A magnetoresistance effect head comprises a giant magnetoresistance effect film, a pair of leads to supply an electric current to the giant magnetoresistance effect head, and upper and lower magnetic shielding layers made of a crystalline soft magnetic film and disposed to hold the giant magnetoresistance effect film therebetween with a magnetic gap film intervened, wherein the surface roughness of an under layer of the giant magnetoresistance effect film is determined so that a center period L of the surface roughness satisfies L>70 nm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shield type magnetoresistance effect head.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, magnetic recording is made at a high density, and a high recording density system, e.g., an HDD having 1 Gb/inch.sup.2, has become commercially practical. And a higher recording density is being demanded increasingly. As a reproducing head for such a high recording density system, attention is being given to a magnetoresistance effect head (hereinafter called "MR head") making use of a magnetoresistance effect in which an electrical resistance of a magnetic film, a magnetic multilayered film or the like is varied by an external magnetic field from the viewpoint of improvement of a reproducing sensitivity.
FIG. 6 shows the configuration of a typical shield type MR head. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a substrate made of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. TiC or the like. On the substrate 1 is formed a lower magnetic shielding layer 3 which is a crystalline soft magnetic film of sendust, permalloy or the like or an amorphous soft magnetic film of CoZrNb alloy or the like with an insulating layer 2 made of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or the like intervened between them.
A magnetoresistance effect film (MR film) 5 is formed on the lower magnetic shielding layer 3 with an insulating film 4, which forms a lower reproducing magnetic gap, formed between them, and a pair of leads 6 are formed on both ends of the MR film 5 to form a magnetoresistance effect element (MR element) 7. On the MR element 7 is formed an upper magnetic shielding layer 9 which is made of a soft magnetic film similar to the lower magnetic shielding layer 3 with an insulating film 8, which forms an upper reproducing magnetic gap, formed between them.
To detect a signal magnetic field of such a shield type MR head, for example, a sense current is flown through the pair of leads 6, and the MR film 5 is measured for its change in electrical resistance involved with a change in average magnetization direction.
Meanwhile, the MR film is proceeding toward practical utilization provided with a giant magnetoresistance effect (hereinafter called "GMR") having a magnetoresistance change ratio (MR change ratio) of more than 3%. Especially, attention is directed to a spin-valve type GMR film which has a sandwich film with a ferromagnetic film/nonmagnetic film/ferromagnetic film structure. The spin-valve type GMR film obtains GMR by stacking one of the ferromagnetic films on an antiferromagnetic film or the like to make exchange coupling, pinning magnetization of the ferromagnetic film, and changing the magnetization direction of the other ferromagnetic film by an external magnetic field (signal magnetic field).
The GMR film described above, however, has a drawback that its properties are easily deteriorated due to the surface roughness of an under layer because the respective films have a thin thickness of about a few nm. Especially, where a crystalline soft magnetic film of sendust, permalloy or the like, which is mainly used for the existing MR head, is used as the magnetic shielding layer, there is a disadvantage that since the surface roughness is easily caused with the growth of crystal particles, the properties of the GMR film are easily deteriorated due to the surface roughness of the magnetic shielding layer.
Specifically, a so-called magnetization-free layer of the spin-valve type GMR film needs soft magnetic characteristics, but a coercive force H.sub.c of the GMR film in a direction of the axis of hard magnetization becomes high due to the surface roughness of the under layer, deteriorating the soft magnetic characteristics. The deterioration in soft magnetic characteristics of the GMR film causes Barkhausen noise.
The roughness of the under layer described above is reflected in the surface roughness of the respective component films of the GMR film and increases their roughness. Thus, magnetostatic coupling is enhanced by a shape effect of the interfacial roughness in the GMR film, and an interlayer coupling field H.sub.in is increased. The increase of the interlayer coupling field H.sub.in leads in a disadvantage that the MR head does not operate stably.
As described above, the MR film of a spin-valve type is highly expected in obtaining a high MR change ratio structurally, but where the crystalline soft magnetic film of sendust, permalloy or the like which is mainly used for the existing MR head is used as the magnetic shielding layer, it is hard to decrease the surface roughness. Consequently, there are drawbacks that the GMR film is deteriorated in view of soft magnetic characteristics, and its interlayer coupling field is increased, resulting in degrading its performance as the GMR head.
Accordingly, a GMR head having a crystalline soft magnetic film as the magnetic shielding layer is demanded that good properties can be obtained with good reproducibility by making it possible to suppress the soft magnetism of the GMR film from being deteriorated and the interlayer coupling field from being increased even when the GMR film has a large surface roughness on its under layer.

Magnetoresistance effect head having a giant magnetoresistance effect film


A presentation portfolio includes a first panel, a second panel, a binding member, and a locking member. The first panel defines an interior surface and a longitudinal edge extending along a side of its interior surface. The second panel defines an interior surface and a longitudinal edge extending along a side of its interior surface. The binding member rotatably couples the first panel with the second panel such that the presentation portfolio is movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation. The locking member is initially slidably coupled to first panel by receiving a portion of the longitudinal edge of the first panel within an elongated channel thereof. When the presentation portfolio is in the open orientation, the locking member is slidable between an unsecured position and a secured position in a manner selectively securing the first panel and the second panel adjacent one another.

Display systems including substantially vertically orientated panels for supporting papers, samples, and other items for display, for example, at sales presentations, press conferences, conventions, seminars, client or peer review, student presentations, etc. for a variety of reasons. Such display systems may be formed of a single panel, or two or more panels coupled to one another, which is ideal for display, but can often be cumbersome to transport between home, office, presentation area, school, etc. especially without losing item secured to said panels for display.
In other or related arenas, portfolio folders exist having side panels, etc. to hold items inside more securely during storage and transport. However, such folders typically do not assist in presenting the display for review and/or in holding items in a secured position relative to fronts of back of the portfolio folders. As such, many times users place items in a portfolio folder, box, bag, or other transportation container and for transportation and, later, secures such items to presentation boards at the place of desired display. At times, the disassembly and reassembly of portfolio displays each time a display is made provides wearing or damage of the items and takes valuable time. In some instances, very little time is afforded for reassembly of a display, which is more likely to result in a less than ideal or less aesthetically pleasing manner to observers of the display than would otherwise be desired.


Techniques for deduplicating structured datasets using hybrid chunking and header removal. According to one embodiment, a request is received to deduplicate a file having a plurality of data blocks, each data block having a header and a data portion. The data blocks are anchored using first anchors to indicate block boundaries based on their headers. At least one second anchor is added within a data portion of at least one data block if the data portion of at least one data block satisfies a predetermined condition. The data blocks are then deduplicated based on the first and second anchors.

In computing, a data storage system is a key component to store data for computation and transferring. Data files generally contain redundant data. For example, an email file may contain email threads that earlier emails are copied multiple times in the later replies. In an enterprise setting, many versions of the same information are stored for record keeping. Storing data files like these without modification wastes storage space and data deduplication is a way to reduce data redundancy in a storage system.
In a deduplication system, unique pieces of data, or byte patterns, in a file are identified as "chunks," and they are stored during a process of analysis of the file. The analysis goes through the file, and other chunks are compared to the stored copy and whenever a match occurs, the redundant chunk is replaced with a small reference that points to the stored chunk. Because the same byte patterns may occur many times in a file, the amount of data that must be stored is greatly reduced.
Several factors affect deduplication efficiency. The amount of reduction of storage depends heavily on the distribution of the duplication within a file. The size of chunks also affects the reduction. A smaller chunk size saves more storage as it enables the system to identifying more duplicates. However, a smaller chunk size increases the size of meta-data, deduplication time, and fragmentation. Thus, the chunk size selection is a trade-off decision to a deduplication system. Another factor affecting the deduplication efficiency is how a file is divided up for deduplication. Ideally a file should be divided up in a way to maximize the possibility of finding duplicates. In a deduplication system, a file is divided up into data blocks, which are the units of deduplication.
Several techniques of anchoring data blocks of a file are known. One is fixed-block anchoring, where a data file is divided to consecutive blocks that are of a fixed size. The advantage of fixed-block anchoring is the simplicity of implementation as the deduplication technique requires little knowledge about any particular file. The limitation is that duplicates can be missed when the same pattern of byes are shifted. For example, if a slide is added to an existing presentation file, all the subsequent blocks in the file will be rewritten and are likely be considered as different from those in the original file thus deduplication with fixed-block anchoring will not pick up the duplicates.
Another anchoring technique is variable-size anchoring, where a storage system analyzes the interior data pattern of a file to determine anchoring points based on those interior data patterns. Variable-size anchoring requires more processing by the storage system but it may achieve better deduplication than fixed-block anchoring.
Files have various characteristics. One type of file is structured with a stream of data blocks, and each data block contains a meta-data portion and a data portion. This type of files is used widely, including databases and other structured datasets. The meta-data portions are prone to change more frequently than the data portions, and since they co-exist in a block, deduplication yields less saving in a storage system while still adds on database size, consumes deduplication time and increases file fragmentation. Variable-size anchoring is better at identifying duplicate byte pattern. However, variable-size anchoring ignores the block boundaries within this type of data. Since it searches for byte patterns overlapping meta-data portions and data portions, even though the former change more (thus less potential for deduplication) than the latter (thus have more potential for deduplication), its deduplication efficiency has room for improvement. A better way is needed to deduplicate files like these.

Method and system to improve deduplication of structured datasets using hybrid chunking and block header removal


In a device for hydraulic forming of a tubular component under high inner pressure compressive conditions in a lower die and an upper die of a forming tool, the upper die can be coupled for relative limited movement by at least one piston-cylinder unit containing a hydraulic fluid with the press plunger of a travel-limited mechanical press and the cylinder interior of the piston-cylinder unit can be coupled for providing fluid communication with the interior of the component. Alternatively, in the device for hydraulic forming of a blank under high pressure compressive conditions in a forming tool comprising a lower die and an upper die, the upper die can be coupled for relative limited movement by at least one piston-cylinder unit containing a hydraulic fluid with the press plunger of a travel-limited mechanical press and the cylinder chamber of the piston-cylinder unit can be coupled for establishing fluid communication with the forming space of the forming tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to hydraulic forming of a tubular component under high pressure compressive conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the context of hydraulic forming of a tubular component it is known to place a tubular component into an initially open forming tool comprised of an upper die and a lower die, to fill it with a liquid forming medium, and to seal the ends of the component by means of sealing mandrels. After closing the forming tool, a hydraulic pressure is generated in the component in order to form the component to the preset contours within the forming tool.
This process is based on a hydraulic closed press which is designed with respect to control considerations such that during the hydroforming process the press closes the forming tool for an extended period of time. The closing duration, for example, for vehicle components such as longitudinal beams and transverse supports, is in the range of 5 to 10 seconds. This results in cycle times in the range of approximately 30 to 40 seconds for producing each finished part, this duration including the time required for introducing the component to be formed into the forming tool as well as for the removal of the formed component from the forming tool.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for hydraulic forming of a tubular component or a blank under high pressure compressive conditions which, while providing a problem-free integration into a travel-limited mechanical press, is constructively simple and easy to handle.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that, in the device for hydraulic forming of a tubular component under high inner pressure compressive conditions in a lower die and an upper die of a forming tool, the upper die can be coupled for a relative limited movement by at least one piston-cylinder unit containing a hydraulic fluid with the press plunger of a travel-limited mechanical press and in that the cylinder interior (cylinder chamber) of the piston-cylinder unit can be coupled with the interior of the component for providing fluid communication.
In accordance with the present invention, this is also achieved in that, in the device for hydraulic forming of a blank under high pressure compressive conditions in a forming tool comprising a lower die and an upper die, the upper die can be coupled for a relative limited movement by at least one piston-cylinder unit containing a hydraulic fluid with the press plunger of a travel-limited mechanical press and in that the cylinder interior of the piston-cylinder unit can be coupled with the forming space of the forming tool for providing fluid communication.
The invention combines in an advantageous manner a forming tool with lower die and upper die for hydraulic forming of tubular components under high inner pressure compressive conditions or for hydraulic forming of blanks under high pressure compressive conditions with a travel-limited mechanical press known, for example, in the form of an eccentric press, crank press or knuckle joint lever press.
A characteristic feature of such a mechanical press is a continuous movement performed in a continuous operation. In contrast, high pressure forming occurring during the forming process requires a completely closed forming tool with a closing force that is sufficiently great over the time period of the forming step. These two contrary conditions are reconciled by the invention in that the upper die of the forming tool can be coupled by at least one piston-cylinder unit containing hydraulic fluid with a press plunger of a mechanical press so as to be moveable to a limited extent relative to the press plunger. As a result of such a configuration with a piston-cylinder unit, a quasi hydraulic cushion between the upper die and the press plunger is generated. This hydraulic cushion then allows a decoupling of the continuous plunger movement from the forming tool for the time period of the high pressure forming action on a tubular component or a blank in the range of the bottom dead center position. At the same time, the piston-cylinder unit is employed in order to use the fluid contained in the piston-cylinder unit directly for forming the component or blank. For this purpose, the cylinder of the piston-cylinder unit is connectable with the interior of the component or with the forming space of the forming tool for providing or establishing fluid communication. As a result of this, a separate pressure intensifier as well as corresponding hydraulic apparatus and components can be omitted.
The advantages of the configuration according to the invention reside in a substantial reduction of the cycle times, a reduction of the investment costs for the components required for pressure generation, as well as a considerably reduced control expenditure. Moreover, this results in the great advantage that in a manufacturing facility the already present capacities of mechanical presses can now be used for the high pressure forming especially of small batch numbers of tubular components or blanks to be shaped or formed.
Depending on the type and contour course of the respective tubular component or of a blank to be formed, only one piston-cylinder unit or several piston-cylinder units are introduced between the upper die and the press plunger. In particular, the arrangement of several smaller piston-cylinder units along a component or blank contour and a direct hydraulic connection, wherein the piston surface corresponds to the projected surfaces of component or the blank, can ensure that at any moment of the forming process a force equilibrium between the piston-cylinder unit and the component or the blank is present. In this arrangement, the further advantage is realized that the elastic deformations in the forming tool can be minimized which provides an improved manufacturing precision.
The filling of a tubular component can be realized with conventional hydraulic apparatus. However, conceivable is also a variant in which filling of the component is carried out in an immersion tank.
Since the piston-cylinder unit is formed as a separate device that can be detached from the upper die as well as the press plunger, it can be used with a flexible configuration for different forming tools and mechanical presses.
An advantageous further embodiment of the invention resides in that the piston of the piston-cylinder unit can be detachably fastened by means of a piston plate to the press plunger and the cylinder can be detachably fastened by means of a cylinder plate to the upper die. The piston plate, moreover, has return members fixedly arranged thereat which are connected to the cylinder or the cylinder plate so as to be relatively moveable. The return members can be, for example, guide rods which penetrate consoles on the cylinder or the cylinder plate so as to be movable relative to the cylinder or cylinder plate. They are provided at their free end with engaging heads which engage from below the consoles or the cylinder plate and, upon upward movement of the press plunger, lift the cylinder or the cylinder plate and thus the upper die.
When a line is provided between the piston-cylinder unit and the forming tool and a fluid separator is integrated in the line, in the area of the piston-cylinder unit a hydraulic oil, optionally with suitable additives, can be advantageously used and for forming the tubular component or the blank an aqueous fluid with only minimal lubricant additives can be used. In this connection, it may also be expedient to design the fluid separator as a pressure intensifier with only a minimal intensifying ratio. As a result of this, additional free spaces are available for designing and adapting the piston-cylinder unit relative to a tubular component or a blank.
In order to ensure during forming a complete adaptation of a tubular component or of a blank to the forming space, the piston-cylinder unit is designed such that the volume displaced by it is greater than that which is required for forming. In order to receive this excess volume, the line between the piston-cylinder unit and the forming tool is provided with a pressure reducer with pressure control valve arranged downstream. The pressure control valve provided at the low pressure side of the pressure reducer has the effect that, only when a certain inner pressure is reached in the component or in the forming space, the volume displaced by the piston-cylinder unit is removed via the pressure reducer. This preset pressure corresponds to the pressure which is required for the complete filling of the forming space by the component or the adaptation of the blank to the contours of the forming space. Such a solution of the pressure or volume limitation is advantageous as a result of the very high pressures occurring during hydroforming in the range of 600 bar to 3,000 bar because for this application a direct pressure limitation by commercially available pressure regulators is not possible.

Device for hydraulic high pressure forming of a tubular component or a blank


There is provided a pipe lining method wherein a lateral pipe lining material and a main pipe lining material are securely joined. After a lateral pipe has been lined, a start liner is applied to the main pipe and a main pipe lining material is then inserted. A heating wire for melting the start liner is mounted on a surface of a flange of the lateral pipe lining material during or after lining of the lateral pipe. While the main pipe is being lined, the heating wire is heated to melt the start liner existing between the flange of the lateral pipe lining material and the main pipe lining material. When the resin in the main pipe lining material is cured, the main pipe lining material and flange of the lateral pipe lining material are integrated. This allows the lateral pipe lining material and main pipe lining material to be reliably joined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pipe lining method, and more specifically relates to a pipe lining method in which, after a lateral pipe has been lined, a start liner is applied to a main pipe in order to line the main pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A method for repairing pipes is known in which, when an underground sewer pipe or other pipe has degraded over time, the pipe is not extracted from the ground, but, instead, a lining is applied to an inner peripheral surface of the pipe to be repaired.
In this method, a pipe lining material is obtained by impregnating a tubular non-woven cloth, whose outer peripheral surface is covered by a highly airtight film, with a curable resin. The tubular pipe lining material is inserted into the pipe while being everted by fluid pressure, and then pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the pipe. The curable resin impregnated in the pipe lining material is then heated and cured to provide the lining for the pipe to be repaired.
A plurality of lateral pipes is connected to the sewer pipe or other pipe (main pipe), and a lining is applied to these lateral pipes by the same method described above. In other words, a lateral pipe lining material composed of a tubular resin absorbing material that has a cured flange on one end, that has an outer surface covered by a highly airtight plastic film, and that is impregnated with an uncured curable resin is guided into the main pipe. The lateral pipe lining material is everted and inserted into the lateral pipe via fluid pressure from the main pipe side toward the ground level in a state in which the flange of the lateral pipe lining material is brought into contact with a peripheral edge of a lateral pipe opening of the main pipe. While the lateral pipe lining material is pressed against an inner wall of the lateral pipe, the curable resin with which the lateral pipe lining material is impregnated is cured to provide the lining for the lateral pipe (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2000-127241).
Normally, the lateral pipe is lined before lining of the main pipe, and, after the lateral pipe has been lined, the tubular start liner is everted and inserted into the main pipe. The tubular lining material, which is attached to a terminal end of the start liner, is then inserted inside the start liner (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 1996-216256). The start liner mainly prevents ground water and sewage from leaking into the main pipe while the main pipe is being lined, and is used in order to ensure and facilitate the process of lining the main pipe.
In the prior art, after a lateral pipe has been lined, a flange of a lateral pipe lining material is cured and mounted in contact with the peripheral edge of a lateral pipe opening of a main pipe. Therefore, a problem will arise in that, when the main pipe is lined after a start liner has been applied, the bond between the main pipe lining material and the flange of the lateral pipe lining material will be adversely affected by the start liner, the main pipe lining material and the lateral pipe lining material will not be properly joined, water will leak into the pipe from the inadequately connected portion, and defects will occur in the lining.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pipe lining method in which a lateral pipe lining material and a main pipe lining material can be reliably bonded when a main pipe is lined with a start liner applied thereto after lining of the lateral pipe.


A gasifying agent supply path A from an axial flow compressor 21 which boosts pressure of a gasifying agent to a gasifying furnace 2 is branched, and a gasifying agent bypass path D having an escaping pressure adjusting valve 23 is provided. The flow quantity or pressure of the gasifying agent supplied to the gasifying furnace 2 from the gasifying agent supply path A can be adjusted according to the degree of opening of the adjusting valve 23 disposed in the gasifying agent bypass path D, whereby providing a control valve in the gasifying agent supply path A is no longer necessary. Thus, pressure loss at the gasifying agent supply path A can be suppressed, and the discharge pressure of the axial flow compressor 21 can be greatly reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated gasification combined cycle power generation plant (hereafter, "IGCC") which drives a gas turbine with flammable gas obtained by gasifying a solid fuel such as coal, and the operation control apparatus and method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
As a power generation plant using gas turbines, an IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) which employs fossil fuels such as coal for fuel gas is known. With an IGCC, solid fuel is gasified by causing a high temperature gas agent to come in contact with a solid fuel in powder form in a gasifying furnace, thereby generating flammable gas. This flammable gas is then supplied to a combustor of a gas turbine, whereby the gas turbine is rotationally driven, and the rotational force thereof is transmitted mechanically to a power generator, whereby power generating is performed by power generator.
The schematics of a conventional IGCC will be described with reference to FIG. 29. FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the IGCC having an entrained method of gas furnace. With the IGCC in FIG. 29, coal in powder form, along with air, is supplied to a gasifying furnace 102 from a coal supplying facility 101. Char forming from carbon which is segregated from the generated flammable gas is also supplied to the gasifying furnace 102.
In the entrained method gasifying furnace 102, oxygen or air is supplied as a gasifying agent, pulverized coal and char similarly supplied are burned in a high temperature atmosphere of roughly 1500 to 1800 degrees Celsius which is greater than the ash melting point, whereby coal gas which is a flammable gas is generated. Further, upon the generated flammable gas being cooled by a heat converter configured within the gasifying furnace 102, and discharged outside of a dust removal facility 103, whereby the char remaining in the flammable gas is segregated and collected by the dust removal facility 103.
The flammable gas following the char having been segregated and subjected to dust removal is supplied to a gas clean up facility 104, whereby a sulfuric compound such as H2S (hydrogen sulfide) or COS (carbonyl sulfide), a nitrogen compound such as NH2 (ammonia), fine particles such as char, and trace components such as HCI (hydrogen chloride) and HCN (hydrogen cyanide) are removed with the flammable gas.
The flammable gas with the various components removed with the gas clean up facility 104 is supplied to a combustor 106 through a fuel supply path 105. With the combustor 106, a flammable gas is combusted with compressed air supplied from a compressor 107, whereby combustion gas is generated. The combustion gas is supplied to a gas turbine 108 from the combustor 106, and the gas turbine 108 is rotationally driven, whereby a power generator 109 having the same axis as the gas turbine 108 performs power generation.
The combustion gas having completed the process in the gas turbine 108 is exhausted to a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) 111 as exhaust gas. Heat recovery is performed at the HRSG 111 by heat exchange with steam and the exhaust gas from the gas turbine 108. The steam subjected to heating by the heat of the exhaust gas from the gas turbine 108 is supplied to a steam turbine 112 by the HRSG 111, whereby the steam turbine 112 is rotationally driven, and a power generator 110 having the same axis as the steam turbine 112 performs power generation. The steam having rotationally driven the steam turbine 112 is condensed with the condensation device 113, and after this is supplied to the HRSG 111. Further, the exhaust gas subjected to heat recovery with the HRSG 111 is exhausted to the ambient atmosphere with the smokestack 114. The gas turbine and steam turbine described here have separate axes, but may be arranged so as to have the same axis.
A portion of the compressed air which is compressed with the compressor 107 is extracted and compressed with an axial flow compressor 115. The compressed air compressed with the axial flow compressor 115 is guided to the gasifying furnace 102. In the process wherein the compressed air is supplied to the gasifying furnace 102, oxygen which is segregated with an air separating facility 116 is mixed therein, and air with a large amount of oxygen components is supplied as a gasifying agent to the gasifying furnace 102.
On the other hand, the nitrogen which is segregated with the air separating facility 116 is supplied to the coal supplying facility 101, and is employed as a pressurizing medium or transporting medium in the event of supplying the pulverized coal and char to the gasifying furnace 102. The compressor 115 may extract a portion from the compressed air which is compressed with the compressor 107, or may obtain air from the atmosphere. The compressor 115 may be an axial flow compressor or a centrifugal compressor.
A control valve 118 to control flow quantity and pressure of the air supplied to the gasifying furnace 102 is provided in the gasifying agent supply path 117 which supplies the compressed air from the axis flow compressor 115 to the gasifying furnace 102. A control valve 120 to control the flow quantity and pressure of oxygen which is mixed into the air supplied to the gasifying furnace 102 is provided in the oxygen supply path 119 to supply oxygen from the air separating facility 116 to the gasifying furnace 102. Further, a control valve 121 to control the flow amount of flammable gas to be supplied to the combustor 106 is provided in the fuel supply path 105.
Thus, by provided the control valves 118, 120, and 121, the flow quantity of flammable gas supplied to the combustor 106 can be controlled according to load fluctuation in the gas turbine 108. That is to say, the supply quantity of pulverized coal supplied to the gasifying furnace 102 is set according to the flammable gas flow quantity supplied to the combustor 106 which is set according to the degree of opening of the control valve 121. By setting the degree of opening of the control valves 118 and 120, the flow quantity and pressure of the gasifying agent (air) necessary for gasifying the pulverized coal supplied to the gasifying furnace 102 and the oxygen mix quantity can be set. In the case that the gasifying agent is only air without increasing the oxygen mix quantity in the gasifying agent, the air separating facility 116, oxygen supplying path 119, control valve 120, and so forth, are omitted.
As described above, with a conventional IGCC, as shown in FIG. 29, a control valve 118 is disposed in the gasifying supply path 117 to supply the gasifying agent to the gasifying furnace 102, and by the control valve 118 operating as a flow-quantity adjusting valve and pressure adjusting valve, the flow quantity and pressure of the gasifying agent supplied to the gasifying furnace 102 are adjusted. Therefore, a problem can arise wherein a pressure drop with the control valve 118 can occur, resulting in plant efficiency decrease. Further, it becomes necessary to perform pressure buildup with the axial flow compressor 115, taking into account the pressure drop with the control valve 118. Therefore, setting the discharge pressure of the axial flow compressor 115 to a high pressure, as well as arranging the various supply systems to the gasifying furnace 2 as configurations to withstand high pressure, becomes necessary. Accordingly, not only does the facility design of the IGCC become difficult, but the operation thereof also has increased restrictions for provisions regarding high pressure.
The present invention has been made with the above-mentioned problems in mind, and provides an integrated gasification combined cycle power generation plant and the operation control apparatus and method thereof, wherein the pressure and flow quantity of gasifying agent to be supplied to the gasifying furnace can be controlled, and the pressure of the supply systems of the gasifying agent can have a lower pressure, and further, plant efficiency can be improved.

Integrated gasification combined cycle power generation plant


A method for treating a hydrocarbon solvent, the method comprising continuously introducing a hydrocarbon solvent to a liquid medium containing hydrogen ions; allowing the hydrocarbon solvent to be in contact with the liquid medium for at least 1 minute; continuously removing hydrocarbon solvent from the liquid medium to provide a treated hydrocarbon solvent stream.

Many industrial processes employ organic solvents. The organic solvents may include hydrocarbon solvents such as aliphatic and aromatic solvents. The industrial processes may include those that are sensitive to impurities. Inasmuch as may processes employ bulk or technical-grade solvents, the solvent may be a source for a contaminant. Also, many industrial processes reuse or recycle solvents thereby providing another source of impurity to the industrial process.
For example, many polymers are produced by polymerization methods that employ transition metal-containing catalyst. These catalysts are often designed to provide very specific polymeric configurations and characteristics. While these catalyst systems are advantageous in this regard, their ability to perform as desired can be deleteriously impacted by impurities.
While it is common in the art, particularly in the manufacture of olefinic polymerization, to purify solvents using filtration techniques such as carbon adsorption or silica or alumina adsorption, the same has not proven to be entirely satisfactory for some polymerization systems, especially on the industrial scale.

Solvent treatment methods and polymerization processes employing the treatment methods


A method of making a porous polymeric material by heating a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a cationic or non-ionic surfactant having a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance range of 4.0 to 6.0 to a temperature and for a time sufficient for the polymer and surfactant to mutually dissolve. The mixture is then cooled to a temperature so that non-equilibrium liquid-liquid phase separation takes place to form a bi-continuous matrix of the polymer and surfactant so that the polymer and surfactant form two intermingled separate phases of large interfacial surface area. The surfactant is then removed from the polymer. The porous polymeric material produced by the above method has a lacey or filamentous structure consisting of a plurality of polymer strands connected together at spaced apart locations along each strand.

Porous polymeric structures having pores in the range of 0.01 to 10 microns are commonly used for microfiltration. Such membrane structures may be prepared from thermoplastic polymers using precipitation techniques and formed into various shapes including hollow fibres or flat sheets.
The thermal precipitation technique for membrane formation commences with the formation of a solution of a thermoplastic polymer in a solvent at an elevated temperature. The solution is then cooled and, at a specific temperature which depends on the polymer, the solvent, the concentration of the polymer in the-solvent and the rate of cooling, phase separation occurs and the liquid polymer separates from the solvent.
All practical precipitation methods follow the same general process which is reviewed by Smolders et al in Kolloid Z.u.Z. Polymere 43, 14-20 (1971). The article distinguishes between spinodal and binodal decomposition of a polymer solution.
When the solution of a polymer in a solvent is allowed to cool at an infinitely slow rate, a temperature is reached, below which phase separation occurs and the liquid polymer separates from the solvent. This is called binodal decomposition of the polymer solution.
When the rate of cooling is finite, the temperature at which phase separation occurs is generally lower than in the case of binodal decomposition. This is called spinodal decomposition of the polymer solution.
For practical purposes, all precipitation processes must be reasonably fast and so fall into the category of spinodal decomposition.
In most processes, the relative polymer and solvent concentrations are such that phase separation results in fine droplets of solvent forming in a continuous polymer phase. These fine droplets form the pores of the membrane. As cooling continues, the polymer freezes around the solvent droplets. When phase separation occurs there is still some solubility of the polymer in the solvent and solvent in the polymer.
As the temperature is lowered, these solubilities decrease, and more and more solvent droplets appear in the polymer matrix. Crystallization of the droplets within the polymer results in shrinkage and cracking, thus forming interconnections between the pores. Finally, the solvent is removed from the pores.
Known precipitation methods of porous membrane formation depend on the liquid polymer separating from the solvent followed by cooling so that the solidified polymer can then be separated from the solvent. Whether the solvent is liquid or solid when it is removed from the polymer depends on the temperature at which the operation is conducted and the melting point of the solvent.
True solutions require that there be a solvent and a solute. The solvent constitutes a continuous phase, and the solute is distributed randomly in the solvent at a molecular level. Such a situation is almost unknown with polymer solutions. Long polymer chains tend to bend back on themselves and form temporary interactions or bonds with other polymer chains with which they come into contact. These interactions are continually forming and breaking, and new ones are formed. Polymer solutions are thus rarely true solutions but lie somewhere between true solutions and mixtures.
In many cases it is also difficult to state which is the solvent and which is the solute. In the art, it is accepted practice to call a mixture of polymer and solvent a solution if it is optically clear without obvious inclusions of either phase in the other. Phase separation is usually then taken to be that point where there is an optically detectable separation.
There is yet another case where the heated mixture of polymer, solvent, and other components if present, is neither a solution nor a mixture in the usual sense of the words. This is the case where a surface-active agent is present in sufficient concentration to form ordered structures such as micelles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,508, a polymer is heated with a solvent that is an anionic surfactant. The solution is then cooled and membrane formation results which is in accordance with the teachings of the spinodal decomposition technique. As the anionic surfactant solvent is a solid at room temperature, solvent removal is by removal of the solid surfactant from the pores.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,498 describes the use of the spinodal decomposition technique with slow cooling of the solution in relation to a wide range of polymers and solvents. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,498, the slow cooling of the solution-allows the solvent droplets to coalesce somewhat before the polymer freezes around them. As the solution is cooled, more and more solvent droplets are formed. Their rate of coalescence is governed by the rate of diffusion of solvent through the liquid polymer matrix. A longer time at a higher temperature allows a greater diffusion of the solvent. The slow cooling also affects the rate at which crystal nuclei form in the polymer. The result is a membrane containing large cells interconnected by fine channels. The porous material of U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,498 is extruded into air to form a block having a skin over its surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,448 discloses a porous surface achieved by the technique of extruding the polymer solution into a bath of the solvent used forming the solution with the temperature of the bath being above the temperature where phase separation occurs.
U.K. Specification 2,115,425 discloses a spinodal decomposition technique with the modification that the solvent for the polymer is a mix of solvents, one of which is a very good solvent for the polymer and the other is a poor solvent. The ratio of the two solvents is adjusted to obtain a composite solvent that has the desired temperature related solvency effect for the polymer. Variation in the ratio of the two solvents affects the structure of the resultant membrane.
The process disclosed in abovementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,508 consists of heating a mixture of a solid thermoplastic polymer of mono-ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbons, and, a water-soluble anionic surfactant to a temperature where the polymer and surfactant are mutually soluble, cooling the mixture to a temperature where the polymer and surfactant form two intermingled separate phases, and, dissolving the surfactant phase from the polymer.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,508, the hydrocarbon and surfactant are mixed at elevated temperatures at which the two materials are mutually soluble to obtain a completely uniform distribution of the surfactant in the polymer. The specification discloses that any water soluble anionic surfactants and solid, thermoplastic polymers of mono-ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbons form a homogeneous mixture at a temperature determined by the higher of either the melting point of the surfactant or the softening temperature of the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,507 details attempts made to incorporate into polyethylene non-ionic and cationic surfactants such as nonylphenoxypoly(oxyethylene) ethanol, polyoxyethylated fatty alcohols, polyoxyethylated fatty acids, polyoxyethylated vegetable oil, copolymers of polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene, polyethylene glycol ethers and mixed alkyl amine salts containing an average of 18 carbon atoms in the aklyl group.
The non-ionic surfactants were found to be incompatible with polyethylene and would not mix with polyethylene. Although the Cationic surfactants could be milled into the polyethylene, the cationic surfactant could not then be washed out by water, ethanol or other solvents.
Contrary to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,507, we have found that certain cationic and non-ionic surfactants can be used to form porous materials. For example, whereas the U.S. specification states that nonylphenoxypoly(oxyethylene) ethanol cannot be used, we have found that at least some of that class of surfactant can be used.
An influencing factor is the polarity of the cationic or non-ionic surfactant which can be described in relation to the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of the surfactant. Within a certain hydrophilic-lipophilic balance range we have found that there is no restriction on the type of surfactant than can be used to form porous membranes from a polymeric solution.

Process of making a porous hollow fiber membrane


A disposable aerosol generator for use with an inhaler device which includes a heater adapted to volatilize fluid stored in the disposable aerosol generator and method of using the inhaler. The disposable body includes a sealed chamber and an outlet, the chamber being located between first and second layers of material. The chamber holds a predetermined volume of a fluid which is expelled through the outlet when the fluid in the chamber is volatilized by the heater. The disposable body can include a series of spaced apart aerosol generators, each of which can be advanced to a release position at which the heater can heat one of the fluid containing chambers. Prior to heating the fluid, the outlet can be formed by severing the first and/or second layer with a piercing element and the volatilized fluid can be expelled from the outlet into a passage of a dispensing member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and methods of administering a fluid such as a medicated fluid in metered amount such as a unit dose to treat respiratory ailments. In particular, the invention relates to disposable aerosol generators, wherein the aerosols are generated via vaporization.
2. Description of Related Art
Aerosols are useful in a variety of applications including treatment of respiratory ailments. Various techniques for generating aerosols are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,811,731; 4,627,432; 5,743,251; and 5,823,178.
In particular, two distinct methods for delivery of medicated fluid in the form of an aerosol have been developed. In accordance with one method, a pharmaceutically active drug is dispensed in a low boiling point propellant (e.g., chloro-fluoro-carbon (CFC) or (HFA)) loaded in a pressurized canister from which the drug/propellant formulation may be released by the use of a device generally known as a metered dose inhaler. Once released the propellant evaporates and particles of the drug are inhaled by the patient. The other method involves the use of a nebulizer which creates an inhalable mist of fine particles from a solution or suspension of a drug. Both methods are hindered by significant problems relating to administering the proper dose.
In drug delivery applications, it is typically desirable to provide an aerosol having average mass median particles diameter of less than 2 microns to facilitate deep lung penetration. Additionally, it is desirable, in certain drug applications, to deliver medicaments at high flow rates (i.e., above 1 milligram per second). Devices for controlling the flow rate of an aerosol are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,305 concerns controlling the particle size of a metered dose of aerosol for delivery to the walls of bronchi and bronchioles by filling a first chamber with medication and a second chamber with air such that all of the air is inhaled prior to the inhaling medication, and using flow control orifices to control the flow rate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,852 relates to metering a dose of medication into a flow-through chamber that has orifices to limit the flow rate to control particle size. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,059 discloses a baffle that changes the size of an aperture in the passage of the suspension being inhaled to select the quantity and size of particles delivered. A problem associated with these devices is that they process the aerosol after it is generated and are inefficient and wasteful.
To meet the requirements of administering a fluid in the form of an aerosol and to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol generator which vaporizes the fluid at a controlled flow rate regardless of the fluid's viscosity.
It is another object of the invention to obtain uniform vaporization of the fluid that is expelled from the aerosol generator.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a disposable aerosol generator which can deliver a metered dose of the fluid. By delivering individual single doses of medicated fluid it is possible to avoid contamination of the fluid, thereby negating the need for bacteriostatic compounds within the drug formulation.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a disposable cartridge which can incorporate a package having therein multiple disposable aerosol generators, each of which provides a single shot delivery, as required by the user.
Other objects and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Disposable aerosol generator system and methods for administering the aerosol


A toner contains toner particles. The toner particles are made of a resin containing an amorphous polyester resin, a releasing agent, an additive and a coloring agent. The additive has a polyester portion and a crystalline acrylic portion that are chemically bound to each other.

Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a toner and a two-component developer that are used in electrophotography, image forming methods for visualizing electrostatic latent images, and toner jet.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-75549 discloses that a graft copolymer of a polyolefin resin and a vinyl resin is added as an additive to a toner containing a polyester resin as a binding resin in order to improve the hot offset resistance of the toner. This technique enhances the dispersibility of the releasing agent, thereby improving the hot offset resistance of the toner. This technique has not, however, been examined under severe conditions as in the case of printing on both sides of thin paper having a basis weight of less than 70 g/m2. In order to reduce the occurrence of hot offset under such a condition, further improvement is desired.
Graft copolymers as used in the cited patent document can increase the dispersibility of the releasing agent, but tend to be compatible with the releasing agent. If the graft copolymer and the releasing agent are compatible with each other, they are plasticized to soften. This can degrade the durability of the toner in high-temperature environments.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-20848 discloses a toner containing a hybrid resin as a binding resin. The hybrid resin is produced by binding a polyester resin to a styrene-acrylic resin synthesized using an acrylic ester having a carbon number of 12 to 18 as a raw material monomer. This technique improves low-temperature fixability to some extent. In view of the fixability of the toner to thick paper having a basis weight of 100 g/m2 or more, however, further improvement is desired.
In addition, the acrylic ester unit, which has a low glass transition temperature (Tg), of the styrene-acrylic resin synthesized using an acrylic resin having a carbon number of 12 to 18 induces an external additive to be embedded in high-temperature environments, so that the durability of the toner is often unsatisfactory.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-24920 discloses an emulsion polymerized toner containing a block copolymer as a binding resin, produced by binding a styrene-based polymer block and a crystalline acrylate-based polymer block to a polyester skeleton. This block copolymer, which is a ternary block copolymer in which the polyester skeleton binds to the styrene-based copolymer block binding to the crystalline acrylate-based copolymer block improves the fixability and charging stability of the toner.
In a toner using such a binding resin, however, the dispersion of the releasing agent is liable to be insufficient. The fixability and hot offset resistance of such a toner are also desired to be improved. In addition, the styrene-based polymer block in the toner is compatible with the releasing agent. This makes the crystalline acrylate-based polymer block compatible with the releasing agent. Accordingly, the toner is unlikely to exhibit satisfactory durability if it is used in high-temperature environments.
As described above, there has been no development of a toner which can exhibit a high hot offset resistance even in the case of printing on both sides of thin paper, and also exhibit high durability in high-temperature environments, despite of demand for such a toner.


A circuit substrate manufacturing method including the steps of preparing a substrate on which a metallic foil is formed in a releasable state, forming a build-up wiring on the metallic foil, obtaining a circuit member having a structure that the build-up wiring is formed on the metallic foil by releasing the metallic foil from the substrate, and exposing a lowest wiring layer of the build-up wiring by removing the metallic foil of the circuit member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit substrate manufacturing method and, more particularly, a circuit substrate manufacturing method applicable to a package substrate of electronic parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the method of manufacturing the circuit substrate into which electronic parts are packaged, in Patent Literature 1 (Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2000-323613), there is set forth the method of manufacturing the circuit substrate by forming the predetermined build-up multi-layered wiring on one surface of the copper plate, and then removing selectively the copper plate. Also, in Patent Literature 2 (Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2003-142617), there is set forth the method of manufacturing the circuit substrate by pasting two sheets of copper plate together via the adhesive applied to their peripheral portions, then forming the predetermined build-up multi-layered wiring on both surfaces respectively, then separating their peripheral portions of the copper plate from the main body of the copper plate to separate two sheets of copper plate, and then removing selectively the copper plates respectively.
In addition, in Patent Literature 3 (Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 2002-83893), there is set forth the method of manufacturing the circuit substrate, from which wirings to which the semiconductor elements are connected are exposed, by forming the predetermined build-up multi-layered wiring on both surfaces of the metal bases respectively, then cutting the metal bases along a surface that is in parallel to the surfaces to separate the metal bases into two parts, and then removing partially respective metal bases.
However, according to the manufacturing methods in connection with Patent Literatures 1 to 3, since the relatively heavy copper plate is used as the substrate, various troubles are caused readily in the manufacturing steps. For example, according to the manufacturing method in connection with Patent Literature 2, since two sheets of copper plate each having an area of 50×50 cm2 and a thickness of 0.4 mm are used, its weight becomes heavy such as about 1.8 kg when two sheets of copper plate are pasted together. Therefore, the workability in handling the copper plate is wrong and also the heavy copper plate must be carried in the manufacturing steps, and as a result the trouble is easily caused in the conveyer system.
Also, it is preferable that, since the copper plate is removed finally, its thickness should be made thin. However, if its thickness is too small, its elasticity and its rigidity are weakened and thus the troubles such as generation of the crack in carrying, etc, are caused. On the contrary, if its thickness of the copper plate is made thick, an amount etched in removing the copper plate is increase and an increase in cost is brought about.
In addition, according to the manufacturing method in connection with Patent Literature 2, the peripheral portions (e.g., almost 3 cm), onto which the adhesive is applied, out of two sheets of copper plate are destroyed as the so-called margin for pasting. Therefore, the overall copper plate cannot be effectively utilized and thus the case where such method becomes disadvantageous in the productivity is assumed.


A customized advertising repository server is connected on the World Wide Web (WWW), which can be accessed by a registered user through his or her browser either by clicking on an icon, or by inputting the specific URL address of the particular server which stores that user's advertising repository. When the user accesses his or her customized ad repository through the browser, a composite advertising page is dynamically configured by the Customized Advertising Repository (CAR) server for that particular user based on that user's previously provided user profile. Furthermore, at least a portion of that composite advertising page can be dynamically configured on a context dependent basis determined from the particular Web site or sites that the user has accessed prior to accessing the CAR. The dynamically configured composite page or pages of advertising provided to the user may contain plural static images, streaming banners, 3-D images, animation, video and/or audio clips, using any of the technologies available on the Web for presenting textual and/or visual information. Such a composite page or pages is configured from a database which stores such images, banners, animation, etc., from plural advertisers. The customized page is created by selecting from among a storehouse of plural different subscribing advertisers and their associated banner ads, images, etc., those particular images, etc. that will be elements of the customized page based on the user's specific areas of interest as determined from the profile, and/or the context dependency. From such dynamically configured composite page or pages, the user can then click on a particular image, video window, banner, etc., to retrieve, through a hyperlink, further information directly from the selected advertiser's own Web site or mirror Web site.

As the World Wide Web steadily becomes an increasingly more popular gateway for accessing sources of information, entertainment, shopping, and various interactive services to millions of users around the world, information providers which supply such information, entertainment, goods and interactive services via HTML-formatted pages have taken advantage of the captured nature of the Web users who access its Web site by "selling" part of the "real estate" on its pages to advertisers who may advertise products or services that may or may not be related to the content or nature of the site. Currently, many of the pages provided by information providers contain advertising that takes various forms such as banner ads across the top or bottom of a page. Such ads may include scrolled information containing images that change with time. Disadvantageously, from an advertiser's perspective, Web users have a tendency to mentally "tune-out" such advertising as they read or interact with the information displayed on the main work area of a page. Furthermore, by utilizing a portion of the valuable "real estate" on a Web page for advertising, the remaining available work area on the page is reduced from its maximum full-screen capabilities. Techniques currently also exist for streaming both audio and video across the Internet. Such an audio component can be incorporated as part of the information content of a Web page as well as part of the accompanying advertising, thereby leading to a potential conflict between the audio components of each. Also, since the size of the ad itself on the Web page is limited to only a small portion of the entire page, the full capabilities that could be presented to a Web user through that ad cannot be fully deployed for their maximum visual impact. An example of the latter is holographic 3D experiences that are currently evolving on the Web.
Technologies currently exist which deliver information and advertising to users through a screen saver during periods in which the user is not accessing the Web, or not using his or her terminal for other purposes. The user, however, may not be there to see the information when it is downloaded. Thus, as with a television commercial which more often than not is presented to an empty room or to a disinterested viewer, advertising on the Web as it is currently presented to a user are not likely to achieve the advertiser's desired impact.

Method and system for presenting customized advertising to a user on the world wide web


A marker installation system comprises a marker comprising a shaft having a bottom end and a top end, and including an insertion portion, a mast portion, and an engagement portion located between the insertion portion and the mast portion. The engagement portion is configured to resist further insertion of the shaft into the ground beyond the insertion portion. The system includes a marker installation apparatus including a magazine assembly defining a magazine space in which the marker is positioned. The magazine space has a push position in the magazine space for receiving the marker. The apparatus includes a push assembly mounted on the magazine assembly to engage the engagement portion of the marker when the marker is located in the push position. The push assembly pushes the marker from the push position of the magazine assembly when the push assembly is actuated.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to ground marking systems, and more particularly pertains to a new marker system with a marker and an installation apparatus for marking a ground surface to, for example, indicate the presence of buried utilities, boundaries, events, advertising, etc. in a highly efficient and convenient manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often desirable to mark the ground surface to indicate, for example, the presence of underground utilities, the location of lot boundaries, and the like. This marking is often accomplished by the insertion of markers into the ground that extend upward from the ground surface and may include a flag at the top end. Numerous markers may be placed at spaced locations along the path of the buried utility line, and this may be true of each buried utility service (such as electric, gas, telephone, water, sewer).
However, the installation of the markers can be laborious, due to the numbers of markers that need to be placed as well as the manner in which the markers are inserted. The markers may be inserted by hand into the ground with no mechanical assistance, but this requires repeatedly bending down to engage and insert the marker into the ground surface. This repeated bending over can be physically taxing on the person performing the marking operation.
A number of devices have been proposed to facilitate the placement of markers. While these devices appear to work, some appear to actually make the insertion action more difficult by increasing the cross sectional profile of the portion of the marker that is being inserted into the ground (and thereby causing more resistance due to the larger profile), and/or requiring that a portion of apparatus be inserted in the ground as well. This approach can make it difficult if not impossible to insert markers in ground that is highly compacted, stony, or is slightly frozen, to name a few of the factors making the insertion more difficult.
Further, many of the known devices attempt to hold the marker by utilizing friction between the device and the marker to permit the device to move the marker. This approach tends to be less effective when, for example, using markers presenting a relatively large cross sectional profile and when the ground is compacted, stony, frozen, etc.
Some of the devices must be loaded with a marker each time that a marker is to be installed, which requires continual reloading of the device. Some devices require a relatively strong and rigid marker in order to push the marker into the ground, and this may require markers with thicker cross sectional sizes in order to provide the necessary rigidity.
It is therefore believed that there exists in the art a need for an improved marker system that avoids or mitigates the drawbacks of the known devices.

Marker system with marker and installation apparatus


A method and an apparatus for generating textures for a three-dimensional (3D) facial model are provided. The method for generating textures for a 3D facial model provides extracting texture coordinate from a magnification result of a predetermined central facial portion by a predetermined rate and a reduction result of peripheral portion by the predetermined rate, by substituting transformed model coordinate generated by transforming a standard model for a frontal image and at least one side face image of a face into a conversion function in order to convert the transformed model coordinate into pixel coordinate; and interpolating the frontal and side face image, which is received from a user in response to the analysis result of the transformed model coordinate, by using the texture coordinate in the unit of polygon, which is decided by the pixel coordinate, to determine the interpolation result as transformed texture, in which the central facial portion is a region established by a user with centering upon the eyes of the face and the peripheral portion is a region corresponding to the region except for the central facial portion of the face.

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2001-78963, filed Dec. 13, 2001 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for generating textures required for mapping a two-dimensional (2D) facial image to a three-dimensional (3D) facial model.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since faces have many curves and people easily catch face differences by subtle changes thereon, 3D facial modeling is very difficult. Generally, 3D facial models are generated and used in two different fields.
First, 3D facial models are generated for movies. In this case, the facial models must have excellent quality but do not require real time generation. Accordingly, the texture quality of 3D facial models can be improved only by increasing the size of the texture for the facial models.
Second, 3D facial models are generated for games or mobile devices. Here, mobile devices generate 3D facial models by using a limited amount of resources and generate real time animations, for example, avatars using the facial models. Although game devices or computers process facial images at an improved speed while not limiting resources as compared with mobile devices, due to technology improvements thereof, the game devices or the computers cannot but use a limited amount of resources because the game devices or the computers have to generate real time models as compared with the first field.
A first conventional method for generating textures for a 3D facial model uses a simple cylindrical coordinates conversion process. In this case, the textures corresponding to a 3D facial image are only one eighth of the overall textures of a 3D head image. In other words, a facial image occupies about 50% of a head image in a vertical direction and about 25% of a head image in a horizontal direction. Since people catch differences between facial models via the portions around the eyes in the facial models, the first conventional method wastes textures corresponding to unnecessary portions among entire textures.
A second conventional method for generating textures compresses the textures used for generating a 3D facial model. Therefore, the second conventional method requires a separate apparatus for recovering the compressed texture before using them.
A third conventional method for generating textures reduces the absolute sizes of textures when the amount of resources is limited. Accordingly, the third conventional method deteriorates the quality of the textures for a 3D facial model.

Method and apparatus for generating texture for 3D facial model


A string fastening device includes a reel on which a string is reeled thereon and a toothed ring is connected to the reel. A knob has a shaft inserted into a tube extending from the base of the device and the reel is rotatably mounted on the tube. The knob has first teeth in an underside thereof and the first teeth are engaged with the toothed ring so that the reel is driven by rotation of the knob to tighten the ring. The knob can be pulled away from the reel to disengage the first teeth from the toothed ring so that the string can be loosened. The knob includes second teeth and the base has two pawls which limit the knob to rotate in one direction to drive the reel.

A conventional fastening device for tighten a string or shoe lace is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and generally includes a case 60 composed of a base 61 and a cover 62 between which a space 63 is defined and a ratchet device, a gear set 70 and a reel 80 are received in the space 63. A shaft 64 extends through the case 60, the ratchet device, the gear set 70 and the reel 80, and is connected to a knob 65 which is rotated relative to the case 60 so as to rotate the ratchet device which drives the gear set 70 and the reel 80. Two ends of a string 81 are fixed on the reel 80 and the string 81 is reeled around the reel 80. The ratchet device includes a ratchet wheel 71 and a pawl 66 is pivotably connected to the cover 62 and is cooperated with a torsion spring 661 so that the pawl 66 is normally biased by the torsion spring 661 toward the ratchet wheel 71. The ratchet wheel 71 has ratchet teeth which are shaped so that the ratchet wheel 71 is allowed to rotate counter clockwise and cannot rotate clockwise because of the pawl 66. The pawl 66 includes a protrusion 662 extending from an end thereof and a shifting lever 67 pivotably or movably connected to the cover 62, the shifting lever 67 includes a pushing end 671 which pushes the protrusion 662 away from the ratchet wheel 71 by operating the shifting lever 67 exposed on an outside of the cover 62. When the user rotates the knob 65 counter clockwise, the gear set 70 is driven by the ratchet wheel 71 and the reel 80 is rotated at higher speed because of the ratio of the gear set 70 so that the string 81 is securely reeled on the reel 80 and the object that the string 81 ties is secured. When shifting the shifting lever 67, the pawl 66 is pivoted and away from the ratchet wheel 71. The string 81 is then able to be loosened manually.
However, there are too many parts in the fastening device which has a limited space to receive all the parts, so that it is difficult and takes a lot of time to assemble the fastening device. Besides, the exposed shifting lever might tangle foreign objects, especially when the fastening device is installed on shoes.
The present invention intends to provide a fastening device that includes a clutch device which is activated simply by operating the knob upward or downward, and the knob is positioned in each of the two positions.


A disclosed method provides automated scripting to guide a customer service representative (CSR) in handling a call from a customer. Operations within the method may include displaying products and two or more purpose classifications for selection by the CSR. The purpose classifications may include (a) an add classification for customer requests to add a new product to an account and (b) a remove classification for customer requests to remove an existing product from the account. A page generator may receive input from the CSR selecting one of the purpose classifications and one of the products as pertinent to the call. In response, the page generator may automatically displaying a customized page with scripted text for the CSR to read to the customer. The scripted text may correspond specifically both to the selected purpose classification and to the selected product.

Customer satisfaction is typically very important to vendors such as telecommunications companies. Many vendors therefore employ specially trained customer service representatives (CSRs) to help ensure that calls from customers with questions or requests pertaining to the products that the company provides are handled effectively and efficiently. Effectiveness and efficiency are typically important goals for a customer service department. To increase the effectiveness and efficiency of CSRs, some companies provide CSRs with paper documents to be used for guidance when handling customer calls. Such a document may be known as a "contact strategy document" or a "CSR script." For instance, a contact strategy document may be designed for handling calls from customers who want to add products to or remove products from their existing accounts. Such as contact strategy document may guide a CSR through steps designed save products from being cancelled and to upsell customers.
While handling a customer call, a CSR may also interact with various screens from an enterprise system, such as a legacy mainframe application or database. For example, the CSR may use function keys to navigate through various legacy application screens to retrieve account data for the customer, data about the company's goods and services, etc. Accordingly, for a given call, the CSR may be required to perform the following tasks: (a) converse with the customer; (b) navigate through multiple legacy application screens; (c) refer repeatedly to the contact strategy document; (d) save existing products by producing explanations that overcome customer objections; (e) upsell available products by describing their benefits to the customer; and (f) process customer orders by manually entering data into various fields in the legacy application screens.
Collectively, these tasks require significant mental effort, and they demand the memorization of considerable amounts of information by the CSR. These requirements may overwhelm many CSRs, and, as a result, CSRs may navigate through the enterprise application screens in an inefficient manner and may fail to use the prescribed contact strategy. Consequently, overwhelmed CSRs may fail to meet save and upsell goals, customer satisfaction may suffer, and the service provider may lose revenue that might have been realized, had the CSR performed as expected.

System and method to provide automated scripting for customer service representatives


A mounting system is for mounting a first panel to a second panel under an angle. The mounting system has: i) a bracket for being mounted to the first panel; ii) a holder being configured for being mounted to the second panel and having an opening, wherein the opening has a first part for receiving the bracket in an unlocked position and a second part being narrower than the first part, the second part being configured for receiving the bracket in a locking position, and iii) a locking member for holding the bracket in the locking position after that it has been inserted in the holder and slid into the locking position. The present disclosure allows for a click-and-lock technology for mounting panels.

For professional furniture assembly time is a vital cost element and there is a need to reduce the time it takes to assemble such products. Screwing parts together is one of the time-consuming parts of the assembly process.
Some solutions that do not require screwing or gluing parts together have been disclosed up to now.
For example, granted patent EP2,982,268B1 discloses a drawer for furniture or the like, comprising a bottom wall, a front wall, two side walls and a rear wall, wherein said bottom wall is provided with at least one protrusion and in that said front wall is provided with at least one support adapted to cooperate and coupling with said protrusion.
Patent application US2011/0304249A1 discloses a modular drawer box structure, i.e. a plastic drawer box. Its volume of packaging material can be largely reduced so that reduces the transportation and warehousing costs. The bottom plate and two side plates of the drawer box can be integrated and folded, the connective interface between the bottom plate and two side plates is placed with V-type folded slot for two side plates forming through upward turnover. Different embedded pieces are individually extended and installed. Through those embedded pieces, intercalation of additional face plate and back plate can be individually established. The embedded slots are installed at two laterals and the lower side of inner surfaces of the face plate and the back plate with corresponding embedded holes placed at the outer side of the embedded slots, thus connect the bottom plate, two side plates, the face plate and the back plate.
The problem with the existing screw-free and glue-free mounting solutions is that they still lack robustness, i.e. they do not result in very firm connections between said parts. A further problem is that the way of connecting said parts together is not very convenient for assembling furniture like drawers.
In view of the above described problems there is a need to further develop screw-free and glue-free mounting techniques in furniture.


A process involving: collecting waste toner; screening the collected waste toner; melt mixing the screened waste toner with a second toner, and grinding and classifying the melt mixed toner product.

The present invention is generally directed to processes for the reclamation, remanufacture, and reuse of waste or spent toner compositions. More specifically, the present invention relates to processes for the reclamation and remanufacture of used toner compositions comprising reformulating waste toner particles with new, unused or pristine toner compositions, and reuse of the resulting toner particles with, for example, carrier particles in two component xerographic developers.
Recycling or reclamation processes of xerographic developers and toner compositions, such as toner fines are known in the art. The prior art processes are generally directed to reclaiming and reusing waste toner particles within the confines of a printing machine, or alternatively, reclaiming and reusing waste toner particles arising from a toner manufacturing process within the confines of a toner manufacturing facility.
The present invention, in contrast, provides, in embodiments, processes for recycling or reclamation of waste toners comprising reclaiming waste toner particles, for example, from one or more printing machines in field use; co-locating the reclaimed waste toner, for example, in a recycling, reprocessing, or remanufacturing facility; screening the waste toner to remove debris; melt mixing the screened waste toner in admixture with pristine or fresh toner constituents or ingredients; and processing the resulting melt mixed product in a conventional fashion, for example, grinding and classifying, to provide remanufactured toner particles which contain reclaimed or waste toner, for example, in amounts of from about 1 to about 25 weight percent, and which remanufactured toner when installed in a printing or copying machine has xerographic performance properties which are substantially the same as those obtained from toner prepared entirely from fresh toner constituents.


A lateral semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, an insulating layer, and a resistive field plate. The semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region at a surface portion, and the second semiconductor region makes a circuit around the first semiconductor region. The insulating layer is formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer and is disposed between the first and second semiconductor regions. The resistive field plate is formed on a surface of the insulating layer. Between the first and second semiconductor regions, a first section and a second section are adjacent to each other along a circumferential direction around the first semiconductor region. The resistive field plate includes first and second resistive field plate sections respectively formed in the first and second sections, and the first and second resistive field plate sections are separated from each other.

A lateral semiconductor device is formed, for example, using a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate. As an example of a lateral semiconductor device, a lateral diode is known. At a surface portion of a semiconductor layer of the lateral diode, a cathode region and an anode region are formed. The anode region makes a circuit around the cathode region.
The lateral diode further includes a local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) layer and a resistive field plate. The LOCOS layer is formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer and is disposed between the cathode region and the anode region. The resistive field plate is formed on a surface of the LOCOS layer. An end of the resistive field plate is electrically connected with the cathode region, and another end of the resistive field plate is electrically connected with the anode region. In the resistive field plate, a micro electric current flows. Accordingly, a potential distribution on the surface of the semiconductor layer between the cathode region and the anode region is equalized and a surface electric field of the semiconductor layer can relax.
As described in the patent document 1, when viewed in a plane, the resistive field plate includes a resistive field plate section having a spiral shape or a concentric circle shape between the cathode region and the anode region.


A laser diode power controller, and method, are disclosed. The controller can be implemented entirely in CMOS technology due to the simplicity of its quasi-decision-based control routines. The control routines involve the use of a window comparator which determines whether the measured power level of a laser diode falls within a desired range of values. The simplified control routines are also manifested by the use of digital registers to set the desired current values that are to be output to the laser diode and monitor diode. The modulation current supplied to the laser diode exhibits much lower noise levels because the modulation digital to analog converter (DAC) By supplying a continuous current that is selectively switched between the laser diode and a dummy load, much less noise is induced in the power supply than if it had to respond to large changes in modulation current, i.e., OFF (zero) and ON (desired Imod).

Laser diodes are widely used in the field of optical disk drive technology, and also in the field of digital transmission over optical fibers. Such laser diodes have the drawback of showing large variations in their luminous output power due to temperature changes in, and aging of, the laser diode.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the effects of temperature and aging upon the output of a laser diode. FIG. 1A depicts the variations of the characteristic curve of a laser diode as a function of the temperature. For a temperature of T=20.degree. C., the curve C1 is obtained and for a temperature of T=60.degree. C., the curve C2 is obtained. It can be observed that, for a constant current I to the laser diode, the optical power emitted when the temperature is equal to 20.degree. C. is greater than the optical power emitted when the temperature is equal to 60.degree. C.
FIG. 1B depicts plural characteristic curves of laser diodes, one of which corresponds to a new laser diode and another to a laser diode at the end of its lifetime. These characteristic curves have been plotted for a constant temperature equal to .theta..degree. C. It can be observed in FIG. 1B that the optical power emitted, for a given current I to the laser diode, is weaker when the laser is at the end of its lifetime.
Laser drivers are typically controlled with an analog circuit that has at least two external resistors: one to adjust the bias current and one to adjust the maximum power output. FIG. 2 depicts the typical current wave form provided to a laser diode. The current Ibias is set to approximately the threshold current at which the laser lases. The modulation current Imod is set as the difference between the required peak current Ipeak and the bias current, i.e., Imod=Ipeak-Ibias.
During manufacture of a laser driver, the bias current Ibias is set by providing an external resistor and adjusting it until the laser diode barely lases. In the manufacturing environment, this resistor is trimmed by a laser to adjust it to its final value, which results in a bias current approximately equal to the threshold current. Similarly, to set the peak output power, i.e., the peak current to the laser, another external resistor is provided and adjusted until the peak output power of the laser diode is achieved. This resistor is also trimmed with a laser to its final value.
There are several problems associated with the typical laser driver. It requires external resistors and laser trimming, which consumes space otherwise available for other circuitry and complicates the manufacturing process, respectively. More importantly, the typical laser driver fails to compensate for the effects of temperature and aging, discussed above, upon the laser diode. Consequently, laser diode controllers have been developed which compensate for temperature-induced changes and aging-related changes in the laser diode.
One such method involves carrying out analog regulation of the luminous power by the laser diode. This is done by comparing a signal representing the luminous power (as obtained from a monitor photodiode) against a reference value to obtain an error signal. This error signal is used to modify the current that is supplied to the laser diode. One way to implement this is to set the modulation current Imod equal to a constant value and then adjust the bias current Ibias to keep the detected luminous power equal to a constant value. This requires the use of two external resistors to set the values of Imod and desired luminous power.
Another way to implement this method is to set the bias current Ibias equal to a constant value and then adjust the modulation current Imod to keep the measured luminous power equal to a desired luminous power. Again, this requires the use of two external resistors. A particular way to do this is to control the modulation current Imod to be Imod=k1+k2*Ibias. Trim resistors are used to set the coefficient k1 and the desired luminous output power. The coefficient k2 is set in an internal register. Though the latter technique is the best of the implementations discussed above, it still requires the use of trim resistors.
Another laser diode power controller has implemented a more robust analog linear, i.e., proportional-integral (PI), control algorithm using digital logic, but this has required the measurement of both the maximum output power and minimum output power of the laser diode. Such a controller is implemented on a single integrated circuit using BiCMOS technology. The bipolar transistor technology is used for the current-source portions of the circuitry because it is fast and can supply large amounts of current.
As is known, designers of integrated circuits are under tremendous pressure to continually increase the number of discrete functional device, i.e., groupings of transistors, fabricated on a single chip. As such designers of high current-sourcing circuitry have embraced bipolar technology, and with it BiCMOS technology, because the bipolar technology consumes much much less surface area of a chip than would be consumed by the number of NMOS, PMOS or CMOS transistors need to source a comparable amount of current. The CMOS technology has long ago been discarded for use as high current-sourcing circuitry because it cannot comply with the design demands of higher integration, mentioned above. Moreover, designers have not yet made CMOS circuitry perform at the speeds obtainable with bipolar technology, making it even less desirable to designers of high current-sourcing circuitry.
The BiCMOS technology has the problem of being significantly more expensive than pure CMOS technology because of its bipolar technology aspect.

Laser diode power output controller and method thereof


A bogie beam sensor may include a bracket and a target arm pivotably coupled to the bracket. The bracket may be coupled to a bogie beam. A sensor may be coupled to the bracket, and a target may be coupled to the target arm. A drive link may be coupled to the target arm and a piston. In response to the bogie beam pivoting with respect to the piston, the drive link may cause the target arm to rotate with respect to the bogie beam. The sensor may detect movement of the target on the target arm, and an angular position of the bogie beam may be determined based on the position of the target.

Landing gear supports an aircraft while on the ground. Bogie type landing gear may include a bogie beam which supports one or more pairs of wheels. The bogie beam may pivot relative to the landing gear. This may allow certain wheel pairs to touch ground prior to other wheel pairs during landing, and may allow all or a portion of all the wheels to remain on the ground as an aircraft body's center line changes angles with respect to the ground, for example, during takeoff or landing.
It may be desirable to detect the angle of the bogie beam with respect to the landing gear. For example, the bogie beam may be configured to assume a specified position in order for retraction of the landing gear to occur after takeoff. Some landing gear includes a proximity sensor attached to the bogie beam and a target attached to a piston on the landing gear to detect bogie beam position. However, deflection of the bogie beam or piston (e.g., bending under a load) may cause contact between the target and the sensor, and may cause inaccurate readings of bogie beam position.


A connector apparatus for connecting to a cable assembly that comprises coaxial cable and at least one wire and/or fluid conduit and/or further layer, wherein the connector apparatus comprises a housing that houses a connector and at least one further connector, wherein the connector is configured to electrically connect to the coaxial cable when the connector apparatus and the cable assembly are in an engaged state, the at least one further connector is configured to connect to the at least one wire and/or fluid conduit and/or further layer when the connector apparatus and the cable assembly are in the engaged state, the connector is configured to allow free rotation relative to the connector of the coaxial cable around an axis when the coaxial cable is electrically connected to the connector in the engaged state.

Microwave ablation of tissue requires electromagnetic energy at microwave frequencies to be delivered to a target site via a cable used as a conduit to contain the energy between the inner and outer electrical conductors in a coaxial arrangement. There are some limitations with using coaxial cables for this type of energy delivery. The power handling of microwave cables is related to a number of factors such as frequency of operation, cable diameter, and dielectric filling. The dielectric filling of the cable possesses a loss property which absorbs energy creating heat. The ratio of inner to outer conductor surface area also affects this loss property by focusing the power transported by the dielectric.
Typically, thin microwave cables have higher loss and cannot accommodate power compared to larger diameter cables. In turn larger cables are more rigid and feel restrictive for the user. In medical applications dexterity is an important human factor in surgical treatments and it is desirable for medical devices not to significantly impinge upon the user's freedom.
In applications where energy is reflected by the termination, for example in medical ablations, this type of cable heating problem is compounded as the returning reflected energy is absorbed and dissipated as heat by the cable. In addition this return energy is superimposed onto the delivered energy as a result of voltage standing wave (VSW) creating localised excessive heating (hotspots) within the cable at fixed points. This can be particularly problematic in medical applications where stringent regulations govern the temperature of patient and user contacting parts to prevent inadvertent burns from cabling.
Additionally this phenomenon can shorten the lifetime of cables by burning the dielectric at the hotspot location by creating absorbing regions that increase the attenuation within the cable.
One method to overcome the issues with cable heating is to use a thin cable with a circulating cooling fluid jacket. The result of this approach is a flexible cooled cable however it can be easily damaged and has lower power handling performance coupled with complex waterproof encapsulation which has the possibility to leak resulting in expense to manufacture and reliability issues. Other methods include covering the cable with extra insulation layers which tend to increase the rigidity and traps the heat or placing the cable through a folded support platform (cardboard or plastic) to separate the cable from the patient.
Another aspect of design in medical applications is unwanted electromagnetic radiation emission. In medical microwave applications unwanted radiation is often not necessarily at the frequency of the treatment (for example 1-10 GHz) and may occur at other radio frequencies such as for example in the 5-200 MHz ranges causing electromagnetic interference (EMI) to nearby equipment. There are medical device and FCC requirements and standards set to limit this type of non-intended radiation which pose a challenge to system designers. Problems may arise when the connecting cabling is electrically isolated from the system ground or "floating". One issue with this approach is that the cable is at a different electrical potential to the system ground such as in Type B floating medical devices (Type BF). Spurious emissions from internal circuitry and internal wiring that are normally contained with the enclosure induce currents on the floating components. Any cable connected to the floating parts carries off these currents and acts as an antenna as it emerges from the system ground plane creating the unwanted radiation. Some techniques involve connecting the outer of the microwave coaxial cable to the zero volt side of an isolated power supply which may also include bypass capacitor(s) to couple high frequency noise to the system ground.
Microwave cables are typically manufactured using industrial microwave techniques with connectors attached to the outer and inner conductors of the coaxial cable. The connectors are then fastened to a port and typically locked into place. As they are affixed at one side these type of cables possess a torsional rigidity and hence lack fluidity during use, in some instances they will tend to coil or will resist being straightened. This becomes more pronounced with larger cables which also have increased weight and limits the freedom of the end user.
In many treatments the cable and applicator are integrated and after use the entire assembly is disposed leading to a significant additional expense for the procedure. Microwave cables are typically very expensive due to the materials and manufacturing tolerances required to achieve microwave performance. This expense tends to increase with the operational frequency and loss/performance specification of the cable. One option is to retain the majority of the cable between treatments and use a short interconnected disposable applicator/cable portion for the patient. The benefits of this are that the long cable can be low loss high specification to maximise the energy delivery with the disposable portion being low cost to reduce the manufacturing and subsequent treatment costs. This approach is however limited due to the fragility of the cable as the coaxial structure is particularly sensitive to damage especially at microwave frequencies.
Cables that are crushed or excessively bent may change the coaxial ratio causing them to reflect or absorb energy resulting in poor performance.
There is therefore a need for a method and device for the delivery of microwave energy, for example in medical environments, that protects the patient and/or user from unwanted heat, is pliable by the user and offers long term mechanical protection of the cable whilst preventing unwanted electromagnetic radiation.

Cable assembly, connector apparatus and method