An interface card is manufactured with a frame that includes an exposed mounting area on the card extension for receiving a customized cover plate. The cover plate includes customer specific information such as branding information, customer name, logos, trademarks or the like. The cover plate is secured to the card mounting area after manufacture of the card such that the card can be of a generic, non-customer specific design. In one embodiment of the cover plate, the cover plate is formed with a cover that is hinged to the cover plate and can be selectively opened by the end user to reveal elements on the card such as an RF connector.

The invention relates generally to peripheral devices and interface cards such as PC cards and more particularly to an improved mechanical design for such cards.
Electronic devices may use various peripheral devices or interface cards to increase flexibility and adaptability to various work environments. This may be especially true for computing devices such as handheld computer terminals, laptop computers and vehicle mounted devices. Prior to development of standards for connecting peripheral devices to computers, computers often accepted only limited models and brands of peripheral devices. For example, memory cards often were designed to be plugged only into specific computer models.
A need to standardize the connection of peripheral devices to computing devices was soon recognized. Initially, the standardization of interchangeable memory cards was developed. These interchangeable memory cards were sometimes used in lieu of floppy diskettes for exchanging data or for expanding the memory of a computing device. The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) was formed by several memory card manufacturers in the late 1980s to define memory card physical design, computer socket design, electrical interface, and associated software (referred to as the PCMCIA interface standard). Today PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) is an organization consisting of some 500 companies that has developed a standard for PC cards. Although originally designed for adding memory to portable computers, the PCMCIA standard has been expanded several times and is now suitable for many types of devices including modems, sound cards, floppy disk controllers, hard drives, Global Positioning System (GPS) cards, local area network (LAN) cards, pagers, and radiotelephone cards, among others.
There are three types of PC cards. All three types of cards have the same rectangular size (85.6 by 54 millimeters), but are different widths. Type I cards can be up to 3.3 mm thick, and are used primarily for adding additional ROM or RAM to a computer. Type II cards can be up to 5.5 mm thick. These cards are often used for modem and fax modem cards. Type III cards can be up to 10.5 mm thick, which is sufficiently large for portable disk drives. Likewise, PCMCIA slots in the receiving electronic devices also come in three sizes. A Type I slot can hold one Type I card. A Type II slot can hold one Type II card or one Type I card. A Type III slot can hold one Type III card or any combination of two Type I or II cards. An electronic interface which provides a female portion of a connector is provided on the PC card that mates with a male portion of the connector in the slot of the receiving device.
While a specific standard peripheral device, the PC card, has been described, it is to be understood that other peripheral devices or interface cards based on other standards or proprietary designs are known. These peripheral devices and interface cards are referred to herein inclusively as "cards".
It will be understood that these cards may be manufactured by a manufacturing entity (hereinafter "manufacturer") for sale to its customers where the customers, in turn, sell the cards at the retail level. Often the manufacturer will manufacture the same or similar cards for many different customers. Each customer typically requires that the manufacturer includes customer specific branding information such as logo, color scheme and trademark on each card. Because the manufacturer must comply with different branding requirements for different customers, the manufacturer has been required to maintain separate part numbers, drawings and inventory stock for the cards of each of its customers. The maintenance of separate card designs and inventories for each customer is expensive and inefficient and creates added overhead and supply chain complexity for the manufacturer. Moreover, manufacturing lead time is increased because customer-specific cards may not be manufactured until an order is received from that customer.
One attempt to address this issue is the use of stickers applied to the case of the card where the sticker contains some customer information. While the use of stickers addresses some of the manufacturer issues, the stickers are not considered acceptable by the customers because the stickers are not perceived to present the customer information in a permanent and high quality manner. Moreover, when the sticker is applied to the case of the card, it is not visible when the card is inserted in the electronic device thereby limiting the impact of the branding information.
Thus, an improved card construction that simplifies the manufacturing process is desired.

Interface card design and method of manufacture


A post-processing apparatus configured to collect printed sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus and to handle the printed sheets. The post-processing apparatus has: a stacker configured to collect and stack a plurality of printed sheets with one end of each of the printed sheets placed down; a movable stopper configured to stop each of the printed sheets sliding down in the stacker at a specified position; a motor configured to move the stopper along the stacker and stops the stopper; and a control unit configured to control the motor. The control unit increases a current supplied to the motor in preparation for a collision between each of the printed sheets and the stopper.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a post-processing apparatus and an image forming system, and more particularly to a post-processing apparatus configured to collect printed sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus and to handle the printed sheets, and an image forming system comprising the post-processing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
As a post-processing apparatus for collecting and handling printed sheets ejected from an image forming apparatus, for example, a sheet post-processing apparatus disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-314029 is known. Such a conventional sheet post-processing apparatus is described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.
As shown by FIG. 14, the sheet post-processing apparatus 500B is to handle, for example, fold and/or staple sheets P ejected from an image forming apparatus 500A, and the sheet post-processing apparatus 500B is connected to the image forming apparatus 500A. The sheet post-processing apparatus 500B comprises a sheet feeding unit 600, and the sheet feeding unit 600 comprises an intermediate stacker 700.
As shown by FIG. 15, the intermediate stacker 700 comprises guide plates 562A and 562B, a sheet stopper 563, and a friction member 565. The guide plates 562A and 562B are opposed to each other and are arranged vertically. At the bottom of the guide plates 562A and 562B, the sheet stopper 563 and the friction member 565 are located. The sheet stopper 563 is movable to adjust its position to the sheet size.
The intermediate stacker 700 of the structure above temporarily stores therein the sheets P to be handled, for example, to be folded and/or stapled. Specifically, each sheet P introduced into the sheet post-processing apparatus 500B through an entrance 510 passes through entrance rollers 511, feed rollers 517 and a sheet path r502 and enters an area between the guide plates 562A and 562B. Then, the sheet P slides down along the guide plates 562A and 562B and is stopped by the sheet stopper 563. In this way, sheets P are collected and stored in the intermediate stacker 700.
At this stage, if the sheet P slides down too fast, the stopper 563 may be pushed down by the impact of a collision of the sheet P with the stopper 563. In order to avoid this trouble, in the intermediate stacker 700, the friction member 565 is located immediately above the sheet stopper 563. The sheet P sliding down along the guide plates 562A and 562B comes into contact with the friction member 565 before hitting against the sheet stopper 563. Thereby, the sliding sheet P slows down, and a fall of the stopper 563 due to the collision of the sheet P can be avoided.
In the method of slowing down the sliding sheet P by use of the friction member 565, however, the degree of slowing-down changes depending on the coefficient of friction of the surface of the friction member 565, the size and the grammage of the sheet P, etc. Therefore, the intermediate stacker 700 has a problem that there may be cases in which the sheet P does not reach the stopper 563 when the grammage of the sheet P is small or when the coefficient of friction of the friction member 565 is high.

Post-processing apparatus and image forming system


Upon activation, platelet .alpha.-granules' soluble contents are secreted and membrane-bound contents are translocated to the plasma membrane. Membrane-bound proteins include the .beta.-amyloid precursor protein (APP) from which the .beta.-amyloid (A.beta.) deposits found surrounding the cerebrovasculature of patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) may originate. It has been discovered that activated platelets from AD patients exhibit less APP processing, retain more of the protein on their surface and secrete less as soluble fragments, than do controls. There is little APP or CD62 on the surface of resting platelets, but upon activation, while control platelets exhibited more of both proteins on their surface, advanced AD patients exhibited CD62 in similar amounts to controls, but retained significantly more surface APP. AD platelets secreted similar amounts of most soluble .alpha.-granule contents as controls, but less APP fragments. These results indicate a processing defect which may be used in screening assays to help identify patients with Alzheimer's disease.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a method for screening patients suspected of having Alzheimer's disease. In particular, this invention involves a diagnostic procedure in which the amount of .beta.-amyloid precursor protein (APP) retained on the plasma membrane of activated platelets from the patient is compared to the amount retained by control platelets.
2. Review of Related Art
Selkoe (1994), Ann. Rev. Neurosci., 17:489-517, and J. Neuropath. Exp. Neurol., 53:438-447, report that amyloid .beta.-peptide (A.beta.) appears in many different forms in anatomically diverse locations in Alzheimer's patients, as well as Downs' Syndrome patients and even to some extent in normally aging individuals. A.beta. has been identified as a small fragment of a large protein called the amyloid precursor protein (APP) which is produced as a transmembrane protein; the A.beta. peptide sequence is found within APP in a position overlapping the APP transmembrane domain. Both A.beta. and the extracellular domain of APP have been observed to be secreted, but the levels of secreted peptide have not been shown to be diagnostically correlated with the presence or absence of Alzheimer's disease. Cleavage of APP can occur by more than one route, and the route can be monitored immunologically, by determining whether particular epitopes on intact or soluble forms of APP and/or A.beta. can be detected.
Bush, et al. (1992), Ann. Neurol., 32:57-65, pointed out that a blood test correlated with Alzheimer's disease would be particularly useful. To that end, diverse soluble fragments of APP were characterized, and it is reported that large fragments (130 kDa N-terminal fragment of APP) were present in Alzheimer's patients blood at higher concentration than in normal controls.
It has been well documented that human platelet .alpha.-granules contain large amounts (>95%) of the circulating APP. Furthermore, there has been some evidence that, even in resting platelets, some of the APP may already have been proteolytically processed. Upon activation by physiological stimuli such as thrombin, platelets release their granules' contents, secreting any soluble fragments into the exterior medium, and translocating any granule membrane proteins to the plasma membrane so that the portion previously facing into the interior of the granule now faces out into the medium.
Schlossmacher, et al. (1992), Neurobiol. Aging, 13:421-434, reported that full length APP is retained on the membranes of activated platelets, and fragments missing amyloid .beta.-peptide (A.beta.) are released. The studies were performed on normal platelets, and no attempt was made to compare these to platelets from Alzheimer's patients. Li, et al. (1995), J. Biol. Chem., 270:14140-14147, also reported on APP processing by normal platelets. APP was reported to be cleaved to form a large soluble fragment and a small membrane-bound fragment containing the .beta.-amyloid protein (A.beta.) before activation of platelets. Upon activation, these two fragments of APP were reported to be further degraded in normal platelets.
Smith, et al. (1992), Blood, 80:2252-2260, reported that platelets secrete fragments of APP when activated. It was also reported that thrombin specifically cleaves soluble APP, and it was suggested that similar cleavage in vivo would leave small membrane-bound fragments containing the amyloid .beta.-peptide (A.beta.) on platelet membranes. In contrast, Bush, et al. (1993), Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 695:175-182, investigated APP metabolism in various blood cells and reported that APP is present in amyloidogenic form in circulating platelets, which have been suggested as models for study of neuronal diseases. However, this study found no correlation between any variations in APP metabolism in platelets and Alzheimer's disease. Li, et al. (1994), Blood, 84:133-142, also reported no difference in the total amount of platelet membrane-associated APP found between platelets from Alzheimer's disease patients and controls.
Davies, et al. (1993), Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 194:537-543, described platelet responses to thrombin stimulation as: (a) increase in cytoplasmic calcium ion; (b) membrane depolarization; (c) transient acidification followed by alkalinization of the cytoplasm; and (d) degranulation, including sequential release of dense granule contents, .alpha.-granule contents (including APP), and lysosomal granule contents. The extent of acidification in platelets of probable Alzheimer's disease patients was reported to exceed that of control platelets, but no mechanism for this effect or consequential effects on proteolytic processing of APP was described.
Despite extensive study of the fate of APP in various cells of Alzheimer's patients and normal controls, including platelets, the need for a blood test correlated with Alzheimer's disease pointed out by Bush, et al. (1992) is still unmet.

Diagnostic method for detecting Alzheimer's disease in living patients


Solid organopolysiloxane elastomers particularly useful in gasketing applications are prepared from two normally solid addition-curable elastomer components which are not blended together prior to cure, but are contacted with each other, preferably in the form of sheets or films.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to two piece, two component HCR silicone addition-curable elastomers.
2. Background Art
Addition-curable silicone elastomers find widespread use as gasketing materials, casting resins, caulks, sealants, and coatings. These elastomers contain an organopolysiloxane bearing ethylenic or ethylynic ("aliphatic") unsaturation and a further organopolysiloxane or silane bearing silicon bonded hydrogen (Si—H) functionality. The elastomers cure by hydrosilylation of the organopolysiloxane containing unsaturated groups with Si—H groups, a reaction catalyzed by a hydrosilylation catalyst, preferably platinum or platinum compounds or complexes.
Both one component and two component formulations are known. One component formulations contain both reactive components as well as the hydrosilylation catalyst in the same composition. To prevent premature cure, catalysts which are effective only at elevated temperatures and/or inhibitors which inhibit the hydrosilylation reaction must be present. However, even so, shelf life is often limited, and storage conditions must be carefully regulated. Compositions of this type, which may range from viscous liquids to pastes are commercially available, one example being RTV-1 caulks and sealants.
To avoid the limited storage stability or "pot life" of one component compositions, two component compositions are widely used industrially. In these compositions, e.g. RTV-2 elastomers, the catalyst is compounded either with the ethylenically unsaturated organopolysiloxane or with the Si—H functional components, but not with both at the same time. Prior to use, the two separate compositions are homogeneously mixed and used immediately.
Two component systems are practically limited to liquid components, which allow the compounds to be mixed employing equipment commonly available, such as static mixers, mechanical mixers, and the like. Unfortunately, the liquid nature of such products prevents their use in many applications in which pressure is to be applied prior to full cure being obtained. Under these conditions, the composition, even when quite viscous, may flow away from the area in which the elastomer is desired. It would be desirable to provide a solid elastomer composition which eliminates the above disadvantages, yet has extended or even unlimited storage life.

Two piece curable HCR silicone elastomers


An electrochemical substrate holder assembly, including: a first housing and a second housing; wherein the first housing and the second housing collectively define an interior space; a first gasket coupled to the first housing and adapted to contact a first side of a substrate; and a second gasket coupled to the second housing and adapted to contact a second side of the substrate; wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are collectively adapted to hold the substrate within the interior space. The first housing defines a first port adapted to receive a first electrical lead to electrically contact the first side of the substrate. The second housing defines a second port adapted to allow a fluid to pass there through to fluidly contact at least the second side of the substrate. The second housing is adapted to receive one or more of a second and third electrical lead.

The field of electrochemistry encompasses a large body of ongoing research pertaining to sensors, batteries, nuclear fuel reprocessing, biochemical processes in the human body, and the like. Routinely, researchers in these areas are confined to adopt the use of commercially-available noble metal planar disc electrodes as a means to observe electrochemical behavior at a planar geometry. In other cases, these researchers are forced to make use of cylindrical or spherical electrochemical substrate surfaces that may be non-ideal for rapid experimentation or post-processing procedures, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the like. Thus, what is needed in the art is an assembly and method that may be adapted to accommodate any flat substrate material for study, providing a defined surface area and diffusion behavior. Preferably, after use, the substrate may be readily ejected from the assembly and replaced with a new substrate. In this manner, the researcher may gain greater control over experimental parameters and the rapid implementation of parametric studies may be enabled.
Thus, what is needed in the art is an assembly and method that may be adapted to accommodate any flat substrate material for study, providing a defined surface area and diffusion behavior. Preferably, after use, the substrate may be readily ejected from the assembly and replaced with a new substrate. In this manner, the researcher may gain greater control over experimental parameters and the rapid implementation of parametric studies may be enabled.
Various references describe the use of electrochemical cell holders that are suitable for performing x-ray diffraction measurements in the presence of oxidizing or reducing environments. However, these assemblies are generally not usable in elevated-temperature environments, except for one at about 200 degrees C. (see RU 2425181 C1). In one case, there is an ability to change the substrate, but the assembly uses low-temperature plastic seals (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,290). These assemblies also do not allow for submerging the substrate in a temperature-controlled electrolyte bath (see RU 2654317 C1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,617). In other cases, the cells utilize only a simple two-electrode configuration (see US 2014/0270080). This limits the potential number of electrochemical measurements that may be performed on the system of choice. A three-electrode configuration is thus much preferred, being better able to accommodate the control of a working electrode substrate surface and define chemical reactions of interest.
Thus, the present disclosure provides an improved assembly and method for the rapid examination of any substrate at a defined geometry and simple diffusion behavior.

Assembly and method for interchangeably holding an electrochemical substrate


In a process for producing a hydrogen-containing fluorinated hydrocarbon in which a halogenated hydrocarbon reaction raw material, which includes a chlorinated alkene and/or a hydrogen-containing chlorinated alkane, is subjected to a fluorination reaction with hydrogen fluoride in a liquid phase in a reactor in the presence of a fluorination catalyst to obtain a reaction mixture which includes the hydrogen-containing fluorinated hydrocarbon, the reactor to be used has a portion which is able to contact with the reaction mixture, at least a part of this portion being made of an alloy material of 18 to 20% by weight of chromium, 18 to 20% by weight of molybdenum, 1.5 to 2.2% by weight of at least one element selected from niobium and tantalum and the balance of nickel.

A chlorofluorocarbon generally known as a flon gas has been used for a foaming agent, a cleaning agent, and a refrigerant owing to its stable and thermal properties. The chlorofluorocarbon is a simple alkane such as methane or ethane of which all of hydrogen atoms are substituted by a chlorine atom(s) and/or a fluorine atom(s). Recently, such a chlorofluorocarbon has been subjected to regulation since the chlorofluorocarbon has been found to have a property of damaging the ozone layer.
Thus, demand of a hydrogen-containing fluorinated hydrocarbon which scarcely affects or does not affect the ozone layer has been increased and the development of such hydrogen-containing fluorinated hydrocarbon has been undertaken. The hydrogen-containing fluorinated hydrocarbon includes a hydrogen-containing fluorinated alkane, for example, 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane (also called as HCFC-123) and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (also called as HFC-245fa). HCFC-123 is a useful compound as a refrigerant for a turbo refrigerator or as an intermediate raw material for the production of 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (also called as HCFC-124) and pentafluoroethane (also called as HCFC-125). Further, HFC-245fa is a useful compound, for example, as a foaming agent which is not likely to damage the ozone layer.
In order to produce such a hydrogen-containing fluorinated hydrocarbon, the conventional process for producing a chlorofluorocarbon containing no hydrogen atom such as trichlorofluoromethane (also called as CFC-11), dichlorodifluoromethane (also called as CFC-12), and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane (also called as CFC-113) can be applicable. As the conventional process for producing the chlorofluorocarbon, a process by reacting a chlorinated alkene and/or a chlorinated alkane with hydrogen fluoride in the presence of a fluorination catalyst to produce chlorofluorocarbon is known.

Production process of hydrofluorocarbons


A method for processing data is described. In one embodiment, the method includes decompressing a plurality of sets of compressed data, including performing detiling on a first set of compressed data using neighbor information from at least one other set of compressed data, and recombining the plurality of decompressed tiles into an image.

For practical image compression systems, handling images divided into independent tiles in the pixel domain as well as in the transform coefficient domain is important. A partition into simple rectangular tiles is the most convenient method for implementation. Tiling allows rectangular regions-of-interests (ROI), as either an encoder option or a decoder option, and aids low memory operation and parallel processing.
Unfortunately, naive decoding for independent tiles in a wavelet based lossy compression system can create visible tile boundary artifacts. Artifacts introduced by lossy full-frame wavelet-based image compression generally appear as being "smooth", e.g., ringing around edges in the decompressed image, but not really "sharp" or "peaky". That is, in a lossy compressed version of an image computed using wavelet transforms on independent tiles of the original image, a decompressed tile itself looks smooth, but the transition to the next tile can become a sharp edge-type boundary. These tile-boundary artifacts occur because transform coefficients used for quantization are computed from disjoint sets of pixels. These artifacts can occur regardless of the filter chosen. No matter what filter or what extension rule is used at the boundaries (symmetric extension, replication, anti-symmetric extension), in general, it will not match the actual image on the other side of the boundary and cause artifacts for some images. The tile-boundary artifacts are often viewed as unacceptable, particularly at low bitrates.
Significant work has been done in the field of block-artifact removal of DCT-compressed images. One approach to removal of tile boundary artifacts is to apply a postprocessing step and simply smooth the decompressed image boundaries with a lowpass filter. However, in order to provide a successful solution, this approach requires an image model and does not work for arbitrary images. In general, smoothing via lowpass filters at boundaries introduces new artifacts.
Another approach is a detiling solution that is incorporated into the decoder and uses information from various quantized wavelet coefficients. One approach that matches this criterion for the DCT is described in Section K8 of the JPEG standard. See W. G. Pennebaker and J. L. Mitchell, JPEG—Still Image and Data Compression Standard, Van Norstrand Reighhold, New York, 1993. This method works on the quantized coefficients and uses them to compute a polynomial fit through the given coefficients. Since the polynomial model is not naturally associated with a DCT, this approach requires rather complex calculations. Another well-known approach is the Projection Onto Convex Sets. See, A. Kakhor, "Iterative Procedure for Reduction of Blocking Effects in Transform Coding," IEEE Trans. Circ. Sys., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 91-95, 1992. This method needs a model that cannot be specified in the transform domain and requires an iterative scheme switching back and forth between the transform and the data domain causing high computational cost.
A way to avoid block artifacts in wavelet-based compression is presented in J. K. Eom, Y. S. Kim, and J. H. Kim, "A Block Wavelet Transform for Sub-band Image Coding/Decoding," in SPIE Electroinc Imaging, vol. 2669, (San Jose, Calif.), pp. 169-77, January 1996. In this approach, wavelet coefficients of overlapping tiles are computed. The overlap-size depends on the maximal level of decompression in the wavelet tree. Storing wavelet coefficients computed from overlap regions is equivalent to storing selected coefficients from the full-frame decomposition. The higher the level of decomposition, the more full-frame wavelet coefficients have to be stored. "Line-based" or "rolling buffer" methods have similar storage requirements. These methods complicate random access to memory and parallel processing.

Tile boundary artifact removal for arbitrary wavelet filters


Processes for polymerizing propylene. About 40 wt % to about 80 wt % propylene monomer, based on total weight of propylene monomer and diluent, and about 20 wt % to about 60 wt % diluent, based on total weight of propylene monomer and diluent, can be fed into a reactor. The propylene monomer can be polymerized in the presence of a metallocene catalyst and an activator within the reactor at a temperature of about 80° C. or more and a pressure of about 13 MPa or more to produce a polymer product in a homogenous system. About 20 wt % to about 76 wt % (preferably About 28 wt % to about 76 wt %) propylene monomer, based on total weight of the propylene monomer, diluent, and polymer product, can be present at the reactor exit at steady state conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to polymerization of olefin monomers having three or more carbon atoms at super-solution conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the mid-1980s metallocene catalysts have been used in high-pressure reactors-mainly for producing ethylene-backbone polymers including ethylene copolymers with monomers of one or more of propylene, butene, and hexene, along with other specialty monomers such as 4-methyl-1,5-hexadiene. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,608, granted to Langhausen et al., reports a process for polymerizing C2 to C10 1-alkenes using bridged metallocene catalysts. Polypropylene production in homogeneous high pressure conditions has, however, been seen as impractical and unworkable at temperatures much above the propylene critical point. A process to produce commercially useful polypropylene in a high pressure system would provide advantages, such as increased reactivity, or increased catalyst productivity, or higher throughput, or shorter residence times, etc. Likewise new polypropylene polymers are also in constant need for the preparation of new and improved products. Thus there is a need in the art to develop new processes capable of greater efficiency and manufacture of new polypropylene polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,041, granted to Andtsjö et al., discloses supercritical propylene polymerization under relatively mild conditions (90-100° C. and less than 6.89 MPa pressure) using supported Ziegler-Natta and metallocene catalysts. This patent does not relate to propylene copolymerization at temperatures or pressures much higher than described above. It also does not specifically disclose bulk propylene polymerization using soluble, unsupported metallocene catalysts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,062 granted to Mole et al., describes a process for preparing ethylene copolymers with α-olefins in which polymerization is carried out at a pressure between 100-350 MPa and at a temperature from 200-280° C. The catalyst is based on a tetramethylcyclopentadienyl titanium complex.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,017 describes an olefin polymerization catalyst for use at polymerization temperatures of 140° C.-160° C., or greater. Mainly, temperatures exceeding the melting point temperature and approaching the polymer decomposition temperature are said to yield high productivity.
WO 93/11171 discloses a polyolefin production process that comprises continuously feeding olefin monomer and a metallocene catalyst system into a reactor. The monomer is continuously polymerized to provide a monomer-polymer mixture. Polymerization conditions keep this mixture at a pressure below the system's cloud-point pressure. These conditions create a polymer-rich and a monomer-rich phase and maintain the mixture's temperature above the polymer's melting point.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,741 discloses a process for producing polyolefins having a bimodal molecular weight distribution. The process comprises producing a first polyolefin fraction in a first loop reactor. The process couples this first loop reactor to a second loop reactor that prepares a second polyolefin fraction. At least one of the loops uses supercritical conditions.
WO 92/14766 describes a process comprising the steps of (a) continuously feeding olefinic monomer and a catalyst system, with a metallocene component and a cocatalyst component, to the reactor; (b) continuously polymerizing that monomer in a polymerization zone reactor under elevated pressure; (c) continuously removing the polymer/monomer mixture from the reactor; (d) continuously separating monomer from molten polymer; (e) reducing pressure to form a monomer-rich and a polymer-rich phase; and (f) separating monomer from the reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,835 describes bimodal polyethylene production. This invention's first reactor stage is a loop reactor in which polymerization occurs in an inert, low-boiling hydrocarbon. After the loop reactor, the polymerization system transits into a gas-phase reactor where gas-phase ethylene polymerization occurs. The polymer produced appears to have a bimodal molecular weight distribution.
CA 2,118,711 (equivalent to DE 4,130,299) describes propylene polymerization at 149° C. and 1510 bar using (CH3)2C(fluorenyl)(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride complex, methylalumoxane and trimethylaluminum. Catalyst activity is reported to be 8,380 gPP/gIc′ hr. The Mw is reported to be 2,000. CA 2,118,711 also describes propylene polymerization with ethylene at 190° C. and 1508 bar using (CH3)2C(fluorenyl)(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride complex, methylalumoxane and trimethylaluminum. Catalyst activity is reported to be 24,358 g polymer/gIc′ hr. The Mw is reported to be 10,000.
Other references of interest include:    Olefin Polymerization Using Highly Congested ansa-Metallocenes under High Pressure: Formation of Superhigh Molecular Weight Polyolefins, Suzuki, et al., Macromolecules, 2000, 33, 754-759, EP 1 123 226, WO 00 12572, WO 00 37514, EP 1 195 391, U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,741, and Ethylene Bis(Indenyl) Zirconocenes, Schaverien, C. J. et al., Organometallics, ACS, Columbus Ohio, Vol. 20, no. 16, August 2001, pages 3436-3452, WO 96/34023, WO 97/11098, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,534, U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,501, WO 93/05082, EP 129 368 B1, WO 97/45434, JP 96-208535 199660807, U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,867, WO 96/12744, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,017, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,534, U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,432, WO 02/090399, EP 1 195 391, WO 02/50145, US 2002/013440, WO 01/46273, EP 1 008 607, JP-1998-110003A, U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,914, and JP-1998-341202B2.
Another item of interest is an abstract obtained from the Borealis website that states:                Barbo Loefgren, E. Kokko, L. Huhtanen, M Lahelin, Petri Lehmus, Udo Stehling. "Metallocene-PP produced under supercritical conditions." 1st Bluesky Conference on Catalytic Olefin Polymerization, 17.-20.6.2002, Sorrrento, Italy., ( ), 2002. "mPP produced in bulk conditions (100% propylene), especially at elevated temperature and under supercritical conditions, shows rheological behaviour indicative for small amounts of LCB in the polymer. This is a feature that can be utilized to produce mPP with enhanced melt strength under industrially meaningful conditions."

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Super-solution homogeneous propylene polymerization


Reusable absorbent accessories are configured to be worn by a wearer, are configured to be washed and re-worn numerous times, and comprise adhesive bonds within a bonded region; a base; a moisture capture assembly bonded to the base within the bonded region and comprising a moisture retention portion configured to absorb and retain moisture from the wearer, and an anti-leak portion configured to restrict moisture from exiting the moisture retention portion and positioned toward the assembly exterior side of the moisture capture assembly relative to the moisture retention portion.

Absorbent accessories and other wearable accessories that are configured to be worn adjacent to a wearer's crotch often exhibit moisture-absorbing properties, such as to absorb and/or retain menstrual fluids and/or urine produced by the user. In particular, it generally is desirable that such absorbent accessories absorb and retain such fluids in a discreet and leak-proof manner, such as to hide such fluids from view and/or to enhance the wearer's comfort. However, many such absorbent accessories include absorbent regions that are bulky and thus uncomfortable and/or difficult to conceal. Moreover, many such absorbent accessories utilize stitching to attach the absorbent regions to the remainder of the absorbent accessory, increasing the potential for leakage through the stitching perforations and/or producing bulky seams at the expense of the wearer's comfort and the discreetness of the reusable absorbent accessory. Additionally, many such absorbent accessories are configured to be disposed after a single use.

Reusable absorbent accessories and associated methods


This disclosure relates to an organic electroluminescent device, comprising: a light emitting layer comprising a plurality of light emitting regions arranged in an array, each light emitting region being an organic electroluminescent region; an electron transport layer, a cathode and a transflective layer successively disposed in a first direction from the light emitting layer towards a light emergent side of the organic electroluminescent device starting from the light emitting layer; and a hole transport layer, an anode and a reflective layer successively disposed in a second direction opposite to the first direction starting from the light emitting layer. In addition, in a projection region of at least one light emitting region on the hole transport layer, the hole transport layer has at least two portions of different thicknesses for selecting a wavelength range of light emitted by the at least one light emitting region and/or enhancing the emitted light.

In a conventional approach, as shown in FIG. 1, an organic electroluminescent device with a microcavity structure generally comprises a light emitting layer. Specifically, the light emitting layer comprises a plurality of light emitting regions 11, i.e., a plurality of organic electroluminescent regions, arranged in an array. Colors of the light emitting regions may comprise red, green and blue, denoted with R, G, and B respectively. In addition, starting from a side of the light emitting layer, there are successively disposed a hole transport layer, an anode 22 and a reflective layer 23. Moreover, starting from the other side of the light emitting layer, there are further successively disposed an electron transport layer 31, a cathode 32 and a transflective layer 33. In addition, the hole transport layer specifically comprises hole transport regions 21 corresponding to the light emitting region of each color. That is to say, the light emitting region of each color corresponds to a hole transport region 21 respectively, and each hole transport region 21 has a specific thickness. In this way, a microcavity structure is formed between the reflective layer and the transflective layer. Thus, it can be seen that such a microcavity structure comprises various layer structures disposed between the reflective layer and the transflective layer.
Generally, the light emitting region of each color is formed by an organic luminescent material. Typically, the wavelength range of light emitted by an organic luminescent material is relatively wide. However, the wavelength range of light for each color required by an organic electroluminescent device is relatively narrow. For this reason, the microcavity structure as described above is generally formed. Such a microcavity structure shows effects such as selection, narrowing and enhancement of light. In particular, with the microcavity structure, it may be possible to select a specific range of wavelengths for each color, and in the meanwhile, to enhance the intensity of light in the selected wavelength range as well. As an example, by adjusting thicknesses of the hole transport regions corresponding to the light emitting region of each color, it may be possible to adjust the length of the microcavity corresponding thereto, and thereby to select light in a different wavelength range as well as its intensity. However, such an adjustment scheme often also leads to problems such as brightness decline, color deviation, etc. of the organic electroluminescent device at large viewing angles.


A station for a cable transportation system comprising a plurality of transporting units supported and driven outside the station by at least one cable, the station comprising an inlet and an outlet for the transporting units; a guiding device for guiding the transporting units uncoupled from the cable inside the station; an advancing auxiliary device for moving the transporting units along the guiding device; a control unit configured for controlling the advancing auxiliary device so that the advancing auxiliary device can switch, with no service interruption, from a first configuration, wherein the transporting units are individually arranged equidistant from each other and the boarding and landing occur inside the station without stopping the advancing movement, to a second configuration, wherein the transporting units are arranged in equidistant compact groups of at least two units and the boarding and landing occur inside the station by temporarily stopping the transporting units, and vice versa.

As is known, a station of a cable transportation system comprises an inlet and an outlet for the transporting units arranged in series one after the other. At the inlet and the outlet, respectively, the station is provided with devices for uncoupling and coupling the transporting units from/to the cable. This selective uncoupling of the transporting units from the cable inside the station has the purpose of allowing the slowing down of the transporting units passing through the station without however slowing down the remaining transporting units moving outside the station.
Within this type of stations, the provision of a guide system configured to support the transporting units when uncoupled from the cable and to guide them from the inlet to the outlet of the station is known. This guiding device is usually in the form of at least one track located above the transporting unit, which extends, in plan view, from the inlet to the outlet of the station where the guiding device ends at a cable coupling device. Beyond the coupling device, the transporting unit is coupled, for example clamped, to the cable and proceeds to the next station of the system.
The plan extent of the guiding device inside the station as defined above can be divided into a succession of portions or sections. In particular, it is possible to identify:                an inlet portion delimited upstream by the station entry point, where the cable uncoupling device is housed, and along which the transporting unit is slowed down;        an intermediate portion where the boarding and landing take place; and        an outlet portion delimited downstream by the station exit point, where the cable coupling device is housed, and along which the transporting unit is accelerated up to a speed such as to allow a secure coupling to the cable (i.e., without jerks).
The indicated terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the direction of advance of the transporting unit in the station, and the inlet and outlet portions are spaced apart so as to simultaneously enable the entry and exit of the transporting units into/from the station. Even outside the station, the system provides two spaced and parallel paths for the movement of the transporting units in opposite directions.
To maximize the hourly capacity of the system, it is common practice in certain of the prior art not to stop the transporting units during the boarding and landing procedures. Therefore, along the intermediate guide portions, the transporting units advance at a relatively constant low speed.
In this configuration, the stopping of the transporting units is also not allowed in view of the relatively short time interval separating a transporting unit from the preceding one. In case of stopping, collisions may occur between the stopped unit and the preceding (i.e., upstream), one that is moving forward.
However, there are also conditions in which it would be desirable to be able to perform the boarding and landing procedures with the transporting units stationary. Such conditions occur both in urban systems, where users are used to getting on or off stationary means of transport, and also in ski or mountain systems during relatively low-traffic service periods. For example, during the evening hours these mountain systems no longer require a relatively high hourly capacity and sometimes these systems are used by non-sports users simply for the purpose of reaching high-altitude meeting places, such as restaurants or the like.
Unfortunately, for the reasons indicated above, which can be summarized in the relatively low distance between the transporting units, these transporting units, which during the day perform the boarding and landing while moving, cannot be stopped inside the station.
Currently, only one procedure is known to allow a system to switch between a "daytime" or high-traffic service configuration, with boarding and landing in movement, and a "night-time" or low-traffic service configuration, with boarding and landing while the transporting units are stationary. In particular, this procedure is known to provide for physically extracting a few transporting units from the line so as to obtain a greater distance between the remaining units in use.
However, according to this known procedure, during the transition from one configuration to the other the system is not in operation. For example, French Patent No. FR2970929 and Japanese Patent No. JP2002321614 disclose cable transportation systems wherein the transporting units are arranged in equidistant compact groups.
Additionally, French Patent No. FR2945780 discloses a cable transportation systems wherein the transporting units are individually equidistant.

Cable transportation system comprising a station and method for operating such cable transportation system


A carbon dioxide absorbent suitable for use in anesthesiology during low flow or closed circuit made of from 70 to 90% hydrated lime, from 0.1 to 17% of lithium hydroxide or its precursor, or a combination thereof, and from 5 to 25% water, wherein the absorbent provides low Compound A by-product, and high absorbency.

The most common absorbent for carbon dioxide is hydrated lime, or calcium hydroxide. Water is required in the absorbent formulation to serve as a substrate in the net CO2 absorption reaction:CO2(g)+Ca(OH)2(s)→CaCO3(s)+H2O(g,l),in which carbon dioxide reacts with lime to produce calcium carbonate and water. Traditionally, the lime is combined with sodium and/or potassium hydroxide to form soda lime. The presence of strong alkali hydroxides allows soda lime to absorb carbon dioxide more quickly and with greater capacity than mixtures containing only lime and water.
A disadvantage of soda lime is the sensitivity of anesthetic agents to strong hydroxide bases. The most commonly used modern anesthetic agents are fluorinated hydrocarbons, which may chemically react with sodium and/or potassium hydroxide to form potentially toxic by-products. For example, the anesthetic sevoflurane (1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-(fluoromethoxy)propane) has been found to undergo hydroxide-induced dehydrofluorination to produce a fluoro-olefin byproduct called "Compound A" (fluoromethyl-2,2-difluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)vinyl ether), which is nephrotoxic to rats at concentrations of 60 to 100 ppm and lethal at concentrations of 350 to 400 ppm.
An additional concern when using absorbents containing sodium and/or potassium hydroxides is the possibility of desiccation of the mixture. Highly exothermic chemical reactions between anesthetic agents and dry soda lime release formaldehyde, methanol, and carbon monoxide, which are undesirable by-products. In extreme cases, the heat liberated by these chemical reactions causes a fire.
Two main approaches have been taken to address the problem of by-product Compound A formation and exothermic degradation to formaldehyde, methanol, and carbon monoxide. The first approach is to remove strong alkali hydroxides, such as sodium and potassium hydroxide, from the absorbent formulation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,150 and U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0029730 each disclose a carbon dioxide absorbent comprising calcium hydroxide essentially free of sodium and potassium hydroxide. World publication WO 01/45837 discloses a carbon dioxide absorbent comprising lime essentially free of sodium hydroxide, essentially free of water, essentially free of a humectant, and containing at least 20% anhydrous lithium hydroxide. German patent publication DE 197 40 736 discloses the use of lime free of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, to which barium hydroxide and/or magnesium hydroxide and/or lithium hydroxide may be added. No ranges are disclosed in DE 197 40 736, nor is the water content of the formulation. None of the publications listed above disclose the use of 0.1 to 17% lithium hydroxide, any of its precursors, or any combination thereof, with 70 to 90 wt % hydrated lime and 5 to 25 wt % water.
The second approach used to circumvent anesthetic degradation is the addition of a hygroscopic salt or other humectant to enhance the water retention and/or color indicating properties of the absorbent mixture. Canadian patent 1151633 discloses the use of calcium chloride to enhance the water retention properties of soda lime. U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0029730 discloses the use of 0.2 to 2.0 wt % calcium chloride and/or magnesium chloride in a soda lime absorbent formulation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,150 discloses a lime-based carbon dioxide formulation which includes an inorganic humectant, wherein the humectant is calcium chloride hexahydrate and/or magnesium chloride hexahydrate, present in an amount sufficient to yield 7.5 to 20 wt % water. In addition, this publication discloses the addition of 2.5 to 25 vol % of glycerol as an organic humectant. Glycerol is also known to be reactive toward olefin products such as Compound A (Cunningham et al. 1996). U.S. Pat. No. 6,867,165 discloses a carbon dioxide absorbent comprising calcium hydroxide, which may contain sodium or potassium hydroxide, water, a rheology modifier taken from a group of phosphonic acids and salts, and 0.1 to 6.0 wt % calcium chloride to improve color indication properties. None of the publications listed above disclose the use of calcium chloride or any other humectant in a formulation comprising 0.1 to 17 wt % lithium hydroxide or any of its precursors, or any combination thereof, with 70 to 90 wt % hydrated lime and 5 to 25 wt % water.


The present invention relates to a method and a system for detecting presence in a predefined space. The system comprises cascade connected sensors (s1, s2, . . . , sn), an output device (1), a control unit (2) and a processing unit (3). The method comprises the steps of activating a first sensor (s1) in the cascade and waiting until the first sensor detects presence. When presence is detected, a successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) in the cascade is activated, and when the successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) also detects presence the step of activating the successive sensor is repeated until all sensors in the cascade have been activated. If the successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) does not detect presence the method returns to the waiting step of the first sensor. When the ultimate sensor in the cascade (sn) detects presence, a confirmation message is sent to the output device (1).

Automatic presence detection is available for different purposes, such as building control, lighting adjustment or heating control, surveillance systems, burglar alarms, personal safety systems or car parking aids.
Even though accuracy is important for all these applications, different aspects of accuracy are important, and for different reasons. For a car parking aid, a false negative reading may lead to damage to your car, while a false positive reading is probably only a minor nuisance. A false positive reading in a personal safety system on the contrary, may lead to people being terrified. Repeated false positive readings in a surveillance system might have a "cry wolf" effect on a security officer assigned to investigate the surveyed area, leading to future true readings being ignored. False positive readings triggering heating or lighting systems will increase power consumption significantly. Most of the time these false readings have natural causes, but sometimes the functioning of the sensor is deliberately tampered with. Some applications are especially prone to tampering, e.g. surveillance or burglary alarms, and therefore it is desirable that sensors used in such applications be difficult to manipulate.
Different kinds of sensors are available for detecting presence. They are based on different physical principles, have different power requirements and have different strengths in terms of accuracy.
One of the most common approaches to detect presence is to use infrared detectors. A beam of IR light is emitted against a sensor, and the sensor will very accurately detect when the beam is being broken. Such sensors are often used e.g. in shop entrances, i.e. fairly narrow and confined passages. Detecting presence in a distributed space with a system based on this kind of IR sensors requires a multitude of beams to avoid the problem of false negative reading, where e.g. a burglar simply walks around, over or under the beams without breaking them.
Therefore presence detectors based on this technology are difficult to implement, unpractical, and power consuming, because of the power demands of the multitude of emitted IR light beams. In addition the system will register any object breaking a beam, and cannot distinguish a dead object from a human being. Used as a human presence detector, the IR beam detector will cause a high rate of false positive readings.
A Passive InfraRed detector (PID) however, uses the fact that all objects emit black body radiation, in practice infrared radiation, which is invisible to the human eye, but which can be detected by electronic devices designed for such a purpose. A PID measures IR light radiating from objects in its field of view. Apparent motion is detected when an infrared source with one temperature, such as a human, passes in front of an infrared source with another temperature, such as a wall.
The term passive in this instance means that the PID device does not emit an infrared beam but merely passively accepts incoming infrared radiation. Therefore it is significantly less power consuming than the active infra-red detector described above. However, a PID based system will potentially give an indication based on anything moving within its field of view, i.e. a high rate of false positive readings. Usually, a PID cannot distinguish between a human and other moving objects with any accuracy; if a moving object stops, and becomes immobile, the PID may lose track of it. Lastly, continuous bright light can saturate a PID sensor and render it unable to register further information. This feature makes it less reliable as a presence detector outdoors, and makes it relatively easy to manipulate.
Other approaches to detecting presence of humans include ultrasonic sensors.
Ultrasonic sensors work according to a principle similar to sonar and evaluate attributes of a target by interpreting the echoes from signals previously sent out. The time intervals between sending the signals and receiving the echoes is calculated and is then used to determine the distance to, and velocity of an object. The ultrasonic sensor is less good at detecting immobile objects. Further, an ultrasonic sensor based system may be prone to manipulation, because of the fact that surface shape, density or consistency of material covering an object can muffle the echo sufficiently to render the object invisible to the ultrasonic sensor.
A more accurate presence detection will require more complex methods, such as e.g.
audio or video analysis. Video analysis not only allows distinguishing between human beings and objects, but also allows distinguishing between individuals, as well as and tracking them, and detecting movements and activities. Another advantage of using a video camera is that immobile individuals can be detected. Audio analysis, where a microphone records sounds in the room and an algorithm trained to recognize typical sound patterns can be used to distinguish between different activities.
Audio/video scene analysis is a very complex process. In order to achieve robustness, algorithms have to be computationally demanding. The average power consumption needed to run such algorithms on a chip continuously is substantial.
As can be seen in the above examples, high accuracy typically comes with high power consumption. Thus there is a need for a presence detection system that maintains power consumption, while obtaining high detection accuracy.

Energy efficient cascade of sensors for automatic presence detection


The network system of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing radio system measures a quality of a signal from a user terminal. At least one compared property of the signal is compared with a predetermined threshold. The comparison includes a comparison involving the measured quality. A number of sub-channels for the user terminal is decreased if each comparison operation indicates that a compared property is at the predetermined threshold or within a predetermined range of the threshold. A control signal about a decrease is transmitted to the user terminal. The user terminal transmits with the decreased number of sub-channels as a response to the control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to communication in a orthogonal frequency division multiple access radio system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio systems such as a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) or a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) system may utilize an OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) technique where symbols to be transmitted are mapped to sub-carriers. The sub-carriers, in turn, are grouped to form sub-channels. In uplink, a time slot may have a width of three symbols and it may comprise 48 data sub-carriers, for example. A time slot also comprises pilot carriers which carry predetermined symbols for reference in the reception.
When the quality of a received signal begins to drop below an acceptable level although a user terminal is transmitting at its maximum transmission power and using the most robust encoding and modulation, failures start to appear in the reception of data packets. To be able to continue the communication, a process of re-transmission of improperly received data packets is started. After one or more re-transmissions data packets may be received without errors.
However, the re-transmission process consumes a lot of resources in the radio system. That also leads to lowered data rates and to a deteriorated service.


An electrical connector (100) adaptor for connecting with a complementary connector in a mating direction, comprises a shell (1), an insulative housing (2) received in the shell and a plurality of contacts (3) received in the housing. The shell comprises a top surface (11), a pair of lateral surfaces (13, 14), respectively, connecting with the top surface, and a rear surface (15), respectively, bent from the lateral surfaces. The two-part rear surface comprises a base plate (151) and a shielded plate (152) extending rearwardly from the base plate. Each contact comprises a tail portion (32) exposed out of the insulative housing. The shielded plate is above and covers the tail portions of the contacts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a micro electrical connector for mating with a complementary connector.
2. Description of Prior Arts
A normal USB receptacle connector comprises an insulative housing, a shell enclosing the insulative housing and a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing. Each contact always comprises a tail portion for soldering to an electronic member, such as a motherboard. The tail portions are exposed out of the insulative housing and the shell. However, as the development, the electronic member becomes more and more smaller. Therefore, the interior space between the electrical connector also becomes smaller. Accordingly the effect of the Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) to the discovered tail portions is obvious.
Obviously, it is desirable to have an electrical connector has an improved structure.

Electrical receptacle connector with shell


A method and an apparatus of screening samples, and a method and an apparatus of searching for service object data are provided. The method of screening samples includes setting up a plurality of screening layers; selecting training samples needed by a current screening layer in the plurality of screening layers; extracting target sample features suitable for the current screening layer from the training samples; determining a screening quantity suitable for the current screening layer using the target sample features; and screening target samples based on the target sample features and the screening quantity. The embodiments of the present disclosure can adaptively adjust respective screening quantities of various screening layers, and can maximally optimize resources, thus balancing effects and performance.

Service object data (such as commodities, web pages, etc.) in the Internet are generated in an increasingly faster pace, with the number of categories thereof continuously increasing. As user requirements have become greater, an evolution from an initial matching of search keywords to personalized recommendations for the users has been made.
In a setting for personalized recommendation, cascade models, such as a soft cascade model, a hard cascade model, etc., are relatively commonly used for screening recommended objects. However, given circumstances about online applications of training strategies that are based on cascade models, a theoretical processing cost (e.g., time consumption) is inconsistent with an actual processing cost (e.g., time consumption), resulting in an inaccuracy of a model total cost (e.g., a sum of resource costs such as time consumption and memory). Furthermore, a same number of filters are set for all types of service object data in a cascade model, while the qualities of the service object data are different, resulting in a decrease in search accuracy and a waste of computing resources.

Sample screening method and apparatus, and service object data searching method and apparatus


A mold for integrally molding a cover and a pad on a steering wheel. The mold includes a first mold and a second mold relatively movable to the first mold. The first and second molds are separated from each other to place a metal core between the first and second molds. The first and second molds are then joined with each other to define a first cavity for molding the cover. Afterwards, the first and second molds are separated from each other to remove the metal core and the cover. A float core is located between the first and second molds. The float core cooperates with the first and second molds to define a second cavity for integrally molding the pad with the cover when the first and second molds are joined with each other. A pivoting mechanism pivots the float core to remove the steering wheel from the molds.

The present invention relates to steering wheel molds that are employed to integrally mold covers and pads of steering wheels.
A typical steering wheel is constituted by a metal core and a cover, which is made of urethane foam or the like and which covers the core.
As shown in FIG. 23, in the prior art, a metal core 11 includes a boss plate 12 and spoke cores 13A, 13B, 13C, which are formed by die casting aluminum. The ends of the boss plate 12 are embedded in the spoke cores 13B, 13C to connect the boss plate 12 with the spoke cores 13B, 13C.
A boss 14 is provided by welding a boss body 15 to the boss plate 12. To embed the boss plate 12, the boss 14 and a wheel core 16, which is formed separately from the boss 14, are arranged in a mold (not shown).
Molten aluminum is then charged into a cavity defined in the mold. The spoke cores 13A-13C, boss connectors 21, spoke connectors 22, and a supporter core 24 are formed when the aluminum cools and hardens. The supporter core 24 is connected to the boss plate 12 by two reinforcing bars 25. The spoke cores 13B, 13C are connected to the spoke core 13A by the spoke connectors 22.
This structure securely connects the spoke cores 13A-13C, the wheel core 16, and the boss 14 to one another. Furthermore, a relatively large opening 23 is defined between the boss 14, the boss connectors 21, and the spoke connectors 22.
As shown in FIG. 25, a steering wheel W includes a gripping wheel 81, which is formed by covering the wheel core 16 with a cover, and spokes 82, which are formed by covering each spoke core 13A-13C with a cover. The gripping wheel 81 and the spokes 82 constitute a wheel body 84. A space is provided between the spokes 82 and the reinforcing bars 25 to accommodate an air bag device. The space is closed by a pad 85.
In the above prior art steering wheel W, the pad 85, and the wheel body 84 are formed separately. This increases the number of manufacturing steps and increases costs. In addition, the pad 85 and the wheel body 84 each require a different mold. This further increases costs.
To mold the pad 85 integrally with the wheel body 84, a pad mold must be arranged adjacent to the place where the pad 85 is located. However, the arrangement of a pad mold would be hindered by the boss plate 12, which is opposed to the pad 85, the supporter core 24, and the reinforcing bar 25. Furthermore, a pad mold would obstruct the opening and closing of the molds used to mold the wheel body 84. Thus, despite the additional costs, it has heretofore been necessary to form the pad 85 and the wheel body 84 separately.

Steering wheel mold and method of molding


A floating streambed comprising a circulation pump having an inlet hose or pipe, an inlet hose or pipe depth adjuster, and one or more treatment channels comprised of permeable matrix. The floating streambed floats on a water body. Water enters the inlet hose or pipe from the water body and is pumped by the circulation pump into the treatment channels. The treatment channels are comprised of permeable matrix, and water entering the treatment channels flows both horizontally through the treatment channel and into the water body and also vertically downward through the permeable matrix of the treatment channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of water treatment, and more specifically, to a floating streambed that utilizes a permeable nonwoven matrix to accomplish filtration of treatment water and allows both inlet and discharge water depth to be adjusted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many lakes and ponds contain stratified layers of water, in which the cooler lower levels are often deficient in dissolved oxygen and, therefore, unable to provide habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife species. In some cases, these water bodies tend to contain excess dissolved nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from either agricultural or municipal wastes. In many of these lakes, the upper warmer water layers tend to be choked with algae and other nuisance plants such as duckweed (Lemna sp.), which thrive in the relatively sunlit and nutrient-rich upper zones, then die and fall to the bottom, where their decay contributes to the oxygen deficiency problem in the deeper zones. Not uncommonly, the majority of the water volume in these bodies is unable to support fish life because the upper layers are deficient in dissolved oxygen due to elevated water temperatures, and the lower layers are simultaneously deficient in dissolved oxygen due to lack of circulation.
Water temperature in combination with dissolved oxygen level can also limit which species of fish may occur in a waterway. In addition to reduced fish sustainability, these stratified waters also have reduced potential for municipal, agricultural, and recreational use because of the presence of toxins and suspended solids resulting from poor circulation and lack of microbiological activity.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a floating streambed that can be used to de-stratify and remove contaminants from a water body. It is a further object of the present invention to provide concentrated habitat for microbial colonization, as well as habitat for fish, shellfish, shorebirds, insects, crustaceans and other biota associated with waterways. Yet another object is to provide a floating streambed with an adjustable-depth water inlet system and an adjustable-depth water discharge system. Yet another object is to provide a floating streambed with walkways that make it easy for a person to walk on top of the floating streambed for operation, maintenance and/or measurement purposes.


A semiconductor device includes a ferroelectric capacitor formed over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the ferroelectric capacitor including a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the ferroelectric film, and the upper electrode including a first conductive film formed of a first conductive noble metal oxide, and a second conductive film formed of a metal nitride compound formed on the first conductive film.

In recent years, there are growing trends of high-speed processing and save of a large data with the rise of the digital technology. Consequently, a higher integration density and a higher performance are demanded in the semiconductor device equipped in the electronic equipment.
As to a semiconductor memory device, for example, in order to realize a higher integration density of DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), the technology to employ a ferroelectric material or a high-dielectric material as a capacitor insulating film of a capacitor element constituting DRAM, instead of the conventional silicon oxide or silicon nitride, is widely researched and developed.
As the nonvolatile memory that does not lose the stored information even after a power supply is cut off, the flash memory and the ferroelectric memory (FeRAM: Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) are known until now.
The flash memory has a floating gate that is embedded in a gate insulating film of an insulated-gate field effect transistor (IGFET), and stores the information by accumulating the charges representing the stored information in the floating gate. A tunnel current passing through the insulating film must fed to write/erase the information, and a relatively high voltage is needed.
Also, in order to realize the nonvolatile RAM that can execute a writing operation and a reading operation quickly at a lower voltage, the technology to employ a ferroelectric film having the spontaneous polarization characteristic as a capacitor insulating film is eagerly researched and developed. The semiconductor memory device having such ferroelectric capacitor insulating film is called a ferroelectric memory (FeRAM).
The FeRAM stores the information by utilizing the hysteresis characteristic of the ferroelectric substance. The ferroelectric capacitor structure in which the ferroelectric film is put between a pair of electrodes is provided to the ferroelectric memory produces a polarization in response to an applied voltage between the electrodes, and keeps a spontaneous polarization even after the applied voltage is removed. Also, the polarity of the spontaneous polarization is inverted when the polarity of the applied voltage is inverted. Therefore, the information can be read by sensing this spontaneous polarization.
The ferroelectric memory operates at a low voltage rather than a flash memory, and can execute a speedup writing while achieving a power saving. A study of the logic combined chip (SOC: System On Chip), in which the FeRAM is combined with the conventional logic technology, as the applications of the IC card, etc. is now conducted.
The ferroelectric film constituting the capacitor of FeRAM is formed of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), PZT in which La is doped (PLZT), PLZT-based material in which Ca, Sr, or Si is micro-doped, a Bi-layer structure compound such as SrBi2Ta2O9(SBT,YI), SrBi2(Ta, Nb)2O9(SBTN,YZ), or the like. Such ferroelectric film is formed by the sol-gel method, the sputter method, the MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, or the like.
Normally, an amorphous or microcrystalline ferroelectric film is formed on the lower electrode by the above film forming method, and then the crystal structure is changed into the perovskite structure or the bismuth layer structure by the subsequent heat treatment. Also, a film quality is improved by oxidation after the ferroelectric film is formed.
Therefore, as the electrode material of the capacitor, the material that is hard to oxidize or the material that can maintain conductivity even after oxidized must be employed. Commonly, either a platinum based metal such as Pt (platinum), Ir (iridium), IrOx (iridium oxide), or the like or its oxide is widely employed. Also, it is common that, as the wiring material, Al (aluminum) is employed like the normal semiconductor device.
In the FeRAM, such a problem existed that the ferroelectric film is ready to deteriorate by the hydrogen that is produced in various steps after the ferroelectric capacitor structure is formed, and the like. Therefore, in order to protect the ferroelectric film from the hydrogen, etc., the technology to form the upper electrode by using the conductive oxide such as iridium oxide (IrOx), or the like, for example has been presented.
However, it may be considered that, when the conductive oxide is employed as the material of the upper electrode, the oxygen contributes to the block of the hydrogen, etc., nevertheless such a problem arises that the underlying film of the connection plug, e.g., Ti, TiN, or the like, positioned right on the upper electrode is oxidized by the emitted oxygen to bring about an increase of a contact resistance. Therefore, the technology to prevent oxidation of the underlying film by forming the oxidation-resistant metal film such as iridium (Ir), or the like on the conductive oxide has been presented.
Further, following structures are disclosed as the capacitor electrode.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP 2002-3244894-A, it is set forth that, when the upper electrode formed on ferroelectric film is constructed by the first conductive oxide film and the second conductive oxide film such that the second conductive oxide film is formed to have a composition that is closer to a stoichiometric composition than the first conductive oxide film, the electric characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor can be finely patterned without deterioration during the step of constructing the multilayer wiring.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP 2003-17581-A, the semiconductor device equipped with the capacitor having such a structure that at least one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode is formed of a titanium aluminum nitride layer represented by TixAl1-xN (x=0.05 to 0.5) and the high-dielectric metal oxide film such as tantalum oxide, or the like is put between the upper electrode and the lower electrode constructed as above is set forth.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP 2003-100912-A, it is set forth that, when the capacitor upper electrode is formed of Pt and then an oxidation-resistant TiAlN barrier film is provided onto the upper electrode, the deterioration of the characteristics of the capacitor insulating film caused due to the exposure of the upper electrode is avoided.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP 2006-32451-A, it is proposed that, in order to prevent the deterioration of the contact plug cause by a catalytic action of hydrogen, the capacitor lower electrode on the contact plug is formed on a Pt/IrOx/Ir/TiAlN stacked layer structure.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP 2003-258201-A, a method of etching collectively the constitutive films of the capacitor by using the hard mask is disclosed. In this case, the material of the oxygen barrier film is formed of TiN, TiAlN, Ir, or their oxide, or Ru, RuOx.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. JP2003-152165-A, it is proposed that, when such a method is employed that the contact holes that expose the upper electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor are formed in the insulating film, then an adhesive film made of TiN is formed in the contact holes after the annealing in an oxidizing atmosphere, and then the W film is stacked/filled in the contact holes by the CVD method while using such TiN adhesive film as a hydrogen barrier, deterioration of the characteristic of the ferroelectric capacitor is prevented.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


A spring assembly comprising an inner ring spring and an outer ring spring suitable for use in a safety device for an automobile power window is provided. The inner ring spring is formed by substantially circularly bending a strip spring so that both ends thereof are away from each other and the outer ring spring is formed by substantially circularly bending a strip spring so that both ends thereof are away from each other, the outer ring spring being fitted with the inner ring spring. Stoppers are provided in the vicinity of one ends of the inner and outer ring springs respectively. Each stopper is engaged with the other end of other ring spring, thereby holding one end side of each ring spring in such a condition that one end side of each ring spring is resiliently abutted against one end side of other ring spring.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ring spring suitable for use in a safety device for an automobile power window, and a power transmission device using the ring spring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A safety device has conventionally been incorporated in a power window for automotive vehicles to interrupt an ascending operation of a window glass when foreign matter is caught between the window glass and a window frame. FIG. 11 schematically illustrates one of such safety devices. A worm wheel 90 is connected to the side of a drive mechanism for ascending and descending the window glass. A drive shaft 94 is connected to the operation side, namely, a regulator (not shown) for the window glass. A rubber damper 91 and a metal plate 92 are disposed in the worm wheel 90. The drive shaft 94 extends through central holes of the worm wheel 90 and damper 91 to be loosely fitted in them, whereas it is tightly fitted in a central hole of the plate 92 for rotation therewith.
The worm wheel 90 is rotated when a drive device is turned on so that the power window is closed. The damper 91 in engagement with the worm wheel 90 is simultaneously rotated. Since engagement pieces 97 of the plate 92 are engaged with grooves 98 of the damper 91 respectively, the plate 92 is also rotated with the damper 91. The drive shaft 94 is thus rotated so that the window glass is ascended by the window regulator (not shown).
A drive motor is subjected to a large braking force when foreign matter is caught between the window glass and an upper edge of the window frame during ascent of the window glass. In this case, gear teeth of the worm wheel 90 would be chipped without the damper 91. As shown in FIG. 11, however, the damper 91 is interposed between the worm wheel 90 and the plate 92. When a rotor of the drive motor is locked, the damper 91 is deformed to be spread such that a phase shift occurs between the damper 91 and the plate 92 in the stopped state. In other words, part of the rotational energy of the worm wheel 90 is converted to energy deforming the damper 91 so that a damping force is obtained. Thus, the gear teeth of the worm wheel 90 can be prevented from being chipped. Suitable detecting means are provided for detecting a reduction in the rotational speed of the drive motor in mesh engagement with the worm wheel 90 due to the above-described energy conversion, thereby generating a signal. The signal is supplied to a control device, which delivers an output signal to interrupt or reverse-rotate the drive motor. Consequently, foreign matter can be prevented from being caught between the window glass and the window frame.
The performance of the drive motor is set so that the window glass can be ascended and descended even when the window glass is frozen. Accordingly, the damper 91 needs to provide a damping force necessary for absorbing shock due to the locked-rotor condition, for example, when the foreign matter has been caught between the window glass and the window frame or when the window glass has completely been closed up. To ensure the necessary damping force, the prior art has proposed to render the damper large in size. However, this cannot be adopted because of strong demand for space saving.
Furthermore, the damper needs to be fit for repeated use. Additionally it is desired that, the damper has a linear damping characteristic since the detection of abnormal conditions are based on differentials.
However, the conventional damper is made of rubber as described above. Accordingly, since the rubber damper is deteriorated or hardened due to long-time use, the damping force of the damper 91 is decreased relative to the rotational force of the worm wheel 90. Consequently, an expected performance cannot be achieved from the damper. This necessitates an early replacement of the damper.
Furthermore, it is difficult to obtain a large reaction force from a small rubber damper. Additionally, the rubber damper has a non-linear damping characteristic. Thus, the conventional rubber damper is not always suitable in view of the above-described usage thereof.
A damper comprising a metal spring has been proposed in order that the above-described problems may be solved. More specifically, the metal spring is generally less deteriorative than the rubber damper and has a linear damping characteristic. Thus, the above-described problems can be solved by the use of a metal damper.
The spring is bent into a ring spring in view of the shape and location of disposition of the safety device when incorporated in the safety device. In this case, the conventional safety device can be used without substantial alterations in design. Furthermore, the ring spring should be closed in its initial state with both free ends thereof being abutted against each other so that variations in the dimensions of products can be restrained by an effective use of the torque acting on the drive shaft.
However, when a single strip spring is bent into the shape of a closed ring, both ends thereof are opened by spring back. Consequently, the torque of the ring spring cannot efficiently be utilized.
However, both ends of a single strip spring may be bent into a ring spring in view of the spring back, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 illustrates a ring spring 70 formed by bending a single strip spring. The ring spring 70 has notches 86 and 87 formed in both ends thereof respectively. Each of the notches 86 and 87 has a width half that of the ring spring 70. The ring spring 70 has tongues 73 and 74 formed on both ends thereof respectively. The distal ends of the tongues 73 and 74 serve as free ends and are bent into a U-shape so that abutment strips 71 and 72 are provided. The tongues 73 and 74 are formed to be located high and low respectively and complementary to each other in view of the spring back, as viewed in FIG. 9, whereupon the ring spring 70 can be designed so that the abutment strips 71 and 72 are abutted against each other.
FIG. 10 illustrates another ring spring 80 formed by bending a single strip spring. The ring spring 80 has at one end thereof one small strip 84 and two notches 88 which are formed in both sides of the ring spring and each of which has a width one third that of the ring spring. The ring spring 80 further has at the other end thereof two small strips 83 and a central notch 89 which has a width one third that of the ring spring. Ends of the three strips 83 and 84 serve as free ends and are bent into a U-shape so that abutment strips 81 and 82 are provided. Thus, the ring spring 80 can be formed by bending the strip spring so that the strips 83 and 84 and the notches 88 and 89 are complementary.
However, the torque of the ring spring 70 and 80 cannot efficiently be utilized, because each of the two ring springs 70 and 80 has notches 86, 87 and 88 in both ends

Spring assembly and power transmission device using the same


The current subject matter relates to indicating extent and location of myocardial ischemia in a patient. Electrodes can be placed on a body of the patient. Signal amplifiers can receive orthogonal electrical signals from the electrodes via three bipolar leads. The signal amplifiers can amplify the signals and send the amplified signals to analog to digital converters. The analog to digital converters can convert the amplified signals to digital signals. A computing device can execute a data analysis application that can receive these digital signals, generate QRS complexes associated with these signals, generate depolarization vectors associated with these QRS complexes, and then determine changes in magnitudes and directions of these vectors. Based on the changes in magnitudes and directions, the data analysis application can determine and display extent and location of myocardial ischemia in the patient. Related apparatus, systems, methods, techniques and articles are also described.

Conventionally, myocardial perfusion scans are known for identifying myocardial ischemia in a patient, and the location of myocardial ischemia in the body of the patient. A myocardial perfusion scan includes images of the heart that characterize change in blood supply to a heart muscle of the patient during peak exercise relative to rest. To obtain a myocardial perfusion scan, a clinician injects a radioactive tracer into a vein of an arm of the patient. The radioactive tracer travels through the blood and into the heart muscle. As the tracer moves through the heart muscle, areas that have a good blood flow absorb the tracer, and areas that have reduced blood flow (for example, either restricted by a narrow artery or damaged by a closure causing a heart attack) absorb less of the tracer. A myocardial perfusion scan imaging device includes a camera that takes pictures of radioactivity distributed in the heart muscle. These pictures enable inference of the paths of the radioactive tracer and extent of the areas that do not have a good blood flow.
Although a myocardial perfusion scan imaging device can be used to identify myocardial ischemia and a location of the myocardial ischemia, these imaging devices are expensive and immobile. Further, the imaging results are dependent on technical skills of the operators and expertise of the interpreter that can lead to misinterpretation of images. Moreover, the test requires protection of the environment and persons exposed to radiation from the tracer during handling, international transport for delivery and use at a specially constructed site.


A method for directing a vehicle to operate in a noise generating mode based on a context is provided. A present location of the vehicle is determined using a location sensing device. Then, it is determined whether the present location of the vehicle is within one or more noise generating zones. In response to determining that the present location of the vehicle is within a noise generating zone, the vehicle is directed to operate in the noise generating mode.

Today, vehicles such as hybrid vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. The internal combustion engine produces noise from the ignition and combustion of fuel, among other things. Although a muffler may reduce the level of noise emanating from an exhaust system of the hybrid vehicles, typically even this reduced level of noise may be heard by individuals along roadways. However, when hybrid vehicles operate using only the one or more electric motors, the level of noise emanating from these hybrid vehicles may be imperceptible to individuals along the roadways.