A two piece hanger device for mounting an object on a wall wherein one piece is mounted on the object and one piece is mounted on the wall and wherein one of the two pieces can be angularly adjusted with respect to the other to permit proper horizontal alignment of the object to be hung.

There are many different types of wall hangers which are used for mounting and hanging art work and related items to room wall surfaces. One problem associated with existing two piece hangers is that exacting orientation of the hangers on the wall and the article to be hung is required so as to avoid leaning of the hung article so that its orientation will be horizontal and parallel to the floor and ceiling of the room.
The current invention provides for correct orientation by allowing some relative movement between the hanger piece on the wall and the hanger piece on the object to be hung on the wall.
Further the attachment of the two hanger pieces to one another should provide for some physical connection between the two hanger pieces to keep the two hanger pieces from separating and to cause the two hanger pieces to resist vertical movement between them so as to be able to support the object to be held against the wall. With light weight objects to be hung, stopping relative movement is easier than when the objects weigh more. For example, a one pound picture frame puts less of a vertical strain on a hanger mounting than does a ten pound picture frame.
Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A firearm safety lock for positioning in the chamber of a firearm and preventing the firing of the firearm until the device is removed from the chamber. The firearm safety lock includes an elongate housing for positioning in a chamber of a firearm, and having a longitudinal axis extending between the opposite first and second ends. The housing has an interior and the second end thereof has an opening. A first end member is mounted on and protrudes from the first end of the housing. A lock channel extends from the housing. A second end member is mounted on the second end of the housing. The second end member is slidably mounted in the interior of the housing. The second end member has a retracted position wherein the second end member is generally retracted into the interior of the housing and an extended position wherein the second locating member is generally extended from the second end of the housing for engaging a second end of the chamber of the firearm to lodge the housing in the chamber and preclude removal of the housing from the chamber. A locking mechanism is provided for moving the second end member between the retracted and extended positions. The first end member has a substantially frusta-conical portion for centering the first end member in a first end of the chamber of the firearm and wherein the second end member has a substantially frusta-conical portion formed on the second end of the body member for centering the second end member in the second end of the chamber of the firearm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearm firing prevention devices and more particularly pertains to a new firearm safety lock for positioning in the chamber of a firearm and preventing the firing of the firearm until the device is removed from the chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of firearm firing prevention devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, firearm firing prevention devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The firearm safety lock according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of positioning in the chamber of a firearm and preventing the firing of the firearm until the device is removed from the chamber.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of firearm firing prevention devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new firearm safety lock construction wherein the same can be utilized for positioning in the chamber of a firearm and preventing the firing of the firearm until the device is removed from the chamber.
The present invention generally comprises an elongate housing for positioning in a chamber of a firearm, and having a longitudinal axis extending between the opposite first and second ends. The housing has an interior and the second end thereof has an opening. A first end member is mounted on and protrudes from the first end of the housing. A lock channel extends from the housing. A second end member is mounted on the second end of the housing. The second end member is slidably mounted in the interior of the housing. The second end member has a retracted position wherein the second end member is generally retracted into the interior of the housing and an extended position wherein the second locating member is generally extended from the second end of the housing for engaging a second end of the chamber of the firearm to lodge the housing in the chamber and preclude removal of the housing from the chamber. A locking mechanism is provided for moving the second end member between the retracted and extended positions. The first end member has a substantially frusta-conical portion for centering the first end member in a first end of the chamber of the firearm and wherein the second end member has a substantially frusta-conical portion formed on the second end of the body member for centering the second end member in the second end of the chamber of the firearm.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new firearm safety lock apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the firearm firing prevention devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new firearm safety lock which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art firearm firing prevention devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new firearm safety lock that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new firearm safety lock that is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new firearm safety lock which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such firearm safety lock economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new firearm safety lock which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new firearm safety lock for positioning in the chamber of a firearm and preventing the firing of the firearm until the device is removed from the chamber.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new firearm safety lock which includes an elongate housing for positioning in a chamber of a firearm, and having a longitudinal axis extending between the opposite first and second ends. The housing has an interior and the second end thereof has an opening. A first end member is mounted on and protrudes from the first end of the housing. A lock channel extends from the housing. A second end member is mounted on the second end of the housing. The second end member is slidably mounted in the interior of the housing. The second end member has a retracted position wherein the second end member is generally retracted into the interior of the housing and an extended position wherein the second locating member is generally extended from the second end of the housing for engaging a second end of the chamber of the firearm to lodge the housing in the chamber and preclude removal of the housing from the chamber. A locking mechanism is provided for moving the second end member between the retracted and extended positions. The first end member has a substantially frusta-conical portion for centering the first end member in a first end of the chamber of the firearm and wherein the second end member has a substantially frusta-conical portion formed on the second end of the body member for centering the second end member in the second end of the chamber of the firearm.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.


A kit for converting a climbing tree stand into a cart includes a bracket having a first side and a second side. The first side is shaped to attach to a top part of a climbing tree stand. The second side is shaped to attach to a bottom part of the climbing tree stand. At least one wheel with an axle is positioned on the bracket. The bracket converts the climbing tree stand into a cart by attaching the top part of the climbing tree stand to the first side and attaching the bottom part of the climbing tree stand to the second side.

Tree stands or deer stands are open or enclosed platforms used to provide an elevated position in a tree. Tree stands are commonly used in the hunting world, like deer hunting. The platforms are secured to trees in order to elevate the hunter and give the hunter a better vantage point. The majority of the millions of deer hunters in the U.S. use a tree stand. Hunters use many different types of tree stands, like ladder-style tree stands, climbing tree stands, hanging stands, box stands, etc. The instant invention is designed to be utilized with a climbing tree stand.
A climbing tree stand is used by a person to not only provide an elevated position in a tree, but it also aids the user in climbing the tree. Climbing tree stands are typically made of two parts, a bottom part and a top part. The bottom part is the standing platform and the top part is the seat. A strap may be included that connects the top part to the bottom part, so if the bottom falls while in the tree or climbing, the platform doesn't fall all the way to the ground stranding the hunter. Climbing tree stands come in many different shapes and sizes and with many different accessories, like seats, seat backs, arm rests, cushions, footrests, etc. Climbing tree stands have a couple of different styles to connect to the tree. The tree gripping part, or the part that grips the lower portion of the tree, is typically made from a concave shaped piece of metal with teeth or grooves utilized to grip the tree. An adjustable cable portion is wrapped around the tree above the tree gripping part to provide the cantilever forces required to position the top and/or bottom part on the tree.
Before climbing the tree both parts need to be adjusted to the tree so they are level for the hunter to stand and sit on. To climb the tree the back of each part is angled to the tree one at a time and pulled up. Then the part that the hunter is moving is set back level and the next part is moved up. This is done until the person is at the desired height. For safety some hunters strap the tree stand to the tree. To go down the hunter does the same as climbing up except in reverse. Obviously, only trees that have no limbs up to the height desired for hunting will work.
One issue with tree stands and hunting is that tree stands are heavy and bulky, and thus, very difficult to transport. Typical climbing tree stands weigh between 18-30 pounds. The transportation of a tree stand becomes even more difficult for long distances. For example, some public hunting lands restrict the use of motorized vehicles, thereby requiring hunters to manually carry their equipment to the desired hunting location. As most should understand, the more remote the location is or the farther the location is away from human development, the more likely the hunter is to see any game animals, like deer. Thus, most hunters desire their hunting location to be deep into the woods or hunting land. As such, some hunters may walk or bike multiple miles to their desired hunting location. Thus, there is clearly a need to provide a climbing tree stand that is easier to transport, especially for long distances.
Another issue most hunters face is the transportation of the killed game or animal back from the hunting location. As most any person should understand, it is very difficult to transport dead weight, especially for long distances. For example, the average deer weighs around 200 pounds which is extremely difficult for a single person to carry, especially for long distances back from the hunting location. Thus, there is clearly a need to provide a means for transporting the killed game back from the hunting location.
One solution to transporting climbing tree stands is that the top part and bottom part can be sized to nest together and transport like a backpack. One solution to transporting a killed animal back from the hunting location is to use a cart or hauler, or a deer cart. However, no one wants to carry a 30 lb. stand and a 30 lb cart into the woods on each trip. Thus, there is clearly a need to create a light weight, compact, low cost "kit" to convert the typical climbing tree stand into a deer cart/hauler.
The instant invention is designed to address the problems described above and provide a kit for converting a climbing tree stand into a deer cart.

Kit for converting a climbing tree stand into a cart


A method implemented by a first content network element (NE) in an information centric network (ICN), the method comprising receiving, by a receiver, an interest packet through a first interface, wherein a header of the interest packet comprises a path filter, the path filter being associated with one or more segments on a path from a consumer to a producer, modifying, by a processor coupled to the receiver, the path filter based on information identifying one or more previous content NEs or one or more next content NEs on the path to produce a modified path filter, and transmitting, by a transmitter coupled to the receiver, the interest packet with the modified path filter to the next content NE.

In a traditional network implementing a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) model, a consumer requesting content needs to first map a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the content to a producer having a content server. The producer mostly stays the same for a length of the session. The session may be bound to the server, and the goal of the session is to transfer the requested content from the producer to the consumer. In this host-centric networking paradigm, the core networking primitives revolve around naming hosts and network interfaces. Network devices are only configured to forward packets to the destination address.
In an Information Centric Network (ICN), a domain-wide unique name is assigned to each information object that is part of a content delivery framework, including routers, switches, or servers. Information objects may include data content, such as video clips or web pages. In an ICN, content routers are responsible for routing user requests to a producer and content to a requesting consumer. The content routers route packets based on name prefixes, which may be full content names or name prefixes of content names, instead of network addresses. Content delivery, such as publishing, requesting, and managing of the content, is based on the name of the content instead of the location of the content.
ICNs differ from Internet Protocol (IP) networks by perform ng in-network content caching, which may be on a temporary basis or a more persistent basis. This may allow content to be served from the network instead of an original content server, and thus may substantially improve user experience. The cached content may be used for real time data that is fetched by the user or for persistent data that belongs to the user or to a content provider, for example, a third party provider.

Secure and reliable on-demand source routing in an information centric network


A programmable remote control transmitter has a programming mode and a controlling mode and is used to control electric devices such as television sets. The remote control transmitter has a memory for storing a limited number of remote control codes. There is a keypad for selecting one of the stored codes and a transmitter for transmitting the remote control signal corresponding to the selected remote control code to the electric device such as a television set. Remote control codes are able to be input to the memory of the remote control transmitter only when the remote control transmitter is in programming mode. In normal operation the remote control transmitter is in controlling mode. A removable key must be used to change the mode of the remote control transmitter from controlling mode to programming mode.

As the number and variety of television transmissions has increased, the need to restrict and supervise the television viewing by children has also increased. At a young age children are able to learn to use remote control transmitters to turn television sets on and off and to select channels. When parents are not present, children are able to change channels which carry programs which may not be considered appropriate for children.
Devices exist which are aimed at controlling the amount of television that a child may watch. For example Recoton Canada Ltd. markets a product having a switch which is connected between the television and the cable or antenna supplying the signal to the television. The television is only able to be operated when the switch is turned on. When the switch is off the television screen is blank. The device cannot be disconnected without the use of a key.
Such devices do not address the situation where a child is permitted to watch television but restrictions on the types of programs which the child may view are imposed by a parent or other caregiver.
Thus a programmable remote control transmitter which permits access to a programmer-defined set of television channels which set may not be altered by a child, is desirable.


An apparatus includes a metallization region including a plurality of metal layers on a device layer of a substrate, a via extending through the substrate and the device layer, and a heat spreading and stress engineering region in the substrate and adjacent to the device layer. The via contacts a metal layer in the metallization region.

In semiconductor manufacturing, transistors may be formed on a semiconductor wafer. The transistors and other devices may be integrated to form integrated circuits (ICs) that perform numerous useful functions. Typically, a wafer may be diced and the individual IC die may be packaged and sold. In order to increase the performance of the ICs, it may be advantageous to improve the performance of the transistors. Further, as transistors become smaller, faster, and more advanced, it has become increasingly difficult to remove heat from operating transistors. Also, in packaging the wafer or die, denser packaging options, such as stacked die packaging may be advantageous. However, typical stacked die arrangements may not be suitable for typical heat removal devices, such as heat sinks.

Stacked wafer or die packaging with enhanced thermal and device performance


The present invention relates to a climatizing arrangement and to a method for controlling a climatizing arrangement, preferably air-conditioning equipment, for adjusting the temperature in the interior (7) of a vehicle, with individual regulation of the temperature of the air to different outlets (5, 6). The climatizing arrangement consists of an air-conducting system (2, 3, 4), a fan (1) for generating an air flow and a heat exchanger (8) for heating the air in cold weather. In warm weather the heat exchanger (8), in this case switched off, is instead utilized to provide flow resistance. The partial air flow to each outlet (5, 6) is then caused to pass through the heat exchanger or to bypass the heat exchanger (8), so that the flow rate is reduced in each air flow. Individual exhaust rates, and thus subjective sense of temperature, is thus obtained for each outlet (5, 6).

It is often desirable when air-conditioning the interior of a vehicle to be able to set different temperatures for two or more zones in the vehicle, e.g. right/left and/or front/rear, since the passengers may have differing views concerning a comfortable temperature and, e.g. because the sun may heat different parts of the interior to a differing extent. This is particularly important in hot weather when air flowing into the vehicle need not be heated, but rather cooled. The temperature subjectively experienced by a passenger is dependent not only on the actual temperature of the air, but also on its quantity, rate of flow and humidity.
Thus, besides affecting the actual temperature of the air, the subjective temperature can be altered by altering the air velocity. Increased air velocity gives a sense of lower temperature. Individual subjective temperature can be obtained even if the temperature of the air is the same, by arranging a separate fan to the exhaust opening in each zone, each fan being individually regulated.
Besides arranging separate fans, separate heat exchangers may also be arranged for factual heating and cooling of the air temperature to the different zones. However, this generally entails complicated and bulky air-conditioning systems which are not easily fitted into the limited space available in ordinary private vehicle. They are also extremely expensive solutions. Common to the above-mentioned solutions is that they require a considerable amount of space, and are complicated and expensive.

Climatizing arrangement and a method for controlling the same


A gas-dynamic air bearing for radially mounting a shaft may include a plurality of bearing segments arranged in a recess of a housing. The bearing segments may radially enclose the shaft. Each bearing segment may be held with play on the housing via a respective bolt arranged radially to a predetermined bearing axis. Each bearing segment may include an associated stop spring device supported between the housing and the bearing segments. The respective stop spring device may be resilient to stroke movements of the bearing segment effective radially outwardly relative to the bearing axis. The respective bolts may be adjustably screwed to the housing. The bolts may have an end on a segment side that delimits a spring travel of the stop spring device radially inwardly towards the bearing axis and may position the respective bearing segment.

Such an air bearing is the subject of CZ 2003 3062 A. In this known air bearing, a bolt, which is radial with respect to the bearing axis, is adjustably screwed on the outside into each bearing segment, which bolt is arranged axially displaceably with a smooth shank region in a radial bore of a bearing housing. The possible axial displacement path is delimited on the one hand by a collar arranged on the bolt, which is provided between the bearing segment and the facing inside of the bearing housing, and on the other side by an adjustable nut, which is adjustably screwed onto a threaded portion on the segment-distal end of the pin and interacts with a stop surface on the housing outside. Between the collar and the inside of the bearing housing, a stop spring device designed as a leaf spring is arranged or clamped in.
Disadvantageous in this solution is the adjustable screwing of the bolt to the bearing segment. This is only suitable for bearing segments with a greater thickness so that the bolt can be accommodated in the bearing segment. A further disadvantage is the loose connection of the bolt with the bearing housing. Upon a radial movement of the bearing segment, the bolt moves in the radial bore of the housing which leads to the wear of the bolt and/or of the housing bore. This wear in turn leads to a greater play between the bolt and the bearing housing so that the desired positioning of the segment through the bolt is no longer attainable.


Compounds and processes for catalytic ring-opening cyclooligomerization metathesis and ring-closing metathesis of olefins are described. The compound is a molybdenum or tungsten metal (M) complex which comprises an imido ligand (N—R) bound to the M to provide an M=N—R site, an M=C reaction site wherein the C of the M=C reaction site is tethered to the R of the imido ligand via a carbon or carbon and heteroatom (NOS) chain containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms to form a ring structure, and two to four ligands (R′) bound to the M to provide two to four M-R′ sites. In particular embodiments, the M-R′ sites include each of the oxygens of a dialkoxide ligand or each of the nitrogens of an η1-pyrrolyl ligand bound to the M.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compounds and processes for ring-opening cyclooligomerization metathesis and ring-closing metathesis of olefins. The compound is a molybdenum or tungsten metal (M) complex which comprises an imido ligand (N—R) bound to the M to provide an M=N—R site, an M=C reaction site wherein the C of the M=C reaction site is tethered to the R of the imido ligand via a substituted carbon or carbon and heteroatom chain containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms to form a ring structure, and two to four ligands (R′) bound to the M to provide two to four M-R′ sites. In particular embodiments, the M-R′ sites include each of the oxygens of a dialkoxide ligand or each of the nitrogens of an η1-pyrrolyl ligand are bound to the M.
(2) Description of Related Art
Olefin metathesis is a reaction which in the presence of various transition metal catalysts, including various metal carbenes, the groups around the double bonds of olefins, are exchanged. This exchange enables a variety of reactions: cross metathesis wherein groups between two acyclic olefins are exchanged, ring-closing metathesis in which a compound with two olefins is converted into a cyclic product, ring-opening metathesis wherein dienes are formed from cyclic and acyclic olefins, ring-opening metathesis polymerization wherein cyclic olefins are polymerized into linear polymers, and acyclic diene metathesis polymerization wherein acyclic dienes are polymerized into linear polymers.
Improvements in the metal-carbene catalysts has led to the widespread use of olefin metathesis in organic synthesis. These improved catalysts are of two types: molybdenum or tungsten carbene catalysts (Schrock's catalyst) and ruthenium carbene catalysts (Grubbs' catalyst).
Schrock's catalyst and metathesis reactions using the catalyst have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,215 to Schrock; U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,073 to Schrock et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,473 to Schrock et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,555 B1 to Schrock et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,346,652 B1 to Schrock et al.; and, in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2001/0041778 to McConville et al. Schrock's catalyst and metathesis reactions using the catalyst have also been described in, for example, Totland et al., Macromolec. 29: 6114-6125 (1996); Alexander et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 210: 4041-4042 (1998); La et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120: 9720-9721 (1998); Weatherhead et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122: 1828-1829 (2000); Jamieson et al., Organometallics 19: 925-930 (2000); Cefalo et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 123: 3139-3140 (2001); Hultzsch et al., Organometallics 20: 4705-4712 (2001); and, Hultzsch et al., Agnew. Chem. Int. Ed. 41: 589-593 (2002).
Grubbs' catalyst and metathesis reactions using the catalyst have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,715 B1 to Bansleben et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,332 B1 to Grubbs et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,664 B1 to Bansleben et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,097 B1 to Grubbs et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,908 B1 to Grubbs et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,486,279 B2 to Lynn et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,504,041 to Grubbs' et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,704 B1 to Bansleben et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,084 B2 to Grubbs et al.
For both of these catalysts, the carbene is untethered. Therefore, at the end of the reaction, a relatively unstable methylidene, M=CH2, complex is produced which often undergoes rapid decomposition. As a consequence, these catalysts are not reusable. Therefore, reactions in which these catalysts are supported on a solid substrate are less economically viable for many commercial applications than if they were reusable.
In light of the above, to render olefin metathesis reactions more economically viable for commercial applications, there is a need for molybdenum or tungsten carbene catalysts which are reusable.

Imido-tethered carbenes of molybdenum for ring-opening metathesis polymerization and ring-closing metathesis

Board of Trustees of Michigan State University


An air-droppable wildfire retardant composition including Lassenite N pozzolan is a natural siliceous (amorphous) mineral, consisting of the layers of diatoms and volcanic tuffs of Northern California's Cascade Range. The Lassenite pozzolan is mixed with a thickener such as Bentonite clay, a measured volume of water forming a slurr-type mixture capable of suspending the particles of pozzolan in a mixture having a viscosity sufficient to avoid solids separation. The inventive fire retardant contains substantially three innocuous ingredients which have no harmful effects to the atmosphere, plant, or animal life.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fire retardants. More particularly, the present invention relates to air-droppable fire retardants for wildfires.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of fire retardant compositions useful to prevent or combat the spread of wildfires have been proposed. Generally such compositions contain a fire retardant salt and aqueous liquid vehicle and various additives including thickeners to improve the aerial drop of fuel coverage characteristics of the composition. Typical among such thickeners are natural and synthetic gums. Commonly used gum-thickened high viscosity fire retardant compositions include ammonium sulfate and monoammonium phosphate and may contain diammonium phosphate and ammonium polyphosphate, all of which are toxic, effecting the lives of fishes, birds, animals and possibly humans due to high potential of their dispersion into lakes, rivers, and streams which may be part of the public drinking water system. Attendant to their use, effective and efficient monitoring system must be in place to assure the public that levels of safety and acceptability in drinking water are not exceeded. Also, cultivation of land areas may be delayed due to the presence of such resulting from the application of these fire retardants. Such fire retardant compositions are harmful to the environment, causing pollution of streams, and fail to significantly help in reforestation or ground cover growth to minimize future erosion of burned areas upon receiving rainfall. It would be desirable to provide an air-droppable wildfire suppressant which is effective and similar in viscosity to the present gum thickened high viscosity fire retardants resulting in desirable air-drop characteristics and the coating and insulating various fuel materials to keep them from reaching their ignition temperature. It would further be desirable to provide a fire retardant which does not require the mixing of chemicals potentially harmful to personnel and equipment. This would include the absence of toxic or hazardous chemical vapors from the fire retardant in contact with heat from flames, producing a hazardous environment for fire fighting personnel. It would further be desirable that the use of the fire retardant avoids toxic effects on wildlife and pollution of streams, and is beneficial to the environment in retaining water from subsequent rain, encouraging re-growth of ground cover and forests, minimizing erosion of burned areas. It would be further desirable if the wildfire retardant were nontoxic so as to allow immediate cultivation of burned land, thus avoiding erosion. None of the above-mentioned presently used fire retardant compositions, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a water enhancement fire retardant solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


There is provided a connector fitting apparatus which can fit a female connector and a male connector to each other by taking advantage of a cam thrust force generated by swinging a lever member. In the fitting apparatus, a cover 23 is used as the lever member, and is formed with an opening 41 so as to be swingable to an electric wire withdrawal side of a female connector 25. When the cover is swung in the above manner, the electric wire withdrawal side is protected by the cover 23, and then, accompanying with the swing of the cover 23, an electric wire 29 is bent and oriented to a wiring direction, thus being led to the outside from the opening 41.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector fitting apparatus which fits a male connector and a female connector to each other with use of a cam.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, there is a connection detecting apparatus for a connector, which has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-56084.
A connector fitting apparatus, to which the aforesaid connection detecting apparatus is applied, fits terminals of a male connector and a female connector to each other. The female connector is attached with a lever member which is swingable; on the other hand, the male connector is formed with a protrusion. The lever member is formed with a cam groove which is provided with a notch for making an engagement with the protrusion.
The cam groove moves the male connector so that the male connector approaches the female connector by taking advantage of a cam thrust force generated by a distance transfer from a point where the cam groove and the protrusion are fitted to each other to a center point of rotation of the lever member.
As described above, the male connector is moved so that it approaches the female connector, and by doing so, the male connector is led into the female connector side via the protrusion.
Also, the fitting of male and female connectors is released by rotating the lever member in a reverse direction.
In the case where connectors having many terminals are fitted to each other, a large fitting force is required; on the other hand, in case of releasing the fitting of these connectors, a large withdrawal force is required. However, as described above, by taking advantage of a cam thrust force, and further, double force function by the lever member, the fitting of these connectors and the release of the fitting thereof can be readily achieved by a small operational force.
These connectors are separately transported, and thereafter, are fitted to each other at a mounting place in vehicles, etc.
However, in case of transporting the female connector, there is the possibility that a terminal abutting end face, on which a female terminal is exposed, is broken down by an external force if it is not protected by a cover. In order to prevent the end face from being broken down, a strength of a certain degree is required, and also, a wall between terminal openings formed in the terminal abutting end face is not made thin. Therefore, a pitch of female terminals is not made narrow; for this reason, there is a limitation to the miniaturization of connector.
Moreover, since a group of electric wires connected to many female terminals are drawn out of the back side of the female connector, there is a need of attaching a cover to the back side so as to orient the direction of the group of electric wires to one direction.
As seen from the above description, in the aforesaid related art, two kinds of covers are required, and the number of components is too much; for this reason, it takes time to assemble, therefore, causing an increase in cost.


A gaming system installable in a urinal or toilet in which a removably attached pressure and location sensor assembly can be wirelessly coupled to a data server. The data server can include a user interface allowing the user to initiate a gaming session, such as through a touch screen monitor positioned above or nearby the urinal. The data server can collect and store data from the pressure and location sensor. The data server can be coupled to a plurality of touch screen monitors and pressure and location sensor assemblies for providing a multi-user gaming environment. Collected and processed data can be presented in real time on the touch screen monitors and can be stored in a database.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming system which can be removably attached to a urinal and can provide multi-player gaming.
Description of Related Art
Devices for attracting the attention of males during urinating have been described. U.S. Pat. No. 7,373,673 describes a target permanently manufactured into a toilet or urinal. The target is used as a self competitive game, that triggers the subconscious mind as a training aide to revolutionize the world in health and hygiene. The target consisting of numbers and colored circles is spray painted onto a toilet bowl during manufacturing after the clay is fired and prior to the final glazing. The user can score himself by hitting the target in different locations. Closer to the center gives the individual more points. This target has the drawback of being permanently mounted to the toilet or urinal and has no capability for sensing or storing of results from hitting the target.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,194,776 describes a liquid stream analysis and feedback system wherein there is provided an acoustic sensor mounted on the outside of a toilet bowl and a simple, inexpensive target mounted to the inside of the toilet, thereby keeping the sensitive acoustic sensor and other electronics in a dryer and cleaner location. The sound of a urine stream contacting the target propagates through the toilet and is detected by the acoustic sensor. An analysis and feedback unit monitors the sound of the urine stream contacting the target and provides a message to the user indicating their success in hitting the target with the urine stream. The acoustic sensor is cumbersome and accuracy of the acoustic sensor is limited to distinguishing the sound of urine from other bathroom noises.
It is desirable to provide a urinal gaming system in which a pressure activated target is removably attached to a urinal or toilet and can be integrated into a multi-gaming system for providing an accurate, entertaining gaming system.


A dangerous condition indicating brake light system is provided including a brake switch adapted to transmit an activation signal only during the depression of a brake pedal. An outside temperature sensor is mounted on an exterior of the vehicle for transmitting a condition signal upon the detection of a temperature below a predetermined amount. A light is situated on a rear extent of the vehicle and adapted to illuminate only upon the actuation thereof. Control circuitry is provided for actuating the light upon the receipt of the condition signal in combination with the activation signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to variable brake indicator light systems and more particularly pertains to a new driving condition dependent braking light for indicating when a brake is applied under certain predetermined external driving conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of variable brake indicator light systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, variable brake indicator light systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art variable brake indicator light systems include U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,609; U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,368; U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,130; U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,231; U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,947; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 332,234.
In these respects, the driving condition dependent braking light according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of indicating when a brake is applied under certain predetermined external driving conditions.

Driving condition dependent braking light

Temple Lock Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL71SA


A drilling tool for machining structural components made of a titanium alloy includes: a support, which extends along an axis of rotation in the axial direction, the support having an end face with a receptacle disposed centrally therein; a plurality of cutting inserts inserted at the end face in a manner that forms a flat drill, each cutting insert having an active insert cutting edge extending transversely to the axial direction; and a drilling tip disposed in the receptacle and having at least two tip cutting edges, the tip cutting edges extending outward from the axis of rotation and being adjoined in each case by at least one active insert cutting edge.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drilling tools and, more particularly to drilling tools for machining structural components made of a titanium alloy. The invention further relates to a machining process for machining structural components made of titanium alloy.
Background Information
On account of its special properties, the material titanium, or alloys thereof, is commonly used in particular, for example, in the field of aircraft construction and there for what are known as structural components, i.e., for components which in particular take on a supporting function and are exposed to certain mechanical loading. In particular, these structural components also serve for mounting rotating parts, for example axles.
Structural components of this type are manufactured as forged components and have a frame-like structure, with pockets having a pocket base which connects individual frame webs being formed between the individual frame webs. On account of the formation as a forged part, post-machining is also required after the forging in order to form the pockets in the desired geometry. Specifically, on account of the forging operation, the pockets initially have a curved surface geometry which is not precisely defined.
For machining the pockets, provision is made nowadays of a two-stage process, in which firstly a blind hole is pre-drilled by means of a flat drilling tool and then the pocket is milled out with the desired shaping with the aid of a (roughing) milling cutter, in such a manner that a flat, planar pocket base remains.
At present, the flat drilling tool used for this purpose is a modular drilling tool having support and cutting inserts fitted thereto at the end, as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 8. Here, a plurality of cutting inserts are arranged in two rows of inserts rotationally offset in relation to one another in particular by 180°. To form a flat drill, the insert cutting edges of the cutting inserts each run in a common plane in the horizontal direction, i.e., perpendicular to the axis of rotation, in order to produce a flat drilled base. The cutting inserts in each row of inserts are spaced apart from one another in the radial direction to form a gap, which is overlapped in each case by a cutting insert from the other row of inserts in the radial direction. All insert cutting edges therefore together form a common, effective cutting tooth of the flat drilling tool.
When machining such structural components made of a titanium alloy, in particular for producing the pockets, a relatively long machining time is usually required.


The present disclosure relates to a drug delivery device, comprising a housing adapted to receive a medicament container, a plunger and a plunger release mechanism, the plunger release mechanism comprising a first plunger boss arranged on the plunger, a profiled slot arranged on the housing and adapted to be engaged by the first plunger boss so as to inhibit movement of the plunger in a distal direction, wherein the plunger is rotatable about a longitudinal axis to release the first plunger boss from the profiled slot so as to allow movement of the plunger in the distal direction, a sleeve coupled to the housing to permit movement of the sleeve relative to the housing, wherein a sleeve ramp is arranged on the sleeve, the sleeve ramp adapted to engage a rib or boss on the plunger to rotate the plunger to release the first plunger boss from the profiled slot when the sleeve is moved in a proximal direction.

Drug delivery devices (i.e. devices capable of delivering medicaments from a medication container) typically fall into two categories—manual devices and auto-injectors.
In a manual device—the user must provide the mechanical energy to drive the fluid through the needle. This is typically done by some form of button/plunger that has to be continuously pressed by the user during the injection. There are numerous disadvantages to the user from this approach. If the user stops pressing the button/plunger then the injection will also stop. This means that the user can deliver an underdose if the device is not used properly (i.e. the plunger is not fully pressed to its end position). Injection forces may be too high for the user, in particular if the patient is elderly or has dexterity problems.
Auto-injectors are devices which completely or partially replace activities involved in parenteral drug delivery from standard syringes. These activities may include removal of a protective syringe cap, insertion of a needle into a patient's skin, injection of the medicament, removal of the needle, shielding of the needle and preventing reuse of the device. This overcomes many of the disadvantages of manual devices. Injection forces/button extension, hand-shaking and the likelihood of delivering an incomplete dose are reduced. Triggering may be performed by numerous means, for example a trigger button or the action of the needle reaching its injection depth. In some devices the energy to deliver the fluid is provided by a spring.
Plunger release mechanisms are applied to control motion of a plunger in a drug delivery device in a manner keeping the plunger in a defined position until a condition is met suddenly allowing the plunger to move within the drug delivery device thus delivering a dose of a drug from a syringe.


A lockable container has a neck on a container body and a cap on the neck. Screw-threads releasibly retain the cap on the neck. The cap includes a locking member which is movable between a locking position, in which the locking member prevents the relative rotation of the cap and the neck, and a released position, in which the locking member permits the relative rotation of the cap and the neck. A pair of annular members extending around the closure and rotatable independently of one another interengage with the locking member for releasibly retaining the locking member in the locking position and can be rotatably adjusted of the annular members to release the locking member for movement to its released position. On movement of the locking member into its locking position, a closure connected to the locking member closes an outlet in the cap for preventing outflow of liquid from the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers and, more particularly, to containers of the type which are provided with a cap incorporating annular members which must be rotated into predetermined positions relative to one another to permit the outflow of liquid from the container.
2. Description of Related Art
It has previously been proposed to provide a container closure having a pouring spout and a combination locking device controlling the opening of the spout, so that the contents of the container can be accessed only by a person who is informed as to the combination required to open the spout.
One such container is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,577, issued Jan. 1, 1974 to John Levey and which has annular coaxially disposed rotatable annular locking elements for retaining a pivotal portion of the closure in a closed position by rotating the annular elements into predetermined indexed registering positions, the pivotal portion of the closure can be pivoted so as to provide a passageway which permits pouring of the contents of the container.
It is, however, a disadvantage of this prior container closure that the annular elements, which control the pivoting and closing of the pouring passageway, do not also control the retention of the cap on its container.
More particularly, the present inventor has perceived that there is a need for a lockable container for use, for example, by a child, which can be released, by appropriate actuation of a combination-type locking device, to allow the contents of the container to be poured from the container, and in addition which also enables the cap to be entirely removed from the container, for the purpose of refilling the container, under the control of the locking device.


A dispensing apparatus includes a container having a plurality of partition walls, with a first and fourth partition wall positioned adjacent respective first and second end walls of the housing, with the first partition wall and the second end wall having plug members mounted to link structure to effect opening of the first partition wall and the second end wall to air flow, with conduit structure directing air flow therethrough adjacent the second end wall through a scent dispensing canister that in turn directs the thusly scented air through the first end wall by means of a blower motor directing air through the conduit structure and scent dispensing container. Remote control structure, or alternatively manual structure, may be employed to effect separation of the plug members relative to the first partition wall and the second end wall.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to game scent dispensing structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved game scent dispensing apparatus wherein the same permits the selective metered dispensing of scented air from within an associated dispensing housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Scent dispensing structure of various types have been utilized in the prior art and are exemplified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,374,571; 4,735,010; 4,609,127; and 4,953,765.
The instant invention overcomes deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a housing structure arranged for either manual or remote actuation to permit metered air flow therethrough utilizing a blower motor structure.


A noise estimation apparatus of estimating a noise in an input signal includes a sub-band noise estimator estimating a noise in a sub-band input signal, obtained by dividing the input signal by sub-bands. The sub-band noise estimator includes a power calculator calculating a sub-band input power of the sub-band input signal; a probability model holder holding information on probability model; and an a posteriori probability maximizer calculating an instantaneous estimated value of a sub-band noise power based on the sub-band input power, an estimated value of the sub-band noise power and the information on the probability model, so as to maximize a posteriori probability of the sub-band noise power. The information on the probability model includes a likelihood function regarding a posteriori signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in dependence upon predictive a posteriori SNR; and a priori probability of the a posteriori SNR under a condition establishing averaged a posteriori SNR.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a noise estimator and a noise estimating method, for instance, which are applied to a noise suppressor or a speech enhancer for suppressing a noise added onto speech by frequency domain process.
Description of the Background Art
Because noise are present all around natural environments, sounds generally observed in the practical world includes the noises coming from various sources. To enhance the speech from input signals consisting of the speech and the noises, various methods of suppressing the noises are developed. Almost all those methods estimate the noise to be suppressed and then suppress the noise included in the input signals. The invention relates to the noise estimation, particularly to intend estimating power of the noise in the frequency domain.
The simplest conventional noise estimating method averages input spectra within speech absent periods. However, this method needs to estimate the speech absent periods in advance. On the other hand, a technique of estimating speech active periods, such as voice activity detection (VAD), is actively researched, but a perfect VAD is not yet achieved. An estimation error of the speech active periods involves the speech in the estimated noise. As a result, a problem of distorting the enhanced speech and remained noise is occurred. In such a method, because the noise is estimated only in the noise periods, the noise may not be estimated according to noise variation in a long speech active period.
By contrast, other noise estimating methods of estimating the noise consecutively even in the speech active periods are developed, for example, as referred to in Rainer Martin, "Spectral Subtraction Based on Minimum Statistics", in Proceedings of 7th European Signal Processing Conference, 1994, pp. 1182-1185, and in Mehrez Souden et al., "Noise Power Spectral Density Tracking: A Maximum Likelihood Perspective", IEEE Signal Processing Letters, Vol. 19, No. 8, August 2012, pp. 495-498, as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,528 B1 to Kato et al. With regard to a conventional noise suppressor applying the noise suppressing methods taught by Martin, Souden et al., and Kato et al., its configuration and operations will be briefly illustrated below.
The conventional noise suppressor includes a sub-band divider for dividing an input signal into sub-band input signals, sub-band processors as many as the number of the divided sub-band input signals for processing the divided sub-band signals (for example, when the input signal is divided into 256 sub-band input signals, the number of sub-band processors included in the noise suppressor is 256) and a signal reconstructor for reconstructing a temporal waveform on the basis of the sub-band enhanced signals processed by the sub-band processors.
The sub-band divider divides an input signal into K (e.g. K is equal to 256) sub-bands by an optional sub-band division way, such as a filter bank, or an optional frequency analysis way, such as Fourier transform, to respectively transmit the resultant K sub-band input signals to the sub-band processors. A digital signal such as the input signal may be processed for each sample or, if necessary, processed for each frame, e.g. at 10 milliseconds intervals. Hereinafter, this specification may describe various signals and various components so that the words "signal" and "component" are omitted.
The sub-band processors carry out processes in respective different sub-bands. However, the processes for the sub-bands perform much the same. The respective sub-band processors include a sub-band noise estimator and a noise suppressor. The sub-band noise estimator estimates the noise power for each sub-band to transmit the resultant sub-band noise power to the noise suppressor. The noise suppressor enhances the speech component in the sub-band input signal on the basis of the sub-band input signal and the sub-band noise power to transmit the resultant sub-band enhanced signal to the signal reconsturctor.
The signal reconstructor reconstructs temporal waveformat from the sub-band enhanced signal by a signal decoding way corresponding to the sub-band division way or frequency analysis way used in the sub-band divider to output the resultant enhanced signal.
Now, a conventional noise estimating method carried out in the sub-band noise estimator will be described below in detail. The sub-band noise estimator corresponds to, for example, the noise suppressing method taught by Martin, Souden et al., and Kato et al. In the following, for simplification, the sub-band input signal power and the sub-band noise power are called as an "input power" and a "noise power", respectively. Furthermore, the sub-band number is omitted.
The noise estimating method taught by Martin is based on a discovery that a peak in the time direction of the input power indicates an existence of the object speech, and that valley information in the time direction of the input power is useful for estimation of smoothed noise power. For instance, a minimum value of the input power from the present time to a predetermined time (T second) before is determined as a first estimated value of the noise power. However, the first noise power estimated value has a bias, and accordingly, has a characteristic becoming smaller than a true noise power. This bias is estimated on the basis of an expected value of the first estimated value. By correcting the first estimated value using the resultant bias estimated value, a second estimated value (a final estimated value) of the noise power is obtained.
The noise estimating method taught by Souden et al., is on the basis of the hypothesis that both distributions of complex spectra of the object speech and noise depend on complex normal distribution averaged to zero, to determine the Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimate of dispersion of the complex spectrum of the noise as the estimated value of the noise power. On the basis of the hypothesis, the distribution of the complex spectrum of the input signal is determined as complex normal distribution averaged to zero having the sum of dispersions of the complex spectra of the speech and noise. In the method, a hidden variable relating to whether the present input is a degraded signal or the noise can be introduced. Furthermore, an online Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm with forgetting coefficient is applied. Accordingly, the ML estimate of the complex spectrum of the noise can be calculated.
In the noise estimating method taught by Kato et al., the input power is multiplied by a suitable weight coefficient. The resultant weighted input power is stored for a predetermined time (T second). An average of stored weighted input power is determined as the estimated value of the noise power. The suitable weight coefficient is calculated by a posteriori signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which is determined by dividing the present input power by the previous estimated value of the noise power. For instance, the weight coefficient is determined as 1 when the a posteriori SNR is a predetermined value G1 or less, and so as to be inversely proportional to the a posteriori SNR when the a posteriori SNR is greater than the predetermined value G1. Moreover, the weight coefficient is determined as zero when the a posteriori SNR is greater than another predetermined value G2. If the weight coefficient is zero, the weighted input power is not stored.
However, in the conventional noise estimating method, there are problems as mentioned below. In the noise estimating method taught by Martin, there is a problem that the unpleasant noise is remained by the noise suppression at the latter step when the noise is rapidly increased. For instance, the estimated value of the noise power is kept small for a predetermined time after the noise begins to increase. When the predetermined time is elapsed after the noise is increased, the estimated value of the noise power is rapidly increased. If the estimated value is used for the noise suppressing method, the remained noise is rapidly increased at the moment the noise is increased, and then, the remained noise is rapidly decreased after the predetermined time. The rapid variation of volume of the remained noise gives auditors unpleasantness on auditory sensation.
In the noise estimating method taught by Mehrez Souden et al., there is a problem that the estimated value of the noise power is over- and under-estimation, if a noise level is varied. The online EM algorithm used in the noise estimating method has trade-off between quickness of the convergence and stability of the ML estimation, as described below. When the forgetting coefficient is increased, the stability is improved and the convergence is slowed. On the contrary, the forgetting coefficient is decreased, the convergence is speeded up and the stability is deteriorated. As a result, regardless of the increase or decrease of the forgetting coefficient, the estimated value of the noise power is incorrect. In the noise suppressing method at the latter step, the distortion of the enhanced speech is increased and the remained noise is increased.
In the noise estimating method taught by Masanori Kato et al., the estimated value of the noise power is relatively less to follow the speech in mistake and become instability by following non-stationary noise. Moreover, this method may relatively immediately follow the noise variation. However, in the noise period after the speech active periods with the weight coefficient not becoming zero are continued, the estimated value of the noise power rapidly decreases after approximately T second from switching from the successive speech active periods to the noise period. If the estimated value is used for the noise suppressing method at the latter step, the enhanced signal becomes unnatural on the auditory sensation. This is because the remained noise rapidly increases in the noise period.
As mentioned above, the conventional noise estimating methods have the problems that the estimated value of the noise power becomes instability and rapidly varies.

Noise estimation apparatus of obtaining suitable estimated value about sub-band noise power and noise estimating method


An improved security mailbox having a combination mail receiving and outgoing mail portion, securely held within an opening formed in a wall of a rectangular housing. The combination mail receiving and outgoing mail portion includes a top chamber which holds outgoing mail, and a bottom slot which connects to an inner chamber formed in the rectangular housing. Mail collects on a shelf secured in the inner chamber, and is accessible from a lockable door either in the front or rear wall. The shelf may be bare or have tiles thereon for easy cleaning, and the top of the housing is securely capped, while the base of the housing may be secured to the ground in any desired manner, or to a concrete support base. A plurality of combination mail receiving and outgoing mail portions may be secured in the housing, and an equal number of shelves and lockable doors may be provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mailboxes, and, more particularly, to a security mailbox to secure incoming mail for at least one entity, against theft.
2. Description of Related Art
With the increase in value of items being received in the mail, a need for a stand-alone security mailbox, which is both attractive and will resist the attempts of dedicated thieves to open the same, is becoming more and more important for residences, small businesses, and the like. Prior art security-type mailboxes are known in which elongated passages or blocking elements are included to prevent a thief from inserting their arm or a device into the mail receiving slot to take the mail out. Other devices are also known which have a strong outer layer thereon, such as concrete, or the like. Examples of such known prior art devices are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 360,741 to Bohlmann, 3,070,234 to Deitchman, 3,880,344 to Earle, 4,190,192 to Cornwell, Jr. et al., 4,844,332 to Long, 4,905,891 to Wildish et al., 5,071,063 to Overstreet, 4,993,626 to Berry, 5,096,115 to Hassan, 5,351,883 to Pachl and 5,400,960 to Jeffs.
The known devices have contributed to the art and have provided improvements in some areas. However, none of the known devices provide the required security in all instances, are aesthetically pleasing and can be adapted to serve one or more homeowners, apartment dwellers, or small businesses.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an improved, high quality, security mailbox, having an attractive exterior, and an interior which is difficult to break into so as to thwart thieves or vandals from stealing the mail inserted and held therein.


A method of preparing a super absorbent polymer (SAP) includes the steps of preparing a first hydrogel polymer by carrying out a thermal polymerization or photo polymerization of a monomer composition including a water-soluble ethylene-based unsaturated monomer and a polymerization initiator; preparing a second hydrogel polymer by carrying out a thermal polymerization or photo polymerization of a monomer composition including a water-soluble ethylene-based unsaturated monomer and a polymerization initiator; drying and milling the first hydrogel polymer and distributing the first hydrogel polymer into a fine powder having a particle diameter below 150 μm and a base resin having a particle diameter of 150 μm to 850 μm; fabricating a reassembled body of the fine powder by mixing the fine powder and the second hydrogel polymer; and mixing the reassembled body of the fine powder with the first hydrogel polymer, and drying and milling the same.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a super absorbent polymer and a super absorbent polymer prepared therefrom. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method of preparing a super absorbent polymer having high water holding capacity and fine powder aggregation strength without decrease of absorbing power under pressure and penetrability.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Super absorbent polymer (SAP) is a synthetic polymer material having a function of absorbing water about 5 hundred times to about 1 thousand times of the weight of itself, and it has been differently named as super absorbency material (SAM), absorbent gel material (AGM), and so on by developing enterprises. The SAP disclosed above was started to be commercialized for sanitary items and is now being used widely to a water combination soil for horticulture, a water-stop material for civil engineering and construction, a nursery sheet, a freshness preservative in a food distribution field, a poultice material, and the like in addition to the sanitary fittings like a paper diaper for a child.
An inverse suspension polymerization method or an aqueous polymerization method is known as a method of preparing super absorbent polymer. For example, the inverse suspension polymerization is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. Sho56-161408, Sho57-158209, Sho57-198714, and so on. As the aqueous polymerization method, a thermal polymerization method polymerizing a hydrogel polymer while fracturing and cooling the same in a kneader equipped with a plurality of spindles, and a photo-polymerization method that exposes a high-concentrated aqueous solution on a belt to a UV ray and the like so as to carry out the polymerization and the dry at the same time are known.
Generally, the hydrogel polymer obtained by said polymerization reaction comes into the market in the form of powder after it is dried and milled.
At this time, the fine powders (fines) having the particle diameter of about 150 μm or less may be formed during the cutting, crashing, and milling step of the dried polymer. It is considered undesirable to use the SAP particles including the fine powders to hygiene goods such as a baby diapers and an adult urinary incontinence device because it may be moved before being used or may show decreased properties.
Therefore, the process for excluding the fine powders so that the fine powder is not included in the final product or the reassembling process for aggregating the fine powder to be normal particle size is needed. At this time, it is important to have high aggregation strength so that the particles do not crushed again after the reassembling process. The reassembling process is generally carried out in a wet condition for raising the aggregation strength. At this time, the more moisture content of the fine powders, the more aggregation strength but it is not easy to handle the same in the reassembling process, and the less moisture content, the easier reassembling process but the aggregation strength is low and it may be easily crushed again after the reassembling process.

Method of preparing a super absorbent polymer and a super absorbent polymer prepared therefrom


A coating and method for overcoating a TBC on a component used in a high-temperature environment, such as the combustor section of an industrial gas turbine. The coating defines the outermost surface of the component and is formed of at least two layers having different compositions. An inner layer of the coating contains alumina in a first silica-containing matrix material that is free of zinc titanate. An outer layer of the coating contains alumina, a glass material, and zinc titanate in a second silica-containing matrix material. The outer layer of the coating has a surface roughness of not greater than three micrometers Ra and forms the outermost surface of the component. The coating reduces the component temperature by reducing the convective and radiant heat transfer thereto.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to coatings for components exposed to high temperatures, such as the hostile thermal environment of a gas turbine. More particularly, this invention relates to a smooth outer coating for combustor components of a gas turbine component, in which the coating reduces the component temperature by reducing the convective and radiant heat transfer to the component in the combustor section of the turbine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hot section components of aircraft and industrial (power generation) gas turbine engines are often protected by a thermal barrier coating (TBC), which reduces the temperature of the underlying component substrate and thereby prolongs the service life of the component. Ceramic materials and particularly yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) are widely used as TBC materials because of their high temperature capability, low thermal conductivity, and relative ease of deposition by plasma spraying, flame spraying and physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques. Air plasma spraying (APS) is often preferred over other deposition processes due to relatively low equipment costs and ease of application and masking. TBC's deposited by APS are characterized by a degree of inhomogeneity and porosity that occurs as a result of the deposition process, in which "splats" of molten material are deposited and subsequently solidify. The resulting surface of the TBC is relatively rough, with a surface roughness of 250 to 350 microinches Ra (about 6 to 9 micrometers Ra) being typical for YSZ deposited by APS (APSTBC). The inhomogeneity and porosity of a plasma-sprayed TBC enhances the thermal insulating property of the TBC, and thus helps to reduce the temperature of the component on which the TBC is deposited. In regard to infrared (IR) transmissivity, analysis has shown that APSTBC is about 20% to 70% transparent to thermal radiation (wavelengths of about 780 nm to about 1 mm) when deposited at typically thicknesses of about 250 to 500 micrometers. As a result, the thermal protection provided by APSTBC is compromised in environments that have high thermal radiation loads, such as within the combustor section of a gas turbine.
To be effective, TBC systems must strongly adhere to the component and remain adherent throughout many heating and cooling cycles. The latter requirement is particularly demanding due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between ceramic materials and the substrates they protect, which are typically superalloys though ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials are also used. To promote adhesion and extend the service life of a TBC system, an oxidation-resistant bond coat is often employed. Bond coats are typically in the form of an overlay coating such as MCrAlX (where M is iron, cobalt and/or nickel, and X is yttrium or another rare earth element), or a diffusion aluminide coating. During the deposition of the ceramic TBC and subsequent exposures to high temperatures, such as during turbine operation, these bond coats form a tightly adherent alumina (Al2O3) layer or scale that adheres the TBC to the bond coat.
The service life of a TBC system is typically limited by a spallation event brought on by thermal fatigue. In addition to the CTE mismatch between a ceramic TBC and a metallic substrate, spallation can be promoted as a result of the TBC being subjected to substances within the hot gas path of a gas turbine. For example, spallation of TBC from combustor components such as liners, heatshields and transition pieces can be accelerated in industrial gas turbines that burn liquid fuel or utilize water injection for NOx abatement.
In view of the above, further improvements would be desirable for the ability of TBC on combustor components to reject heat and resist spallation.

Smooth outer coating for combustor components and coating method therefor


A three-dimensional imaging system includes at least one light source, a circular or elliptical polarization beamsplitter, a detector arrangement and an image processor. The light source is configured to provide light in a first circular or elliptical polarization state onto an object to be imaged. The circular or elliptical polarization beamsplitter is arranged to spatially separate the light reflected from an object into a first reflected portion in the first polarization state and a second reflected portion in the second polarization state. The first and second circular or elliptical polarization states are orthogonal to one another. The detector arrangement detects at least the first reflected portion of the light and the image processor is configured to generate image information from the detected first reflected portion.

This document discloses a method and apparatus to measure three-dimensional (3D) images using circularly polarized light. The invention has applications in technologies such as remote sensing, surveillance, 3D scanning/imaging, industrial inspection, metrology, medical imaging, biometric authentication, object tracking, virtual reality, augmented reality and autonomous vehicles.
Polarization is a property of light wherein rays of light have different amplitudes in different directions. Our eyes can differentiate colors coming from an object but we cannot distinguish the different directions of polarization. Photographers often use polarizer in front of a camera to reduce glare and to improve contrast, but modern digital camera is polarization blind. A conventional color camera uses small color filters, such as red, green and blue color filters, to measure color information at different pixels. In order to image the polarization state of light, a polarization camera can use a small polarizer filter with dimensions equal to the size of the pixel.
One type of polarization is linear polarization. By definition, linear polarized light has an electric field that oscillates in a fixed direction. Another type of polarization is circular polarization. By definition, circular polarization of light has an electric field with constant magnitude and direction rotating with time in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation. The two types of circular polarization are right-handed circular (RHC) and left-handed circular (LHC) polarizations. Circularly polarized light is rare in nature. Mechanisms that generate circularly polarized light include total internal reflection, circular dichroism, and stress birefringence. Empirical observation in nature shows that the amount of circularly polarized light is generally low and almost non-existent. Most of the scattered light in both outdoor and indoor environments is either unpolarized or linearly polarized.
The polarization state of light can be described by the Stokes vector S, which consists of the four elements S0, S1, S2, and S3. S0 represents the intensity of an optical field; S1 and S2 denote the affinity towards 0° and 45° linear polarization respectively; and S3 expresses the difference between right and left circular polarizations. Using S the angle of linear polarization, degree of polarization (DOP), degree of linear polarization (DOLP), and degree of circular polarization (DOCP) can be calculated.
            θ      linear        =                  1        2                          tan                  -          1                                            S          2                          S          1                          DOP    =                                        S            1            2                    +                      S            2            2                    +                      S            3            2                              /              S        0                  DOLP    =                                        S            1            2                    +                      S            2            2                              /              S        0                  DOCP    =                  S        3            /              S        0

Imaging method and apparatus using circularly polarized light

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA


An illuminating tool includes a flexible core with head and tail end portions, and a pair of wires exposed from the end portions to form central and peripheral head contacts and central and peripheral tail contacts. A first socket member has a first neck end mounted on the tail end portion, and a first socket portion extending axially therefrom to form a proximate inner engaging wall relative to the tail end portion to enclose the central tail contact and a distal inner engaging wall connected conductively to the peripheral tail contact. A barrel housing defines a first axis and accommodates a battery. The barrel housing has a front end, an intermediate wall and a rear end in the form of a mounting seat. A switch member is operable externally along the first axis between a switch-on position, where electrical connection is established between a second electrode of the battery and the barrel housing, and a switch-off position. A bulb is received in a bulb seat that permits plugging and gripping of the head end portion of the flexible core to establish electrical connection between the bulb and the conductive wires.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an illuminating tool, more particularly to an illuminating tool which has a flexible core.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional illuminating tool is shown to include a conductive barrel housing 4, a battery 7, a bulb seat 5, a bulb unit 8, a transparent sleeve 6, and a writing device. The barrel housing 4 defines an axis, and has a front end 41, a rear end 42 extending axially from the front end 41 to form an internally threaded portion 44, and a intermediate wall 43 extending axially between the front and rear ends 41, 42 to accommodate the battery 7 therein. The writing device includes a neck portion 2 inserted threadedly into the threaded portion 44, a writing nib 3 disposed within the rear end 42, and a retractable hand grip 1 exposed axially and outwardly from the rear end 42 of the barrel housing 4. The bulb seat 5 has a distal socket portion 51 relative to the front end 41 and formed with a conductive inner grip wall, and a proximate socket portion 52 formed with a conductive inner grip wall for coupling with the front end 41 of the barrel housing 4. The bulb 8 is received in the distal socket portion 51, and has a base with a ring contact in electrical contact with the inner grip wall thereof, and a tip contact that extends into the proximate socket portion 52 to engage a first terminal of the battery 7 when the bulb seat 5 is coupled to the barrel housing 4. A conductive stem 55 is disposed movably in the barrel housing 4 adjacent to the rear end 42 in such a manner that tightening action of the neck portion 2 relative to the threaded portion 44 enables the stem 55 to establish electrical connection between a second terminal of the battery 7 and the barrel housing 4. The transparent sleeve 6 has a front end fixed with a magnet 9 and a second end detachably mounted on the distal socket portion 51.
The aforesaid illuminating tool is useful in many ways, such as in picking up a fastener from a bottom of a machine body by the use of the magnet 9, for writing on a sheet of paper when the writing device is removed from the rear end 42 of the barrel housing 4, or for extending the retractable handle grip so as to enable the magnet 9 to reach a long distance. However, the light rays emitted by the bulb 8 cannot be converted to other directions that deviate from an axis of the barrel housing 4, thereby limiting the useful of the illuminating tool.


A method and apparatus for using an intermediary to manage unwanted electronic messages is provided. The intermediary generates a unique address for each pairing of a user and an e-mail resource, such as a mail list. The intermediary maintains a database that identifies which user and which e-mail resource is associated with each unique address. When the intermediary receives messages, the intermediary identifies the user and the e-mail resource based on the database. The intermediary sorts messages for each user based on groups that are associated with each e-mail resource. The intermediary filters the messages to identify messages that are unwanted by the user, such as mass unsolicited e-mail. The intermediary identifies unwanted messages by comparing the sending address for each message to a list of authorized sending addresses for the e-mail resource, and by analyzing the content of the messages, such as identifying whether the messages contain hidden images.

Accompanying the rapid increase in the use of electronic messaging systems has been an explosion of unsolicited mass marketing efforts using such systems. This has led to users being bombarded with unwanted messages and losing control over their privacy. In particular, the rapid growth in the use of e-mail over the Internet has led to a dramatic surge of mass unsolicited direct marketing e-mails commonly known as "junk" e-mails. While direct marketers and other senders have enjoyed the low cost distribution of advertisements enabled by mass unsolicited e-mail, users have seen electronic in-boxes flooded with e-mails that the users have no interest in receiving. Once a user has provided an e-mail address to another party, the ability of the user to preserve privacy and prevent unwanted or unauthorized use and sharing of the user's e-mail address is often limited or non-existent.
One approach for handling unwanted e-mails is to identify and block messages from an offending sender. For example, many e-mail systems and services have a "block sender" function for specifying an address from which no further e-mails will be accepted. Unfortunately, the sender generating the mass unsolicited e-mail can defeat such functions by using other software to automatically create new addresses from which to send the mass unsolicited e-mail. Such addresses may be false or used one time ("spoof" addresses), and may be generated as quickly as e-mail users and service providers can identify the offending addresses and block them.
Another approach for handling unwanted e-mails is for the recipient to abandon an e-mail address and create a new one. However, direct marketers use a number of techniques to obtain e-mail addresses, such as scanning postings on Internet sites that have news groups, chat rooms, directory services, message boards, and mailing lists. Also, to conduct electronic transactions over the Internet, an e-mail address must often be provided, but merchants involved in such transactions often sell lists of received e-mail addresses to third parties including direct marketers. Essentially, by having and using an e-mail address, a user cannot be assured that senders of mass unsolicited e-mail cannot obtain the e-mail address, resulting in receiving unwanted mass unsolicited e-mail.
Still another approach for handling unwanted e-mails and protecting privacy is by using anonymous e-mail. The anonymous e-mail user sends and receives messages using an e-mail address associated with the service provider so that other parties directly exchange e-mail messages with the service provider, not the user. The e-mails received by the service provider are made available for review by the user. The anonymous e-mail approach may protect the user's true identity, but the user still must contend with mass unsolicited e-mail that is sent to the user's anonymous address and the sharing of the anonymous address by others.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for improved techniques for preventing and effectively managing unwanted electronic messages.
There is a particular need for a mechanism to insulate an e-mail user from receiving unsolicited e-mail, while preserving user anonymity at the same time.
There is also a need to implement such techniques to provide the user with a valid e-mail address that the user can use in e-commerce transactions or for other purposes.

Web page filtering including substitution of user-entered email address


A method of discharging a plurality of aerosolized fluids from a plurality of aerosol cans to an ambient environment, including the steps of: fluidly coupling a first solenoid valve of an aerosol delivery system with a first aerosol can; fluidly coupling a second solenoid valve of the aerosol delivery system with a second aerosol can; determining a first release sequence of a first aerosolized fluid from the first aerosol can; determining a second release sequence of a second aerosolized fluid from the second aerosol can, the second release sequence being independent of the first release sequence; actuating both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve using an electronic controller electrically coupled to the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve to release the first aerosolized fluid according to the first release sequence and the second aerosolized fluid according to the second release sequence to the ambient environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to aerosolized chemical delivery systems, and, more particularly, to methods of discharging an aerosolized fluid from such aerosol delivery systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Aerosol delivery systems can be used to deliver a liquid chemical to the ambient environment. For example, an aerosol can may contain a fragrance, insecticide, anti-mold compound or an anti-mildew compound which is continuously or periodically discharged to the ambient environment.
A problem with a chemical delivery system as described above is that pressure within the aerosol can decreases over time, resulting in a lesser amount of the liquid chemical being discharged to the ambient environment as the pressure decreases. It is known to address the problem of a decreasing pressure in the aerosol can by increasing the duration of the delivery pulse from the aerosol can to the ambient environment. See, for example, FIG. 3 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,729 (Madsen, et al.). Madsen, et al. '729 also discloses that it is possible to use a constant release period and increase the frequency of release over time to offset the decreasing pressure (FIG. 4). Madsen, et al. '729 does not address the possibility of increasing both the release duration as well as the cycle frequency for the purpose of addressing the decrease in pressure within the aerosol can.
Another problem is that regardless of whether release periods are adjusted to accommodate the decrease in pressure within the aerosol can, the user may become habituated to the smell of the liquid chemical in the case of a fragrance which is discharged to the ambient environment. This clearly is not desirable as the user is unable to detect the pleasant aroma given off by the liquid fragrance.
Another problem is that certain chemicals such as an insecticide, an anti-mold compound or an anti-mildew compound can have a less than pleasant smell.
Another problem is that consumers may desire thematic fragrancing of multiple fragrances.
Another problem is that consumers may desire using or alternating a fragrance with other chemical compounds, or may desire alternating or otherwise combining multiple chemical compounds.
What is needed in the art is an aerosol delivery system, which is operated in such a manner that problems of both decreased pressure within the aerosol can as well as user habituation are accommodated.
Additionally, what is needed in the art is an aerosol delivery system, which can accommodate multiple chemical compounds.

Method of discharging an aerosolized fluid


A water treatment filter wool ball includes a plastic ball and wool bundles planted on the surface of the plastic ball. In use, a plurality of plastic balls are put in a filter tank. The wool bundles can culture both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria to decompose toxic substances in the tank. Water can be purified in a very short time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a water treatment filter wool ball, and more particularly to a filter material that can culture decomposing bacteria to help decompose toxic substances in the water so as to improve the quality of the water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the existing art of treating water in filter tanks, lump-like fiber materials or sheets of sponge or foam material are generally used as filter materials. However, such filter materials are large in size and have poor filtering effects. Besides, they are easily blocked and cannot be cleaned easily. In particular, they have to be made to the size of the filter tank, which is very troublesome.


Improved resolution of a time-varying optical image is provided with a wide field optical intensity modulator having a bandwidth greater than that of the detector array(s). The modulator configuration can have high photon collection efficiency, e.g. by using polarization modulation to split the incident light into several timegated channels.

It is often desired to provide improved time resolution in imaging optical measurements. E.g., in fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence lifetime provides valuable information. However, typical fluorescence lifetimes are on the order of nanoseconds, which is much too fast for typical imaging detector arrays. Conventional approaches to this issue tend to require a time-consuming scanning approach using a single-element fast detector to follow the time dependence of the incident light. This need to provide information on time dependence of incident light distinguishes this technology from mere fast shuttering of a scene, as in conventional photography. Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art to provide improved time resolution in imaging optical measurements.

Wide-field nanosecond imaging methods using wide-field optical modulators

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University