A system and method of triggering data capture in a high-speed communications network is disclosed. The triggering system enables the capture of desired data from the network according to triggers related to high-level statistical and transactional elements of the data. The triggering system includes a statistics engine that analyzes network data at the line speed of the high-speed network, thereby enabling the present system to trigger on data transmitted via networks with line speeds exceeding 1 Gbit per second. The present system preferably comprises a portion of a protocol analyzer or similar device in order to detect and diagnose problem conditions existing in or relating to the network data.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to communications networks. More particularly, the present invention is directed to the use of statistical measures of network traffic to trigger equipment in real time.
2. The Related Technology
A protocol analyzer ("PA") is a fundamental and highly useful tool for testing and debugging various types of communications networks, including computing and computer storage networks, such as a storage area network ("SAN"). A PA operates by capturing selected portions of data from a data stream that is transmitted via the communications network. The captured information may then be analyzed by the PA to extract desired information. For instance, data transmission faults or errors, or performance errors, known generally as problem conditions, may be diagnosed by examining the captured data that is related to the problem. Thus it is seen that, in order to properly diagnose and correct problem conditions in a communications network, one must capture the data relating to the condition.
A PA uses triggers to direct the capture of the desired data in order to detect and diagnose the problem condition. In operation, the PA continually captures consecutive batches of data from the data stream. This captured data is temporarily stored in a capture buffer, where the data remains for a certain length of time before being overwritten by subsequent batches of captured data. Essentially, a trigger is a command that, if actuated, directs the PA to retain in the capture buffer a selected portion of the data stream intercepted from the communications network, thus preventing it from being overwritten and enabling the data to be further analyzed at a later time. This process is generally known as "triggering."
A trigger is typically programmed to trigger data retention based on the detected presence of a trigger condition. A trigger condition is a condition contained in or associated with the data stream that, when present, causes the PA to trigger. As already mentioned, the triggering by the PA causes it to retain a specified portion of the data stream in the capture buffer for later analysis. For example, known PAs are programmed to trigger based on discrete events as defined by a specific bit pattern present in the data stream, such as a specific SCSI command frame. If a bit pattern in the data that is processed by the PA matches the desired command frame bit pattern programmed as the trigger, the PA is triggered and that portion of the data stream is captured by the PA for later analysis. Triggers are typically programmed into the hardware or software of the PA. One of the key attributes of triggering is latency. The PA must be triggered while the data which caused the trigger is still in the capture buffer. This requires the detection of the trigger to occur at a rate approximate to the rate at which data is entering the buffer.
Though the above triggering scheme may sometimes yield the desired results, several problems nonetheless exist. For example, the correct choice and characterization of a trigger to capture a desired portion of the data stream is difficult. Indeed, in order to correctly program a trigger into the PA, a user must know many low level details about the communication protocol entities (e.g. frame formats) in order to know what specific bit pattern to set the trigger to find. This requires in depth knowledge of the nature of the physical and logical protocols of the data stream sent over the communications network. However, as communications networks such as computing and computer storage networks come into more common use, many operators in charge of such networks do not have the requisite knowledge to properly set triggers in order to detect and capture the needed information so as to be able to decipher, detect, and correct problem conditions related to the data stream. As a result, poorly chosen triggers are used, which fails to capture the data necessary for actual problem resolution. This situation can greatly extend the time needed to resolve the problem conditions.
Furthermore, some problem conditions, such as a related sequence of discrete events, or a transactional exchange between network components, cannot be captured by triggering schemes that are based on the simple, bit pattern matching described above. This results in a broad range of problem conditions that are uncapturable based on current triggering techniques.
Another problem has recently developed with respect to the proper triggering and capturing of desired data. Capturing the correct data from the communications network data stream has been made more difficult with the development and increasing use of high-speed network communications equipment and systems that are capable of transmitting information at rates exceeding one and two gigabits ("Gbit") per second. As mentioned above, the PA continually feeds batches of data from the data stream into a capture buffer. This data remains in the capture buffer until overwritten by subsequent batches of data from the data stream, or until a specified trigger is activated, at which point the buffer contents are retained in the capture buffer and the capture of further data from the data stream is terminated. However, in the case of high speed communications networks that transmit at rates exceeding one and two Gbits/second, the PA may not be able to acquire and process incoming data packets fast enough in order to trigger the capture of desired data packets before they are overwritten by new, incoming data in the buffer. In other words, by the time the PA has processed the data and activated the trigger, the desired data packets that were temporarily held in the buffer have already been overwritten by subsequent incoming batches of data from the high speed data stream. This delay between triggering and capturing the desired data is exacerbated if the trigger code is software-based as opposed to hardware or firmware-based. In such a case, the buffer has often already overwritten the data of interest by the time the software has processed and activated the trigger. Moreover, data received from a high-speed communications network fills up the buffer faster than data from a relatively lower-speed network, thus further exacerbating the problem of adequate data capture with known triggering systems.
A need therefore exists for a PA or associated apparatus that enables triggering based upon parameters that are easily determined by end users who are not intimately familiar with the in-depth characteristics of data traffic and protocol typical of high-speed communications networks. Such an apparatus should also enable triggering on a different and wider range of traffic characteristics than what is currently possible with known systems. A further need exists for a PA that possesses this trigger capability while operating at the line speed of high-speed communications networks so as to avoid the loss of captured data as a result of latency between the triggering and overwriting of data within the buffer.

System and method for triggering communications data capture


There is provided a structure for connecting a wiring member to a bus bar in which smooth connection is enabled while ensuring high reliability. In an end portion of a bus bar, a soldering portion which is smaller in cross-sectional area than the bus bar is formed. A connection projecting piece which is raised up in a pin-like manner is formed on the soldering portion. The connection projecting piece is passed through a connection hole which is formed in a connection end of a branch wiring portion of a wiring member configured by a flexible printed circuit board. The connection projecting piece which is passed through the connection hole is soldered to a circuit pattern.

As eco-friendly vehicles, electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles are being increasingly used. On such a vehicle, a power supply apparatus configured by battery assemblies in each of which a plurality of batteries are stacked on one another is mounted.
In order to connect in series the battery assemblies configured by stacking in alternately opposite directions, the batteries of the power supply apparatus are connected to one another by bus bars each having two holes through which electrodes (terminals) of adjacent batteries are passed through, respectively, and, in order to detect the voltage of each battery, a signal line which is connected to each bus bar to output the voltage of the battery to the outside is wired to the bust bar (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Connection structure for a wiring member


In a developing apparatus provided with developer container attaching and detaching means that makes a developer container attachable to and detachable from a developing device, inadvertent operation preventing means is provided that disables, when the developing apparatus is detached from an image forming apparatus main body, operation of the developer container attaching and detaching means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing apparatus and a developer container provided in image forming apparatuses such as copiers, facsimiles, and printers, and an image forming apparatus provided therewith.
2. Description of Related Art
There have conventionally been proposed various image forming apparatuses provided with a developing device (hereinafter referred to as a developer unit) that is detachably fitted to an apparatus main body and a developer container (hereinafter referred to as a toner cartridge) that is detachably fitted to the developer unit (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-146366).
In such an image forming apparatus, detaching the developer unit with the toner cartridge connected thereto from the apparatus main body has an advantage in preventing spattering and leakage of toner, because this eliminates the trouble of reshielding a portion at which the developer unit and the toner cartridge connect together.
However, the problem here is that, due to the easiness of connecting the developer unit and the toner cartridge together, there is a possibility that the toner cartridge comes off and falls to the ground if the connection release mechanism is touched unconsciously when the developer unit is carried about.
On the other hand, there is a possibility that foreign matters enter a toner feed port, a drive member, and the like when the developer unit, having the toner cartridge completely detached therefrom, is left untouched. In that case, when the developer unit is refitted to the image forming apparatus main body so as to obtain an image, there is a possibility of causing degradation in image quality, abnormal sounds, and what is worse, a breakdown of the apparatus.
In view of the conventionally experienced problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a developing apparatus that can prevent a toner cartridge from inadvertently coming off a developer unit if the developing apparatus is in a state detached from a main body of an image forming apparatus.

Developing apparatus, developer container, and image forming apparatus


One object of the present invention is to provide a drug that is effective in treatments for and prevention of psychiatric disorders and in treatments for and prevention of neurological diseases, inhibiting a Group II metabotropic glutamate receptor.

In recent years, successive clonings of glutamate receptor genes have revealed that glutamate receptors have a surprisingly large number of subtypes. At present, glutamate receptors are classified into two major groups: an "ionotropic type in which the receptor has a ion channel type structure" and a "metabotropic type in which the receptor is coupled with G-protein" (see Science, 258, p. 597-603, 1992 (Non-Patent Document 1 mentioned below)). The ionotropic glutamate receptors are classified pharmacologically into three sub-groups: N-methyl-D-asparaginic acid (NMDA); α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA); and kainate (see Non-Patent Document 1). The metabotropic glutamate receptors are classified into eight sub-groups from type 1 to type 8 (see J. Neurosci., 13, p. 1372-1378, 1993 (Non-Patent Document 2 mentioned below), and Neuropharmacol., 34, p. 1-26, 1995 (Non-Patent Document 3 mentioned below)).
The metabotropic glutamate receptors are classified pharmacologically into three groups. Of these, the Group II receptors (mGluR2/mGluR3) bind with adenylcyclase, and inhibit the Forskolin stimulated accumulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) (see Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 14, 13, 1993 (Non-Patent Document 4 mentioned below)). Thus, it is suggested that compounds, which antagonize the action of Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, will be effective for the treatment and prevention of acute and chronic psychiatric disorders and neurological diseases.
LIST OF RELATED DOCUMENTSNon-Patent Document 1:Science, 258, p. 597-603, 1992Non-Patent Document 2:J. Neurosci., 13, p. 1372-1378, 1993Non-Patent Document 3:Neuropharmacol., 34, p. 1-26, 1995Non-Patent Document 4:Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 14, p. 13, 1993
The object of the present invention is to provide a drug that antagonizes the action of Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, and would be effective for the treatment and prevention of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety and related ailments thereof, depression, bipolar disorder and epilepsy, and also effective for the treatment and prevention of neurological diseases such as drug dependence, cognitive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's chorea, Parkinson's disease, dyskinesia associated with muscular rigidity, cerebral ischaemia, cerebral failure, myelopathy and head trauma.

Abstract: The object is solved by a 2-amino-bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid derivative represented by formula [I]:

Abstract: (wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different, and each represents a hydrogen atom, C1-10alkyl group, etc; X represents a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom; and Y represents an amino group, —SR3, —S(O)nR7, —SCHR3R4, —S(O)nCHR3R4, —NHCHR3R4, —N(CHR3R4)(CHR5R6), —NHCOR3 or —OCOR7), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof and so on.


The invention provides a roof bolt installation tool which has a central drill bit. A plate surrounds the central drill bit and has radial drill bits attached to it so that when the central drill bit rotates, the plate rotates. A boot surrounds the plate and is rotationally isolated from the plate and central drill bit. When the drill bit cuts a central bore into a mine roof, the radial drill bits cut a recess having a horizontal surface. A roof bolt and support plate are installed such that the bolt is inserted in the central bore and the support plate abuts the horizontal surface.

In mine work, such as salt or coal mining, or in underground construction, such as tunnels or other excavations, it is necessary to support the roof of the excavation to prevent cave-ins. Among the most common means presently in use for effecting such support are roof bolts, which are inserted into bore holes and hold a metal support plate against the roof surface.
Prior art reveals two types of roof bolt installations. In the first, the support plate is installed dome-side facing the floor and the flat-side against the roof surface. The installation suffers from a serious drawback. The roof surface is generally not horizontal, but has undulations in its surface. The support plate is therefore not flush against the roof, and provides less than optimal support. When the plate is not horizontal, stresses on the support plate and bolt are uneven, resulting a weaker support system, and possible failure of the plate or bolt. Also, in some mines the strata shift horizontally. When the surface of the roof in the vicinity of the plate is uneven, there is a greater chance that horizontal shifting will cause bolt failure by preventing movement of the bolt.
In the second, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,052,353 and 7,708,087, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference, a concave surface is drilled into the roof and the domed-side of the support plate is inserted into the concave recess. This installation method provides less than optimal support. The dome in the support plate provides structural integrity to the support plate. However, when the dome is facing the roof, there is a greater chance that the vertical pressure on the support plate will crush the dome.
A roof bolt installation tool and installation method is needed which overcomes these deficiencies of the prior art.


A support system architecture for use in a communications network environment enabling automatic provisioning, change in service, and maintenance at a plurality of subscriber locations. A gateway allows communication between a plurality of programmer providers and a network provider including status information for each of the plurality of subscriber locations. A customer management system in communication with the gateway determines whether service at a subscriber location can be remotely provisioned or changed based on the status information. A service control manager in communication with the customer management system automatically provisions or performs a change in the service of the subscriber location if the service of the subscriber location can be remotely provisioned or changed. A dispatch system in communication with the customer management system automatically schedules work activity to provision the subscriber location or perform a change in service at the subscriber location if the service of the subscriber location cannot be remotely provisioned or changed. A network status monitoring system is also provided in communication with the dispatch system and a plurality of network elements for monitoring a status of each of the network elements and automatically notifying the dispatch system of any faults detected in the network elements.

Telecommunications networks have become essential to the day-to-day activities of the enterprise and individuals. Many corporations, agencies, universities, and other institutions now rely on voice, data, and video services to ensure their growth and survival. This trend continues to accelerate as personal communications services (PCS), LAN-to-LAN interconnectivity, image file transfer, and other innovative services are developed and are standardized throughout the operation of the enterprise.
Network management is an important part of telecommunications. It includes operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning functions required to provide, monitor, interpret, and control the network and the services it carries. These functions provide operating telephone companies and their corporate customers and end users with efficient means to manage their resources and services to achieve objectives. There are many different approaches and strategies taken by operating telephone companies, equipment vendors, and users to manage their networks and equipment. Management solutions are often specific to each vendor's networking product environment.
A known prior art network management architecture consists of two layers, the Operational Support System (OSS) layer and an elemental layer. The elemental layer consists of units that implement management commands, detect problems and provide autonomous activities (e.g., protection switching, diagnostics, etc.). This architecture, however, has many disadvantages. First, new elements cannot be added to the network without requiring system changes to support the functionality that the elements offered. Second, changes in the systems that are required to accommodate the addition of new elements are slow to develop due to their size and complexity. Changes have to be prioritized with other changes that are determined to be equally important or critical which delay the introduction of the element capabilities. System changes are expensive and require extensive testing to determine the impact of the change on other system features or element support functions. Third, replacement of the systems is difficult because of the many unique, customized functions that the systems perform for the elements. The only effective replacement for a system is a system that acts the same as the system being replaced.
In developing a network management architecture that overcomes the inefficiency, costliness, and complexity of an existing environment, it is essential to address key service, technical, and business aspects. Key service aspects include enabling rapid new service deployment within both the network and network management system environments and promoting faster service activation. Management or operations systems must be flexible and have a distributed, modular architecture that allows service providers to adapt to future customer needs.
Key business aspects include reducing operations costs, enhancing the flexibility of the operations, administration, maintenance and provisioning environment, and providing services in a competitive, timely manner. Cost reduction can be addressed by simplifying the network, integrating and simplifying operations processes and functions, eliminating redundant databases. Flexibility can be enhanced by incorporating more intelligence into network elements so as to create a functionally based structure that addresses a variety of services and technologies.
Thus, a need exists for a configuration, accounting, service and network management architecture that integrates provisioning, maintenance and change in service functions with network status monitoring and field technician work assignments which enables system changes reflecting service needs and changes to be implemented quickly with reduced expenses and complexity.

Support system architecture for use in a communications network environment enabling automatic provisioning, change in service and maintenance


An object of the present invention is to provide compounds having potent antitumor activity. The compounds according to the present invention are compounds represented by formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives which have antitumor activity. More particularly, the present invention relates to quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives which are therapeutically effective for diseases such as tumor, diabetic retinopathy, chronic rheumatism, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, and Kaposi's sarcoma.
2. Background Art
WO 97/17329, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 328782/1997, and WO 00/43366 describe quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives having antitumor activity. They, however, do not disclose the compounds of the present invention.

Quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives having azolyl group

Abstract: wherein X and Z represent CH or N; Y represents O or S; R1, R2, and R3 represent H, alkoxy or the like; R4 represents H; R5, R6, R7, and R8 represent H, halogen, alkoxy or the like; R9 and R10 represent H, alkyl or the like; and R11 represents optionally substituted azolyl.


This invention relates to a fecal microbiome transplant material preparation method and apparatus for the preparation of fecal material for a fecal transplant. A healthy patient's stool is collected and deposited in a first container which has its open end attached to a second container to form a fecal processing device. Blender blades are positioned in the second container and a filter is mounted therein. Liquid is injected into the second container through a syringe port having a valve therein to block the escape of liquid from the connected containers. Intake and exhaust ports allow air to enter and escape from the connected containers while blocking the escape of liquid. The liquid and fecal matter in the connected containers is blended and the blended liquid is strained through the filter in the second container and removed through the syringe port for use in a fecal transplant.

The human gut microbiome is unique to each individual and can include more than a thousand different species. Disruptions to the homeostatic of the gut microbiome can play a role in inflammatory bowel diseases. Prior art treatments aimed at reshaping the microbial contents have used prebiotics, probiotics, and antibiotics and have generally failed to produce stable, long-term improvements in bacterial diversity. Fecal transplantation of gut microbiota from a healthy donor to an ill recipient in order to reconstitute the normal flora of a patient such as a C. difficile infected recipient is a more recent alternative.
Fecal microbiota transplants involves taking liquefied donor feces and transferring it to the patient such as during a colonoscopy. The patient receives a transplanted population of commensalistic bacteria that can combat the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. The donor is first tested for communicable infectious diseases. The donor then gives a stool sample which is mixed with a small amount of dilutant, such as sterile water or saline solution, which is blended by shaking the mixed material and then straining the blended material to separate some of the particulate material. A provider can then draw some of the liquid into a syringe for administering into the intestinal tract of a patient which can be accomplished with an endoscope, colonoscopy or enema.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0122534, to Matsumura et al. shows a container for suspension and filtration of stool material which enables a simple collection of cancer cells to be separated from the stool. The Aslam U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,279, is for a device for collecting and processing stool specimens. A specimen is collected with a bed pan or the like, which specimen is then put in a mixing bowl with a blender to blend the sample to obtain a sample for analysis. The Wild U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,431 is for a method of stool sample collection and testing for the presence of abnormalities such as occult, or hidden blood. A stool specimen is deposited in the device and onto a test medium and then allowed to pass down into the toilet.
The present invention is for an improved apparatus and method of processing fecal matter for a fecal transplant using a collection container which operatively connects to a second container to form an operative vessel for processing the specimen for a fecal transplant. A fecal microbiome transplant material preparation method and apparatus prepares fecal material for a fecal transplant. A healthy patient's stool is collected in a first container which has its open end attached to a second container's filter covered open end to form a fecal processing device. Liquid is injected into the second container through a syringe port having a valve therein to block the escape of liquid from the connected containers. Air intake and exhaust ports allow air displacement during injection and extraction of liquids from a closed system. The liquid and fecal matter in the connected containers is blended and the blended liquid is strained/filtered and removed through the syringe port for use in the fecal transplant.

Fecal microbiome transplant material preparation method and apparatus


A novel method of sealing ink in a microcell is described. A microcell is formed and an ink deposited in the microcell. A pressure sensitive tape seals the microcell. Ultraviolet light changes the properties of the adhesive in the pressure sensitive tape such that the material deposited in the microcell does not adhere to the adhesive. The described method is particularly useful for forming display structures.

Many displays, including electrophoretic displays, magnetophoretic displays, toner displays and potentially other electrowetting-based displays utilize microcells filled with a display medium. The display medium may include ink, toner or other materials that change light reflectance or transmittance properties based on applied electric or magnetic fields. In some displays each microcell represents an image pixel. In high resolution systems, each pixel, and thus each microcell is extremely small. Sealing these extremely small microcells has been a challenge.
In the past, various sealing methods have been used. In one method, a liquid polymer overcoating is spread onto a liquid display material filled cells. The overcoating hardens to form a cell cap sealing in the display medium. In an alternate embodiment, a liquid display medium is mixed with a sealing media as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/237,522 entitled 'Electrophoretic Display and Novel Process for its Manufacture' which is hereby incorporated by reference. The mixture is deposited in a cell. Over time, the two media undergo a phase separation with the less dense sealing media resting over the display media. After phase separation and curing, the sealing material seals the display material in a cell.
One problem with the described sealing methods is that liquid based sealing methods are sensitive to the display material and sealing fluid surface tensions as well as the surface energy of adjacent cell walls. A second problem is that the described sealing method is unsuitable for powders, empty cells, and other non-liquid based display materials. A third problem is that sealing polymers may be hygroscopic, the presence of moisture causing display degradation.
An alternative sealing method is to laminate a cover sheet over the cells. However, lamination usually involves a liquid or viscous adhesive. Without careful controls, the liquid adhesive may displace ink in the cells or interact with the display fluid.
Conventional pressure sensitive films based on tackifiers have also been used to seal the display. The term "pressure sensitive" indicates that the adhesive bond is formed on contact, without wetting, heating, or adding a curing agent. The term 'tack' defines the degree to which a pressure sensitive adhesive feels sticky or highly adhesive. However, the sticky adhesive may interact with display fluids. In particular, the small size of the cells makes it difficult to confine the sticky adhesive only to regions of contact with the cell walls; thus the sticky adhesive also covers the cell opening and contacts the display fluid creating problems. For example, in an electrophoretic display, ink particles in the display may adhere to the tacky adhesive compromising display quality. The display fluid may also diffuse into the adhesive polymer or swell the adhesive polymer. These effects can substantially degrade display material functionality and thereby reduce display contrast.
Additional problems include 'creep' which is a slow movement of the adhesive or backing under stress. Creep is highly undesirable in applications such as flexible displays.
Thus an improved method of sealing a display cavity is needed

Dual-stage tape-sealing of microcells or channels for display applications


A method for forming an epitaxial layer in a capacitor over interconnect structure, includes selecting a laser having a suitable wavelength for absorption at a seeding layer/annealing layer interface of the capacitor over interconnect structure, and directing laser energy from the selected laser at the capacitor over interconnect structure. The laser energy anneals a feature of the capacitor over interconnect structure to form an epitaxial layer. The annealing is accomplished at a temperature below about 450° C. The selected laser can be an excimer laser using a pulse extender. The capacitor over interconnect structure can be a ferroelectric capacitor formed over a conventional CMOS structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor manufacturing, and more particularly to a method of laser annealing to obtain epitaxial growth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FeRAM) is an ideal memory for System on Chip (SoC) applications because of its low operating voltage, low power consumption and high writing speed. Manufacture of FeRAM structures, however, is problematic with realized backend process damage to the ferroelectric capacitor and contamination due to ferroelectric materials.
One approach to FeRAM manufacture is known as a COI (Capacitor Over Interconnect) process. In the COI process, the ferroelectric capacitor is fabricated after the CMOS interconnect process. The conventional CMOS process is undisturbed and thus integration of the ferroelectric capacitor becomes straightforward.
One challenge of the COI process is to achieve perovskite ferroelectric phase below about 450° C. Although several attempts have been reported, all generally suffer from either failing to achieve a low enough temperature, or degraded remnant polarization. What is therefore needed is a method to achieve the requisite material state at a low enough temperature and without degraded remnant polarization.

Method of laser annealing to form an epitaxial growth layer


An apparatus at a spinning room machine, especially a spinning preparation machine, for example a carding machine or draw frame, for visual signal display, has at least two light sources in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each of which is associated with a cover, the signal display—which is in communication with a control device—being capable of emitting signals of light of different colours. In order to provide an apparatus which especially is of simple construction and allows a reduced outlay in terms of manufacture and installation, a plurality of LEDs, which are located inside a clear or opaque cover, are capable of emitting coloured or white light corresponding to the particular operating situation of the spinning room machine.

The invention relates to an apparatus at a spinning room machine, especially a spinning preparation machine, for example a carding machine or draw frame, for visual signal display, wherein at least two light sources in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are provided, which are associated with one cover, the signal display—which is in communication with a control device—being capable of emitting signals of light of different colours.
In practice, modern production machines or systems in a spinning room are capable of providing a user with a large amount of useful and in some cases absolutely necessary information. For a rapid overall view, signal pillars are often used, which consist of several signal generators of different colours arranged above one another. Depending on the particular application, up to five different signal generators can be present. A specific message is associated with each of the lamps or alternatively with combinations of more than one lamp. The messages may be, for example: red (continuous light), which indicates a machine malfunction; orange (flashing), which indicates can-changing. For each individual signal generator, a transparent coloured cover is used together with white filament bulbs or LEDs. It is disadvantageous therein that, for each colour or colour combination, there is required a filament bulb, a cover, a bulb fitting etc., as a result of which the signal generators are relatively complicated and, in addition, expensive.
It is an aim of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kind described at the beginning that avoids or mitigates the mentioned disadvantages and, especially, that is of simple construction and allows a reduced outlay in terms of manufacture and installation.

Apparatus at a spinning room machine for visual signal display


A torque transfer device, such as a transfer case for a motor vehicle, having a constant velocity joint integrated therewith is disclosed. In one embodiment, the constant velocity joint includes an outer race rotatably mounted within the torque transfer device and an inner race positioned within the outer race and operatively connected to the outer race by one or more torque transmitting balls. The torque transfer device further includes a drive mechanism that is connected to the outer race of the constant velocity joint, wherein the drive mechanism transfers torque received from an input shaft to the outer race of the constant velocity joint such that the outer race drives the inner race. The torque transfer device further includes an output shaft that is rotatably connected to the inner race.

Four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles have increased in use and popularity within the past few years. There have been many types of power transfer systems that are utilized for distributing torque power within these all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive motor vehicles in a full-time or part-time mode. Generally, most known four-wheel drive power transfer systems include a torque transfer device, such as a transfer case having an input shaft driven by a transmission output shaft, a rear output shaft driven by the input shaft and which is interconnected via a rear propeller shaft to a rear axle assembly for driving the rear wheels. A front output shaft interconnected to a front propeller shaft or front differential generally drives the front wheels. A torque transfer arrangement for continuously or selectively transferring drive torque from the rear output shaft to the front output shaft or from the front output shaft to the rear output shaft generally also is integrated therein. This interaxle differentiation of torque enables the front wheels and rear wheels to rotate at different speeds, which occurs during normal turning of the motor vehicle or when the vehicle is off-road on mud, loose gravel, ice, snow, water and the like.
Generally, in part-time four-wheel drive systems the transfer case is equipped with a shift mechanism which permits a vehicle operator to selectively couple and decouple the front and rear output shafts for shifting the vehicle between a two-wheel drive mode and a four-wheel drive mode. Full-time four-wheel drive systems have a transfer case that is equipped with an interaxle differential for continuously dividing drive torque between the front and rear output shaft while permitting speed differentiation therebetween. To prevent traction loss due to excessive wheel slip, many of these full-time transfer cases are equipped with a slip limiting device for selectively or automatically locking the interaxle differential to limit or prevent speed differentiation in response to wheel slip.
Recently there has been an increase in on-demand power transfer systems that are used for automatically directing power to the non-driven wheels without any input or action on the part of the vehicle operator but, only if traction is lost at the driven wheels. Typically, these speed sensitive torque transfer devices are installed between the front and rear output shafts for progressively delivering torque to the front output shaft in response to increasing speed differentiation therebetween. These torque transfer devices may commonly include viscous couplings, gear couplings, power couplings, electric couplings and the like.
Generally, transfer cases are generally classified as either a single offset or double offset type. In single offset transfer cases, only one of the output shafts is offset from the rotational axis of the input shaft. In double offset transfer cases, the front and rear output shafts are commonly aligned and are both offset from the rotary axis of the input shaft. One known disadvantage of double offset transfer cases is an increased underbody space that often creates packaging issues, particularly with off-road vehicles.
Another known problem associated with prior art transfer cases is the departure angles at connections between the transfer case front and rear output shafts and their corresponding propeller shafts. The departure angles are defined as the included angle between the rotary axis of the propeller shaft and that of the transfer case output shaft. Generally, in the prior art, single Cardan joints were used at each end of the propeller shafts if the departure angle was approximately less than 5°. If the departure angle exceeded 5°, then double Cardan universal joints or other additional components were required by prior art, necessitating an increase in cost and causing additional packaging concerns.
To reduce costs and minimize packaging concerns, there exists a need for a torque transfer device, such as a transfer case, that is capable of operating at the high departure angles found at the output shafts of the transfer case of modern-day four-wheel drive vehicles. These high output angles are anywhere from 10 to 20° in modern-day off-road or four-wheel drive vehicles. There also is a need in the art to produce more efficient packaging and reduction of extraneous noise in the transfer case caused by the use of constant velocity ball joints. Further, there is a need in the art for a more efficient way to transfer torque within the transfer case from the input shaft to both the rear output shaft and the front output shaft of the transfer cases.

Torque transfer device having a constant velocity joint output


The present invention provides copolymer having repeating units based on polyoxyalkylene radicals, polysiloxane radicals and perfluorocyclobutane radicals. The copolymers are useful as biomedical devices such as contact lenses or intraocular lenses.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to perfluorocyclobutane copolymers and their use as biomedical devices such as contact lenses or intraocular lenses.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of biomedical devices such as contact lenses, various physical and chemical properties such as, for example, oxygen permeability, wettability, material strength and stability are but a few of the factors that must be carefully balanced in order to provide a useable contact lens. For example, since the cornea receives its oxygen supply exclusively from contact with the atmosphere, good oxygen permeability is a critical characteristic for any contact lens material. Wettability also is important in that, if the lens is not sufficiently wettable, it does not remain lubricated and therefore cannot be worn comfortably in the eye. Accordingly, the optimum contact lens would have at least both excellent oxygen permeability and excellent tear fluid wettability.
Contact lenses made from fluorinated materials have been investigated for a number of years. Such materials can generally be subdivided into two major classes, namely hydrogels and non-hydrogels. Hydrogels can absorb and retain water in an equilibrium state whereas non-hydrogels do not absorb appreciable amounts of water. Regardless of their water content, both hydrogel and non-hydrogel fluorinated contact lenses tend to have relatively hydrophobic, non-wettable surfaces.
By introducing fluorine-containing groups into contact lens polymers, the oxygen permeability can be significantly increased. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,275 discloses using a mixture of comonomers including the fluorinated compound bis(1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propyl)itaconate in combination with organosiloxane components. Fluorinating certain polysiloxane materials has been indicated to reduce the accumulation of deposits on contact lenses made from such materials. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,440,918; 4,954,587; 4,990,582; 5,010,141 and 5,079,319. However, fluorinated polymers can suffer from one or more of the following drawbacks: difficult and/or expensive synthetic routes, poor processability, low refractive index, poor wettability, poor optical clarity, poor miscibility with other monomers/reagents and toxicity.
The thermal polymerization products of trifluorovinyl-containing monomers, e.g., bis-trifluorovinyl monomers, to form perfluorocyclobutylene polymers are known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,021,602; 5,023,380; 5,037,917; 5,037,918; 5,037,919; 5,066,746; 5,159,036; 5,159,037; 5,159,038, 5,162,468; 5,198,513; 5,210,265; 5,246,782; 5,364,547; 5,364,917 and 5,409,777. U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,515 discloses poly(aromatic ether) polymers or copolymers containing perfluorocyclobutane rings in the polymer backbone. Smith et al., "Perfluorocyclobutane Aromatic Polyethers. Synthesis and Characterization of New Siloxane-Containing Fluoropolymers", Macromolecules, Volume 29, pp. 852-860 (1996) discloses copolymerization of bis(1,3-[4-(trifluorovinyloxy)phenyl])-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane with 1,1,1-tris(4-[trifluorovinyloxy]phenyl)ethane. However, there has been no recognition or appreciation of copolymers containing perfluorocyclobutane rings in the polymer backbone and linkages based on at least two of poly(alkyl ether) groups, polyorganosiloxane groups and poly(perfluorocyclobutane) groups or that such materials can be employed in the manufacture of biomedical devices and particularly contact lens applications.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide improved fluorinated materials for use in the manufacturing of biomedical devices for prolonged contact with the body while also being biocompatible.


A method and apparatus for managing contention among users for access to serialized resources in a system cluster containing multiple systems. Each user has an assigned need that is independent of contention of the user for a resource and may be either a holder or a waiter for a resource it is seeking to access. A local system stores local cluster data indicating a grouping of the resources into local clusters on the basis of contention on the local system and indicating for each local cluster the assigned need of a waiter for resources in the cluster. The local system receives remote cluster data from remote systems in the system cluster, which it combines with the local cluster data to generate composite cluster data. A holder on the local system of a resource in a composite cluster is managed in accordance with the composite cluster data for the cluster.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing contention among users for access to serialized resources in an information handling system. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for managing such contention in a system cluster containing a plurality of such systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Resource contention is a well-known phenomenon in information handling systems. It occurs when a user (e.g., a process or other unit of work) attempts to access a resource that is already held by another user, and the access requested by the second user is inconsistent with that of the first user. This will occur, for example, if either user is requesting exclusive access to the resource in question. Resource managers are software components that manage contention among competing requesters for a resource that they control by granting one or more such users access to the resource as a holder and placing any remaining users in a pool of waiters until the resource becomes available.
In a computer operating system such as the IBM z/OS™ operating system, with multiple resource managers and multiple units of work, resource contention management is a complex problem.
Contention chains can form, or put another way, contention can cross resources. For example, job A waits on resource R1 but holds R2, while job B holds R1 but is waiting for R3, which in turn is held by job C. Contention can cross systems. In the example above, each job could be on a separate system. Contention can cross resource managers. For example, R1 could be a GRS enqueue and R2 could be a DB2™ latch. The global resource serialization (GRS) component of z/OS manages enqueues, while the IMS™ Resource Lock Manager (IRLM) manages the DB2 resources separately.
Cross-resource contention is typically solved within a single resource manager (e.g. GRS) by tracking the topology of each resource's holders and waiters and finding any points of intersection. Cross-system contention is typically solved by making the resource manager aware of the entire cluster's data (managing the cluster as one unit rather than as independent systems). Cross-resource manager contention is typically "solved" by having a reporting product query all of the interfaces and correlate the data as if it were a virtual resource manager. Because the problem is of order O(2n) in the number of resources in contention, it is also computationally complex.
The base MVS™ component of z/OS has a simple efficiency solution (known popularly as "enqueue promotion"): automatically (and temporarily) boost the CPU and MPL access of any work holding a resource reportedly in contention, with no attention paid to the neediness of the work. This is equivalent to managing a holder as if there were "important" waiter(s) for a resource, regardless of the actual topology. To appreciate the operation of this, consider the following example. Suppose that:    1. Job A holds resource R1.    2. Job B holds resource R2 and waits for R1.    3. Job C waits for R2.
Notationally, this can be represented as a chain C→B→A, where the capital letters represent the jobs, and the symbol "→" (the "link" in the chain) indicates that the job on the left of the symbol is waiting for a resource held by the job on the right of the symbol. Thus, the above chain means that job C is waiting for a resource held by job B, which in turn is waiting for a resource held by job A.
Assuming these are GRS resources, the conventional MVS implementation would help jobs A and B because they hold resources under contention, promoting each equally and for a limited time. Helping B would do no good, however, since B is in fact waiting for A. If B is itself multitasking, then the help may actually harm competing work without doing anything about the resource contention.

Method and apparatus for managing resource contention in a multisystem cluster

International Business Machines Corporation


A device mounting platform apparatus having a reconfigurable biasing mechanism. The device mounting platform apparatus includes a frame member capable of being mounted in a vehicle and having a device mounting surface facing generally upward. A clamp member is slidably interconnected to the frame member along a first direction. A biasing mechanism is coupled between the frame and clamp members. The biasing mechanism is reconfigurable for urging a jaw portion of the clamp member along the first direction heading either toward or away from the frame member. The biasing mechanism is thus reconfigurable for either urging the clamp member open or urging it closed. A plurality of different jaw portions are interchangeably coupleable to the frame and clamp members in opposing relationship across the device mounting surface of the frame.

Many after-market accessories being added in automobiles and other vehicles require specially designed mounting platforms that can accommodate the limited available space normally found in a vehicle for mounting add-on equipment, such as portable electronic devices, including by example and without limitation, laptop computers and other similarly sized electronics devices such as notebooks, tablets, pen tablets, scanners, hand-held electronic devices, etc. These mounting platforms must be able to handle the load of the accessory device in the vibration and shock environment encountered in a moving vehicle while still permitting the portable device to be quickly and easily installed in the mounting platform. Some of the currently known mounting platforms are spring biased to open for quick retrieval of the device upon exiting the vehicle. Other known mounting platforms are biased to close quickly after the device is inserted.
However, known mounting platforms apparatus are limited in their ability to provide a full range of device mounting capabilities.


An article including a panel-like structure constructed to be mounted in an automobile vehicle to form a part of the interior thereof, and a process for making the same. According to this process, an outer layer defining at least a portion of the exposed exterior surface of the structure is prepared by applying a water-dispersed thermoplastic polyurethane composition and a heat-activated reactive crosslinking monomer onto a mold surface and thereafter drying the composition. Next, a rapidly reacting composition is sprayed onto an inner surface of the outer layer while the outer layer is retained on the mold surface to form a polyurethane elastomer inner layer that is interfacially chemical bonded to the outer layer. The inner layer with the outer layer interfacially chemically bonded thereto is then united with the rigid substrate so that the rigid substrate serves to reinforce the outer layer. The exposed exterior surface of the panel-like structure simulates the appearance and feel of authentic leather, while the inner layer and an optional semi-rigid polyurethane cellular foam intermediate layer provide a compressing feel to the exposed portion of the outer layer.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to automotive interior trim articles containing a panel-like structure constructed to be mounted in an automobile vehicle to form a part of the interior thereof, and in particular to automobile interior trim articles such as instrument panels, door panels, and glove compartment doors. The present invention further relates to a process for making is the aforementioned automotive interior trim articles.
2. Description of Related Art
Automotive interior trim articles such as instrument panels, door panels, armrests, headrests, floor consoles, knee bolsters, and glove compartment doors conventionally have been constructed by applying a soft decorative covering over a rigid substrate mountable in an automobile vehicular body, with a cellular polyurethane padding interposed between the decorative covering and rigid substrate. A predetermined texture and color is usually provided to the decorative covering in an effort to simulate the appearance and feel of authentic leather.
The preparation of a self-supporting synthetic automotive interior trim article having a dual layer decorative covering is disclosed in international application WO 93/23237 to Recticel, and in particular at Example 2 thereof. In accordance with the method disclosed in WO 93/23237 for preparing this interior trim article, a solvent-dispersed polyurethane lacquer is initially applied to an open mold surface as an "in-mold paint", and then is dried by evaporating off the solvent. A "skin" prepared from a two-part polyurethane elastomer is thereafter formed on the surface of the dried in-mold paint by employing specialized nozzles and application systems. In practice, suitable spray nozzles and systems that can be employed are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,028,006 and 5,071,683. Next, a polyurethane cellular foam layer is prepared by spraying a polyurethane reaction mixture against the polyurethane elastomer skin. Finally, a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate reaction mixture is applied against the opposing surface of the polyurethane cellular foam layer to obtain a rigid synthetic carrier.
The commercial merit of this related art dual layer covering containing the in-mold paint disclosed in WO 93/23237, and the process for making the same, is negligible, as evidenced by the current commercial activity of Recticel, the owner of WO 93/23237. Recticel does not utilize an in-mold solvent-based lacquer in its commercial activity. Recticel has even proscribed its customers from using its in-mold paint.
Further, the provision of the solvent-based lacquer as the in-mold paint plagues the preparatory method disclosed in WO 93/23237 with several complications and inefficiencies. For example, these lacquers contain large amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Due to the extremely flammable and explosive nature of VOCs, such lacquers are subject to strict governmental regulations. Compliance with these governmental regulations often requires additional and expensive equipment designed to ensure worker safety and to protect against environmental pollution. For example, manufacturing facilities equipped for handling such lacquers must include special spray equipment, separate and customized spraying zones, and air cleansing equipment. Workers must also dress in special protective and often bulky and cumbersome gear that is fire resistant and shields against exposure to noxious fumes.
A need therefore exists to provide a process for making a panel-like structure containing a multi-layered decorative covering in which the panel-like structure can be produced in a more efficient and cost effective manner, and in which the resulting panel-like structure has a high quality, leather-like appearance.

Decorative automotive interior trim articles with integral light stable polyurethane elastomer covering and process for making the same


To acquire information relating to degradation of a pipe on the basis of information that can be acquired using a simple method. The analysis device according to one embodiment is provided with: a determining unit for determining whether or not the accuracy of a pipe network model based on information that includes a parameter that changes in value in accordance with degradation of a pipe satisfies a predetermined criterion; and a derivation unit for deriving information relating to degradation of the pipe, based on the parameter, if the accuracy satisfies the predetermined criterion.

In recent years, a technique capable of appropriately managing a piping network that can transport fluid, such as a gas transportation network and a water and sewage network, and fluid transported by the piping network has been demanded.
PTLs 1 to 3 disclose a technique for acquiring a finding relating to degradation of a piping network or a pipe.
PTL 1 discloses a technique for detecting clog due to deposits in a pipe.
PTL 2 discloses a method in which a device generating an impact wave is attached to a water pipe, an impact wave is generated, a propagation velocity is determined on the basis of an arrival time of the impact wave from upstream to downstream, and degradation is diagnosed from the propagation velocity.
PTL 3 discloses a method for calculating data of a decreased wall thickness of piping, by simulating a behavior of fluid based on three-dimensional disposition data of the piping, data indicating thinning of wall thickness of the piping and data indicating a behavior of the fluid flowing in the piping.

Analysis device, analysis method, and recording medium storing a program for deriving information relating to degradation of a pipe


A packaging apparatus for optical interconnection on an optical PCB includes a first substrate with a via hole formed therethrough and in which an optical waveguide is formed, an optical interconnection block having a reflective plane on its lower end inserted into the via hole, a second substrate flip-bonded to an upper surface of the first substrate, and an optically active element flip-bonded to a lower surface of the second substrate and aligned for optical communication.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging apparatus for optical interconnection, and more particularly to a packaging apparatus for optical interconnection on an optical PCB, in which an optically active element (such as a semiconductor laser, a photo diode, etc.) is mounted on a printed circuit board (hereinafter, referred to as an "optical PCB") provided with an optical waveguide.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the simplest structure of packaging apparatus for optical interconnection on an optical PCB, which is well known to those skilled in the art, metal pads and solder bumps are located adjacent to an optical via hole formed through the PCB, and an optically active element is mounted on the PCB by a flip-bonding method.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,861, entitled "PACKAGING AND ASSEMBLY METHOD FOR OPTICAL COUPLING," to Kishore K., Chakravorty, et al., discloses a structure in which a BGA (Ball Grid Array) package, obtained by flip-bonding a surface emitting laser to a BGA substrate is mounted on the printed circuit board. The BGA substrate is provided with a through hole serving as a route for passing an optical signal in order to integrate an optically active element onto a printed circuit board including an optical waveguide.
Another known structure in which a surface emitting laser is bonded to an electrical substrate, is then vertically mounted in a printed circuit board so that an optical signal outputted from the surface emitting laser is directly incident on an optical waveguide of the printed circuit board.
In the simplest structure, in which the optically active element is directly flip-bonded to the printed circuit board, the optically active element has a relatively small size compared to the diameter of the solder balls and the size of the metal pads on the printed circuit board, manufactured by a conventional process, thus causing difficulty in precisely integrating the optically active element onto the printed circuit board.
In the BGA structure, since the BGA substrate is manufactured by a conventional process for manufacturing the printed circuit board, it is difficult to form the through hole at a precise location on the BGA substrate and to mount an optically active element on the BGA substrate. Also, since an optical signal emitted from the surface emitting laser is spread outwardly due to the thickness of the BGA substrate, the BGA package requires a micro lens separately installed on a lower end of the BGA substrate.
In the structure in which the surface emitting laser is vertically installed in the PCB, it is difficult to electrically connect to the surface emitting laser transmitting and receiving chips, which must be exposed through the printed circuit board so as to emit heat.

Packaging apparatus for optical interconnection on optical printed circuit board


A microreactor for use in a microscope, comprising a first and second cove layer (13), which cover layers are both at least partly transparent to an electron beam (14) of an electron microscope, and extend next to each other at a mutual distance from each other and between which a chamber (15) is enclosed, wherein an inlet (4) and an outlet (5) are provided for feeding fluid through the chamber and wherein heating means (8) are provided for heating the chamber and/or elements present therein.

The invention relates to a microreactor for an electron microscope.
Electron microscopes are used for studying specimens with a high resolution, for instance a resolution higher than 0.2 nm, more in particular higher than 0.12 nm. To this end, a specimen holder with a specimen therein is placed in an electron beam of an electron microscope, while an image generated by the beam is displayed on, for instance, a fluorescence screen or is captured with the aid of a camera. Studying these specimens is usually done in a vacuum and at room temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,087 describes a specimen holder for an electron microscope where a specimen holder is formed by two thin plastic films, provided with a graphite coating for obtaining electrical conduction. The films are supported on a grid of metal wires for support and are sealed with their fringes against each other with the aid of O-rings. A specimen can be enclosed therein together with water, after which the specimen holder can be placed in an electron microscope with the aid of the specimen holder.
This known specimen holder has the disadvantage that the chamber of the specimen holder needs to be filled with a liquid and the specimen in order to keep the two films at a distance. In addition, no pressure can be applied in the chamber without deformations of the specimen and/or the chamber occurring, which severely disturb the images of the electron microscope. A further drawback of this known specimen holder is that temperature control of the specimen and/or the chamber is not well possible therein.
A further drawback of this specimen holder is that the distance between the walls of the chamber, measured parallel to the electron beam, is relatively large, so that further disturbance of the images occurs. In addition, the films are so thick that HREM (High Resolution Electron Microscopies) is not possible with them. In addition, the liquid causes undesired diffusions of the electron beam, which renders the use of HREM useless.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,087 describes as the state of the art a specimen holder in which a specimen chamber is provided with relatively stiff walls. These are kept at a relatively large distance, while magnetic lenses are provided for focusing the electron beam directly above and below the specimen chamber. This specimen chamber also has the drawback that insufficiently sharp images can be obtained therewith, particularly with small specimens.
These known specimen holders all have a limited field of application, with which, as the case may be, insufficiently sharp images can be obtained. In addition, the temperature cannot be controlled therein.
There is a need for the possibility to study specimens in a fluid environment, while preferably the ambient temperature of the specimen can be controlled.

Microreactor for a transmission electron microscope and heating element and method of manufacture thereof

Stichting voor de Technische Wetenschappen


A locomotive underframe CNG fuel storage system including: a crashworthy enclosure including a removable side panel and a permanent side panel welded into place; and at least one CNG cylinder module, wherein each CNG cylinder module includes a plurality of CNG cylinders stacked vertically, secured to a vertical wall, and separated by a horizontal plate, wherein the horizontal plate extends towards but does not contact the vertical wall when the vertical wall is planar and, further wherein, the horizontal plate supports the vertical wall from moving further out of plane when vertical axial weight causes the vertical wall for move out of plane towards the horizontal plate.

Current state of the art for storage and transfer of natural gas (NG) to engines used in mobile off road applications consist primarily of commonly available components and existing technology configured for demonstration. The storage tanks and support equipment used in existing systems are repurposed from other industries in commercially available sizes and configurations that are less than ideal for high horsepower, mobile applications. For locomotive applications, these systems are made up of dedicated NG tender cars, or standard tanks mounted on flat railcars or fixed underframe between the trucks.
As a result, existing systems for locomotives, both CNG and LNG have been limited to specific local application and pilot or research projects that do not necessarily require large storage capacity, ease of service, maintainability or adherence to regulations such as crash worthiness necessary for general use on freight and passenger lines. In off road mobile applications, the most significant technical challenge is attaining the necessary DGE capacity to motivate manufacturers and end users to convert from diesel fuel. In packaging of the NG tanks to attain a sufficiently high storage capacity and required crashworthiness, it is still important that the system still be simple, reliable and easy to maintain. Further this should be done with minimal or no perceived impact to the end user.
For tenders and flat cars, it is possible to attain acceptable storage capacity, but results in additional rail cars to the train consist and/or added weight and complexity for the operators to deal with. Tanker cars or tanks on flat beds must be modified by adding structure and reinforcement necessary in order to make them meet safety and crashworthiness requirements for tender car use. For underframe storage, these existing components and packaging schemes limit the storage density, thus limiting the range, performance and functionality of the vehicle the system is supporting. Underframe or belly mounted tanks in place of or in addition to the existing fuel tanks on the locomotive present greater challenges in package and storage capacity as well as introducing additional requirements for crash worthiness criteria and other safety regulations. Current underframe NG storage systems have been limited to 200 DGE (diesel gallon equivalent). In order for natural gas fueled solutions to be commercially viable for locomotives, 600 DGE or more must be attained. Prior locomotive tank systems such as the CNG system on the Napa Valley Wine train have conventional type 1 steel tanks installed under frame longitudinally on the locomotive along the axis of train motion. This approach makes mounting and servicing the tanks less than ideal as it requires removing the enclosure with all the tanks at once as one assembly. Another downside of this type of longitudinal tank arrangement is its lack of storage density when the longitudinal space to put the tanks in is less than 9 feet as it is with typical switcher locomotives. This results in a higher quantity of shorter tanks, reducing the storage capacity and increasing the cost as well as the number of components and potential leak points.
For both tender car and underframe NG storage, maximizing capacity requires close spacing of the NG cylinders making mounting the tanks in tender cars or under frame enclosures a challenge. There are currently two common methods of mounting NG cylinders, strap mounting with two steel straps wrapped around the outer diameter of the tank, or neck mounting with block mounts capturing a large pin at each end of the tank. In strap mounting, rubber isolator strips are placed between the mount straps and the surface of the tank to both prevent damage to the outer composite skin, and to allow the tanks to grow slightly in length and diameter when they are filled. In pin mounting, one end of the tank is fixed into position to prevent rotation, while the other end has a loose fitting mount block which allows the pin to slide axially as the tank grows in length during filling.
The most common application of CNG cylinders such as these are municipal transit buses. In transit buses the tanks are slightly shorter than proposed laterally mounted locomotive tanks and they are typically neck mounted. Neck mounting would appear to offer the easiest mounting in the tight locomotive enclosure, but there are distinct and important differences between the switcher duty cycle and the transit bus cycle. The switcher has metal on metal wheels and will see significantly more vertical vibration, this will affect the loose fit in the sliding pin block causing degradation of the pin material where it meets the block, as the locomotive CNG tank is longer and heavier it could also cause fatigue in the aluminum neck boss material and a tank failure at the tank neck. Another important factor is the life cycle; buses are in service typically 10 to 12 years, whereas 50 year old switchers are still being rebuilt today. The most significant detriment to the neck mounting system is the operation of the switcher locomotive, its primary purpose is to frequently couple and uncouple with rail cars, and these coupling events lead to repeated impulse loads of several g's. These repeated impulses could be a fatigue risk to conventional neck mounted composite CNG cylinders if the loads are significant and perpendicular to the axis of the tank.
Strap mounting of the CNG cylinders would overcome this impulse loading issue. The issue with strap mounting of CNG cylinders is that access is needed to tighten the straps from the side and this will require spacing the tanks further apart thus reducing the total number of CNG cylinders and total fuel capacity.
As natural gas has been introduced as a fuel for the railroad industry there has been a focus on using Liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the storage medium for increased range over using compressed natural gas (CNG). LNG was also considered the best fuel storage system for transit buses when natural gas was first used for that application. Most of the original LNG transit buses have since been replaced by CNG as the technology of the CNG tanks has improved. LNG currently has many disadvantages over CNG. LNG plants have to be built very large to economically make LNG, up until 2012 there were only 3 LNG plants constructed specifically to make LNG for transportation use. LNG tanks absorb heat from the outside and if the tanks are left to sit they will vent methane gas. This becomes a problem when an agency has several hundred busses with some of them idle. Also as LNG is stored for a long period of time and is venting, its percentage of methane will drop over time as methane boils off first. This effect is called weathering and as the fuel weathers its octane rating decreases as the percentage of methane decreases and its percentage of lower octane propane, butane and other 'thanes' increases. Using fuel that has weathered too long can result in engine damage.
Current mobile LNG storage and delivery systems for natural gas fueled engines are passive and controlled by regulating the vaporization of the LNG to CNG at the necessary pressure for the fuel system application it is supporting. Using this approach, the LNG in the tank is maintained at or near the vaporization temperature for the natural gas at the required supply pressure either by removing LNG from the tank to cool and lower the pressure or heating the tank externally to allow more vaporization to raise the pressure. The vaporization based systems are typically designed to operate at approximately 125 psi and must maintain a specific temperature range of −130 +/−10 degrees Celsius in order to provide sufficient fuel pressure to the engines fuel management system. As a result, using the vaporization point of the natural gas to control fuel delivery is a proven concept but it reduces the amount of LNG that can be stored in a given tank, the pressure it is supplied at, and the time that it can be maintained in liquid state within the fixed volume of the tank before it vaporizes and must be purged. Further this system requires heat to be added to the tank to raise the pressure or off gassing or flaring of vaporized natural gas if it is not consumed in time by the engine, both of which expend energy or release fuel which further reduced range and efficiency
In order to refuel a system like this, the filling equipment typically saturates the fuel by adding heat. If a vehicle is not filled with saturated fuel, it may take a significant amount of time to raise the equalized saturation temperature and pressure in the tank so that the vehicle engine can be operated at full power. This is especially a problem when refueling large pieces of offload equipment from LNG tanker trucks.
A further challenge in passive LNG tank systems is maintaining the required tank pressure when the engine is at high loads and consuming a large amount of fuel over an extended time. When LNG fuel is withdrawn from the tank, a small amount of the remaining LNG will boil off to bring the tank pressure back to equilibrium. When this small amount of fuel boils off, it absorbs a large amount of latent heat and chills the remaining liquid. This was a particular problem with the LNG switchers at LA Junction RR, the locomotives could only operate at high power for a short time before low LNG tank pressure forced the system to reduce engine power output.

Locomotive natural gas storage and transfer system


Insulated pallet shipper and methods of making and using the same. The insulated pallet shipper includes an insulated container shaped to include a bottom wall, a top wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, a rear wall and a front wall, the walls collectively defining a cavity; a plurality of coolant members positioned in the cavity, each of the coolant members including a plurality of coolant bricks encased within a cardboard container, at least some of the coolant members being preconditioned at a refrigerating temperature and at least some of the coolant members being preconditioned at a freezing temperature; an inner pallet seated on the bottom wall; and an outer pallet upon which the container is seated.

The present invention relates generally to insulated shipping containers and relates more particularly to insulated pallet shipping containers.
Insulated shipping containers of the type used to transport temperature sensitive materials, such as biological and/or pharmaceutical products, are well-known. Examples of such containers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,017, inventor Lantz, which issued Apr. 27, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,764, inventor Lantz, which issued Jul. 10, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,302, inventor Derifield, which issued Jul. 20, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,982, inventor Gordon, which issued Mar. 22, 2005, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Of the above patents, U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,982 is illustrative, this patent disclosing an insulated shipping container and a method of making the same. In a preferred embodiment, the insulated shipping container comprises an outer box, an insulated insert, an inner box and a closure member. The outer box, which is preferably made of corrugated fiberboard, comprises a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a plurality of rectangular side walls, a closed bottom end, and top closure flaps. The insulated insert is snugly, but removably, disposed within the outer box and is shaped to define a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a bottom wall and a plurality of rectangular side walls, the insulated insert having an open top end. The insulated insert is made of a foamed polyurethane body to which on all sides, except its bottom, a thin, flexible, unfoamed polymer bag is integrally bonded. The bag is a unitary structure having a generally uniform rectangular shape, the bag being formed by sealing shut one end of a tubular member with a transverse seam and forming longitudinal creases extending from opposite ends of the seam. The inner box, which is snugly, but removably, disposed within the insert, is preferably made of corrugated fiberboard and is shaped to include a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a plurality of rectangular side walls and a closed bottom end, the top end thereof being open. The closure member is a thick piece of foam material snugly, but removably, disposed in the open end of the inner box.
Although the shipping containers described above are suitable for many purposes, these containers are not particularly well-suited for transporting large payloads, such as pallet-sized payloads. As a result, other types of insulated shipping containers have been designed to transport larger payloads. Examples of such containers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,233, inventors Cook et al., which issued Sep. 23, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,150, inventors Bosher et al., which issued Aug. 11, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,972, inventor Bostic, which issued Jul. 31, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,504, inventor Derifield, which issued Apr. 18, 2006; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,632, inventor Derifield, which issued Jun. 5, 2007, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Notwithstanding the above, there currently exists a need for an insulated shipping container that is capable of accommodating a larger payload, such as a pallet-sized payload, and that is capable of maintaining the payload within a desired temperature range, e.g., between 2° C. and 8° C. while being subjected to summer-like and/or winter-like ambient temperatures, for an extended period of time, e.g., up to several days or longer.


A combination aquarium heater and cooler apparatus is provided which utilizes a feedback circuit to automatically maintain the fluid in an ecosystem at an operator set desired temperature. The feedback system scheme takes advantage of a thermo-electric heat pump component in combination with a high gain amplifier in order to achieve the desired result of maintaining the ecosystem at a temperature which is nearly constant regardless of other undesirable spurious heat inputs or losses to the ecosystem.

The instant invention relates generally to immersible temperature controller apparatus and more specifically it relates to an immersible device for automatically supplying heating or cooling energy to the water of an aquarium as is required by the ecosystem contained therein so as to maintain a constant temperature independent of the surrounding ambient air temperature.
Numerous aquarium temperature controllers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to modify the temperature of an aquarium from that of the surrounding ambient air temperature. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,048 to Holbrook; 4,378,488 to Jager and 4,876,102 to Turano all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purpose of the present invention as hereafter described.


A method of producing microbead populations that mimics the fluorescence intensity profile distribution of fluorescent biological cells so that they may be used a standard for flow cytometry.

Microbeads have been used as surrogate cell standards in various biological fields for many years. This is especially true since highly uniform microbeads, in the 2-15 micron diameter range, have been first produced by John Ugelstad. As a particle surrogate, polymeric microbeads have high physical stability, as well as the ability to be labeled with the same fluorochromes and dyes as used to label biological cells. Moreover, a great deal of work has been addressed to make microbeads useful as fluorescent particle reference and quantitative standards. When labeled with such fluorochromes and dyes, these microbeads exhibit many of characteristics as labeled biological cells, as determined by instrumentation of at least one of flow cytometry. Specifically, fluorochrome labeled microbeads appear to have similar forward and side light scatter properties, as well as similar spectral and intensity fluorescent properties as biological cells.
However, the fluorescence intensity distribution profile of microbeads and biological cells labeled with the same fluorochrome can appear vastly different. For example human lymphocytes labeled with a fluorescently conjugated CD8 antibody, has a fluorescence intensity distribution, as shown in FIG. 1. This distribution is really the combined response of CD8 suppressor cells, the tall intense population on the right end of the distribution, and CD8 cyto-toxic cells, the low widely spread population to the left of the CD8 suppressor cells.
Much effort in the manufacture of microbeads is focused on producing highly uniform physical properties, of at least one of size, volume and fluorescence intensity. Such populations are highly sort after for use as size and fluorescence standards in fields of at least one of flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Normally, these methods of production ensure that fluorochromes or dyes are taken up by the microbeads in a highly uniform fashion resulting in a very tight fluorescence intensity distribution, as shown in FIG. 2.
However, it stands to reason that, the closer the standards mimic analyte being measured, the better the instrument performance can be evaluated to measure the analyte. An example to illustrate this may be found when counting CD8 labeled lymphocytes. If a fluorescent population of microbeads with the usual tight intensity distribution is used as the count standard, the standard is only determining the ability of the instrument to detect and count events in a narrow range of the intensity scale, as shown in FIG. 2. However, as seen in FIG. 1, the intensity distribution of CD8 labeled lymphocytes cover a wide non-uniform intensity range. Although highly uniform intensity microbeads have served the biology and medical communities as cellular surrogates and standards well for a long time, the ability of microbeads that more closely resemble the intensity distributions of biological cells would be very welcome to these communities.

Generation of fluorescent microbead cellular surrogate standards


In a communication system network, a communication unit may maintain allocation of a telephone resource when it roams into another communication system. Having established a communication in a first communication system, the communication unit is allocated a communication resource in the first communication system and is also allocated a telephone resource. While the communication unit is allocated the communication resource and the telephone resource, it determines whether the transceiving quality of the allocated communication resource has degraded below a predetermined level. When the transceiving quality has degraded below a predetermined level, the communication unit transmits a registration packet to second communication system via the central controller. Upon receiving the registration packet, the central controller reclaims the allocated communication resource in the first communication unit and attempts to allocate a communication resource in the second communication system. When the second communication system does not have an available communication resource, the central controller maintains the allocation of the telephone resource to the communication unit until a communication resource becomes available in the second communication system.

Communication system networks are known to comprise a plurality of communication systems and a central controller. Each of the communication systems comprises a plurality of communication units, a limited number of communication resources that are transceived via a limited number of repeaters, and a communication resource allocator that allocates the communication resources among the plurality of communication units. The communication units, which may be mobile radios, portable radios, and/or portable radio/telephones, are typically arranged in to communication groups and are generally located throughout the communication system network. Of the communication resources, which may be TDM slot locations, frequency carriers, pair of frequency carriers, or any other RF transmission means, one is selected to function as a control channel. The control channel transceives operational information between the communication units and the central controller via the communication resource allocators.
As is known, a communication unit may establish a communication with other communication units within the communication system network by transmitting an inbound signalling word (ISW) to the central controller via the communication resource allocator of the communication system that the communication unit is located in. Upon receiving the request, the central controller processes it and, if the request is valid, the central controller allocates a communication resource in each of the communication systems that have a communication unit of the targeted talk group in it. The communication systems, which may also be communication sites, are coupled to and controlled by the central controller. If a communication system, or site, loses contact with the central controller, the communication system, or site, operates as an independent communication system but only for communication units that are located within its coverage area.
As is also known, a communication system network may interface with a telephone system such that communication units within the network can access telephone lines. These telephone resources are allocated by the central controller to a communication unit in a similar manner as the communication resources are allocated. When a communication unit has access to a telephone resource and a communication resource in the communication system that it is located in, it may communicate to a land-line user. A difficulty arises when the communication unit roams from one communication system to another. Under such conditions, the communication unit loses the communication resource of the system that it was in and, subsequently, the central controller would reclaim the telephone resource even if the communication unit was not finished with its communication. This obviously presents a problem to the user of the communication unit while he is communicating via a telephone resource. Therefore, a need exists for a method that will allow a communication unit to maintain allocation of a telephone resource when it roams into another communication system.

Method for improving telephone resource access in a communication system network


A semiconductor device includes a package substrate, a first IC package having external lead terminals which are downwardly bent with respect to a plane surface of the package and a second IC package having external lead terminals which are upwardly bent with respect to a plane surface of the package. These packages are disposed on one surface of the package substrate parallel to each other. One or more pairs of the external lead terminals of the first and second IC packages, which face each other and are electrically connected with to each other, are disposed on the same mount pads provided on the package substrate. Therefore, wires for connecting those lead terminals can be dispensed with and the other external lead terminals can be connected by simply drawing around wires without providing through holes. In addition, no positional deviation between the two packages, occurs and no solder bridges are created during soldering.

FIG. 4(a) is a plan view showing an IC package having external lead terminals which are bent toward one of the plane surfaces of the package (hereinafter referred to as an A-type IC package). FIGS. 4(b) to 4(d) are a side elevational view, a front elevational view, and a sectional view, respectively, of the A-type IC package. Here, a small outline package (SOP) is employed. As shown in FIG. 4(d), an IC chip 7 disposed on a die pad 10 is electrically connected with external lead terminals 2 by bonding wires 11. The die pad 10, the IC chip 7, parts of the external lead terminals 2 and the bonding wires 11 are encapsulated in a molded plastic to produce the A-type IC package 1a.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a prior part semiconductor device in which a pair of A-type IC packages are mounted on one side of a package substrate. In FIG. 2, the A-type packages 1a are mounted on the package substrate 5. Soldering portions 3 of the external lead terminals 2 are connected to the package substrate 5 by solder, and thus the A-type packages 1a are fixed onto the package substrate 5. The A-type packages 1a are connected with each other by wires 9 and through holes 8. The external lead terminals 2 have pin numbers crc .about.crc , respectively.
Description is given of a method for mounting the A-type IC package Ia on the package substrate 5. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a lead connection of the A-type IC package. First, solder 4 is previously applied to a mount pad 6 of each electrode portion on the surface of the package substrate 5. Then the package 1a is mounted on the package substrate 5 by soldering the portion 3 of the external lead terminal 2 to the mount pad 6 with the solder 4 and electrically and mechanically connected to the pad 6.
In order to obtain a construction in which two A-type packages 1a are mounted on the substrate 5 and the external lead terminals 2 of the packages having the same numbers of pins are mutually connected with each other as shown in FIG. 2, it is necessary to provide wires 9 in complicated arrangements and also to provide through holes 8 penetrating the package substrate 5.
As described above, in this prior art semiconductor device, a pair of A-type packages are mounted on one surface of the package substrate and the external lead terminals of the packages having the same numbers of pins are connected with each other as shown in FIG. 2. Then, wires 9 inevitably intersect each other and wiring arrangements are provided. Further through holes must be provided penetrating through the package substrate 5.

Packaged semiconductor device assembly including two interconnected packaged semiconductor devices mounted on a common substrate


A method for imparting permanent press properties to a textile containing cellulose fibers. The method involves applying an aqueous solution of a (hydroxyalkyl)urea and/or a .beta.-hydroxyalkyl amide crosslinking agent to a textile, and heating the textile at a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to react the crosslinking agent with the textile wherein water is removed from the textile, to impart permanent press properties to the textile. The crosslinking agent is free of formaldehyde. The method of the present invention provides permanent press properties to textiles treated therewith and increases the resistance of such textiles to future laundering abrasion. Such treated textiles display a significant reduction in wrinkles compared with nontreated textiles. Moreover, the treated textiles have a tactile sensation of feeling soft and retain their smoothness after laundering.

The use of thermosetting resins or reactants to impart crease resistance and dimensional stability to textile materials is well-known in the art. These materials, known as "aminoplast resins", include the products of the reaction of formaldehyde with such compounds as urea, thiourea, ethylene urea, dihydroxyethylene urea, melamines or the like. A serious drawback to the use of such materials is that they contain free formaldehyde. This is present during the preparation and storage of the finishing agent and its use in treating textiles, on the treated fabric, and on the finished garments. Also, when the fabrics or garments made therefrom are stored under humid conditions, additional free formaldehyde is produced.
The presence of even less than one percent of free formaldehyde, based on the total weight of the product, is undesirable, not only because of its unpleasant odor, but because it is an allergen and an irritant, causing severe reactions in the operators who manufacture the agent and who treat and handle the treated fabrics and to persons who handle and wear garments fabricated from the treated fabrics.
These problems associated with the presence of free formaldehyde on treated fabrics are well-known and considerable efforts have been made to produce formaldehyde-free textile fabrics. One solution to the problem has been to employ scavengers for the free formaldehyde. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,100 cyclic ethylene urea and propylene urea are disclosed as scavengers. Removal of the formaldehyde by reaction with phthalimide is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,058. U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,382 teaches certain nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds as scavengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,549 describes compositions containing a poly-functional molecule having at least two functional groups selected from carboxyl, anhydride and amine which is crosslinked using a (hydroxyalkyl)urea crosslinking agent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,549 does not teach or suggest reacting a (hydroxyalkyl)urea crosslinking agent with textiles such as cotton which contain hydroxyl functionality. U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,917 describes .beta.-hydroxyalkylamides as curing agents for polymers containing one or more carboxy or anhydride functions.
Treating textiles with resin compositions that do not contain or evolve formaldehyde is also known, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,565 which describes finishing agents formed by the reaction of alkyl or aryl ureas or thioureas with glyoxal. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,332,586 and 4,300,898 describe alkylated glyoxal/cyclic urea condensates as crosslinking agents for textiles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,846 describes a finishing agent for textiles which is prepared by reacting urea or symmetrically disubstituted ureas in an aqueous solution with glyoxal. These agents, however, have the disadvantage of having marginal permanent press properties. Finishing agents formed by the reaction of ethylene urea with glyoxal are described in Japanese publication No. 5 3044-567, but they too do not have satisfactory properties. Thus, there is a need for a formaldehyde-free crosslinking agent which is environmentally safe and provides permanent press to textiles. Such crosslinking agents should also allow consumers the ability to provide permanent press properties easily and cost-effectively to clothing at home.

Method for imparting permanent press to textiles

National Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation