A method is provided for inducing tolerance to T-cell mediated immunity. Particularly, tolerance is induced in a recipient mammal to a transplanted organ or tissue. Tolerance is induced by treating the recipient mammal with a MHC antigen which has been modified to render an immunosuppressive effect.

To treat organ disease and organ failure, the use of allogeneic, or non-self, transplantation tissue has become increasingly important in medicine. The use of allografts, however, is limited by the frequent rejection of the graft tissue by the recipient host, because of antigenic differences between the donor and recipient.
The antigenic differences between individual members of the same species are referred to as "alloantigens." When alloantigens are involved in rejection of allogeneic tissue grafts, they are referred to as "histocompatibility antigens." The terms "major histocompatibility antigens" and "major histocompatibility complex" (MHC) refer to the products of a single closely linked region of genes.
These MHC gene products are displayed on cell surfaces and are an important barrier to successful allotransplantation. In humans, the MHC is, by international agreement, referred to as "HLA." The individual letters in this abbreviation have a variety of meanings, including "Human Leukocyte (or Lymphocyte) Antigen" and "Histocompatibility Locus Antigen." (Carpenter, C. B., in Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, ed. E. Braunwald et al., (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1987, page 337.)
Graft rejection is the consequence of an immune response to the histocompatibility antigens. Allografts generally survive for a period of days to weeks. However, they subsequently become inflamed and infiltrated with lymphocytes and monocytes, and the tissue eventually becomes necrotic. In the case of a skin graft, the grafted tissue is sloughed from the skin. However, in the case of a vital organ such as the heart, the sequelae of tissue rejection can be fatal to the recipient.
Following transplant into a human, a donor heart is closely monitored for signs of graft rejection. Most commonly, rejection is monitored by biopsying the donor heart tissue. A recent study described the performance of endomyocardial biopsies on cardiac transplant recipients weekly for the first 8 weeks after transplant, every other week for the next 8 weeks, monthly for the next year, and every 3-4 months for the remainder of the patient's life. (Ahmed-Ansari, A. et al., Transplantation 45:972-978 (1988)).
The biopsied tissue is then studied histologically for indicia of tissue rejection. A grade of rejection is determined on the basis of the degree of infiltration by leukocytes. (Ahmed-Ansari et al., supra). It is believed that the infiltrating leukocytes become sensitized to MHC antigens expressed by the graft tissue.
Despite the recognition that the MHC plays a major role in the success or failure of graft survival in a host mammal, current attempts to prolong graft survival have not exploited this knowledge. The most common method of prolonging graft survival is the administration of nonspecific immunosuppressive agents such as cyclosporine or cyclosporin AR and steroids. By suppressing the recipient's general immune response, survival of the graft can be enhanced. However, long-term use of immunosuppressive agents is associated with lowered resistance of the recipient to bacterial and viral infections. Furthermore, there is evidence that cancer incidence is increased in individuals such as kidney-transplant recipients, who have been treated long-term with immunosuppressive agents.
Experimental alternatives to non-specific immunosuppression of the transplant recipient have been studied. In mouse model systems, it has been shown that culturing allograft tissue before transplantation can lead to permanent acceptance of the tissue by the recipient. (Lafferty, K. J. et al., Transplantation 22:233-234 (1976); Bowen, K. M. et al., Lancet 2:585-586 (1979)). Although the mechanism by which such culturing leads to graft acceptance is not clear, it has been suggested that such culturing leads to the elimination of dentritic cells and other antigen-presenting cells rich in class 2 antigen expression. (Bach, H. B. and Sachs, D. H., N. E. J. of Medicine, Aug. 20, 1987, 489-492).
In another method of inducing tolerance in an animal model, the recipient is first given total lymphoid radiation, followed by reconstitution of the marrow using mixed donor-recipient marrow. Prior to transplantation, the donor marrow is treated to remove T-cells, thus preventing graft-versus-host disease in the recipient. The recipient is then tolerant to donor grafts. (Ilstadt, S. T., Nature 307:168-170 (1984)). However, this technique is not applicable for clinical use, because of high dosage of whole body irradiation.
Recently, presensitization of recipients with MHC class 1 antigen which present on allograft cells is shown to have antigen-specific immunosuppressive effects against allograft cells.
Despite the significant advances in understanding the MHC, a need exists for an improved method of inducing graft tolerance in mammalian recipients, especially humans.

Induction of tolerance with modified immunogens


The present disclosure relates generally to processes for recovering tricyanohexane (TCH) via purification of by-product or co-product streams of adiponitrile production. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a process for purifying tricyanohexane (TCH), the process having the steps of (a) separating an adiponitrile process stream comprising adiponitrile and TCH to form a first overhead lights stream comprising low-boiling components and high-boiling components and a first bottoms heavies stream comprising high-boiling components and solid impurities; and (b) separating the first overhead lights stream in a distillation column to form a second overhead lights stream comprising low-boiling components, a second bottoms heavies stream comprising high-boiling components, and a TCH stream comprising TCH and less than 10 wt. % impurities; wherein the distillation column is a low pressure distillation column.

Cyanocarbons, e.g., organic compounds having cyano functional groups, are known and are widely used in various applications. Many of these compounds, including acrylonitrile and adiponitrile (ADN), are used as monomers to prepare various polymers, such as nylon, polyacrylonitrile, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Adiponitrile, in particular, can be hydrogenated to 1,6-diaminohexane (hexamethylenediamine (HMD)) for the production of nylon-6,6. Several processes for producing cyanocarbons are known in the art. For example, one conventional adiponitrile production path utilizes the electrohydrodimerization of acrylonitrile, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,911.
This and other production methods often yield streams comprising small amounts of desirable co-products. For example, some of the conventional streams of adiponitrile production processes may contain small but not insignificant amounts of residual adiponitrile. Typically, separation of these streams has been inefficient and has not been able to effectively capture these amounts of adiponitrile. As a result, the streams are treated as waste streams, e.g., burned, which results in an outright loss of these co-products. Accordingly, valuable adiponitrile goes uncaptured.
Some ADN separation/purification processes are known. However, these processes generally relate to purification of a crude adiponitrile product stream, which comprise higher concentrations of adiponitrile.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,900 relates to a method for the production of pure adiponitrile from a reaction product containing adiponitrile, cyclopentanone, 2-cyan-cyclopenten-(1)-yl-amine and other components higher boiling than adiponitrile wherein cyclopentanone and 2-cyan-cyclopenten-(1)-yl-amine are distilled from the adiponitrile, the improvement which comprises subjecting the reaction product to a distillation for separation into a distillate comprising adiponitrile and all lower boiling components and a residue comprising components higher boiling than adiponitrile, and thereafter submitting said distillate to a multistage vacuum distillation process for separating the lower boiling impurities from the adiponitrile.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,398 relates to a process for the recovery of a purified adiponitrile from a mixture of adiponitrile, aminocapronitrile and hexamethylenediamine, utilizing two sequential distillations: (1) a first distillation in which the mixture is distilled in a distillation column at a head pressure that causes at least 7% of the ADN to go into the distillate, along with bishexamethylenetriamine (BHMT) and 2-cyanocyclopentylideneimine (CPI), and (2) a second distillation in which the distillate from the first distillation is distilled in a second distillation column at a head pressure sufficient to cause minimum-temperature azeotropy between adiponitrile and BHMT, thereby allowing the majority of the BHMT and CPI to be removed from the second distillation as distillate, and adiponitrile, substantially free of both BHMT and CPI, to be removed as bottoms.
Even in view of the known technology, the need exists for processes that can effectively recover amounts of residual adiponitrile from lower adiponitrile content cyanocarbon production process streams, which result in significant improvements in overall production efficiency.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC


An optical filter array includes a substrate permeable to an electromagnetic radiation to be detected, a first DBR mirror arranged on the substrate, a second DBR minor arranged above the first DBR mirror, and a plurality of cavity sections. The cavity sections have different respective optical lengths, and are arranged so as to be spatially separated from each other between the first DBR mirror and the second DBR mirror. Each of the first DBR mirror, the second DBR mirror, and the plurality of cavity sections with different optical lengths form filter elements of a filter. The filter reflects in a stopband determined by the first DBR mirror and the second DBR mirror. Each filter element has at least one narrow transmission band determined by the optical length of its respective cavity section located inside the stopband. A different thicknesses of the cavity sections is provided via a nanoimprint process.

For measurement technique, analytics, data storage, image storage and image processing, as well as generally for optical tele and data communication, optoelectronic components, in particular formed as optical filters, are frequently necessary, which can be tuned to several adjacent wavelengths. Filters of this kind, for example, consist of what is referred to as Fabry Perot filters, which have at least two DBR minors separated by a cavity (DBR=Distributed Bragg Reflector). Such filters are reflective in a wavelength range identified as a stopband, preset by their construction, however in a thin passband (=Dip) situated inside this stopband they are transmitting. The DBR mirrors for this purpose each contain at least one layer period that consists of two or more layers with different thicknesses and/or refractive indices. The number of layer periods is mostly integral, however, it can also be half-integral, e.g. if at the end of a stack formed by layer periods not all the layers of the respective period come to lie. By the number of layer periods and the refractive index contrast, the width of the stopband and the reflectivity profile in the stopband, and, by the optical length of the cavity, the location of the transmission band or the location of its central or dominant wavelength can be selected or determined. Finally, in Fabry Perot filters, it is possible to change the dominant wavelength of the transmission band within the tuning range preset by the stopband by changing the geometric and with it also the optical length of the cavity by shifting the two DBR mirrors in relation to each other. The component in this way can be tuned to one of several wavelengths 11,12 . . . 1n.
Optical components of the kind have been described in, for example, DE 103 18 767 A1. Their application results in the disadvantage that tuning the filter in the entire stopband is mostly not possible for constructive reasons, or it is associated with high technical effort. For avoiding this disadvantage, several filters with different electronic tuning ranges could be provided, but this would also be expensive. Apart from that, it is frequently undesirable to tune the filter by relatively shifting the DBR mirrors, in particular if it is to serve the purpose of determining or establishing the intensity at a defined wavelength in a radiation irradiated by a radiation source (e.g. light), with which wavelength of a multitude of possible wavelengths the radiation is currently irradiated by the radiation source.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide an optical filter of the type described above, which can be produced inexpensively and with which a multitude of wavelengths can be detected, wherein, however, tuning by shifting the DBR mirrors is not necessary. An additional aspect of the present invention is to provide a process for the production of such a filter. A further aspect of the present invention is the use of the apparatus.
In an embodiment, the present invention an optical filter array which includes a substrate permeable to an electromagnetic radiation to be detected, a first DBR mirror arranged on the substrate, a second DBR minor arranged above the first DBR mirror, and a plurality of cavity sections. The cavity sections have different respective optical lengths, and are arranged so as to be spatially separated from each other between the first DBR minor and the second DBR minor. Each of the first DBR mirror, the second DBR mirror, and the plurality of cavity sections with different optical lengths form filter elements of a filter. The filter reflects in a stopband determined by the first DBR minor and the second DBR minor. Each filter element has at least one narrow transmission band determined by the optical length of its respective cavity section located inside the stopband. A different thicknesses of the cavity sections is provided via a nanoimprint process.

Optical filter and method for the production of the same, and device for the examination of electromagnetic radiation


In one embodiment of the invention, a performance information associated with a processor is read. A processor performance table that corresponds to the performance information is located. The performance table includes a plurality of performance parameters to control performance of the processor. A performance state (PS) structure is updated using one of the processor performance table and a default table.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microprocessors. In particular, the invention relates to processor performance states.
2. Description of Related Art
Advances in microprocessor technology have provided users with high level of performance flexibility. For example, mobile processors offer users two performance modes: Maximum Performance mode and Battery Optimized mode. Maximum Performance mode takes advantage of the additional power provided by an alternating current (AC) power source to provide a new level of mobile personal computer (PC) performance, while Battery Optimized mode provides optimal performance while running on battery. In Maximum Performance mode, the processor delivers highest performance at the expense of high power consumption. In Battery Optimized mode, the processor provides lower performance but consumes much less power.
Recently, demands for high performance have accelerated development of very fast processors at more than 1 GHz operating frequency. This development has widened the separation between the Maximum Performance and Battery Optimized modes. Because the relationship between power versus frequency follows approximately a cubic relationship, it is possible to operate more efficiently by offering intermediary performance states, providing the ability to perform seamless transitions. It is therefore desirable to have multiple performance states between the two modes.
Therefore, there is a need to have a technique to manage multiple performance states.

Managing multiple processor performance states


To provide a magnetic encoder which can be assembled having a thin-walled structure while securing an excellent detection sensitivity and which can provide an excellent moldability by suitably selecting materials, the magnetic encoder is provided which includes a multi-pole magnet 14 having a plurality of opposite magnetic poles alternating in a direction circumferentially thereof, and a core metal 11 for supporting the multi-pole magnet. The multi-pole magnet 14 contains a powdery magnetic material mixed in an amount within the range of 20 to 90 vol. % relative to the total volume of the multi-pole magnet 14. The multi-pole magnet 14 may be a sintered magnet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic encoder for use with a rotation detecting device for detecting the number of revolutions of one of bearing components rotatable relative to each other and also to a wheel support bearing assembly utilizing such magnetic encoder. The magnetic encoder to which the present invention pertains is suitably incorporated in the rotation detecting device of a kind utilized in association with an automobile anti-skid brake system for detecting the number of revolutions of at least one of front and rear wheels of an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The rotation detecting device for use in association with the anti-skid brake system for minimizing the hazard of an automotive vehicle being skidded on a road surface has hitherto been assembled in a number of structures. In general, however, the conventional rotation detecting device of the kind referred to above includes a serrated rotor and a detecting sensor, which are arranged spaced a distance from a sealing device used to seal the bearing assembly, functionally integrated together to define a single and independent rotation detecting device.
This conventional rotation detecting device is of a structure in which the number of revolutions of the serrated rotor mounted on a rotary shaft for rotation together therewith can be detected by the revolution detecting sensor fitted to a knuckle. The bearing assembly incorporating such rotation detecting device is protected by the sealing device, disposed independently and laterally of the rotation detecting device, from an undesirable ingress of foreign matters such as dusts and dirt and/or water.
By way of example, the Japanese Patent No. 2816783 discloses a bearing seal assembly incorporating therein a rotation detecting device, which is so designed as to contribute to reduction of the space for mounting of the rotation detecting device and to striking improvement of the detecting performance thereof. According to this patent, the bearing seal assembly includes an annular slinger and an elastic member admixed with a powdery magnetic material and bonded by vulcanization to the annular slinger, with a plurality of opposite magnetic poles defined so as to alternate circumferentially of the elastic member.
The Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 6-281018 discloses a built-in coder sealing structure so designed as to reduce the axial dimension of the sealing structure, to increase the sealability between a rotating element and a stationary element and to render it to be easily mounted. According to this patent publication, a gap between the rotating element and the stationary element is sealed with a rotary disc mounted on the rotating element for rotation together therewith. A multi-pole coder is mounted on the rotary disc and built in the sealing structure. The multi-pole coder used therein is made of an elastomer added with a powdery magnetic material.
When it comes to improvement in magnetic characteristic, the larger the amount of the powdery magnetic material container in the magnetic encoder, the better the magnetic characteristic. The use of the large amount of the powdery magnetic material allows the magnetic force, generated per unit area, to be advantageously increased and the magnetic encoder can therefore be fabricated in a thin-walled structure with promising increase of the detection sensitivity. In particular, the use of the powder of rare earth magnetic material, rather than the use of the powder of ferrite magnetic material, is effective to increase the magnetic characteristic.
However, where the matrix is an elastomer or a plastomer, the amount of the powdery rare earth magnetic material to be blended cannot be increased because of the following problems found occurring during a process of mixing the matrix with the powdery rare earth magnetic material. Problems similar to those with the use of the powdery rare earth magnetic material equally apply to that of the powdery ferrite magnetic material.                (a) If the amount of the powdery magnetic material to be blended is large, a processing machine (particularly a kneading machine) is apt to be damaged considerably. The running torque tends to be so large as to impose an excessive load on the processing machine and/or, as a result of contact with the powdery magnetic material that is generally hard and tough, rolls used in the processing machine are susceptible to wear, accompanied by considerable damage.        (b) By the effect of heat evolved during the processing (blending and kneading), the powdery magnetic material is susceptible to oxidization, resulting in eventual degradation of the magnetic characteristic.
Also, when the conventional magnetic encoder made of an elastomer or a plastomer is applied in the rotation detecting device incorporated in the wheel support bearing assembly, particulate matters such as sand particles or grit tend to be trapped in between the magnetic encoder and the sensor confronting the magnetic encoder, resulting in damage to the surface of the magnetic encoder.
In order to alleviate the above discussed problems, the applicant of the present invention has suggested, in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-037441, a magnetic encoder made of a sintered element formed by molding and sintering a powdery mixture containing a powdery magnetic material and a powdery non-magnetic material. The use of the sintered element makes it possible to increase the amount of the powdery magnetic material to be mixed and also to provide a thin-walled structure, along with increase of the resistance to wear. Also, with the magnetic encoder made of the sintered element, mixing and blending of powdery materials with each other, that is, dry blend is possible. In the case of the dry blend, the problems (a) and (b) discussed above can be remarkably alleviated.
However, it has been found that even in the magnetic encoder made of the sintered element, molding would be impossible if the amount of the powdery magnetic material is too large.

Magnetic encoder and wheel support bearing assembly using the same


A variable-speed gearbox comprises a main transmission (2) arranged in a housing (30) and a downstream range-change transmission (32), the range-change transmission having power distribution on two countershafts (12, 14). On a main shaft (4) of the main transmission (2), a gear wheel (6) is arranged in a radially movable manner which meshes with respective first gear wheels (8, 10) each on one of the countershafts. In the housing of the variable-speed gearbox, a drive output shaft (22) is radially and axially fixed which is connected a gear wheel (20) that meshes in each case with a second gear wheel (16, 18), respectively, on each of the countershafts. The gear wheel on the main shaft that meshes with the first gear wheels on the countershafts is maintained in its axial position relative to the drive output shaft by way of pressure combs (50, 52, 54, 56).

Modern, powerful vehicle gearboxes usually comprise a main transmission group with a multi-stage basic gear and an upstream or downstream splitter group and/or a downstream range gear group. In a gearbox housing, they mainly comprise an input shaft as a first shaft and a central or main shaft as a second shaft, which can also be the output shaft, as well as one or more countershafts. The input and main shafts are essentially concentric with one another.
Having regard to the running properties and smooth running, such gearboxes can be designed with helical gearing, at least for the forward driving range. The axial forces from the helical gearing have to be taken up by an axial bearing and transmitted to the housing.
Gearboxes with the structure described can have one or more countershafts.
In gearboxes with power distribution between two countershafts, the main transmission group comprises two shafts arranged essentially one behind the other, one of which, namely either the input shaft or the main shaft of the main transmission, is mounted radially and axially fixed, while the respective other shaft is mounted floating laterally, i.e., able to move radially to allow the necessary load equalization. In this, care should be taken that an easy swivelling motion of the floating shaft is possible.
In gearboxes with two countershafts, the load equalization can preferably be designed such that the input shaft is mounted fixed on the housing, the countershafts are fixed on the housing and the main shaft is mounted floating in the gear wheels involved in the force flow.
The known variable-speed gearboxes for goods vehicles have a three- or four-speed main or basic transmission section and an upstream or downstream splitter transmission as an auxiliary transmission, which doubles the number of gear speeds of the main transmission since it splits the transmission ratio steps of the main transmission. A range-change transmission downstream from the main transmission extends the ratio range of the main transmission. The range-change transmission can be in the form of a planetary gearset or in the form of an arrangement of spur gear wheels.
From EP-A1 0 009 775 a range-change transmission with spur gear wheels downstream from a main transmission with two countershafts for power distribution is known. The range-change transmission has two countershafts which are rotationally independent of the countershafts of the main transmission. A floating gear wheel is arranged on the main shaft of the gearbox, which meshes with a gear wheel on each of the countershafts of the range-change transmission. This gearbox does not have sufficient capacity for absorbing axial forces that result from the gearing.
From DE-A1 196 04 824 by the present Applicant, a variable-speed gearbox with a range-change transmission of planetary design has become known. On the gearing of the planetary transmission pressure combs are provided to take up the axial forces that result from the helical gearing. The content of DE-A1 196 04 824 is intended to be fully incorporated in the present application.
The purpose of the present invention is to improve the axial mounting in a gearbox with two countershafts for power distribution.


An apparatus for simultaneously delivering more than one kind of medicament to an eye, without premixing of the medicaments within the apparatus. The apparatus includes a special nozzle assembly which precludes reentry of medicament expelled from the nozzle to prevent commingling of the medicaments. In this way, dosages of two or more medicaments may be simultaneously delivered to an eye without the need for creating a stable premixture of the medicaments.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing fluid through a nozzle, such as an ocular treatment apparatus for applying medicament or other substances to an eye.
There are various known devices for applying medicament to the eye. A typical eye-drop container has a flexible vial and a nozzle for releasing drops of medicament into the eye by squeezing the vial. If the user squeezes too hard, too much medicament can be released and, as a result, drip down the user's cheek. There is typically no means provided for accurately controlling the volume of each dose of medicament released into the eye and the smallest drop obtained as a result of the combined effect of gravity and surface tension is always bigger than the space available on the eye for a drop. Also, if the tip of the nozzle becomes contaminated, there is typically no means provided for preventing the contaminated tip from contaminating the medicament within the vial, and thus possibly causing infection by use of the contaminated medicament. Because the medicament in such devices is typically exposed to air upon opening the nozzle, it is not desirable to use such devices to administer preservative-free formulations of medicament, other than by providing single-dose containers. The single-dose containers, however, are typically relatively expensive to package, particularly when used for prescription medications.
The foregoing problems are addressed for a single medicament by the apparatus for applying medicament to an eye which is the subject of my copending application Ser. No. 07/801,243 filed on Dec. 2, 1991. This apparatus comprises a medicament chamber for holding medicament, and a nozzle coupled in fluid communication with the medicament chamber. The nozzle defines a seam which is normally in a closed position for preventing the passage of medicament through the nozzle and which opens in response to the flow of medicament of sufficient pressure to permit the passage of the medicament through the nozzle for release into the eye.
A major advantage of this apparatus is that once a dose of medicament is released, the seam of the nozzle closes, and thus substantially prevents medicament which may have been exposed to air or foreign particles from passing back through the nozzle and into the apparatus, which can contaminate the remainder of medicament in the apparatus. However, the apparatus is not particularly suitable for simultaneously delivering two different medicaments.
Heretofore, in order to deliver two different products (e.g., an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drug) simultaneously, or two different drugs used concomitantly for glaucoma (e.g., a betablocker and pilocarpine), it has been necessary to formulate a mixture of the two medicaments. However, there are several problems associated with formulating mixtures. For example, the two drugs often have a different pH and different solubilities which make stable homogenous mixtures difficult or impossible to achieve. In addition, despite the fact that the two drugs may each have FDA approval, a combination of the two is considered to be a new drug which requires, as for a new drug, new pre-clinical and clinical studies, and a separate FDA approval. Moreover, it is often more difficult to obtain approval for the combination because the FDA requires a demonstration of a synergistic effect (i.e., that the combination is more effective than the added individual effectiveness of the drugs administered separately). The development and approval process together can take 7 to 10 years, even for the combination of two drugs already approved separately.
Other packages have been conceived to keep separate two products while on the shelf, and the mixture is to be reconstituted extemporaneously by the patient. But these "double reservoirs" still require a combined formulation for the duration of the treatment, and therefore they must satisfy the FDA regulations for combined products as mentioned previously. In addition, this type of reconstitution package can be very expansive to manufacture.
Yet another problem with the delivery of two different medicaments to an eye is that two ordinary sized drops results in an even greater excess of liquid in the conjunctival cul de sac than the excess which already results with a single drop. Consequently, even more medicament spills out of the eye as waste. For this reason, practitioners usually request their patients to add the two different drops 5 minutes apart. These instructions are frequently not followed by patients, resulting in complications due to the absence of one of the drugs. For example, in the case of Glaucoma, a first drop of medicament does not balance the intra-ocular pressure; only a combination with another drop of medicament will reduce the pressure to a normal level.

Apparatus for delivering multiple medicaments to an eye without premixing in the apparatus


A method for recording information on an optical recording medium in which a laser beam modulated into one or a plurality of write pulses with one or a plurality of write powers in accordance with target data to be written is projected onto a recording layer of the optical recording medium to form a record mark. During recording the information on the optical recording medium, a data level and a weight index are assigned to each channel bit in reference data trains before and after the target data. Recording compensation of the target data is carried out in accordance with the sum totals of the products of the data level and the weight index in the reference data trains, so that it is possible to easily carry out high a real recording by writing fine mark/space trains.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for recording information on an optical recording medium used in writing fine record marks and space trains in the so-called ultra high density optical recording and reproducing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
High density optical recording and reproducing media using a blue-violet laser such as BD (Blu-ray Disc) and HD-DVD (High Density Digital Versatile Disc) systems are proposed and partly manufactured in recent years. In these media, the wavelength of a laser beam for recording and reproducing is shortened and the NA (numerical aperture) of an optical system is increased as compared with a conventional optical recording and reproducing system in order to increase storage capacity. Also shortening a minimum mark length in a modulation signal relatively to the diameter of a laser spot furthermore increases areal density. In these examples, the minimum mark length does not exceed the resolution limit of the optical system, though the minimum mark length is shortened relatively to the diameter of the laser spot. Fully using PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood), however, a system in which a minimum mark length is almost equal to the resolution limit is proposed in a conventional medium. Furthermore, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-6872, for example, a super-resolution optical recording and reproducing medium which is configured to be able to reproduce a minimum mark length exceeding the resolution limit of a reproduction optical system and a super resolution recording and reproducing system using the medium are proposed.
In the foregoing optical recording medium, it is possible to reproduce fine marks and blank trains by an advanced signal processing method such as PRML or by means of super-resolution reproducing power on the side of the recording medium. However, it is anyway necessary to precisely write the fine marks and blank trains correctly in the direction of a time base and the direction of a reflection level before reproduction.
The conventional optical recording medium adopts the so-called heat mode writing, by which the energy of a laser beam is converted to generate heat in writing. Thus, in writing record marks, the smaller the minimum marks and blanks are set relatively to the laser spot, the more effects an ambient thermal environment has. The ambient thermal environment is thermal effects, for example, occurring in marks and space trains before and after target mark (data). To compensate these effects, various write strategies are proposed since before.
In DVDs (MML/RL=400 nm/270 nm=1.48), for example, MML (minimum mark length) is closer to RL (resolution limit) as compared with CDs (compact disc; MML/RL=840 nm/433 nm=1.94), so that a method called recording compensation (adaptive control) is adopted.
The recording compensation is a method by which the length of a write pulse for writing a record mark is delicately controlled in accordance with a blank length just before the record mark even if the write pulses have an equal NRZI (non return to zero inverted) data length.
When the blank lengths just before a 3T mark (T represents a channel bit length), a minimum mark, are 3T and 6T, for example, the pulse length is modified rather short in the former and relatively rather long in the latter in writing the 3T mark. This method is inherited to the BDs (MML/RL=1.26). In the HD-DVDs (MML/RL=1.11) in which the minimum mark length becomes short relative to a spot length, it is allowed to modify a pulse form in writing the mark while taking a blank length just after the record mark in addition to the blank length just before it into consideration.
It becomes difficult, however, for a system with further smaller MML/RL to take the conventional recording compensation method. In the super-resolution recording and reproducing system with MML/RL<1 described above, the effects of the ambient thermal environment becomes more serious.
Referring to FIGS. 11(A) to (D) showing waveforms of reflected light intensity in reproduction, the relation between the minimum mark length (MML) and the RL (resolution limit) and the effects of ambient heat will be described with taking a case of a NRZI data train in which a train of 7T marks and 7T blanks and a train of 2T marks and 2T blanks are combined. FIG. 11(A) shows a waveform after passing through an EQ (equalizer) circuit of a commercially available BD-RE (Blu-ray disc rewritable) with MML=150 nm, RL=119 nm, and a channel bit length=75 nm. All 7T marks and blanks and 2T marks and blanks are written in the same pulse conditions, and the so-called recording compensation is not carried out. In this case, the waveform is proper without missing 2T and the like even if the recording compensation is not carried out.
FIG. 11(B) shows a reproduction waveform of a medium having the same NRZI data train as above, which can carry out super-resolution reproduction in conditions of MML=75 nm, RL=119 nm, and a channel bit length=37.5 nm. MML/RL=0.63 satisfies the condition of the so-called super-resolution reproduction. As for the polarity of a write waveform, low-to-high design in which a high level is set at a mark level and a low level is set at a blank level is adopted. When all 7T marks and blanks and 2T marks and blanks are written in the same pulse conditions, the first 2T mark and the second 2T mark after a rearmost 7T space have lower reflection levels than the other marks. It has been suggested that some recording compensation is necessary.
FIG. 11(C) shows waveforms of the same NRZI data pattern by the same optical recording medium as in FIG. 11(B) without recording compensation and with the slight modification of the write conditions of the 2T marks and blanks. In FIG. 11(C), Uq indicates a waveform of not passing the EQ circuit, and Wq indicates a waveform after passing a Limit-EQ circuit. As in the case of FIG. 11(B), the reflection levels of the first and second 2T marks after 7T are low, and it is difficult to decide the level.
FIG. 11(D) shows waveforms with the exactly same conditions as FIG. 11(C) adopting a conventional recording compensation method, in which the rising edge of a write pulse length of only the first 2T mark after the 7T train is shifted forward to elongate the pulse length. The reflection level of the first 2T mark is the almost same as the third or later 2T mark levels and hence is improved. Thus, it is not allowed to elongate the write pulse anymore. The second 2T mark, however, is still hard to decide the level. This means that the 7T space affects both of the first 2T mark and the second 2T mark, and the conventional recording compensation method which refers only to a blank just before the 2T mark is not enough for high density recording.
The super-resolution recording and reproducing medium is took as an example here, but the exactly same things have been confirmed in both of the case of using the combination of the conventional medium and PRML reproduction technology and the case of shortening the minimum mark and space in the modification signal relatively to the RL than ever before.
A method is conceivable as the extension of the conventional recording compensation method, which refers to further former marks in addition to the blanks just before and just after target data in writing the target data (mark). However, since the number of combination increases, huge buffer memory and a large processing circuit become necessary, so that there are great disadvantages in processing speed and costs. Also optimizations have to be carried out for the respective combinations. Therefore, there are problems that the method is very complicated and cannot quickly respond to various external perturbations.

Method and apparatus for recording information on optical recording medium with compensation for thermal effects in ultra-high-density optical recording and reproducing system


A self-powered sensor device (100) is provided which comprises a wireless network unit (140) configured to enable a communication in a Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN), an energy converting unit (150) configured to convert a first physical quantity into energy, and an energy harvesting unit (110) configured to harvest energy from the energy converted by the energy converting unit (150), and to initiate a sending of a message via the wireless network unit (140) every time a predetermined amount of energy is harvested by the energy harvesting unit (110).

IoT (Internet of Things) sensor devices are widely used and typically comprise a battery. However, the lifetime of such a sensor device will depend on the capacity and thus the lifetime of the battery. If the battery does not contain any energy anymore, the sensor will stop functioning, unless being serviced (battery replacement). Furthermore, the dimensions of the battery also have a great influence on the dimensions of the sensor device. Such sensor devices will in the short future typically be part of a low-power wide-area network LPWAN, although they could be used in other types of wireless network such as Bluetooth™ Low Energy. A sensor device typically comprises a LPWAN node to enable a communication with the LPWAN.
For environmental reasons as well as for improving the lifetime of an IoT (Internet-of-Things) sensor device, it is desirable to have sensor devices which can operate without a dedicated battery. If a battery can be avoided in the sensor device, then the recycling of such a sensor device is much more environmentally friendly. Moreover, with battery-less IoT sensors, it can be avoided that devices with batteries remain in place even if the life time of the battery has ended. Furthermore, the lifetime of the sensor device can also be increased.
US 2017/0147021 A1 describes an IoT (Internet-of-Things) system having IoT devices which do not contain batteries. The IoT devices comprise energy harvesting devices which harvest energy for example by means of a photo diode. The IoT device can comprise a detector which is operated based on the harvested energy.

Self-powered Internet-of-Things sensor device


The present invention discloses an optical bonding apparatus, including: a first bonding layer; a second bonding layer; and a dismountable bonding layer superposed between the first bonding layer and the second bonding layer. The present invention also discloses a touch sensitive display using the optical bonding apparatus and a method of making the optical bonding apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to bonding apparatus, and more particularly, to an optical bonding apparatus, a touch sensitive display using the same and a method of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A touch sensitive display includes a touch panel for sensing touch points and a display panel for displaying contents. The touch panel and the display panel are bonded together by optical bonding apparatus.
Usually, the conventional optical bonding apparatus is single-layer structure. When the touch sensitive display is illuminated through a backlight source , there may be color blocks appearing on the display panel, such color blocks present yellow if the display's background is white and present white if the display's background is gray. The phenomenon described above is named mura. Mura is a very common defect in electronic devices with LCD or the like, and it always decreases the contrast ratio, forms inhomogeneous areas and makes the edge of images blurry . When a color block caused by Mura covers an area larger than a pixel, it will affect the image quality and therefore a user will have difficulty viewing images on the display .
A bonding apparatus with multiple bonding layers is used for bonding the touch panel and the display panel to help solving the above problem. For example, a multi-layered bonding apparatus is a composition superposed between pressure sensitive bonding layers and thermal flow bonding layers. However, the multi-layered bonding apparatus has a problem of disassembly, that is, the bonded layers are hard to be disassembled from each other. If the touch panel or the display panel encounters problem, the difficulty of disassembly will lead to the difficulty of rework on the touch panel or the display panel. Disassembly will cause damage to the touch panel or the display panel.
Thus, it is desired to provide an optical bonding apparatus, a touch sensitive display and a method of making the optical bonding apparatus that overcomes the above drawbacks of the conventional touch panels.

Optical bonding apparatus, touch sensitive display using the same and method of making the same


An apparatus is provided in a printer to prevent wrapping of the paper web onto the printer's fixing roller which fixes the toner particles onto the paper web. The apparatus includes a sensor to monitor the speed and moving direction of the web at the output of the fixing station. The sensor is connected to a controller which operates to halt the operation of the fixing station or the printer when the sensor senses a reversal of the moving direction of the web. The controller may average the web moving speed and compare the average speed to a predetermined speed for halting printer operation if the average speed traverses the predetermined speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a means for monitoring the operation of a fixing station of an electrographic printer that prints a web of continuous carrier material with a toner image containing color particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
High dependability demands must be met in the operation of a fixing station since, for example, one of the fixing rollers contained in the fixing station is heated to approximately 220.degree. C., and the carrier material conveyed through the fixing station can stick to the hot fixing roller. Given high conveying speeds of the carrier web, the fixing rollers turn very fast. When the sticking of the carrier material to the hot fixing roller is not noticed, then the carrier material being fixed at the moment wraps around the hot fixing roller, whereby carrier material that has already passed the fixing station can be drawn back into the fixing station opposite the conveying direction.
Given the use of continuous carrier material that has fold lines so that it can be drawn sheet-by-sheet from a stack or in turn folded sheet-by-sheet onto a stack after being printed (such as fan folded paper), the stiffness of the carrier material is greatly reduced along the fold lines. It is precisely at such fold lines that the carrier material easily sticks to the hot fixing roller during the fixing process, as is shown in practice. The fold lines are often the cause for the wrapping of the fixing roller. When the wrapping of the fixing roller is not noticed early on, then an increased work outlay is incurred given operation of the printer since printing must be interrupted, the carrier material must be removed from the fixing roller, one must wait for the printer to be operational again and the print operation that has already been carried out may possibly have to be repeated.

Device for monitoring the operation of a fixing station of an electrographic printing device


The present invention provides a backlight module and a support device for a sheet-form optical element contained within the backlight module. The backlight module mainly includes a frame, a support device and the sheet-form optical element disposed within the frame. The support device includes a support portion and a positioning portion. The support portion has a support end and a connection end. The support end extends into the space within the frame, and supports the bottom end of the sheet-form optical element. The positioning portion has a first end, a second end and a bend portion connecting the first end with the second end. The first end connects to the connection end of the support portion, and an included angle exists between the first end and the support portion. The positioning portion of the support device is inset in the frame to provide a support force for the support portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a backlight module and a support device for an optical slice unit/a sheet-form optical element contained therein, and more particularly to a backlight module for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a support device for a sheet-form optical element contained therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Backlight modules are used extensively in liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, computers keyboards, cell phone buttons, billboards and other devices requiring light sources to provide the necessary flat light sources for these devices. Especially, the recent market demand for LCD devices has increased considerably. In order to match functional and exterior requirements of the LCD devices, the backlight module design for LCD devices has gradually become multidimensional.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a conventional LCD device. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD device comprises a backlight module 10, a liquid crystal (LC) panel 15 and a front frame 1.7 disposed on the backlight module 10. The backlight module 10 comprises a bottom bezel 21, a reflector 23, a frame 30, a light guide plate 13, a light source module 11 and optical films 59. The light guide plate 13 is disposed within the frame 30, and the light source module 11 is disposed between the light guide plate 13 and the frame 30 and corresponds to a bottom end of the light guide plate 13. The optical films 59 are disposed above the light guide plate 13, and the reflector 23 and the bottom bezel 21 are disposed under the frame 30 and the light guide plate 13.
When the assembly of the LCD device shown in FIG. 1 is complete and is disposed uprightly, the light guide plate 13 has a gravity pressing against the bottom end of the frame 30. In order to prevent the light guide plate 13 from sliding downward to press against or damage the light source module 11, the side-wall end of the frame 30 extends inwardly to form a stop plate 31. Through forming the stop plate 31, the frame 30 immobilizes the light guide plate 13 and prevents the light guide plate 13 from sliding downward. Generally speaking, the stop plate 31 is integratedly formed with the frame 30 by employing injection molding. Consequently, the material of the stop plate 31 is usually the same as that of the frame 30.
As users increasingly demand more visual effect, the dimensions of the LC panel 15 have increased as well. When the size of the LC panel 15 is increased, the size of the overall backlight module 10 and the light guide plate 13 have to increase accordingly. After the size of the light guide plate 13 is increased, the stop plate 31 shown in FIG. 1 also needs to bear a larger load. However, when the stop plate 31 formed integratedly with the frame 30 and being plastic made bears a light guide plate 13 having larger dimensions, it is susceptible to structural damage due to insufficient bearing capacity, and further damages the light source module below.

Backlight module and an optical slice unit support device thereof


The router table push shoe 10 of the present invention has an upwardly extending handle 11 which is angled slightly towards the operator and away from the router table fence 55. The push shoe of the present invention comes with an adjustable bottom guard 20 removably attached to the base 40, and an adjustable side guard 12 which can be removed and used as a bit height measuring tool. Both the bottom guard 20 and the side guard 12 are adjustable to enable the push shoe 10 to hold thin and narrow stock. The push shoe 10 also comes equipped with a miter bar 30. The horizontally adjustable bottom guard 20 is removably attached to the base 40 via a three wing knob 22. The push shoe also has formed in the front right corner a dovetail gauge 17 for making both male and female joints for sliding dovetail joints. All of these attachments allow the push shoe 10 to be used as a push shoe and also as a miter gauge, depth of bit height reference, a scale to check the distance from the router bit to the fence, and a gauge for making 1/2" sliding dovetail joints.

The present invention relates to tools and accessories which are used in conjunction with a router table and more particularly to an accessory, such as a push shoe, which enables the operator of a router tool to feed stock to the router bit in a safe manner.
Push shoes for router tables are generally well known. Normally, an operator of a router table uses either extra stock or other material as a push shoe to press against the stock which is being worked upon in order to properly and safely feed the stock into the router bit. The stock is placed against a fence and is pushed along that fence toward the router bit so the bit can act upon the stock in an even manner. Push shoes are utilized to keep the operator's hands away from the router bit. Extra stock can be used or other appendages which press firmly against the stock to be worked upon and allow the operator to properly feed it to the bit. A problem associated with the push shoes of the prior art, is their inability to allows the operator to adjust the push shoe to varying height and width stock. Additionally, nothing in the prior art provides a router table accessory which allows the operator to combine a miter gauge, bit height measuring tool and dovetail gauge in a single adjustable push shoe.
The object of the present invention is to provide a router table push shoe that can be adjusted to varying height and width stock, and can also be used as a miter gauge, a depth of bit height reference, a scale to check distance from the router bit to the fence, and a gauge for making thru dovetail joints.


This application provides an enhanced physical downlink control channel transmission method and apparatus. The method includes: in a physical resource block set, separately arranging first resource groups in each physical resource block pair (PRB) pair, where the first resource groups are enhanced resource element groups (eREGs) or REGs, and the physical resource block set includes at least one of the physical resource block pairs; numbering second resource groups according to a correspondence between the first resource groups and the second resource groups in the physical resource block set, where the second resource groups are control channel element eCCE groups or control channel candidates; determining numbers of the second resource groups for transmitting an E-PDCCH; and mapping, according to the determined numbers, the E-PDCCH to the corresponding first resource groups for transmission. The technical solution of this application resolves an E-PDCCH transmission problem.

In Long Term Evolution (LTE) release 8/9/10, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) is transmitted on first N (N=1, 2, 3, 4) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of each subframe, and is multiplexed with a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) in time-division multiplexing (TDM) mode, and its demodulation pilot is a downlink common pilot, namely, a cell-specific reference signal (CRS). To ensure transmission reliability, a space frequency block code (SFBC) transmission mode or a combination of an SFBC transmission mode and a frequency switched transmit diversity (FSTD) transmission mode is used.
As a heterogeneous network is deployed on a large scale, in LTE release 11, the PDCCH faces great challenges in aspects of capacity, coverage, and interference coordination, and therefore an enhanced PDCCH (E-PDCCH) is introduced. The E-PDCCH is located in a PDSCH region, and multiplexed with the PDSCH in frequency division multiplexing (FDM) mode. In addition, multiplexing of an enhanced control channel and a traffic channel in a time-frequency resource block is not supported. The E-PDCCH is demodulated based on a user equipment (UE) specific demodulation reference signal (DMRS). As may be seen above, time-frequency resources occupied by the E-PDCCH are different from those occupied by the PDCCH in the prior art, and a PDCCH transmission mode cannot be directly used to transmit the E-PDCCH. Therefore, an E-PDCCH transmission problem needs to be resolved.

Enhanced physical downlink control channel transmission method and apparatus


A receptacle connector includes a connector body at least suitable to mate with a plug connector having an insulating housing and a metal case. The metal case encompasses the outside of the insulating housing, and the metal case is made of a suitable metallic material. The connector body includes a plurality of metal terminals and a plastic base. The plastic base includes at least a tongue plate for the metal terminals to interpose therein. The plastic base forms a circumferential gap near a region in the vicinity of the tongue plate. The circumferential gap defines an accommodation space. When the receptacle connector and the plug connector are mated, the metal case at least partially encompasses the outside of the tongue plate. When the receptacle connector and another plug connector with a longer metal case are mated, the longer metal case is accommodated in the circumferential gap.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to connector combinations. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to connector combinations including a receptacle connector capable of mating with plug connectors with mating heads of different lead-in lengths.
Description of Related Art
In general, bus connectors of a computer are required to be expanded as the communication interface for information transmission between the internal elements in the system. PCI Express (PCIe) bus connectors are the most common expanding bus connector in computers. Since a PCIe bus connector has a relatively higher maximum throughput and a minimum input/output pin counts (I/O pin count), PCIe bus connectors have become the main stream of the bus connectors of computer systems. In recent years, the Peripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) has launched a cable system following the PCIe specifications, known as the PCIe Oculink cables. The PCIe Oculink cables can be regarded as an extension of the PCIe bus connectors. The PCIe Oculink cables can be connected to different storage devices inside a computer, and can be utilized outside a computer to connect various devices supporting the PCIe specifications to the computer.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traditional PCI Express (PCIe) Oculink connector assembly. As shown in FIG. 1, a PCIe Oculink board end double layers connector combination 100 includes a receptacle connector 118 and two plug connectors 112, 114. Please also refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the plug connector of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the plug connectors of the traditional PCIe Oculink connector assembly include two plug connectors 112, 114, an external steel case 110 and a spacer 212. The spacer 212 is utilized as the back plate supporting the plug connectors 112, 114, so as to strengthen the mechanical stability of the plug connectors 112, 114. The external steel case 110 covers outside the plug connectors 112, 114, configured to fix and plug together the plug connectors 112, 114. The plug connectors 112, 114 are respectively connected to the cables 124, 126. The plug connectors 112, 114 respectively include a plug body 112c, 114c, and an upper metal cover 112a, 114a, and a lower metal cover 112b, 114b, respectively configured to cover the plug bodies 112c, 114c. The plug bodies 112c, 114c respectively have an insulating housing 211, 213, and a plurality of metal terminals 214, 215, in which the metal terminals 214, 215 are respectively interposed inside the insulating housings 211 and 213. The metal terminals 214, 215 are divided into the upper and the lower rows respectively disposed on the upper surface and the lower surface inside the insulating housing 211, 213, in which each of the rows has 21 metal terminals. The plug bodies 112c, 114c further include a steel case 216, 217, configured to accommodate the insulating housings 211, 213. The portion of the steel cases 216, 217 protruding from the upper metal covers 112a, 114a and the lower metal covers 112b, 114b form a mating head 216a, 217a having an inner hollow space to mate with the plug connector 118. Please be noted that, in this specification, similar elements are presented by the same marking number.
Please also refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the receptacle connector of FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a traditional PCIe Oculink receptacle connector 118 includes an external metal case 118a and a connector body 118b. The external metal case 118a is configured to cover the connector body 118b. The connector body 118b includes a plastic base 300 and a plurality of metal terminals 306, in which the plastic base 300 includes an upper tongue plate 302 protruding forwards from an upper region of the front portion of the plastic base 300, and a lower tongue plate 304 protruding forwards from a lower region of the front portion of the plastic base 300. The metal terminals 306 are respectively interposed into the grooves on the upper surface and the lower surface of the tongue plates 302, 304, such that two receiving grooves are formed at the front portion of the receptacle connector 118. The mating head 216a is configured to insert into the receiving groove where the tongue plate 302 is located, and the mating head 217a is configured to insert into the receiving groove where the tongue plate 304 is located. When the receptacle connector 118 is mated with the plug connectors 112, 114, through the snapping of the of the groove 307 on a side of the tongue plate 302 and a corresponding groove (not shown) on a side of the insulating housing 211, 213, the receptacle connector 118 and the plug connectors 112, 114 are fixed, such that the mating heads 216a, 217a abut against the plastic base 300, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.
In general, the lead-in lengths of the mating heads 216a, 217a of the standard PCIe Oculink plug connectors 112, 114 are subject to strict specifications. Please refer to FIG. 4A. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a standard PCIe Oculink plug connector. As shown in FIG. 4A, the lead-in lengths d1 of the mating heads 216a, 217a of the standard PCIe Oculink plug connectors 112, 114 are 5.95 mm. However, when the PCIe Oculink plug connector is to be applied to the outside of a computer, since the lead-in lengths of the mating heads 216a, 217a are often too shallow, the plug connectors 112, 114 are easily collided or flipped and the problem of supporting failure is produced. Please refer to FIG. 4B. FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an elongated PCIe Oculink plug connector. If the lead-in lengths of the mating heads 216a, 217a or the metal cases 216, 217 are increased, as shown in FIG. 4B, the lead-in lengths of the mating heads 216a′, 217a′ of the PCIe Oculink plug connectors 112′, 114′ are d2 (for example, 8.45 m), the tolerability of the plug connectors 112′, 114 against stress can be strengthened, such that the PCIe Oculink connectors are suitable to be used outside a computer. However, due to the extension of the lead-in lengths of the mating heads 216′, 217′ of the elongated PCIe Oculink plug connectors 112′, 114′, the elongated PCIe Oculink plug connectors 112′, 114′ cannot be successfully mated with the receptacle connector 118. Thus, such prior art requires improvement.

Receptacle connector capable of mating with plug connectors with metal cases with different lengths


A high-pressure fuel supply system is suitable for an internal combustion engine having an in-cylinder injector for injecting a fuel into a cylinder. The high-pressure fuel supply system includes a high-pressure fuel pump driven by an engine, a high-pressure delivery pipe supplying the fuel from the high-pressure fuel pump to the in-cylinder injector, and an actuation valve provided with a leakage function provided between the high-pressure fuel pump and the high-pressure delivery pipe. An amount of leakage in the actuation valve provided with the leakage function is set to an amount not smaller than a discharge amount of the high-pressure fuel pump.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device of a high-pressure fuel system of an internal combustion engine that includes a fuel injection mechanism (in-cylinder injector) for injecting a fuel into a cylinder at a high pressure, or an internal combustion engine that includes, in addition to the above fuel injection mechanism, a fuel injection mechanism (intake manifold injector) for injecting a fuel into an intake manifold or an intake port. More particularly, the present invention relates to a high-pressure fuel supply apparatus including a high-pressure fuel pump avoiding uncomfortable feeling caused by intermittent actuation sound, as well as to a method of designing such an apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
An engine having a first fuel injection valve (in-cylinder injector) for injecting a fuel into a combustion chamber of a gasoline engine and a second fuel injection valve (intake manifold injector) for injecting a fuel into an intake manifold, and changing a fuel injection ratio between the in-cylinder injector and the intake manifold injector in accordance with the engine speed or the load of the internal combustion engine is known. A direct injection engine having only a fuel injection valve (in-cylinder injector) for injecting a fuel into a combustion chamber of a gasoline engine is also known. In a high-pressure fuel system including the in-cylinder injector, the fuel having its pressure increased by a high-pressure fuel pump is supplied via a delivery pipe to the in-cylinder injector, which injects the high-pressure fuel into a combustion chamber of each cylinder of the internal combustion engine.
Further, a diesel engine having a common rail fuel injection system is also known. In the common rail fuel injection system, the fuel having its pressure increased by a high-pressure fuel pump is stored in a common rail, and injected from the common rail into a combustion chamber of each cylinder of the diesel engine according to opening/closing of an electromagnetic valve.
To obtain the fuel of a high pressure in such internal combustion engines, a high-pressure fuel pump is used which has a cylinder driven by a cam provided at a driveshaft that is connected to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-41088 discloses a control device for a fuel pump capable of lowering continuous actuation sound caused each time an electromagnetic spill valve is closed. The control device for a fuel pump includes a fuel pump varying a volume of a pressurizing chamber based on relative movement of a cylinder and a plunger as a result of rotation of a cam, so as to suction a fuel into the pressurizing chamber and delivering the fuel to a fuel injection valve of the internal combustion engine, and an electromagnetic spill valve opening and closing a spill path for flow-out of the fuel from the pressurizing chamber. According to the control device for a fuel pump, an amount of fuel delivery from the fuel pump to the fuel injection valve is regulated by controlling a valve closing duration of the electromagnetic spill valve. The control device for a fuel pump includes a control unit for controlling the electromagnetic spill valve based on an operation state of the internal combustion engine so as to adjust the number of times of fuel delivery by the fuel pump during a prescribed period, so that the number of times of fuel injection from the fuel injection valve per one fuel delivery is changed, i.e., the number of times of fuel injection per one fuel delivery is decreased while the engine is in a low load state.
According to this control device for a fuel pump, the number of times of fuel injection per one fuel delivery is decreased while the engine is in a low load state during which continuous actuation sound is relatively high. Therefore, an amount of fuel delivered in one fuel delivery can be small. Accordingly, valve closing start timing of the electromagnetic spill valve can further be closer to the top dead center, a cam speed at the time of closing of the electromagnetic spill valve can be slower, and a sound produced when the electromagnetic spill valve is closed can further be lowered. By lowering the sound produced when the electromagnetic spill valve is closed, continuous actuation sound caused each time the electromagnetic spill valve is closed is lowered.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-41088 described above, however, is directed solely to lowering of continuous actuation sound in a low load state such as idling.
In such a high-pressure fuel system, a check valve provided with a leakage function is provided in the electromagnetic spill valve closer to a high-pressure pipe side. The check valve provided with the leakage function is a check valve of a normal type but provided with pores that are always open. Accordingly, when a fuel pressure within the high-pressure fuel pump becomes lower than a fuel pressure within the high-pressure delivery pipe (for example, when the engine and hence the cam stops while the electromagnetic spill valve remains open), the high-pressure fuel within the high-pressure delivery pipe returns through the pores back to the high-pressure fuel pump side, thereby lowering the fuel pressure within the high-pressure delivery pipe. As such, at the time of stop of the engine, for example, the fuel within the high-pressure delivery pipe is not at a high pressure, so that leakage of the fuel from the in-cylinder injectors can be prevented.
Depending on an amount of leakage in the check valve provided with the leakage function, the high-pressure pump may intermittently operate. Namely, when the fuel pressure becomes too high, the fuel pressure is controlled in a feedback manner by a fuel pressure sensor provided at the high-pressure delivery pipe, drive duty of the electromagnetic spill valve is set to 0%, and the electromagnetic spill valve remains open. Though a pump plunger slides up and down as long as the cam continues to rotate (along with revolution of the engine), the electromagnetic spill valve does not close, in which case the fuel is not pressurized. Thereafter, when the fuel pressure becomes too low, the drive duty of the electromagnetic spill valve is no longer set to 0%, the electromagnetic spill valve closes, and the fuel is pressurized.
If an amount of leakage in the check valve provided with the leakage function structured as above is inappropriate, the high-pressure pump is intermittently actuated (a period during which actuation sound caused by a valve closing operation of the electromagnetic spill valve is not produced and a period during which the actuation sound is produced are repeated at certain intervals), irregular actuation sound is produced, and a driver or the like may feel uncomfortable. That is, as a result of intermittent actuation of the high-pressure pump, sound from the engine is changed, which results in uncomfortable feeling. In particular, such uncomfortable feeling is strongly felt outside a vehicle during idling.

High-pressure fuel supply apparatus of internal combustion engine and method of designing the same


An information storage medium and a method and apparatus for recording/reproducing data on/from the information storage medium. The information storage medium includes a plurality of recording layers, each having a user data area, on which data can be recorded by a pickup. Data is recorded in the order of recording layers from closest to farthest from the pickup, and a recordable region in a user data area of a recording layer on which data is to be recorded is smaller than that in a recording layer between the pickup and the recording layer on which data is to be recorded. Each recording layer contains a recordable region in a user data area and a optimum power control (OPC) area in order to maintain the same recording/reproducing characteristics between the plurality of recording layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method of and an apparatus for recording/reproducing data on/from the information storage medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to an information storage medium with a plurality of recording layers and which is designed to maintain the same recording/reproducing characteristics between the plurality of recording layers, each layer having recordable regions in user data area and an optimum power control (OPC) area for performing a test to determine an optimum recording power, and a method of and an apparatus for recording/reproducing data on/from the information storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical pickup performs non-contact recording/reproducing to/from an information storage medium. Optical disks that are one type of information storage media are classified into compact disks (CDs) and digital versatile disks (DVDs) depending on data recording capacity. Examples of optical disks capable of writing and reading information include CD-Recordable (CD-R), CD-Rewritable (CD-RW), and 4.7 GB DVD+RW. Furthermore, a high definition-DVD (HD-DVD) or blu-ray disk (BD) with recording capacity of over 15 GB and a super-resolution optical disk that can read data recorded in a pattern of marks below the resolution limit are currently being developed.
While only single layer 4.7 GB DVD-Recordable discs are commercially available, dual layer 8.5 GB DVD-ROM discs are being sold in the market. To back up data recorded on the 8.5 GB DVD-ROM disc, a DVD-Recordable disc with the 8.5 GB capacity is required. Thus, there is a need for a recordable disc having at least first and second recording layers.
When recording data on a recordable disc with first and second recording layers, the first recording layer must maintain the same recording/reproducing characteristics as the second recording layer in order to improve recording/reproducing performance. That is, variations in recording/reproducing characteristics depending on the recording sequence may adversely affect the recording/reproducing by a drive. Thus, there is a need for methods of maintaining the same recording/reproducing characteristics between a plurality of recording layers.

Information storage medium and method and apparatus for recording/reproducing data on/from the same


The present invention is a metal gasket for sealing a gas, liquid, etc. The metal gasket has a planar base (10) formed from a metal plate, and surface pressure generating materials (A) and (B) are attached to the obverse and reverse surfaces of the base (10) at the outer periphery of a hole in the base (10) which is to be sealed in such a manner that the positions of the attached surface pressure generating materials (A) and (B) are offset from each other. When the base (10) is clamped from both sides thereof, it is elastically deformed by being pressed through the surface pressure generating materials (A) and (B), thus generating surface pressure.

Asbestos gaskets, metallic gaskets, and gaskets formed by laminating asbestos and metallic materials have heretofore been known as engine cylinder head gaskets and gas sealing gaskets for turbochargers. Particularly, gaskets for engine cylinder heads are required to improve the sealing performance upon demand for reduction in the size and weight of engines. To satisfy the requirement for the performance, metal gaskets have recently been used.
To improve the sealing performance of the metal gaskets, various structures have heretofore been proposed. As one example of these metal gasket structures, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication (KOKAI) No. 57-59952 (JP, U, 57-59952) discloses a gasket wherein a gasket base is elastically deformed to form a plurality of corrugate projections at the outer periphery of a combustion chamber, that is, a gasket provided with beads. The gasket is pressed from both sides of the beads, thereby deforming the beads, and thus improving the sealing performance by making use of the restitution of the deformed beads.
This gasket has excellent sealing performance. However, although the sealing performance is improved, when the gasket is clamped from both sides thereof, the beads are deformed into a flat surface and, at this time, stress concentrations occur at the angular portions of the beads. During use of the gasket for a long period of time, the metal constituting the portions having stress concentrations is fatigued by vibrations caused by explosion in the engine and this fatigue of the metal may cause breakage or weaken the elastic restoring force even if the gasket is not broken. In addition, the gasket needs a bending process to form corrugate beads in manufacture. The bending process causes work hardening and strain in the gasket base, thus the base being weakened in terms of the metallographic structure. It is also necessary to prepare a press die for the bending process.
Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication (KOKAI) No. 60-18247 (JP, U, 60-18247) discloses a metal gasket made from a steel plate wherein beads which are in the form of recesses and projections, that is, annular grooves, are formed on both surfaces of the metal gasket so as to surround a water hole and the annular grooves are coated with a sealing material consisting essentially of a silicone resin.
This gasket needs a bending process to form beads in the same way as in the case of the above-described gasket. This gasket is a water hole gasket for waterproof sealing and has no idea for sealing engine cylinder bores that are exposed to high-temperature flame heat. In the foregoing prior arts, when the cylinders of an engine and the cylinder head, for example, are clamped by means of bolts with a gasket being interposed therebetween, the gasket is compressed unevenly, resulting in the sealing effectiveness varying depending upon the position on the gasket.
In general, gaskets have a tendency to be clamped in such a manner that the bolted portions and vicinities are strongly clamped, and the remoter therefrom, the lower the level of clamping force. This is due to the deformation of the cylinders and the cylinder head. Since cylinders and cylinder heads of engines which are reduced in size and weight as in recent years have a tendency to be reduced in the wall thickness, uneven deformation is unavoidable.


A positioning region of external terminals is divided into a plurality of positioning sections, and at least one side or perimeter of a chip is assigned to each positioning section. The external terminals in each positioning section are allocated to the perimeter to which the positioning section is assigned. The external terminals allocated to each perimeter are grouped into groups arranged perpendicularly to the perimeter, and pads of the chip are also grouped. The external terminals of the groups are assigned to the pads of the corresponding groups. The external terminals and the pads assigned to each other are connected by linear virtual wirings. Further, it is checked whether the virtual wirings cross each other. If there are crossing virtual wirings, the correspondences between the external terminals and the pads are replaced with each other.

This invention relates to an automatic design technique of a semiconductor integrated circuit, and in particular, relates to a technique for automatically positioning external terminals on a surface of a semiconductor chip having pads.
Recently, with the development of high-density and multi-functional semiconductor integrated circuits, the number of pads of a semiconductor integrated circuit and the number of external terminals (i.e., electrode pins) of the semiconductor package tend to increase. Therefore, the design work for determining the positions of the electrode pins and for wiring the electrode pins and the pads becomes complicated. Thus, there is an increasing demand for an automatic design technique.
In automatically positioning the electrode pins and wiring the electrode pins and the pads, it is preferable that the wire length can be short and the single-layer wiring can be used.
Conventional techniques for automatically wiring the electrode pins and the pads are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-35986 (referred to as Patent Publication 1) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-100955 (referred to as Patent Publication 2).
In Patent Publication 1, a region of a semiconductor chip on which the electrode pins are disposed is divided into four trapezoidal sections. The electrode pins of each trapezoidal region are connected to the pads disposed on a corresponding perimeter facing the trapezoidal region, in accordance with the predetermined order of priority (see paragraphs 0111 through 0120, FIGS. 6 through 9 and FIG. 12 of Patent Publication 1).
In Patent Publication 2, a common lead pattern is used for connecting a plurality of pads and a plurality of electrode pins. The automatic wiring is accomplished by placing the common lead pattern on a suitable position.
However, the techniques disclosed in Patent Publications 1 and 2 have following problems.
In the technique disclosed in Patent Publication 1, the number of the electrodes pins of each trapezoidal region needs to be the same as the number of the pads of the corresponding perimeter. Therefore, if the number of the pads varies from one perimeter to another, it becomes difficult to properly perform the wiring. As a result, many constraints are imposed on the design of the semiconductor integrated circuit.
In the technique disclosed in Patent Publication 2, the total number of the pads and the electrode pins needs to be an integral multiple of the wirings of the lead pattern, and therefore many constraints are imposed on the design of the semiconductor integrated circuit.

Automatic design method for semiconductor device


Integrated circuits and methods of manufacture and design thereof are disclosed. For example, a method of manufacturing includes depositing a gate material over a semiconductor substrate, and depositing a first resist layer over the gate material. A first mask is used to pattern the first resist layer to form first and second resist features. The first resist features include pattern for gate lines of the semiconductor device and the second resist features include printing assist features. A second mask is used to form a resist template; the second mask removes the second resist features.

Generally, semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as computers, cellular phones, personal computing devices, and many other applications. Home, industrial, and automotive devices that, in the past, comprised only mechanical components now have electronic parts that require semiconductor devices, for example.
Semiconductor devices are manufactured by depositing many different types of material layers over a semiconductor workpiece or wafer, and patterning the various material layers using lithography. The material layers typically comprise thin films of conductive, semi-conductive and insulating materials that are patterned and etched to form integrated circuits (ICs). There may be a plurality of transistors, memory devices, switches, conductive lines, diodes, capacitors, logic circuits, and other electronic components formed on a single die or chip, for example.
There is a trend in the semiconductor industry towards reducing the size of features, e.g., the circuits, elements, conductive lines, and vias of semiconductor devices, in order to increase performance of the semiconductor devices, for example. The minimum feature size of semiconductor devices has steadily decreased over time. However, as features of semiconductor devices become smaller, it becomes more difficult to pattern the various material layers because of diffraction and other effects that occur during a lithography process. For example, key metrics such as resolution and depth of focus of the imaging systems may suffer when patterning features at small dimensions.
Innovative process solutions have been developed that overcome some of these limitations. However, many such process solutions also interact with subsequent steps and may degrade other equally important factors. For example, process modifications made, in the printing of minimum features during the lithography steps can seriously impact transistor performance or product yield.
What are needed in the art are methods of leveraging lithographic techniques to print finer features to enable continued scaling without impacting product performance or process yield.

Integrated circuits and methods of design and manufacture thereof

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are various embodiments for selection of wireless devices and service plans. A geographic location and a plurality of wireless preferences are associated with a user. Wireless service plans, offered by at least one wireless carrier that services the geographic location, that meet the wireless preferences associated with the user are determined. A user interface is generated that presents the wireless service plans in a ranked order that is determined utilizing at least the wireless preferences.

Each potential wireless customer may have certain preferences regarding a type of wireless device and a type of wireless service plan. For example, a customer may prefer a flip-style cellular telephone instead of a bar-style cellular telephone. The customer may also prefer a multi-line family wireless plan with a certain set of features. However, the wireless carriers that service the area of the customer may not support the desired telephone model of the customer or offer service plans meeting the preferences of the customer.

Selection of wireless devices and service plans


In order to solve the problem in which voltages Vsig1 read in units of rows have differences to cause vertical shading, thereby degrading image quality, and the problem in which the dynamic ranges of source follower circuits are different in units of rows because finite resistances are distributed in the power supply lines, a photoelectric conversion apparatus includes photoelectric conversion portions placed in a plurality of rows, an amplification section including a load section arranged in units of vertical output lines to amplify signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion portions placed in a plurality of rows, a vertical scanning section for sequentially scanning signals amplified by the amplification section to read the signals onto the vertical output lines, and a horizontal scanning section for sequentially scanning the signals amplified by the amplification section to read the signals onto horizontal output lines, wherein the load sections are located on a side vertically opposite to the direction of signal output from the amplification section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion apparatus having photoelectric conversion elements arrayed in a matrix and being capable of obtaining a high-quality image.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a conventional photoelectric conversion apparatus. Referring to FIG. 1, photoelectric conversion elements (e.g., photodiodes) 1 store charges in accordance with the amounts of incident light and form a two-dimensional array (4×4 elements in FIG. 1). One terminal of the photoelectric conversion element 1 is connected to the gate of a source follower input MOS 2. The source of the source follower input MOS 2 is connected to the drain of a vertical selection switch MOS 3. The drain of the source follower input MOS 2 is connected to a power supply terminal 5 through a power supply line 4. The source of the vertical selection switch MOS 3 is connected to a load power supply 7 through a vertical output line 6. The source follower input MOS 2, the vertical selection switch MOS 3, and load power supply 7 form a source follower circuit. The photoelectric conversion element 1, the source follower input MOS 2, the vertical selection switch MOS 3, and load power supply 7 form a pixel.
A signal voltage of the photoelectric conversion element 1 is induced at the gate of the source follower input MOS 2 in accordance with the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion element of each pixel. This signal voltage is current-amplified and read by the source follower circuit.
The gate of the vertical selection switch MOS 3 is connected to a vertical scanning circuit 9 via a vertical gate line 8. An output signal from the source follower circuit is externally output via the vertical output line 6, a horizontal transfer MOS switch 10, a horizontal output line 11, and an output amplifier 12. The gate of each horizontal transfer MOS switch 10 is connected to a horizontal scanning circuit 13. With this arrangement, the signal voltages of the respective photoelectric conversion elements sequentially turn on the vertical selection switch MOSs 3 by the pulse voltages on the vertical gate lines 8 connected to the vertical scanning circuit 9. The signal voltages are read onto the corresponding vertical lines. The horizontal transfer MOS switches 10 are sequentially turned on by a shift register signal of the horizontal scanning circuit 13. The signal voltages of the respective photoelectric conversion elements are output from the output amplifier 12 as time-serial signals in units of pixels.
In the prior art described above, since finite resistances are distributed in the vertical output lines 6, shading in the vertical direction occurs in the signals due to potential drops across the resistances. For descriptive convenience, one pixel and its peripheral portion are illustrated in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, a resistance 201 is distributed on the vertical output line 6. Let M rows of pixels be present, and r1 be the resistance value of the vertical output line per row. Then, the total resistance between the pixels on the Kth row and the horizontal transfer MOS switch 10 is defined as:r1×K(1≦K≦M)  (1)
Let Ia, Rm, Vth0, and Vsig0 be the current flowing through the load power supply 7, the series resistance of the vertical selection switch MOSs 3, the threshold voltage of the source follower input MOS 2, and the signal voltage on the gate of the source follower input MOS 2, respectively. Then, a signal Vsig1 current-amplified and read by the source follower circuit is defined as:Vsig1=Vsig0−Vth0−Ia×Rm−Ia×r1×K(1≦K>M)   (2)That is, even if the identical signal voltages Vsig0 is induced at the pixels, the voltages Vsig1 read in units of rows have differences due to voltage drops by the resistances r1 of the vertical output lines 6, thus causing vertical shading. The image quality is greatly deteriorated.
In recent years, the number of pixels increases and the size decreases in the development of photoelectric conversion apparatus. The wirings used in the photoelectric conversion apparatus tend to be thin and long. Voltage drop by the resistance r1 of the vertical output line 6 poses a serious problem.
Another problem is posed by different dynamic ranges of the source follower circuit in units of rows because a finite resistance is distributed on the power supply line 4. This problem will be described with reference to FIG. 2. A resistance 202 in FIG. 8 is distributed on the power supply line 4. Let M rows of pixels be present, and r2 be the resistance value of the power supply line per row. Then, the total resistance between the pixels on the Kth row and the power supply terminal 5 is:r2×K(1≦K≦M)  (3)
Letting Vd be the voltage of the power supply terminal 5, the source follower input MOS 2 must operate as a pentode in order to operate the source follower circuit as a linear amplifier. A condition for this is given by:Vd−Ia×r2×K>Vsig0−Vth0(1≦K≦M)  (4)The above condition can be rewritten as: Vsig0<Vd+Vth0−Ia×r2×K(1≦K≦M)  (5)
The signal voltage values not satisfying the above condition are different depending on the rows. That is, the signals have different dynamic ranges.
This results in saturation voltage shading or output shading on the small-light-amount characteristic side due to a combination with the polarities of the photodiode 1, thereby greatly degrading the image quality.

Photoelectric conversion apparatus which avoids certain shading effects


A floating dock comprising a pair of flotation tanks arranged in parallel side-by-side relation, a plurality of transverse, equispaced double-saddle brackets having a pair of spaced-apart saddles each adapted to receive a flotation tank straddling said tanks along the length of the tanks, and connector means adapted to partially encircle each tank and to seat in a recess between corrugations extending from each saddle for connecting the tanks to the saddle brackets. The flotation tank comprises a cylindrical smooth inner wall and a corrugated outer wall coextensive and concentric with said inner wall defining a plurality of equispaced peripheral annular flotation cells extending along the inner cylindrical wall, and a closure plate at each end of the cylindrical walls connected to the inner and outer walls in a water-tight relationship defining a central flotation cell. The outer corrugated wall has a plurality of peripheral recesses extending circumferentially around said outer wall along the length of the outer wall. The floating dock has longitudinal side planks and a top deck, preferably a wood deck extending between and attached to the longitudinal side planks. The floating dock additionally may include one or more floating finger docks connected to a side of the floating dock perpendicular or parallel thereto.

(i) Field of The Invention
This invention relates to a floating marine dock and, more particularly, relates to a novel flotation tank and tank assembly system for use in a floating dock.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
Shorelines subjected to tides, spring flooding and large waves require floating docks to allow compensation for changes in water level. The floating docks often are attached to the shore by a vertically pivotal ramp which allows the docks to rise and fall as the water level changes.
Conventional floating docks, well known in the art, typically comprise a wood or steel frame with wood decking and flotation units housed in the frame beneath the decking. Typical floating units are rectangular, close-celled foam slabs such as rigid styrofoam, steel or plastic drums, and molded rectangular plastic compartments. Foam slabs are difficult to attach to the dock frame and often are detached and lost during storms, or are destroyed by muskrats and the like water dwelling rodents who bore into the foam to make nests. Drums also can be difficult to attach, and if perforated by rust or by impact with a sharp object, will be flooded, lose their buoyancy and sink. Molded plastic compartments are expensive to form and, if punctured, will be flooded and sink.
It a principal object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive plastic flotation tank which can be manufactured in any desired length and diameter and which can be readily and securely attached to a deck frame.
It is another important object of the present invention to provide a flotation tank which has a plurality of peripheral flotation cells which surround and protect a central flotation cell. A further object of the invention is the provision of a floating marine dock system which can be readily modified into a variety of finger dock configurations. These and other objects of the invention, and the manner in which they can be attained, will become apparent as the description proceeds.


An ophthalmic lens package that contains an ophthalmic lens and its packaging solution including a frangible pouch and side members which contain the packaging solution when the ophthalmic package is opened and methods of using the package.

Ophthalmic lenses, including contact lenses, intra-ocular lenses and overlay lenses and particularly disposable contact lenses, have been conventionally packaged in "blister packs." In general, a blister pack comprises a rigid plastic (e.g., polypropylene), concave-shaped receptacle for receiving an ophthalmic lens and a flexible cover, typically made from a laminate material (such as metal foil), which is removably attached to the receptacle for enclosing the lens therein. Within each blister pack are a single ophthalmic lens and a sufficient amount of contact lens solution to prevent drying of the ophthalmic lens and to maintain the ophthalmic lens readily available for use. While conventional blister packs provide many users with a convenient means for shipping and storing ophthalmic lenses, some users have trouble removing the lens from the contact lens solution and the lenses are damaged during removal from the package. Further, lens can often stick to the inner surface of the laminate and may damaged or lost when users open their packages. Accordingly, there is a need for an ophthalmic lens package that provides user's easy access to its contents on a consistent basis. This need is met by the following invention.

Ophthalmic lens package with a frangible pouch and methods of its use