmented by the sender. If resegmented, a conventional system may typically be unable to determine whether such resegmentation has occurred and cannot rely on the sender to build a TCP segment in a structure known to the receiver. Therefore, a conventional receiver cannot rely on sender-segmented messages to locate the ULP header and the ULPDU in a resegmented TCP byte stream.
For example, there may be network architectural structures between the sender and the receiver. For example, an intermediate box or middle box (e.g., a firewall) may terminate the TCP connection with the sender and, without the sender or the receiver being aware, may initiate another TCP connection with the receiver. The intermediate box may resegment the incoming frames (e.g., by using a smaller TCP payload). Thus, a single frame may enter the intermediate box, but a plurality of smaller frames, each with its own TCP header may exit the intermediate box or vice versa. This behavior by the middle box may disrupt even nicely placed control and data portions.
In the case of resegmentation, the conventional receiver may face a number of challenges. For example, the receiver may not be aware that there are any intermediate boxes between the sender and the receiver. The TCP sender may be considered ULP agnostic and may bear no guarantees as to the mapping of ULP messages into TCP segments or as to the segmentation of TCP segments based on the ULP message boundaries. Furthermore, the initial segmenting scheme used by the sender may not be the segmenting scheme received by the receiver. Thus, although the receiver may be able to place the smaller frames in order, the receiver may be unable to locate the ULP header and the payload without processing the ULP headers. Accordingly, the receiver may not be able to ascertain the control and payload boundary that may be necessary to correctly place the ULPDU payload in the proper location of, for example, the application buffer of the receiver.
Conventional systems may have additional challenges when receiving from TCP/IP networks prone to forwarding to the receiver segments out of order. This is more evident when the ULP has a PDU larger than a TCP segment, which may be limited, for example, to 1460 Bytes when used on top of Ethernet. Thus, the ULPDU may be split among a plurality of TCP segments. Therefore, some TCP segments may contain only data and no control information that instructs the receiving NIC as to where to place the data. Conventional systems may also include receivers that, in advance, do not know the location of the control information inside the received segment. The only way to find the location of the control information is by processing ULPDUs in a sequential fashion, locating the ULPDU header and processing the ULPDU header according to a specific protocol. The receiver is faced with a choice of either dropping the out-of-order segments and requesting retransmission, which is costly in terms of delay and performance loss, or buffering the out-of-order segments until all the missing segments have been received. Some conventional implementations may choose to accumulate the out-of-order segments, to wait for the missing TCP segments to be received, and then to place them in order. Once the TCP segments have been ordered, then the receiving NIC may commence with the processing of the whole set of TCP segments. The receiving NIC may then analyze the ULP control portions to obtain information relating to data placement. If ULP placement is not used, then an additional copy copied from a TCP temporary buffer to the ULP may be necessary. The process suffers from additional costs including, for example, a temporary buffer, a higher powered CPU and a wider data path. In the case of ULP placement, the process is protocol specific which makes it more difficult to support various protocols. The receiving NIC has to process all the accumulated out-of-order TCP segments concurrently with the reception of new TCP segments from the wire at wire speed, as traffic on the link may continue all the time. This further strains the memory interface and the NIC's header processing entity (e.g., an embedded CPU) and forces the NIC architecture to support an effectively higher data rate than the wire rate.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Self-describing transport protocol segments


A power device includes one or more electrical components, the electrical components including one or more physical attribute. The power device includes one or more sensors configured to monitor the attribute(s). The power device includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including one or more alerting rule. The power device includes one or more processors configured for retrieving the one or more alerting rule from the storage medium. The processors are configured for monitoring one or more sensor value from the sensor(s), wherein the sensor values are associated with the attribute(s). The processors are configured for evaluating the at least one alerting rule during the monitoring, and when the one or more alerting rule results in a pending failure condition, sending a notification to a user.

Power devices, such as direct current to direct current (DC-DC) power converters, direct current to alternating current (DC-AC) power inverters (one phase, three phase, or the like), and/or the like, comprise multiple electronic components. For example, a 4 kilo-watt (KW) power inverter may comprise up to 5000 electronic components, such as capacitors, inductors, resistors, relays, transformers, processors, and/or the like. During and after manufacturing of these power electronics, the power devices may go through multiple stages of testing to ensure that the power device is fully functional before assembly and shipping to customers. These tests ensure that each device is operational according to the requirements, specifications, design, and/or the like, and that there are no faulty components.

Power converter failure detection and prevention


A recording apparatus having a diaphragm valve disposed between an ink tank and a recording head, in which closing and opening the valve produces a flow of ink. The ink tank includes two independent connection ports adjacent to one end at the bottom and a structure being configured to restrict an upward flow of ink and being located above the connection ports. Restricting the upward flow allows a small amount of ink flowing in and out to produce an entire flow of ink within the ink tank. Therefore, variations in concentration caused by precipitation of ink can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid container capable of accommodating pigment ink therein and to an inkjet recording apparatus that supplies the ink from the liquid container to a recording head via a tube or another member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inkjet printing is a printing method that forms an image by spraying a single-color ink or inks of different colors prepared for color printing onto a print medium (e.g., paper or transparency film). A recording apparatus using this inkjet printing method includes a liquid container (ink tank) as a cartridge in the vicinity of a print head on a carriage, the liquid container being integral with or separate from the print head. When the ink has run out in the liquid container, the cartridge is replaced with a new one to restock ink. This cartridge replacement type is the most popular inkjet printer type.
However, the cartridge replacement type has a limitation of providing an ink tank on a carriage up to a certain size. If a large ink tank is provided to reduce the frequency of replacement of the ink tank, a space occupied by the ink tank is significantly large. This increases the size of a recording apparatus and the power required to move the carriage. As a result, a very large power source is required, and other various problems arise.
Thus, in a large recording apparatus that is called a wide format printer, an ink tank having sufficient capacity is detachably mounted on a securing point of the printer. In that printer, supplying ink to a recording head on a carriage through a tube connected to the recording head using a pump is a typical system.
Business-grade recording apparatuses such as wide format printers need to use pigment ink with excellent resistances to water and light. However, the pigment ink has a problem in which pigment precipitates on the bottom of the ink tank when it is left standing for a long time and thus ink concentration varies depending on the location within the ink tank. In particular, variations in concentration are apt to increase with the volume of ink within the ink tank and with the height relative to the base area. For a recording apparatus such as a wide format printer, a significantly large ink tank capacity is desired in order to reduce running costs, and in the case of pigment ink, concentration variations are a very serious problem that might decrease image quality.
One known approach to the problem of concentration variations is an arrangement discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,258. In this arrangement, the bottom of an ink tank is provided with a first connection port for connection with a main body of an apparatus and for use in supplying ink to a recording head and a second connection port for connection with an air communication chamber and for use in introducing air from atmosphere, these two connection ports are disposed adjacent to an end of the bottom of the ink tank, and the inside of the ink tank is agitated by the introduction of bubbles from the communication unit connected to the atmosphere.
Another known approach is an arrangement discussed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-019137 in which the inside of an ink tank is agitated by the introduction and ejection of ink using a pump.
A known method of agitating precipitated ink using bubbles is described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11, and a known method of agitating precipitated ink using the introduction and ejection of ink is described with reference to FIG. 12.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an ink supply route for explaining a known method of agitating precipitated ink using bubbles.
An ink tank 1 detachably mounted on a main body of an inkjet recording apparatus includes two independent connection ports for connection with the main body at the bottom. Each of the two connection ports is formed from a sealant. The inkjet recording apparatus includes connection ports 5 (5a and 5b), each of which is formed from a hollow tube. The first connection port 5a is adjacent to an end of the ink tank 1 and communicates with a recording head 2 through a supply tube 4. Ink is supplied from the ink tank 1 to the recording head 2 through the first connection port 5a. An ink supply valve 3 is located within the ink supply route. Opening and closing the ink supply valve 3 enables and disables the supply of ink to the recording head 2. The second connection port 5b communicates with an air communication chamber 6. Air introduced from an air communication port 7 is introduced into the ink tank 1 through the second connection port 5b. Ink is ejected from the ink tank 1 and the internal pressure of the ink tank 1 is thus reduced, thereby introducing air into the ink tank 1 from the air communication port 7 and thus relieving the internal pressure of the ink tank 1. When the temperature inside the ink tank 1 is increased, air inside the ink tank 1 is expanded, the internal pressure of the ink tank 1 is increased, and ink is ejected from the second connection port 5b to the air communication chamber 6. The air communication chamber 6 has a capacity corresponding to the expansion of air inside the ink tank 1. When ink is discharged from the recording head 2 and consumed, ink stored in the air communication chamber 6 is first consumed, and ink in the ink tank 1 is then consumed.
FIGS. 10A to 10C illustrate how a uniform concentration distribution of pigment ink in the ink tank at the initial stage is changed after the ink tank is left standing.
FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate how a uniform concentration distribution of ink in the ink tank at the time of attachment of the ink tank is changed after the ink tank is left standing. FIG. 10C is a diagram for explaining the structure of concentration distribution. As shown in FIG. 10B, when the ink tank 1 which stores pigment ink is left standing for a predetermined period of time, an ink ingredient distributed in the ink (e.g., pigment) precipitates downward vertically with time. As a result, the concentration of pigment ink at a lower part of the ink tank 1 is increased, and the concentration of pigment ink at an upper part of the ink tank 1 is reduced accordingly. At an intermediate part of the ink tank 1, an appropriate concentration of pigment ink is formed. Therefore, the uniform concentration is changed to a three-layer concentration distribution. As the time for which the ink tank is left standing is increased, the concentration of highly concentrated ink at the lower part of the ink tank 1 is increased, and the amount thereof is also increased. The concentration at the upper part is reduced accordingly. As the height of the ink tank 1 relative to the base area is increased, the concentration and the amount of the highly concentrated ink at the lower part of the ink tank 1 caused by being left standing is increased.
When air is introduced into the ink tank 1, the air forms bubbles, and the bubbles flow toward the top of the ink tank 1 due to their buoyancy. Since the second connection port (air introduction port) 5b of the ink tank 1 is disposed adjacent to an end of the bottom of the ink tank 1, a flow of ink is generated in the ink tank 1, as shown in FIG. 11, and the ink inside the ink tank 1 with the three-layer concentration distribution is thus agitated. As a result, the concentration is rendered uniform.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a method of agitating precipitated ink by causing ink to be introduced into and ejected from an ink tank and thus producing a flow of ink inside the ink tank using a pump.
An ink tank 1 detachably mounted on a main body of an inkjet recording apparatus includes three independent connection ports 5a, 5b, and 5c for connection with the main body at the bottom. Each of the three connection ports is formed from a sealant. The inkjet recording apparatus includes connection ports 5a, 5b, and 5c, each of which is formed from a hollow tube. The first connection port 5a communicates with a recording head 2 via a supply tube 4 and allows ink to be supplied to the recording head 2. The second connection port 5b communicates with an air communication port 7 and allows air introduced from the air communication port 7 to be introduced into the ink tank 1. The third connection port 5c communicates with a pump 400 constructed of a diaphragm and allows ink to be introduced into the ink tank 1 through an ink path 325 and ejected from the ink tank 1 by the driving of the pump 400. Ink flowing in and out of the ink tank 1 changes air pressure within the ink tank 1. As a result, ink is extruded into the air communication port 7 from the second connection port 5b, which is connected to the air communication port 7. During this time, the ink does not virtually flow toward the recording head 2 because channel resistance is large. Ink flowing in and out of the ink tank 1 produces a flow within the ink tank 1, thus allowing precipitated ink to be agitated.
However, for the exemplary agitation method using bubbles described above, if ink is not consumed, air is not introduced into the ink tank and thus agitation effect is not obtained. Therefore, to achieve an increased effect of agitation, a problem arises in which a large amount of ink has to be wasted.
Additionally, because highly concentrated ink is first supplied toward the recording head, an image quality with uniform concentration cannot be obtained unless all the highly concentrated ink is discarded. In this case, a problem arises in which the concentration of ink remaining in the ink tank after the ink is agitated is smaller than the previous concentration.
For the exemplary agitation method by producing a flow of ink within the ink tank, it is necessary to change the amount of ink flowing into and out of the ink tank depending on the amount of ink within the ink tank. Therefore, if the amount of ink is large, it is necessary to have a large amount of ink flowing in and out of the ink tank. This requires not only a large space for holding a large amount of ink at an air communication side but also a large power source for driving a pump. As a result, a problem arises as to the size of the main body of the apparatus and the cost.
The inventor of the present invention conducted an experiment on agitation of the inside of an ink tank having a base area of approximately 60 mm×24 mm and a capacity of 130 ml by only introduction and ejection of ink. The result shows that the amount of ink flowing in and out of the ink tank required to agitate ink within the ink tank is approximately 10 ml, and a very large pump structure and a very large power source are needed.

Liquid container and inkjet recording apparatus


The present invention relates to a water dispenser having a water supplying means provided in the outer of the door of the refrigerator for refilling the water tank when it is empty.. According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that a water dispenser of the refrigerator, wherein the water tank of the water dispenser can be refilled by supplying water from the outside of the door of the refrigerator, comprising: a water supplying box built in the outer of the door of the refrigerator and located higher than said water tank of said water dispenser, further comprising guide grooves on the sidewalls of said water supplying box and a hole to allow the supplied water to flow into said water tank positioned below said water supplying box; an inlet hose for connecting said hole of said water supplying box to said water tank; and a water supplying drawer for insertion into said water supplying box whereby said water supplying drawer is made for sliding tightly, and which comprises a closing portion provided at the bottom of the rear end of said water supplying drawer for closing or opening said hole, and which further comprises guide protrusions provided on the sidewalls of said water supplying drawer for insertion into said guide grooves.. Using the present invention, a user can refill the water tank simply by pulling out the water supplying drawer and supplying water into it without opening the door when the water tank is empty. Therefore, the loss of cool air and resulting power consumption of the refrigerator due to opening of the refrigerator door can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water dispenser mounted on the door of the refrigerator for dispensing chilled water or beverage at the outside of the refrigerator without opening the door.
More particularly, the invention related to a water dispenser having a water supply means provided in the door wall of the refrigerator for refilling the water tank when it is empty.
2. Description of the Related Art
The refrigerator is an appliance for keeping foods and beverage at low temperature. Normally, it is preferable that water or beverage should be kept at about 4.degree. C. temperature. When user opens the door of the refrigerator to enjoy water or beverage kept inside, the cool air in the refrigerator escapes from the refrigerator. Then, the refrigerator needs to consume more electric power to lower the inside temperature again.
Therefore, in order to reduce the power consumption of the refrigerator, its door should be open as infrequently as possible. For this purpose, the refrigerator having a water dispenser disposed in the door of the refrigerator has recently been marketed.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side elevational view showing the structure of a conventional water dispenser. The water dispenser 101 includes a water tank 111 provided inside of the refrigerator door 110, and a water discharging part 116 provided outside of the refrigerator door 110.
The water discharging part 116 has a cock 113 connected with the water tank 111 through a drain hose 112, an operating lever 114 for opening and closing the cock 113, and a water receiving tray 115 provided in opposite site of the cock 113.
For this type of water dispenser, in order to chill water or beverage, user opens the cap 117 of the water tank 111 and supplies the water tank 111 with water or beverage. After a few hours, water or beverage contained in the water tank 111 is chilled by cooling air circulated in the refrigerator. When user wants to drink chilled water or beverage, he does not need to open the door 110 of the refrigerator. He merely pushes the operating lever 114 of the water dispenser 101 toward "A" direction with a cup 118. Then, the cock 113 is opened by pushing the operating lever 114, and chilled water or beverage contained in the water tank 111 is discharged to the cup 118 through the drain hose 112. When the user removes the cup 118 and releases the operating lever 114, the operating lever 114 returns to its original position and the cock 113 is closed to stop the discharge of the chilled water or beverage.
According to the above conventional water dispenser, user does not have to open the door of the refrigerator to get chilled water or beverage. However, when the water tank is empty, user must open the door of the refrigerator to re-supply the water tank with water or beverage. In order to re-supply the water tank with water or beverage, user must open the door of the refrigerator and separate the water tank from the door of the refrigerator.
Consequently, a great quantity of cooling air in the refrigerator escapes from the refrigerator during the above process which results in a waste of electric power energy.
Another prior art example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,442, discloses a refrigerator with a water dispenser combined with a reverse osmosis water purification system so that purified water is available at an ice-maker and water tap forming part of the refrigerator. The prior art allows user to get cool water without opening the door of the refrigerator.
Also since city water is supplied directly to the tank, it is not necessary to open the door to re-supply the water tank with water or beverage which result in a great deal of power consumption. However, the structure of the system is very complicated, and thus the maintenance of the system become more difficult.


A device on a spinning preparation machine, for example a tuft feeder, having a feed device comprising at least one slow-speed feed roller and a counter-element, for example a feed tray, with which fibre material can be supplied to a downstream transport device, has a driven transport element, for example a conveyor belt. In order to provide improved delivery from the feed device, or improved takeover by the downstream transport device, and to allow troublefree operation, for the purpose of determining setting values for the optimum speed of the transport element, a function between the measured values of the feed roller speed and the measured values of the transport speed is so determined that the fibre material lies on the moving surface of the transport element.

The invention relates to a device on a spinning preparation machine, for example a tuft feeder, having a feed device comprising at least one slow-speed feed roller and a counter-element, for example a feed tray, with which fibre material can be supplied to a downstream transport device having a driven transport element, for example a conveyor belt.
In systems for the volumetric scanning of fibre streams, friction inevitably arises. When there is a continuous stream of fibre material, such friction results in compaction of the fibre material in the direction of flow. Once the fibre stream has emerged from the gap of the roller/tray system, the tension on the fibre material is relaxed and the fibre material assumes a higher exit speed relative to the circumferential speed of the feed roller. Particularly in the case of slow throughflow speeds, there is considerably more time available until the next working step, which inevitably also results in a greater relaxation of the tension on the fibre material. In practice, when the system settings are designed for high throughflow speeds, the emerging fibre mat is thrown upwards in the start-up phase, which generally leads to faults occurring in the subsequent working step.
It is an aim of the invention to provide a device of the kind described at the beginning which avoids or mitigates the mentioned disadvantages, which especially allows improved delivery from the feed device, or improved takeover by the downstream transport device, and allows troublefree operation.

Device on a spinning preparation machine, for example a tuft feeder, having a feed device


A media size sensing system includes independently moveable length and width edge guides, in a media tray, for positioning against orthogonal edges of media sheets. A linearly sliding sensor device is provided, and a single linkage connects the length and width edge guides to the sensor device, the single linkage providing a unique position indication that is a function of both length and width for a range of media sheet sizes.

Media trays for imaging devices, such as printers and photocopiers, are typically configured to accommodate various sizes of print media (e.g. paper, cardstock, etc.). To this end, most media trays include a moveable length edge guide and a moveable width edge guide. The length and width edge guides hold the media in a neat stack in a constant location, so that the position and orientation of the media stays substantially constant as the imaging machine draws sheets into the imaging mechanism.
Systems have been developed to automatically detect the size of print media that is in the tray, and provide this information to the imaging device or a computer associated therewith. Automatic detection of media size helps prevent certain types of imaging errors, such as printing a document on the wrong size media, or printing in the wrong location on the media. In many cases, automatic media size sensing is achieved using two sets of sensors—one set of sensors associated with the length edge guide, and another set of sensors associated with the width edge guide. This approach tends to be costly, includes many parts, and can reduce reliability. Additionally, some automatic media size sensing systems can have difficulty distinguishing between two media sizes that are close in length and/or width.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A router table sled for use with a router table and a router table fence includes an arm assembly that rides along the fence and a strut assembly that supports the workpiece. The arm assembly includes a slider that slides along an upper edge of the fence and an arm attached to an upper edge of the slide. The arm is usually in a position perpendicular to the slide. The arm is also coupled to a strut assembly that includes a main strut, and two additional struts located beneath the main strut. Each strut includes a longitudinally-centered T-shaped slot formed into top, front, and rear faces. The front faces of each strut lie substantially within the same plane. The two lower struts have opposing edges that are spaced a predetermined distance from each other. When a workpiece is clamped to the faces of the struts, an edge may be placed against the fence. The workpiece may then be moved across the router bit to produce a square cut.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to woodworking accessories and, more particularly, to a sled for use with a router table.
2. Background
The electric router is one of the most versatile woodworking tools available. The router was originally designed as a "hand shaper" for cutting moldings and profiles. With a modest selection of cutters, it may also be used for shaping, joint-making, duplicating, and trimming.
Many fixtures will hold a router stationary. Their design depends on where the operator wants to hold the tool in relation to the workpiece. An overarm router, for example, holds the router above the work. This is useful for certain pattern-routing operations. A joint maker typically holds the router beside the work to make joinery cuts. The most versatile stationary routing jig, however, is a router table, which holds the router below the work.
On most router tables, the router is attached to a mounting plate, made from thin plastic or metal. This plate is mounted flush with the surface of the table, suspending the router upside down below it. A design that is superior to in many respects uses a stiff steel table, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,880, for a "Router Table Top", which is incorporated by reference herein. To use a table-mounted router, the workpiece is typically guided along a fence as it passes over the bit. A router table fence is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,407 for a "Router Table Fence System", which is incorporated by reference herein.
In combination, the router, router table, and fence facilitate the creation of numerous types of woodworking patterns and joints. Edge treatments such as roundovers, chamfers, and ogees may be easily created using the proper router bit. Moreover, complex decorative joints, such as dovetail joints may be routed on a router table using dovetail bits. Rabbets and grooves may be formed with safety and control. The router/router table/fence combination may even be used for less conventional purposes, such as jointing an edge of a warped board.
Nevertheless, certain operations are difficult to perform using only a router table and a fence. Routing the end of a workpiece, for instance, is difficult and can be unsafe because only a small surface area of the piece contacts the fence and the user's fingers pass dangerously close to the high-velocity bit. Finally, finger joints-regularly spaced cuts along the width of a workpiece-cannot be easily cut with the router/router table/fence combination alone. Instead, such joints often must be created using a table saw or additional router table jigs or accessories.


An electronic device comprising a solar cell, a secondary battery charged by an output from the solar cell, an illumination detector for detecting the brightness of the environment of the solar cell based on the output from the solar cell, a display unit, an electroluminescence (EL) element for illumining the display unit, an attitude detector for detecting an attitude of the electronic device, a driver for driving the EL element on the basis of the attitude of the electronic device detected by the attitude detector and the result of the detection by the illumination detector. Only when the illumination detector detects that the environment of the solar cell is dark, and the attitude detector detects that the electronic device takes a specified attitude, the EL element is turned on. Otherwise, the illuminator is not turned on. Thus, wasteful power consumption is suppressed to prolong the solar cell's service life.

The present invention relates to electronic devices with a solar cell.
There are electronic wristwatches which each include an EL (electroluminescence) element which enables the time appearing in a time display unit to be visually recognized at night and a slant switch which is turned on when the wristwatch is slanted in a specified direction so that the EL element is turned on to illumine the time display unit.
With such arrangement, only by slanting the wristwatch in a specified direction without operating the switch, the EL element is turned on. Although no illumination is required, the EL element is automatically turned on only by slanting slightly an arm on which the wristwatch is worn to thereby increase wasteful power consumption.
In order to avoid such problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,612,931 discloses that the user operates a switch to select one of an EL element on mode in which when a slant switch is turned on, the EL element is turned on, and an EL off mode in which even when the slant switch is turned on, the EL element is not turned on.
However, in such arrangement, the switching operation is troublesome. The user can often forget the switching operation, and the EL element can remain turned on even when no illumination is required, and wasteful power would be consumed.
Electronic devices are manufactured and marketed which each include a solar cell whose output voltage charges a capacitor or a secondary battery whose voltage drives that solar cell.
When such electronic device is of a small type and can only include a capacitor and/or a secondary battery, and if the EL element is tried to be driven by the voltage of the capacitor or secondary battery, the capacity or battery would soon become dead because the charging capacity of the capacitor or secondary battery is small. Thus, it is required to minimize wasteful power consumption.


A door bell notification and personal protection system includes a warning notification module adapted to recognize at least one of a door bell notification from a door bell ringer or emergency transmission signal from a wireless transmitter and thereafter provide a recognition signal to a microprocessor. The microprocessor is adapted to retrieve dog barking sounds stored in a memory and provide the dog barking sounds to at least one of an amplifier or radio frequency transmitter after the microprocessor receives the recognition signal from the warning notification module. Dog barking sounds can be broadcasted using the wireless transmitter. A delay module can enable processing with a delay time after first receipt of the recognition signal. A random module can enable random retrieval of various dog barking sounds from memory for processing. A time out module can disable operation of the microprocessor at a set time after recognition signal receipt.

Door bells are in wide use at personal residences and some businesses to notify occupants about the arrival of a guest or solicitor. Door bell ringers are typically located on the outer perimeter of an exterior front door frame to a residence, where it can be easily located by a visitor. Although many door bells have been hard-wired from the switch located at the front door to the actual door bell in a hallway, entry, or the like, many modern door bell systems are being provided as wireless, battery operated devices adapted to transmit a wireless signal to a companion (or matching) receiving device that includes a speaker for electronically announcing a ring tone as notification that a visitor has arrived and is waiting outside the front door.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, both labeled as "prior art", a modern, wireless door bell system is illustrated. A modern door bell ringer 10 is typically battery powered and can be mounted to the outer exterior of a doorway for a dwelling. The door bell ringer has a plunger switch 15 that activates a radio frequency transmitter 17 when it is pressed by a visitor. A radio frequency signal is transmitted from the door bell ringer 10 with a specific frequency, or bearing a specific code. The frequency or code is set by a code module 19. In some transmitters, the code is set by a series of dip switches, which are known in the art. The unique signal sent by the door bell ringer 10 is received by a door bell 20 located within the dwelling within hearing range of the dwelling's occupants. As shown in FIG. 1B, the door bell 20 includes a radio frequency receiver 21 adapted by a companion code module 22 adapted to recognize the unique signal transmitted by the door bell ringer 10. If the unique signal, e.g., code, is recognized, a microprocessor enables a ring tone stored in a memory 23 to be amplified 27 and announced through a speaker 29.
Although door bells have proven to be very useful to occupants of a residence as well as guests/solicitors trying to notify residents that the guest/solicitor is waiting outside the exterior door, it is possible that criminals may also be calling in order to "case", or otherwise assess the vulnerability of and the value of contents within, a home or business. If the door bell is answered, the criminal can achieve the objective of assessing the dwelling, size up the occupants and determine whether alarms or pets are employed for security purposes. Most alarms have a "chime" feature that can make occupants aware that a door has been opened. A criminal can also hear the chime sounding when the front door is opened. A real, live dog typically barks whenever a door bell is rang. This too can be heard by a criminal with bad intent. As part of casing a home or business, the criminal is likely to pass on a dwelling that is protected by alarms or pets for just a routine burglary and look for a "softer" target.
The present inventors realize that protection of one's self and property is enhanced where barking dogs are present in a dwelling; unfortunately, it is not always convenient to own a live dog where home owners are routinely away from their residence for long periods of time, or where it is too burdensome to care for a pet. For these reasons, the present inventors have developed an electronic door bell notification and personal protection system that will enable the sounds of a barking dog shortly after the ringing of a doorbell, or by the activation of a portable, wireless transmitter.

Dog bark door bell notification and personal protection system


An improved end tank-to-header joint is disclosed. An end tank is formed with a flange portion that has at least one groove therein. A gasket having a predetermined cross-sectional shape is provided with at least one tongue portion that is adapted to engage the groove in an interference fit, thereby integrating the gasket with the end tank. A header is crimped to form a channel. The channel has a shape the corresponds to the shape of the gasket, such that the gasket is fully seated within the channel. A distal end of the header is then crimped around the flange of the end tank to ensure a fluid-tight seal at the joint.

It is known to provide heat exchanger assemblies that incorporate a metallic header and a plastic end tank with a gasket being disposed therebetween to provide a fluid-tight seal at the end tank-to-header joint. Known gaskets are not secured to either the header or the end tank but rather the gasket is placed in the header where it is not accurately positioned. This technique is disadvantageous. The gasket will only provide a fluid-tight seal if the gasket is properly positioned on the end tank. The process of mechanically attaching the gasket to the surface of the header may result in misalignment of the gasket, thereby causing defective assemblies that have to be either reassembled or scrapped.
To overcome the disadvantages of not securing the gasket, one known tank-to-header joint employs a gasket that is adhered to the end tank by means of a molding technique. In joints of this type, the end tank is formed with a slot that has deformable projections along the sides of the slot. The gasket is then molded directly to the end tank, the molding process forcing the gasket material to deform the projections such that the projections serve as retaining members for keeping the gasket attached to the end tank. This method is costly and complicated. Therefore, there exists a need for a simple and economically advantageous method of forming the end tank-to-header joint wherein the gasket is integrated with end tank while maintaining the proper alignment of the end tank, gasket and header.


A system for detecting a possibility of boiling over and preventing said boiling over, the system comprising a vessel (101) having a lid (102), the lid (102) being characterised in that it is configured: to receive information on an initial level of a vessel content and a current level of the vessel content; and based on a difference between the initial level and the current level as well as the time of a creation of said difference: to instruct, by means of a controller (203), a height actuator (207) of the lid (102) to extend said lid (102) vertically, in order to extend the height of said vessel (101); and to instruct, by means of a controller (203), an aperture actuator (206) to create an aperture in a top of the lid (102) in order to facilitate exchange of heat.

Boiling over is a situation when a liquid (or vessel content in general), that is being heated, rises up and flows over the edge of the cooking vessel.
Typically, in any cooking vessel having a lid, during cooking near the boiling point of food present in said vessel (for example pasta etc.), foam may form, which may spill over the edge of said vessel, displacing the lid and causing the contents of said vessel to overflow down its sides of the outer walls and further onto a cooktop.
Said foam rises mainly because of the presence of the lid, which prevents normal venting and cooling of the boiling surface. On the other hand, such lid is beneficial in order to keep the heat inside said vessel as it reduces energy use, and shortens boiling time.
Thus, it is frequently required to personally, supervise the cooking constantly in order to detect a possibility of boiling over and preventing said boiling over. This in turn is inconvenient. Sometimes boiling over is so rapid, that even if a person is present in the kitchen, the person may still miss the beginning of the boiling over process.
As a solution, some lids provide a small aperture (having a diameter in a range of few millimeters) in the lid to let excess pressure escape via the aperture. However, a small aperture sufficient to decrease pressure will not be sufficient to prevent boiling over.
Prior art defines "A cooking vessel for an induction cooktop" EP3226650A1, which discloses a cooking vessel comprising at least one movable magnetic material base plate provided at heat conducting zone of the cooking vessel, wherein the movable magnetic material base plate transfers heat from the induction cooktop to contents in the cooking vessel.
The cooking vessel further comprises at least one non-magnetic material base plate, placed adjacent to the at least one movable magnetic material base plate, wherein the non-magnetic material base plate blocks transfer of heat from induction cooktop to the contents. Further, an insulation pocket, placed adjacent to the at least one movable magnetic material base plate, is configured to house the at least one movable magnetic material base plate. Furthermore, an actuator is configured to displace the at least one movable magnetic material base plate from the heat conducting zone to the insulation pocket based on a control signal.
Therefore, the solution of EP3226650A1 is limited to induction cooktops and at the same time results in wasting energy, because the cooktop still operates at the previous power while the vessel is prevented from transferring this power to the food being prepared.
It would be advantageous to present a solution that would be more efficient at preventing boiling over, would be more energy efficient and will be applicable to all types of cooktops.
The aim of the development of the present invention is an improved and cost effective method and system for detecting a possibility of boiling over and preventing said boiling over.

System for detecting a possibility of boiling over and preventing said boiling over


The present invention relates to a stationary exercise apparatus having an adjustable assembly connected to the frame for changing the position of the console or the handles. The stationary exercise apparatus comprises a frame, an adjustable assembly which has part of the frame, a moving member pivoted to the frame, a guiding mechanism interconnected the moving member and the frame, and an upright post mounted on the guiding mechanism, a crank unit mounted on the moving member, left and right supporting members respectively connected to the crank unit, left and right swing members respectively connected to the left and right supporting members, and left and right pedals respectively coupled to the left and right supporting members.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stationary exercise apparatus, more particularly to a stationary exercise apparatus with an adjustable assembly to change the position thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Indoor exercise has become indispensability to people who enjoy exercising. In a variety of indoor stationary exercise apparatus, elliptical or cross-training exercise apparatus have been popular for several years. Early elliptical exercise apparatus typically had a single mode of operation, and exercise intensity was varied by increasing operating speed or resistance. More recently, enhancing exercise intensity in some exercise apparatus has been made by varying the moving path of the user's feet, such as inclining the moving path or increasing the stride length.
Particularly, the elliptical exercise apparatus which use the method of inclining the moving path of the user's feet to enhance exercise intensity usually have a problem. The problem is that makes the user too near or too far away the console or the handles during inclined process. That results in inconvenience for the user to operate the elliptical exercise apparatus. This is because the upright post which is configured for supporting the console or the handles of prior elliptical exercise apparatus is mounted on the stationary frame and can't be adjusted to move forward or rearward.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,804 discloses two mechanisms for adjusting the incline of an elliptical exercise apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,552 also discloses another elliptical exercise apparatus in which the incline of the moving path of the user's feet can be adjusted. But the console and the handles are mounted on the stationary frame and can't be adjusted according to the incline of the moving path.
Clearly for the forgoing reasons, there is still a need for a stationary exercise apparatus which can make the user to adjust position of the upright post to drive the console or the handles at appropriate location according to the incline of the moving path of the user's feet.


The invention relates to a method of producing a multifunctional functional unit with a rigid support structure, in which control elements and/or display elements are arranged behind a transparent surface layer which is continuous over substantially the entire functional unit. The method includes punching a positioning hole in a transparent plastic film with a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.4 mm; positioning the film into an injection mold using the positioning hole, with a corresponding positioning means for engaging in the positioning hole; back-injecting film to form a plastics support on the first side, the injection mold being designed such that, of the plastic film is not back-injected at the control elements and/or display elements, on the second side the plastics film is flooded with a transparent curing casting compound to form a continuous transparent surface layer.

These days, control elements and display devices as well as buttons of all types are incorporated in automobile interiors in recesses in a large panel. This results in gaps and material transitions.
Currently known solutions may be summarized as follows:
Membrane keyboards with embossing or coating application: membrane keyboards meet the requirements of a continuous surface and, through embossing or selective coating or silicone application, of formed-on button geometries, are however always restricted to a flat basic geometry. See for example DE 20 2005 012 021 U1.
Thermoformed film: as a result of thermoforming, films may be transformed into a three-dimensional shape and button geometries may also be formed. Limitations result from the required bending radii (sharp edges are impossible) and the minimum spacing of the buttons (there must be sufficient material for thermoforming between the buttons). Functional actuation of such a button is also not simple to achieve, since the deformed film also has to effect the button stroke. Such films also have a great tendency to fail quickly during an actuation endurance test.
Silicone surface: freely shaped functional operator interfaces may be made from silicone. This solution is distinguished by a soft surface and limited brilliance of the silicone colours. It is for this reason that this solution is often not selected precisely for large-area applications.


Provided are novel human-derived dipeptide repeat (DPR) specific antibodies as well as synthetic variants and biotechnological derivatives thereof, preferably capable of binding C9ORF72 DPRs, as well as methods related thereto. Assays, kits, and solid supports related to antibodies specific for DPRs and DPR proteins such C9ORF72 DPRs are also disclosed. The antibody of the present invention can be used in pharmaceutical and diagnostic compositions for DPR protein-targeted immunotherapy and diagnostics.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) belongs to a group of clinically, pathologically and genetically heterogeneous disorders associated with atrophy in the frontal lobe and temporal lobe of the brain. It is the second most common cause of early-onset of dementia. Cognitive symptoms are variable and include dementia, changes of the behavior as well as personality, language dysfunctions, and/or psychosis with are due to the degeneration of the frontal and temporal cortex. Due to its symptoms FTLD can be divided into three groups (i) behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTLD), (ii) semantic dementia (SD), or (iii) progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA). Patients with FTLD die 5-10 years after symptom onset, since no suitable therapy is available. However, 50% of FTLD patient were shown to have a positive family history and compared to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) seems to represent a disease continuum with a shared underlying pathogenesis. Although both autosomal dominant disorders were shown to be genetically and pathologically heterogeneous, see, e.g., Vance et al., Brain 129 (2006), 868-876, genetic analysis identified a heterozygous expanded hexanucleotide repeat (GGGGCC) located between the noncoding exons 1a and 1b of the C9ORF72 gene as the most common genetic cause of FTLD and ALS; see, e.g., DeJesus-Hernandez et al., Neuron 72 (2011), 245-256 and Renton et al., Neuron 72 (2011), 257-268. In particular, it was shown that the unconventional non-ATG translation of the sense transcript in the three alternate reading frames, i.e. of the expanded hexanucleotide repeats, resulted in the production, generation and aggregation of three different polypeptides, each composed of repeating units of two amino acids (dipeptide repeats, DPRs), i.e. poly-(Gly-Ala; GA), poly-(Gly-Pro; GP) and poly-(Gly-Arg; GR). Furthermore, translation of corresponding antisense transcripts results in the generation of poly-(Pro-Arg; PR), poly-(Pro-Ala; PA), and poly-(Gly-Pro; GP). These C9ORF72-dipeptide repeat (DPR) expansions were shown to account for up to 30% of FTLD, 50% of ALS and 80% of FTLD-ALS patients with the highest mutation frequencies observed in US and EU Caucasian populations. Additionally, patients with C9ORF72-DPR expansion with more than 19 repeats had a lower age of onset, increased incidence of neurological disorders, and a propensity towards psychosis or hallucinations compared to patients with other forms of FTLD and/or ALS; see, e.g., Harms et al., Neurobiol. Aging 34 (2013), e13-e19.
However, also other diseases and/or disorders have been reported which seem to be associated with a hexanucleotide repeat expansions, e.g., spinocerebellar ataxia type 36. Indeed, such tandem repeats (either as microsatellites or minisatellites) are mutation-prone DNA in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. For example, the cell surface adhesins of bacteria often contain the minisatellite SD repeats, encoding the amino acid pair of serine-aspartate with an array of 18-nucleotide repeats, whose elements follow the consensus GAYTCNGAYTCN GAYAGY, where N is any base and Y is T or C, especially in Staphylococcal strains. It has been found that serine-aspartate repeats (SDR) are present in a variable repetitive region of these adhesins, such as the R domain of clumping factor A (ClfA); see, e.g., Hazenbos et al., PLOS Pathogens 9 (2013), e1003653.
Treatments for diseases and/or disorders associated with a dipeptide repeat (DPR) expansion, e.g. medicaments which slow down the progression of the disease, are missing. The major focus of medical care so far lies in the provision of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of the often very stressful accompanying symptoms. However, so far there is no evidence for an effective treatment.
This technical problem is solved by the embodiments characterized in the claims and described further below and illustrated in the Examples and Figures.

Human-derived anti-dipeptide repeats (DPRs) antibody