An electronic endoscope having a video-scope with an image sensor, a video-processor and a display has an image forming processor, a signal processor and a display-state changing processor. The signal processor generates video signals on the basis of image-pixel signals from the image sensor and outputs said video signals to said display. The display-state changing processor changes a display-state from a normal-display to a magnified-display and from the magnified-display to the normal-display. In the case of the normal-display, the image forming processor forms a normal-display subject image composed of a smaller number of pixels than that of the all-pixel subject image. In the case of the magnified-display, the image forming processor forms a magnified-display subject image composed of pixels arranged within a part-area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope having a video-scope with an image sensor and a video-processor. In particular, this invention relates to a magnified-display, which magnifies a portion of an observed image displayed on the monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a magnifying electronic endoscope was provided, which is capable of magnifying a specific portion of an observed image displayed on a monitor and displaying a magnified image. The magnifying electronic endoscope has an optical magnifying function, or an electric magnifying function.
The optical type endoscope has a zoom lens movable along the optical axis. The specific portion of the displayed image is magnified by driving the zoom lens so that the magnified specific portion image is displayed on the monitor. In the optical magnifying method, picture quality does not degrade. However, when the image is optically magnified, the visual field becomes narrow and the depth of focus is reduced, in other words, the focusing range becomes narrow. Therefore, to continue capturing the specific portion in the visual field is difficult because a hand tremble, caused by the operator holding the video-scope, or the movement (tremble) of the organ itself affects the image.
On the other hand, the electric magnifying method securely captures the specific portion as the depth of focus is not changed. However, as a process, which interpolates pixels, is performed to the original displayed image, the picture quality degrades, so that the magnified specific portion cannot be precisely diagnosed.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope that electrically magnifies a specific portion of an original image without degrading the picture quality.
An electronic endoscope of the present invention is provided that consists of a video-scope with an image sensor, a video-processor and a display. The video-scope for capturing an observed-subject is detachably connected to the video-processor and the display is connected to the video-processor. The electronic endoscope has an image forming processor, a signal processor and a display-state changing processor. Based on an all-pixel subject image, which is formed on the image sensor and composed of substantially all pixels in the image sensor, the image forming processor forms a display subject image to be displayed on a monitor. The display subject image is formed in accordance with a video standard (video scanning standard), upon which resolution of the display depends. For example, a color television standard, such as the NTSC method, the PAL method, or a computer video standard, such as the VGA standard, SVGA standard, is applied. The signal processor generates video signals or the basis of image-pixel signals corresponding to the display subject image and outputs the video signals to the display, so that an observed image, corresponding to the observed image formed by the image forming processor, is displayed.
The electronic endoscope of the present invention has a function for magnifying a specific portion of the displayed observed image. The display-state changing processor changes the display-state from a normal-display to a magnified-display and from the magnified-display to the normal-display. In the normal-display, the image forming processor forms a normal-display subject image, composed of a smaller number of pixels than that of the all-pixel subject image, as the display subject image. Image-resolution, or image-size, of the normal-display subject image is different from that of the all-pixel subject image. In the magnified-display, the image forming processor forms a magnified-display subject image composed of pixels arranged within apart-area of the all-pixel subject image as the display subject image, so that a magnified-image is displayed. When the electronic magnifying process is performed, the magnified-image is obtained without performing the interpolation process, which results in a degradation of picture quality. Therefore, a diseased portion is precisely diagnosed. Preferably, the image forming processor forms the normal-display subject image by performing a down sampling to the all-pixel subject image.
To obtain high picture quality normal-display subject image and magnified-display subject image respectively, preferably, the pixel number of the image sensor is larger than an effective pixel number that corresponds to the applied video standard. Note, the effective pixel number exhibits the resolution of the display. Namely, the effective pixel number represents the number of pixels that can be used for an image. For example, in the NTSC method, the effective pixel number is approximately 410,000 and an image sensor having pixels more than one million pixels can be advantageously used. The normal-display subject image and the magnified-display subject image are composed of a first pixel number and a second pixel number respectively, both of which are equal to and less than the effective pixel number. The image forming processor may compose the normal-display and magnified-display subject images with a number of pixels near to the respective effective pixel numbers, so that high picture-quality images are obtained in both the normal-display and the magnified-display.
The pixel number of the image sensor used at the electronic endoscope varies with the type, or manufacturing time of the video-scope. Therefore, preferably, the electronic endoscope further has a pixel number determining processor that determines whether or not the pixel number of the image sensor is larger than the effective pixel number. When the pixel number is larger than the effective pixel number, the image forming processor forms the normal-display subject image and the magnified-display subject image. On the other hand, when the pixel number of the image sensor is not larger than the effective pixel number, the image forming processor forms the all-pixel subject image as the normal-display subject image during the normal-display and forms the magnified-display subject image by performing an interpolation process to the all-pixel subject image during the magnified-display. As down sampling is not performed in the normal-display when the pixel number is small, the resolution of the observed image in the normal-display does not degrade.
Preferably, the electronic endoscope has an input device so that the operator can select a portion to be magnified from the observed image displayed at the normal-display. The input device is operated to indicate a given position in the normal-image, corresponding to the normal-display subject image. When using the input device, the electronic endoscope has an indicating pixel detecting processor. The detecting processor detects an indicated-position set by the input device and specifies an indicating-pixel corresponding to the indicated-position from the pixels of the all-pixel subject image. The image forming processor forms the magnified-display subject image by defining the indicating-pixel as a center pixel of the part-area and defining the part-area composed of the second pixel number.
For example, the input device is a keyboard, which has been used as an input device for the electronic endoscope. In this case, the electronic endoscope has an indicator mark displaying processor, that generates a character signal corresponding to an indicator mark, and superimposes the character signal upon the video signals such that the indicator mark indicates the given position. The keyboard is connected to the video-processor and has shift keys for shifting a position of the indicator mark on the display. The indicator mark displaying processor adjusts the position of the indicator mark in accordance with the operation of the shift keys. Then, the indicating pixel detecting processor detects the position of the indicator mark as the indicated-position and specifies the indicating-pixel from the position of the indicator mark.
On the other hand, a touch panel may be used for the input device. The touch panel is connected to the video-processor and arranged on the display. The touch panel identifies a position touched by an operator and informs the video-processor. The indicating pixel detecting processor detects the touched position as the indicated-position and specifies the indicating-pixel accordingly.
Preferably, the indicating pixel detecting processor determines whether or not the part-area composed of the second pixel number can be defined in the all-pixel subject image on the condition that the indicating-pixel becomes the center position of the magnified-display subject image. When the part-area cannot be defined, the indicating pixel detecting processor changes the indicating-pixel position such that a magnified-display subject image composed of the second pixel number is formed. The magnified-display subject image is usually composed of the second pixel number.
Preferably, the image forming processor forms the display subject image in the video-scope. In this case, a video-processor is obtained by a minimum modification to the structure of the conventional video-processor. Preferably, the image forming processor forms the normal-display subject image by performing a down sampling. The down sampling reads only image-pixel signals, generated in pixels, by which the normal-display subject image is formed, from the image sensor. Further, the image forming processor forms the magnified-display subject image by reading only image-pixel signals, generated at the pixels arranged within the part-area, from the image sensor. Thus, the structure for forming the display subject image at the video-scope is simplified.
Preferably, a manipulating member for shifting the position of the indicator mark is attached at a manipulating section of the video-scope. The indicator mark displaying processor adjusts the position of the indicator mark in accordance with an operation of the manipulating member. The indicating pixel detecting processor detects the position of the indicator mark as the indicated-position and specifies the indicating-pixel from the position of the indicator mark. The operator may shift the indicator mark with manipulating the video-scope. To make the manipulation easy, preferably, the manipulating member has a plurality of push buttons for shifting the indicator mark, the indicator mark displaying processor adjusting the position of the indicator mark in accordance with the operation of the plurality of push buttons. For example, the manipulating member is composed of first, second and third push buttons arranged on a tapering end portion of the manipulating section, the first push button arranged on one surface of the tapering end portion and the second and third push buttons arranged on another surface of the tapering end portion. The first, second and third push buttons are arranged such that at least two buttons of the first, second and third push buttons can be operated simultaneously by at least two fingers of thumb, index and middle fingers.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for displaying normal and magnified images is incorporated in an electronic endoscope having a video-scope with an image sensor, a video-processor and a display. The video-scope and the display are connected to the video-processor. The apparatus has an image forming processor, a signal processor and a display-state changing processor. The image forming processor forms a display subject image on the basis of an all-pixel subject image, as formed on the image sensor, and substantially composed of all of the pixels in the image sensor. The signal processor generates video signals on the basis of image-pixel signals corresponding to the display subject image and outputs the video signals to the display. The display-state changing processor changes the display-state from a normal-display to a magnified-display and from the magnified-display to the normal-display. The image forming processor forms a normal-display subject image composed of a smaller number of pixels than that of the all-pixel subject image, as the display subject image, during the normal-display. Image-resolution of the normal-display subject image is different from that of the all-pixel subject image. Further, the image forming processor forms a magnified-display subject image composed of pixels arranged within a part-area of the all-pixel subject image as the display subject image during the magnified-display.


A method and an apparatus are disclosed for quenching workpieces. The workpieces are exposed to a flow of a quenchant fluid. The flow is reversed in its direction. The workpieces are moved through the flow along an axis being essentially transversely to the axis of fluid flow. The workpieces are also reversingly moved.

In conventional systems for quenching workpieces, as described for example in German Patent Specification 42 18 126, the workpieces are conveyed through a quenching apparatus on a horizontally extending roller conveyor. On their path through the apparatus the workpieces have applied to them from the underside, in an arrangement designed like a steeping pot, a quenchant that flows as a liquid against the workpieces from below, flows through the gaps between the workpieces, and is then carried off upward and to the side. A corresponding pump device that allows a flow of the liquid quenchant from below is provided for these purposes.
An apparatus for achieving uniform cooling in a hardening bath is known disclosed in German Published Patent Application 21 43 536. The known apparatus comprises a vessel with coolant liquid. A conveyor belt equipped with holes is arranged in the hardening bath. The workpieces pass via a conveyor trough, under their own weight, onto the conveyor belt, are conveyed thereon initially in a horizontal direction, and are then transported obliquely upward via a rising section, out of the bath, to a delivery end.
Propellers with pivotable blades are arranged in the hardening bath. The propellers are controlled by means of a timing relay in such a way that the direction of incidence of the propeller blades changes, for example, every 5 seconds. As a result, the flow direction of the coolant liquid flow passing vertically through the conveyor belt is reversed each time, so that the coolant liquid flows alternately from top to bottom, and from bottom to top, through the conveyor belt.
The known apparatus has the disadvantage that the merely perforated conveyor belt, with its uniform motion in only one direction, results in perceptible shadowing. Consequently the workpieces to be cooled experience an inhomogeneous incident flow despite the cooling flow which reverses in the vertical direction, since portions of the workpieces are shadowed by the remaining webs in the conveyor belt. This leads to distortion phenomena on the workpieces, which are intolerable for many workpieces.
It is therefore the object of the invention to develop a method and an apparatus of the aforesaid kind in such a way that the quenching effect is further improved, and that the workpieces can be quenched without distortion.

Method and apparatus for quenching workpieces


A DTV transmitting system includes an encoder, a randomizer, a block processor, a group formatter, a deinterleaver, and a packet formatter. The encoder codes enhanced data for error correction, permutes the coded data, and further codes the permuted data for error detection. The randomizer randomizes the coded enhanced data, and the block processor codes the randomized data at an effective coding rate of 1/H. The group formatter forms a group of enhanced data having data regions, and inserts the coded enhanced data into at least one of the data regions. The deinterleaver deinterleaves the group of enhanced data, and the packet formatter formats the deinterleaved data into corresponding data bytes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to television systems and methods of processing broadcast data.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Presently, the technology for processing digital signals is being developed at a vast rate, and, as a larger number of the population uses the Internet, digital electric appliances, computers, and the Internet are being integrated. Therefore, in order to meet with the various requirements of the users, a system that can transmit diverse supplemental information in addition to video/audio data through a digital television channel needs to be developed.
Some users may assume that supplemental data broadcasting would be applied by using a PC card or a portable device having a simple in-door antenna attached thereto. However, when used indoors, the intensity of the signals may decrease due to a blockage caused by the walls or disturbance caused by approaching or proximate mobile objects. Accordingly, the quality of the received digital signals may be deteriorated due to a ghost effect and noise caused by reflected waves. However, unlike the general video/audio data, when transmitting the supplemental data, the data that is to be transmitted should have a low error ratio. More specifically, in case of the video/audio data, errors that are not perceived or acknowledged through the eyes or ears of the user can be ignored, since they do not cause any or much trouble. Conversely, in case of the supplemental data (e.g., program execution file, stock information, etc.), an error even in a single bit may cause a serious problem. Therefore, a system highly resistant to ghost effects and noise is required to be developed.
The supplemental data are generally transmitted by a time-division method through the same channel as the video/audio data. However, with the advent of digital broadcasting, digital television receiving systems that receive only video/audio data are already supplied to the market. Therefore, the supplemental data that are transmitted through the same channel as the video/audio data should not influence the conventional receiving systems that are provided in the market. In other words, this may be defined as the compatibility of broadcast system, and the supplemental data broadcast system should be compatible with the broadcast system. Herein, the supplemental data may also be referred to as enhanced data. Furthermore, in a poor channel environment, the receiving performance of the conventional receiving system may be deteriorated. More specifically, resistance to changes in channels and noise is more highly required when using portable and/or mobile receiving systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

DTV transmitting system and method of processing broadcast data


A method and device for displaying a back-screen in a video signal processing system does not require a separate back-screen generating circuit in order to display the back-screen. Instead, an on-screen signal for indicating characters is used to display the back-screen. A determination signal is detected to determine whether a video signal input is received, and if the input video signal is not received, a microcomputer generates an extended on-screen signal to display the back-screen. If the video signal input is detected during display of the back-screen, the extended on-screen signal is blocked, stopping display of the back-screen.

The present invention relates to a video signal processing system and more particularly to a method and device for displaying a back-screen by using an on-screen signal while a video signal is not received.
Generally, the video signal processing system such as a color television receiver and a video tape recorder (VTR) has a blue back-screen processing function, in which the blue back-screen is displayed on a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) screen to eliminate and prevent noise when the video signal is not received into the video signal processing system.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional video signal processing system with a blue back-screen generating circuit 40. A chrominance signal processing circuit 10 receives a composite video signal input to generate the R (Red), G (Green), B (Blue) primary color signals, a determination signal DET indicative of whether the video signal input is received or not, and horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals Hs, Vs. A compatible one-chip IC (Integrated Circuit) such as TDA 8362 by Philips company is usually used for the chrominance signal processing circuit 10.
In most cases, the determination signal DET is at the logic "low" at the time when the horizontal synchronizing signal Hs is detected from input signal received into the chrominance signal processing circuit 10. To the contrary, if the horizontal synchronizing signal Hs is not detected due to the non-reception of the video signal input, the determination signal DET is at the logic "high". The horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals Hs, Vs of the chrominance signal processing circuit 10 are respectively synchronized with the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals of the video signal input when the video signal input is received. If, however, the video signal input is not received, the signals generated from a local oscillator in chrominance signal processing circuit 10 will take the place of the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals Hs, Vs. A microcomputer 20 for controlling the system, receives the determination signal DET to generate a blue back-screen drive signal Bon for driving the blue back-screen when the determination signal DET indicates that video signal input is not received. The microcomputer 20 also generates an on-screen signal Son to display characters on the screen. A blue back-screen generating circuit 40 receives the blue back-screen drive signal Bon to displayed a blue screen. A CRT driver 30 receives the R, G, B primary color signals transmitted from the chrominance signal processing circuit 10 to drive a CRT to display an image of the video signal input on the screen or to display the CRT screen blue, in response to the output signal of the blue back-screen generating circuit 40. In addition, the CRT driver 30 can display characters on the screen according to the on-screen signal Son transmitted from the microcomputer 20.
The conventional device for displaying the blue back-screen includes a separate blue back-screen generating circuit, thus complicating the circuitry with the increased number of components.

Method and device for displaying a back-screen and characters by using an on-screen signal to avoid the need for dedicated back-screen circuitry


The present invention relates to a power plant for generating electrical power having a burner unit, wherein thermal energy can be produced by burning a fuel, a turbine unit, wherein a rotational movement can be produced with the thermal energy, and a generator unit which is driven by the rotational movement to generate electrical power. The power plant is characterized according to the invention in that in order to produce the thermal energy, in addition to the burner unit, an electric heating unit is provided, through which electrical energy can be converted into thermal energy to drive the turbine unit. In addition the invention relates to a method for generating electrical power.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in a first aspect to a power plant for generating electrical power according to the preamble of claim 1. According to a further aspect the invention relates to a method for generating electrical power according to the preamble of claim 14.
Description of Related Art
A generic power plant has a burner unit, in which thermal energy can be produced by burning a fuel, a turbine unit, in which a rotational movement can be produced with the thermal energy, and a generator unit which is driven by the rotational movement to generate electrical power.
According to a generic method for generating electrical power a fuel is burnt in a burner unit, thermal energy is produced and the thermal energy is converted in a turbine unit into a rotational movement. A generator unit is driven by the rotational movement and electrical power is hereby generated.
In numerous countries, electrical power is produced mainly with power plants of the aforementioned type. Depending upon the power plant, the fuels used can comprise different, in particular fossil, energy carriers. For example, coal, gas or oil can be used as fuel.
A growing proportion of the total amount of power generated is covered by renewable energy sources. In particular, solar energy and wind energy are increasingly used to generate power. However, the amount of energy hereby produced fluctuates greatly over time. There are scarcely any possibilities for storing on a large scale the superfluous electrical energy hereby produced. This results in serious problems regarding how superfluous electrical energy is to be used. It is not rare in times of increased power generation to even pay a consumer of electrical energy.
In principle it is conceivable to power down the aforementioned power plant during an increased power generation through solar or wind energy. Powering down and re-starting the power plant are, however, associated with a high material burden and can only be carried out slowly with known power plants. These speeds are not sufficient to be able to efficiently react to a fluctuating amount of wind or solar radiation.

Power plant and method for generating electrical power


A substantially pure protein, immunophilin FKBP46, is disclosed. An isolated nucleic acid molecule that comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes immunophillin FKBP46, is disclosed. An isolated nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleic acid sequence that encodes immunophillin FKBP46, or a fragment thereof having at least 10 nucleotides is disclosed. Recombinant expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence that encodes immunophillin FKBP46 and host cells comprising the recombinant expression vector are disclosed. Oligonucleotide molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence complimentary to a nucleic acid sequence that encodes immunophillin FKBP46 of at least 5 nucleotides are disclosed. Antibodies that binds to an epitope on FKBP46 are disclosed. Methods of identifying immunosuppressive drugs comprising the steps of contacting FKBP46 or a homologous protein derived from yeast with a test compound and determining whether the protein binds to the test compound are disclosed.

Immunophilins are proteins that bind immunosuppressive drugs such as FK506, rapamycin, and cyclosporin A (Schreiber, S. L. (1991) Science 251, 283-287, which is incorporated herein by reference). Immunophilins that bind FK506 or rapamycin are known as FK binding proteins or FKBPs, and those that bind cyclosporin A are known as cyclophilins. Both FK506 and rapamycin are potent immunosuppressants that act by blocking specific intermediate steps in the signal transduction pathways that lead to T-cell activation (Schreiber, S. L. (1992) Cell 70, 365-368, Schreiber, S. L., and Crabtree, G. R. (1992) Immunol. Today 13, 136-142, Liu. J., et al. (1991) Cell 66, 807-815, and Sigal, N. H., and Dumont. F. J. (1992) Annu. Rev. Immunol. 10, 519-560, which are incorporated herein by reference). In T-lymphocytes, binding of FK506 to the well characterized FKBP12 results in the formation of a protein complex of FKBP12 and calcineurin leading to inactivation of calcineurin phosphatase activity (Liu, J., et al. (1992) Biochemistry, 31, 3896-3901, which is incorporated herein by reference) and subsequently inhibition of T-cell activation. Immunophilins also mediate the effects of immunosuppressive drugs in many cell types. For example, FK506 affects signal transduction in B lymphocytes and mast cells, whereas rapamycin inhibits proliferation of yeasts (Koltin, Y., et al. (1991) Mol. Cell. Biol. 11, 1718-1723 and Heitman, J., et al. (1991) Science 253, 905-909 which are incorporated herein by reference). Aside from the ability to interact with immunosuppressive drugs, the relevant physiological function and the endogenous ligands or regulators of immunophilins are not yet known. Because immunophilins are conserved in evolution and all known immunophilins possess peptidylprolyl isomerase or rotamase activity, it has been suggested that they may catalyze protein folding and trafficking in vivo and assembly of protein complexes (Gething, M. J., and Sambrook, J. (1992) Nature 355, 33-45 which is incorporated herein by reference). The Drosophila immunophilin ninaA has been shown to be essential for trafficking of one isoform of rhodopsin to the membrane in the retina (Stamnes, M. A., et al. (1991) Cell 65, 219-227 which is incorporated herein by reference) . The newly discovered immunophilin FKBP52 is part of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) complex (Tai, P. K., et al. (1992) Science, 256, 1315-1318 which is incorporated herein by reference) and other uncharacterized protein complexes (Tai, P. K., et al. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 8842-8847 which is incorporated herein by reference).
There is a need to identify immunophilin. There is a need to identify compounds that bind to immunophilins. There is a need to study and understand the mechanisms by which immunosuppressive drugs function and for reagents useful in such studies. There remains a need to identify new immunosuppressive drugs. There is a need for kits and methods of identifying such compounds. There is a need for isolated immunophilins, and for compositions and methods of producing and isolating immunophilins. There is a need to isolated proteins that are immunophilins. There is a need to isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode immunophilins.

Nucleotides encoding immunophilin FKBP46 and fragments thereof


Methods and structure within a storage controller for using region locks to efficiently divert an I/O request received from an attached host system to one of multiple processing stacks in the controller. A region lock module within the controller allows each processing stack to request a region lock for a range of block addresses of the storage devices. A divert-type lock request may be established to identify a range of block addresses for which I/O requests should be diverted to a particular one of the multiple processing stacks.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to storage controllers and more specifically relates to methods and structure for using region lock structures to divert I/O requests to one of multiple I/O processing stacks of the storage controller.
2. Related Patents
This patent is related to the following commonly owned United States patents and/or patent applications (collectively referred to herein as the "Related Patents"):                U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/760,415 entitled "APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR TREE MANAGEMENT ASSIST CIRCUIT IN A STORAGE SYSTEM" filed 14 Apr. 2010,        U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/760,434 entitled "APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR REGION LOCK MANAGEMENT ASSIST CIRCUIT IN A STORAGE SYSTEM" filed 14 Apr. 2010, and        U.S. Pat. No. 7,529,902 entitled "METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR LOCKING IN STORAGE CONTROLLERS" filed 19 Oct. 2005.
All of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
3. Discussion of Related Art
A storage controller is a device adapted to receive I/O requests from one or more host systems and to process such received requests to store or retrieve data on storage devices coupled with the storage controller. For example, a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Drives) storage controller manages one or more logical volumes that each comprises portions of one or more physical storage devices. The RAID controller maps logical block addresses of the logical volumes to corresponding physical blocks of the storage devices and provides redundancy and/or striping of the data for enhanced reliability and/or performance (in accordance with redundancy and striping policies of a particular RAID storage management technique defined for the logical volume).
It is common for high performance storage controllers to utilize a cache memory to enhance performance of the storage controller in processing I/O requests. For example, data written to a logical volume by a host system may be stored in the storage controller's cache memory such that subsequent read I/O requests may be satisfied by retrieving the requested data from the cache memory far more rapidly than by retrieving the requested data from the storage devices that comprise the logical volume. Some storage controllers may manage the cache memory as a "write-through" cache in which data is written to both the cache memory and to the storage devices. Some controllers may manage the cache memory in a "write-back" mode in which data is written to the cache memory and only posted/flushed to the storage devices at some later time (e.g., when the storage controller is less busy processing I/O requests). In the write-back mode, there could be data (referred to as "dirty data") that resides in the cache memory but is not yet stored on the storage devices.
Some storage controllers (e.g., high-performance RAID storage controllers) provide for multiple processing pathways or stacks within the storage controller for processing I/O requests. For example, some storage controllers from LSI Corporation provides for a "fast path" processing circuit (e.g., a first processing pathway/stack) operable in conjunction with a firmware processing stack (e.g., a second/conventional processing pathway generally implemented as firmware instructions executed by a general or special purpose processor of the controller). The LSI Corporation fast path processing circuit works in conjunction with specialized drivers on the host systems to more rapidly process I/O requests formatted to allow the fast path circuit to rapidly process the request (e.g., the host system enhanced driver understands the RAID mapping and generates fast path requests to directly access the underlying physical storage devices thus allowing the fast path circuit to rapidly process the I/O request). The firmware processing pathway is adapted to process any type of I/O request received from any host system (e.g., for processing I/O requests regardless of its formatting as a fast path I/O request). The firmware stack handles more generalized processing using a general purpose processor executing instructions and providing full RAID mapping and management. Thus, though more flexible, the firmware processing stack processes I/O requests more slowly than does the fast path circuit.
In such storage controllers having multiple processing stacks (e.g., having a fast path circuit pathway and a firmware processing stack), some initial processing by the storage controller is necessary to determine which of the multiple processing stacks is appropriate for processing a particular I/O request. This initial processing can be a complex process depending on a number of factors. For example, if the storage controller utilizes its cache memory in a write-back mode, use of a fast path processing circuit may give rise to data integrity issues if there is dirty data presently in the cache memory of the storage controller that has not yet been flushed or posted to the storage devices. The fast path circuit may be optimally tuned in such a controller so that it is unaware of the contents of the cache memory and thus could write data to the storage devices that could later be overwritten if the dirty data is flushed. Or, the fast path circuit could read data from the storage devices that is not up to date because dirty data (more up to date data) is presently stored in the cache memory for the blocks accessed by the fast path circuit. Further, for example, if the firmware processing stack maintains a list of bad blocks to be avoided in storing or retrieving data from a logical volume or from particular storage devices, the fast path processing circuit may be unaware of the list of bad blocks and may again give rise to data integrity problems by attempting to access the potentially bad blocks. The fast path circuit may attempt to read or write data to such a bad block that only the firmware processing stack is aware may be bad. Other situations may arise where a firmware I/O request processing stack is presently engaged in certain optimizations such as coalescing smaller I/O requests to form full-stripe writes, optimization for streaming I/O requests, etc. These and other reasons may give rise to a preference for one I/O request processor of a storage controller over another despite an encoding of the request by the host to designate or prefer a particular processor.
Accounting for these various conditions in determining which of the multiple processing stacks is best suited for processing an I/O request can be a time-consuming, complex procedure. Thus, present techniques may simply disable the use of one of the multiple processing stacks (e.g., disable use of the fast path I/O processing circuit of LSI Corporation storage controllers) to avoid these and other potential problems if certain conditions may arise. For example, if any dirty data is presently stored in the write-back cache memory (regardless of whether a particular fast path I/O request may access that dirty data) or if any blocks are designated as "bad blocks" by the firmware processing stack (regardless of whether a particular fast path I/O request may access those bad blocks), the firmware processing stack disables the fast path processing circuit and chooses to process all I/O requests through its slower, but more generalized, processing pathway. In a conservative design approach, the LSI fast path I/O processing circuit may simply be disabled to avoid these and other problems arising by processing of an I/O request directed to the fast path circuit. Disabling use of the fast path I/O processing circuit may degrade performance of the storage controller.
Thus it is an ongoing challenge to effectively and efficiently determine which I/O processing stack is best suited for processing a particular I/O request and to divert a received I/O request to the preferred, selected I/O processing stack without risk of data integrity problems.

Methods and structure for using region locks to divert I/O requests in a storage controller having multiple processing stacks

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Disclosed is a spring clip formed by bending a single sheet of elastic metal plate which comprises: a base portion having an opening formed in a central portion thereof; a rising-up portion raised up substantially vertically from the base portion; and a grasping portion bent at an acute angle from the rising-up portion toward the base portion so as to cooperate with the base portion to grasp sheets of paper or the like between the grasping portion and the base portion, the grasping portion including a contact portion formed at a portion facing at least an outer circumferential portion of the opening of the base portion for contacting with the sheets of paper or the like, and a lead-in portion extended from the contact portion to a top end portion and bent so as to come away from the base portion. The attachment of the spring clip to the sheets of paper or the like can be performed easily only by making the base portion abut onto the back surface side of the sheets of paper or the like, and inserting the lead-in portion onto the sheets of paper or the like from the edge portion of the latter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clip for binding a plurality of loose sheets of paper or the like, and particularly relates to a spring clip formed by bending an elastic metal plate to give thereto such an elasticity that bent end portions thereof abut against each other, and the bent end portions abutting against each other can be opened easily only by the force of fingers.
2. Description of the Related Art
To bind a plurality of loose sheets of paper or the like without injuring them, a Gem clip has bee used broadly. Such a Gem clip is formed of a single elastic wire in such a manner that the single elastic wire is formed into two continuous ring portions of different sizes which are disposed on one and the same plane so that sheets of paper or the like can be inserted between the two ring portions. Various kinds of such Gem clips having different wire diameters and sizes have been prepared so that a desired one of those clips can be selected in accordance with the thickness of the sheets of paper or the like to be bound.
However, since such a Gem clip is formed by bending a wire, the ring portions must be made elliptic to ensure enough elasticity to bind sheets of paper or the like, and the ellipses must be elongated longitudinally, so that there has been an disadvantage that not only a Gem clip elongated longitudinally becomes a hindrance when the bound sheets of paper or the like are to be opened, but also, when sheets of thick paper or the like are bound, the two ring portions come into point contact with the paper at the edge portions of the sheets of paper or the like so that the sheets of paper or the like may come off from the clip easily.
In order to eliminate such a disadvantage of a Gem clip, there has been proposed a clip which is formed in such a manner that an elastic plate-like member is bent to form an isosceles triangle in longitudinal section so that two grasping portions are formed so as to abut against each other at their extremities, and the extremities of the grasping portions are bent into ring-like shapes to thereby constitute a clip body. Two levers each formed by bending a metal rod-like member into a U-letter shape are prepared, and both the end portions of the respective levers are rotatably inserted into the ring-like portion of one of the grasping portions so that the two grasping portions can be opened about the angled portion of the clip body as a fulcrum based on the principle of lever by means of the levers to thereby allow insertion of sheets of paper or the like to be bound. In such a spring clip, the thickness as a gusset is formed in advance so that it is possible to bind thicker documents than those can be bound by a Gem clip.
However, not only it is necessary to prepare three parts, that is, one clip body and two levers, but it is necessary to provide an assembling work to insert end portions of the two levers into ring-like portions of the clip body. It is therefore impossible to provide a spring clip at a low price. Further, there has been a further disadvantage in that such a spring clip is bulk because of the two levers projecting from its clip body, etc.

Fujimidai-Mansion 2002, 29-10, Nukui 1-Chome


A one-time programmable memory includes a first cell array including a plurality of one-time programmable memory cells, and a second cell array including a plurality of one-time programmable memory cells, wherein the first cell array and the second cell array are programmed separately during a program operation, and read in combination during a read operation.

1. Field
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a one-time programmable memory and, more particularly, to a technology for restoring data that is erroneously written in a one-time programmable memory, to an original state.
2. Description of the Related Art
Programming a laser fuse is accomplished by cutting the laser fuse with a laser. Generally, this means that laser fuses are programmable only in a wafer state and are unable to be programmed after the wafer is packaged.
An electrical fuse (hereinafter, referred to as an e-fuse) is used to overcome the limitations of the laser fuse. E-fuses use transistors that store data by changing the resistance between the gate and the drain/source thereof.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an e-fuse formed of a transistor operating as a resistor or a capacitor.
Referring to FIG. 1, the e-fuse includes a transistor T having a gate G and a drain/source D/S to which a ground voltage is applied.
When a power source voltage, which is tolerable to the transistor T, is applied to the gate G, the e-fuse operates as a capacitor C. Thus, there is no current flowing between the gate G and the drain/source D/S. However, when a high voltage, which is intolerable to the transistor T, is applied to the gate G, a gate oxide of the transistor T is broken down to short the gate G and the drain/source D/S, and thus the e-fuse operates as a resistor R. Accordingly, current flows between the gate G and the drain/source D/S of the e-fuse. The data of the e-fuse is recognized from the resistance value between the gate G and the drain/source D/S. To recognize the data of the e-fuse, two methods are used. First, the data of the e-fuse may be recognized directly without performing an additional sensing operation by increasing the size of the transistor T. Second, the data of the e-fuse may be recognized by sensing a current flowing through the transistor T using an amplifier. However, these two methods are disadvantageous in terms of circuit area because the transistor T of the e-fuse is designed to be large in size or an additional amplifier needs to be provided for each e-fuse.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,269,047, research is being carried out on a method for reducing the circuit area occupied by e-fuses.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cell array 200 including e-fuses.
Referring to FIG. 2, the cell array 200 includes one-time programmable memory cells 201 to 216 arranged in N rows and M columns. The memory cells 201 to 216 include memory elements M1 to M16 and switching elements S1 to S16, respectively. For example, a memory cell 201 includes a memory element M1 and a switching element S1. The memory elements M1 to M16 are e-fuses having characteristics of a resistor or a capacitor based on whether they are ruptured. In other words, the e-fuses M1 to M16 may be regarded as resistive memory elements that store data according to the amount of resistance. The switching elements S1 to S16 electrically connect the memory elements M1 to M16 to column lines BL1 to BLM, respectively, under the control of row lines WLR1 to WLRN.
Hereafter, it is assumed that a second row and an Mt column are selected. In other words, it is assumed that a memory cell 208 is selected. Voltages applied to the selected memory cell 208 and unselected memory cells 201 to 207 and 209 to 216 during a program and read operation are described below.
Program Operation
The row line WLR2 of the selected row is activated and the other row lines WLR1 and WLR3 to WLRN are deactivated. Thus, the switching elements S5 to S8 are turned on, and the switching elements S1 to S4 and S9 to S16 are turned off. A high voltage that may break a gate oxide of the e-fuse, which is generally obtained by a charge pumping method using a power source voltage, is applied to a program/read line WLP2 of the selected row, and a low level voltage, e.g., a ground voltage, is applied to the other program/read lines WLP1 and WLP3 to WLPN. The selected column line BLM is coupled with a data access circuit (not shown), and the unselected column lines BLM1 to BLM−1 float. When inputted data is program data (e.g., '1'), the data access circuit drives the selected column line BLM to a logic low level and allows the memory element M8 of the selected memory cell 208 to be programmed (or ruptured). When the inputted data is not program data (e.g., '0'), the data access circuit drives the selected column line BLM to a logic high level and substantially prevents the memory element M8 of the selected memory cell 208 from being programmed. Since the unselected column lines BLM1 to BLM−1 float, the memory elements M5 to M7 are not programmed even though a high voltage is applied to the gates thereof.
Read Operation
The row line WLR2 of the selected row is activated and the other row lines WLR1 and WLR3 to WLRN are deactivated. Thus, the switching elements S5 to S8 are turned on, and the switching elements S1 to S4 and S9 to S16 are turned off. A voltage, which is appropriate for the read operation, e.g., a power source voltage, is applied to the program/read line WLP2 of the selected row, and a low level voltage, e.g., a ground voltage, is applied to the other program/read lines WLP1 and WLP3 to WLPN. The selected column line BLM is coupled with the data access circuit and the unselected column lines BLM1 to BLM−1 float. When current flows through the selected column line BLM, the data access circuit recognizes that the program element M8 is programmed. In other words, the data access circuit may recognize that the data of the memory cell 208 is '1'. When no current flows through the selected column line BLM, the data access circuit recognizes that the program element M8 is not programmed. In other words, the data access circuit may recognize that the data of the memory cell 208 is '0'.
Although it is illustrated herein that one column line BLM is selected among the column lines BL1 to BLM, several column lines may be selected at once. In other words, several memory cells belonging to one row may be simultaneously programmed or read.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an e-fuse array circuit including the cell array 200 shown in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIG. 3, the e-fuse array circuit includes the cell array 200 shown in FIG. 2, a row circuit 310, a column decoder 320, and a data access circuit 330.
The row circuit 310 controls the row lines WLR1 to WLRN and the program/read lines WLP1 to WLPN and allows the program operation or the read operation to be performed as described above. A row address ROW_ADD inputted to the row circuit 310 designates a row selected from a plurality of rows, and a program/read signal PGM/RD inputted to the row circuit 310 directs the program operation or the read operation.
The column decoder 320 electrically connects a column line, which is selected from the column lines BL1 to BLM based on a column address COL_ADD, to the data access circuit 330. Hereafter, it is assumed that four column lines are simultaneous selected from the column lines BL1 to BLM.
The data access circuit 330 performs data access operations on the column lines selected by the column decoder 320. The data access circuit 330 controls the selected column line to be programmed/non-programmed based on input data DI<0:3> during the program operation. The data access circuit 330 detects whether current flows through the selected column lines and outputs the detected result as output data DO<0:4> during the read operation.
In a memory such as an e-fuse array circuit, when data is programmed once, the memory may not return to its previous state. In other words, the memory cells of an e-fuse array cannot generally be programmed again. Thus, a memory such as an e-fuse array circuit, in which data is programmable only once, is referred to as a one-time programmable memory. Therefore, a technology that may restore data, which is erroneously programmed in a one-time programmable memory, to an original state is in demand.


An image communicating apparatus comprises: a discriminating circuit to discriminate a predetermined procedure signal; a detecting circuit to detect a predetermined operation of a telephone; and an instructing circuit to instruct the execution of an image communication in accordance with either later one of the discrimination of the predetermined procedure signal by the discriminating circuit and the detection of the predetermined operation by the detecting circuit. When a predetermined frequency signal is received a predetermined number of times, the predetermined procedure signal is discriminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image communicating apparatus for performing an image communication after a predetermined procedure signal was communicated.
2. Description of the Related Background Art
Hitherto, in the case where a call is received to a facsimile apparatus to which a telephone can be connected from the outside and the user responds by such an external telephone, a CNG (originating call tone) is heard from a receiver so long as the call was generated from a facsimile apparatus on the partner side. In such a case, when a person responding hooks the external telephone or sends a code by a predetermined DTMF signal, the facsimile apparatus detects it and connects the line to the facsimile side and executes a facsimile reception Due to this, the person responding can operate (remote reception) from a remote position without moving to the location of the facsimile apparatus
However, in the case of using the hooking, there is a drawback such that when a catch phone is received, the line is switched to the facsimile apparatus and the catch phone service cannot be received. In catch telephone service, a telephone connected to an exchange that is busy on a first call connection receives a tone signal when the exchange receives another call for the telephone. The called person may then hook the telephone to connect the new call to the telephone while holding the first call connection. Although there is also a private branch exchange which provides various services using the hooking such as holding, extension/external line switching, and the like, there is also a similar drawback such that those services cannot be used.
In the conventional example in which a code is sent by a DTMF signal, a telephone which can send the DTMF must be used. There is also a drawback such that if the code coincides with a code of a computer service or the like, the service cannot be received. There is also an example in which the service is limited such that a remote reception is performed only when the telephone is called. In such an example, there is a drawback such that an originating call is executed and the facsimile reception after the speech cannot be executed.

Image communication apparatus having controlled start


A ceiling fan includes a tube having one or more holes and includes a stator secured to the middle portion of the tube and a rotor rotatably secured to the tube and engaged around the stator for forming a ceiling fan motor. One or more electric wires are engaged through the tube and engaged through the holes. One or more protecting grommets are engaged in the holes for preventing the electric wire from being engaged with the peripheral portion of the hole and for preventing the electric wire from being damaged by the peripheral portion of the tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceiling fan, and more particularly to a ceiling fan having an electric wire protecting device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical ceiling fans comprise a tube, a stator secured to the tube, a rotor rotatably engaged around the stator, a control box secured to the bottom of the tube, and a number of electric wires engaged through the tube for coupling to the motor, to the lights and to the electric power. The tube includes one or more holes for engaging with the electric wires and for allowing the electric wires to be coupled to the motor and the lights. However, the peripheral portion of the holes may include a number of burs or sharp edges which may cut the electric wires, such that the outer protective covers of the electric wires will be easily damaged and such that the electric wires may electrically engage with the tube.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional ceiling fans.

Electric wire protecting device for ceiling fan having protective grommets and temperature detecting breaker

No. 109-1, Avenue 6 , Lane 164, Tzong Sa Road, Da Du Hsiang


A closed ringed structure having an arch segment embedded within is demonstrated for promoting and/or enhancing erectile function. It is for external placement on the shaft of a user's penis, including a closed, hollow tube of relatively elastic material forming a ring, the hollow tube completely encircles the shaft of a user's penis when placed on the user's penis, or completely encircles the shaft of the user's penis and the user's scrotum and testicles; and contains a filled arch segment within the hollow tube, for providing compression of the dorsal vein of the user's penis, where the outer diameter of the arch segment is of a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of the hollow tube.

1. Field of the Inventive Subject Matter
The inventive subject matter relates to novel devices and methods for promoting or enhancing male erectile function, and for treating erectile dysfunction.
2. Background
More than 100 years ago, G. R. Phillips, M.D. wrote the following in the St. Louis Medical Era, 1895-1896: "With rare exceptions, it is the evident intent of nature that every adult male be accorded the pleasure, satisfaction and the power of performing the sexual act. When a condition exists that strips one of this right, be the condition a real or a fancied ill, we have resulting impotence. To acquire an erection is essential, to maintain the same for a time sufficient for the completion of the sexual act is equally so, that one may be potent." All fields of medical science advanced during the Victorian Age, and the study of the male penis became scientific. Early urologists laid down rules in an exact science for performing observations and testing the soundness of the their conclusions. Their conclusions were that impotency does exist.
Now, more than 100 years later and with all the research done on this subject, millions of men around the world still suffer erectile dysfunction at some time in their lives.
Erectile dysfunction affects millions of men. It is estimated that the number of American men with erectile dysfunction ranges from 15 million to 30 million. Although for some men erectile function may not be the best or most important measure of sexual satisfaction, for many men erectile dysfunction creates mental stress that affects their interactions with family and associates. Many advances have occurred in both diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, its various aspects remain poorly understood by the general population and by most health care professionals. Lack of a simple definition, failure to delineate precisely the problem being assessed, and the absence of guidelines and parameters to determine assessment and treatment outcome and long-term results, have contributed to this state of affairs by producing misunderstanding, confusion, and ongoing concern.
Prior-art Treatments of erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction can be treated, with variable degrees of success, by a variety of methods. Most physicians suggest that treatments proceed from least to most invasive. Cutting back on drugs with harmful side effects is considered first. For example, different drugs for high blood pressure work in different ways. Psychotherapy and behavior modifications in selected patients are considered next if indicated, followed by oral or locally injected drugs, vacuum devices, and surgically implanted devices. In rare cases, surgery involving veins or arteries may be considered.
Psychotherapy. Experts often treat psychologically based erectile dysfunction using techniques that decrease the anxiety associated with intercourse. The patient's partner can help with the techniques, which include gradual development of intimacy and stimulation. Such techniques also can help relieve anxiety when erectile dysfunction from physical causes is being treated.
Drug Therapy. Drugs for treating erectile dysfunction can be taken orally, injected directly into the penis, or inserted into the urethra at the tip of the penis. In March 1998, the Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra, the first pill to treat erectile dysfunction. Recently, the FDA granted approval for two additional oral medications, vardenafil hydrochloride (Levitra) in August 2003 and, most recently, Cialis (tadalafil) in November 2003.
Additional oral medicines are being tested for safety and effectiveness. Taken before sexual activity, Viagra, Levitra and Cialis work by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes smooth muscles in the penis during sexual stimulation and allows increased blood flow. While oral medicines improve the response to sexual stimulation they do have potential side effects and other limitations, such as delayed time of onset. Further, men who take nitrate-based drugs, such as nitroglycerin for heart problems, should not use any of these medications because the combination can produce a sudden drop in blood pressure. In addition, none of these medications should be taken with any of the drugs called alpha-blockers, which are used to treat prostate enlargement or high blood pressure.
Oral testosterone can reduce erectile dysfunction in some men with low levels of natural testosterone, but it is often ineffective and may produce liver damage. Patients also have claimed that other oral drugs—including yohimbine hydrochloride, dopamine and serotonin agonists, and trazodone—are effective, but the results of scientific studies to substantiate these claims have been inconsistent. Improvements observed following use of these drugs may be examples of the placebo effect.
Many men achieve stronger erections by injecting drugs into the penis, causing it to become engorged with blood. Drugs such as papaverine hydrochloride, phentolamine, and alprostadil widen blood vessels. However, along with the inconvenience of injections, such drugs may create unwanted side effects, including persistent erection and scarring.
A system for inserting a pellet of alprostadil into the urethra is also currently available. The system uses a prefilled applicator to deliver the pellet about an inch deep into the urethra. An erection will begin within 8 to 10 minutes and may last 30 to 60 minutes. The most common side effects are aching in the penis, testicles, and area between the penis and rectum; warmth or burning sensation in the urethra; redness from increased blood flow to the penis; and minor urethral bleeding or spotting.
Constriction and Vacuum/Constriction Devices. Mechanical vacuum/constriction devices produce erection by creating a partial vacuum around the penis, which draws blood into the penile corpora cavernosa, engorging and expanding the penis. The devices have three components: (a) a plastic cylinder, which covers the penis; (b) a pump, which draws air out of the cylinder; and (c) an elastic ring, which, when fitted over the base of the penis, traps the blood and sustains the erection after the cylinder is removed and during sexual activity. One variation of the vacuum/constriction device involves a semirigid rubber sheath that is placed on the penis and remains there after erection is attained and during intercourse.
Vacuum/constriction devices are at times effective at generating and maintaining erections in some patients with erectile dysfunction. However, as with intracavernosal injection therapy, there is a significant rate of patient dropout with these devices: the devices are difficult for many patients to use, and this is especially so in those with impaired manual dexterity. Also, vacuum/constriction devices may impair ejaculation, which then produces patient discomfort. Patients and their partners often are bothered by the lack of spontaneity in sexual relations that may occur with this procedure. The patient is at times also bothered by the general discomfort that can occur while using vacuum/constriction devices. Further complicating their use, partner involvement in training with vacuum/constriction devices is often important for successful outcome, especially in regard to establishing a mutually satisfying level of sexual activity.
Constriction devices are known in the art. Representative U.S. Patents to penile constriction devices include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,946 issued Mar. 22, 1994 to Collins, discloses a device for affecting or enhancing erection of the penis, comprising an external inflatable cuff which encircles the shaft of the penis at its base and extends distally. The cuff is provided with a plurality of volume expandable annular spaces arranged parallel to one another. The spaces are filled with fluid under pressure from a squeeze bulb to affect a tourniquet action. The spaces are inflated sequentially in a proximal to distal direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,227 issued Apr. 26, 1994 to Osbon, et al., discloses an integral cincture band of elastic material which includes a pair of semi-ellipsoidal handles and an enlarged region to be aligned with the urethra of the user's male sex organ so as to relatively reduce the urethral constriction for improved seminal fluid discharge. Radially inwardly projecting regions of predetermined radius of curvature which is relatively large to the overall ring are provided in predetermined circumferential locations on each lateral side of the dorsal centerline. Relatively inelastic material, such as spherical elements of hardened plastic, may be included in the inwardly projecting regions to further enhance specific circumferentially located blood flow restriction pressures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,910 issued Jul. 12, 1994 to Flynn, discloses a therapeutic device for the treatment of male sexual dysfunction, which has first and second substantially rigid portions interconnected by malleable or deformable portions. The device is fitted to the base of the male penis and by selective deformation of the device, the first portion constricts blood flow through the penile veins to enable the user to achieve a penile erection; the second portion constricts the urethra to prevent premature ejaculation; and the malleable or deformable portions constrict blood flow through the penile arteries to overcome Priapism. The device has a core, e.g. of copper wire, within a deformable resilient sheath, with grooves or slots which allow blood flow through the blood vessels under the skin of the penis when in use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,324 and 5,526,803 issued Jun. 6, 1995 and Jun. 18, 1996, respectively, to Kelly, disclose a male truss for assisting in producing and maintaining an erection. A linear rigid member is mounted upon a loop capable of drawing the member into biasing contact against the dorsal side of the penis to restrict the flow of blood moving through the dorsal vein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,007 issued Aug. 8, 1995 to Fischer, discloses a suspensory for improving the erection of the human male penis by means of deliberately choking the backflow of the venous blood, including a rigid, generally rectangular ring composed of two crossbars and two sidebars, which, in use, surrounds the penis as well as the scrotum, and which carries one rounded bulge at the center of its upper crossbar that presses on the topside of the penis near the abdomen, and one bulge on or adjacent its lower bar that presses on the root of the penis at the backside of the scrotum. These two bulges are shaped and placed such as to choke all three main veins, the vena dorsalis superficialis and the vena dorsalis profunda penis at the topside of the penis, and the venae profundae penis at the underside of the penis behind the scrotum, such that the arteries and nerve cords of the penis that run parallel to those choked veins are crowded sideways by said bulges into the empty corners of the rectangular ring so that arteries and nerve cords remain essentially unchoked. The lower bulge may be provided on a rearward extension rod which carries a rectal cone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,444 issued Dec. 9, 1997 to Chaney, discloses an elastic ring for assisting a male to obtain and maintain an erection, having two prongs circumferentially spaced apart and extending from the inside diameter of the ring inwardly of the ring opening and has a protuberance formed on the inside of ring substantially diametrically opposite of the prongs. The device encircles the penis and scrotum so as to apply a compressive force rearwardly of the root of the penis so that the external conspicuous part of the penis and the more concealed root part can become rigidified or erect and involved in the sexual act.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,469 issued Dec. 7, 1999 to Northcutt, discloses a sexual aid device that encircles the base of the penis. The device may be constructed as a single ring, or as a set of rings that can be used together in various conformations. The device includes a size adjustment means that allows the user to vary the size of the central through hole so that a user of the device is always ensured of a proper fit. The device may also include an extension means to directly stimulate the female's clitoral region. Alternatively, the device may be formed with an oval shape as opposed to a round shape to achieve the objective of direct stimulation of the clitoris.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,194 issued Nov. 20, 2001 to Wulf, discloses a penis erection stabilizer adapted for mounting on the base of a male penis. The stabilizer includes an outer ring, a concentric smaller inner ring and a latex sheath. The latex sheath connects the two rings. The outer ring and smaller inner ring are also made of latex. One end of the sheath is attached to an inner circumference of the outer ring. An opposite end of the sheath is attached to an inner circumference of the inner ring. In operation, the outer and inner ring are stretched over the head of the penis and along the length of the penis. The smaller inner ring is then placed next to the base of the penis and next to the torso with the outer ring disposed around the inner ring. The inner ring with added pressure from the outer ring provide a necessary pressure to contain the blood supply in the penis, thus helping insure a natural erection. Also, the inner ring can be unrolled from a portion of the sheath for placing the inner ring next to the upper ring.
These prior art patents do not describe the novel and improved inventive subject matter claimed herein.
Surgery. Surgery for treating erectile dysfunction usually has one of three goals:                1. to reconstruct arteries to increase flow of blood to the penis;        2. to block off veins that allow blood to leak from the penile tissues; or        3. to implant a penile prosthesis device that can allow the penis to become erect.
Surgery to repair arteries can reduce erectile dysfunction caused by obstructions that block the flow of blood. The best candidates for such surgery are young men with discrete blockage of an artery because of an injury to the crotch or fracture of the pelvis. However, the procedure is not widely used, as it is almost never successful in older men with widespread arterial blockage.
Surgery to veins that allow blood to leave the penis usually involves an opposite procedure—intentional blockage. In theory, blocking off veins can reduce the leakage of blood that diminishes the rigidity of the penis during erection. However, experts have raised questions about the long-term effectiveness of ligation, and it is rarely used.
Implanted devices, known as prostheses, can restore the ability to achieve erection in many men with erectile dysfunction. Various forms of penile prostheses are available for patients who fail with, or refuse, other forms of therapy; essentially, there are two basic designs: rigid or semi-rigid, and inflatable.
Rigid, malleable, and semirigid penile prostheses consist of specially constructed rods, generally plastic or silicone rubber, which are placed inside the corpora cavernosa of the penis. Such devices are implanted via an incision made on the underside the penis, and one rod is inserted in each corpora cavernosa. The procedure is an ambulatory, out patient procedure. It is particularly useful for the elderly and those with reduced strength of hands because its use requires no special manipulation. The user manually adjusts the position of the penis and, therefore, the rods. Adjustment does not affect the width or length of the penis.
Inflatable implants consist of paired cylinders, which are surgically inserted inside the penis and can be expanded using pressurized fluid. Tubes connect the cylinders to a fluid reservoir and a pump, which are also surgically implanted. The patient inflates the cylinders by pressing on the small pump, located under the skin in the scrotum. Inflatable implants can expand the length and width of the penis somewhat. They also leave the penis in a more natural state when not inflated. With an inflatable implant, erection is produced by squeezing a small pump implanted in a scrotum. The pump produces fluid to flow from a reservoir residing in the lower pelvis to cylinders residing in the penis. The cylinders expand to create the erection.
The effectiveness, complications, and acceptability vary among the types of prostheses, with the main problems being mechanical failure, infection, and erosions. Silicone particle shedding has been reported, including migration to regional lymph nodes. There is also a risk of the need for subsequent operation(s) with all mechanical devices. Although the inflatable prostheses may yield a more physiologically natural appearance, they have had a higher rate of failure requiring reoperation. Men with diabetes mellitus, spinal cord injuries, or urinary tract infections have an increased risk of prosthesis-associated infection. This form of treatment is considered to be inappropriate in patients with severe penile corporal fibrosis, or severe medical illness. Circumcision may also be required for patients with phimosis and balanitis.
Technologies in Development. Advances in implants, suppositories, injectable medications, and vacuum devices have expanded the options for men seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction. These advances have also helped increase the number of men seeking treatment. Gene therapy for erectile dysfunction is now being tested in several centers and may offer a long-lasting therapeutic approach for select causes of erectile dysfunction involving genetic deficiencies.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases ("NIDDK") sponsors programs aimed at understanding the causes of erectile dysfunction and finding treatments to reverse its effects. NIDDK's Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases supported the researchers who developed Viagra and continue to support basic research into the mechanisms of erection and the diseases that impair normal function at the cellular and molecular levels, including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Despite increasing emphasis on eliminating the stigma that some perceive as surrounding erectile dysfunction, and increasing emphasis on actively treating erectile dysfunction using the methods and devices described above, there remains a significant need for novel and improved devices and methods for promoting or enhancing male erectile function, and for treating erectile dysfunction. Most particularly, there is a great need for comparatively simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive devices and methods of first resort which can be used by persons suffering from erectile dysfunction.
The inventive subject matter satisfies this need by providing novel devices and methods for promoting or enhancing male erectile function, and for treating erectile dysfunction. Advantages of the inventive subject matter over the prior art include:
Safety. In general, the FDA recommends that devices which constrict the user's penis be worn for no longer than 45 minutes at a time. The inventive devices can be safely worn for at least the maximum time recommended by the FDA.
Effectiveness. As discussed in detail herein, the inventive devices are at least as effective as any constrictive device.
Convenience. The inventive devices are simple to use, washable, and are expected to be easily replaceable if damaged.
Comfort. The inventive devices are as comfortable to use as "novelty" penis rings while providing a therapeutic benefit, and are significantly more comfortable than prior art constrictive devices having wire, metal, and hard plastic parts.
Partner Acceptance. The inventive devices are unobtrusive in use and may bring additional pleasure to the user's sexual partner. Further, the inventive devices are simple and quick to apply to the user's penis, promoting spontaneity in initiating sexual activity and avoiding distraction during sexual activity.
It is expected that the inventive devices and methods will be most beneficial to patients having reversible causes of erectile dysfunction, such as:                1. Patients on medications for high blood pressure;        2. Patients on medicines for depression;        3. Patients who have endocrine problems, such thyroid or pituitary problems;        4. Patients who have partner conflict;        5. Patients who smoke cigarettes;        6. Patients who use recreational drugs such as alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin;        7. Patients who have an anatomical abnormality of the penis; and        8. Patients with a correctable cause of vascular impotence.
However, the inventive devices may be utilized by any man for promoting or enhancing erectile function, including specifically those men who have no perceived or diagnosed erectile dysfunction, yet wish to have firmer, longer-lasting erections more often or more consistently.

Devices and methods for promoting or enhancing male erectile function


A data transmission method includes a step of dividing each data into two or more low-speed data so as to create two or more sequences of low-speed data which are separated by no-signal intervals, a step of adding a fixed pattern for detecting a head or an end of each low-speed data included in each of the two or more sequences of low-speed data to each of the no-signal intervals included in each of the two or more sequences of low-speed data so as to create two or more sequences of fixed-pattern-added low-speed data, and a step of transmitting the two or more sequences of fixed-pattern-added low-speed data to the transmit station connected to the other network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission method of transmitting high-speed data which are transmitted via a network channel, such as a LAN, to another network channel which is disposed in a moving object or the like and is physically separated from the above-mentioned network channel, by dividing the high-speed data into two or more low-speed data, so that the high-speed data can be used in the other network channel. It also relates to a data transmission apparatus and a data transmission system using the data transmission method.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, when a large amount of such high-speed data as text data and image data is transmitted from a network on the transmit side to another network on the receive side, an attempt to transmit such a large amount of high-speed data while maintaining the transfer rate of the network on the transmit side causes a necessity to provide electronic parts which can carry out high-speed processing with each of the two networks on the transmit side and on the receive side and increases the complexity and cost of the system. Then, in a radio communications system for transmitting such high-speed data using a wireless LAN, a data transmission method of dividing high-speed data into two or more low-speed data and transmitting them is adopted in order to reduce the total cost required to construct the system, for example.
In addition, since those two or more low-speed data into which the original high-speed data is divided and which are transmitted to the other network on the receive side have different delay times dependent upon the conditions of the transmission path and so on, processes of adding a bit (i.e., a framing bit) for delay detection and compensation to each of the two or more low-speed data, determining the differences in delay time among these low-speed data by comparison among the positions of the framing bits respectively added to the two or more low-speed data, and adjusting the delay times are performed on the two or more low-speed data in order to return the positions of all bits of each of the two or more low-speed data which have been shifted due to the delay time differences to the original positions.    [Patent reference 1] Japanese patent application publication (TOKKAI) No. 2002-191073 (see pp. 2 to 4 and FIG. 1)    [Patent reference 2] Japanese patent application publication (TOKKAI) No. 2002-135304 (see pp. 2, and 4 to 6, and FIGS. 1 to 3)    [Patent reference 3] Japanese patent application publication (TOKKAI) No. 2000-92146 (see pp. 2 to 4 and FIGS. 1 to 5)
A problem with the above-mentioned prior art data transmission method is however that since a bit (i.e., a framing bit) for delay detection and compensation is added to each of two or more low-speed data into which original high-speed data is divided, while differences in delay time among the two or more low-speed data can be compensated for, when a source network channel in which transmission of yet-to-be-divided high-speed data is carried out is used at a transfer rate close to the wire rate, a buffer overflow of the data occurs and all data cannot be transmitted from the network channel on the transmit side to another network channel at the receive side. In other words, the wire-rate performance of the source network channel cannot be ensured.
The wire rate of a network channel means a maximum transfer rate of the network channel in consideration of control data and so on. Although it is necessary to increase the processing speed as the amount of control data added to data to be transmitted increases, it is impossible to increase the processing speed and an overflow of the data occurs when the source network channel is being used at a transfer rate close to the wire rate.

Data transmission method, data transmission apparatus and data transmission system using this method


A card adapter is disclosed to include a connector electrically connected to a circuit board, a locating frame fixedly fastened to the circuit board, and a sliding cardholder, which has a holder base pivotally coupled to the locating frame through a sliding joint and defining two vertically spaced accommodating chambers for receiving different electronic cards, and terminals mounted in a partition board between the accommodating chambers, and the terminals each having a front contact portion respectively suspending in the first or second accommodating chamber for the contact of the inserted electronic cards and a rear connecting portion positioned in a respective terminal groove at a plug plate at the rear side of the partition board for insertion with the plug plate into the connector to contact a respective terminal in the connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector and more particularly, to a card adapter, which uses a partition board to hold multiple sets of terminals for the contact of different electronic cards so that the height of the adapter is minimized to meet light, thin, short and small electronic product characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of high-tech electronic devices has been developed and has appeared on the market. These electronic devices such as computers, mobile telephones, digital cameras, and etc. provided sophisticated functions to satisfy different demands. Further, electronic chip cards have been intensively used in mobile electronic devices such as mobile telephones, PDAs, etc. for identification recognition and/or data storage. These mobile electronic devices have a card connector or adapter for receiving a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card or memory card.
Following the market trend toward light, thin, short and small electronic device characteristics, a card adapter must be made as smaller as possible and capable of receiving a plurality of electronic cards. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a card adapter according to the prior art. According to this design, the card adapter comprises a base A fixedly mounted in a circuit board (not shown), a sliding cardholder B, which is coupled to the base A and comprises a first accommodating chamber B1 and a second accommodating chamber B2 disposed at different elevations, a set of first terminals A1 mounted in the base A for the contact of the electronic card C that is inserted into the first accommodating chamber B1, a set of second terminals B3 mounted in the sliding cardholder B for the contact of the electronic card C that is inserted into the second accommodating chamber B2. After insertion of the electronic cards C into the first accommodating chamber B1 and the second accommodating chamber B2, the sliding cardholder B is moved relative to the base A to force the electronic card C in the first accommodating chamber B1 into contact with the first terminals A1. The electronic card C that is inserted into the second accommodating chamber B2 is automatically set into contact with the second terminals B3. When moving the sliding cardholder B to force the electronic card C in the first accommodating chamber B1 into contact with the first terminals A1, the second terminals B3 are respectively force into respective connecting terminals A2 that are mounted in the base A and electrically connected to the circuit board that carries the base A.
The aforesaid design of card adapter is still not satisfactory in function because of the following drawbacks:
Because the first terminals A1 and the second terminals B3 are respectively mounted in the base A and the sliding cardholder B, the card adapter must have a certain height to hold these two sets of terminals. Therefore, this design of card adapter does not meet the requirements for light, thin, short and small electronic device characteristics.
According to the aforesaid design, the sliding cardholder B must be moved relative to the base A to force the electronic card C that is inserted into the first accommodating chamber B1 into contact with the first terminals A1. However, the electronic card C that is inserted into the second accommodating chamber B2 is automatically set into contact with the second terminals B3. Therefore, when making the card adapter, the distance between the first terminals A1 and the connecting terminals A2 must be accurately controlled so that the second terminals B3 can be accurately forced into contact with the electronic card C in the first accommodating chamber B1 after the sliding cardholder B has been set into position. This consideration complicates the manufacturing process, resulting in a low yield rate and a high manufacturing cost.
This design of card adapter has no guide means to guide the second terminals B3 into contact with the connecting terminals A2 when moving the sliding cardholder B into position. Therefore, when moving the sliding cardholder B into position, the second terminals B3 may be forced against the connecting terminals A2, thereby causing deformation or damage of the terminals. When the card adapter is damaged, the user must deliver the card adapter to the supplier for repair.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a card adapter that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.


The invention relates to (among other things) N-optionally substituted aryl-2-oligomer-3-alkoxypropionamides and compositions comprising the same. A compound of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits one or more advantages over corresponding compounds lacking the oligomer.

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, with almost 90% of these people residing in developing countries. Epilepsy is more likely to occur in young children or people over the age of 65 years; however, it can occur at any age. Epilepsy is usually controlled, but not cured, with pharmacotherapy, although surgery may be indicated in exceptional cases. Despite the reliance on pharmacotherapy as the primary approach in controlling the disease, over 30% of people with epilepsy do not have seizure control even with the best available medications. Not all epilepsy syndromes are life-long; some forms are confined to particular stages of childhood. Epilepsy should not be understood as a single disorder, but rather as a group of syndromes with vastly divergent symptoms, but all involving episodic abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Seizure types are organized firstly according to whether the source of the seizure within the brain is localized (partial or focal onset seizures) or distributed (generalized seizures). Partial seizures are further divided on the extent to which consciousness is affected. If it is unaffected, then it is a simple partial seizure; otherwise it is a complex partial (psychomotor) seizure. A partial seizure may spread within the brain—a process known as secondary generalization. Generalized seizures are divided according to the effect on the body, but all involve loss of consciousness. These include absence (petit mal), myoclonic, clonic, tonic, tonic-clonic (grand mal) and atonic seizures.
There are over 40 different types of epileptic conditions, including: absence seizures, atonic seizures, benign Rolandic epilepsy, childhood absence, clonic seizures, complex partial seizures, frontal lobe epilepsy, febrile seizures, infantile spasms, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, juvenile absence epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Landau-Kleffner syndrome, myoclonic seizures, mitochondrial disorders, progressive myoclonic epilepsies, psychogenic seizures, reflex epilepsy, Rasmussen's syndrome, simple partial seizures, secondarily generalized seizures, temporal lobe epilepsy, toni-clonic seizures, tonic seizures, psychomotor seizures, limbic epilepsy, partial-onset seizures, generalized-onset seizures, status epilepticus, abdominal epilepsy, akinetic seizures, auto-nomic seizures, massive bilateral myoclonus, catamenial epilepsy, drop seizures, emotional seizures, focal seizures, gelastic seizures, Jacksonian march, Lafora disease, motor seizures, multifocal seizures, neonatal seizures, nocturnal seizures, photosensitive seizure, pseudo seizures, sensory seizures, subtle seizures, Sylvan seizures, withdrawal seizures, and visual reflex seizures, among others.
Anticonvulsants are generally prescribed for the treatment of individuals suffering from or prone to epilepsy. The 3-alkoxypropionamides represent one such class of compounds. The 3-alkoxypropionamides are also used in the treatment of individuals suffering from or prone to neuropathic pain. Treatment of individuals with these compounds, however, is associated with many side effects, including: vertigo; diplopia; blurred vision; nausea; vomiting; dizziness; ataxia; and tremor.
Therefore, pharmacotherapy with such therapeutic 3-alkoxypropionamides would be improved if these and/or other adverse or side effects associated with their use could be decreased or if their pharmacology could otherwise be improved for this and/or for other indications. Thus, there is a large unmet need for developing novel 3-alkoxypropionamides.
The present invention seeks to address these and other needs in the art.


A VCM is disclosed, the motor including a stator including a first driving unit, a rotor arranged inside the stator, including a second driving unit responding to the first driving unit and mounted therein with a lens, a base fixing the stator, and an elastic member coupled to the rotor to float the rotor from the base in a case a driving signal for driving the first and second driving units is not applied to the first and second driving units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a VCM (Voice Coil Motor), and more particularly to a voice coil motor enabling to bi-directionally drive a rotor using a small current by floating the rotor from a base.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, a mobile phone embedded with a super small digital camera has been developed. A conventional super small digital camera used on a mobile phone has suffered from a disadvantage of disablement to adjust a gap between a lens and an image sensor changing an outside light to a digital image or a digital video (moving image). However, recently, a lens driving device such as a voice coil motor capable of adjusting a gap between an image sensor and a lens has been developed to obtain a digital image or a digital video more advanced than that of a conventional super small digital camera.
Generally, a VCM (Voice Coil Motor) is mounted therein with a lens, where a bobbin arranged on a base is vertically moved from the base to adjust a gap between an image sensor arranged at a rear surface of the base and a lens of the camera. The bobbin of the VCM is coupled with a leaf spring to be always brought into contact with the base by elastic force of the leaf spring when the VCM is not operated. That is, the conventional VCM is driven only to one direction relative to the base.
Because the conventional VCM is driven only to one direction, the VCM disadvantageously needs a driving force greater than a self-weight of the bobbin and the elastic force of the leaf spring to drive the VCM, causing a greater increase in power consumption of the VCM. The conventional VCM further suffers from a disadvantage in that, because it needs a driving force greater than a self-weight of the bobbin and the elastic force of the leaf spring, size of coil wound on the bobbin or the leaf spring increases to increase an entire size of the VCM.


A dispensing apparatus capable of dispensing a wide variety of fluids, such as adhesives, is provided. The structure of the apparatus allows it to be miniaturized, thereby facilitating its use for many applications. The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing in which a slide is mounted. The housing includes a fluid reservoir which is supplied with pressurized fluid. A longitudinal passage extends through the slide for providing this fluid to the reservoir. A bellow seal is employed for sealing off an actuating mechanism from the reservoir. The seal is connected between the slide and a support fixedly mounted to the housing. A valve mechanism is provided at one end of the housing for controlling the flow of fluid from the reservoir. The valve mechanism is directly or indirectly responsive to the slide. Fluid may be caused to flow through the valve mechanism either by fluid pressure or by positive displacement.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to fluid dispensing mechanisms and, more particularly, to an improved dispensing apparatus which may be miniaturized and which is capable of delivering precisely controlled quantities of fluid.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of known designs for dispensing fluids such as adhesives, sealants, and the like at accurately controlled flow rates, in accurate quantities, and for accurate placement on a receiving surface.
In certain designs, fluid is introduced under pressure to a reservoir and dispensed upon movement of a valve member off a valve seat. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,930,669 and 4,955,514 disclose two such designs. Each design is sealless, which is highly advantageous for dispensing fluids which tend to leak through and/or destroy conventional seals.
Another type of dispensing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,789. This design allows the positive displacement of precise quantities of fluid from a reservoir. All three patented devices discussed above employ a deformable diaphragm for isolating the reservoir from the mechanism which actuates the valve, thereby preventing the undesirable entry of product into the mechanism.
Other types of dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,066,188, 4,066,845, 4,099,653 and 4,126,321. The first three patented dispensers are designed primarily for dispensing hot, viscous fluids, while the latter is designed for use as a spray gun. Each employs a bellows seal for isolating a fluid reservoir from an actuating mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,558 discloses an apparatus for dispensing viscous products such as liquid soap via positive displacement. The products are confined by a bellows-type membrane.
There are many different types of fluids which require the use of a dispensing apparatus. Such fluids have a very broad range of viscosities, curing properties, and other characteristics which may preclude the use of certain types of dispensers. Cyanoacrylates, for example, of relatively low viscosities tend to diffuse with polymers and then cure. These properties make the use of dynamic seals in a dispenser very disadvantageous. If high pressure within the fluid reservoir is required, diaphragm seals become disadvantageous as the pressure against such seals must be overcome in order to move the stem or slide to which the valve member is secured.
Fluid dispensers may also be used in a wide variety of applications, some of which require incorporation of the dispenser within sophisticated machinery. Others may require the ability to manipulate the dispenser manually. The ability to manufacture a dispenser which is small in size and easily manipulated by hand is important in many applications. As the fluid reservoirs of many dispensers are supplied with fluid through fittings in the reservoir walls, the dispensers are rather difficult to handle as the fittings and associated tubing are obstructions which must be avoided.
The ability to miniaturize existing dispenser designs is often limited due to the manner in which fluid is supplied to the reservoir, as described above. Other internal structures in many dispensers also severely limit the extent to which they can be miniaturized. As small size and light weight are advantageous features in a number of applications, many prior art dispensers are of only limited utility.