A system is provided for calibrating a device. The system includes a reference component, a sampling component, a calibration component, a comparing component and a proportional integral component. The reference component provides a reference power signal based on a voltage instruction and a current instruction. The sampling component samples a voltage signal to obtain a sampled voltage value and samples a current signal to obtain a sampled current value. The calibration component generates a calibrated power signal based on the sampled voltage value and the sampled current. The comparing component generates an error signal based on the reference power signal and the calibrated power signal. The proportional integral component and the calibration component are a feedback system that is operable to calibrate the gain of the sampled voltage and the sample current based on the error signal.

The present invention generally relates to the calibration of devices used for measuring electrical power and energy.
Power in an electric circuit is the rate of flow of energy past a given point of the circuit. In alternating current (AC) circuits and loads, energy storage elements such as inductors and capacitors may result in periodic reversals of the direction of energy flow. The portion of power that, when averaged over a complete cycle of the AC waveform, results in net transfer of energy in one direction is known as real or active power. The portion of power due to stored energy, which returns to the source in each cycle, is known as reactive power.
Electricity meters operate by continuously measuring the instantaneous voltage and current to give energy used in joules or kilowatt-hours. Meters for smaller services, such as small residential customers, can be connected directly in-line between source and customer. For larger loads, more than about 200 amperes, current transformers are used so that the meter can be located other than in line with the service conductors. Meters fall into two basic categories, electromechanical and electronic.
The most common type of electricity meter is the electromechanical induction watt-hour meter which operates by counting the revolutions of a non-magnetic, but electrically conductive, metal disc which is made to rotate at a speed proportional to the power passing through the meter. However, electronic electricity meters are increasingly being installed as they offer many advantages. Electronic meters display the energy used on an LCD or LED display, and some can also transmit readings to remote places. In addition to measuring energy used, electronic meters can also record other parameters of the load and supply such as instantaneous and maximum rate of usage demands, voltages, power factor and reactive power used, etc.
Conventional meters include electronic components and circuits which can introduce gain errors and phase delays into the measurement process. These errors and delays can vary between manufactured units. They can also vary across the gain range of the meter and with the phase angle between the voltage and current at the meter. It is these errors and delays which necessitate calibration of the meter.
Conventional calibration techniques can involve many measurements including active power measurements, reactive power measurements, measurements at different gain levels, measurements at different phase angles, etc. Conventionally, each of these measurements is performed manually.
A conventional meter calibration set-up will be described using a block diagram.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram 100 illustrating a conventional meter calibration system.
Block diagram 100 includes a power source tester 102 and a meter 104.
Power source tester 102 is arranged to connect to meter 104 via a power line 108. Meter 104 also connects to power source tester 102 via a line 106.
Power source tester 102 is operable to provide an accurate test voltage, current and phase angle to meter 104. Meter 104 is operable to measure power and to generate calibration pulses 114 to power source tester 102 via line 106.
A voltage 110 and a current 112 represent the voltage and current components, respectively, of power line 108. In operation, voltage 110 and a current 112 represent an accurate reference power with a settable voltage to current phase angle. These are configured and generated at power source tester 102 for the purpose of calibration of meter 104. Meter 104 measures the reference power provided, accumulates power measurements over time and generates a calibration pulse when it has reached a certain predetermined energy threshold. Power source tester 102 then compares the reference energy and measured energy to determine any error. Meter 104 is then manually adjusted to minimize the error.
In practice, multiple measurements are made at different gain settings across the gain range of meter 104. The gain under test is determined by the current setting at power source tester 102. Active power measurements are made when voltage 110 and current 112 are generated in phase with each other. For reactive power measurements, the required phase angle between voltage 110 and current 112 is set at power source tester 102.
Electrical meter calibration, therefore, is conventionally a time-consuming, labor intensive process with multiple test stages being run and multiple reference currents, voltages and phase angles required to be set up at the calibration equipment before tests are run. After testing, manual adjustments need to be made to the meter units under calibration in order to compensate for errors.
What is needed is a system and method that can automate the calibration of electric energy meters and minimize the external test equipment necessary to perform the calibration.

Automatic calibration method for active and reactive power measurement


An adhesive sheet for producing a semiconductor device, which includes a base layer and an adhesive layer and is used in the process for producing the semiconductor device including the step of sealing a semiconductor element connected to an electric conductor with a sealing resin on the adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer of the adhesive sheet includes a rubber component and an epoxy resin component and the ratio of the rubber component in organic materials in the adhesive layer is from 5 to 40% by weight. According to this adhesive sheet, pollution is not caused by silicon components, a sufficient elastic modulus can be kept even at high temperature, and a problem that paste remains is not easily caused.

In recent years, attention has paid to CSP (chip on size/scale package) techniques in LSI-mounting technology. Of these techniques, a package wherein lead terminals are taken in a package, a typical example of which is a QFN (quad flat non-leaded package), is one package form which is particularly notable from the viewpoint that the package can be made small-sized and the integration degree of semiconductor elements therein can be made high. Of processes for producing such QFNs, especial attention has been paid in recent years to a process of arranging a plurality of chips for QFNs in good order on die pads in package pattern areas of a lead frame, sealing them with a sealing resin, in a lump, inside a cavity made in a mold, and then cutting the resultant to be divided into individual QFN structures, thereby improving the productivity of the semiconductor elements per the lead frame area drastically.
According to such a process for producing QFNs, wherein plural semiconductor chips are sealed in a lump, the area which is clamped with a molding die when the chips are sealed with a resin is only the outside of a resin-sealing area which spreads to the outside of a package pattern area. Accordingly, in the package pattern area, in particular, at the center thereof, the outer lead face thereof cannot be pressed against the molding die with a sufficient pressure. Thus, it is very difficult to suppress the phenomenon that the sealing resin leaks out to the outer lead side. As a result, a problem that terminals of the QFNs are covered with the resin is easily caused.
Against a QFN-producing process as described above, therefore, a production process is known wherein a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is adhered onto the outer lead side of a lead frame and at the time of sealing chips with a resin the leakage of the resin to the outer lead side is prevented on the basis of sealing-effect using the self-adhesive force of this pressure-sensitive adhesive tape (i.e., masking with the tape) (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-110884).
In this production process or the like, it is desired that the heat-resistant pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is adhered onto the outer pad face of the lead frame at the first stage and the adhesion is continued from the first stage, via the step of mounting semiconductor chips and the step of wire bonding, to the step of sealing the chips using the sealing resin. It is therefore necessary for the heat-resistant pressure-sensitive adhesive tape to have not only a characteristic that the adhesive tape prevents the leakage-out of the sealing resin but also characteristics satisfying all of the above-mentioned steps, for example, characteristics that the tape has a high heat resistance for resisting the step of mounting the semiconductor chips; the tape does not hinder delicate operation in the wire bonding step; and the tape can be satisfactorily peeled without leaving any paste after the end of the sealing step.
In recent years, disclosed was a process for producing the so-called leadless semiconductor device, wherein a copper foil is adhered onto a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and then the foil is etched to form an electric conductor in order to make the electric conductor thinner (see, for example, JP-A No. 9-252014). According to this process, the electric conductor can be made thin since the conductor is formed on the tape. In the case of dividing the semiconductor device molded with a sealing resin into individual pieces, it is unnecessary to cut any lead frame. Therefore, at the time of dicing the semiconductor device with a blade, the blade is less worn away.
It is necessary for the heat-resistant pressure-sensitive adhesive tape used for such a purpose to have the same characteristics as in the case of using a lead frame, that is, to have not only a characteristic that the adhesive tape prevents the leakage-out of the sealing resin but also characteristics satisfying all of the above-mentioned steps, for example, characteristics that the tape has a high heat resistance for resisting the step of mounting semiconductor chips; the tape does not hinder delicate operation in the wire bonding step; and the tape can be satisfactorily peeled without leaving any paste after the end of the sealing step.
As a heat-resistant pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having characteristics as described above, a silicone based pressure-sensitive adhesive agent is generally used since the agent has excellent heat resistance and further has appropriate elastic modulus and adhesiveness.
However, it has been proved that when a silicone base pressure-sensitive adhesive agent is used as the heat-resistant tape, the following problems 1) and 2) are caused: 1) The silicone based pressure-sensitive adhesive agent of the heat-resistant pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is shifted to the outer pad portion and pollutes the surface thereof when the tape is peeled after the above-mentioned successive steps. As a result, when the semiconductor device is soldered onto the mounting substrate, the wettability thereof gets bad so that the mounting yield is lowered. 2) In order to obtain a good metal joint between wires and the lead pads in the wire bonding step, they may be heated to about 200° C. In the case of using the silicone based adhesive tape, siloxane gas is generated to pollute the surfaces of the lead pads. Additionally, a decline of the elastic modulus of the pads causes the wire bondability to be lowered.
In the case that a silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive agent is used in a leadless production process as disclosed in the above-mentioned JP-A No. 9-252014, the silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive agent is exposed to chemical agent solution in a wet process in etching and plating steps. Thus, eluted silicone components pollute the surface so as to cause a problem that the wire bondability of the surface is lowered.

Adhesive sheet for producing a semiconductor device


An automated method and system for determining the positional orientation of radiographic images, wherein digital image data is acquired and subjected to multiple phases of digital imaging processing. The image is processed to segment the object of interest, i.e., a body region, from the foreground and background of the image. Next, the center is determined for the body region. The body region center is then positioned so that it coincides with the center of the film or medium. The image is subsequently decomposed into one or more horizontal and vertical strips. Feature extraction is performed on these strips to preliminarily determine the orientation of the image. Finally, a set of rules is applied to the image information described above to determine the positional orientation of the image.

Radiographic images of anatomical regions are a routine and valuable diagnostic and research tool. Such images are typically produced by placing an object, such as a portion of the human body, on a plate having a surface composed of excitable phosphors (a film) and exposing the object and film to radiation such as X-rays, .alpha.-rays, .beta.-rays, .gamma.-rays, ultraviolet rays, or the like. As the radiation energy strikes the surface of the film, a portion of the energy is stored by the phosphor-containing film. Upon subsequent stimulation by visible light or other stimuli, the film gives off light in direct proportion to the amount of energy stored therein. Areas of the film receiving unattentuated radiation absorb the most energy and thus produce the most light when subsequently stimulated. Areas in which lesser amounts of radiation energy are absorbed, due to the presence of the object (e.g., body region), produce a proportionately lesser amount light when subsequently stimulated.
The image is displayed for viewing in one of several ways. For example, the stored energy of the film can be photoelectrically detected and converted into a signal which is then further processed or used to reproduce the image on a photographic film, CRT or similar device.
One of the most common radiographic images utilized in clinical settings today is an image of the thoracic area of human body (e.g., chest x-ray). Such images provide invaluable information and are used to diagnose maladies ranging from lung and breast cancer to emphysema.
A radiographic image of an anatomical region like a chest x-ray contains three main regions: (1) the foreground; (2) the background; and (3) the anatomical region of interest. For purposes of this Application, the term "background" is used to denote the very high intensity regions of a film, wherein unattenuated radiation energy was absorbed by the film (i.e., the area in which no body portion or object was present). "Foreground" will be used herein to designate the very low intensity regions of the film, wherein highly absorbent structures (e.g., collimator blades) are used to "frame" the field of irradiation on the film. The anatomical region of interest for purposes of illustration only will be the chest and thoracic area of the human body.
The quality of information obtainable from a digital radiographic image, such as a chest film, depends on several factors, including the device used to acquire the original image, any image enhancements and/or analysis performed on the original image, the capabilities of the output device, and the positional orientation of the anatomical region of interest within the image.
The positional orientation of the anatomical region of interest with respect to the film is of perhaps obvious critical importance to the image interpreter (e.g., radiologist), as well as for further processing of the image.
Today most radiologists interpret films from light boxes. When the films are brought to the light boxes and placed by technicians, secretaries, or other personnel, the films are expected to have a correct orientation to facilitate proper reading. Correct orientation takes on increased importance where radiologists compare the newly acquired film with one or more previous films of the anatomical region of interest.
Additionally, proper positional orientation of an image is necessary for automated image enhancing and reading systems, which often assume an arbitrary positional orientation for any given image signal. For example, where an image will be viewed on a CRT or similar device the positional orientation is assumed to be parallel with the longitudinal direction of the rectangular phosphor surface on which the image was created (i.e., the neck portion of the image is aligned with the "top" of the film). Accordingly, feeding an image signal oriented in any position other than parallel with the longitudinal direction of the phosphor surface produces errors in the display and prevents accurate further enhancement and/or processing of the image.
Due to the importance of this information, prior art attempts at detecting positional orientation of a radiographic image are known. For example, one prior art method compares the sum of intensity values of the image signal of a horizontal strip of the subject film with the sum of the intensity values of the image signal of a vertical strip of the subject film. The strips are taken from the subject film without differentiating the source of the intensity values within the strip (i.e., there is no way to tell if the intensity values are from the body region of interest, the background or the foreground). Accordingly, if a portion of the foreground (very low intensity values) or background (very high intensity values) of the film is included in the strip, the calculations of distribution are skewed in one or both directions. In such instances, the ultimate determination of orientation lacks consistency and thus reliability.
Another prior art method utilizes a comparison of the characteristic values (sum of the intensity values and the average intensity value) for a horizontal strip of the film and for a vertical strip of the film. Although this method purportedly ensures that the strips will pass through the central portion of the image, this method also lacks any differentiation of the source of the image values used in the calculations. Thus, it is also impossible with this prior art method to determine whether, and by how much, the results are skewed by the inclusion of a portion of the background and/or foreground of the film. An additional problem associated with this prior art method is that the method assumes perfect alignment of the body region of interest on the film to ensure that the strips are taken through the central portion of the image. This assumption ignores the reality of actual image production.
A different prior art method attempts to determine whether a digital chest radiographic image has line symmetry or not, based on the thoracic vertebrae extending vertically in the image signal. Although this method also may be used to detect the orientation of a digital chest radiographic image, the problem of lack of differentiation of body region of interest versus foreground and background intensity values also exists in this method. Additionally, once again, the method makes the unrealistic assumption that the body region of interest is perfectly centered in the image signal.
It is observed that methods without distinguishing between the desired regions of the image (the body region of interest) and the undesired regions of the image (the foreground and background) are suboptimal, producing inconsistent and unreliable results.
Thus a need remains for an automated method and system for digital image processing of radiographic images to determine positional orientation wherein the undesired portions of the image (the foreground and background) are distinguished from the desired portion (the body region(s) of interest) and are excluded from the analysis.

Automated method and system for determination of positional orientation of digital radiographic images


To provide a superconducting magnet apparatus with a structure which can prevent an increase in apparatus size even when a number of connection portions serving to connect superconducting wires is great. The superconducting magnet apparatus includes a first wiring-holding portion (tubular body (12)) extending from a bobbin (6) in an axial direction of a superconducting coil (1) and a second wiring-holding portion (joint plate (13)) which is provided on a same side in the axial direction as the tubular body (12), extends in a direction intersecting with the axial direction, and has a greater diameter than that of the bobbin (6) and the tubular body (12). Superconducting wires (7a to 11a) which extend from the superconducting coil (1) and connect to one another are spirally wound on the tubular body (12) and fastened to a groove (13a) formed on the joint plate (13).

Patent Document 1 discloses a technology relating to a superconducting magnet apparatus. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 relates to a connection structure of superconducting wires to be included in the superconducting magnet apparatus which is configured as follows. The superconducting magnet apparatus includes a grooved frame with a groove portion, and a connection portion serving to connect two superconducting wires is fastened to the groove portion. Furthermore, the grooved frame may have a cylindrical portion; in this case, the two superconducting wires are wound on the cylindrical portion.
According to Patent Document 1, the above configuration is reportedly capable of effectively reducing damage to the connection portion through protection of the connection portion from bending, impact, and/or other external forces. Furthermore, protection of extra length parts of the superconducting wires from bending and/or folding in a certain direction is reportedly enabled when the configuration in which the grooved frame has the cylindrical portion is adopted to enable the superconducting wires to be held by being wound on the cylindrical portion.


There is provided a method of storing bananas comprising the steps of                (a) exposing said bananas to an atmosphere that contains one or more ethylene-active compound, and        (b) after said step (a), exposing said bananas to an atmosphere that contains one or more cyclopropene compound while said bananas have color stage 2 to 6 on the seven-stage scale,        wherein said bananas are kept in a modified-atmosphere package for a time period that includes at least a time interval that lasts for 1 hour, wherein said time interval begins between the conclusion of said step (b) and 72 hours from the conclusion of said step (b), andwherein said modified-atmosphere package is constructed so that the transmission rate of carbon dioxide for the entire package (PCT) is from 2,400 to 120,000 cubic centimeters per day per kilogram of bananas.

Bananas are normally harvested by cutting a bunch of bananas from the pseudostem on which it grew. Subsequent to harvest, bunches are often broken down into smaller connected groups called "hands" or, synonymously, "clusters." It is common to harvest and then ship bananas while the peels are green. Long-distance shipment is often performed at low temperature (for example, at 14° C.). Bananas are considered to ripen very slowly during such shipment, during which the bananas normally remain green.
It is also common, once the bananas have reached a location near where they will be sold, to place them in an enclosed volume and expose them to ethylene gas. Typical ethylene exposure is 24-48 hours at 14-18° C. in an atmosphere that contains ethylene at concentration of 100-1000 microliter per liter (ppb). After the exposure to ethylene, the bananas normally ripen more quickly. As the bananas ripen during a normal ripening process, the peels gradually turn yellow; the peels remain yellow for some time; then the peels develop a small number of black spots; and eventually the bananas become undesirably over-ripe.
It is desirable to maintain bananas for as long as possible in a desirable condition (i.e., a condition in which they are desirable to consumers). Bananas in that condition are ripe but have not developed undesirable post-ripening characteristics such as, for example, one or more of the following: peel with a large number of black spots, black peel, pulp that has turned undesirably brown, or pulp that has turned undesirably soft.
R. M. Basel, et. al., in "Long Shelf Life Banana Storage Using MAP Storage Coupled With Postharvest MCP Treatment" (Institute of Food Technologists, 2002 Annual Meeting and Food Expo, available at http://ift.confex.com/ift/2002/techprogram/paper—13343.htm), describe the use of modified atmosphere package (MAP) and 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP). The methods of Basel, et. al., postpone the onset of ripening of bananas and, once ripening begins, extend the ripening process.
It is desired to provide methods in which bananas ripen sufficiently to become desirable for retail sale and/or consumption and in which bananas remain in such desirable condition for a longer time than in previous methods. It is particularly desired to find a method of storing and handling bananas that allows the bananas to remain for a longer time in condition that is desirable for eating.


Disclosed is a method for controlling or reducing the amount of powder fines present in a polyethylene fluidized bed reactor. The method uses hydrocarbons that are inert with respect to the polymerization reaction, as well as using reactive olefins. The reduction of powder fines provides significant operating benefits in the fluid bed process, including reduced formation of powder agglomerates in the reactor and reduced fouling of equipment in the recycle gas stream.

It is well known that many polymers can be produced as powders in fluid bed reactors wherein the fluidization is provided by a circulating mixture of gases that includes the monomers. This technology is widely used commercially for polyolefins and polyolefin copolymers. One particularly useful arrangement of a fluid bed polyolefin process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,400. Other examples of fluid bed polyolefin technology are demonstrated in the references that follow.
The active, growing powder in a fluidized bed polyolefin reactor is composed of a wide range of particle sizes. Thus, this powder is referred to as having a broad particle size distribution. Some of the reasons for this broad size distribution are the size range of the initial catalyst particles (or prepolymer particles) charged to the reactor, the difference in catalytic activity of each catalyst particle, the difference in residence time for each growing polymer particle, the agglomeration of polymer particles, and the spalling of polymer particles.
The size distribution of particles can be characterized by various physical measurements relating to the particle mass, physical dimensions, or specific surface area. Two commonly used methods of measurement, owing to ease and reproducibility, are mechanical sieve analysis and the light scattering behavior of a cloud of particles. The very small polymer particles are called fines. As used in the art, the term "fines" refers to some defined fraction of the polymer powder particles that are smaller than the average of the entire population of powder particles present in the fluid bed. Particularly small polymer particles, for example, smaller than 125 microns are considered fines.
In the fluid bed processes for the production of polyethylene and ethylene copolymers, high levels of polymer powder fines in the reactor pose significant and well known operating difficulties. Within the reactor, a higher level of fines often leads to increased agglomeration of the polymer powder. Outside the reactor, the fines may deposit in the recycle system and grow, fouling the piping, heat exchangers, compressors, and the reactor inlet gas distribution grid.
Inside the reactor, fines are a leading contributor to the formation of powder agglomerates. For various reasons, fines tend to segregate into certain poorly circulated and poorly cooled regions of the reactor. Exacerbating the segregation problem is the tendency of fines to have higher than average catalytic activity, thus tending to be hotter than the average particle. This higher catalytic activity in fines is due to higher concentrations of active catalyst components in the fines and due to short diffusion paths for monomers and for co-catalyst molecules.
One undesirable place at which fines accumulate is along the reactor vessel wall in the zone occupied by the main fluid bed. This accumulation is believed to occur because fines are more greatly affected by static forces due to their larger ratio of surface area (static charge) to mass (inertia). Thus, fines can cling by static electric forces to the electrically grounded metal wall of the reactor. Polymerization in the stagnant layer of reactor wall fines releases heat which can lead to melting and fusing of polymer into sheets along the vessel wall. These sheets of fused polymer may grow quite large before coming loose and falling into the fluid bed. Once fallen into the main fluid bed, such sheets can obstruct powder fluidization, circulation, and withdrawal. In some cases, the sheets may be so large as to significantly disrupt the normal fluidization and circulation of gas and solids of the entire fluid bed leading to extensive fusing of the main bed. When powder withdrawal slows or the bed fuses, the reactor production must be stopped and the reactor vessel opened for cleaning. This is a very costly production outage.
Another undesirable place where fines accumulate is in the disengaging section of the reaction vessel. The disengaging section of the reactor is a region of expanded cross-sectional area that is above the zone in which bed level normally resides. The purpose of the expanded area is to reduce the velocity of the fluidizing gas in order to minimize the entrainment of fine particles in the gas leaving the reactor. In the disengaging section, fines tend to concentrate in the regions of lower gas velocity nearer the downward sloping vessel wall. In fact, it is intended that most of the fines fall onto the sloped wall of the disengaging section and slide downwards and back into the main fluidized bed. However, when the concentration of fines increases in the disengaging section, the polymerization heat load on the sloped wall becomes larger. This can be observed by increasing temperatures seen from indicators placed in the sloped wall in the disengaging section. The concentration of fines and resulting heat can become great enough to lead to melting and fusing of the powder into sheets along the sloped wall. These sheets will tend to grow until their own weight and hydrodynamic forces cause them to fall into the main fluid bed, there, as discussed above, obstructing powder withdrawals and possibly causing more extensive bed fusing. As with the above, when either of these occur, the reactor production must be stopped and the reactor vessel opened for cleaning.
Several technologies are known for modification of static and of wall sheeting behavior. These include U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,251 demonstrating the addition of different compounds to the fluid bed reactor to adjust static voltage; U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,311 disclosing the use of chemicals to reduce the bonding of sheets to the reactor vessel wall; European Patent Application 0,453,116,A1 disclosing the addition of known antistatic agents to a fluid bed polyolefin reactor; European Patent Application 0,604,990,A1 disclosing the use of an electrode near the grid; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,123 disclosing the use of sound waves to dislodge fines from the reactor wall.
A particularly relevant discussion of the operating problems brought on by the presence of fines in the disengaging section of the reactor is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,118. This patent discloses the modification of the circulating pattern of fines in the disengaging section in order to reduce operating and product quality problems.
In addition to problems caused inside the reactor, problems are also caused by fines outside the fluid bed reactor vessel. Some fines will leave the reactor vessel in the overhead piping that carries the recycle gas away for cooling and compression. The exiting fines may attach to surfaces of piping, heat exchangers, and other process equipment in the recycle loop. Recycled fines may also settle in regions of lower gas velocity, such as the bottom of the reactor underneath the distribution grid for the fluidizing gas.
Because fines exiting the reactor retain their catalytic activity, they continue to react outside the reactor. Thus, fines depositing in the recycle system equipment grow and fuse to create skins, sheets, and lumps of polymer. These skins, sheets, and lumps reduce heat transfer efficiency and modify mass flow in the recycle gas piping and equipment. Also, some fines will return to the reactor via the recycle system. Because the temperature and gas composition are very different at some locations in the recycle system, the polymer produced outside the reactor may have very undesirable properties. Although a minute fraction of the total polymer production, the fines returning to the reactor can nonetheless seriously impact the suitability of the overall product. The presence of non-homogeneous polymer fines in the final product can significantly affect the quality of the product and resulting articles produced therefrom, such as the formation of gels in polyethylene films.
There are several disclosed methods for coping with reactive fines exiting a fluidized bed reactor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,400 discloses the use of cyclonic separators to remove the fines from gas exiting the reactor and the use of ejectors to return the fines to the reactor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,427 discloses technology for coating the surface of heat exchanger tubes to reduce the adhesion of fines and the formation of insulating polymer skins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,414; U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,149; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,749 all reveal improvements to mitigate problems with the accumulation of fines and lumps underneath the gas distribution grid in the reactor.
The above patents disclose methods of coping with the problems caused by polymeric fines only after they are produced. These references disclose various methods of preventing sheeting, through either physical, electrostatic, or chemical means of controlling the behavior of the fines. However, none of the above references discloses a method of preventing or reducing the production of fines. None of these references deal with the original problem of the formation of the fines during polymerization.
However, techniques for the modification of catalysts have been used for controlling the level of fines in the fluid bed. The size of the catalyst support, the size of the finished catalyst, the physical strength of the support and the chemical activities of the catalyst system are some of the catalyst parameters known to affect the particle size distribution in a fluid bed polyolefin reactor. Examples are given by P. Galli. in "The `Spherilene` Process", paper S4A, Polyethylene--The 1990s and Beyond, The Plastics and Rubber Institute (UK), (1992) and by I. D. Burdett in "A Continuing Success: The UNIPOL Process", P 616-623, CHEMTECH, October 1992. Unfortunately, when the catalyst is altered, then the process parameters and polymer properties are also altered. Catalyst changes often result in a modified polymer, such as changes in the density and molecular weight distribution.
In light of the above, it would be very desirable to be able to control to a low level or to reduce the amount of fines produced in the reactor, thereby avoiding the necessity of dealing with the problems caused by the fines, but without having to modify the catalyst, thereby avoiding changes to the properties of the resulting polyethylene polymer.

Suppression of fines in a fluid bed polyethylene process


The musical instrument strings and a method of instruction comprise a set of strings, each string having colored markings along its length, each mark indicating a note sounded when the string is played at the mark. Additional notes are similarly marked along each string, each of the musical notes having a unique color. Additional markings along the neck of the instrument and at open string positions correspond to the colored markings of the strings. Music notation having colored notes corresponding to the colored markings of the string facilitates a student in learning to play a musical instrument by matching the colored notes to the colored markings on the strings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to musical instruments of the type having a neck and a fingerboard or fret board and, more particularly, to musical instrument strings and a method of instruction utilizing colored markings disposed on the musical instrument strings to identify fingering positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Students of stringed musical instruments, such as the guitar, bass guitar, banjo, violin, cello, and numerous other types of stringed instrument of the general type having a neck and a plurality of strings extending along the neck, are faced with difficulty in learning to play the instrument. Such instruments are generally played by using the fingers of one hand to press the strings against a fingerboard or a fret board, thereby producing different notes depending on the fingering position along the strings. Much of the difficulty in learning to play this type of instrument is in learning which finger positions are to be used to play which notes. Compounding this difficulty is the challenge of learning to read printed music, and to identify the notes of the printed music to be played.
Various training devices and methods have been devised to help students in learning to play stringed instruments. However, often a specialized training instrument is employed, or a specialized attachment for the instrument required, or a separate guide, such as a fingering chart. Such a device as a fingering chart, while helpful, doesn't direct a player's fingers to a specific fingering location on the stringed instrument. Attachments for placement on the neck of the instrument have been used to indicate fingering positions for various chords. Such attachments, however, may not be universal in their application, and are prone to difficulty in attachment to an instrument and may be prone to causing cosmetic damage to the instrument. Specialized instruments, such as a guitar having a plurality of lights, such as LEDs, embedded in the fret board for indicating fingering positions, may be costly and may teach the student to become reliant on the particular training instrument, rather than facilitating the student's growth into other instruments.
A method for teaching a student to correlate musical notes to the fingering positions on a stringed musical instrument that does not require a specialized instrument (or an attachment to the instrument, or a separate device for guidance) leaves the student free to learn on an instrument of his choice and carry the technique and skills from one instrument to another. Thus, musical instrument strings and a method of instruction solving the aforementioned problems are desired.

Musical instrument strings and a method of instruction


A portable personal support includes a u-shaped base support having a proximal end and a distal end, an intermediate support has a bottom end and a top end, where the intermediate support is pivotably adjustable and lockable relative to the base support. A u-shaped head support has a chin end and a forehead end, where the head support is pivotably adjustable and lockable relative to the intermediate support. A u-shaped headrest is removably attachable to the head support. In a stored configuration the head support is disposed within the intermediate support and the intermediate support is disposed within the base support where the base support, intermediate support and head support all reside in substantially the same plane. In a deployed configuration the base support and head support are generally horizontally positioned and the intermediate support is generally vertically positioned.

Many times throughout the day a person may want to take a nap or rest. These situations may occur while at work or while traveling in a plane, train, bus or automobile. Unfortunately, when a person wants to rest in these situations there is seldom a bed or appropriate area where the person can lie down. Furthermore, many people cannot rest comfortably while sitting in a chair because the head and neck must be properly supported to facilitate a resting state.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable device that is a personal support for a person such that they can rest comfortably. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.


The semiconductor memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells aligned in a matrix form, and a plurality of bit lines respectively extending along the memory cells aligned in the longitudinal direction, wherein each of the bit lines is provided with a line section of the upper layer and that of the lower layer, and the mutually adjacent portions of the respectively adjacent two bit lines are provided in the different layers from each other. Due to this construction, such a conventional problem that the specific gravity of the coupling capacitance occupied within the whole bit-line capacitance is made large and an erroneous operation is caused due to this narrowed coupling capacitance can be solved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly relates to a semiconductor memory device provided with a bit line configuration by which a coupling capacitance between mutually adjacent bit lines can be reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing one part of a conventional ROM (Read Only Memory). In the figure, reference numerals 101 (i=1 to 6) denote memory cells. Note that although the memory cells 101i are aligned in two lines and three columns in this figure, a plurality of memory cells 101i are aligned in a matrix form in the longitudinal and lateral directions in accordance with the total memory capacity of the memory device itself in reality. Reference numerals 102i (i=1 to 6) denote transistors each configuring the corresponding memory cell, numerals 103i (i=1, 2) denote word lines which are connected to the gate of each of the transistors 102i extending in the lateral direction, and numerals 104i (i=1 to 3) denote bit lines which are extending along the transistors 102i aligned in the longitudinal direction and can be connected to the drain of each of the transistors 102i. Further, numeral 105 denotes an output line for reading data stored in the target memory cell, 106 denotes a selector for selecting the bit lines 104i connected to the output line 105, 107 denotes a signal line for transmitting a control signal for controlling the selector 106, 108 denotes a voltage source, 109 denotes a signal line for transmitting a signal for controlling the precharging operation, 110 denotes a transistor, which is switched on and off in accordance with the control signal transmitted by way of the signal line 109 and provides electric current when precharging the output line 105 and the bit line 104i selected by the selector 106, and 111 denotes a sense amplifier for converting the voltage to be fed to the output line 105 to that of the logic level in accordance with the data stored in the target memory cell.
Note that the source of each of the transistors 102i is grounded, and that storing data in the ROM shown in FIG. 5 is carried out by connecting and/or disconnecting the drain of each of the transistors 102, configuring the corresponding memory cell 101i, depending on whether the data to be stored is xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d. In the ROM shown in FIG. 5, by connecting the drain of each of the transistors 1021, 1023, 1024, 1025 and 1026 to the respectively corresponding bit lines 104i, the binary data xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d (low potential VL) is stored, whereas by disconnecting, or releasing the drain of the transistor 1022 from the corresponding bit line 1042, the binary data xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d (high potential VH) is stored. The connection of the drain of each of the transistors with the corresponding bit line can be implemented by providing a through-hole between the drain and the corresponding bit line. Thus, forming or not forming the through-hole to each of the memory cells can be determined depending on what kind of data or program is to be stored in the ROM.
The operation of the conventional memory device is now explained below.
When reading a data, first a signal of xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d level is input to the signal line 109 to set ON the transistor 110, so as to precharge the output line 105 with a voltage in the region greater than the low potential VL but less than the high potential VH. Then, an appropriate signal is input to the signal line 107 thereby to connect the bit line 104i related to a read target memory cell (here, the target memory cells are considered to be of limited numbers just for convenience) with the output line 105 by way of the selector 106, so as to precharge also the bit line 104i with a voltage in the region greater than the low potential VL but less than the high potential VH, in addition to the output line 105i. After the selected bit line 104i is precharged, the voltage of the corresponding word line 103i related to the read target memory cell is set to the xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d level, and the transistor 102i whose gate is connected to the thus selected word line 103 is set to ON. Concerning the read target memory cell, in the case where the drain of the ON-set transistor 102i is connected to the corresponding bit line 104i (namely the case of either one of the transistors 1021, 1023, 1024, 1025 and 1026), the precharged potential flows into the ground to thereby lower the potential of the corresponding bit line 104i. Further, in the case where the drain of the ON-set transistor 102, is not connected to the corresponding bit line 104i (namely the case of the transistors 1022), the potential of the corresponding bit line 104i is not changed, and these changes of the potential are detected by the sense amplifier 111, and the voltage of the logic level corresponding to the data is output, depending on whether the binary data stored in each of the memory cells is xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d.
FIG. 6 is a plain view showing the layout regarding one part of the configuration of a conventional ROM. The layout shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to the portion enclosed by the dotted lines shown in FIG. 5. Further, FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view regarding the portion observed from the line cut along Axe2x80x94A of FIG. 6, whereas FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view regarding the portion observed from the line cut along Bxe2x80x94B of FIG. 6. In these figures, reference numerals 1121 and 1122 denote gate sections made of Polysilicon (hereinafter referred to just as xe2x80x9cpolyxe2x80x9d), each of which is common to the set of transistors 1021, 1022 and 1023, and to the set of 1024, 1025 and 1026, which are connected respectively to the word lines 1031 and 1032. Numeral 113 denotes a contact for connecting a first aluminum (1AL) and the poly or a substrate, 114 denotes a first through-hole for connecting the first aluminum (1AL) and a second aluminum (2AL), and 115 denotes a second through-hole for connecting the second aluminum (2AL) and a third aluminum (3AL). It should be noted that in the plain view of the layout shown in FIG. 6, an overlap of the contact 113, the first through-hole 114 and the second through-hole 115 is represented by the overlap of symbols indicating each of these members. For example, by the symbol denoted by a reference character X, it can be deduced that the contact 113 denoted by a longitudinal line, the first through-hole 114 denoted by a lateral line and the second through-hole 115 denoted by a rightwardly ascending slant line are aligned in the vertical direction. Further, numeral 116 denotes a drain, and 117 denotes a source, wherein one source is shared by every two word lines (for example, the word line 1031 and the word line 1032) concerning the transistors configuring the memory cells connected to these two corresponding word lines. Further, numeral 118 denotes a grounding line, and by connecting the source 117 to this ground lead 118, the source 117 can be grounded. Further, in FIG. 6, the portion enclosed by the dotted lines is a diffusion region, showing the area in which each of the transistors is formed.
Since the drain of the transistor 1022 configuring a memory cell is not formed with the second through-hole as indicated by the symbol of the corresponding portion, the drain of the transistor 1022 is not connected to the bit line 1042, but is made an open output. Further, the drain of each of the transistors 1021, 1023, 1024, 1025 and 1026 is, as shown by the symbol of the corresponding portion, formed with the second through-hole, so that the drain of each transistor is connected to the third aluminum (3AL), namely to the bit line 1041.
Since the conventional semiconductor memory device is configured as mentioned above, all the bit lines are configured by the metal lines in the same layer, and in accordance with a progress of the process integration, the space between mutually adjacent bit lines is made narrower, so that such a problem arises that the specific gravity of the coupling capacitance occupied within the whole bit-line capacitance is made large, so that an erroneous operation occurs due to this coupling capacitance.
The present invention has been proposed to solve the problems aforementioned, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory device which is capable of reducing the coupling capacitance between mutually adjacent bit lines and thereby reducing the occurrence of erroneous operations.
In order to achieve the above object, a semiconductor memory device according to the first aspect of the present invention is configured in such a manner that it comprises a plurality of memory cells aligned in a matrix form, and a plurality of bit lines respectively extending along the memory cells aligned in the longitudinal direction, wherein each of the bit lines is provided with a line section of the upper layer and that of the lower layer, and that the mutually adjacent portions of the respectively adjacent two bit lines are provided in the different layers from each other.
A semiconductor memory device according to another aspect of the present invention is configured such that it comprises a plurality of memory cells aligned in a matrix form, and a plurality of bit lines respectively extending along the memory cells aligned in the longitudinal direction, wherein a line section for grounding (or just line grounding section) is disposed between the mutually adjacent bit lines.
A semiconductor memory device according to a further aspect of the present invention is constructed such that the bit lines and the line sections for grounding are provided in the same layers.
A semiconductor memory device according a slightly different aspect of the above is constructed such that the bit lines and the line sections for grounding are provided in the different layers.
A semiconductor memory device according further aspect of the present invention is configured such that it comprises a plurality of memory cells aligned in a matrix form, and a plurality of bit lines respectively extending along the memory cells aligned in the longitudinal direction, wherein the drain of all or some of the transistors configuring the memory cells in the area where no customer""s program is stored (non-programmed area) are connected to the bit lines.
A semiconductor memory device according a further aspect of the present invention is constructed such that in the area where no customer""s program is stored, the drain of of each of the transistors configuring the less number of memory cells than those connectable to the bit lines is connected to the corresponding bit line for obtaining the required reading speed margin per each bit line.
A semiconductor memory device according a still further aspect of the present invention is constructed such that it comprises a plurality of memory cells aligned in a matrix form, a plurality of bit lines respectively extending along the memory cells aligned in the longitudinal direction, an output means which is connected to either one of the bit lines and outputting a signal of the voltage level corresponding to the data stored in the selected memory cell, an inverting means which is connected to the data output line and inverting an input signal, a line section which is connected to the data output line in parallel to the inverting means, and a selection means for selecting either the inverting means or the line section to which the output means is to be connected.
A semiconductor memory device according a still further aspect of the present invention is constructed such that it comprises a plurality of memory cells aligned in a matrix form, and a plurality of bit lines respectively extending along the memory cells aligned in the longitudinal direction, wherein selectively one or plural bit lines are formed in the layer which is different from that where other bit lines are formed.

Semiconductor memory device with reduce coupling capacitance


Tailgate arrangement of a body of a motor vehicle, with a body opening (3), a tailgate (4) which is assigned to the body opening (3) and which closes it, at least one, preferably two rear lamp units (7) assigned to the body opening (3), a peripheral attachment flange (8) being provided bordering the body opening (3) and the attachment flange having a peripheral sealing profile (9), which is optionally composed of several sections, mounted on it for sealing against a sealing flange on the tailgate (4). This tailgate arrangement is simplified in terms of production engineering and installation technique by the edge of the body opening (3) in the area of the rear lamp units (7) being formed by the rear lamp units (7) themselves, specifically the corresponding sections of the attachment flange (8) for the sealing profile (9) being formed on the rear lamp units (7).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tailgate arrangement of the body of a motor vehicle with a body opening, a tailgate for closing the body opening and at least one, preferably two, rear lamp units in proximity to the body opening, a peripheral attachment flange being formed around the body opening and on which a peripheral sealing profile is provided which is optionally composed of several sections and which corresponds to a peripheral sealing flange on the tailgate. Tailgate arrangements of the type to which the invention is directed includes not only tailgates of station wagons and fastbacks, but also, on the one hand, a rear door arrangement, on the other hand, trunk lid arrangements. Thus, for the sake of simplicity, the invention is described below using a station wagon as an example, but it is not intended that it be limited thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
In a motor vehicle body of known construction, the body opening is stiffened by frame structures and the tailgate is coupled to pivot on a transverse flange of the body bordering the opening via hinges. Adjacent to the body opening for the tailgate, there are body openings or body cavities into which the rear lamp units are inserted.
Both the body opening for the tailgate and also the body openings or body cavities for the rear lamp units must be sealed against water. This is done via sealing profiles which optionally run in several tracks in the area of the rear lamp units. But, it is common practice that the sealing profile is located on a peripheral attachment flange bordering the body opening, while the tailgate has a sealing flange which adjoins the sealing profile in the closed state. However, basically, it is also possible to interchange the attachment flange and the sealing flange, and therefore, to apply the peripheral sealing profile in the area of the body opening to the tailgate instead of the body. The latter of course precludes the possibility of integrating the sealing profiles for the rear lamp units with that for the tailgate.
The tailgate arrangement of the body of a motor vehicle on which the invention is specifically based (published German Patent Application DE-A-197 02 543) is made as a tailgate module which has its own peripheral retaining frame and which can be attached to the remainder of the vehicle body. This is intended to enable economical preinstallation with a high degree of integration. In this construction, the retaining frame of the tailgate module itself has metal reinforcing struts which separate receivers for the rear lamp units in the area surrounded by the retaining frame. These metal reinforcing are welded in the retaining frame, and at the same time, form the attachment flange for the sealing profiles, on the one hand, and are welded to the body at the body opening for the tailgate, on the other hand, for the rear lamp unit. Therefore, the metal reinforcing brace has the function of the corresponding formation of the body, or on the body, in those built conventionally without a separate tailgate module.

Tailgate arrangement of the body of a motor vehicle and rear lamp unit


A Bowman Birk Inhibitor (BBI) concentrate including at least 50% soy protein by weight of dry matter; and a chymotrypsin inhibitor activity level of at least 200 milligrams of chymotrypsin inhibited per gram of dry matter of product. A method of making a BBI concentrate including the steps of providing acid extracted solubles from a defatted soybean material; mixing acetone with the acid extracted solubles to form a precipitate mixture; separating the precipitate from the mixture of acetone and acid extracted solubles; diluting the separated precipitate with water to form an aqueous solution; ultrafiltering the aqueous solution to obtain a retentate. The defatted soybean material may be defatted soybean flakes or flour. The step of providing acid extracted solubles includes slurrying the defatted soybean flakes with water to form slurry, adjusting the pH of the slurry to 4.0 to 6.5 using hydrochloric acid and separating the solubles from the slurry.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBI) and more particularly to a Bowman-Birk Inhibitor Concentrate (BBIC) extracted from soybeans, a method of producing a Bowman-Birk Inhibitor Concentrate (BBIC) and products containing the Bowman-Birk Inhibitor Concentrate (BBIC).
2. Description of the Related Art
Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBI) is an enzyme-inhibitor described by Bowman (Proc. Soc. Exptl. Med., 63:547 (1946)) and Birk et al. (Bull. Res. Council Israel, Sec. A 11:59 (1962) and Biochem. Biophys. Acta, 67:326 (1963)), and is found in crude soybean extract. Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBI) has been shown to exhibit inhibitory activity against the malignant transformation of cells under certain conditions and its administration has been shown to affect various forms of cancer. It has been demonstrated that the Bowman-Birk Inhibitor (BBI) exhibits certain physiological activity that prevents, or at least greatly reduces, radiologically or chemically induced malignant transformation of cells in culture and in laboratory animals. Yavelow et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 82:5395–5399 (1985)) reported that a crude soybean extract, if defatted with acetone, effectively blocked cell transformation in vitro. An active component of this crude extract is the BBI. These observations, along with epidemiological data, suggest the use of BBI as a putative dietary anticarcinogen, particularly with respect to colon cancer.
Weed et al. (Carcinogenesis, 6:1239–1241 (1985)) disclose that an extract of soybeans containing the Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor, when added to the diet of dimethylhydrazine (DMH)—treated mice, resulted in significant suppression of odenomatous tumors of the colonic mucosa. DMH—induced colon cancer in mice is generally regarded as an excellent animal model for the human disease, because the DMH carcinogen treatment induces adenocarcinomas of the mouse colon and rectum, which are similar to the tumors arising in the human colon. These results suggest that a dietary additive of the sort studied might confer some protection against the development of human colon cancer without undesirable side effects. The BBI extract and methods for its preparation were as described by Yavelow et al. Cancer Res., 43:2454–2459 (1983); Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 82:5395–5399 (1985) and Hwang et al. Biochem. Biophys. Acta, 495:369–382 (1977).
Massadi et al. (JNCI, 76:447–452 (1986)) demonstrated that a soybean extract containing the protease inhibitor BBI suppresses 7,12-dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA)—induced carcinogenesis in the hamster cheek pouch. This oral cancer model, with the use of the hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis system, has the same histopathology, growth pattern, and precancerous lesions as the most common form of human oral cancer, squamous cell carcinoma. This study demonstrates that hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis can be inhibited by BBI and suggests that human oral carcinogenesis might respond to BBI in a comparable manner. The BBI preparation used in this study was a crude extract of the inhibitor prepared as described by Yavelow et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 82:5395–5399 (1985)).
Baturay et al. (Cell Biology and Toxicology, 2:21–32 (1986)) disclose that a BBI preparation, derived from a crude soybean extract defatted with acetone, suppresses radiation and chemically induced transformation in vitro, with or without enhancement by the co-carcinogen, pyrene. Yavelow et al., 1985, supra show that either pure BBI or the BBI extract prepared in accordance with their methods suppresses radiation-induced transformation in C3H10T½ cells. Kennedy et al, Proc. Nat'l. Acad. Sci. USA 1984, 81, 1827–39, report that either pure BBI or the BBI extract prepared in accordance with their method reduce the levels of chromosome abnormalities in cells of patients with Bloom's syndrome (a genetic disease in which the high levels of chromosome abnormalities are thought to predispose the patients to a higher than normal cancer incidence). Still, other studies suggest that soybean-derived protease inhibitors can have suppressive effects on skin, breast, and liver carcinogenesis in vivo.
Kennedy et al. in Anticarcinogenesis and Radiation Protection, edited by Cerutti et al., Plenum Pub. Co., pp. 285–295 (1987), disclose that carcinogenesis in various systems is suppressed using a crude BBI extract prepared by defatting soybeans with acetone. Their results suggested that very low concentrations of BBI-type protease inhibitor preparation would be effective as chemopreventative agents for colon cancer. There was no evidence to suggest that the use of protease inhibitors as chemopreventative agents would be complicated by possible toxicity problems.
St. Clair et al. (Cancer Res., 50:580–586 (1990)) report that the addition of 0.5% or 0.1% semi-purified BBI or 0.1% or 0.01% purified BBI to the diet of DMH-treated mice resulted in a statistically significant suppression of angiosarcomas and nodular hyperplasia of the liver and colon carcinogenesis. The results of this study also indicate that BBI, included as 0.5% of the diet or less, had no adverse effect upon the health of the mice, but had capacity to suppress liver and colon carcinogenesis.
Perlmann et al. (Methods in Enzymology, 19:860–861 (1970)) have described an elaborate method for obtaining the BBI from a defatted soybean extract.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,996 to Kennedy et al. discloses a process comprising treating soybeans with acetone, followed by ethanol extraction and acetone precipitation for obtaining BBI. The soybeans may be defatted prior to acetone treatment. In addition, BBI may be further purified by conventional techniques. Kennedy et al. discovered that in the conventional process for preparing BBI from soybeans, a factor remained which adversely affected the ability of BBI to inhibit the malignant transformation of cells. If the factor was removed, the resulting BBI product was capable of inhibiting the malignant transformation of cells. It was found to be possible to remove this factor by treating the soybeans with acetone prior to the ethanol extraction step taught by Perlmann et al. (supra)
Kennedy et al. teach that it is unnecessary to carry out a procedure requiring complete purification of the extract to the point where the product contains only a single protein, but instead determined that it was sufficient to stop the purification procedure at a point where a crude inhibitor extract is obtained. This crude extract (i.e., concentrate) is itself edible and can be used as an inhibitor of malignant transformation of cells by oral ingestion. Kennedy et al. disclose a process for preparing a crude soybean extract containing an inhibitor of malignant cell transformation which comprises defatting soybeans by bringing them into contact with at least an equal weight of acetone, and extracting the inhibitor from the defatted soybeans with alcohol, thus producing a crude inhibitor extract having greatly increased effectiveness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,717 to Kennedy et al. discloses a method for producing BBI concentrate from soybean solubles without aqueous alcohol extraction by centrifugation and ultrafiltration, and further purification by acetone precipitation. This patent also teaches that the less solvent used, the more economical and safer the process. Waste-solvent streams containing a mixture of alcohol-water-acetone require very complex and expensive distillation equipment for separation of the solvents.
The presence of BBI is commonly measured by the level of chymotrypsin inhibition (CI). The present invention provides a new method for making an acetone-extracted Bowman-Birk Inhibitor concentrate having at least 50% soy protein by weight of dry matter and a chymotrypsin inhibitor (CI) level of at least 200 milligrams/gram.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Bowman-birk inhibitor concentrate product and process


The invention provides a technique improving the reliability of acquisition of management information from a network device. A monitoring apparatus has a network device identifier extraction unit configured to extract a network device identifier to identify a network device in the network from communication data sent over the network by the network device, the network device identifier assigned to the network device being changeable over time; an individual identification information acquiring unit configured to acquire an individual identification information from a specific network device that is identified by the network device identifier, the individual identification information uniquely and universally identifying the network device; a monitoring subject determination unit configured to determine whether the specific network device is a monitoring subject device that is subject to monitoring, based on the individual identification information; and a management information acquiring unit configured to acquire a management information from the specific network device when the specific network device is determined to be a monitoring subject device, the management information being an information relating to the specific network device and changing over time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device monitoring technique that acquires management information from a device connected to a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a printer management system that manages a printer connected to a network, the management such as printer maintenance and accounting is performed based on specific management information. The management information may include information on the printer such as the total printed sheet count, trouble information, the print job count, and usage of consumable supply (for example, paper and toner) for each print job. To acquire this kind of management information, a printer monitoring apparatus for monitoring the printer is connected to the network.
Acquisition of the management information with the printer monitoring apparatus, in many cases, is performed with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Specifically, to acquire the management information with SNMP, the printer monitoring apparatus sends to the printer a request message requiring the management information, and the printer sends to the printer monitoring apparatus a response message in response to the request message.
However, with SNMP, the destination of the sending and receiving message is identified by an IP address, so a problem may arise under environments in which the IP address may change. For example, when printer management is performed with the NetBIOS protocol, since the printer is specified using a NetBIOS name, the printer IP address may be set dynamically using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Also, a fixed IP address of a printer may be changed with relocation of the printer. In these cases, there is the risk that the printer monitoring apparatus is not able to send SNMP messages to the printer subject to monitoring, and to acquire the management information. This problem is common not only to cases when the printer is identified by an IP address, but also generally in cases when the information for identifying the printer may change. This problem is also common not only to a printer monitoring apparatus that acquires printer management information, but also to other device monitoring apparatus that acquires management information of individual device connected to a network.

Monitoring technique of a device connected to a network


A method for affecting liquid droplets in a gas stream includes the steps of flowing a gas stream containing liquid droplets through a housing and positioning at least one surface in the housing, wherein the surface generates an electrical charge at high temperatures. The corresponding apparatus is characterized by a at least one surface generating an electrical charge at high temperatures.

The present invention relates to a process for affecting droplets of liquid that are contained in a flow of gas. In addition, the present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out this process.
In a large number of applications in which flowing gases are used, problems can be caused by droplets of liquid that are contained in the gas flow. Problems of this kind result, amongst other things, in gas turbines that operate with extremely high intake temperatures. In such applications, gas charged with particulate components, even of the smallest diameter, and condensation of gaseous harmful substances can lead to erosion and corrosion of the material in the turbine blades on a permanent basis. It is difficult to remove dust because dust particles become sticky at temperatures above 700.degree. C. On the transition to even higher temperatures, the melting point of such particles is exceeded, so that it becomes necessary to remove liquids. In principle, all types of dust separators are suitable for removing droplets, for example filtering separators, electro-separators, and cyclone-type separators. separators. Preferably, however, laminar and centrifugal separators are used to remove droplets. When this is done, the flow of gas is forced to change direction; the droplets of liquid do not conform to this change, and are thus deposited on a wall and removed from the flow of gas. However, it is not possible to remove the smallest droplets out in this way. It is a known fact that it is extremely difficult to remove droplets of liquid from a gas phase as their diameters become smaller, in particular when their diameters become less than 10 .mu.m. Attempts have been made to facilitate the collision and coagulation of droplets by means of a special gas guidance system it order to be able to remove the correspondingly large droplets in a simpler manner. It is preferred that electrofilters be used for this purpose, although these cannot be used in the temperature ranges discussed above.
DE 87 01 718 U1 describes an apparatus removing droplets from a gas phase that is essentially independent of temperature; in this apparatus, a magnetic field is generated in one area of the flow by applying electrical voltages. Appropriate magnetic or static charges are described in DE 11 37 980 A1 and in DE 31 51 125 A1. However, the processes and apparatuses described therein are not suitable for use in the range of very high temperatures, neither are they suitable for every kind of droplet. In particular, however, these known processes are not suitable for acting on droplets with diameters that are smaller than 10 microns.
This also applies to the apparatus that is described in DE 15 21 696 A1, which proposes that an electrical field be built up by connecting parts of a flow cross section to a source of power. Particles in the flow of gas will be prevented from striking metal surfaces or semiconductor surfaces in such a way as to damage them, since the particles are deflected onto a crystalline substance by the electrical field, so that they are retarded very powerfully and, optionally, subjected to an electrochemical reaction. In principle, this process, too, is not suitable for all kinds of small droplets, nor can it be used at any high temperatures, since the current supply lines have to be taken into consideration and because of the fact that--like all other known processes--it is not energy efficient because of the additional power requirement.
Proceeding from this prior art, it is the task of the present invention to describe a process for acting on droplets of liquid contained a flow of gas, which is simple and economical to manufacture, can be used in extremely high temperature ranges, and can be used to act upon droplets of liquid that are smaller than 10 .mu.m. In addition, the present inventions describes an apparatus for carrying out this process.

Process and device for influencing liquid drops in a gas stream


A sealing unit for a stem of a mono-tube shock absorber includes a first seal having a sealing ring providing an annular sealing lip that projects in a radially and axially inner direction to slidingly cooperate with the stem and ensure a sealing action with respect to pressurized working fluid inside the mono-tube shock absorber; a second seal with a sealing ring having an annular sealing lip, which projects protruding in a radially and axially external direction to slidingly cooperate, with the stem and ensure a sealing action with respect to the outside of the mono-tube shock absorber; a reinforcing ring snapped into an annular seat of the sealing ring. The reinforcing ring is arranged axially locked between the lip and a bottom wall of the second sealing lip; the first and second seals are two physically distinct and separate elements assembled separately inside a body of the shock absorber.

Hydraulic shock absorbers of the mono-tube type, which are used exclusively in the motor-vehicle industry and other industries, are intended to work under relatively high hydraulic pressures, on average in the region of 20 bar, with peaks which may be as high as 100 bar or more. The mono-tube shock absorber has the advantage that it may be mounted not only in a vertical or sub-vertical position (as in the case of dual-tube shock absorbers) but also in sub-horizontal or even horizontal positions. For this reason, the mono-tube shock absorber is widely used in the motorcycling industry. Furthermore, it is widely used also in the motor vehicle industry since, for the same performance, it has a smaller size and weight than dual-tube shock absorbers.
As is known, the mono-tube shock absorber has a chamber into which gas under pressure is blown and the gas in turn pressurizes the hydraulic working fluid, normally oil, contained inside a second chamber. As already mentioned, the oil reaches pressure peaks in the region of 100 bar.
In view of these high working pressures, the sealing action with respect to the pressurized oil which is contained inside the shock absorber body and which opposes during use the reciprocating movement of the piston inside the body is provided by means of a sealing unit mounted on a bushing which is engaged by and passed through by a stem of the shock absorber, of the type described in the German utility model published under number DE8201327U.
This sealing unit according to the prior art has numerous parts which must be assembled separately and is therefore relatively bulky and complex to assemble and has a performance which tends to deteriorate with a lowering of the temperature. In particular, when the rubber ring described in DE8201327U, which forms the main sealing element, is made of a particular fluorinated synthetic elastomeric material, the sealing unit has a minimum working temperature which does not go below −15° C. when, instead, the current applications would require a minimum working temperature of −40° C.
European patent No. EP and European patent application No. EP-A-06425875 disclose sealing units for shock absorber stems and associated units for withstanding fatigue stresses and remaining in any case efficient for a relatively long period of time. However, the sealing unit described in European patent No. EP1074760B1 is not suitable for use on mono-tube shock absorbers and has, as does the sealing unit according to European patent application No. EP-A-06425875, axial dimensions which are smaller than those of DE8201327U, but are still relatively large if the overall size and weight of the shock absorber is to be reduced while maintaining the same working stroke. Moreover, the sliding-contact lips of the elastomeric part of the sealing unit have a performance over time which may be improved.
A sealing unit providing a more suitable solution for mono-tube shock absorbers is described in European patent No. EP1729045. This sealing unit is suitable for performing a static and dynamic sealing function with respect to the pressurized oil inside the shock absorber as well as a dynamic sealing function with respect to the external environment ("dust cover" seal), so that dust and other impurities are unable to penetrate inside the shock absorber.
This solution, whereby the oil seal and the dust cover seal are pre-assembled together, is not versatile. For example, it is not possible to perform pressurization of the oil by blowing in gas, during an intermediate stage of seal assembly, as is often required by end clients for specific production needs. There therefore exists a need to define an annular sealing unit for a mono-tube shock absorber which does not have the abovementioned drawbacks.

Annular sealing unit for guiding a mono-tube shock absorber


A sensor unit sensing a physical quantity comprises a first voltage evaluation circuit, a second voltage evaluation circuit, an alarm signal output circuit, and a sensor output circuit. The first voltage evaluation circuit evaluates a power voltage by comparing it with a reference voltage and outputs an accident signal when the power voltage is lower than a first predetermined voltage. The second voltage evaluation circuit working in a lower voltage range in which the first voltage evaluation circuit is insensitive outputs the accident signal when the power voltage is lower than a second predetermined voltage. The alarm signal output circuit outputs an alarm signal in response to the accident signal. The sensor output circuit outputs a sensor signal and inhibits the circuit from outputting the sensor signal in response to the accident signal, so that the alarm signal output circuit provides the alarm signal in response to the accident signal.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unit for sensing physical quantity, and more particularly to a unit for sensing a hydraulic pressure which has a failure diagnosis function for an abnormal power voltage.
2. Background Art
In general, a hydraulic brake system mounted on a vehicle is provided with a pressure sensor to sense pressure handled by the system. The pressure sensor unit has, for example, an arrangement to transform pressure in a brake pipe into a voltage signal by a hydraulic pressure sensor and output the voltage signal to an external control unit such as an ECU (Electric Control Unit) through, for example, a buffer circuit and an amplifier. Thus far, to enhance the detection reliability of the pressure sensor unit, a plurality of hydraulic pressure sensors are set up in the same brake pipe system. The voltage differences among the voltages from each hydraulic pressure sensor are sensed to compare the differences with a predetermined value by an external control unit for failure diagnosis of the hydraulic brake system. On the other hand, a recent requirement is for a pressure sensor unit with a failure diagnosis function which has the same level of detecting ability with the plurality of hydraulic pressure sensors.
As one of the pressure sensor units introduced in the above, a pressure sensor unit with the failure diagnosis function to detect a disconnection of a wiring harness (for power line, signal line, and ground line in general), connecting the pressure sensor unit and the external control unit, and defective contact at the wiring harness (for example, linking-up connector part, solder part) has been shipped hitherto. In the pressure sensor unit like the above, one of the arrangement may be like below. For example, the voltage difference between the power line and the ground line is monitored. If the difference becomes lower than a predetermined value, an accident occurrence is informed to the external control unit by forcibly shifting the output voltage of the sensor unit from a normal output voltage range to out of the normal range as an accident signal. However, in this arrangement, when the voltage difference becomes lower than the predetermined value, it is impossible to clarify the reason of the voltage lowering if the lowering is due to the voltage lowering of the power line (by increase of impedance of the power line.), or due to the voltage raising of the ground line (by increase of impedance of the ground line). As a result, if the accident signal is fixed at either a high voltage side or a low voltage side, the accident signal will fall into a normal output voltage range of the pressure sensor, resulting in an evaluation impossibility if the accident has happened or not.
Considering the above issue, the following physical quantity sensor unit has been developed (For example, Japanese Patent First Publication No. 2001-183164). The physical quantity sensor unit includes a power monitoring circuit and an oscillator circuit. The voltage difference between the power line and the ground line is monitored. If the voltage difference becomes lower than a predetermined value, the power monitoring circuit outputs an accident signal, and the oscillator circuit starts operation in response to the accident signal and outputs a high level signal and a low level signal alternately at predetermined periods.
The guaranteed operation voltage of the physical quantity sensor written in the Japanese Patent First Publication No. 2001-183164 is about 3V. Then, if the power voltage is lowered to below 3V, the physical quantity sensor becomes impossible to output the accident signal. As a result, an abnormality of the power voltage caused by a defective contact at a connecting portion of the power line and/or the ground line can not be detected in a wide voltage range, resulting in less reliability of the failure diagnosis function.


A method for creating a table object made up of one or more columns, where the table object can be used as a programming interface or wrapper for an underlying table component is described. The table is made up of one or more column objects that can be used in other tables with minor alterations. The column objects are created to hold data of one type. This type can be a basic data type or a specialized graphical user interface type, allowing for great flexibility in creating table data structures for holding data of a wide variety. The table object is used to facilitate the use of an underlying table component, which may contain its own search engine. The table object acts as a wrapper for the table component allowing the application developer to use columns from other tables for use with a particular underlying table component without having to recreate or rewrite computer code for that particular underlying table component.

The present invention relates generally to data structure software run on computers. More specifically, it relates to a method and apparatus for designing and creating reusable software components simplifying the use of third-party table data structures.
One of these third-party table data structures is the JCTable. The JCTable is a component which allows an application developer to place a grid or table-like data structure made up of columns of certain types in an application. One of the disadvantages of a JCTable is that an application developer must write a significant amount of computer code for each of the columns in a JCTable to make the table functional. An application developer may want a table or a grid in an application to hold and display information in a particular way that makes it easy for users to access and manipulate. For example, such a grid could be made up of several columns where each column contains one type of information such as customer name, product description, number of units, price, etc. and this grid can be one portion or component of a larger application. Of course there are many other uses for such a table in computer applications. The disadvantages of the JCTable is that the computer code written by the application developer must be rewritten for each new JCTable. Thus, for each table with an underlying JCTable, the application developer must create and set data types for each column one by one for each new table.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus for creating wrappers that are essentially reusable and can be applied to one or more underlying tables. The application developer would only have to set certain aspects of the column objects. These aspects would be those specific values of certain properties, such as the label of a column, so as to customize the column object to this new context.

Method and apparatus for creating a table object constructed from reusable column objects


Methods for production of, and the ingredients of, a new and novel line of cosmetics that are simultaneously oil free, lanolin free, fragrance free, free of formaldehyde releasing preservatives, and with all ingredients rated "0" with respect to comedogenicity and irritancy in the published master list of comedogenic and irritating cosmetic ingredients are described. These formulations are thus hypoallergenic, noncomedogenic, nonacnegenic and aesthetically pleasing. The formulated cosmetic products include a moisture cream, moisture lotion, glycolic cream, glycolic lotion, shampoo, cleanser, colored makeup foundation, colored makeup powder, and colored makeup concealer.

1. Technical Field
This patent pertains to the field of cosmetics and skin care products, including moisture cream, moisture lotions, glycolic creams, glycolic lotions, shampoos, cleansers, colored makeup foundation, colored makeup powder, and colored makeup concealers.
2. Prior Art
Cosmetics have been in use since Biblical times. They served not only to soothe the skin and provide relief from minor irritations, but also to cover skin defects and to enhance beauty.
The physician's credo to "first, do no harm", however, is of considerable importance concerning skin care products. If aesthetic concerns were the only consideration with respect to cosmetics, another cosmetic line would certainly not be necessary.
However, potential problems exist with all cosmetics and skin care products currently on the market. Acne cosmetica is a problem seen all too frequently by the dermatologist. Comedogenicity is another major concern. Chemicals such as Isopropyl Myristate, Steareth 16, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Laureth-4, and many others are major causes of acne among users and yet are still found in many current cosmetic products. Oils or petroleum products such as mineral oil, Vitamin E, Jojoba oil or petrolatum cause severe acne in many patients. As a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon I have spent the past 20 years treating the resultant acne scarring with chemical peeling, dermabrasion, dermal grafting, and laser surgery. I therefore have sought to invent a line of skin care products that would not initiate acne and hence, would protect patients from the need for correction of the disfiguring sequelae.
Many chemicals, though not comedogenic, frequently cause contact dermatitis. Indeed, many products on the market contain ingredients that are included in the North American Contact Dermatitis Society's standard patch test tray of 20 allergens. Products such as Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Lanolin (which aggravates eczema or atopic dermatitis), Propylene Glycol, Laureth-4, Steareth-16, Vitamin E, and other alcohols are frequent causes of contact dermatitis and irritant dermatitis. Imidazolidinyl urea and Quaternium-15 are releasers of formaldehyde, the chemical responsible for some of the most severe cases of contact dermatitis seen by a dermatologist. Fragrances, including Balsam of Peru, Cinammic Alcohol and Aldehyde and numerous natural plant products and extracts are the most common causes of contact dermatitis originating from cosmetics. Many patients also find perfumes offensive. No product can, of course, be "non-allergenic"--even water can cause a form of hives known as aquagenic urticaria.
However, it is possible to create a line that is as hypoallergenic as possible by avoiding the use of chemicals listed in the master list of comedogenic/irritating chemicals. Such a list has been detailed by James E. Fulton, Jr., M.D. and is entitled "Comedogenicity and Irritancy of Commonly Used Ingredients in Skin Care Products". (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Vol. 40, pps 321-333, November 1989).
One important point for discussion and consideration is the concentration of such comedogenic/irritating chemicals in the actual marketed products. Fulton, however, makes the key point that "The major offenders, such as Isopropyl Myristate, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol and Lauric Acid derivatives such as Laureth-4 should be used with caution in skin care products. We are not convinced of the statement that lower concentrations of these compounds can be safely used with no comedogenic consequences. Human skin studies have been used to give that statement credence, but the back skin of human volunteers is relatively insensitive. However, when the rabbit ear assay is positive, but the human back skin results are negative after only 8 weeks exposure, the results from the rabbit ear assay should not be dismissed. The reaction may take longer or the back skin may not be the ideal testing substance."
Therefore, avoidance of such disease--aggravating compounds would seem to be a priority with cosmetic manufacturers. One frequently encounters claims of non-comedogenicity, non-irritancy and hypoallergenicity among cosmetic products currently on the shelf.
However, a quick review of the ingredient list from all currently marketed products always reveals one or more major offenders present on Fulton's list. It is quite possible that the test sample required for acnegenicity claims (25 patients) or allergenicity claims (50 to 200 patients) may be too small, however, to detect problems that we dermatologists frequently see among larger or more varied patient populations.
______________________________________ TABLE OF COMEDOGENICITY RATINGS AND IRRITANCY RATINGS AMONG COMMONLY USED COSMETIC INGREDIENTS COMEDOGENICITY IRRITANCY COMPONENTS RATING RATING ______________________________________ Petrolalum 5 0 Cetyl Alcohol 2 2 Stearic Acid 2-3 0 Stearyl Alcohol 2 2 Lanolin Products 0-4 0-3 Triethanolamine 2 0 Fragrance 0 0-5+ Imidazolidinyl urea 0 0-5+ Quaternium-15 (formaldehyde 0 0-6+ releasers) Propylene Glycol 0 0-5+ Laureth-4 4 4 Steareth-16 5 1-3 Isopropyl Myristate 2-4 3 Isopropyl Palmitate 5 1 Oils 4 1-2 Dyes 1-3 1-2 Vitamin-E 0-3 0-3 Comedogenic or Irritating 1-5 1-5 Alcohols ______________________________________
Why, then, has a line such as mine never been formulated? One consideration is the ready availability of inexpensive chemicals such as Petrolatum or Mineral Oil. Another factor is the tendency to repeat endlessly minor variations of older formulas in existence for many years. Additionally, larger manufacturers may simply be able to afford to ignore the 1% to 2% of patients who develop acne or contact dermatitis, reasoning that a refund may be expeditious from the business sense. Finally, the restriction of an ingredient formulary to items rated "0" on Fulton's list greatly reduces the chemicals still available for inclusion in such a cosmetic line.
The increasing world wide prevalence of skin cancer, (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma) has led many formulators to include sunscreens in skin care products applied to exposed areas. The formulator must seek to employ ingredients providing adequate sun protection while avoiding comedogenicity and irritancy.
Alpha-hydroxy acids have been included in many cosmetics in recent years. These "fruit acids" have been found in numerous studies to increase synthesis of dermal collagen, decrease signs of aging and sun damage (including rhytides and dyspigmentation) and to provide mild keratolysis and desquamation. However, the clinical effect of these acids is directly dependent upon the degree of buffering, and resultant pH, of the acid in the cosmetic. Many products sold over the counter contain glycolic or other acids in concentrations so low, or a pH so high, as to render these acids ineffective for the purpose for which they were added. It takes a fine balancing act, and many evaluations by an experienced dermatologist, to arrive at a glycolic acid concentration which minimizes stinging and burning and yet has a pH low enough, and a concentration high enough, to exert a long-term clinical effect.
As a practicing dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon I feel that it is essential to design a product line that contains effective concentrations of pertinent chemicals while avoiding components known to be allergenic, irritating, acne causing, or comedogenic. Such a cosmetic line would prove to be aesthetically pleasing and yet avoid common clinical problems such as acne scarring, irritant dermatitis, photosensitivity, or permanent allergic contact sensitization.