In an exemplary method, a filter driver on a computer system receives notification of an event during which a display screen on a display device of the computer system should be blank. An example of such an event is a remote management operation being performed on the computer system. The filter driver receives messages that are directed to a display driver for the display device. The filter driver receives the messages before they are received by the display driver. Some of the messages may comprise a power on message that, if received by the display driver, would cause the display screen to be powered on. The filter driver discards each power on message that is received during the event so that the display driver does not receive any power on messages during the event.

Computer and communication technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace. Indeed, computer and communication technologies are involved in many aspects of a person's day. Computers commonly used include everything from hand-held computing devices to large multi-processor computer systems.
Computers, particularly those used in business operations, may require remote management operations to add, repair, or change the configuration of the software and/or hardware. Often these management operations, though initiated and controlled remotely, cause changes that are visible on the display screen of the local computer. These visible changes may be undesirable for a variety of reasons.
For example, the visible changes on the display screen may present a security risk. During a remote management operation a technician may need to access resources, enter credentials, run applications, or perform other operations whose visual display would reveal information that may allow a user to more successfully violate security, corporate, or common-sense policies of behavior.
Visible changes on the display screen may also be a possible cause for alarm to any person who can see them. Persons at or near the managed node may or may not be aware of the intent and methods of the remote management operation. A well-intentioned person could perceive that the changes on the screen indicate that a computer virus, spy ware program, or other malicious program is running. As a result, someone may attempt to stop the perceived malicious program by terminating running processes, disconnecting resources, or powering off the system. These actions may interfere with the management operation and may also lead to the managed node being in an unstable or unusable state.
In view of the foregoing, benefits may be realized by systems and methods for blanking a computer's display screen at various times, such as during remote management operations. Unfortunately, known systems and methods for blanking a computer's display screen suffer from various drawbacks. Embodiments disclosed herein relate to improved systems and methods for blanking a computer's display screen.

Systems and methods for blanking a display screen on a display device of a computer system


The disclosed device provides an improved mounting assembly for securely supporting elongated items against a surface. The assembly provides a mount with an aperture, which interacts with a flexible tie for retaining the items. The aperture contains a tab, which provides frictional force for the flexible tie when it is placed through the aperture in a preassembled state. The device may also include a diaphragm and a mounting stud extending downwardly from the mount. The diaphragm will provide tension and resistance when the mounting stud is inserted into a supporting surface. The stud may also contain staggered or asymmetrical branches that extend from either side of a center section of the stud. Furthermore, the stud may include a pilot branch located at the end of the stud that will be inserted into the supporting surface. The stud may have a spine and rib that assist in securing the device within a surface.

This invention relates generally to hardware for securing bundled elongate articles, such as wires, cables, hoses, tubing, fiber optics, conduits, vines, etc., to a supporting structure. More particularly, the invention relates to a mounting element for securing elongated articles, extending from the hardware and into the supporting structure or its facing surface.
Flexible ties are widely used to secure elongate items, such as wires, cables, hoses and tubes, into compact, secure bundles. Typically, such ties include a head and a flexible strap, which terminates in a tail. In use, the tie is inserted through the head or slotted opening of a mount, such as a saddle mount, and then looped around the elongate item. The tail is then pulled tight to pull the strap around the articles, and thereby secure the articles into a compact, neat bundle. A pawl mechanism within the head secures the strap against withdrawal.
In many applications, it is sufficient merely to secure the items into a bundle. Such applications might include, for example, stationary electronic equipment that remains in one place and is subject to little or no vibration in use. In other applications, it is necessary or desirable not only to secure the items into a bundle, but to secure the resulting bundle to a supporting chassis or framework as well. Such applications are also common, for example, in cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, boats and other vehicles where the bundle is likely to be subjected to severe jostling and vibration. In other applications (e.g. buildings), where vibration might not be an important consideration, it is still desirable to secure cables, hoses, tubes, etc., to a fixed structure.
Generally, the strap and the mount will be manufactured as separate items. However, since the strap and mount are used together, it is advantageous that the items be located near each other before being used for bundling an object or objects. Preferably, the items would be loosely joined together in some fashion.
Likewise, many mounts do not provide an efficient, tight grip when applied to a support surface. Previous Christmas tree or fir tree mounts, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,510, issued to Benoit et al., contemplates strengthened mounting studs, but still leave room for improvement. Such mounts may not provide sufficient resistance and tightness against the support surface for adequately supporting a bundled item. Likewise, such mounts may utilize a longer than necessary mounting stud and may not be easily inserted into the support surface. The present invention provides for an improved mounting assembly to address these problems.


The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium, which has high dispersion property, high breaking extension and excellent running durability. The magnetic recording medium comprises a magnetic layer having at least one layer of ferromagnetic powder and a binder, said magnetic layer being placed on a non-magnetic support member, whereby said binder contains at least a polyurethane resin (A) and a polyether polyester urethane resin (B), said polyurethane resin (A) contains a polyol with molecular weight of 500 to 5,000 by 0 to 50 weight %, said polyol being obtained by adding alkylene oxide to a diol having cyclic structure, said polyurethane resin (A) also contains a diol having cyclic structure and/or a short-chain diol with molecular weight of 200 to 500 by 15 to 50 weight %, said short-chain diol being obtained by adding alkylene oxide to diol, said polyurethane resin contains ether groups obtained from said diol and said polyol by 1.0 to 5.0 mmol/g to the total quantity of the polyurethane resin.

The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium, having high electromagnetic transfer characteristics and durability and comprising one or more magnetic layers where ferromagnetic powder and a binder are dispersed, and said magnetic layers are placed on a non-magnetic support member.
The magnetic recording medium is widely used as recording tape, video tape or floppy disk. In the magnetic recording medium, a magnetic layer where ferromagnetic powder is dispersed in a binder is deposited on a non-magnetic support member.
The magnetic recording medium must be at high level in electromagnetic transfer characteristics, running durability and running performance. Specifically, in an audio tape for recording and reproducing musical sound, higher ability to reproduce the original sound is required. In a video tape, high ability to reproduce the original picture and excellent electromagnetic transfer characteristics are required.
In addition to the high electromagnetic transfer characteristics, the magnetic recording medium must have good running durability as described above. To provide good running durability, abrasive material and lubricant are added to the magnetic layer.
However, to have good running durability by adding an abrasive material, it is necessary to increase the adding quantity of the abrasive material to some extent, and this leads to the decrease of filling degree of the ferromagnetic powder. Also, in case the abrasive material having larger particle size is used to provide higher running durability, abrasive material may protrude excessively on the surface of the magnetic layer. Therefore, the improvement of running durability by the use of abrasive material causes problems such as deterioration of the electromagnetic transfer characteristics.
In case it is tried to improve the running durability by adding a lubricant, it is necessary to increase the adding quantity. This makes the binder more easily plasticizable and may decrease the durability of the magnetic layer.
In improving the durability and the electromagnetic transfer characteristics as described above, the binder, serving as one of major components of the magnetic layer, naturally plays an important role. Vinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, urethane resin, acrylic resin, etc. as used in the past have caused problems such as deterioration of abrasion resistance of the magnetic layer or contamination of running members of the magnetic tape.
To solve the above problems, a method to use a harder binder and to increase hardness of the magnetic layer has been adopted, and it is proposed to produce a magnetic recording medium which uses a binder comprising a polyurethane resin with high hardness having an ether group-containing urethane of cyclic structure. For example, JP-A-1251416 describes a magnetic recording medium where a binder is used, which comprises a polyurethane resin containing polycarbonate structure by 5-50%. Also, JP-A-61148626 discloses a magnetic recording medium where a binder is used, which comprises a bisphenol type polyurethane resin containing polyol by 20 weight % or more. Further, JP-A-1267829 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,071) teaches a magnetic recording medium where a polyurethane is used, which contains a polyether polyol having cyclic structure.
The magnetic recording medium using these polyurethane resins as binder has high durability, while its dynamic strength at high temperature is not high. In particular, in an equipment used for high density recording, number of revolutions of magnetic head is high. The number of revolutions of the magnetic head is 9,600 rpm in a digital video tape recorder, 1,800 rpm in an analog video tape recorder for domestic use and 5,000 rpm for video tape recorder for business use. As a result, sliding speed between the magnetic recording medium and the magnetic head increases. Heat is generated due to sliding of the head where the tape is running at high speed, and magnetic coating film is fluidized, thereby leading to contamination of the head.
It has been proposed to increase heat resistance, moisture resistance, hydrolysis resistance, etc. by the use of a polyether polyester urethane resin. For example, JP-A-61104325 discloses a magnetic recording medium where a binder comprising a polyether polyester urethane resin is used, which contains a polyether polyol having an aromatic residual group. Also, JP-A-62121922 describes a magnetic recording medium where a binder comprising a urethane resin is used, which contains a polyether polyester polyol having aromatic hydrocarbon residual group. In the polyurethane described in JP-A-61104325, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide addition product, aromatic polybasic acid, etc. are used with PTMG (polytetramethylene glycol) and phenolic OH, and this has high heat resistance and hydrolysis resistance. Although there is no description on polyol content, it is about 55 weight % when calculated from the examples, and durability at high temperature is not sufficient. Because the content of ether group, serving as hydrophilic segment, is 7 mmol/g, it has low solubility in solvent, and dispersion property of the magnetic member is not satisfactory. The product disclosed by the latter patent has also similar problems.
JP-A-3201211 discloses a magnetic recording medium using a urethane resin, which contains a polyether block and a polyester block. PPG, PTMG, etc. are used as the polyether polyol, and PCL, butane diol adipate, etc. are used as polyester polyol, providing high hydrolysis resistance. However, the polyol content calculated from the examples is 60 weight % or more, and dynamic strength at high temperature is not sufficient.
In the magnetic layer using the polyurethane resins as given above, it is described that these are used alone or together with vinyl resin, but the disadvantage that the polyurethane resin has high strength but is fragile cannot be overcome.
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic recording medium, which has high dispersion property and excellent electromagnetic transfer characteristics and also has coating film surface with high hardness at high temperature and superb durability at high temperature condition, and in particular, the invention provides a magnetic recording medium using a binder which contains a polyurethane having excellent properties.


Soft buffer management circuitry is provided for use in a device of a wireless communication system. The soft buffer management circuitry has input circuitry for receiving information relating to an aggregated carrier comprising a plurality, NDU/ULcells, of configured component carriers. Control circuitry is provided for prioritizing allocation of storage in the soft buffer depending on a carrier index value indicating a prioritization of a corresponding component carrier relative to the other configured component carriers. The buffer is partitioned into a number min (NC, NDL/ULcells) partitions, where NC gives a number of carriers for which soft buffer storage is to be prioritized. A UE comprising the soft buffer management circuitry and a soft buffer management method are also provided.

Wireless mobile communication technology uses various standards and protocols to transmit data between a node (e.g., a transmission station) and a wireless device (e.g., a mobile device). Some wireless devices communicate using orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) in a downlink (DL) transmission and single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) in an uplink (UL) transmission. Standards and protocols that use orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for signal transmission include the third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced (LTE-A).
In 3GPP radio access network (RAN) LTE and LTE-A systems, the node can be a combination of Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node Bs (also commonly denoted as evolved Node Bs, enhanced Node Bs, eNodeBs, or eNBs) and Radio Network Controllers (RNCs), which communicate with the wireless device, known as a user equipment (UE). Examples of a UE include a mobile terminal, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a machine-type communication (MTC) device. A downlink (DL) transmission can be a communication from the node (or eNodeB) to the wireless device (or UE), and an uplink (UL) transmission can be a communication from the wireless device to the node. Instead of communication via eNodeBs, communication between wireless equipment can be performed using peer-to-peer or device-to-device communication. A wireless equipment includes at least a UE, a picocell, a femtocell and a relay node.
As mobile technology advances, there is a requirement to provide increasing peak data throughput to meet user demand, for example to provide high data-rate services. Some services, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are delay sensitive and should respect Quality of Service (QoS) constraints.
Carrier aggregation allows a single wireless connection to use multiple radio frequency (RF) carriers, known as Component Carriers (CCs) and increases channel bandwidth so that peak and average throughput can be increased. LTE Release 10 version defines signaling to support up to five component carriers to give a maximum combined channel bandwidth of up to 100 MHz. Component carriers can be intra-band contiguous, intra-band non-contiguous or even located in different bands (inter-band non-contiguous). Carrier aggregation is applicable to both uplink and downlink directions and to both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD).
Carrier aggregation is considered as one of the main approaches to increase data rate performance of LTE-A systems and beyond. There are a large number of Release-10 UEs already available on the market that support aggregation of two carriers. It is expected that demands of carrier aggregation (CA) capable UEs with aggregation of multiple carriers in the future will become even higher. For example, LTE with licensed-assisted access (also known as LTE for unlicensed spectrum) may operate a with large number component carriers that may be aggregated at the UE to increase the peak data rate.
Carrier aggregation categorizes cells as primary cells and secondary cells. The primary cell is the cell upon which the UE performs an initial connection establishment and each wireless connection has a single primary cell that uses a primary radio frequency (RF) carrier that can be changed during a handover procedure. One or more secondary cells are configured after connection establishment to provide additional radio resources on a respective secondary RF carrier. Although the RF carriers are typically licensed carriers (e.g. LTE or LTE-A), as mentioned above the secondary RF carriers could use unlicensed RF spectrum for supplemental downlink and/or uplink capacity. Examples of unlicensed frequencies that could be utilized for carrier aggregation are 5 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 5150-5350 MHz.
Automatic Repeat reQest (ARQ) is a retransmission protocol where the receiver checks for errors in the received data and upon detection of an error, discards the data and requests retransmission from the sender. Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) is a retransmission protocol in which, if an error in received data is detected, the receiver buffers the data and requests retransmission from the sender. An HARQ receiver improves performance of the retransmissions by combining the re-transmitted data with the buffered data prior to channel decoding and error detection. The Media Access Control (MAC) layer uses an HARQ protocol. In the case of carrier aggregation, an HARQ entity is required for each of the plurality of configured carriers of the aggregated carrier. A "soft buffer" is required to buffer encoded data ("soft bits") of transport blocks in which the receiver has detected an error, so that the data combining can be performed to improve decoding efficiency. As the number of component carriers increases, the corresponding increasing requirement for soft-buffer capacity can become problematic.


This is a new method for the construction of waterproof insulated products, by creating individual insulation-filled compartments without stitching through the outer shell of the product. This invention further provides methods for constructing waterproof insulation products without requiring the attachment of the individual compartments to the inner lining.

Down
Down is a natural cluster product derived from goose feather. It is generally accepted that down is a very efficient insulation material to be used in insulated products like jacket, comforter and sleeping bag. Down is very lightweight and it also provides exceptional thermal protection value. Both of these properties combine to make down a very popular insulation material in today's market.
The down that we find inside of down-filled product must be previously processed before it is used. The process of transforming goose feather into down cluster necessitates (for sanitary purposes) a series of washing procedures. This series of washing process removes most of the down's naturally inherent oils; hence the final down product (cluster) loses most of its natural moisture resistance. As a result, the down that we use as an insulation material today, although very light, soft and warm, it is vulnerable to moisture and is not suitable for use in damp, cold conditions.
Down is usually graded by its expansion ability. The testing procedure usually involves with putting a batch of down into cylindrical tube with volume measures (cubic inch). The down is then allowed to settle within the tube. The respective volume is marked down and have it divided by the weight of the down batch, the result is then in the unit of cubic inch per ounce. Cubic inch per ounce, in general, is often referred to as Fill Power, which is widely accepted by the industry as a measuring unit for down. The higher the Fill Power is, the better the heat retention is in the down, and thus better the performance is in a product.
Down usually functions very well in preserving heat except in the presence of water. Most of the natural oils has been washed away during the washing process, so a batch of processed down will soak up water very much like a cotton sponge does in real life. This can be a big problem because the down will lose it heat-preserving ability the minute it is in touch with water. Even after the down is dried up later, it will never be able to recover to the same performance level (Fill Power) as in before. So water and down are no friends of each other.
Down-Filled Product and Waterproof
Comforters are mostly for use at home, so being waterproof is not typically a concern. However, down jackets and down sleeping bags are both related to outdoor activities where variable weather plays an important role. It is logical to expect that being waterproof is a very desirable feature in down jacket/sleeping bags. Strangely, it seems that there is hardly any waterproof down jacket/sleeping bags in the market today. Most of the down insulated products people will find in the market today are not designed to be used under damp condition due to the down content being so sensitive to moisture. A waterproof jacket in the market today typically contains no insulation material or uses synthetic fiber. By the same token, it is easy to buy a sleeping bag, but it is almost impossible to find a waterproof sleeping bag in the market, let alone a waterproof down sleeping bag. It will be easier to understand why this is the case by looking in detail how a down system is constructed.
Down clusters behave much like fluid in that they need to be contained in a defined volume of space (compartment). A typical down construction is shown in FIG. 1. A compartment space is usually made of fabrics and a material called polytricot. Polytricot is lightweight netting made of polyester. The netting structure is very dense in order to prevent down penetration. However, it offers no insulating value and its function is nothing more than providing a lightweight medium to containing the down in each of the compartments. FIG. 2 shows a typical down jacket and a sleeping bag.
In general, a good down system should consist of a number of small compartments, such that it ensures evenly distributed system coverage. The construction of a down compartment involves the joining of fabric pieces together with polytricot by normal sewing thread (stitching). The problem from a waterproofing perspective is that every stitch to the (shell) fabric surface also creates a needle hole. The more the stitch lines are on the fabric surface, the more needle holes to be found as well. Needle holes are usually very small and not very noticeable; however, each hole potentially causes a major obstacle to waterproofing by allowing water to penetrate through to the down compartments. (FIG. 3) Also sewing thread itself is mostly made up of cotton which tends to soak up water as well.
One common way to solve the needle hole problem is the application of seam taping. The seam taping process generally makes use of a seam-sealing machine to apply seam tapes. Most of the seam tapes available in the market are polymer based thin films. In general the seam tape is melted at a certain condition (temperature/pressure), where it fills into the needle holes on a stitched surface.
(FIG. 4) One way to envision the seam tape behavior is compare it to a piece of cheese. At a certain temperature, the cheese will melt. When the temperature is reduced, it will resume a solid physical form.
For a typical seam tape to melt, it is necessary to raise the temperature to at least 120° C. at each application point. However, it is almost impossible to apply this seam taping technique to a down filled product. The application of seam taping process is only applicable on a 2D surface, meaning a seam tape is applied to a flat surface. Down compartment produces volume, which is a three dimensional, not just a surface. Thus as shown in FIG. 5, to apply this process to a down system, every application point needs to be done twice—once on each side of the polytricot stitch point. This would be very costly and time-consuming. The biggest problem, however, is that the polytricot netting that is used to create down compartments cannot endure high temperature. It will melt and break down due to heat. So the use of seam taping in a 3D down compartment is not a solution to create a waterproof down product.
To create a waterproof down product, one has two competing interests to consider. On the one hand, it is important to create a sufficient number of compartments to contain the down. On the other hand, one must also reduce the number of stitches on the fabric surface to avoid creating too many needle holes. Prior to this invention, there does not seem to be any middle ground such that waterproofing and down filling can co-exist. This explains why waterproof down insulated products are rare in the market today.
Waterproofing the outside of a down-filled product does not protect against the absorption of perspiration. The human body has a self-regulated heat management system which generates perspiration when the body gets too hot. Perspiration, or body sweat, consists of salt and water, where both are damaging to down and other insulating materials.
A sleeping bag or garment is designed to help prevent body heat loss to the outer environment. It is important to know that the heat management system in our body is a very dynamic process, where our body is constantly producing heat regardless of how warm/cold the environment is. The key is really how fast/slow such process is in reacting to the environment. It is very common to see that when one is in a sleeping bag/jacket over a long period or time, over night for example, one's body tends to sweat at some point over the course of such time. What really happens is that although the equipment helps setting a stable environment for the user, it can not stop our body from producing heat when the surroundings get too hot. Our body perspiration, most of the time, is soaked up by the lining fabric and thus condenses in the system interior (down). This not only affects the heat preserving ability in the down, the presence of moisture will also facilitate the growth of fungi in the down and thus yields a bad odor over time.
In a normal down insulated equipment, the formation of a filling compartment is a result of stitching together the shell/lining fabric with polytricot. Very often, this stitching is openly exposed and thus creates a problem where normal "wear and tear" may result in breaking these stitches and destroying the integrity of the compartment. The stitchless outer surface eliminates this shortcoming as it yields no open stitches on the outer surface. However, in reality, the "wear and tear" factor is much more vulnerable in the inner surface than in the outer surface. In case of a sleeping bag, campers very often sleep with their full gear (jacket). The in-and-out of sleeping bag actions and frequent body movement all add pressure to the durability of the thread (open stitch). In a normal sleeping bag, there are at least 13 of such open stitches in the lining surface, each covers a distance of at least 58″ in length (around our body in width). The more such equipment is used, the greater the likelihood of breaking of these open stitches.
The earlier original Application and the first Continuation-In-Part disclose a construction technique that produces a stitchless outer surface which enables the creation of waterproof insulated equipment. This new Continuation-In-Part serves the same function but through a much simpler and yet innovative method. It is obvious that in order to create compartment of space (for insulation to be filled), it requires the use of partition material. Most partition materials that are being used today are known as polytricot or mosquito netting. This material is essentially a fabric-like netting that is made of polyester/nylon. There is, however, a problem in utilizing this partition material. The binding (taping) process of putting together the shell fabric and the polytricot with seam tape is not possible. First, polytricot is not compatible with seam tape, also the taping process needs to be performed at a temperature over 110° C. in which the polytricot will melt and becomes non-functional.
While the use of a Lead Bridge as claimed in the parent patent application for this Continuation-In-Part is clearly an enhancement, its use does present two limitations:                1. Additional weight—There are at least 12 compartments in a normal sleeping bag. Such "Lead Bridge" also needs to run around the body. So there will be 12+pieces of such "Lead Bridge," each running about 50″ in the sleeping bag. This will add weight to the product in which additional weight is not desirable.        2. Durability—The connection between the "Lead Bridge" and polytricot by normal stitching may be a point of concern. Polytricot is not a very strong durable material and since it is not directly connecting to the structure (shell fabric) and is only held together by a normal stitching to the "Lead Bridge," it may be susceptible to break down when force is applied. This may reduce the durability of a product in which durability is a desired feature.
The invention below is specifically designed to solve these problems.

Stitchless waterproof insulated products


The invention relates to a cylinder, which is in contact with a material web. Said cylinder flexes in or against the direction of travel of the material web, in accordance with at least one pixel that is located on said web.

Pairs of cylinders are frequently employed as tools for guiding webs of material, or for processing their surfaces. The cylinders are rotatably arranged with pivotable shafts and delimit a gap through which the web of material runs. Along a clamping line which is parallel with the shafts, the web is subjected to a pressure from a cylinder, which pressure exerts a guiding pressure or effect on the web of material, or performs web processing. This pressure must be evenly distributed over the length of the clamping line to assure that the processing is even over the width of the web and, with guiding rollers, to prevent irregularities of any slippage occurring between the rollers and the web over the width of the web, which irregularities can lead to a deformation of the web per se. Such a deformation can be the source of indexing errors when printing on the web.
An important reason for the occurrence of irregularities in the print distribution along the clamping line is the inherent deformation of the rollers because of their own weight. It is known, for example, that the forme cylinders for rotogravure printing, in particular forme cylinders of a great width, of an order of magnitude between 1.5 m to 4 m, have a tendency to sag under their own weight. Because of this cylinder sag, the pressure along the clamping line between such a forme cylinder and a counter-pressure cylinder, which is arranged above it, is reduced toward the center of the paper web. For this reason, the counter-pressure cylinder of known rotogravure printing presses is also bent to match the outer shape of the counter-pressure cylinder to the bending of the forme cylinder, and to distribute the pressure between the two cylinders evenly over the clamping line.
A counter-pressure cylinder for a rotogravure press is known from DE 30 33 320 C2, and whose shell is received, rotatably seated, in rolling bearings in the area of its ends, in adjustable bearing end plates. An actuating member, which is supported on the associated adjustable bearing end plate, and which can be actuated in the radial direction with respect to the shaft, acts on the ends of the cylinder shaft, which shaft extends through the shell and protrudes from the shell. The shell of the counter-pressure cylinder is bent by operation of the actuating member, and the counter-pressure cylinder exterior shape is matched to the shape of a forme cylinder, which has been placed against it.
A counter-pressure cylinder, which cooperates with a forme cylinder in a rotogravure printing press, is also known from DE 100 23 205 A1. A variable matching of the counter-pressure cylinder to the forme cylinder is achieved with this counter-pressure cylinder. A linear drive mechanism, which is located at each of the ends of the counter-pressure cylinder, and between a fixed shaft and a rotating shell, acts, in a vertical radial direction, downwardly on an inner ring of a rolling bearing, while the center area of the shells is maintained rotatably, but not displaceably, on the shaft.
DE 88 08 352 U1 discloses a cylinder, whose bending can be adjusted in two planes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,292 and EP 0 741 253 A2 show contact pressure rollers, which have wheels in their interior, and which can be charged with a pressure medium. These wheels are arranged on a common shaft.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,455,727 and 3,389,450 disclose rollers, which can be bent in two planes that are offset by 90°. Actuating elements are arranged in the interior of the rollers.
A cylinder with an assembly for generating an inner tension of the cylinder, and with a control unit/regulator for controlling the assembly, and with vibration sensors, is known from DE 199 63 945 C1. The assembly and actuating members are controlled in response to the vibrations detected by the vibration sensor.
A counter-pressure cylinder is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,051, which counter-pressure cylinder consists of a shaft and of a shell which can be rotated around the shaft. Inflatable chambers are provided between the shaft and the shell of this counter-pressure cylinder. The chambers will expand or extend, after being charged with pressure, and will thus cause bending of the shell.
EP 0 331 870 A2 discloses an arrangement for the seating of cylinders. Journals of a cylinder are seated in two bearings that are arranged side-by-side in the axial direction of the cylinder. The bearings can be individually moved perpendicularly with respect to the axis of rotation by the use of pressure medium cylinders in order to compensate for bending, for example.
An exact guidance of a web, in a manner which is free of indexing errors, is made difficult, particularly in connection with rotogravure printing presses of great width, because it is extremely difficult to produce forme cylinders, also of great length, and which have an exactly constant diameter over their length. In most cases, such a long forme cylinder is slightly thicker in its center than it is at its edges or ends. A traction force, which is exerted between the forme cylinder and a counter-pressure cylinder, on a web passed through between them, is therefore typically greater in the center of the web than it is at the edges of the web.
As a result of this uneven traction force, an uneven tension profile is generated within the paper web over its width. Since, in the course of the paper webs being processed in such a press, the paper webs absorb moisture, their stretching ability increases, so that an uneven stretching of the web, in accordance with the uneven tension profile, can occur. The result can be indexing errors.
Indexing errors between the center of the web, and an edge of the web, can be compensated for with the aid of an inlet roller, which is arranged staggered between two pressure gaps. However, in this case, it is disadvantageous that, on the other side of the paper web, the indexing errors become even greater, and that there is a danger of a lateral drift-off of the paper web.
The present invention creates a symmetrical tension profile in the web of material, which symmetrical tension profile increases toward either the center or toward the web edge areas and, in the areas of high tension, creates a change in web length, in the elastic range of the paper web. In this way, the invention provides the possibility of adjusting the image points of the different colors to be imprinted on the web, without letting the paper web drift off toward one side.

Cylinder and device for guiding a material web


A Mobile Station, MS (115), for a cellular communications network (100), arranged to be camped on one of a plurality of k available Common Control Channels, CCCHs, in a cell (105) in the cellular communications network (100), the MS (115) also being arranged to make successive attempts at uplink CCCH access until the MS (115) gains CCCH access. The MS (115) is arranged to make CCCH access attempt number i on CCCH number x, where x is in the range of 1 . . . k, with x determined by a function in the MS (115). Also, a network node, (110), for a cellular communications network, arranged to transmit System Information messages, to the MSs (115) in a cell, and arranged to insert an Information Element, an IE, in an SI message, which IE defines which CCCHs in the cell that an MS (115) may use for uplink CCCH access attempts.

At present, in a GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, GERAN, it is possible to configure multiple Common Control Channels, CCCHs, in a cell. The CCCHs are used by the GERAN network to perform control of the Mobile Stations, MSs, in the cells of the GERAN network.
A mobile station, an MS, in a GERAN cell will "camp" on, i.e. be attached to, one of the CCCHs which are configured for the cell of the MS, as determined by the so called "paging group" to which the MS belongs, which in turn is determined by the MS's International Mobile Subscriber Identity, its IMSI.
The current method, i.e. the one described above, of assigning MSs in a cell to one of a plurality of CCCHs in a cell has some negative performance implications: First of all, there is a risk of the MSs in a cell being unevenly spread among the CCCHs in the cell, and secondly, even in the case of severely uneven spread of the MSs among the CCCHs, an overloaded CCCH can't be offloaded by the other CCCHs.
Thus, an attempt to alleviate possible overloading of one or more CCCHs in a cell by increasing the number of CCCHs in the cell will not be a certain way of overcoming the problem, since configuring e.g. 4 CCCHs in a cell is not equivalent to increasing the CCCH capacity by a factor of 4.


In a noise radar a pseudo-random sequence is generated repeatedly and used to phase modulate a transmitted signal. The transmission is interrupted during a number of periods during each pseudo-random sequence which allows returns from targets to be received from the same antenna as is used for transmission during those periods of interruption. Each transmitted pulse, between successive periods of interruption, contains a different selection of successive digits of the code thus increasing the apparent randomness of the transmitted code and making detection more difficult.

This invention relates to a noise radar, i.e., a radar in which the transmitted signal is coded by a random or noiselike code. Such a code can be a long pseudo-random code for example greater than 1000 or preferably greater than 10,000 bits. Noise radar has a number of advantages. It can use a wide bandwidth transmission which gives good range resolution and good anti-jamming capabilities and low probability of being detected. It can also obtain low ambiguity in determining velocity and range of a target. Noise radar can also enable a low peak power to be used which further reduces the probability of detection.
In a known noise radar a continuous transmitted signal is coded, usually phase coded, in pseudo-random sequences of long duration. In the receiver the received signal is correlated with a delayed version of the transmitted signal to give an indication of the presence and velocity of a target at a range corresponding the delay. However noise radars have hitherto been little used because leakage of the transmitted signal directly into the receiver and indirectly from close range clutter limits the performance of the radar at long range as is the case with all continuous wave radars. Also, it is necessary to use separate transmit and receive antennas, since otherwise the amount of leakage would be intolerable.
Noise radar is not to be confused with phase coded pulse radar where transmitted pulses are phase coded to allow pulse compression and therefore good range resolution. In a phase coded pulse radar the relative timing of the transmitted and received pulses is used to indicate range. It is less successful in giving low ambiguity in determining velocity and range of a target than is a noise radar.


A dual mode communication device (102) includes a first radio (124) operable according to a first mode and a second radio (126) operable according to a second mode. A common user interface (130) controls both the first radio and the second radio. Using two, complete, preexisting radios reduces development and manufacturing costs of the dual mode communication device.

Dual mode communication devices are communication devices configured for communication such as radio communication in more than one communication mode. For example, such modes of communication include digital and analog signaling, different frequency bands for communication, and communication according to different communication protocols. Examples of such protocols are Advanced Mobile Telephone Service (AMPS), North American Digital Cellular service according to J-STD-009, PCS IS-136 Based Mobile Station Minimum Performance 1900 MHz Standard and J-STD-010, PCS IS-136 Based Base Station Minimum Performance 1900 MHz Standard ("IS-136"); Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) radiotelephone service according to EIA/TIA interim standard 95 Mobile Station-Base Station Compatibility Standard for Dual-Mode Wideband Spread Spectrum Cellular System ("IS-95"); Global System for Mobile Communication ("GSM"); and satellite protocols such as that proposed by Iridium, L.L.C. ("Iridium;" Iridium.RTM. is a trademark and service mark of Iridium, L.L.C.). A typical communication system provides communication in one of these modes in a limited geographical area. A dual mode communication device may use one or more of these modes for communication.
Existing dual mode radiotelephones include some cellular telephones. For example, cellular phones according to IS-136 and IS-95 are operable in both an analog mode and a digital mode. Cellular phones according to IS-136 are dual band communication devices in that they operate in a first band of frequencies near 800 MHz and a second band of frequencies around 1900 MHz. Such radiotelephones communicate with a single type of communication system in different modes.
Such previous radiotelephones are constrained by the limited geographic coverage of the system. When the radiotelephone is moved to a new area beyond the system's boundaries, service on the radiotelephone is no longer available. Even though other systems provide service in the new area, unless that service is compatible with the radiotelephone, the radiotelephone can't communicate with the system. Further, service on a system may not be available for a time. Even though other (incompatible) systems provide service to the same area, the radiotelephone is not usable.
A new type of radiotelephone is envisioned which can operate on multiple, independent communication systems. Thus, in a particular area, a radiotelephone of this new type may communicate with a terrestrial system such as a GSM system and with a satellite system such as an Iridium system. In a different area, the radiotelephone may communicate with two terrestrial systems.
Market demands for radiotelephones usable on satellite and next generation cellular systems require them to operate on multiple cellular systems in a dual product format. However, an integrated approach where a single hardware and software architecture is designed to handle many modes of operation is very costly in terms of engineering effort and time to market. Such a development effort may take more than a year. Given the significant size and cost restrictions now occurring in the radiotelephone industry, a simplified approach to new product development becomes necessary.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a dual mode communication device and a method for operating such a device which solves these problems.

Dual mode communication device and method


A terminal for supporting an operation of a three-dimensional handler includes: a display unit displaying a three-dimensional handler region having at least one link object and a link object information region outputting link object information in response to a movement or selection of the at least one link object on the three-dimensional handler and outputting the collected link object information in the link object information region.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handler operation of a terminal, and more particularly, to a method of operating a three-dimensional handler capable of searching various information using a three-dimensional object, and a terminal supporting the same.
Description of the Related Art
Since a portable terminal supports a specific user function and becoming smaller for easy handling, it is implemented in many fields. Popular portable terminals these days integrally support various user functions via a display unit to provide a set of user functions to enable a user to confirm various desired information, such as weather information in an idle screen or a menu screen in the form of a widget according to user setting. Accordingly, the user may easily preview weather information of a particular zone previously set using a widget.
However, to confirm weather of another zone, the user must frequently perform a tedious operation which calls an application program associated with a corresponding widget and searches a desired zone from the application program. Accordingly, there is inconvenience for a user to view desired information using the conventional preset scheme. Therefore, there is a need for an improved technique for providing the same information in more intuitive manner.

Method for operating three-dimensional handler and terminal supporting the same


An image forming apparatus and a method of aging a developer stored in the apparatus are disclosed. The developer is adequately aged in accordance with the initial characteristic of the developer and environmental conditions. As a result, the developer automatically achieves a desired developing characteristic in a short period of time. An image of high quality, i.e., free from background contamination and local omission can be stably produced even just after the aging. In addition, toner is prevented from flying about. Even erroneous sensing by an optical sensor can be obviated.

The present invention relates to a copier, laser printer, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus and, more particularly, to a developer aging method for a developing device included in such an image forming apparatus.
It is a common practice with an image forming apparatus to age a developer at the time of installation of the apparatus at the user's station or at the time of periodic maintenance of the apparatus. Aging is effected via the agitation of a developer initially introduced into the apparatus or the replenishment or consumption of toner. Aging provides the developer with a desired developing characteristic and thereby insures high image quality.
A two-ingredient type developer applicable to an image forming apparatus consists of toner and carrier. Generally, the amount of charge deposited on this type of developer varies, depending on the environment at the time of preparation, the duration of an unused state, and so forth. Specifically, even when an image is output under the same conditions as at the time of the initial introduction of the developer, image density changes with a change in the kind of the developer and a change in the environment of use. As a result, image density is apt to be excessively low, or in the worst case a locally omitted image or similar defective image and carrier deposition occur.
To solve the above problem, a developing device may be continuously driven for a preselected period of time in order to agitate the developer introduced therein. Alternatively, a paper may actually be conveyed through the apparatus in the same manner as during usual image formation. However, the conventional agitation scheme simply agitates the developer and cannot perform accurate adjustment implementing a desired developing characteristic. Toner replenishment to occur after this kind of aging is apt to cause the toner to fly about and even bring about defective images, image density variation, and other troubles. These troubles are particularly serious when the charging characteristic of the toner existing in the initial developer and that of fresh toner to be replenished are different from each other. The scheme actually conveying a paper, as stated above, wastes papers. Moreover, because this kind of scheme relies on usual toner replenishment control, a system of the type detecting the amount of toner deposited on a photoconductive element with, e.g., an optical sensor for the replenishment of toner will replenish toner continuously as long as the developing ability of the developer is low. This prevents the charge of the toner from being sufficiently increased and causes the toner to fly about and contaminate the background of the photoconductive element. In addition, if the developing ability of the initial developer is high, a great amount of toner is deposited on the photoconductive element and causes the aging to complete without any fresh toner replenished due to the inherent control. As a result, when toner of different charging characteristic is replenished from a cartridge later, it is apt to vary the image density or flies about itself.
Furthermore, assume a system of the type detecting a toner end condition with an optical sensor when the amount of toner deposition on a photoconductive element decreases. Then, the system is likely to detect a toner end condition despite that toner is present in a cartridge, if adequate aging is not executed.

Image forming apparatus and developer aging method


Systems and techniques to provide for software installation. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes detecting selection of one or more applications by a user; creating a manifest for the one or more applications, the manifest including a reference to the one or more applications and a reference to one or more installers, where each of the one or more applications is associated with a unique one of the one or more installers; and providing the manifest to a target system where each of the one or more applications can be installed, none of the applications or installers being provided in the manifest.

Downloading software applications over the Internet is a popular way to obtain software. Many software publishers and third parties have websites that allow users to download applications. However, different websites present different user interfaces making for varying user experiences. Furthermore, applications from different software publishers can utilize different installation programs with their own user interfaces and click-wrap end-user license agreements.


An adjustable workman's bed system including a bed formed of a rigid material in a generally planar configuration having an upper surface and a lower surface and having parallel side edges with an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge having a recess in a generally rectilinear configuration extending downwardly from the upper edge and a foot rest extending upwardly from the lower edge, a central support plate with an arcuate recess parallel with the upper and lower edges formed on the lower surface with an upper support plate with a cylindrical recess formed therein on the lower surface of the bed, a base formed of a rigid material with a base plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, a post extending upwardly from a central extent at the upper surface of the base plate with a tube horizontally positioned thereon for pivotally receiving an arcuate recess of the upper support plate, the post having a cylindrical recess therein facing towards the upper edge of the bed, and at least one pin having an upper end positionable within the cylindrical recess of the upper support plate and a lower end positionable within the cylindrical recess of the post.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable workman's bed system and more particularly pertains to providing a support surface for a workman selectively positioned to facilitate his convenient positioning.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of support surfaces of various designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, support surfaces of various designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of varying the support of a worker through various methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,374 to Rumage et al. discloses an Auto Mechanic's Body Support. U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,487 to Webb et al. discloses a Device for Supporting a Mechanic in a Horizontal Position Above an Automotive Vehicle Engine Compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 2,701,163 to Schemers discloses an Elevated Platform Dolly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,967 discloses an Exercise Bench. International Application Number PCT/AU88/00254 to Van Son discloses a Worker Support. European Patent Application Number 88201662.9 to Lock discloses an Adjustable Support Table for Medical Use. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,954 to Apostol discloses a Muscle Exercising Apparatus.
In this respect, the adjustable workman's bed system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a support surface for a workman selectively positioned to facilitate his convenient positioning.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved adjustable workman's bed system which can be used for providing a support surface for a workman selectively positioned to facilitate his convenient positioning. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


The present invention relates to a method to fabricate a tamper respondent assembly. The tamper respondent assembly includes an electronic component and an enclosure fully enclosing the electronic component. The method includes printing, by a 3-dimensional printer, a printed circuit board that forms a bottom part of the enclosure and includes a first set of embedded detection lines for detecting tampering events and signal lines for transferring signals between the electronic component and an external device. The electronic component is assembled on the printed circuit board, and a cover part of the enclosure is printed on the printed circuit board. The cover part includes a second set of embedded detection lines. Sensing circuitry can be provided for sensing the conductance of the first set of embedded detection lines and the second set of embedded detection lines to detect tampering events.

Many activities require secure electronic communications. To facilitate secure electronic communications, an encryption/decryption system may be implemented on an electronic assembly or printed circuit board assembly that is included in equipment connected to a communications network. Such an electronic assembly is an enticing target for malefactors since it may contain codes or keys to decrypt intercepted messages, or to encode fraudulent messages. To prevent this, an electronic assembly comprising one or more electronic components may be mounted in an enclosure comprising a security sensor. A security sensor may be e.g. a web or sheet of insulating material with circuit elements, such as closely-spaced, conductive lines fabricated on it. The circuit elements are disrupted if the sensor is torn, and the tear can be sensed in order to generate an alarm signal. The alarm signal may be conveyed to a monitor circuit in order to reveal an attack on the integrity of the assembly. The alarm signal may also trigger an erasure of encryption/decryption keys stored within the electronic components of the assembly.
In view of increasingly sophisticated methods of attacking such assemblies, it is desirable to provide tamper respondent assemblies and corresponding fabrication methods with enhanced security.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Use of medium-chain length fatty acids such as capric acid, caprylic acid or lauric acid and their salts or mono- or di- or triglycerides as nephroprotection agents to protect against renal failure progression in chronic kidney diseases This includes the treatment of kidney diseases associated with nephrectomy, renal fibrosis, glomerular sclerosis and end-stage renal disease Also includes the protection of the kidney against cytotoxic agent used in chemotherapy or autoimmune diseases or transplantation Further includes the treatment of renal failure progression associated with hypertension, infarct, tumor, diabetes mellitus, autoimmunity or inflammation.

The kidney is a structurally complex organ that has evolved to perform a number of important functions: e.g., excretion of the waste products of metabolism, regulation of body water and salt, maintenance of appropriate acid balance, and secretion of a variety of hormones and autocoids. Diseases of the kidney are as complex as its structure, but their study is facilitated by dividing them into those that affect four basic morphologic components: i.e., glomeruli, tubules, interstitium, and blood vessels. This traditional approach is useful because the early manifestations of diseases that affect each of these components tend to be distinctive. Further, some components appear to be more vulnerable to specific forms of renal injury. For example, glomerular diseases are often immunologically mediated, whereas tubular and interstitial disorders are more likely to be caused by toxic or infectious agents. Nevertheless, some disorders affect more than one structure. In addition, the anatomic interdependence of structures in the kidney implies that damage to one almost always secondarily affects the others. Thus, severe glomerular damage impairs flow through the peritubular vascular system; conversely, tubular destruction, by increasing intraglomerular pressure, may induce glomerular atrophy. Thus, whatever the origin, there is a tendency for all forms of chronic renal disease ultimately to destroy all four components of the kidney, culminating in chronic renal failure and what has been called end-stage contracted kidneys (Cotran et al., Basic Pathology, Sixth Edition, 1997).
Chemotherapy and immunosuppressive therapy refers to the use of cytotoxic or immunosuppressive agents such as, but not limited to, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide, topotecan, irinotecan, taxotere, taxol, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, gemcitabine, cisplatin, carboplatin, or chlorambucil, and cyclosporin A, tacrolimus, rapamycin, or corticosteroids to treat cancer patients or to inhibit graft rejection in transplant patients. Despite their efficacies, these agents are non-specific and, particularly at high doses, they are toxic to normal and rapidly dividing cells. Furthermore, their use may be limited by inherent untoward effects, of which acute myelosuppression, nephrotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, gastrointestinal, bladder, and pulmonary toxicities may worsen patient outcome over long time periods.
In autoimmune diseases such as diabetes mellitus, the kidneys are prime targets to suffer tissue damage or lesions. Three important lesions are encountered: (1) glomerular lesions; (2) renal vascular lesions, principally arteriolosclerosis; and (3) pyelonephritis, including necrotizing papillitis. Nephrectomy, or kidney removal, can also lead to renal dysfunction. Nephrectomy is performed on patients with cancer of the kidney (i.e., renal cell carcinoma); polycystic kidney disease in which sac-like structures displace healthy tissue; and serious infection of the kidney. It is also used to remove a healthy kidney from a donor for the purpose of kidney transplantation. Because the kidney is responsible for filtering wastes and fluid from the bloodstream, kidney function is critical to life. Nephrectomy candidates suffering from serious kidney disease, cancer, or infection usually have few treatment choices but to undergo the procedure. But if function is lost in the remaining kidney, the patient will require chronic dialysis treatments or transplantation of a healthy kidney to sustain life. Therefore, there exists a need for drugs with a good safety profile which can be administered to patients with kidney disease which can prolong kidney health or protect it from deterioration to the extent that the kidney can no longer function.

Medium-chain length fatty acids and glycerides as nephroprotection agents


A rechargeable battery including a case; a cap plate on the case; a terminal post protruding from the cap plate; a terminal plate coupled to the terminal post, wherein the terminal plate includes a body having an opening; and a conductor within the opening and coupled to the body, wherein the conductor substantially surrounds a circumference of the terminal post.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a terminal of a rechargeable battery and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art
Generally, rechargeable batteries are capable of being charged and discharged unlike primary batteries that are not capable of being recharged. In the case of a low capacity battery in which one battery cell is packaged into a pack shape, the low capacity battery may be used as a power source for various portable small electronic devices such as mobile phones, camcorders, etc. In case of a high capacity battery in which several tens of battery cells are connected in serial or in parallel, the high capacity battery may be used as a power source for driving motors such as electric scooters, hybrid electric vehicles, electric vehicles, etc.
A rechargeable battery may be manufactured in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape and a prismatic shape. A rechargeable battery typically includes an electrode assembly including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator between the positive and negative electrode plates, a case in which the electrode assembly together with electrolyte is housed, and a cap plate mounted on the case. Here, a positive terminal and a negative terminal are connected to the electrode assembly. Also, the positive and negative terminals are exposed and protrude to the outside through the cap plate.

Terminal of rechargeable battery and method of manufacturing the same


In an ink jet type print recording apparatus, when a purge gear is driven and a purge pump arrives at its origin position, an origin mark of a pump cam gear presses a cam receiver of a first actuator so that a movement transmitting portion of the first actuator presses a movement receiving portion of a second actuator. With this operation, a shutter of the second actuator is moved out of a common sensor and the common sensor is switched on. Furthermore, when a print sheet is supplied to a platen roller, a sheet detector of the second actuator is pressed by the print sheet, whereby the shutter is moved out of the common sensor and the common sensor is switched on. Various operations are performed on the basis of signals from the common sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ink jet print recording apparatus having an ink jet print head mounted thereon, and particularly to an ink jet print recording apparatus in which detection of a print medium and detection of an origin of a suction pump for sucking and discharging ink from the print head to recover, or clean, the print head are performed using a common sensor.
2. Description of Related Art
A print recording apparatus, such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a printer for a personal computer, in which a dot pattern image is formed on a print medium, such as a paper sheet or a plastic sheet, on the basis of transferred print information is known. One type of print head known for use with such an apparatus is an ink jet print head for jetting small ink droplets from an ink discharge port (nozzle) onto the print medium to perform the print operation.
With this type of ink jetting print head, bubbles sometimes occur in the ink stored in the print head during use which causes a failure in ink jetting. Further, there are also cases where the ink droplets, dried ink or other foreign matter, such as sheet powder, attach to and clog the ink discharge port so that the ink discharging operation is liable to fail.
In order to avoid such problems, removal of the cause of the ink jetting failure and return of the print head to a good ink jetting state must be periodically performed. To do this, a purge operation comprising the sucking of defective ink to remove foreign matter from the ink discharge face is periodically carried out. A suction pump for producing a negative pressure for the purge operation and a driving motor for driving the suction pump are provided for this purpose. In order to control the ink suction quantity of the suction pump with high precision, a sensor for detecting the origin position of the suction pump is provided to carry out a motor driving operation corresponding to a single suction operation on the basis of a signal from the sensor.
In this type of print recording apparatus, many print media (sheets) of a predetermined size are stacked on a feed cassette and fed to a platen roller one by one for the print operation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, a sheet sensor 80 for detecting a print sheet S supplied from the feed cassette is provided. The platen roller 6 and the print head are driven on the basis of a signal from the sheet sensor 80. A discharge operation of a printed sheet is also performed on the basis of the signal from the sheet sensor 80. Separate from the sheet sensor 80, a pump origin sensor 81 is provided which is switched on by a projection 82 of a pump cam 19 to detect the origin of the pump.
In this type of print recording apparatus, a driving motor (not shown) is used for driving both the platen roller 6 and the suction pump (not shown) and a switching operation of the driving motor is carried out by a link gear to control what is driven. A motor is heavy so that as the number of motors increase, the total weight and overall size of the apparatus also increases which is undesirable.
Specifically, the platen roller 6 is linked to the driving motor at all times and the suction pump is separated from the driving motor except during the purge operation. This is because the suction pump will be damaged, due to a counterflow of ink, if it is reversely rotated as the platen roller 6 is reversely rotated to position the leading edge of a print sheet.
As described above, in the conventional print recording apparatus, the sheet sensor 80 and the pump origin sensor 81 are separately provided driving costs up. Further, although a driving motor is commonly used for the suction pump and the platen roller, a sensor is not commonly used and thus the advantage of the common use of the driving motor cannot be sufficiently enhanced.
As described above, the suction pump is driven by the driving motor only as necessary, and it is not driven at the same time when the platen roller 6 is rotated to start a sheet feed operation. Accordingly, the sheet sensor 80 and the pump origin sensor 81 are not switched on at the same time.

Ink jet print recording apparatus having a single sensor controlling paper feed and print head recovery


An elevated toilet seat that includes integral flanges or wings that allow for attachment of one or more external apparatus. The toilet seat is removably attachable to the upper surface of a toilet bowl via a bracket. The seat is snap-fit to the bracket for easy installation and removal.

This invention relates to toilet seats and is particularly concerned with an elevated seat that is removably attachable to both standard round and elongated toilet bowls.
Toilet seats are common household fixtures. However, many people may have temporary or permanent physical impairments that make reaching the seat difficult. These people, particularly the elderly, may have difficulty utilizing the muscles required to safely reach the toilet seat, possibly resulting in harm to the user. Modifications to standard toilet seats have been created to attempt to ease the strain on those who are unable to comfortably reach a standard seat. While traditional modifications may be useful in some situations, they are not designed to serve multiple purposes, particularly those outlined below.
Some prior art toilet seats include handles that may be designed to steady a person who requires help in safely using the seat. However, these toilet seats are primarily designed to steady the user once he or she reaches the seat itself. These seats do not also steady the user while the seat is in use. Other prior art toilet seats have handles designed primarily for sanitary purposes. However, again, these prior art toilet seats do not aid the user both in safely reaching the toilet seat and in maintaining steady balance while using the toilet. Further, these prior art seats have handles that are permanently affixed to the toilet seat, which may not be desirable where a user is extremely overweight, or where he or she requires devices to aid in movement, such as a wheelchair. Therefore, there is a strong need for a toilet seat that can assist people both in reaching the toilet seat and in remaining steady while using the seat by providing multiple, removable handles designed to aid the balance of the user.
Other prior art toilet seat modifiers provide a raised portion to allow the user with physical impairments to reach the toilet seat with less exertion than that required by standard seats. These raised toilet seats ease the work required by assuming a standard sitting position. However, traditional elevated toilet seats do not provide handles for both stabilization while approaching the seat and while sitting on the seat. Further, the prior art toilet seats are oftentimes bulky and may be unstable, creating an even greater risk of injury to a user by not maintaining position on the toilet rim. Therefore, there is a need for a stable, elevated toilet seat.
Another problem associated with prior art toilet seats involves the difficulty in their installation and removal. Those with impairments may require assistance from others, many of whom may prefer standard toilet seats. However, traditionally, in order to stabilize the toilet seat, a user must affix the entire seat with a mechanism such as a bolt, requiring the use of tools whenever the seat is to be installed or removed. This added exertion makes traditional modified toilet seats impractical in households in which not all users are impaired. There is a strong need for a toilet seat that aids those in need, while at the same time is easily installed and removed without the need for tools after initial installation.
Further, many people who have difficulty with movement cannot easily reach other items associated with use of a toilet, such as tissue, medications or other toiletries. Traditional toilet seats fail to address this issue, as the bulk of the seat often prohibits the addition of receptacles designed to hold a user's necessary items. As such, there is a need for these items to be within reach at all times, creating a desire for a way to attach auxiliary items, such as a basket, to a modified toilet seat.
Accordingly, the present invention addresses these needs.


An objective of the present invention is to provide a rare earth metal-based sintered magnet having imparted thereto sufficient corrosion resistance by an oxidative heat treatment, which is resistant even in an environment of fluctuating humidity, while suppressing the deterioration of the magnetic characteristics ascribed to the oxidative heat treatment, and to provide a method for producing the same. As a means of achieving the objective above, the surface-modified rare earth metal-based sintered magnet of the present invention is characterized in that the surface-modified part comprises a surface-modified layer comprising at least three layers formed in this order from the inner side of the magnet, a main layer containing R, Fe, B, and oxygen, an amorphous layer containing at least R, Fe, and oxygen, and an outermost layer containing iron oxide comprising mainly hematite as the constituent, and the method for producing the same is characterized in that it comprises a step of applying a heat treatment to a bulk magnet body in the temperature range of from 200° C. to 600° C., under an atmosphere with oxygen partial pressure in a range of from 1×102 Pa to 1×105 Pa and water vapor partial pressure in a range of from 0.1 Pa to 1000 Pa (exclusive of 1000 Pa).

Rare earth metal-based sintered magnets such as R—Fe—B based sintered magnets represented by an Nd—Fe—B based sintered magnet are widely used nowadays in various fields because they use materials available from abundant and inexpensive resources, and possess high magnetic characteristics; however, since they contain highly reactive rare-earth metal, R, also characteristic is that they are apt to be oxidized and corroded in the ambient. Accordingly, in practical use, a corrosion resistant film such as a metal film or a resin film is generally formed on the surface of the rare earth metal-based sintered magnet. However, in an embodiment in which the magnet is embedded and used inside a component, such as in an IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) motor, the corrosion resistant film above need not necessarily be formed on the surface of the magnet. Still, as a matter of course, corrosion resistance of a magnet must be ensured for the time period after the production to the embedding of the magnet into the components. Thus, as a method for ensuring corrosion resistance of the rare earth metal-based sintered magnet for the time period above, there has been proposed a method of modifying the surface of the magnet by carrying out a heat treatment under an oxidative atmosphere, and this method has attracted attention as an easy technique for improving corrosion resistance, which is enough to achieve the objective above.
The oxidative atmosphere necessary for carrying out the oxidative heat treatment for a surface modification of the rare earth metal-based sintered magnet may be formed by using oxygen (reference can be made to Patent Literature 1 or Patent Literature 2) or water vapor. For instance, Patent Literatures 3 to 6 describe methods for forming an oxidative atmosphere, which comprises by using water vapor alone, or by using the combination of water vapor and oxygen.
Patent Literature 1: U.S. Pat. No. 2,844,269
Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2002-57052
Patent Literature 3: JP-A-2006-156853
Patent Literature 4: JP-A-2006-210864
Patent Literature 5: JP-A-2007-103523
Patent Literature 6: JP-A-2007-207936

Method for producing surface-modified rare earth metal-based sintered magnet and surface-modified rare earth metal-based sintered magnet


Rear entry alpine ski boots whose rear spoiler is latchable on the shell base. The rear spoiler includes two segments, one lower and one upper, that overlap and are journalled to each other in a zone corresponding to the journal of the ankle. Only the lower segment is journalled and latchable on the shell base and includes a vertical extension, with which a corresponding portion of the upper segment cooperates in rear-to-front flexion, in order to ensure the control of the flexion forces of the upper towards the front.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to ski boots, having a shell base to which an upper is attached, and a rear spoiler journalled on the shell base, that can be latched, in the skiing position, on the sides of the boot, which is connected to the front portion of the upper.
2. Discussion of Background and Material Information
Known ski boots of this type have the advantage of clearing a very large rear portion of the upper, and this facilitates introduction and removal of the foot of the skier. Another advantage lies in the fact that the latching of the rear spoiler on the sides of the boot in the skiing position guarantees a firm and stable rear support. Generally, these boots can be classified in two different categories.
In the first category, as has been disclosed in Italian Patent No. 1,087,581 for example, the upper is capable of pivoting frontwardly by the flexion of the front spoiler, journalled at the end of the boot, in the zone corresponding to the flexion fold of the foot, and by the rotation of the rear spoiler about a journal axis on the shell base which is located, either in the zone corresponding to the heel, or the zone corresponding to the malleolis. Also, as is clear from the description of the boot, the pivot amplitude of the rear spoiler is limited in the area of its latching system on the sides of the latter by the span of at least one nesting slot that cooperates with a projecting element. In such a boot, it appears that it is the flexible quality of the front spoiler alone, in the zone corresponding to the flexion fold, that determines the value of the forces that resist frontward flexion of the upper. Moreover, since the spoiler does not comprise means capable of modifying these flexibility qualities, the value of the resisting forces is fixed immutably, i.e., it cannot be adjusted in accordance with the skill-level of the skier, his weight, his strength, etc.
In the second category, such as has been described in the French Patent Application No. 2,640,123, the upper of the boot includes a front spoiler which is borne by a sleeve journalled on the shell base in the zone of the malleolis and of a rear spoiler journalled on the lower and rear extensions originating from said sleeve in the heel zone. This embodiment differs from the one described previously, in that it is the assembly of the upper, the sleeve as well as the front and rear spoilers, that pivots about a single rotational axis constituted by the journal of the sleeve on the shell base. Moreover, this journal being located in the zone of the malleolis, the upper thus pivots in its entirety about an axis that corresponds substantially to the axis of the ankle. Insofar as controlling the flexion forces is concerned, i.e., the value of the forces resisting the frontward pivoting of the upper, this embodiment of the boot provides for the implementation of control means of a known type, arranged either between the sleeve and the shell base, or between the rear spoiler and the shell base, instead of using the flexibility of the front spoiler as in the Italian Patent No. 1,087,581. It is thus possible to adjust the value of the forces resisting the pivoting of the upper.
As we have just noted in the ski boots described hereinabove, the rear spoiler fulfills a variety of functions: it closes the rear portion of the boot, participates in the retention of the lower part of the leg of the skier when it is connected to the front spoiler in the closure position of the upper, constitutes the main front-to-rear support element because it latches on the sides of the boot, and accompanies the pivoting of the upper in the rear-to-front direction during frontward flexions by the skier. However, the function of controlling the flexion forces is still done, either by the front spoiler, or by specific means interacting between the shell base and a portion of the upper such as the sleeve or the rear spoiler. Such an arrangement in fact localizes all the forces on a single part of the boot, as a matter of fact, on a relatively reduced area of the latter, and necessitates the use of rigid and resistant materials for the manufacture of special provisions on the concerned boot area.


A fundus camera having a function of measuring a retinal function, capable of picking up (obtaining) a sharp color image of a fundus suitable for a fundus examination and measuring a retinal function with high accuracy comprises an illumination optical system comprising a visible light source, an image-pickup optical system comprising an image-pickup element, a mode selection switch for performing switching between a fundus photographing mode and a retinal function measurement mode based on variance of an intrinsic signal of a retina made by retinal stimulation, and a control unit which controls the optical systems, wherein the unit lowers, when the retinal function measurement mode is selected, illumination intensity of the illumination optical system per unit time in illuminating the fundus than that in picking up the color fundus image, and controls the element to pick up first and second visible fundus images at different points in time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fundus camera which photographs a fundus of an examinee's eye.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known a fundus camera which picks up a color image of a fundus of an examinee's eye by illuminating the fundus with visible flash light and photo-receiving reflection light from the fundus on an image-pickup element and displays the picked-up color fundus image on a monitor (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,670 corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2005-160550).
In addition, an apparatus for measuring a retinal function is proposed in recent years which includes an optical system for illuminating a fundus of an examinee's eye with infrared light and photo-receiving reflection light from the fundus on an image-pickup element and an optical system for irradiating the fundus with stimulating light which induces a functional response from a retina of the eye (retinal stimulation means), picks up by the image-pickup element infrared images of the fundus before and after irradiating the stimulating light, and measures a retinal function of the eye by obtaining an intrinsic signal from the retina based on variance of reflectance between the picked-up infrared fundus images (see WO 2005/084526).
Both the fundus camera and the retinal function measurement apparatus are apparatuses which pick up a fundus image, so that if those apparatuses are combined, it is preferable that the above-described facilities of those apparatuses are integrated into respective systems in view of efficiency, space saving and other objectives. In order to achieve the integration, it is necessary for the combined apparatus to satisfy two conditions that a high-resolution and sharp color fundus image suitable for a fundus examination should be picked up (obtained) and a retinal function should be measured with high accuracy.


A driving pin can be used for installing a bone plate on a bone. In some examples, the driving pin has a driving pin body extending from a proximal end to a distal end. The driving pin body may define at least three regions of different cross-sectional thickness, including a bone penetrating region adjacent the distal end, a driving region adjacent the proximal end, and a bone plate orienting region between the bone penetrating region and the driving region. In general, the bone penetrating region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the bone plate orienting region and the bone plate orienting region has a smaller cross-sectional thickness than the driving region. The bone plate orienting region may be sized to conform to the size of a fixation hole extending through bone plate.

Bones, such as the bones of a foot, may be anatomically misaligned. In certain circumstances, surgical intervention is required to correctly align the bones to reduce patient discomfort and improve patient quality of life. Surgical intervention may involve cutting one or more of the misaligned bones and then physically realigning the bones into an anatomically corrected position. A bone plate or multiple bone plates may be used to hold the bones in the anatomically corrected position, helping to prevent the bones from shifting back to their misaligned position.

Multi-diameter bone pin for installing and aligning bone fixation plate while minimizing bone damage


A device, system and method for providing power in a secure manner to a network device connected to a network, such as an Ethernet network for example. The device is optionally implemented as an intelligent power supply, which is able to interrogate the network device before power is supplied, in order to determine the electrical capabilities of the device and/or whether the device is authorized to be connected to the network. Such an intelligent power supply preferably communicates with a low power communication device at each network device, which supplies the necessary information upon request.

The present invention relates to a device, system and method for the secure provision of power to a network device, and in particular, to such a device, system and method in which power is provided while protecting against damage to the network device caused by this power, and/or for preventing unauthorized use of the network by the network device.
Current telephone systems, both analog and digital in a variety of settings, including both home and office use, are highly limited and fixed in functions that they provide. For example, the functionality of such telephones cannot be altered, but rather is limited to the factory-determined features.
In order to increase the flexibility and functionality of such telephony systems, network telephony systems connect a network telephonic device to a server over a packet-switched network such as an IP (Internet Protocol) network, such that these telephony systems may be termed xe2x80x9cIP telephony systemsxe2x80x9d. These telephonic devices can receive data through such a network, and therefore can perform various voice mail and other telephonic functions through software on the connected server over the packet-switched network. Clearly, such a system is more flexible, since additional functions can be provided by adjusting software which resides at the server.
An improved and even more flexible system is disclosed in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/168,395, filed on Dec. 2, 1999. This network telephony system features a flexible, customizable network telephonic device for receiving and transmitting the telephone calls, such that the telephonic device itself is customizable.
Regardless of the type of network telephonic device and system which is used, all such network telephony systems require a local area network (LAN) for serving a plurality of network telephonic devices. One example of a type of network which is suitable for such a LAN is the Ethernet network. One drawback of network telephony systems, such as those operated over an Ethernet network, is the requirement for a power supply for each network telephonic device. Although each telephonic device could be powered from a local AC power outlet, for example, such a requirement for a local power outlet is clearly disadvantageous. Additionally, if the network telephonic device is to also operate while the main AC power supply is interrupted or discontinued, a separate UPS (uninterrupted power supply) is necessary for each network telephonic device.
In an attempt to overcome such disadvantages, various solutions have been proposed for providing power to the network telephonic devices through the Ethernet or other network cables. Since power is provided through the existing network infrastructure, the requirement for additional cables and/or local power outlets is obviated. With regard to Ethernet networks, the most commonly used cables for Ethernet networks have eight wires, of which four are dedicated to data transmission according to the Ethernet standard: wires 1, 2, 3 and 6. The remaining four wires may preferably be used for power supply.
Alternatively, any of the eight wires of the Ethernet cable may be used for power supply, by multiplexing power and data on the same wire. Such multiplexing techniques are known in the art, and are used for example for regular (analog) telephony systems attached to the PSTN (public switched telephony network), where power and voice signals are carried on a single pair of wires. However, using any of the wires of the Ethernet cable which are unused for data transmission may render the network device vulnerable to power surges. For example, wires 4 and 5 are vulnerable to surges if a network device with an Ethernet socket is accidentally connected to the regular (analog) telephony network. Since the Ethernet socket is larger than the analog telephone plug, such a plug could physically-be inserted into the socket, where it would contact wires 4 and 5 of the Ethernet socket. The analog telephony network delivers relatively high voltage, which might damage the connected network device.
One attempted solution for overcoming this problem was proposed by PowerDSine Ltd. (Israel; http://www.powerdsine.com, as of Jan. 12, 2000), in which the power supply attempts to provide power to the network device which is attached to the Ethernet network, and monitors power consumption by this device to sense if the network device can accept power at such a level. While such a detection mechanism may be implemented for automatic operation, it has the disadvantage that power must initially be supplied to the network device at a sufficiently high level to enable the network device to operate. If, in fact, the device which is attached to the network should not be so connected, then supplying even such a relatively low level of power may prove damaging to the device, the network or both. Additionally, providing power in this controlled manner, while monitoring the consumption of power by the attached network device, does not necessarily comply with the power supply requirements of the network device, in which case the network device would not be able to operate with this supply of power.
Furthermore, such a detection mechanism can only test an attached device for the electrical compatibility with the network, but cannot determine whether the device is authorized to be attached to the network with regard to security. For a network telephonic device, for example, such a lack of security could be potentially problematic, since an unauthorized user could theoretically attach such a device to the network for the purposes of wiretapping or fraud, for example. Thus, clearly this attempted solution has a number of drawbacks.
A more useful solution would provide secure power transmission, both with regard to supplying power without damaging the network and attached devices, and with regard to preventing unauthorized users from attaching a device to the network. This solution would also be useful for network devices other than IP telephones, such as other network appliances for example. Unfortunately, such a solution does not exist.
There is thus a need for, and it would be useful to have, a device, system and method for providing secure power transmission through a computer network such as an Ethernet network, preferably including both the prevention of damage to the network device from the transmission of power and the provision of security for attaching only authorized devices to the network.


A housing includes a first frame which includes a first accommodating portion having a bottom plate to be supported on a predetermined support surface, the first accommodating portion having an accommodating space for accommodating the image reading part, and a second accommodating portion protruding outward in a first direction from a side surface of the first accommodating portion, the second accommodating portion positioned higher than the bottom plate, the second accommodating portion having an accommodating space for accommodating the operation unit; a second frame attached to a peripheral edge portion of an opening formed on a top surface of the first accommodating portion; and an engaging mechanism installed at the side of a base end portion of the second accommodating portion and configured to bring the second accommodating portion and the second frame into engagement in a direction perpendicular to the side surface of the first accommodating portion.

In an image forming apparatus provided with an image reading part capable of reading an image of a manuscript, it is sometimes the case that an operation unit capable of inputting an operation with respect to the image forming apparatus is disposed so as to protrude from a side portion of the image reading part. In the image forming apparatus of this kind, the image reading part and the operation unit are often installed within one housing in order to reduce the component cost and the assembly cost.


The present invention is a portable hand tool for cutting the metal cladding of an electrical cable. The basic structure of the tool is a spring-loaded clamp comprising two opposing jaws which are biased toward closure by a torsion spring-loaded hinge mechanism. The upper jaw contains a rotating circular saw blade driven by a battery-powered electric motor, while the lower jaw contains a channel into which the cable is inserted. Application of manual pressure to the handle extensions of the two jaws has the dual effect of separating the jaws, so that the blade is raised away from contact with the cable cladding, and cutting off power to the motor, thereby stopping the blade rotation. With the blade raised and motionless, the operator can safely replace or re-position the cable in the lower jaw.

The metal cladding of electrical conduits such as BX cable is difficult to cut due to its hardness and shape. Maintaining a proper alignment of the cutter blade to the cladding is essential to avoid injuries and/or severing the cable wires beneath the cladding. A hand tool designed for this task must be able to simultaneously retain the cable in a fixed position and control the blade position so that it does not penetrate below the cladding and so that it does not interfere with the positioning of the cable. In both of these aspects, the present invention is superior to the prior art, insofar as the motor-driven blade rotation is halted and the blade is lifted away from the cable while it is being inserted into the tool.

Motor-driven hand tool for cutting cable cladding