The invention relates to the field of apoptosis. The invention provides novel therapeutic possibilities, for example novel combinatorial therapies or novel therapeutic compounds that can work alone, sequentially to, or jointly with Apoptin, especially in those cases wherein p53 is (partly) nonfunctional.

Apoptosis is an active and programmed physiological process for eliminating superfluous, altered or malignant cells (Earnshaw, 1995, Duke et al., 1996). Apoptosis is characterized by shrinkage of cells, segmentation of the nucleus, condensation and cleavage of DNA into domain-sized fragments, in most cells followed by internucleosomal degradation. The apoptotic cells fragment into membrane-enclosed apoptotic bodies. Finally, neighbouring cells and/or macrophages will rapidly phagocytose these dying cells (Wyllie et al., 1980, White, 1996). Cells grown under tissue-culture conditions and cells from tissue material can be analysed for being apoptotic with agents staining DNA, as e.g. DAPI, which stains normal DNA strongly and regularly, whereas apoptotic DNA is stained weakly and/or irregularly (Noteborn et al., 1994, Telford et al., 1992).
The apoptotic process can be initiated by a variety of regulatory stimuli (Wyllie, 1995, White 1996, Levine, 1997). Changes in the cell survival rate play an important role in human pathogenesis of diseases, e.g. in cancer development and auto-immune diseases, where enhanced proliferation or decreased cell death (Kerr et al., 1994, Paulovich, 1997) is observed. A variety of chemotherapeutic compounds and radiation have been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in tumor cells, in many instances via wild-type p53 protein (Thompson, 1995, Bellamy et al., 1995, Steller, 1995, McDonell et al., 1995).
Many tumors, however, acquire a mutation in p53 during their development, often correlating with poor response to cancer therapy. Certain transforming genes of tumorigenic DNA viruses can inactivate p53 by directly binding to it (Teodoro, 1997). An example of such an agent is the large T antigen of the tumor DNA virus SV40. For several (leukemic) tumors, a high expression level of the proto-oncogene Bcl-2 or Bcr-ab1 is associated with a strong resistance to various apoptosis-inducing chemotherapeutic agents (Hockenberry 1994, Sachs and Lotem, 1997).
For such tumors lacking functional p53 (representing more than half of the tumors) alternative anti-tumor therapies are under development based on induction of apoptosis independent of p53 (Thompson 1995, Paulovich et al., 1997). One has to search for the factors involved in induction of apoptosis, which do not need p53 and/or can not be blocked by anti-apoptotic activities, such as Bcl-2 or Bcr-ab1-like ones. These factors might be part of a distinct apoptosis pathway or might be (far) downstream of the apoptosis inhibiting compounds.
Apoptin is a small protein derived from chicken anemia virus (CAV; Noteborn and De Boer, 1995, Noteborn et al., 1991, Noteborn et al., 1994; 1998a), which can induce apoptosis in human malignant and transformed cell lines, but not in untransformed human cell cultures. In vitro, Apoptin fails to induce programmed cell death in normal lymphoid, dermal, epidermal, endothelial and smooth-muscle cells. However, when normal cells are transformed they become susceptible to apoptosis by Apoptin. Long-term expression of Apoptin in normal human fibroblasts revealed that Apoptin has no toxic or transforming activity in these cells (Danen-van Oorschot, 1997 and Noteborn, 1996).
In normal cells, Apoptin was found predominantly in the cytoplasm, whereas in transformed or malignant cells i.e. characterized by hyperplasia, metaplasia ordysplasia, it was located in the nucleus, suggesting that the localization of Apoptin is related to its activity (Danen-van Oorschot et al. 1997). Apoptin-induced apoptosis occurs in the absence of functional p53 (Zhuang et al., 1995a), and cannot be blocked by Bcl-2, Bcr-ab1 (Zhuang et al., 1995), or the Bcl-2-associating protein BAG-1 (Danen-Van Oorschot, 1997a, Noteborn, 1996).
Therefore, Apoptin is a therapeutic compound for the selective destruction of tumor cells, or other hyperplasia, metaplasia or dysplasia, especially for those tumor cells which have become resistant to (chemo)-therapeutic induction of apoptosis, due to the lack of functional p53 and (over)-expression of Bcl-2 and other apoptosis-inhibiting agents (Noteborn and Pietersen, 1998). It appears, that even pre-malignant, minimally transformed cells, are sensitive to the death-inducing effect of Apoptin. In addition, Noteborn and Zhang (1998) have shown that Apoptin-induced apoptosis can be used as diagnosis of cancer-prone cells and treatment of cancer-prone cells.
The fact that Apoptin does not induce apoptosis in normal human cells, at least not in vitro, shows that a toxic effect of Apoptin treatment in vivo will be very low. Noteborn and Pietersen (1998) and Pietersen et al. (1999) have provided evidence that adenovirus expressed Apoptin does not have an acute toxic effect in vivo. In addition, in nude mice it was shown that Apoptin has a strong anti-tumor activity.
However, to further enlarge the array of therapeutic anti-cancer or anti-auto-immune-disease compounds available in the art, additional therapeutic compounds are desired that are designed to work alone, sequentially to, or jointly with Apoptin, especially in those cases wherein p53 is (partly) non-functional.
The invention provides novel therapeutic possibilities, for example novel combinatorial therapies or novel therapeutic compounds that can work alone, sequentially to, or jointly with Apoptin, especially in those cases wherein p53 is (partly) non-functional.


A dual unbalanced indirectly heated cathode (IHC) ion chamber is disclosed. The cathodes have different surface areas, thereby affecting the amount of heat radiated by each. In the preferred embodiment, one cathode is of the size and dimension typically used for IHC ionization, as traditionally used for hot mode operation. The second cathode, preferably located on the opposite wall of the chamber, is of a smaller size. This smaller cathode is still indirectly heated by a filament, but due to its smaller size, radiates less heat into the source chamber, allowing the ion source to operate in cold mode, thereby preserving the molecular structure of the target molecules. In both modes, the unused cathode is preferably biased so as to be at the same potential as the IHC, thus allowing it to act as a repeller.

Ion implanters are commonly used in the production of semiconductor wafers. An ion source is used to create a beam of charged ions, which is then directed toward the wafer. As the ions strike the wafer, they impart a charge in the area of impact. This charge allows that particular region of the wafer to be properly "doped". The configuration of doped regions defines their functionality, and through the use of conductive interconnects, these wafers can be transformed into complex circuits.
A block diagram of a representative ion implanter 100 is shown in FIG. 1. Power supply 101 supplies the required energy to the ion source 102 to enable the generation of ions. An ion source 102 generates ions of a desired species. In some embodiments, these species are mono-atoms, which are best suited for high-energy implant applications. In other embodiments, these species are molecules, which are better suited for low-energy implant applications. The ion source 102 has an aperture through which ions can pass. These ions are attracted to and through the aperture by electrodes 104. These exiting ions are formed into a beam 95, which then passes through a mass analyzer 106. The mass analyzer, having a resolving aperture, is used to remove unwanted components from the ion beam, resulting in an ion beam having the desired energy and mass characteristics passing through resolving aperture. Ions of the desired species then pass through a deceleration stage 108, which may include one or more electrodes. The output of the deceleration stage is a diverging ion beam.
A corrector magnet 110 is adapted to deflect the divergent ion beam into a set of beamlets having substantially parallel trajectories. Preferably, the corrector magnet 110 comprises a magnet coil and magnetic pole pieces that are spaced apart to form a gap, through which the ion beamlets pass. The coil is energized so as to create a magnetic field within the gap, which deflects the ion beamlets in accordance with the strength and direction of the applied magnetic field. The magnetic field is adjusted by varying the current through the magnet coil. Alternatively, other structures, such as parallelizing lenses, can also be utilized to perform this function.
Following the angle corrector 110, the ribbon beam is targeted toward the workpiece. In some embodiments, a second deceleration stage 112 may be added. The workpiece is attached to a workpiece support 114. The workpiece support 114 provides a variety of degrees of movement for various implant applications.
Referring to FIG. 2, a traditional ion source that may be incorporated into the ion implanter 100 is shown. The ion source 102 may include a chamber housing 10 that defines an ion source chamber 14. One side of the chamber housing 10 has an extraction aperture 12 through which the ions pass. In some embodiments, this aperture is a hole, while in other applications, such as high current implantation, this aperture is a slot.
A cathode 20 is located on one end of the ion source chamber 14. A filament 30 is positioned in close proximity to the cathode 20, outside of the ion chamber. A repeller 60 is located on the opposite end of the ion source chamber 14.
The filament 30 is energized by filament supply voltage 54. The current passing through the filament 30 heats it sufficiently (i.e. above 2000° C.) so as to produce thermo-electrons. A bias supply voltage 52 is used to bias the cathode 20 at a substantially more positive voltage than the filament 30. The effect of this large difference in voltage is to cause the thermo-electrons emitted from the filament to be accelerated toward the cathode. As these electrons bombard the cathode, the cathode heats significantly, often to temperatures over 2000° C. The cathode, which is referred to as an indirectly heated cathode (IHC), then emits thermo-electrons into the ion source chamber 14.
The arc supply 50 is used to bias the ion chamber housing 10 positively as compared to the cathode. The arc supply typically biases the housing 10 to a voltage about 50-100 Volts more positive than the cathode 20. This difference in voltage causes the electrons emitted from the cathode 20 to be accelerated toward the housing 10.
A magnetic field is preferably created in the direction 62, typically by using magnetic poles 86 located outside the chamber. The effect of the magnetic field is to confine the emitted electrons within magnetic field lines. The emitted electrons, electro-statically confined between cathode and repeller, take the spiral motions along the source magnetic field lines, thus effectively ionize background gases, forming ions (as shown in FIG. 3).
Vapor or gas source 40 is used to provide atoms or molecules into the ion source chamber 14. The molecules can be of a variety of species, including but not limited to inert gases (such as argon or hydrogen), oxygen-containing gases (such as oxygen and carbon dioxide), nitrogen containing gases (such as nitrogen or nitrogen triflouride), and other dopant-containing gases (such as diborane, boron tri-fluoride, or arsenic penta-fluoride). These background gasses are ionized by electron impact, thus forming plasma 80.
At the far end of the chamber 14, opposite the cathode 20, a repeller 60 is preferably biased to the same voltage as the cathode 20. This causes the emitted electrons to be electro-statically confined between cathode 20 and repeller 60. The use of these structures at each end of the ion source chamber 14 maximizes the interaction of the emitted electrons with the background gas, thus generating high-density plasmas.
FIG. 3 shows a different view of the ion source of FIG. 2. The source magnet 86 creates a magnetic field 62 across the ion chamber. The cathode 20 and repeller 60 are maintained at the same potential, so as to effectively confine the electrons, which collide with the background gas thus generate the plasma 80. The electrode set 90 is biased so as to attract the ions to and through the extraction aperture 12. These extracted ions are then formed into an ion beam 95 and are used as described above.
The above described technique of generating ions is highly effective for high-energy implant applications. Applications using high implant energies typically utilize mono-atoms, which are preferably created through the use of emitted electrons via an indirectly heated cathode. The indirectly heated cathode coupled with the magnetic fields, creates an environment where molecules are broken down into mono-atomic ion species. In these applications, source gas which breakdown into mono-atoms, such as H2, NF3, and B2H6, are supplied to the ion chamber. However, there are applications where such ions are not desirable. For example, there are applications that require ultra shallow junction formation, obtained with very low energy implants. Due to their inefficiency of beam transport, low energy applications preferably require the use of heavier charged molecules. These heavier molecules, such as decaborane, carborane and others, cannot be ionized using the above technique, since the high temperature environment would break apart the heavy molecules into smaller molecules or atoms. It is important for these applications that the molecules retain their molecular structure, losing only electrons before being extracted from the chamber.
Therefore, to create these heavier ions, alternative ion sources are typically used. In most cases, the ion source operates at much lower temperatures to preserve the molecular structure of the target species. In some embodiments, RF power is used to ionize the molecules.
Thus, there are two distinct modes of operation; one used for generating atomic ion species for high-energy applications, also known as hot mode, and a second for generating molecular ion species for low-energy applications, also known as cold mode. Because there are two distinct modes, there are typically separate ion sources, depending on the application and the source molecules. This complicates the ion implanter, and increases cost and complexity. A single ion source that can effectively generate ions for use in both modes, i.e. mono-atomic ions for high-energy implant applications and molecular ions for lower-energy implant applications, would be very beneficial.

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


The invention relates to an electronic switching circuit in which a plurality of test circuit blocks is provided, whereby every test circuit block comprises a first sub-circuit block and at least one second sub-circuit block. A field effect transistor in the first sub-circuit block has a gate insulation layer that is thicker than the gate insulation layer of a field effect transistor in the second sub-circuit block.

The reliability of a gate oxide in an integrated semiconductor component comprising a field effect transistor encounters intrinsic loading limits as scaling progresses, in particular with development of transistors having ever thinner layers and rising operating field strengths despite lower operating voltages.
The statistical nature of the dielectric breakdown of a gate oxide leads to a wider statistical variation of the lifetime of the respective semiconductor component. This means that, particularly when there is a large active area of an electronic chip, as a result of area scaling, the prognosticated lifetime of the semiconductor components is reduced and can no longer be predicted reliably.
Moreover, in the case of a thin dielectric, a dielectric breakdown is characterized by a significantly smaller rise in the leakage current than in the case of a thicker dielectric layer. In many circuitry applications, the only small rise in the leakage current leads merely to an increase in the power loss in the electronic circuit, but not necessarily to a malfunction, that is to say to a failure of the entire electronic circuit.
Customary test methods for testing an electronic circuit assess the first small alteration of the gate current flowing through the gate oxide, but not the actually relevant malfunction of the electronic circuit or of the electronic switching circuit in the respectively relevant switching circuit environment.
Furthermore, it is known to determine the reliability of a dielectric by means of accelerated test methods on a test structure having a parallel circuit formed by a plurality of identical basic elements. In the case of a thin dielectric, the maximum number of basic elements is limited by the high leakage current that occurs on account of direct tunneling and the small breakdown current.
A breakdown event must lead to a significant current rise above the basic level of the loading current of the electronic switching circuit, also referred to hereinafter as the stress current of the electronic switching circuit, in order to be identified sufficiently dependably.
In the case of a dielectric having a thickness of 2.0 nm, the maximum active area of the entire test structure is restricted to 200 μm2 to 1000 μm2 in accordance with the prior art.
The area limitation that occurs for a test structure leads to a significantly restricted resolution of the defect density and, associated with this, to an increased uncertainty in an extrapolation to reliability requirements (reliability targets) under operating conditions of an electronic switching circuit.
Improving the resolution of the defect density leads to a considerable additional expenditure in the form of required measurement time and/or required equipment for the parallel measurement.
Articles by Kazer et al. describe that, in the case of a thin gate oxide in the case of transistors in an electronic switching circuit, the failure of one or more transistors in the electronic switching circuit on account of a breakdown occurring in the respective gate oxide of a field effect transistor need not yet necessarily lead to the failure of the operativeness of the entire electronic switching circuit compared with the desired function of the electronic switching circuit. (B. Kaczer et al., Impact of MOSFET gate oxide breakdown on digital circuit operation and reliability, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Volume 49, No. 3, pages 500 to 505, March 2002). (B. Kaczer et al., Impact of MOSFET oxide breakdown on digital circuit operation and reliability, IEDM 00, pages 553 to 556, 2000).
The Kazer et al. articles describe in this context a ring oscillator structure comprising 47 inverters connected to form a ring, an inverter being embodied as a NAND gate. A frequency divider switching circuit is connected downstream of the ring oscillator. The switching circuit arrangement comprising ring oscillator and frequency divider switching circuit would be exposed to a loading by application of an electrical voltage and the behavior of the function of the switching circuit arrangement would be examined.
An article by R. Rodriguez et al. describes the influence of a gate oxide breakdown in the case of a field effect transistor in an SRAM memory cell (Static Random Access Memory cell). (R. Rodriguez et al, The impact of gate-oxide breakdown on SRAM stability, IEEE Electron Device Letters, Volume 23, No. 9, pages 559 to 561, September 2002).
Furthermore, an additional article by R. Rodriguez et al. discloses that in the case of an inverter which has an NMOS field effect transistor and a PMOS field effect transistor and is loaded by a voltage, the degradation of the inverter dependent on the polarity of the applied stress voltage. Depending on the polarity of the applied stress voltage, either the respective NMOS field effect transistor or the respective PMOS transistor is loaded to a greater extent and destroyed earlier. (R. Rodriguez et al, A model for gate-oxide breakdown in CMOS in Inverters, IEEE Electron Device Letters, Volume 24, No. 2, pages 114 to 116, February 2003).
Furthermore, an article by B. P. Linder describes an NMOS field effect transistor to be tested, with a gate oxide having a layer thickness of 1.7 nm, to the gate terminal of which is connected a PMOS field effect transistor with a thicker gate oxide. The stress voltage is applied to the drain terminal of the PMOS field effect transistor. (B. P. Linder, Transistor-Limited constant voltage stress of gate dielectrics, Symposium on VLSI Technology Digest of Technical Papers, pages 93 to 94, 2001).
In the case of the circuit comprising two field effect transistors as described by B. P. Linder, given a stress voltage of 3.4 volts and a current driver capability of less than 200 μA, a leakage current that was lower than 100 μA was measured after the gate oxide had undergone breakdown in the NMOS field effect transistor. It should be noted in this context that only the behavior of the gate oxide in the NMOS field effect transistor was examined in isolated fashion upon application of the stress voltage to the PMOS field effect transistor.
German patent No. DE 29 05 271 A1 discloses an integrated circuit arrangement using MOS technology comprising field effect transistors, which has a circuit arrangement for rapidly testing different blocks of the switching circuit. Said circuit arrangement has three transistor switch groups. A first transistor switch group is used for testing an input block. A second transistor switch group serves for turning on and turning off the input block and an output block so that the blocks can be tested jointly and a third block for testing the output block.
German patent No. DE 38 86 722 T2 discloses an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory comprising a NAND cell structure, said memory having memory cells (M) arranged on an N-type substrate. The memory cells are divided into NAND cell blocks each having series-connected memory cell transistor arrays (M1 to M4). Each of the transistors has a floating gate (50), a control gate connected to a word line (WLi), and an N-type diffusion layer (68, 70), serving as corresponding sources and drains.

Electronic switching circuit, switching circuit test arrangement and method for determining the operativeness of an electronic switching circuit


A pair of combined cutting and thinning shears is comprised of a pair of handles, a pair of cutting blades attached to respective front ends of the handles, and a pair of thinning blades attached to respective rear ends of the handles. The cutting blades are pivoted together at a position adjacent the handles. A guide tab on one of the thinning blades mate with the opposite thinning blade to ensure their proper alignment when closed. In a second embodiment, the handles include inside edges that are in constant engagement with each other throughout their entire range of movement to ensure alignment between the thinning blades. Both embodiments can be used to cut or thin hair by simply positioning hair between either the cutting blades or thinning blades.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to shears for cutting and thinning hair.
2. Prior Art
A pair of cutting shears for cutting hair typically includes a pair of blades with continuous if cutting edges for cutting all the hair positioned there between. In some hair styling techniques, the hair is thinned or reduced in bulk with a pair of thinning shears, which typically includes a blade with a continuous cutting edge, and another blade with alternating teeth and gaps in its cutting edge. The teeth cut the hair when the blades are closed, but the gaps leave some hair uncut, so that only about half the hair is cut in each stroke. A pair of thinning shears is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,591 to Sato. The thinning operation is often performed by hairdressers, but typical cutting shears and thinning shears are separate tools, so that hairdressers must frequently switch shears.
Various patents show cutting shears combined with other tools. U.S. Pat. No. 312,292 to Pribyl shows a pair of shears with a notched wheel pivotally attached to one of the finger rings for marking things. U.S. Pat. No. 422,670 to Wallace shows a pair of shears with a screwdriver blade attached to one of the finger rings, and a claw attached to the other finger ring for removing tacks. U.S. Pat. No. 574,178 to Stebbins shows a pair of shears with a screwdriver blade attached to one of the finger rings, and a can opener attached to the other finger ring. None of these shears can thin hair. U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,277 to Nagata shows a pair of shears with a pair of cutting blades mounted in parallel to a pair of thinning blades. A shifting piece is moved to lock or release the cutting blades relative to the thinning blades, so that the shears can either cut or thin, or cut and thin simultaneously. However, the shifting operation is confusing, so hair can easily be unintentionally cut or thinned if the blades are in the wrong position. The four blades mounted together substantially increase the thickness and weight of the tool, so that it is awkward to use. Their substantially different feel and operation make them difficult to learn, so that they are unlikely to be adopted by professional hairdressers, who cannot afford to be slowed down by an unfamiliar tool.


A rolling bearing fixing device includes at least one bearing having mutually rotatable inner and outer rings, a housing having at least one fitting hole into which the bearing is fitted and a bolt insertion hole, a pair of fixing plates having at least one large-diameter hole and a bolt insertion hole; and a bolt inserted from one axial end into the bolt insertion hole of one fixing plate, the bolt insertion hole of the housing, and the bolt insertion hole of the other fixing plate, and connects the housing with the pair of fixing plates. Both axial end parts of the outer ring are held by the pair of fixing plates in the axial direction, the inner ring is positioned further inwardly of the large-diameter hole of the fixing plates in the radial direction and the inner ring is rotatable with respect to the fixing plates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rolling bearing fixing device for fixing rolling bearings to a housing thereof, and a bearing unit in which a plurality of rolling bearings are fitted and inserted into a housing.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, transmissions for vehicles have been made smaller and smaller in line with downsizing of vehicles. For this reason, recently, when fixing a rolling bearing for rotatably supporting a rotation shaft of a transmission, there are known methods such as a stepped portion being provided at the outer ring side of a rolling bearing and the rolling bearing being fixed at a housing by using a retainer plate to shorten the entire length of the transmission.
As a known rolling bearing fixing device using this method, proposed are, a rolling bearing fixing device in which an outer ring is internally fitted to a housing and an axial one end surface of the outer ring is locked at a fixing plate fixed to the housing for restricting an axial movement of the rolling bearing (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,210); and a rolling bearing fixing device in which a groove portion is provided on an outer circumferential surface of an outer ring and a fixing plate is press-fitted to the groove portion for restricting the axial movement of the rolling bearing (for example, DE 20019278U1).
In addition, in attempt to downsize weight saving of a transmission, it is demanded that a plurality of axes are located as close to each other as possible. In light of this, a bearing unit in which a plurality of rolling bearings to support these axes are fitted and inserted into the housing adjacently to each other has been proposed (For example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A-11-270568).
Further, as shown in FIG. 14 through FIG. 16, a bearing unit 201 disclosed in JP-A-11-270568 has two rolling bearings 210 and a housing 220 supporting both the bearings 210 so as to be adjacent to each other while having a clearance between their outer rings 211. The rolling bearings 210 are fitted and inserted into accommodation holes 221 formed in the housing 220, respectively. A substantially cylindrical wall portion 222 that forms accommodation holes 221 of the housing 220 is formed to be partially fused so as to locate the rolling bearings 210 adjacently to each other. The housing 220 having such a shaped wall portion 222 is formed by deep drawing process of a metal plate.
Further, a rolling bearing that prevents an outer ring of a rolling bearing attached to a housing from creeping, that is, prevents the outer ring from slipping in the rotation direction in the accommodation hole of the housing has been proposed (For example, Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication JP-UM-A-52-152932).
As shown in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, a rolling bearing disclosed in the JP-UM-A-52-152932 has a notched portion 114 formed on an outer circumferential surface 112 at an axial end portion of the outer ring 111. A substantially circular accommodation hole 121 into which the rolling bearing 110 is fitted and inserted is formed in the housing 120. This accommodation hole 121 has a projecting portion 122 which corresponds to the notched portion 114 of the outer ring 111. The rolling bearing 110 is fitted and inserted into the accommodation hole 121 by engaging the notched portion 114 of the outer ring 111 with the projecting portion 122 of the accommodation hole 121 of the housing 120. Accordingly, because the rolling bearing 110 is fixed in the housing 120 by engaging the notched portion 114 with the projecting portion 122 of the accommodation hole 121, the outer ring 111 is prevented from rotating in the accommodation hole 121.
However, in the rolling bearing fixing device according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,210 described above, since it is necessary to lengthen the axial length of the housing in order to assemble a rolling bearing, the transmission may become large in size. In addition, when the housing is made of aluminum, if attempting to shorten the axial length of the housing, there is a fear that the housing will be damaged due to a shortage of the strength. Further, in the rolling bearing fixing device according to DE20019278U1 described above, since it is necessary to press-fit and fix the fixing plate in the grooved portion of the outer ring, assembling efficiency is not satisfactory.
In the bearing unit 201 disclosed in the JP-A-11-270568, the housing 220 is formed by deep drawing process of the metal plate. However, according thereto, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, on an area 223 where the wall portions 222, which form accommodation hole 221, fused with each other and the rolling bearings 210 most closely approach each other, no material is remained. That is, because the accommodation holes 221 communicate with each other at the area 223, an area which is not supported by the housing 220 is generated on the outer ring 211 of the rolling bearing 210. For this reason, uneven load is applied onto the outer ring 211 of the rolling bearing 210 to cause a deformation of the outer ring 211. Thus, there is a fear that the outer ring is damaged. Further, since force for fixing the outer ring 211 is lowered, there is a fear that creep of the outer ring 211 occurs.
The rolling bearing 110 disclosed in, for example, the JP-UM-A-52-152932 is effective to prevent the outer ring from creeping. However, in the JP-UM-A-52-152932, both end surfaces of the outer ring 111 are held by the housing 120 and a cover 123 attached to the housing 120 in the axial direction, whereby the axial displacement of the rolling bearing 110 is restricted. In this case, axial dimensions the bearing unit including the rolling bearing 110, the housing 120 and the cover 123 are apt to become large and this configuration is not suitable for downsizing.


A system is provided for facilitating a personal property trading system and social networking environment that allows users to interact and create dialogue and socialize in relation to possible trades of personal property or services. This application will allow users who are willing to trade an item, service or favor to obtain similar wants or needs. This form of haggling and the feeling of success are proven to be mentally stimulating, proving another benefit for users. Users will be able to comment and haggle, as well as suggest other users that they believe may have a match on their ‘TRADING ITEMS’ and ‘STUFF I WANT’ lists. The system will promote environmentally conscious trading by bringing unwanted items back to use.

Over the years the internet (or the World Wide Web as it is also commonly known) has become a leading source of gaining information, communicating, socialization, and e-commerce. In today's electronic age the convenience of shopping and socializing through the internet has revolutionized the way we communicate, especially today with the popularity of smart phones and their ability to transfer large amounts of data through mobile phone networks. A typical internet user will purchase gifts, personal items, services and more as an alternate to traditional shopping methods. These users will, more than likely, be solicited by companies and internet users that are using e-commerce as a means of sales for a profit. The demand to gain information through the internet is continuously gaining more and more popularity, whether to gain common knowledge, seek out users with similar interests, socialize, purchase items, or in this case trade, barter, swap or exchange personal property and services.
Over the years many websites have used the internet for the sale, or the mediating of a sale of goods and services and more recently the sharing of information. Since the beginning of the electronic or internet age there has been more or less a website for almost anything that one could think of including bartering and trading websites.
Certain websites have created a method for multiple users to meet in a public server environment and exchange specific personal property or services. Today these websites are open to the public after standard registration requirements. Typical user options for these websites are within a vast database of items or a search engine to narrow down specific wanted items or services from a general network of users, often resulting in sharing information with unknown users.
Other websites solely act as a brokering mediator for the buying, selling or exchanging of items offered by registered users. On such websites users are free to browse all items with multiple search options and transactions are conducted with limitless geographic locations. Typically these websites will charge a fee for this brokering service and shipping costs would be the responsibility of either the sender or the recipient.
While some Social Networking sites are currently using methods to allow its registered users to facilitate its network to offer items for sale, or trade between its registered users, they are not limiting certain options in the hopes of generating a higher number of users. The present invention is designed to make trading and exchanging of personal items, services or favors more friendly and sociable while creating an environmentally conscious, "Green" scenario.
The popularity of social networking websites has been proven to be at the forefront of the internet and certain organizations around the world have had many positive effects from it, some being; assisting authorities on tracking down criminals, friends reuniting, networking, and more. The present invention is looking to change the way users socialize and communicate by offering actual tangible goods and services in exchange for other goods and services. Specific user options will eliminate the present day "Hard or Cold Sell" and give them the convenience to, most importantly, anonymously report users as well as choose not to trade or block that specific user. The concept is for users to know that whomever they choose to trade, barter, swap or exchange personal property or services with there would be an existing relationship. There would also be a level of trust and confidence by other users recommended by or to them.

Systems and methods for a website application for the purpose of trading, bartering, swapping, or exchanging personal property through a social networking environment


In a hexagonal element extraction method, a hexagonal theme region (0) for writing or inputting a subject or the theme to be given a thought is set, and hexagonal first-layer element regions (1-6) for writing or inputting elements such as subjects, action means, and the like that come into one's mind in association with the theme written in the theme region (0) are set around the theme region (0) to form a first layer. Furthermore, elements that come into one's mind in associated with those written in the first-layer element regions (1-6) are defined as new subtheme, and hexagonal subtheme regions (3-0, 5-0) for writing or inputting these subthemes are set. Hexagonal second-layer element regions (3-1, 3-2, . . . , 3-6, 5-1, 5-2, . . . , 5-6) for writing or inputting elements such as subjects, action means, and the like that come into one's mind in association with the subthemes written in the subtheme regions (3-0, 5-0) are set around the subtheme regions to form a second layer. The number of layers is increased in such procedure to hierarchically break down the elements that occur such as subjects, action means, and the like, thereby easily transforming abstract elements into concrete elements.

In recent years, various schemes for improving intellectual productivity associated with the present application have been proposed by various writings, e.g., "Mind Map" by Tony Buzzer, "KJ Method" by Jiro Kawakita, "Super Organization Method" by Yukio Noguchi, "Post-it Intellectual Production Technique" by Akira Nishimura, and the like.
Looking back into the past further, "Bones of Fish, Factorizing Projection", "Part Method", "Critical Path Method", and the like have been proposed.
However, since most of these conventional schemes ultimately assume manual systematization and organization of information, it is, in fact, hard to accelerate works, and such works are very cumbersome for users.

Information organization method, information organization sheet, and display apparatus


The present invention provides a recliner for vehicle seats. The recliner includes a gear rim, a guide plate, a lever rotating shaft, a cam, elastic members, a main control disk, locking gears and locking gear support members. The gear rim has internal gear teeth. The guide plate is coupled to the gear rim and has guide blocks thereon. The lever rotating shaft is inserted through the gear rim and the guide plate. The cam has support protrusions on both ends thereof. The elastic members are provided on the inner surface of the guide plate, and each elastic member elastically supports a first end of the corresponding support protrusion. The main control disk is coupled to the cam. Inner and outer guide holes are formed through the main control disk. The locking gears are slidably provided between the facing guide blocks, and each locking gear has a support depression. The support depression has a concave curved surface and a convex curved surface. External gear teeth are formed in each locking gear. Each locking gear support member has a first contact surface which is in close contact with the concave curved surface of the support depression, a second contact surface which is in close contact with the corresponding guide block, and an inner surface which is supported on both ends thereof by the cam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to recliners for vehicle seats and, more particularly, to a recliner which is mounted to a vehicle seat to function as a hinge for rotatably coupling a seat back to a seat cushion and enabling the angle of the seat back relative to the seat cushion to be adjusted to and stay fixed at the adjusted angle, thus providing the optimal seating posture to a user, and which is strong enough to protect the user when a vehicle collision occurs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hereinafter, a representative example of the related art and problems thereof will be explained in detail with reference to the drawing.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the construction of a conventional recliner for vehicle seats.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional recliner 1 includes a gear rim 10, a guide plate 14, a cam 12 and locking gears 13. The gear rim 10 has a receiving depression (not shown) in a first surface thereof. Internal gear teeth 102 are formed in the rim part of the receiving depression. The guide plate 14 is attached to the first surface of the gear rim 10. A plurality of guide blocks 142 protrude from a second surface of the guide plate 14. The two facing guide blocks 142 define a locking gear guide depression 141. The cam 12 is interposed between the guide plate 14 and the gear rim 10 and is fitted at the center thereof over a lever rotating shaft 2. Each locking gear 13 is inserted into the corresponding locking gear guide depression 141. External gear teeth 131 are formed in the circumferential outer surface of each locking gear 13.
In the conventional recliner 1 having the above-mentioned construction, when the lever rotating shaft 2 rotates in a clockwise direction, both ends of the cam 12 which rotates along with the lever rotating shaft 2 push the diametrically opposed inner surfaces of the locking gears 13 towards the outside of the guide plate 14. Thereby, the locking gears 13 move along the corresponding locking gear guide depressions 141, so that the external gear teeth 131 of the locking gears 13 engage with the internal gear teeth 102 of the gear rim 10, thus entering the locked state.
However, in the conventional recliner 1, because of the structural characteristics in that each locking gear 13 slides along the corresponding locking gear guide depression 141, fine gaps for ensuring the movement of the locking gear 13 are formed between both sidewalls of the locking gear 13 and the inner surfaces of the corresponding guide blocks 142 which define the locking gear guide depression 141 therebetween. Furthermore, because the locking gear 13 repeatedly slides along the locking gear guide depression 141, abrasion is induced on both sidewalls of the locking gear 13 and the inner surfaces of the guide blocks 142 because of friction therebetween. Therefore, as the number of times the recliner is used increases, gaps between the locking gear 13 and the guide blocks 142 is gradually increased, with the result that the seat back undesirably moves around the rotating shaft, thus causing inconvenience to the user.
Moreover, when external force is applied to the recliner 1, a force applied to each locking gear 13 by the external force is focused on the sidewall of one of the guide blocks 142 that are disposed on both sides of the locking gear 13. Thereby, the locking gears 13 or the guide blocks 142 are easily deformed. In the case where the locking gears 13 or the guide blocks 142 are deformed, clearance between the locking gears 13 and the guide blocks 142 is increased. Thus, the seat back moves at an undesirably large angle around the rotating shaft.
In addition, when the recliner is in the locked state, only small areas of the cam 12 are in contact with and supporting the locking gear 13. Stress is focused on the cam 12, with the result that the cam 12 is easily deformed or damaged.


A light source unit includes a light source, a connecting conductor configured to supply power to the light source, a light source housing configured to accommodate the light source and the connecting conductor. At least part of the connecting conductor is provided on a gripping portion side of the light source housing, and the light source housing includes a lid-side forming portion configured to cover the gripping portion side of the light source and the connecting conductor, and a flow channel configured to guide cooling air to a cover portion of the lid-side forming portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a projector.
2. Related Art
In the related art, a projector configured to modulate light emitted from a light source unit in accordance with image information and project the modulated light onto a projection surface such as a screen is known. In the light source unit, a discharging type light source such as an extra high pressure mercury lamp is employed in many cases, and the light source unit is configured to be demountably mountable (see JP-A-2008-176199).
The light source unit described in JP-A-2008-176199 includes a light-source lamp, a reflector, a housing configured to accommodate these members in the interior thereof, and a spring member. The reflector is supported and fixed to the housing by using the spring member. The housing is provided with a grip which is configured to be griped by a user, and the grip is gripped for mounting and demounting the light source unit on and from the projector.
JP-A-2008-176199 discloses a drawing in which the spring member is arranged in an exposed manner on the side where the grip of the light source unit is formed. Although the material of the spring member is not described in JP-A-2008-176199, it is considered to be a metal in order to secure the strength required for fixing the reflector to the housing. Although it is not described in JP-A-2008-176199, it is considered that a connecting conductor for supplying power to the light source lamp is laid at a position sufficiently away from the spring member considering a case where the user touches the spring member when mounting and demounting the light source unit.
However, in the light source unit described in JP-A-2008-176199, in order to lay the connecting conductor away from the spring member, assembly could become complex, and an excessive load could be applied to the connecting conductor when being bent at a sharp angle for wiring to a connecting portion to be connected to a power source unit.


A spear gun safety device for shielding at least one spike of a spear is provided. The safety device may include a tube assembly having a firing end and an opposing handle end, forming a barrel through the length of the tube assembly, wherein the barrel is dimensioned and adapted to house the spear, including the at least one spike, but not including a perpendicularly joined band post. The tube assembly provides an elongated notch extending from the firing end toward the handle end, wherein the elongated notch is configured to guide the band post protruding therethrough. The tube assembly provides a pair of band connectors disposed near the firing end, each band connector straddling opposing sides of the elongate notch, whereby tension bands extend from the band connectors to the band post.

The present invention relates to spear guns and, more particularly, to a safety device for band-powered spear guns that encloses the spear tip(s), but does not diminish the operation of the spear gun.
Current spear polls and spear guns always have the spear tip exposed when operable. Such tip exposure can be dangerous, leading to accidents involving the user, dive buddies or others.
As can be seen, there is a need for a safety device for band-powered spear guns that encloses the spear tip(s), but does not diminish the operation of the spear gun.


A computer-implemented method, apparatus and computer program product for gaming, the computer-implemented method performed by a computerized device, and comprising: starting a single game session for two or more players using two or more end units, wherein the two players are located at different geographic locations; receiving a game command from one of the end units; providing the game command to the game session; receiving from the game session a video stream comprising one or more video frames; and transmitting the video frames to the end units.

Traditional video games are played by a single player using a computer or a dedicated gaming environment, in which the player is challenged by the game to achieve certain goals. In some games the player is playing with, playing against, or competes with another "player", which is programmed by the game and is not related to any real player.
However, such games lack the human dimension and communication with other people, and the flexibility and originality of human thinking. This brought up the concept of multiplayer game, in which two or more players participate in the same game. The two or more players may act as competitors, rivals, partners acting against a common enemy or for achieving a common goal, supervise one another's activities, or the like. Multiplayer games thus require communication of some sort between the players, for example planning, cooperating, sharing resources, or the like.
In some embodiments of multiplayer games, for example when the participants compete, a split screen view may be displayed, in which each player may see a view of the game associated with the player's avatar, vehicle or the like, and may also see the other payer's view. For example, in a car race game, the players may see on one pane, for example the top pane of the display, the view from the driver's sit of a car associated with or controlled by the first player, such that the other car may also be seen, and on another pane the view from the driver's seat of the other car, in which the first car may also be seen.
In other embodiments, for example when the players fight each other, both players may see the same view showing their avatars fighting, with the relevant background.
Multiplayer games are provided in a number of configurations.
A first configuration relates to two or more players each using a game pad, wherein the players are co-located at the same physical location, and the game pads are connected to a single console or computer executing the game.
In another configuration, each player may be located at a different geographic location, and each may use a different console or computer executing the game. The two consoles or computers may communicate through a server which may transfer messages between the consoles or computers, for synchronizing the game, notifying each game about the actions of the other player, or the like. In some embodiments, one of the consoles or computers is the server that provides communication between the two executed games. In such configuration, the consoles or computers need to belong to the same Local Area Network (LAN), to enable this communication. As the name suggests, although the players may not be collocated in the same room, they are still required to have access to the same LAN and therefore cannot be in distant locations.
In yet another configuration, referred to as cloud gaming, the game played by each player is executed by a server which is typically remote and not specifically associated with the player or the player's network, rather than by a computing platform such as a console. Cloud games provides for higher flexibility, as the player does not have to pre-purchase the game but can rather use a pay-per-play approach, a flexible subscription, or the like.
The player in cloud gaming may use a game pad connected to an end unit which receives the video signal from the server and sends commands such as commands related to the player's actions, but does not execute the actual game. In a multiplayer game, for example when two players are playing, the end unit of each player typically communicates with a server executing the player's game. Thus, two or more servers execute the game, and may communicate via an additional server which manages the communication. Alternatively, the additional server is one of the at least two servers.
Yet another configuration relates to co-located cloud gaming, in which the players use two gamepads connected to the same end unit, such that the players see the same video, but the game is executed as one session on a remote server, rather than locally. Each of the options mentioned above has its drawbacks: in collocated gaming, whether the players connect to the same console in which case the end unit or to the same and session is executed locally or by a remote server, the players are required to be co-located, in playing over LAN the players may have to belong to the same LAN which also limits their geographic location, and in cloud gaming the game requires high resources from the servers and high communication bandwidth, thus limiting the number of simultaneous games.

System and method for multiplayer gaming


A receiving device is provided for receiving a line-shaped component. The receiving device has an arrangement region which extends in the longitudinal direction and a receiving opening which extends in the longitudinal direction for introducing the line-shaped component into the arrangement region. The receiving opening has a first opening width in a central region extending in the longitudinal direction. The first opening width is constant in the entire central region. A second opening width in at least one end region is larger than the first opening width.

The invention relates to a receiving device and, more particularly to a receiving device preferably designed for receiving a line-shaped component, such as a cable or a line, for example.
The prior art discloses holding clips for receiving line-shaped components. DE 195 47 070 A1 shows, for example, a fastening device having a holding element for a line, in particular for a fuel line of a motor vehicle, wherein the holding element has a fastening part which can be mounted in a positionally fixed manner and a clamping part which at least partially surrounds the line.
During mounting, the lines to be fastened are often manually fitted laterally into the holding clip, i.e. not parallel to the track of the holding clip. The mounting forces for the personnel are relatively high when clipping in the lines. However, the mounting forces cannot be readily reduced, since otherwise the demounting forces would become too small and there would be a risk of the lines becoming detached.
Taking the prior art as a starting point, an object to be achieved by at least some embodiments is therefore to provide a receiving device for receiving a line-shaped component, by means of which the mounting force when fitting in a line can be considerably reduced, thereby making it possible to achieve a force and time saving when mounting the line. On the other hand, the demounting force or holding force of the receiving device is intended to remain virtually unchangedly high.
According to at least one embodiment, the receiving device for receiving a line-shaped component has an arrangement region which extends in a longitudinal direction and a receiving opening which extends in the longitudinal direction and is intended for inserting the line-shaped component into the arrangement region. After inserting the line-shaped component, the latter can preferably be held in the arrangement region and bear, for example, on a surface of the receiving opening over the entire extent of the receiving opening in the longitudinal direction.
The receiving opening has a first opening width in a central region extending in the longitudinal direction, said first opening width being constant in the entire central region. The receiving opening has a second opening width in at least one end region, said second opening width being greater than the first opening width.
It can thereby be advantageously ensured that a line-shaped component can be clipped in a simple manner through the receiving opening into the receiving device without, at the same time, the holding force of the receiving device being greatly reduced.
The arrangement region of the receiving device can have, for example, the shape of an open profile. In particular, the arrangement region can have a cylindrical or part-cylindrical shape which has a center axis which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction. The cylindrical or part-cylindrical shape preferably has an inside diameter which is at least as large as the diameter of the line-shaped component to be fitted in.
According to a further embodiment, the central region has a length, in particular a length in the longitudinal direction, of at least 3.0 mm. Furthermore, the central region can have a length of at least 5.0 mm. As a result, it can be ensured that a line-shaped component inserted into the receiving device is held by a sufficiently high holding force in the arrangement region.
According to a further embodiment, the end region has a length, in particular a length in the longitudinal direction, of at least 2.0 mm. Furthermore, the end region can have a length of at least 3.0 mm. It can thereby advantageously be ensured that the fitting-in forces for inserting a line-shaped component into the arrangement region are considerably reduced.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving opening has, in a further end region which is arranged on a side of the central region facing away from the end region, a further opening width which is greater than the first opening width. As a result, a line-shaped component can be fitted in a simple manner through the receiving opening into the arrangement region by being clipped in laterally in the two end regions. The further end region can have a length of at least 2.0 mm in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the further end region can have a length of at least 3.0 mm. The central region is preferably arranged between the end region and the further end region and preferably directly adjoins the two end regions.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving opening or the opening width of the receiving opening is increased in the end region, for example starting from the central region in a direction pointing away from the central region. The receiving opening can, for example, continuously increase in the end region. Additionally or alternatively, the receiving opening can increase or continuously increase in the further end region, starting from the central region.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving opening is formed by two mutually opposite and spaced-apart guide edges or is delimited by two mutually opposite and spaced-apart guide edges. The opening width or the opening widths can be defined in particular by the distance of the guide edges from one another. The guide edges preferably each extend parallel to the longitudinal direction in the central region, the guide edges having a continuously constant distance from one another in the central region. At least one of the guide edges can enclose an opening angle with the longitudinal direction in at least one of the end regions. For example, the guide edge can enclose a constant opening angle with the longitudinal direction in the entire end region, i.e. the guide edge can, for example, have no curvature at all in the entire end region. The opening angle can be, for example, at least 4.0°. Furthermore, the guide edge can enclose a nonconstant opening angle with the longitudinal direction in the end region. Alternatively, the guide edge can have a curvature, for example in the end region or in the entire end region.
According to a further embodiment, one of the guide edges encloses an opening angle with the longitudinal direction both in the end region and the further end region. The opening angles can, for example, be constant over the entire end region or over the entire further end region. For example, the opening angles can each be at least 4.0°. Furthermore, the guide edge can have a curvature in the end region and in the further end region or in the entire end region and in the entire further end region.
At least one of the guide edges can thus have a bevel in the end regions, which bevel can have, for example, the shape of a wedge or a conical shape. Furthermore, at least one of the guide edges can have a radius in the end regions. As a result, a kind of funnel shape can be formed, for example, with the result that the line-shaped component can bend the receiving opening with a small expenditure of force in this region for example before the line-shaped component latches into the arrangement region.
According to a further embodiment, the other of the guide edges extends parallel to the longitudinal direction in the end region, in the central region and in the further end region. The other of the guide edges can in particular extend continuously parallel to the longitudinal direction. In other words, only one of the two guide edges can have an opening angle with the longitudinal direction in one of the end regions or in both end regions.
According to a further embodiment, the other of the guide edges encloses an opening angle with the longitudinal direction in the end region and in the further end region. This means that both guide edges enclose an opening angle with the longitudinal direction in the end regions and extend parallel to one another and parallel to the longitudinal direction in the central region. As a result, the fitting-in forces can be reduced particularly effectively.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device has a first insertion wing and a second insertion wing, wherein the insertion wings are each connected to one of the guide edges. The insertion wings can serve in particular as insertion aids. As a result, the fitting-in of a line-shaped component can be simplified. The insertion wings preferably have a greater distance from one another on the end portions facing away from the guide edges than on the end portions facing the guide edges.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device has a holding portion for fastening the receiving device, in particular for fastening the receiving device to a component or a profile-shaped rail. The holding portion can be connected, for example, to the arrangement region. The holding portion, the arrangement region and the insertion wings are preferably formed in one piece. The receiving device can be produced by injection-molding, for example.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device comprises a thermoplastic or consists of a thermoplastic. For example, the receiving device can comprise one of the following materials or consist of one of the following materials: polyamide, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene. The receiving device can comprise or consist of PA66, PA6, PP or POM-C, for example.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device comprises a thermoplastic with embedded reinforcing fibers or consists of a thermoplastic with embedded reinforcing fibers. For example, the receiving device can comprise or consist of polyamide with glass fibers, such as, for example, PA66 GF50.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device has a Shore hardness D of between 40 and 90. Furthermore, the receiving device can have a modulus of elasticity of between 1500 N/mm2 and 16000 N/mm2.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device is designed as a clip or as a holding clip for a line. For example, the receiving device can be designed as a holding clip for lines having a diameter of between 3.0 mm and 5.0 mm, in particular for lines having a diameter of 4.0 mm. Furthermore, the receiving device can be designed as a holding clip for lines having a diameter of greater than 5.0 mm.
The receiving device can be designed, for example, in such a way that the mounting force for fitting in a line-shaped component in the end region or in the end regions is less than the necessary mounting force for fitting in the line-shaped component in the central region. For example, the receiving device can be configured in such a way that the mounting force in the end region or in the end regions is at least 10.0 N less than in the central region. This advantageously makes it possible to achieve single-handed mounting.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device is designed in such a way that the mounting force for fitting in a line-shaped component in the region of the end regions is less than or equal to 37.0 N and the mounting force in the central region is greater than or equal to 45.0 N, in particular greater than or equal to 47.0 N. The demounting force for removing a line-shaped component from the receiving device can be, for example, greater than or equal to 48.0 N, in particular greater than or equal to 50.0 N.
According to a further embodiment, the receiving device has one or more further arrangement regions and one or more associated receiving openings for inserting line-shaped components. The arrangement region or the further arrangement regions and the associated receiving openings can have one or more features of the aforementioned embodiments. The further arrangement region or the further arrangement regions can be formed, for example, parallel to the first arrangement region. As a result, the receiving device can have a plurality of tracks for receiving a plurality of line-shaped components. The receiving device can thus be designed as a multiple clip.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Receiving device for receiving a line-shaped component

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A construction article manufactured from recycled waste materials is provided which efficiently utilizes a variety of ordinary refuse materials in providing a high-strength article. The article may be constructed of either ash as well as unburnt material filler and tack combined with a plastic binder, or alternatively metal, glass, paper and cloth may constitute the filler to be combined with the plastic binder. The plastic binder may be of a variety of polymers which may be melted to fuse the waste material together. The article is preferably provided with complimentary recesses and projections on opposite sides whereby similar articles may be combined to interlock with one another and bonded by the use of an organic solvent.

1. Field of the Invention
An improved construction article of a combination of recycled waste materials is provided which is strong, resistant to decomposition and may be combined in interlocking relationship with other similarly configured articles. In particular, the invention hereof advantageously utilizes materials such as plastic, metal, paper, polystyrene foam, and glass which have long decomposition periods and the invention thus provides a means for converting what would otherwise be solid waste into a useable article.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The solid waste problem encountered throughout the world is well-known. The conventional solution to the disposal of solid wastes is the landfill, which effectively contaminates the soil against future use and makes the surrounding area undesirable for habitation. Several solutions have been proposed for eliminating or reducing the solid waste which is deposited in landfills. One proposed solution is the use of solid waste as fuel, thereby reducing its volume and generating energy as a by-product of waste disposal.
Unfortunately, a number of types of solid waste are not effectively dealt with by ordinary combustion processes. Glass, metal, and many plastics prove unsatisfactory fuels and yield residues which still must be disposed. Also, combustion of waste materials requires an intensive capital investment and must be accompanied by satisfactory environmental controls to prevent discharge of combustion byproducts to the atmosphere. As a result, landfills remain the most common solid waste disposal method.
These materials represent some of the common constituents of what is regarded as "municipal solid waste". Municipal solid waste (MSW) has been defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as including "wastes such as durable goods, nondurable goods, containers and packaging, food wastes, yard wastes, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential, commercial, institutional and industrial sources." Examples of wastes from these categories include appliances, newspapers, clothing, food scraps, boxes, disposable tableware, office and classroom paper, wood pallets and cafeteria wastes. MSW does not include wastes from other sources, such as municipal sludges, combustion ash, and industrial non-hazardous processed wastes that might also be disposed of in municipal waste landfills or incinerators. According to 1988 nationwide figures, MSW includes the following constituents by weight:
______________________________________ Constituent Percent Tons in Millions ______________________________________ Paper 40% 71.8 Yard Wastes 17.6% 31.6 Metals 8.5% 15.3 Glass 7.0% 12.5 Plastics 8.0% 14.4 Other 11.6% 20.8 Food Wastes 7.4% 13.2 ______________________________________
A separate problem encountered by contractors has been the need for a low-cost construction article which can be used in low-stress environments. Contractors most often purchase new materials made of concrete for retaining walls, parking lot stops, and other applications where lesser materials than brick, cement or concrete would often suffice. These new materials are often relatively costly and require additional quarries for obtaining the raw materials.
There has thus developed a need for a low-cost, relatively high-strength material which could be used in construction environments. There has additionally developed a need for alternatives to landfill disposal of solid wastes.

Construction article from waste materials and method of making the same


An arrangement for detachably fixing a guide blade segment that forms part of a transition channel of an aircraft gas turbine comprises high-pressure and low-pressure turbines. The arrangement has a groove-hook-type connection in the front area of the outer platform of the guide blade segment for its radial fixation and at least one pin that penetrates the hook-groove-type connection for securing it against rotation of the guide blade segment.

This invention relates to an arrangement for fixing a guide blade segment that forms part of a transition channel.
Modern aircraft gas turbines frequently comprise a so-called core engine with a high-pressure turbine having a relatively small diameter, which is arranged downstream from a low-pressure turbine having a relatively large diameter. This creates the necessity of transitioning the ring channel, which extends through the gas turbine and is equipped with guide blades, behind the high-pressure turbine from its small diameter to the large diameter of the low-pressure turbine, which occurs with the aid of a so-called transition channel.
Such engines furthermore have high bypass ratios and low speeds of the low-pressure turbine shaft, which is generally separated in relation to the high-pressure turbine shaft; moreover the urgency exists to design the core engines in an increasingly compact and powerful manner, which leads to increasingly longer axially extending transition channels with greater differences between the radii of the channel cross-sections that need to be taken into consideration.
Such an arrangement, which is called a "transition duct sealing device", is known from German publication DE 37 00 668 A1. The inner wall (16) of the transition duct consists of several segments (18), which are screwed together with the inner shrouds (20) of the guide blade clusters (22). Additional, cone-shaped parts (34, 42) with seal elements (40, 70) are screwed to the segments (18). The screw connection between the rear cone (42) and the segments (18) permits limited relative axial and radial movements, with the cone (42) comprising slots (46), in which bolts (32) are guided with some play. Hence the guide blade clusters (22) bear the segments (18) and the cones (34, 42), and no information is provided on the fastening of the guide blade clusters (22) on the outer turbine housing.
German publication DE 24 35 071 C1 protects a stator blade for a gas turbine jet engine, i.e. a guide vane. The guide vane (20) is located on the downstream end of the combustion device (12) upstream from a turbine rotor stage (16) of the high-pressure turbine. Due to the high gas temperatures directly behind the combustion chamber, the guide vane (20) has an air-cooled design. The pressure of the cooling air is also used to stabilize and align the multi-part blade design during operation. Hence, no integral, inherently stable guide blade segments exist.
British document GB 2 260 789 A relates to an arrangement for fixing guide blade segments. The guide blade segments (10) are fastened to the turbine housing and guided only via their outer platform, i.e. their outer band (12). For this purpose each band (12) contains on the upstream end a flange (30) that is hook-shaped in its longitudinal section. The flange is supported on one side radially on a housing part (32). On the downstream end each band (12) is equipped with a support member (26), a hook (22) and a land (24). Each support member (26) engages in the circumferential direction into the recess (24) of the adjoining guide blade segment (10). Between the support member (26), recess (24), and hook (22), a small free space remains, in which a stud (28) that is attached to the housing engages in an axial fashion. The area assumes a radial fixation as well as a rotational prevention function in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the bands here rest axially on a housing component (18). In the area of the guide elements (22, 24, 26, 28), the design is relatively complex as well problematic from a stability point of view.
This is where the invention comes in, the object of which is to create an inexpensive, easy-to-mount and well-sealing arrangement that is at the same time, weight-saving, for the attachment of a guide blade segment that forms part of a transition channel.
This object is achieved pursuant to the invention.
The design pursuant to the invention has a series of advantages. For example, a simple and safely functioning seal of the guide blade segments on the inside and outside, and thus to the disk area between the high-pressure and low-pressure turbine, is possible through the straight surface contact between the bars and bearing surfaces of the housing and the bearing pedestal. Through the groove-hook-type connection in the front area of the outer platform of the guide blade segment, these are held radially in the turbine housing in a safe and permanent fashion and are fixed in the circumferential direction by means of the pins engaging in the groove-hook-type connection. The bearing area located on the turbine housing for accommodating the guide blade segment can at the same time serve as a bearing area for a channel segment of the transition channel engaging likewise on the bearing surface so that the mounted guide blade segment of the transition channel is a locking element for the channel segment arranged upstream.
The arrangement pursuant to the invention of the grooves on the groove-hook-type connection on the housing and the arrangement of the hooks on the outside platform part of the channel segment enables a simple and accurate production of these parts, leading to significant weight and cost advantages.
The invention is described in the following based on an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings in a more or less diagrammatic fashion.

Guide blade fixture in a flow channel of an aircraft gas turbine


A roll cleaning brush (21) for application to a rotating roll (12) includes an elongate brush element holder (24), a plurality of brush elements (25) each including a brush element base (26) and brush bristles (27) projecting from the base (26). Brush elements (25) are held by the brush element holder (24) in an array extending along the holder so that the bristles (27) form a substantially continuous brush tip for application to a roll to be cleaned but so that the brush elements are independently movable transversely of the holder to allow the tip to vary in shape to conform to the roll surface to be cleaned. Brush element holder (24) is formed with a longitudinally extending open mouthed channel (28), and brush element bases (26) are captive within the channel such that the bristles project from the mouth of the channel but are movable toward and away from the open mouth of the channel. An elongate resiliently compressible pneumatic tube (31) extends along the root of the channel ( 28) between the brush element bases (26) and the holder (24) to bias the brush element bases (26) toward the mouth of the channel (28).

It is known to use twin roll casters for continuous casting of metal strip. In a twin roll casting process hot metal is introduced between a pair of contrarotated horizontal casting rolls which are cooled so that metal shells solidify on the moving roll surfaces and are brought together at the nip between them to produce a solidified strip product at the outlet from the roll nip. The hot metal may be introduced into the nip between the rolls via a tundish and a metal delivery nozzle located beneath the tundish so as to receive a flow of metal from the tundish and to direct it into the nip between the rolls.
In order to prevent accumulation of metal oxides and slags or other contaminants on the roll surfaces, cleaning devices such as brushes or cleaning belts may be applied to the outer longitudinal sides of the rolls so that the roll surfaces are continuously cleaned before moving into contact with the molten metal in advance of the nip. One apparatus of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication J03230849-A of Nippon Steel Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries KK. In this apparatus two sets of divided roller brushes are applied to the peripheral surface of each chilled casting roll with the brushes of one set being staggered with respect to those of the other set to provide a brushing action across the complete width of the casting roll. Japanese Patent Publication J63207450-A also of Nippon Steel Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries KK also discloses a twin roll caster in which the casting rollers are cleaned by roller brushes.
Problems in maintaining adequate contact between cleaning roller brushes or belts and the chilled casting rollers can arise due to thermal expansion and contraction of the rolls during the casting process which can result in a change to the shape of the roll surface. More particularly, an initially cylindrical roll may become noncylindrical so as to have a concave curvature or alternatively a convex or hogged configuration. The result is that the cleaner cannot be applied to the roll with even pressure throughout its length and may even lose contact with some parts of the roll surface, leading to an impaired cleaning action. The brush of the present invention enables this problem to be substantially overcome.

Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.


A method of certifying a host-identification mapping extension included in a digital certificate, the digital certificate issued and signed by a specific certification authority. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method includes assigning a trust value for each certification authority included in a set of certification authorities. A digital certificate containing the host-identification mapping extension therein is received, with the host-identification mapping extension further containing a plurality of identification attributes therein. The plurality of identification attributes are evaluated, along with the trust value assigned to the specific certification authority issuing the digital certificate. A determination is then made, based upon the plurality of identification attributes and the trust value, as to whether the host-mapping extension is to be certified.

PKI, or Public Key Infrastructure, is a set of operating system and application services that supports public key cryptography. Public key cryptography is an important technology for e-commerce, internet, intranet and other applications requiring "distributed security" (i.e., security in which the participants are not part of the same network and have no common security credentials). Specifically, public key cryptography provides two fundamental operations: encryption and signing. By encrypting electronic data, the goal is for the data to be read only by the intended party. With public key cryptography, a sender can encrypt a message using the specific public key corresponding to the receiver. In turn, only the receiver (using his or her private key) can decrypt the message.
On the other hand, signing is used to authenticate the identity of another party. Again, public key cryptography is involved, but in this instance a message may be encrypted by a sender's private key. Anyone can decrypt the message with the sender's corresponding public key, but the identity of the sender is established because the message could only have been encrypted by the sender's private key.
Public keys are typically packaged as digital certificates, which contain the public key, as well a set of other attributes such as the keyholder's name, what the keyholder is allowed to do, and under what circumstances the certificate is valid. The X.509 v3 digital certificate is an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard defining the format and content of digital certificates. The keyholder's attributes are cryptographically bound to the public key because the certificate is digitally signed by a Certificate Authority (CA) that issued it. The CA, or issuer, is a trusted entity associated with the keyholder; thus, the certificate's authenticity and correctness is vouched for by the issuer's signature.
In certain instances, however, the subject or keyholder identity carried in the digital certificate may not exactly match the keyholder's identity on a particular host system. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of an X.509 v3 digital certificate 10 and an exemplary system registry 12 for a host server. As can been seen from the subject identity 14 included in the digital certificate, the particular formatting thereof does not correspond to the subject identity 16 in the system registry, even though they are one and the same. In order to establish authorization and gain access, therefore, a flexible means has been developed to associate additional attributes to a digital certificate, in addition to the standard attributes. A host-identity mapping extension enables the coupling of a X.509 v3 digital certificate to a host application server. The host-identity mapping extension may include additional attributes therein to provide proof of identity possession (PIP). For instance, the PIP field can include the password which corresponds to the identity on the host server. If the password and user id are properly accompanied by an appropriate signature, then access to a host server may be achieved.
However, host-identity mapping extensions used in digital certificates are not without drawbacks. This is particularly the case when dealing with an external or third party CA. If the CA is run by an organization outside the host system, then the authenticating secret (password) is exposed to an outside agency which may not necessarily be trustworthy. If the integrity of the CA is compromised, then the password could be used to impersonate the keyholder on the host system. Yet, if the password is not embedded in the extension, the host server must then rely upon the CA to be trustworthy enough to verify the validity of the subject id, without proof of possession. It may be appropriate for the host system to honor the host-identity mapping extension of a digital certificate if the certificate is issued by a local CA, but not honor the extension if the certificate is issued by a public or third party CA. Because most PKIs understand only a binary trust value as applied to CAs (i.e., "trusted" or "not trusted"), the digital signature coupling with host identities can be problematic.

Password exposure elimination for digital signature coupling with a host identity

International Business Machines Corporation


A system and computer program for controlling screen focus for files and applications during presentations provides for protection of information in a computer-generated presentation setting and prevention of interruption of a presentation by unwanted computer activity. A list is built of applications and files for which screen access is permitted during the presentation. Upon an indication that the presentation is active, when an application or file is about to obtain screen focus, the list is checked to determine whether access is permitted for the file or application. If the application or file is should not have the focus, execution of an application or opening of a file is blocked, or screen focus is denied to windows generated in conjunction with application or file. The indication that the presentation is active may be the connection of a particular display type (e.g., a projector) or the use of a certain display port.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to computer systems and operating system/application software, and more particularly to a method and system that prevent the display of undesirable information during a computer-generated presentation.
2. Description of Related Art
General-purpose computer systems are commonly used for providing computer-generated presentations. The typical set-up used to provide such presentations is a liquid-crystal-display (LCD) projector having a video graphics adapter (VGA) port attached to a notebook computer system, typically the notebook computer system used personally by the presenter.
The aforementioned set-up permits a presenter to develop and transport a presentation to a remote site, such as a lecture hall, with the assurance that the presentation is under the control of the presenter with respect to both content and operability.
However, there are several conditions that might interrupt or compromise a presentation. The presenter may activate other programs or open files as part of the presentation, in order to make side points or to supplement the presentation. If the presenter accidentally activates an unintended file or program, information displayed as a result may result in the exposure of sensitive data, cause embarrassment, or in the least part will interrupt the flow of the presentation.
Further, automatic response of programs or operating systems facilities may cause interruption of a presentation. In particular, pop-up applications serving Internet communications such as instant messaging applications, may gain screen focus and control of user input during a presentation, which is highly undesirable. With the advent of widespread wireless local-area-network (WLAN) connectivity, it is even more likely that such problems will occur, as the presenter would have to disable the WLAN connection or any programs or services that might become active in response to a network request. The presenter would then have to re-enable the disabled features when the presentation was complete. Such reconfiguration is inconvenient and susceptible to human error.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method and system for preventing interruption and/or display of undesired information during computer-generated presentations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and computer program for controlling screen focus for files and applications during presentations


A method and system for presenting a multimedia title that is based on a multi-node structure while preferring nodes with a relatively spare visit history over nodes that have a relatively frequent visit history.. For a multimedia title that is based on an information structure with a finite number of information nodes, first an entry point to the structure is presented to a user. Further, user visits as pertaining to specific nodes are logged, and a visit history of certain nodes is indicated to a user. In particular, the indicating prefers to present nodes with a relatively spare visit history over nodes that have a relatively frequent visit history.

The invention relates to a method for presenting to a user a multimedia title that is based on an information structure comprising a finite number of information nodes, said method comprising the steps of:
presenting an entry point to said information structure, PA1 logging user visits as pertaining to specific said nodes, PA1 and indicating to a user a visit history of one or more particular nodes.
EP 551 696 A1 describes a hypertext display system wherein within an actual presentation window, various linking items have their actual visit history indicated. This history would allow the actual user to choose whether past preferences should be followed again, or rather avoided. The reference indicates the visit history of the various nodes in an indiscriminate manner and in particular restricts its presenting to exclusively on the actual display level. The present inventors have experienced that often the information structure of a multimedia title is so complex that user persons tend to loose track and overlook the visiting of particular unvisited, yet interesting nodes. The complexity is caused by the often great number of nodes, as well as by the various different characters of respective nodes.

Method and system for presenting a multimedia title that is based on a multi-node structure while preferring nodes with a relatively spare visit history over nodes that have a relatively frequent visit history


A frequency independent strong signal suppressor comprised of an amplitude dependent voltage standing wave ratio device for receiving and substantially absorbing incident radio frequency signals characterized by amplitudes greater than a predetermined threshold and substantially reflecting signals characterized by amplitudes less than the threshold, such that strong signals are absorbed and thereby suppressed while weak signals are reflected for reception by an external signal processing device.

Various types of radio frequency signal processing devices, such as Instantaneous Frequency Measurement (IFM) receivers or Digital Frequency Discriminators (DFDs), have been developed to detect specific RF signals in dense signal environments characteristic of electronic warfare. It is well known from the field of Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) to transmit a relatively weak information signal, (e.g. Radar) in the presence of a strong jamming signal having the same frequency as the information signal. Thus, ECM systems are designed to render extraction of the information signals extremely difficult, without knowing the jamming signal frequency.
Electronic Support Measurement (ESM) devices have been developed for extracting such relatively weak information signals in the presence of a strong jamming signal. One prior art approach consists of using a band-stop (or notch) filter for separating the information and jamming signals on the basis of small frequency differences therebetween. The band-stop filter is tuned to the frequency of the strong jamming signal, thereby attenuating it and allowing extraction of the information signal.
Obviously, this prior art approach requires a predetermined minimal amount of frequency separation between the jamming and information signals in order to attenuate the former without attenuating the latter. Thus, the previous approach suffers from two main disadvantages. Firstly, attenuation of the strong jamming signal is frequency dependent, such that in the event the frequency separation between the jamming and information signals is not sufficiently large with respect to the filter bandwidth, the information signal will suffer a certain amount of attenuation. Therefore, in the event the information and jamming signal frequencies are identical, the prior art approach cannot be used. Secondly, in the event the frequency of the strong jamming signal is unknown, the ESM device must first measure the jamming frequency and then tune the filter. Most ECM systems transmit jamming and information signals at a continuously variable frequency, according to a pseudorandom pattern, making frequency detection prior to filter tuning extremely difficult.

Frequency independent strong signal suppressor


Systems, methods and computer readable media comprising a virtual exercise board, which is represented by images on the screen of a pad device; wearable devices configured to attach to each shoe of a user and to collect and transmit touch data to the pad device; cameras for tracking movement and calibrating with the data collected by the wearable devices; and computer programs for collecting user data, processing user data, and generating outputs. In embodiments, features include augmented reality; ratings of performance; automated workouts/protocols; real-time progress bar; multi-location database capabilities; and reports.

The inventor previously developed a system for physical training using a particular type of sensor board. This system is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0224708A1 (Martin), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and is marketed as the QUICK BOARD® system. The QUICK BOARD® system uses a pad that has five target sensors. A computer system interacts with the pad and a display panel to receive inputs from the user and to transmit instructions to the display panel for use in performing athletic training and physical therapy exercises.
The QUICK BOARD® system has had great success improving the performance of athletes and with rehabilitating patient's suffering from Parkinson's and other conditions. For example, one study concluded that the system increased a training group's agility in a laser timed, change-of-direction drill. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (22(6): 1901-1907, November 2008).
Despite the success of the QUICK BOARD® system, the inventor has identified areas for improving the QUICK BOARD® system, including improving upon the teachings of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0224708A1.


A lens unit in which at least one of a subject side lens group and an image side lens group is moved toward an image side to be retracted along an optical axial direction, including a subject side lens group supporting frame to support the subject side lens group, an image side lens group supporting frame to support the image side lens group, a guide member to guide the image side lens group supporting frame from a predetermined position on the subject side to the image side by a predetermined length in parallel to an optical axis, and a moving and displacing device to move the image side lens group supporting frame from the predetermined position on the subject side to the image side by length longer than the predetermined length in parallel to the optical axis, and displace the image side lens group supporting frame from an optical path.

The present invention relates to a lens unit used for a camera, and in particular, to the lens unit which is retractable to become compact while carried, and to a camera having the same lens unit.
In the past, a great number of compact cameras which users can more easily carry, are well known, wherein the lens unit protrudes for photographing, and retracts to a compact size for not photographing.
However, even though the lens unit is retracted along the optical axis to minimize the clearance between each lens, it is impossible to retract the lens unit to less than the summation of the thickness of all lenses and the retracted clearance between adjacent lenses. In order to overcome this problem, proposed is a specific lens and an image pickup device which are moved out of the optical axis, and other lens groups are retracted along the optical axis so that the thickness of the lens unit is reduced when the lens unit is retracted.
As such cameras, disclosed is one in which the image pick up device is moved out of the optical path, and the lens groups are retracted along the optical axis, or another camera is disclosed which incorporates a lens unit whose backmost lens group and image pickup device are integrally moved from the optical path. (Patent Documents 1 and 2)
Further, disclosed is a camera wherein among three lens groups within the lens units, the third lens group as the backmost is used for focusing and is pivoted 180 degrees about a supporting shaft for the movement, while the first and the second lens groups are retracted along the optical axis (Patent Document 3).    [Patent Document 1] Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 11-258676    [Patent Document 2] Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 11-109203    [Patent Document 3] Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 2003-149723
Concerning cameras using an image pickup device, the size of the surface of the image pickup device is about ⅓-½ inches, which is less than the film frame of a camera using silver film. Accordingly, though the maximum aperture F of an image capturing lens of the camera using the image pickup device is already very small, the camera can be downsized still further. However, due to this, the tolerable error margins of the image capturing lens becomes dramatically less than the conventional silver halide cameras.
The cameras disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 feature a method in which the image pickup device is moved for focusing, and it is very difficult to correctly determine the stopping position of the image pickup device along the optical axis with high repeatability. When the optical axial position of the image pickup device fluctuates, the focusing lenses cannot be reliably controlled, which is of course unacceptable.
In order to move the lens groups outside the optical axis, the camera disclosed in Patent Document 3 features a method in which a specific gear is mounted on an arm section of the lens frame, another gear engaging the specific gear is driven so that the lens group rotates about a shaft passing through the arm section, and thereby, the lens group is moved. According to this structure, a specific actuator is employed so that the lens group, which is to be moved outside the optical axis, can be driven for focusing along the optical axis. To employ two actuators, the mechanical space must be enlarged whereby the production cost increases, and additionally, there remains the major problem of determining the optical axial position of the lens group being moved.

Lens unit and a camera incorporating the same lens unit