The present invention provides a CT detector module with cell summing in the Z-direction and cell staggering in the X-direction. The present invention also provides a method for implementing the present invention by simply combining the cells in the Z-direction. The staggering of the cells in the Z-axis improves the signal sampling in the Z-direction without changing either the X-axis or Y-axis resolution. In effect, this provides spatial resolution in the Z-direction.

This invention relates to an improved computed tomography (CT) system. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved CT detector module.
In at least one known CT system, an X-ray source projects a fan-shaped beam which is collimated to lie within an X-y plane of a Cartesian coordinate system and generally referred to as the "imaging plane." The X-ray beam passes through the object being imaged, such as a patient. The beam, after being attenuated by the object, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated beam radiation received at the detector array is dependent upon the attenuation of the X-ray beam by the object. Each detector element of the array produces a separate electrical signal that is a measurement of the beam attenuation at the detector location. The attenuation measurements from all the detectors are acquired separately to produce a transmission profile.
In known third generation CT systems, the X-ray source and the detector array are rotated with a gantry within the imaging plane and around the object to be imaged so that the angle at which the X-ray beam intersects the object constantly changes. A group of X-ray attenuation measurements, i.e., projection data, from the detector array at one gantry angle is referred to as a "view." A "scan" of the object comprises a set of views made at different gantry angles, or view angles, during one revolution the X-ray source and detector. In an axial scan, the projection data is processed to construct an image that corresponds to a two dimensional slice taken through the object. One method of reconstructing an image from a set of projection data is referred to in the art as the "filtered back" projection technique or process. This process converts the attenuation measurements from a scan into integers called "CT numbers" or "Hounsfield units" which are used to control the brightness of a corresponding pixel in a cathode ray tube display.
At least one known detector CT imaging system includes a plurality of detector modules each having a plurality of detector cells having a scintillator array optically coupled to a semiconductor photodiode array that detects light output by the scintillator array. These known detector module assemblies require an increasing number of scintillator/diode rows in the Z direction, along with associated electronics to support a desire for increasing the number of CT slices of information gathered per CT rotation.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method for using existing CT detector modules that sum detector cells in the Z-direction. It would be further desirable to provide a method for staggering the summed detector cells. It is also desirable to provide such a method wherein the method of the present invention is implemented using Field Effect Transistor (FET) switch arrays.

Method and apparatus for improving slice to slice resolution by staggering cells in the Z-axis


A selectable power supply for switching between normal and emergency standby power supply. The device is used where two power sources are used, such that only one power supply source can feed the electrical load. A sliding shuttle is used to permit access to the source of power to feed the load at any time.

The present invention relates to switching devices and more particularly to a sliding shuttle apparatus allowing switching between normal and emergency standby power supplies while simultaneously preventing overloading of the electrical system.
Numerous sliding switches have been provided in prior art that are adapted to include sliding switch mechanisms having a sliding actuator that touches a contactor, for example, Hou et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,552 is illustrative of such prior art. Tseng, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,983, teaches an electrical switch having a sliding block that manually switches between two positions, on and off. Takano, U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,549, teaches a sliding switch having a movable conductor which, when in its first position in contact with a pair of elongate fixed conductors, completes an electrical circuit therebetween.
None of the prior art sliding switches address the problem of permitting only one power source to be used at any one time thereby preventing overload of an electrical system which would occur if two power sources, the normal power source and the back-up emergency power source, were inadvertently accessed simultaneously.
While these prior art switches may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described.


An apparatus and method for thermally applying and removing a graphic to and from seat-belt webbing, the apparatus comprising a housing with an engagement slot to receive the seat-belt webbing and a graphic thermal coupon. The apparatus and graphic coupon useable without removing the seat belt webbing from the vehicle. The apparatus further useable while an occupant is seated with the seat belt fully engaged to allow the graphic coupon to be optimally positioned on the seat belt. The thermal graphic coupon comprising three layers including a heat transfer layer, a graphic membrane layer and an adhesive protective layer. The graphic membrane layer includes a graphic image that is actively applied to the seat belt webbing at specified temperatures without compromising the integrity of the seat belt webbing. The graphic is removed by reversing the process using a release sheet that preferentially absorbs the graphic membrane when reheated.

In today's race for expression of individualism through an individual's automobile or other vehicle, preferences are expressed through many different forms of enhancement and decoration. These expressions have boasted alumni messages, sports team preference, home state messages and many other similar messages for which individuals have a fondness or personal association therewith and wish to make these preferences known to the public at-large. Frequently, for families with children, this expression may simply be targeted toward creating a positive environment for each child to allow travel in the vehicle to be more attractive and less boring. One example of this expression is the application of labels to windows near the child reflecting a theme of interest.
These individualistic or community messages come in a variety of forms such as bumper stickers or decals applied to the windows of vehicles. They may also come in the form of "vanity" license plates. In addition, expression can be added via the use of seat belt pads that are wrapped around the seat belt and may have various logos and other graphics.
Since people spend a great deal of time in their cars, many tend to treat their car as an extension of their personality. In addition to the types of cars they drive, people often add personalization, as indicated above, to express their beliefs, associations, and tastes to other drivers of the motoring public, passersby, and to other passengers that might occupy the vehicle.
Just as vehicle personalization has experienced growth in recent times, there has likewise been considerable growth in the industry devoted to consumer-personalization of clothing items, such as T-shirts, sportswear and the like. The creation of such personalized items typically takes place using either one of two different techniques, namely, by directly printing a personalized image onto the article of clothing or by printing an image onto a transfer sheet and then transferring the printed image from the transfer sheet to the intended article using heat and pressure. Consumer-personalization via direct printing is typically performed in specialty shops as a "do-it-for-you" approach. According to this approach, a consumer, using an e-commerce web server, sends the print shop a graphic image in digital format, together with information on the selected type, color and size of clothing article. The shop then electronically transforms the graphic image into a standard graphic format and subsequently transmits the formatted image to a direct-to-fabric industrial printer for a final printing. Before shipping the personalized item to the consumer, the shop may use heat-pressing to further fix the image on the article of clothing.
The second method, personalization via image transfer, typically involves the use of a heat transfer sheet as an intermediate holder of a graphic image. The image transfer technique enables consumer-personalization to be performed not only by specialized shops but also by the individual consumer using common household articles, such as a desktop, ink-jet printer for printing and an iron for heat-transfer. Background information relating to the image transfer technique may be found in the following illustrative patents and published patent applications, all of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 7,160,411, inventors Williams et al., which issued Jan. 9, 2007; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0172094 A1, inventors Shi et al., which was published Aug. 3, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,672, inventors Sato et al., which issued Oct. 31, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,953, inventor Hare, which issued Sep. 27, 1988; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,641, inventors Reed et al., which issued Oct. 13, 1981.
The graphic image applied to a heat-transfer sheet may be printed using analog printing techniques or digital printing techniques. Examples of suitable analog printing techniques include letterpress, flexography, gravure, reverse gravure, offset lithography (wet and dry), flat and rotary screen, hot and cold stamping, pens and markers. Such techniques are capable of applying a thick, mechanically durable, graphic image. Examples of suitable digital printing techniques include using common desktop and wide format shop printers, such as ink-jet, toner-based laser, ion or electron charge deposition printing, copy machines, phaser and direct thermal or thermal transfer printers, etc. In general, digital printing techniques result in a much smaller amount of ink or toner being printed. Consequently, if a digital printing technique is used, the transfer sheet typically includes a polymer-based meltable coating (as opposed to lacking such a coating and having the image printed directly on the non-transferable support) as such a coating is used to absorb or to hold in place the graphic image. In certain instances, a combination of both analog and digital printing techniques may be used on a heat-transfer sheet. Despite the growth in using heat transfer sheets for personalization of clothing and other items, the rather permanent nature of components within a vehicle has prevented the use of this technique for personalizing components within a vehicle.
There is a significant existing market for decorative items associated with automobiles and trucks. The estimated 2013 market in the US alone for aftermarket decorative items for automobiles is approximately $234 billion according to the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. Despite this massive market opportunity, since the advent of seatbelts in vehicles for safety purposes, little has been done to enhance or personalize the appearance of seat belts. To date, the only two methods known for applying decorative components to seatbelts include either seatbelt pads that wrap around the seat belt and are joined with Velcro, or, labels that are actually sewn to the seat belt.
The first personalization method, seatbelt pad, detracts from the streamlined appearance of a seat belt and may interfere with operation of the seat belt. The second quasi-personalization method using sewn labels really does not constitute a method that can be used by the owner of the vehicle. Additionally, sewn labels may impair the integrity of the seat belt and take significant time to attach. Additionally, sewn seat belts generally have labels applied at the manufacturer. Consequently, a consumer would not use the method of sewn attachment to apply decorative graphics to a seat belt. As a result, a consumer is generally limited to only one method of enhancing appearance of seat belts, which is the use of seat belt pads. A purist vehicle enthusiast is likely to reject the use of seat belt pads for personalization for many reasons, including a realization that a seat belt pad is not an "original" piece of equipment associated with the vehicle.
However, for those interested in further enhancing personal expression within the context of their vehicle, the ability to personalize seat belts would clearly be very desirable for a plurality of different reasons.

Seat belt thermal graphics application device


A method of continuously de-activating enzymes, sterilizing or deodorizing a liquid material such as liquid foodstuff or liquid medicine with a supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide. The method includes the following steps: 1) the liquid material is continuously supplied from an inlet at a bottom of a processing tank; 2) micro-particles of the supercritical fluid of the carbon dioxide are formed so that a density of the supercritical fluid is smaller than that of the liquid material; 3) the micro-particles of the supercritical fluid are injected continuously into the liquid material from another inlet at the bottom of the processing tank; and 4) the liquid material and the supercritical fluid are separated into different phases at the top of the processing tank and are taken out of the processing tank separately. The method may further include the steps of: extracting volatile component included in the supercritical fluid which is taken out from the processing tank by controlling a pressure and a temperature of the supercritical fluid; and returning it to the liquid material processed (product) or using it as an independent product.

There are various kinds of foodstuffs containing enzymes these days, in which sake and beer are typical examples. Sake is generally produced through the following steps: in the first step, fermented rice is compressed and filtered to obtain shinshu (green sake); in the second step, this obtained green sake is sterilized by heating and then stored; in the third step, a plural lots of stored sakes are properly mixed to determine the sake quality and the alcohol content is adjusted to the standards; in the fourth (final) step, the thus adjusted sake is again sterilized by heating and then bottled or packed. As described above, sake undergoes the heat-treatment twice in the second and forth steps in the manufacturing process to inactivate and kill bacteria therein, whereby the sake quality is prevented from deteriorating during circulation.
A problem here is that the fresh aroma of green sake is sharply reduced by the heat-treatments. Therefore, a non-heat-treated sake, or fresh sake, preserving the fresh taste and aroma is in great demand. To meet the demand, for example, the fresh sake is circulated in the market by keeping it at low temperature. Such non-heat-treated sake, however, contains enzymes such as .alpha.-amylase and protease, which deteriorate the sake quality. The increased circulation cost due to the low temperature circulation is another problem.
With respect to muddled fruit drinks such as orange juice, it is considered that the cloud of the drink decides the quality of the drink. To maintain this cloud stably, it is required to inactivate pectin esterase. Since pectin esterase is stable to heat, a heat-treatment for inactivating the enzyme must be conducted at high-temperature (88.degree.-99.degree. C. or 120.degree. C.). The heat-treatment at such high temperature, however, deteriorates the relish of the drink.
Some of the inventors of the present invention found a novel method whereby the problem accompanying the conventional method of inactivating enzymes by heat-treatment can be solved, which is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No. H6-180844. In the invention entitled "METHOD FOR INACTIVATING ENZYMES, MICROORGANISMS AND SPORES IN A LIQUID FOODSTUFF" disclosed in the application, a liquid foodstuff containing enzymes is contacted with carbon dioxide in a supercritical state to inactivate the enzymes. In detail, a processing tank with the liquid foodstuff contained therein is sealed and the temperature and pressure therein are maintained under predetermined conditions. Then the supercritical fluid formed into micro-particles by a filter is supplied to the processing tank, whereby the enzymes are inactivated. This method not only improves the inactivating efficiency, but also is highly safe since it is only carbon dioxide that contacts the liquid foodstuff. By this method, simultaneously, microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria can be killed.
In the process or system disclosed in the above application, however, the inactivating or sterilizing process is not conducted continuously, but it is conducted by a so-called batch system, wherein a liquid foodstuff is stored in the processing tank, the inactivating processing is conducted on the liquid foodstuff in the tank, and then the tank is opened to air to take out the processed liquid foodstuff. Besides its low processing efficiency, the batch processing system is accompanied by a problem that, when the processing tank is opened to air, air including oxygen comes in the processing tank and the product quality deteriorates in the following process of production and after the production. To solve the problem, an additional step of removing air or oxygen must be employed in the process.
A system for continuously processing liquid foodstuffs is disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H4-222576, in which an extraction from a liquid foodstuff is conducted using a supercritical fluid. In the system, smelling components are extracted from soy sauce by contacting the soy sauce with a supercritical fluid. In more detail, the liquid foodstuff and the supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide are contacted in a counter-flow produced in a processing tank to remove the smelling components from the soy sauce.
It may be considered to apply the counter-flow contacting method to a continuous processing system for inactivating enzymes or sterilizing. A test, however, proved that the inactivating efficiency is very low in the counter-flow contacting method. Thus, a continuous processing system capable of inactivating enzymes with high efficiency and suitable for mass-production has been long desired.
Accordingly, the first object of the present invention is to provide a continuous processing method and system using supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide and having higher inactivating efficiency or sterilizing efficiency than the conventional continuous processing system using counter-flow contacting method.
When a supercritical fluid contacts a liquid foodstuff, not only the enzymes and bacteria in the liquid foodstuff are inactivated and killed, but also some flavor components are often extracted as a gas from the liquid foodstuff and are released to the outside of the processing tank together with the supercritical fluid through a supercritical fluid releasing system. This occurs also in a batch processing system for inactivating enzymes, such as disclosed in the above-cited patent application. As to undesirable components, as in the case of the smelling component of soy sauce which some people dislike, there is no problem. When, on the other hand, favorable components in the liquid foodstuff such as the fresh flavor of sake or juice is concerned, it is not preferable to let even a small amount of such components escape from the liquid foodstuff. Hence, the second object of the present invention is to provide a method and system whereby a flavor component extracted from a liquid foodstuff together with a supercritical fluid during a continuous process of inactivating enzymes or killing bacteria with the supercritical fluid can be retrieved. Thus the liquid foodstuff can be produced with its preferable components preserved even after the inactivating processing, or the flavor components can be taken out from the liquid foodstuff separately.
The third object of the present invention is to provide a method and system whereby the supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide used for inactivating enzymes and killing bacteria can be recovered and the running cost of the continuous processing system is minimized.

System for processing liquid foodstuff or liquid medicine with a supercritical fluid of carbon dioxide


A dispensing system and method utilizing a break-away antenna in a radio frequency customer identification system for service stations to reliably and accurately identify and charge customers for their purchases. The antenna is formed by a bracket adapted to be affixed to the object, a rod pivotally mounted to the bracket, and a spring normally urging the rod to a first position, the rod being pivotal to a second position in response to a force applied to the rod in a direction towards the second position.

The present invention relates to gasoline dispensers and, more particularly, to gasoline dispensers that use an antenna to receive radio frequency identification signals from a customer's vehicle to automatically identify the customer, authorize the sale of products or services to the customer, and to subsequently bill the customer's charge account for the products or services. The present invention is particularly useful in a service station environment where customers may purchase fuel for their vehicles, obtain a car wash, or purchase other items such as food, drinks, or sundries from a convenience store, or drive-through window, that may be located on the premises.
Typically, when a customer purchases fuel at a service station, the customer presents payment, in the form of cash or credit/debit card, to the service station attendant either before or after fueling. The attendant must control the activation of the dispenser to allow fueling. If payment is required before fueling may begin, the attendant must activate a switch, typically near the cash register, in order to unlock the dispenser to allow fueling to begin. Once fueling has been completed and the dispenser nozzle has been returned to its seat, the attendant manually resets the dispenser again through activation of a switch at the cash register.
In order to improve efficiency in the payment process, many service stations are now equipped with credit/debit card readers at the dispensers for direct use by the customer. In these arrangements, customer-activated-terminals are provided, each having a card reader, a display which displays messages to the customer, a key pad for use by the customer to make fueling and payment selections, a printer for printing receipts, and individual price displays corresponding to the individual fuel dispensing nozzles of the dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,380 issued to Robert E. Randelman et al. takes this payment automation one step further by disclosing an automatic vehicle recognition and customer billing system that may be used in a service station environment. The system automatically recognizes vehicles and correlates the purchase of products and services with the vehicle. The system of the '380 patent includes an antenna embedded in the ground near a gasoline dispensing pump. The antenna is connected to a controller located in a housing near the antenna. The controller controls the output of a radio frequency signal from the antenna and can detect an RF input signal. The antenna is always energized and, therefore, creates an electromagnetic field at a predetermined radio frequency in the fueling area. The system of the '380 patent also includes an emitter (or card) affixed to a vehicle. The card comprises an RF coil and integrated circuit component. When the card crosses the electromagnetic field, the electromagnetic field energizes the card. The activated card then emits an encoded electromagnetic pulse signal. The controller receives the signal and converts it into a data bit stream. A computer receives the data bit stream from the controller and in turn utilizes the data for displaying information on the pump display, for controlling the fuel dispenser, and for billing purposes.
One disadvantage of the '380 patent is that the antenna which emits the electromagnetic field is embedded in the ground near the fuel dispenser. The installation of such an antenna (or antennas where there is more than one dispenser) can be costly and can create a fire hazard from fueling spills or leaks from the fuel storage tanks typically located under ground near the fuel dispensers. Furthermore, where multiple dispensers are present and therefore multiple antennas and controllers are present, the system does not adequately prevent a vehicle card from being activated by more than one antenna at a time and detected by more than one controller at a time, such as may happen where antennas are positioned near each other and therefore interfere with one another. Furthermore, the system does not prevent the inadvertent detection of vehicle cards not intended to be used in a fueling transaction.
Another disadvantage of the '380 patent is in connection with service stations that provide for separate fueling from both sides of a dispenser and/or from several closely-spaced rows of dispensers. With the system of the '380 patent applied to such a dispenser arrangement, the vehicle card of a vehicle stopped between antennas may be detected by the wrong controller, i.e., one not associated with the dispenser where the vehicle is actually receiving fuel, or may wrongly be detected by a controller, i.e., where the vehicle is stopped near an antenna but is not fueling.
Other automatic identification systems exist that employ radio frequency technology. For example, Texas Instruments Incorporated of Dallas, Tex., markets a number of radio frequency identification systems referred to commercially as its TIRIS.TM. (Texas Instruments Registration and Identification Systems) product line. The TIRIS.TM. product line includes radio frequency transponders (read-only as well as read-write) that may be low frequency or high frequency in their operation and which may be attached to or embedded in objects or may be hand-held. Readers, through antennas, send out radio frequency waves to the transponders, and the transponders broadcast stored data back to the reader for processing. One suggested application of the TIRIS.TM. product line is a fuel dispensing system (where a transponder is mounted beside the vehicle's fuel tank and a transceiver is mounted on the fuel dispensing nozzle). The fuel dispensing system application, however, is not desirable because maintenance of the fuel dispensing nozzle with the transceiver can present a service problem as well as a replacement problem and, furthermore, the location of the transponder and transceiver can create a fire hazard.
Copending U.S patent application Ser. No. 08/768,723 is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and solves these problems by providing a radio frequency customer identification system and method which determines whether a transponder containing customer identification data is within range of a gasoline dispenser. The dispenser is designed to require activation by the customer to initiate a transaction, and an antenna is associated with each dispensing area of the dispenser and is mounted to the tops of the dispensers. Readers housed in the dispensers send radio frequency power pulses to the antennas which in turn direct the power pulses to create electromagnetic fields. The antennas are optimally positioned so that the electromagnetic fields cover predetermined areas near the dispenser.
The antennas also pick-up customer identification data that is broadcast by the transponders. In particular, if a vehicle-mounted transponder enters the electromagnetic field created by a long-range antenna, the vehicle-mounted transponder will become activated and broadcast its customer identification ("CID") code. The antenna detects the CID code and sends the code to the associated reader for decoding and processing. A processor is connected to the reader and to the dispenser for associating customer identification data received at the dispensing area with a transaction at the dispenser, whereupon the transaction at the dispenser is charged to the customer according to the customer identification data. The disclosure of this patent application is incorporated by reference.
The arrangement disclosed in this patent application overcomes the above-noted problems with the prior art by providing a reliable, safe, customer-friendly identification system that can automatically identify customer purchasing services or products at a service station, and bill the customer's account for any purchases made.
However, the design of the above-described antenna used in the system disclosed in the patent application is such that it must project laterally from its respective dispenser, and, as such, is susceptible to being struck by vehicles as they pass by the dispenser. If this occurs, the antenna can be severely and permanently damaged, often requiring shut down of the dispenser while the antenna is replaced.

Gasoline dispensing system and method with radio frequency customer identification antenna


Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating Type II diabetes. Such compounds are represented by Formula (I) as follows:

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are a family of enzymes encoded by 21 genes and subdivided into 11 distinct families according to structural and functional properties. These enzymes are hydrolases that metabolically inactivate widely occurring intracellular second messengers, 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and 3′,5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) by catalytic hydrolysis of the 3′-ester bond, forming the inactive 5′-monophosphate. These two messengers regulate a wide variety of biological processes, including pro-inflammatory mediator production and action, ion channel function, muscle contraction, learning, differentiation, apoptosis, lipogenesis, glycogenolysis, and gluconeogenesis. They do this by activation of protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase G (PKG), which in turn phosphorylate a wide variety of substrates including transcription factors and ion channels that regulate innumerable physiological responses. In neurons, this includes the activation of cAMP and cGMP-dependent kinases and subsequent phosphorylation of proteins involved in acute regulation of synaptic transmission as well as in neuronal differentiation and survival.
On the basis of substrate specificity, the PDE families can be divided into three groups: i) the cAMP-specific PDEs, which include PDE4, 7 and 8; ii) the cGMP-selective enzymes PDE5 and 9; and iii) the dual-substrate PDEs, PDE1, 2 and 3, as well as PDE10 and 11.
Furthermore, PDEs are expressed differentially throughout the organism, including the central nervous system. Different PDE isozymes therefore may play different physiological functions. Compounds that selectively inhibit PDE families or isozymes may display particular therapeutic activity, fewer side effects, or both.
PDE10a is highly expressed in the brain with the highest expression residing in the nAcc olfactory tubercle, striatum and spiny neurons. There is a high co-incidence of PDE10a, D2 and D1 expression in these areas. Antipsychotics normalize a dopamine-evoked cAMP decrease, i.e. agonists at Gs-coupled D1 receptors result in increased intracellular cAMP and antagonists of the Gi-coupled D2 receptor also elevate the intracellular cAMP.
Since PDE10a hydrolyzes cAMP and cGMP, it is to be expected that PDE10a inhibitors will increase intracellular levels of cAMP and cGMP, thereby mimicking dopamine transmission at D1 mediated synapses (D1 agonism) and decreasing dopamine transmission at D2 mediated synapses (D2 antagonism). Therefore, PDE10a inhibitors are expected to have antipsychotic and cognitive-improving properties and may provide benefits for the treatment of schizophrenia.
Besides being a potential treatment for psychiatric disorders, PDE10a inhibitors may also be beneficial for the treatment of metabolic diseases. Although PDE10a is predominantly expressed in the brain, it is also expressed in neuroendocrine tissues such as pancreatic islets, adrenal gland, pituitary gland, and in the neuronal ganglion throughout the intestine. Because cAMP is a major regulator of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic islet β cells, PDE10a inhibitors may enhance insulin secretion and reduce blood glucose levels. They may also potentiate the actions of GLP-1, GPR119 agonists and other Gs-coupled GPCR agonists which signal via increased cAMP and the protein kinase A pathway. In addition, PDE10a inhibitors may potentiate incretin effects such as β cell proliferation and survival. A peripherally restricted PDE10a inhibitor has been shown to enhance insulin secretion and reduce the glucose excursion in lean Wistar rats (Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 17 (2007) 2869-2873).
Further validation that PDE10a inhibition may have beneficial effects on metabolism includes the phenotype of the PDE10a knockout mice (US Patent Appl. US2009/0162286 A1). These mice are resistant to weight gain on a high fat diet, without an appreciable change in food consumption, and the differences in weight between the PDE10a knockout and wild type mice are predominantly due to differences in adiposity and not lean mass. When compared to wild type mice, the PDE10a knockout mice have lower plasma insulin, triglycerides, non-esterified free fatty acids and leptin. Although there does not appear to be a difference in the glucose excursion between knockout and wild type mice on a chow diet, there is a reduction in the glucose excursion during an oral glucose tolerance test. Additionally, there was a slight increase in oxygen consumption. Furthermore, PDE10a inhibitor treatment in mice fed a high fat diet showed similar changes to those observed between wild type and PDE10a knockout mice. PDE10a inhibitor treated mice exhibited 6% weight loss during the 14 day study with little changes in food intake and slight increases in oxygen consumption. In addition, they exhibited improvements in the glucose excursion during an oral glucose tolerance test.
Taken together, these data suggest that PDE10a inhibitors may be beneficial for the treatment of type II diabetes and obesity with potentiation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and the potential for weight loss. Additivity and/or synergy may be expected between PDE10a inhibitors and DPPIV inhibitors, GLP-1 mimetics and GPR119 agonists. They may work well as monotherapy or in conjunction with common treatments of type II diabetes, such as metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, PPAR gamma agonists and DPPIV inhibitors.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for PDE10a inhibitors that are useful for the treatment of a disease, syndrome, or condition in a mammal in which the disease, syndrome, or condition is affected by the inhibition of the PDE10a receptor, such as Type II diabetes. It has been suggested in the scientific literature that compounds that do not accumulate in the brain tissue may possess fewer potential CNS side effects. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to identify compounds of Formula (I) that do not accumulate in the brain tissue where they may exert CNS effects.

PDE 10a inhibitors for the treatment of type II diabetes

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, L, and Q are defined herein.


Mechanisms are provided, in a non-volatile memory device comprising a non-volatile memory and a memory controller, for controlling an operation of the non-volatile memory device. The non-volatile memory device receives a single combined memory command for accessing the non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory device decodes the row address and the column address for the word-line to be accessed by the single combined memory command. The non-volatile memory device accesses the word-line such that at least a most significant bit (MSB) page and a least significant bit (LSB) page are accessed simultaneously.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for accessing multiple pages in a word-line of a non-volatile memory simultaneously.
Flash memory is an electronic non-volatile computer storage medium that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. Flash memory was developed from electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) devices. There are two primary types of flash memory, NAND and NOR type flash memories, named after the logic gates that the cells of the flash memory emulate. Where EEPROMs had to be completely erased before being re-written, NAND type flash memories may be programmed (written) and read in blocks (or pages) which are generally much smaller than the entire device. NAND type flash memories are used in main memories, memory cards, Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and the like. NOR type flash memories are generally used as replacements for older EEPROMs and as an alternative to read only memories (ROMs) in some applications.
Flash memory devices store data in individual memory cells which are made up of floating-gate transistors. Traditionally, cells of a flash memory device had two possible states, e.g., high or low, programmed or erased, 1 or 0, or the like, and thus, could only store a single bit per cell. These are referred to as single-level cell (SLC) flash memories. SLC flash memory has the advantage of relatively fast write speeds, low power consumption, and high cell endurance. However, because SLC flash memories only store a single bit per cell, SLC flash memories cost more per megabyte of storage to manufacture. SLC flash memories are used in high-performance memory cards due to their relative faster transfer speeds and longer life.
Multi-level cell (MLC) Slash memories are memory devices capable of storing more than a single bit of information in each cell. In MLC flash memories, multiple levels are provided per cell to allow more bits to be stored using the same number of transistors. Most MLC flash memories, contrary to the two states permitted in SLC flash memories, provide four possible states per cell so that they may store two bits of information per cell. This reduces the amount of margin separating the states and results in a higher possibility of errors. However, the cost of MLC flash memories is lower since a lower number of hardware elements are required per megabyte of storage capacity. Stated another way, a MLC flash memory stores twice as much data as a SLC flash memory and thus, a lower number is necessary for most applications.
Further, categories of MLC flash memories have been developed that support eight possible states per cell, thereby allowing each cell to store up to three bits of information per cell and sixteen 16 possible states per cell, thereby allowing each cell to store up to four bits of information per cell. Flash memories that utilize such cells are referred to as triple-level cell (TLC) and quad-level cell (QLC) flash memories, respectively.

Simultaneous multi-page commands for non-volatile memories

International Business Machines Corporation


A multi-core cable includes an insulated electronic wire arranged in the center of a cross-section of the cable, an insulated electronic wire arranged in proximity to the insulated electronic wire and having a diameter smaller than that of the insulated electronic wire, an even number of coaxial electronic wires arranged on the same circumference in the periphery of the insulated electronic wire and the insulated electronic wire, and a tensile strength fiber arranged in gaps between the coaxial electronic wires and the insulated electronic wire and the insulated electronic wire.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a multi-core cable having a plurality of insulated electronic wires and a plurality of coaxial electronic wires and a method of manufacturing the multi-core cable.
2. Related Art
A known multi-core cable using coaxial electronic wires is a cable in which a tension member is in the center of the cable and a coaxial cable or a coaxial cable unit is arranged in the periphery of the tension member (for instance, see patent literature 1).

Multi-core cable and method of manufacturing the same


Provided is a self-propelled drive apparatus that enables stable drive and low cost, the apparatus includes: a movable member which has an electromechanical transducer whose one end is fixed to the movable member and the other end is fixed to a drive friction member, which is movably supported by the movable member movably in the first direction, which represents a extension-contraction direction A-B of the electromechanical transducer, where the movable member is supported movably in the first direction; a pair of plate springs which extend in a belt shape in the first direction and sandwich the drive friction member; a base member holding the plate springs in a cantilever manner in the direction of the short sides of the plate springs; and auxiliary springs disposed on the outside of the plate springs to apply elastic force only to both ends of each of the plate springs.

One of the apparatuses known in the conventional art is a drive apparatus that positions a movable member by sliding movement, of a drive friction member, by an electromechanical transducer such as a piezoelectric element. The drive apparatus is available in two types—an impact type drive apparatus wherein the piezoelectric element does not move as described in the Patent Document 1, and a self-propelled type drive apparatus wherein the piezoelectric element is held by a movable member and moves together with the movable member as described in the Patent Document 2.
As disclosed in the Patent Document 2, the conventional self-propelled type drive apparatus uses a fixed guide member along which the drive friction member slides, and a biased guide member that is biased to press the drive friction member against the fixed guide member.
However, in the conventional drive apparatus, the frictional force between the drive friction member and fixed guide member is kept constant only when there is a complete agreement between the movable direction of a driven member such as a stage which is driven by the movable member and the direction wherein the fixed guide member is installed.
The fixed guide member and biased guide member are required to be made of a highly rigid material of stable frictional force. This requirement has been a cause for increased costs.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-80964
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H10-225150

Drive apparatus having auxiliary springs


A wiring board is provided with an external connection terminal to which an electrode terminal of an electronic component is to be connected. The external connection terminal is formed so that a portion thereof is electrically connected to a pad portion exposed from an outermost insulating layer on an electronic component mounting surface of a wiring board body and so that an air gap is kept between a portion of the external connection terminal, to which the electrode terminal of the electronic component is to be connected, and the insulating layer.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of mounting an electronic component such as a semiconductor device on a wiring board, and particularly to a wiring board (hereinafter also referred to as "package" for the sake of convenience) adapted for effectively bonding an electronic component by using a conductive bump as well as a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic component device using the wiring board as well as a method of manufacturing the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
For surface mounting of an electronic component (a chip) such as a semiconductor device on a wiring board (a package), wire bonding, flip chip bonding or the like is used as means for providing an electrical connection between the chip and the package. The wire bonding requires a bonding area (an area having an arrangement of pads for wire connections) around the chip mounted on the package, resulting in the package with a correspondingly large area, while the flip chip bonding is effective in a reduction in size of the package, since this bonding permits mounting of the chip on the package via a conductive bump and thus eliminates the need for the bonding area around the chip.
In an electronic component device of such a flip chip bonding type, the electrical connection between the chip and the package is accomplished by using: one method (namely, bonding using the same metal) that involves providing bumps made of the same metallic material on both the chip and the package, or alternatively providing a metal bump only on the chip, and bonding the chip and the package together with the bumps made of the same metal sandwiched therebetween; or another method (namely, bonding using different metals) that involves providing bumps made of different metallic materials on the chip and the package, respectively, and bonding the chip and the package together with the bumps made of different metals. For example, the bonding using the same metal includes bonding of a solder bump to a solder bump, while the bonding using different metals includes bonding of a copper (Cu) bump to a solder bump, bonding of a gold (Au) bump to a solder bump, and the like.
An example of techniques related to the above-mentioned conventional techniques is disclosed in Japanese unexamined Patent Publication (JPP) (Kokai)11-195676. The technique disclosed in this publication provides a semiconductor chip mounting structure provided with a projection formed in such a position on at least any one of an electrode provided on the surface of the semiconductor chip and an electrode provided on the surface of a circuit board that the projection would come in contact with a conductive bump, the projection being deformable when applied with pressure. Furthermore, another example of the related techniques is disclosed in JPP (Kokai) 2005-354120. The technique disclosed in this publication provides a structure including a semiconductor device having electrodes; a passivation film provided on the surface of the semiconductor device so as to avoid at least the portion of each electrode; a conductive foil provided above the surface having the passivation film formed thereon, with a predetermined space in the direction of thickness therebetween; an external electrode formed on the conductive foil; an interlayer formed between the passivation film and the conductive foil, and configured to support the conductive foil; and wiring that provides an electrical connection between the electrode and the conductive foil. In the interlayer, a concave portion is formed under a region, of the conductive foil, inclusive of a bonding portion bonded to the external electrode, the concave portion having a diameter gradually increasing from the passivation film side to the conductive foil side.
As mentioned above, in the conventional electronic component device of the flip chip bonding type, the electrical connection between the chip and the package is accomplished by the bonding using the bumps made of the same metal, or the bonding using the bumps made of different metals. Generally, such an electronic component device undergoes, prior to shipment, an electrical test on its detailed functions (a product reliability evaluation) with the chip mounted on the package. However, the conventional electronic component device of the flip chip bonding type encounters problems as given below when subjected to such a test for reliability evaluation.
Specifically, the bonding using different metals involves the formation of an alloy layer at the bonding interface between the metals. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, assuming that the bonding involves: providing solder bumps BP1 (containing tin (Sn) as the main metal) respectively on pad portions 42 (e.g., copper (Cu)/nickel (Ni)/gold (Au) plating layers) exposed from portions of a protection film 41 (e.g., a solder resist layer) of a wiring board 40; providing copper (Cu) bumps BP2 respectively on pad portions 52 (e.g., aluminum (Al) conductor layers) exposed from portions of a protection film 51 (e.g., a passivation film) of a chip 50; and bonding the metal bumps BP1 and BP2 together by melting or the like. In this case, alloy layers (Cu—Sn) BM are formed, respectively, at the bonding interfaces between the metal bumps BP1 and BP2.
The alloy layer BM has the following problems. Because of being generally brittle to thermal stress, the alloy layer BM may possibly break off under a temperature cyclic test (e.g., a test to determine a change in product characteristics caused by repeated cycles of changing temperature within a range from +125° C. to +150° C. and temperature within a range from 40° C. to −65° C.) after chip mounting. In some cases, "break-off" may possibly occur in the alloy layer BM (in a portion indicated by reference BR in FIG. 6A) as shown in FIG. 6A. Also, the alloy layer BM has another problem. When a high-temperature exposure test (e.g., a test in which device test target is left in an environment at a temperature of 150° C. for a given period of time) is performed, heat facilitates the flowing of atoms of metal, thus causing an enlargement of the area of the alloy layer BM, and in turn, an increase in the likelihood of occurrence of break-off.
Description is given with regard to the occurrence of "break-off," which takes place when the metal bumps BP1 and BP2 made of different metals are used to form a bond between the chip 50 and the wiring board 40, as illustrated in FIG. 6A. However, "break-off" in such a conductive bump can possibly occur likewise even in the case of bonding using the same metal. For instance, if any one of eutectic solder (e.g., made up of tin (Sn) and lead (Pb)) and lead-free solder (e.g., made up of Sn, silver (Ag) and Cu) is used as material for the conductive bump, the same or similar break-off can possibly occur, depending on temperature conditions or testing time, because of distribution of Sn—Pb or Sn—Ag—Cu alloy in the conductive bump, although such a local alloy layer BM as is shown in FIG. 6A is not formed.
In order to cope with such "break-off," a method using an underfill resin for fixing of the chip to be mounted and the wiring board is widely adopted. FIG. 6B shows an example of the case. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, bumps BP to function as electrode terminals provided on the chip 50 to be mounted (specifically, the pad portions 52 exposed from the protection film 51) are connected by flip chip bonding to the pad portions 42 exposed from the protection film 41 of the wiring board 40. Then, an underfill resin 60 is filled into a gap between the wiring board 40 and the chip 50, and cured in the gap. By this method, the reliability of connection is improved, since the chip 50 and the wiring board 40 are integrally formed via the underfill resin 60.
However, the following problems arise. The method requires a process for filling the underfill resin 60 into the gap between the wiring board 40 and the chip 50, and hence causes problems in an increase of man-hours and a rise in cost. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6B, baking (heat treatment) which is performed to cure the underfill resin 60 often leads to a shrinkage in the underfill resin 60, so that the wiring board 40 is warped at its edges toward a chip mounting surface, due to the fact that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the underfill resin 60 is different from that of the wiring board 40. Further, delamination of the chip 50 may possibly occur depending on the degree of warp, thus causing deterioration in the reliability of connection.

Wiring board and method of manufacturing the same, and electronic component device using the wiring board and method of manufacturing the same


A communication system for monitoring process units includes at least one process unit operably connected to an associated peripheral communication unit via a communication interface in order to transmit process variables to the associated peripheral communication unit. The process variables which are transmitted to the associated peripheral communication unit are configurable. Each peripheral communication unit is configured to receive the configured process variables from the corresponding process unit and to emit them as advertising packets. The communication system further includes a central communication unit configured to receive the advertising packets from each peripheral communication unit.

When using the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard, data can be transmitted or broadcast by several peripheral communication units in the form of advertising packets, independently of one another. A central communication unit receives the advertising packets without a link being necessary between the peripheral communication units and the central communication unit. However, the data which are contained in the advertising packets are predefined, such that a plurality of data, for example, all process variables of a process unit, are transmitted from the peripheral communication units to the central communication unit.
Since an advertising packet according to the Bluetooth 4 standard comprises a data quantity of only 31 bytes, it is therefore necessary to emit a plurality of advertising packets in order to transmit the plurality of data. This results in the energy consumption of the peripheral communication units being increased, which can lead to reduced operating times, in particular in the case of battery-operated peripheral communication units in which the BLE standard is preferably used as an energy-efficient radio technology. In addition, it is time-consuming for a user to filter relevant process variables from the plurality of received data, in order to draw conclusions about the state of the process unit when monitoring a process unit with the aid of such a BLE communication system. In addition, depending on the type of process unit and the nature of the application, other data are of interest for monitoring the state of the process unit.

Communication system for monitoring process units


A primary object of the present invention is to provide a surface light source device attaining a homogenous luminance distribution on a light emitting surface of a light guiding plate in which a dot light source having a high directivity of emitted light is employed. The device includes: a light guiding plate 5 including a plurality of primary holes in such a manner as to locate each dot light source 3 inside; and dot printing 7a being employed as an auxiliary light source means which diffuses light from the dot light source 3 to the position between dot light sources 3 being adjacent to each other, wherein the dot printing 7 is provided at a base of the light guiding plate 5 and a middle point of the connected dot light sources 3 being adjacent to each other.

The present invention relates to a surface light source device and other display device employing the surface light source device. More particularly, the present invention relates to the display devices such as a signboard and an induction light employing a transmittance type of a liquid crystal display and a display a panel, which displays a letter or a figure, and the surface light source device supplying illumination light, which employs a plurality of dot light sources such as a light emitting diode, to the display device.


A lid for covering the open end of a beverage container having: an annular base adapted to detachably and sealably engage with the circumference of a drinking edge of a container; an elevated portion projecting upwardly from the annular base; and a spout; the lid arranged and formed such that when in use with a container containing liquid and wherein the lid is securely fitted to the container a user is able to move the spout between a closed configuration which closes the open end of a container such that liquid is substantially prevented from escaping from the container and a drinking configuration which allows a user to drink the liquid contained within the container and also wherein in use the lid is adapted such that a user can squeeze the container or the elevated portion which results in the spout moving from a closed configuration to a drinking configuration.

Beverages such as takeaway coffee or hot chocolate are usually sold in takeaway cups or containers which have lids applied to them. These lids typically have an open drinking aperture in them and therefore there is a risk of the liquid spilling (or even injury in the case of hot beverages) through the aperture. Another known problem with these lids is that heat can escape through the drinking aperture and in some instances the lids can come off easily as they do not fit securely to the cups they are applied to. Even if the beverage is a cold beverage such as soft drink or cold coffee, liquid spillage through the aperture while drinking is still not desirable because such spill can not only create mess but can also cause stains in clothes, carpets etc.
It is an object of a preferred form of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing one or some of the above problems. While this is an object of a preferred embodiment, it should not be seen as a limitation on the scope of the invention as claimed. The object of the invention per se is simply to provide the public with a useful choice.
As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both. As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun. The term "comprising" as used in this specification and claims means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner.


The invention relates to the use of a composition comprising a polyol ester-based lubricant and a refrigerant F comprising at least one tetrafluoropropene and at least one hydrofluorocarbon, in a heat transfer system containing a vapour compression circuit comprising an oil separator.

The problems posed by substances that deplete the atmospheric ozone layer were discussed in Montreal, where the protocol imposing a reduction in the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) was signed. This protocol has been amended to eliminate the use of CFCs and extend the regulation to include other products, including hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
The refrigeration and air-conditioning industry has invested heavily in the substitution of these refrigerants and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) have thus been marketed.
In the automotive industry, the air conditioning systems of vehicles marketed in many countries have moved from a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC-12) refrigerant to hydrofluorocarbon (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane: HFC-134a) refrigerant, less harmful for the ozone layer. However, in view of objectives set by the Kyoto Protocol, HFC-134a (GWP=1430) is considered to have a high warming potential. The contribution to the greenhouse effect of a fluid is quantified by a criterion, GWP (Global Warming Potential) which summarizes the warming power by taking a reference value of 1 for carbon dioxide.
Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) have a low warming potential and therefore meet the objectives set by the Kyoto Protocol. JP 4-110388 discloses hydrofluoropropenes as a heat transfer agent.
In the industrial field, the most widely used refrigeration machines are based on evaporative cooling of a liquid refrigerant. After vaporization, the fluid is compressed and then cooled in order to return to liquid state and thus continue the cycle.
Lubricating oils are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the moving mechanical parts, and especially to ensure the lubrication of the compressor bearings. However, the refrigerant fluid, which is in contact with the lubricant present on the moving parts, at each passage through the compressor, tends to carry a certain amount, which accompanies the refrigerant in its cycle, and is therefore found in the evaporator. To overcome this problem of oil migration, it is common to use an oil separation system, capable of purging the accumulated oil from the high pressure at the compressor outlet towards the low pressure (at the compressor inlet).
Thanks to their thermal stability and their miscibility with HFOs, especially HFO-1234, POE oils are commonly used in heat transfer systems, especially in refrigeration and/or air conditioning.
However, due to good solubility of HFO-1234 in POE oils, a problem is found on heat transfer systems having an oil separator: a relatively large amount of refrigerant remains trapped by the oil. Draining the oil induces the return of trapped refrigerant from the compressor outlet directly to the inlet of the latter. This results in a net loss of efficiency for the system, since the entire refrigerant does not perform the refrigeration cycle in its entirety, and also results in a deterioration of the lubrication of compressors, especially of screw compressors, due to lower amount of oil.
There is therefore a need to find new compositions making it possible, in particular, to overcome at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks.

Use of tetrafluoropropene based compositions


Hot runner nozzles and a method of assembling a hot runner nozzle. The invention provides a hot runner nozzle including a material tube having a tube cavity therethrough, a tip insertable into the tube cavity, and a cap threadably connected to the material tube, the cap engaging the housing and the tip to secure the tip to the material tube. Also, the invention provides a hot runner nozzle including a material tube having a tube cavity therethrough, the tube cavity defining a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter, a tip insertable into the tube cavity, wherein the tip engages the material tube in the first portion of the tube cavity and is spaced from the material tube in the second portion of the tube cavity to provide an air space between the tip and the material tube.

Hot runner injection nozzles are commonly used to dispense liquefied plastic into molds. It is essential that hot runner injection nozzles maintain a flowable, liquefied plastic material throughout the length of the nozzle and into the mold in order to properly dispense the liquefied plastic into the mold. This is accomplished by maintaining the plastic material at a proper elevated temperature. Maintaining the plastic material at the proper elevated temperature has proven to be burdensome in the prior art because the plastic material is subject to cooling as it moves away from the plastic injection molding machine and the main heating source, and into the nozzle.
Typical hot runner nozzles include a material tube through which the plastic material flows from the plastic injection molding machine to the mold and a valve or tip integral with or connected to an end of the material tube from which the material is dispensed into the mold. Many currently available nozzles having this configuration do not properly dispense liquid plastic material because the material cools substantially (cold material commonly referred to as cold slug) and becomes less flowable as the plastic material moves away from the main heating source, through the material tube and out the valve or tip. Cooling of the liquefied plastic causes it to leave deposits within the material tube and the valve or tip. Such deposits can solidify and hamper material flowability through the tube and the valve or tip. Sometimes material flow through the tube and the valve or tip can be completely blocked, in which case the nozzle may need to be replaced or cleaned. Flow of material through the valve or tip can also be hampered or blocked by foreign materials such as, for example, metal shavings entering the material tube or by material that burns and hardens within the material tube.
Some hot runner nozzles utilize a secondary heater positioned in the nozzle to maintain a proper elevated temperature of the plastic material. Such secondary heaters have been placed in contact with the material tube, thereby heating the material tube and the plastic material therein. Secondary heaters commonly terminate short of the valve or tip because of structural limitations of the nozzle. Since the secondary heaters do not heat the plastic material within the valve or tip, the plastic material loses heat in that area. Heat loss most commonly occurs by conduction through the walls of the material tube, the valve and/or the tip.
In instances where build-ups occur in the nozzles or the nozzle becomes completely blocked, the molding process may need to be interrupted to clean or replace the nozzle. Nozzles are typically burdensome to disassemble and to clean. Oftentimes, the nozzle simply will be replaced to avoid such burdensome work and the associated downtime. Repeated unnecessary replacement of hot runner nozzles adds unnecessary expense to the overall molding process. In addition, continuous purchasing and replacing of hot runner nozzles can be costly.


A spring offset device is structured to extend between a circuit breaker frame assembly and a trip mechanism. The offset device includes an offset member disposed on a trip device banana link, a spring anchor disposed on the frame assembly, and a spring extending between the offset member and the spring anchor. The spring anchor is spaced from the hatchet pin assembly and, preferably positioned so that the longitudinal axis of the spring remains on a single side of a hatchet pin assembly axis as the banana link moves between a closed position, an open position, and a reset position. The offset member and the spring anchor are structured so that, when the hatchet plate is in the closed position, the spring creates an opening force on the hatchet plate biasing the hatchet plate toward the open position, and when the hatchet plate is in the reset position, the spring creates a closing force on the hatchet plate biasing the hatchet plate toward the closed position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit breaker and, more specifically, to a circuit breaker having a trip mechanism with a hatchet plate that is acted upon by a spring so that when the circuit breaker is open the spring biases the hatchet plate toward the rest position and when the circuit breaker is closed the spring biases the hatchet plate toward the trip or open position.
2. Background Information
Electrical switching apparatus for opening and closing electric power circuits typically utilize an energy storage device in the form of one or more large springs to close the contacts of the device into the large currents which can be drawn in such circuits. Such electrical switching apparatus includes power circuit breakers and network protectors which provide protection, and electric switches which are used to energize and deenergize parts of the circuit or to transfer between alternative power sources. These devices also include an open spring which rapidly separates the contacts to interrupt current flowing in the power circuit. Either or both of the close spring and open spring can be a single spring or multiple springs and should be considered as either, even though the singular is hereafter used for convenience. The open spring is charged during closing of the contacts by the close spring which, therefore, must store sufficient energy to both overcome the mechanical and magnetic forces for closing as well as charging the open springs. Moreover, the close spring is required to have sufficient energy to close and latch on at least 15 times the rated current.
The operating mechanism for such circuit breakers typically includes a manual handle, and often an electric motor, for charging the close spring. It also includes a latch mechanism for latching the close spring in the charged state, a release mechanism for releasing the stored energy in the close spring, and an arrangement, a pole shaft for example, for coupling the released energy into the moving conductor assembly supporting the moving contacts of the switch. The operating mechanism has four distinct operational phases, or "conditions," relating to the position of the main contacts, open or closed, and the state of the close spring, discharged or charged. First, there is an open, discharged condition wherein the circuit breaker main contacts are open and the close spring is discharged. To close the main contacts, the close spring is charged resulting in an open, charged condition. After the close spring is actuated, the main contacts are closed and the close spring is discharged resulting in a closed, discharged condition. Finally, the charge spring may be recharged while the main contacts are closed resulting in a closed, charged condition. The operating mechanism does not always pass through each of these conditions in the order set forth above. For example, after the contacts are closed, it is standard practice to charge the close spring again so that the close spring is ready to be used again. If the circuit breaker trips while in the closed, charged condition, the operating mechanism will be moved into the open, charged condition without being in the open, discharged condition.
The operating mechanism includes a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism includes a hatchet plate that is fixed to a hatchet plate pivot pin and structured to move between an open position, a reset position, and a closed position. The status of the hatchet plate is tied to the condition of the operating mechanism, and more specifically to the condition of the main contacts. That is, if the hatchet plate is in the open position, the main contacts will also be in the open condition. When the hatchet plate is in the reset position, the operating mechanism is in the open, charged condition. When the hatchet plate is in the closed position, the main contacts are in the closed condition, although the close spring may be charged or discharged.
The hatchet plate is coupled to the other components of the operating mechanism via a link which, due to its particular shape in the circuit breaker described below, is identified as a "banana link." The hatchet plate is also coupled to a frame assembly via a spring. In prior art, the rest spring was typically attached to the hatchet plate at the banana link pivot pin and biased the hatchet in the reset direction. The disadvantage to this configuration is that the reset bias of the spring tends to prevent tripping of the circuit breaker under unfavorable conditions of high friction and/or low contact force.
There is, therefore, a need for a spring offset device having an offset member, a spring anchor, and a spring extending therebetween structured so that when the circuit breaker is closed, the spring creates a force on the hatchet plate biasing the hatchet plate toward the open, trip position, but when the circuit breaker is open, the spring creates a force on the hatchet plate biasing the hatchet plate toward the reset position.
There is a further need for a spring offset device that may be easily incorporated into presently existing circuit breakers.


Process for the polymerization of alpha-olefins in the presence of a catalyst, including providing monodisperse microspheroidal particles by spraying an electrostatically charged gellable liquid material (L) through a spraying orifice and into a chamber, so as to produce macrodrops which break up into microdrops which fall in the chamber and within which gelling is produced after spraying; providing a catalyst for the polymerization of alpha-olefins which contains chromium and which is supported on the monodisperse microspheroidal particles; and polymerizing alpha-olefins in the presence of the catalyst.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for obtaining microspheroidal particles, more particularly silica-based microspheroidal particles. It also relates to microspheroidal silica particles of high specific surface. It relates further to catalysts containing chromium supported on these microspheroidal silica particles and to a process for polymerising alpha-olefins in the presence of these catalysts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Supported catalysts which can be employed for the polymerisation of alpha-olefins have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,721 (Phillips Petroleum) and are known under the name of catalysts of the Phillips type.
The catalysts described in this patent contain a chromium oxide dispersed on a support which may be silica and are activated by calcination in an oxidising atmosphere under conditions such that at least a proportion of the chromium is converted into hexavalent chromium.
Supported catalysts of this type have also been described which are capable of producing polymers exhibiting less high average molecular weight (that is to say characterised by higher melt indexes), which are more easily convertible by conventional processing methods. This modification is obtained by incorporating titanium oxide in the catalyst, besides chromium oxide. This incorporation may be carried out subsequently to that of chromium, by dispersing onto the support, via a non-aqueous medium, a titanium compound capable of being converted into oxide by calcination (U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,521 (Phillips Petroleum)). This incorporation can also be carried out by coprecipitating the titanium compound and the silica. The chromium compound can also be incorporated in this way (U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,494 (Phillips Petroleum)). The gels resulting from these coprecipitations are known, depending on their composition, under the name of silica-titanium "cogels", silica-chromium "cogels" and silica-titanium-chromium "tergels".
It is well known, furthermore, that the texture of these catalysts exerts a considerable influence on the morphology of the polymers obtained with their use. Because of this it has already been proposed to disperse chromium on so-called "microspheroidal" silicas. These are silicas whose particles, generally of spherical shape and of narrow particle size distribution, have a mean diameter of approximately between 0.5 and 200 microns.
Many methods for manufacturing these "microspheroidal" silicas have been described in the literature. Examples of these methods which may be mentioned are vaporisation, agglomeration and emulsion polymerisation.
In vaporisation techniques a solution of sodium silicate, optionally partially neutralised, is dried by evaporation at high temperature (Patents GB-A-1,077,908 and GB-A-1,094,798 (Grace & Co.)). The xerogel particles thus obtained are too fine in particle size for use as a catalyst support for alpha-olefin polymerisation.
The preparation of spheroidal silica particles which can be employed as catalyst supports for alphaolefin polymerisation by spraying a hydrosol obtained by introducing a solution of an alkali metal silicate lengthwise and tangentially into a stream of aqueous inorganic acid has also been described (Patent Applications DE-A-2,540,279 and DE-A-2,540,278 (BASF)). The addition of the alkali metal silicate solution can also be performed at various points distributed along the stream of dilute inorganic acid (Patent Application DE-A-2,103,243 (BASF)). The hydrosol thus obtained is unstable and exhibits a lack of homogeneity due to changes in viscosity and in gelling time as a function of time and location. The production of silica microparticles by this process cannot therefore be uniform and/or reproducible with time.
Spheroidal silica particles can also be obtained by agglomeration of colloidal silica in a polymeric matrix of urea and formaldehyde (U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,242 (DuPont de Nemours)). Since the catalyst particles obtained by starting with these supports are brittle, they quickly break up during the polymerisation, to the detriment of the morphology of the polymers obtained with their use.
When emulsion polymerisation is used, a suspension of droplets of acidic sodium silicate solution is gelled in a viscous liquid in which neither the silicate solution nor the product of gelling are soluble (see, for example, Patent Application EP-A-170,334 (Shell Int. Res. Mij.)). This process makes it possible to obtain spheroidal particles of large size which must be treated mechanically to permit their use as catalyst supports for alpha-olefin polymerisation. This mechanical treatment takes place to the detriment of the morphology of the supports.
The present invention aims to provide a process for obtaining microspheroidal particles of good morphology, not exhibiting the disadvantages of the known processes.


In a stabilizer apparatus for a vehicle, an electronic control unit calculates a target current of an electric motor from vehicle speed, steering angle, and lateral acceleration, and increases and decreases actual current such that the calculated target current flows through the motor. The control unit decreases the actual current by a predetermined amount when the difference between the target current and the actual current becomes smaller than a predetermined value during control of increasing the actual current. The predetermined amount is equal to the difference between the determined target current at the time of the detection of the difference and current which is necessary to obtain, during control of decreasing the actual current, an output torque equal to the output torque of the speed reduction mechanism obtained as a result of the target current flowing through the electric motor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stabilizer apparatus for a vehicle which can change the torsional stiffness of a stabilizer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Kohyo (PCT) Patent Publication No. 2002-518245 discloses a conventional vehicle stabilizer apparatus including a motor-driven actuator which comprises an electric motor and a speed reduction mechanism and is disposed between two sections of a divided stabilizer so as to rotate one section of the stabilizer in relation to the other section thereof about an axis of the stabilizer. In the stabilizer apparatus, a target current which must flow through the electric motor so as to suppress a roll of the vehicle is determined, and the current flowing through the electric motor is increased or decreased such that the determined target current flows through the electric motor.
In the conventional apparatus, the output torque of the speed reduction mechanism increases at a certain gradient (regular efficiency) with the increasing current flowing through the electric motor. However, when the current flowing through the electric motor is gradually reduced in this state, the output torque of the speed reduction mechanism does not decrease immediately to follow the decreasing current, because the electric motor remains in a stopped state (locked state) because of friction of the speed reduction mechanism or the like, whereby the output torque is maintained at the increased level. After that, when the current flowing through the electric motor decreases to a certain level, because of restoration force generated by the stabilizer, the output torque starts to decrease at a certain gradient (reverse efficiency) to follow the decreasing current flowing through the electric motor. As described above, a delay time is present between a point in time when the output torque has reached a certain level and a point in time when the output torque starts to decrease to follow the decreasing current flowing through the electric motor. Therefore, the output torque of the speed reduction mechanism fails to follow the current flowing through the electric motor, with a resultant deterioration in responsiveness.


Stations of a communication network have internal queues for accumulating and transmitting data messages over a shared communication channel. Each queue within a station accumulates and transmits data messages that have a different level of priority than those accumulated and transmitted by other internal queues of that station. While preferential access to the shared channel is given to data messages having higher levels of priority, data messages having the same priority are transmitted according to a set of rules common to all of the stations. That is, a queue in one of the stations is configured to delay and/or transmit data messages of a given priority level according to a set of rules that applies identically to the queue of any other station that handles data messages of that same priority level. Transmission opportunities are thus fairly allocated between all queues containing data messages of the same priority level.

Quality of service (QoS) mechanisms allocate transmission resources to different types or classes of data traffic so that certain traffic classes can be preferentially served over other classes. For example, in a network that supports multimedia services like video-on-demand, video conferencing, online brokerage, and electronic commerce, a QoS mechanism can prioritize time-sensitive multimedia data streams so that their packets are transmitted—over a communication medium or channel shared by two or more terminals or stations—with less delay and/or at a higher rate than packets of data streams less affected or unaffected by delay.
Local area networks (LANs) are increasingly used to transfer data, including multimedia data streams that have various QoS requirements. A multiple layer communication protocol "stack" such as the OSI reference model implements communication over the typical LAN. According to this model, the media access layer (MAC) is responsible for access control of a shared communication channel. A significant objective of any LAN is to allocate access to a shared communication channel as equitably as possible between the stations competing for it. A straightforward realization of this would be to implement, via the media access layer, a QoS scheme in which each of two time-sensitive streams of multimedia traffic—with each originating at a different station on the LAN—is assigned an identical level of transmission priority.
Consider, however, a scenario in which the first station has two distinct classes of traffic to transmit (e.g., from both a high priority class and a lower priority class) while the second station has only traffic from the lower priority class to transmit. At the first station, the higher priority class of traffic would be preferentially treated to the detriment of the lower priority class of traffic since both classes compete for the same transmission opportunity. The lack of any higher priority class of traffic to transmit at the second station, on the other hand, benefits the lower priority class of traffic insofar as there is no need to yield a transmission opportunity to a higher priority data message. As such, a need arises for a system and method of ordering data messages—prior to their transmission over a shared communication channel—such that traffic of equal priority is handled in a fair and equitable manner by all stations contending for access to the shared communication channel.

System and method for ordering data messages having differing levels of priority for transmission over a shared communication channel


An aperture diaphragm capable of varying the size of an aperture in two dimensions is disclosed. The aperture diaphragm may be utilized in an ion implantation system, such as between the mass analyzer and the acceleration column. In this way, the aperture diaphragm may be used to control at least one parameter of the ion beam. These parameters may include angular spread in the height direction, angular spread in the width direction, beam current or cross-sectional area. Various embodiments of the aperture diaphragm are shown. In certain embodiments, the size of the aperture in the height and width directions may be independently controlled, while in other embodiments, the ratio between height and width is constant.

Semiconductor devices are fabricated using ion implantation systems. These systems create an ion beam by ionizing a feedgas using an ion source. The ionized feedgas is extracted from the ion source. The ion beam is then manipulated as it travels from the ion source to the workpiece. For example, the ion beam may be accelerated, collimated, scanned or otherwise modified along its path.
In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to utilize different beam currents to fabricate a semiconductor device. This is typically achieved by varying the parameters of the ion source. However, this process may be time consuming, reducing throughput and lowering efficiency.
Further, in some embodiments, it may be beneficial to control the horizontal and/or vertical angular spread of the ion beam.
In still other embodiments, it may be advantageous to control the dimensions of the ion beam such that it may pass through an electrode or other component.
Therefore, it would be beneficial if there were an apparatus that could be introduced into the beam line to achieve these different objectives. Further, it would be advantageous if this apparatus was applicable to a variety of different types of ion implantation systems.

Dual XY variable aperture in an ion implantation system


Provided herein are systems, methods and apparatuses for a thickness measurement device based on a capacitive array.

The invention generally relates to a measurement device.
Several sensing techniques have been proposed in the literature for measuring floating oil thickness. Most of the existing techniques used in oil detection and thickness estimation are either too expensive, inaccurate, give a broad estimate of the thickness within an area, are affected by environmental conditions, or do not provide continuous monitoring capabilities.
Techniques used to estimate/detect oil can be divided into two types: remote measurement or contact based. Remote measurement techniques include visual methods, where an expert provides an estimate of the slick thickness based on color. This technique is augmented with hyperspectral imaging, radar, and thermal imaging, from airborne vehicles or satellites. These techniques are helpful at providing a relatively global assessment of the thickness and are highly affected by lighting and atmospheric conditions, are expensive, or cannot be conducted continuously. On the other hand, the contact-based methods have the potential to provide localized and continuous thickness measurements. These methods include most traditional instrumentation approaches: conductivity, capacitance, light arrays, electromagnetic, and vision. However, the existing sensors in this domain still suffer from inaccuracies, sensitivity to lighting conditions, oil type, environmental conditions, fouling effects, and wave conditions. Very few commercial sensors exist and most are targeted at simple detection of leaks or to function in closed containers and not to measure the oil thickness in open water, particularly when the sensor is not stationary. The present invention attempts to solve these problems as well as others.

Thickness measurement device and methods of use


Featured are methods of modulating angiogenesis, e.g., by modulating PKC delta. The methods are useful in the treatment of disorders characterized by aberrant and/or increased blood vessel formation and/or increased permeability. The methods are also useful for treatment a disorder characterized by abnormal, inadequate or unstable blood vessel formation or increased permeability. Also featured are diagnostic and screening methods.

The process of angiogenesis is very complex involving multiple steps. These include proliferation of endothelial cells, degradation of basement membrane, migration of endothelial cells and the formation of tubes or capillaries. Each of these steps is regulated by multiple cytokine and signal transaction pathways. It is believed that abnormality is any of these steps could lead to vascular disease.


External skin preparations containing one or more members selected from among a fermentation product, which is obtained by treating a bean extract with a microorganism, vitamin A and its derivatives. By potentiating skin cells and accelerating the production of hyaluronic acid, these preparations exert effects of preventing and relieving skin roughness, improving keratin, moistening, and preventing and relieving skin tension failure and wrinkles, thereby efficaciously retarding skin aging.

Due to a low turnover rate of the horny cell layer and a decrease in the hyaluronic acid content, the aged skin is known to dry easily, to become easily roughened, dried, wrinkled, or loosened, and to decrease in thickness, resulting in impaired elasticity. In addition to aging, the above phenomena are considered to be caused by external factors such as exposure to ultraviolet rays, drying, and oxidation which cause a decrease in the function of epidermic cells and dermal fibroblasts, and decomposition of hyaluronic acid.
Cosmetics containing raw materials extracted from naturally occurring materials such as galenicals and chemically synthesized raw materials have been used to improve such aged skin. These cosmetics have been known to provide the skin with moisture and flexibility due to a moisturizing effect and a physicochemical effect of film formation and the like (Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 6-279227 and No. 8-310934). Although the cosmetics are effective in improving a dry skin surface, the effect is temporary and the improvement is not essential.
For this reason, an effort of increasing hyaluronic acid production by promoting the metabolism function of the skin has been undertaken. Retinoic acid, for example, which is a metabolite of vitamin A and one of the bioactive isomers of vitamin A, is known to exhibit a variety of effects on the physiological activity of skin, such as an effect of promoting the growth of epidermic cells and fibroblasts (Tong P S et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 94, 126–131, 1990, Varani J et al., J. Investig. Dermatol. Symp. Proc. 3, 57–60,1998), an effect of promoting hyaluronic acid production (Tammi R et al., J. Invest. Dermatol. 92, 326–332, 1989), a cornification improving effect (Wanner R et al., Arch. Dermatol. Res. 291, 346–353, 1999), an anti-psoriasis effect (Orfanos C E et al., Br. J. Dermatol. 88, 167–182, 1973), an anti-acne effect (Chalker D K et al., J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 17, 251–254, 1987), an anti-wrinkle effect (Weiss J S et al., JAMA 259, 527–535, 1988, Tadaki T et al., Tohoku J. Exp. Med. 169, 131–139, 1993), and a photo-aged skin improving effect (Kligman A M et al., J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 15, 836–859, 1986). Retinoic acid preparations have already been used as a photo-aged skin improver and a wrinkle improver in the US.
However, because retinoic acid is strongly irritating, the use of retinol, which is less irritating and less physiologically active, has been investigated. The use of retinol combined with various compounds to increase its physiological activity has also been investigated. A combined use of retinol with fatty acid amide (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 08-301748) or dimethylimidazoline (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-100211) is known to provide a synergistic effect on epidermic cell activation.
However, the conventional preparations containing vitamin A such as retinol, retinoic acid, or their derivatives cannot necessarily bring about a sufficient effect of activating epidermic cells or increasing hyaluronic acid production.
On the other hand, cosmetic compositions containing a bean extract such as soybean milk have been known and reported as having a moisture retention effect and a detergent effect (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 62-36304 etc.). In addition, the use of fermented bean products in cosmetic compositions and the like, for example, products obtained by fermenting soybean milk with microorganisms of genus Rhizopus (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-102011), genus Lactobacillus (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 3-127713), or genus Bifidobacterium (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-287540) have been known.
However, the effect of fermented bean products on epidermic cell activation and promotion of hyaluronic acid production when combined with other components has not been known at all.
The cosmetic compositions and the like containing fermented bean products may have a soybean odor, fermented odor, or irritating odor. The odor may be associated with a negative image of a rotted product and impart the user an unpleasant feeling. However, no effective method of decreasing the odor of fermented soybean products has been known.
An object of the present invention is to provide a skin preparation for external application exhibiting an effect of preventing and relieving skin roughness, a cornification improving effect, a moisturizing effect, and an effect of preventing and improving wrinkled or loosened skin by activating dermal cells and promoting production of hyaluronic acid, and therefore effective for retarding skin aging. The present invention also provides a process for producing the skin preparation.

External skin preparations and process for producing the same