This invention relates to polynucleotides encoding mini-dystrophin proteins, viral vectors comprising the same, and methods of using the same for delivery of mini-dystrophin to a cell or a subject.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, x-linked, progressive neuromuscular disease affecting approximately one in 3,600 to 9200 live male births. The disorder is caused by frame shift mutations in the dystrophin gene abolishing the expression of the dystrophin protein. Due to the lack of the dystrophin protein, skeletal muscle, and ultimately heart and respiratory muscles (e.g., intercostal muscles and diaphragm), degenerate causing premature death. Progressive weakness and muscle atrophy begins in childhood, starting in the lower legs and pelvis before spreading into the upper arms. Other symptoms include loss of certain reflexes, waddling gait, frequent falls, difficulty rising from a sitting or lying position, difficulty climbing stairs, changes to overall posture, impaired breathing, and cardiomyopathy. Many children are unable to run rapidly or jump. The atrophied muscles, in particular the calf muscles (and, less commonly, muscles in the buttocks, shoulders, and arms), may be enlarged by an accumulation of fat and connective tissue, causing them to look larger and healthier than they actually are (called pseudohypertrophy). Bone thinning and scoliosis are common. Ultimately, independent ambulation is lost, and a wheelchair becomes necessary, in most cases between 12 to 15 years of age. As the disease progresses, the muscles in the diaphragm that assist in breathing and coughing become weaker. Affected individuals experience breathing difficulties, respiratory infections, and swallowing problems. Almost all DMD patients will develop cardiomyopathy. Pneumonia compounded by cardiac involvement is the most frequent cause of death, which frequently occurs before the third decade.
Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) has less severe symptoms than DMD, but still leads to premature death. Compared to DMD, BMD is characterized by later-onset skeletal muscle weakness. Whereas DMD patients are wheelchair dependent before age 13, those with BMD lose ambulation and require a wheelchair after age 16. BMD patients also exhibit preservation of neck flexor muscle strength, unlike their counterparts with DMD. Despite milder skeletal muscle involvement, heart failure from DMD-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common cause of morbidity and the most common cause of death in BMD, which occurs on average in the mid-40s.
Dystrophin is a cytoplasmic protein encoded by the dmd gene, and functions to link cytoskeletal actin filaments to membrane proteins. Normally, the dystrophin protein, located primarily in skeletal and cardiac muscles, with smaller amounts expressed in the brain, acts as a shock absorber during muscle fiber contraction by linking the actin of the contractile apparatus to the layer of connective tissue that surrounds each muscle fiber. In muscle, dystrophin is localized at the cytoplasmic face of the sarcolemma membrane.
First identified in 1987, the dmd gene is the largest known human gene at approximately 2.5 Mb. The gene is located on the X chromosome at position Xp21 and contains 79 exons. The most common mutations that cause DMD or BMD are large deletion mutations of one or more exons (60-70%), but duplication mutations (5-10%), and single nucleotide variants, (including small deletions or insertions, single-base changes, and splice site changes accounting for approximately 25%-35% of pathogenic variants in males with DMD and about 10%-20% of males with BMD) can also cause pathogenic dystrophin variants.
In DMD, mutations often lead to a frame shift resulting in a premature stop codon and a truncated, non-functional or unstable protein. Nonsense point mutations can also result in premature termination codons with the same result. While mutations causing DMD can affect any exon, exons 2-20 and 45-55 are common hotspots for large deletion and duplication mutations. In frame deletions result in the less severe Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), in which patients express a truncated, partially functional dystrophin.
Full-length dystrophin is a large (427 kDa) protein comprising a number of subdomains that contribute to its function. These subdomains include, in order from the amino-terminus toward the carboxy-terminus, the N-terminal actin-binding domain, a central so-called "rod" domain, a cysteine-rich domain and lastly a carboxy-terminal domain or region. The rod domain is comprised of 4 proline-rich hinge domains (abbreviated H), and 24 spectrin-like repeats (abbreviated R) in the following order: a first hinge domain (H1), 3 spectrin-like repeats (R1, R2, R3), a second hinge domain (H2), 16 more spectrin-like repeats (R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19), a third hinge domain (H3), 5 more spectrin-like repeats (R20, R21, R22, R23, R24), and finally a fourth hinge domain (H4). Subdomains toward the carboxy-terminus of the protein are involved in connecting to the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex (DGC), a large protein complex that forms a critical link between the cytoskeleton and the extra-cellular matrix.
No treatment definitively halts or reverses progression of DMD. Treatment with corticosteroids is the current standard of care, but this merely slows progression by a year or two. A number of new drugs for DMD have recently been approved by regulators. These include ataluren, which causes read-through of premature stop codons, and eteplirsen, which causes skipping of exon 51, generating an internally deleted partially functional dystrophin. However, the mechanism of action of these drugs is not expected to help all DMD patients, and further evidence is required to definitively demonstrate their clinical efficacy in DMD.
With advances over the last 10-15 years in use of adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene therapy to potentially treat a variety of rare diseases, there has been renewed hope and interest that AAV could be used to treat DMD and less severe dystrophinopathies (i.e., other muscle diseases associated with mutations in the dmd gene). Due to limits on payload size of AAV vectors, attention has focused on creating micro- or mini-dystrophins, smaller versions of dystrophin that eliminate non-essential subdomains while maintaining at least some function of the full-length protein. AAV-mediated mini-dystrophin gene therapy has shown promise in mdx mice, an animal model for DMD, with widespread expression in muscle and evidence of improved muscle function (See, e.g., Wang et al., J. Orthop. Res. 27:421 (2009)). When related experiments using a micro-dystrophin vector were attempted in the GRMD DMD dog model, however, powerful immunosuppressant drugs were required to achieve significant transduction of muscle cells (Yuasa et al., Gene Ther. 14:1249 (2007)). Similarly, when human DMD patients were treated with AAV vectors designed to express a mini-dystrophin, minimal protein was detected in only two of the six patients, whereas a T-cell response against the mini-dystrophin protein was stimulated in three (Bowles, et al., Mol Ther. 20(2):443-455 (2012)).
Thus, there exists a need in the art for AAV vectors encoding mini-dystrophins that can be expressed at high levels in transduced cells of subjects with DMD while minimizing immune responses to the mini-dystrophin protein.

Optimized mini-dystrophin genes and expression cassettes and their use

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


A nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) device and method for using the device provide for a movable member that includes a region of low conductivity over which an electric field is developed. A region width is within a factor of ten (10) of a thickness of the NEMS device. The region is formed between a junction that incorporates piezoelectric material. A first voltage is applied across the region which alters a width of an active portion of the region thereby adjusting a movement of the movable member induced by a second voltage. The second voltage is applied across the region to produce a strain on the active portion of the region. The strain results in a defined movement of the movable member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductors, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and device that provides tunable nanoscale electromechanical coupling in piezoelectric semiconductors.
2. Description of the Related Art
(Note: This application references a number of different publications as indicated throughout the specification by reference numbers enclosed in brackets, e.g., [x]. A list of these different publications ordered according to these reference numbers can be found below in the section entitled "References." Each of these publications is incorporated by reference herein.)
The nanometer scale domain presents new opportunities for realizing electromechanical transducers with ultralow power consumption, high sensitivity, integrated large scale array architecture, and coupling to mesoscopic phenomena [1]. As an advancement of MEMS, which have become mainstream devices such as optical switches, ink jets, and accelerometers, nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) have shown great promise as highly sensitive detectors of mass [2, 3], displacement [4], charge [5], and energy [6]. However, as devices are scaled down, transduction becomes increasingly difficult, hampering efforts to create finely-controlled integrated systems.
In spite of significant progress in the field [7] an efficient, integrated, and customizable technique for actively driving and tuning NEMS resonators remains elusive. Conventional approaches like magnetomotive, electrostatic and electrothermal techniques [7, 8] suffer from either low power efficiency, limited potential for integration, or poor nanoscale control over electromechanical coupling. In contrast, one of the earliest and most straightforward actuation methods, which relies on the piezoelectric effect, provides a means of directly converting electric field into mechanical strain. Discovered by the Curie brothers in 1880 [9], it has since found widespread application in a multitude of systems ranging from clocks, to microwave electromechanical filters, and biosensors. However, new nanoscale functionality enabled by piezoelectric coupling has not yet been systematically explored with top-down NEMS devices.

Highly efficient, charge depletion-mediated, voltage-tunable actuation efficiency and resonance frequency of piezoelectric semiconductor nanoelectromechanical systems resonators


A pulse-width controller for a switching regulator is provided. The pulse-width controller is coupled to a bulk regulator in the switching regulator to control the bulk regulator to produce an output voltage in a fixed level and an output current in a desired level in response to various demands from the load. The pulse-width controller takes a voltage of feedback-voltage indicative of a change in the output voltage of the bulk regulator and a first voltage of feedback-current and a second voltage of feedback-current indicative of a change in the output current of the bulk regulator as feedback signals. These feedback signals can cause the pulse-width controller to produce a square-wave signal with an adaptive pulse width that controls the bulk regulator to produce the output voltage and current in the desired levels. The circuit configuration of the pulse-width controller allows an increase in the gain bandwidth and a decrease in gain sensitivity without taking up much circuit layout area in integrated circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to switching regulars, and more particularly, to a pulse-width controller for use in a switching regulator for pulse width modulation of a square-wave signal used to control the output of the switching regulator.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a conventional switching regulator. As shown, this switching regulator includes a controller 100a and a bulk regulator 100b. The controller 100a is composed of an amplifier 10a, a comparator 10b, and an oscillator 10c. The oscillator 10c is used to generate a triangle-wave signal. The output power of the switching regulator is dependent on the duty cycle of a square-wave signal generated by the controller 100a, and this-square-wave signal is applied to a switching transistor Q.sub.1 in the bulk regulator 100b. The output power of the bulk regulator 100b is proportional to the pulse width of this square-wave signal. To provide feedback control of the square-wave signal, the output voltage V.sub.O of the bulk regulator 100b is divided by a pair of resistors R.sub.1, R.sub.2 to obtained an apportioned feedback voltage V.sub.feedback which is then fed back to the amplifier 10a. The amplifier 10a takes both V.sub.feedback and a reference voltage V.sub.ref as inputs so as to amplify the difference between these two signals. The output of the amplifier 10a is compared by the comparator 10b with the triangle-wave output of the oscillator 10c to thereby generate a square-wave signal to control the switching transistor Q.sub.1. When the output voltage V.sub.O falls below the desired level, the fall will be indicated by a drop in V.sub.feedback that then causes the controller 100a to increase the duty cycle of the square-wave output of the comparator 10b, thereby increasing the level of the output voltage V.sub.O until it reaches the desired level. On the other hand, when the output voltage V.sub.O rises above the desired level, the rise in V.sub.feedback can cause the controller 100a to decrease the duty cycle of the square-wave output of the comparator 10b, thereby decreasing the level of the output voltage V.sub.O until it reaches the desired level. This allows the switching regulator to output a fixed output voltage V.sub.O. The fixed level of the output voltage V.sub.O can be adjusted by varying the ratio R.sub.2 /R.sub.1 and the reference voltage V.sub.ref.
One drawback to the foregoing switching regulator, however, is that its dynamic characteristics are not quite satisfactory since it has output voltage feedback only and no output current feedback.
FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of another conventional switching regulator As shown, this switching regulator differs from the one of FIG. 1 in that this switching regulator further includes two feedback networks 20a, 20b. The first feedback network 20a connects the output end of the amplifier 10a back to one input end of the same; while the second feedback network 20b connects the output voltage V.sub.O back to one input end of the amplifier 10a and also via the first feedback network 20a to one input end of the comparator 10b that is connected to the output of the amplifier 10a. These two feedback networks 20a, 20b are both configured with resistors and capacitors. These capacitors are large in capacitance that can allow an increase in the gain bandwidth of the switching regulator.
One drawback to the foregoing switching regulator, however, is that, since the feedback networks 20a, 20b include large-capacitance capacitors to build, the integrated circuit implementing the switching regulator will take up large space in circuit layout area. This drawback will reduce the cost-effectiveness in the manufacture of the switching regulator.

Pulse-width controller for switching regulators


An angled optical pattern is decoded. To decode an optical pattern imaged at an angle, an area of interest of an image is received. A start line and an end line of the optical pattern are estimated. Corners of the optical pattern are localized. A homography is calculated based on the corners. And a scanline of the optical pattern is rectified based on the homography.

This disclosure relates in general to a camera in a mobile device. More specifically, and without limitation, this disclosure relates to decoding barcodes in a scene or image using the camera in the mobile device. Barcodes have traditionally been scanned using a specialized scanner. For example, a barcode scanner comprising a laser is used to shine light on a barcode, and reflected light from the barcode is detected and used to decode the barcode. As mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) with cameras have become more common, mobile devices are being used to decode codes by acquiring an image of a code, and using image analysis to decode the code. An example of a method for using as smartphone to decode a barcode is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,540, granted on Dec. 3, 2013.

Image analysis for decoding angled optical patterns


A fast reset degaussing system includes a full wave rectifier bridge having a degaussing coil coupled in series therewith to a source of operating AC power. A variable current element is provided by a field effect transistor which produces a variable load upon the full wave rectifier bridge. An RC charging circuit is coupled to the control electrode of the field effect transistor to cause an exponentially decaying current within the transistor and thereby impose an exponentially load upon the full wave rectifier bridge. The degaussing coil current responds directly to the load imposed upon the rectifier bridge by the field effect transistor and produces an exponentially decaying alternating current suitable for cathode ray tube degaussing.

The color cathode ray tube used in television receivers and computer monitors provides excellent brightness, resolution and color display characteristics. While several variations of cathode ray tube structures have been developed through the years, most generally include a high strength funnel-like glass envelope having a faceplate which is either slightly convex or flat. The glass envelope further includes a rearwardly extending elongated neck within which a plurality of electron gun assemblies are supported. A pattern of phosphor deposits are formed on the inner surface of the faceplate and arranged in repeated patterns. Each phosphor type is characterized by the emission of a single color wavelength of light when struck by high energy electrons. In most cathode ray tubes, a selection electrode is interposed between the electron gun assembly and the phosphor screen of the faceplate. The selection electrode which typically comprises either a foraminous shadow mask or flat tension mask cooperates with the electron gun assembly in assuring that the electrons emanating from each electron gun toward the faceplate strike their respective phosphor deposits and avoid striking the phosphor deposits of each of the other two electron guns.
The cathode ray tube display is operated by imposing horizontal and vertical scan magnetic fields upon the electron beams causing the phosphor screen to be periodically scanned. The horizontal scanning system also produces the required high voltage electron beam accelerating potential which imparts sufficient energy to the electrons striking the phosphors of the faceplate to cause the desired light output. The control of the three electron guns to properly maintain and direct the electrons beams and their viewing screen impacts is a matter of considerable precision and is aided by supplemental magnetic fields applied to the electron beams for purposes of geometric correction and convergence correction.
Because the electron beam precision is extremely susceptible to the influence of magnetic fields, the metal components both within and proximate to the exterior of the cathode ray must be periodically degaussed to remove accumulated magnetism thereof. Such metal components are often subjected to unintentional or undesired magnetism due to the operation of appliances, tools and other sources of magnetic influence. The system is sufficiently delicate that the earth's magnetic field itself may cause undesired magnetism of sufficient strength to upset the CRT precision.
The high susceptibility of color cathode ray tubes to such magnetic influence has prompted practitioners in the art to employ various degaussing systems in the operation of color television receivers and color computer monitors. The most common degaussing system utilized an alternating current magnetic field of diminishing amplitude usually triggered for operation when the receiver or computer monitor is initially turned on. Perhaps the most common degaussing system provides one or more degaussing coils supported near the critical portions of the cathode ray which are energized by a diminishing amplitude alternating current usually derived from the receiver or monitor power supply. Most degaussing systems employ one or more thermally responsive devices such as thermistors to cause the required amplitude decay of degaussing current. While thermally responsive degaussing circuits are acceptable for many uses, they are subject to a cooling interval requirement between cycles. Thus, television receivers and computer monitors which are frequently turned on and off may receive little, if any, degaussing action during such use due to the lack of sufficient cooling intervals to permit the thermally responsive devices to cool down.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved degaussing system. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved degaussing system which may be rapidly reset for successive operational cycles.


The present invention provides a process for producing a fiber reinforced composite which contains the reinforcing fibers uniformly dispersed therein and therefore has uniformity of strength. The process comprises;. preparing an aqueous slurry which comprises reinforcing fibers, water-soluble organic polymers A charged in water and particulate organic polymers, PA1 adding thereto water-soluble organic polymers B charged opposite to said organic polymers A in water to flocculate the solid components in said aqueous slurry, and PA1 then removing aqueous medium and molding.

Hitherto, fiber reinforced composites are generally produced by a handlay up method wherein reinforcing fibers are saturated with a resin to form a resin-saturated fiber mat, which is then shaped at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure.
Japanese Kokai Publication 61-211343 U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,100) proposes a simplified process wherein an aqueous slurry is prepared by dispersing reinforcing fibers, particulate solid thermosetting polymers, curing agent and a latex binder in water, and then mixed with a polymer flocculating agent to flocculate the solid components, which are then dried and pressed at an elevated temperature. Since the latex binder has an electric charge in water, it is difficult to uniformly disperse it with the reinforcing fibers and particulate solid thermosetting polymers upon flocculating. The obtained article from this composite, therefore, does not have strength uniformity, because of the nonuniformity of the components.
Also, Japanese Kokoku Publication 1-20644 U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,470) proposes a process for producing a fiber reinforced composite wherein particulate thermoplastic resins are employed. The process, however, also employs a latex binder and has the same disadvantage as mentioned above.

Production of fiber reinforced composite


The present invention provides a means and method of generating a long error checking polynomial remainder having the ability to detect errors with high reliability and inserting only a subset of the polynomial remainder periodically into a data stream, then at the receiving end recalculating the polynomial remainder and checking the inserted subset for errors. The polynomial has the property that the current remainder value is a function of all data previously transmitted in a transmission session. The subset transmitted also preferably has this property. A longer subset of the polynomial remainder, or the full polynomial remainder, may be inserted less frequently, and is preferably sent and tested at the end of the transmission session.

Many error detection and correction codes are known, including single and multiple parity bit codes, Hamming codes, and cyclic redundancy codes. As a general rule, the longer the string of bits used to store error checking information, the higher the probability that errors can be detected (and corrected if error correction is also employed). Further, the longer the string of data bits on which error detection is employed, the smaller the percentage increase in transmission time caused by appending a string of error checking information to the end of a data stream. Transmitting a long stream of error checking bits with a relatively short stream of data adds significantly to the total length of the transmission. However, transmitting a stream of error checking bits after a long stream of data causes a significant time delay before an error in the transmission can be detected. The longer the string of data bits to which error checking bits are appended, the longer the wait before discovering an error has occurred. In some applications it is important to minimize not only the percentage increase in the data stream used for error checking but also to minimize the waiting time for detecting any errors. Yet it may be necessary to assure with high reliability that no undetected errors have occurred.
One situation in which it is important to transmit data accurately and to detect quickly that an error has occurred is in the loading of memory cells which configure a logic cell array. Such logic cell arrays are explained more fully in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,870,302 and 4,706,216, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such logic cell arrays are also described in Xilinx Data Book .COPYRGT.1989, available from Xilinx, Inc., 2100 Logic Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95124. The memory cells each control an interconnection, form part of a data table, select a logic function or part of a logic function, or otherwise control the configuration of the configurable logic array. This step of loading memory cells configures the logic array so that it takes on the function selected by a user. If any of the memory cells are not loaded with the proper logical value, the resultant configured logic array may not perform as intended. Therefore it is important that all data be loaded accurately.
To provide both high reliability and earlier error detection, prior art users have provided a nested hierarchy of error detection (and sometimes correction). For example a 9-bit byte protocol in which each byte includes 1 parity bit can be nested in a long chain using cyclic redundancy checking. Many other nested error checking methods have been used and can be imagined.

Error detection structure and method using partial polynomial check


A first device (1) and a second device (2) can be communicated by an electromagnetic coupling. Data to be transmitted from the first device to the second device is converted into pulse signals of different duty ratios in accordance with the H or L level of the transmission data. Further, the oscillation of an oscillator (15) of the first device is intermittently performed in accordance with the H/L level of the pulse signal. Switching elements (39, 40) are provided for a resonance circuit (30) provided in the second device. When data is transmitted from the second device to the first device, the switching elements are turned on or off in accordance with the data. Thus, the electromagnetic coupling is intermittently performed. The oscillator of the first device at that time intermittently executes the oscillation at a third duty ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communicating apparatus for communicating data between first and second devices which are contactlessly closely arranged or which approach each other by using an induction electromagnetic field and to an oscillator which is used in the communicating apparatus and transmits data by intermittently oscillating.
2. Prior Art Statement
Hitherto, for instance, as shown in JP-A-62-63050, there has been proposed a data transmitting apparatus in which a data storing device to store tool data is provided for a tool shank or the like of a machine tool, the data is serially transmitted and written from a data input/output apparatus into the data storing device, or the content written is read out. In such a data transmitting apparatus, the data communication between the data input/output apparatus and the data storing device is performed by using predetermined high frequency signals by frequency shift keying (FSK) modulating those high frequency signals.
However, according to the conventional data transmitting apparatus, each of the data storing device and data input/output apparatus needs a PLL circuit or the like to demodulate the FSK signal, so that a large electric power consumption is required. There is a case where an AC voltage induced from the data input/output (I/O) apparatus is rectified and the data storing device uses the resultant rectified voltage as a power source. In such a case, if the electric power consumption is large, data communication cannot be performed unless the induced voltage is high, so that there is a drawback in that a distance at which the data communication can be performed is short. On the other hand, when the data storing device has a battery, there is a drawback in that the life of the battery is short. The applicant of the present invention has already proposed a system in Japanese Patent application 62-52692 in which in order to reduce the electric power consumption of the data storing device, when data is transmitted from the data storing device to the data I/O apparatus, a resonance frequency of a resonance circuit is discontinuously changed on the basis of the transmission data. In such a case, although the electric power consumption of the data storing device can be reduced, since a communication range is determined by a coupling coefficient between the data storing device and the data I/O apparatus, there is a drawback in that even if an output from the data I/O apparatus is enlarged, the communication distance cannot be increased.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16, there has been known a Colpits oscillator which is an LC type oscillator for transmitting a signal by the electromagnetic induction by intermittent oscillation. In the diagram, a collector of a transistor Tr.sub.1 is connected to one end of an LC resonance circuit 51 consisting of a coil L.sub.1 and capacitors C.sub.21 and C.sub.22. A feedback resistor R.sub.21 is connected between a middle point of the coils C.sub.21 and C.sub.22 and an emitter of the transistor Tr.sub.1. The emitter of the transistor Tr.sub.1 is connected to the ground through an emitter resistor R.sub.22. A predetermined DC voltage is applied to one end of the resonance circuit 51. A middle point of resistors R.sub.23 and R.sub.24 to divide the power source voltage is connected to the base of the transistor Tr.sub.1. A predetermined voltage is applied as a bias to the base of the Tr.sub.1 and the base is connected to the ground by a capacitor C.sub.23 in an AC manner. An FET 52 for switching is provided to intermittently apply and shut off the terminal voltage of the base of the Tr.sub.1. The FET 52 is intermittently turned on/off in accordance with an input signal and the base of the oscillating transistor Tr.sub.1 is connected to the ground or a predetermined bias voltage is applied thereto. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 17a and 17b, the oscillation can be intermittently performed in correspondence to the input voltage which is applied to the FET 52.
However, in such an oscillator, since the base voltage of the oscillating transistor is controlled and the oscillation is started and stopped, the leading time of the oscillation is slow and the trailing time thereof is also slow, so that even if the supply of the input signal is stopped, the attenuating vibration remains and the amplitude gradually decreases. Thus, there is a drawback such that the oscillation cannot be intermittently performed at a high speed and a data transmission speed cannot be set to a high speed.


Disclosed is an air blown optical fiber unit having beads attached on its surface. The air blown optical fiber unit includes at least one optical fiber, a buffer layer surrounding the optical fiber and made of polymer resin, an outer layer surrounding the buffer layer and made of polymer resin, and beads attached on a surface of the outer layer to have height of 40 μm to 120 μm on the average. This air blown optical fiber unit gives improved installation characteristics.

For installation of optical fibers, a method of binding or twisting several optical fibers into a cable, and then installing this cable has been mainly used. In this cable installation method, optical fibers much more than required at the point of installation are generally installed in advance with expectation of future demands.
However, since more various kinds of optical fibers are required according to the trend of new communication environments and there have been developed high performance communication systems suitably coping with communication capacity even in restricted optical fiber installation environments, it cannot be considered desirable that a large amount of optical fibers are installed in advance just with expectation of future demands. In particular, in aspect of a user terminal, namely an access network or a premise wiring, a mode of an optical fiber or cable in future cannot be decided at the present point of time. Thus, if a large amount of optical fibers are installed in advance with incurring much expense, there may be a waste of money if a mode of an optical fiber or cable is changed in future.
In order to solve the above problems, a method for installing an optical fiber unit having several optical fiber strands collected therein by air pressure is widely used. This air blown installation method was firstly proposed by British Telecom Co. (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,896) in 1980. In this air blown installation method, a polymer installation tube, called a micro tube or duct, having specific constitution and sectional shape is installed at an optical fiber installation spot in advance, and then an air blown optical fiber unit (hereinafter, referred to just as 'an optical fiber unit') is inserted into the micro tube or duct as much as required by air pressure. If optical fibers are installed using the above optical fiber installation method, many advantages are ensured, namely easy installation and removal of optical fibers, reduced costs for initial installation, and easy improvement of performance in future.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an optical fiber unit installation device used in the above air blown installation method. Referring to FIG. 1, the installation device successively inserts an optical fiber unit 1 from an optical fiber unit supplier 2 into an installation tube 4 connected to an outlet C of a blowing head 5 by using a driving roller 3 and a pressing means 6, and at the same time blows compressed air toward the outlet C of the blowing head 5 by using the pressing means 6. Then, the compressed air flows at a fast rate toward the outlet C, and accordingly the optical fiber unit 1 introduced into the blowing head 5 is installed in the installation tube 4 by means of a fluid drag force of the compressed air.
In order to ensure desirable installation of the optical fiber unit 1 in the air blown installation method, the fluid drag force of the compressed air should be great.
The fluid drag force F may be expressed as follows.
                                          F            →                    drag                =                              PR            1                                          R            2                                                        ⅆ              P                                      ⅆ              L                                                          Equation                                                  1
(P: compressed air pressure, R1: inner diameter of the installation tube, R2: outer diameter of the optical fiber unit, L: length of the installation tube)
In the Equation 1, the inner diameter R1 of the installation tube and the outer diameter R2 of the optical fiber unit are already defined in standards. Thus, in order to maximize the fluid drag force F, it is preferred to form irregularity on the surface of the optical fiber unit for increasing a contact area between the compressed air and the optical fiber unit.
As a scheme for increasing a contact area between the compressed air and the optical fiber unit, various structures of optical fiber units having irregularity on their surfaces are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,907, U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,335, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,813, U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,188 and so on.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,907 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,335 disclose an optical fiber unit having glass beads attached on its outer surface. In addition, differently from the method using beads, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,813 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,188 disclose an optical fiber unit having concave dimples formed on its surface by using foaming polymer materials and an optical fiber unit having irregularity on its surface by winding a fiber made of special materials.
However, the above conventional techniques do not have any disclosure in relation to height of the irregularity, thickness of the outer layer on which the irregularity is formed, and Young's modulus of the outer layer of the optical fiber unit, which give serious influences on the air blown installation characteristics. Thus, there still exist difficulties in fabricating an optical fiber unit with excellent installation characteristics in the prior art.

Air blown optical fiber unit having bead attached on the surface


A valve-actuating variable cam for a reciprocating machine is disclosed. The cam comprises a camshaft journalled for rotation by said machine and driven in timed relationship with said machine, a first cam fixed upon said camshaft and rotatable with the camshaft, and a second cam fixed for rotation with the camshaft and moveable relative to the first said cam in a direction radial to the axis of rotation of the camshaft. A shift rod is slidably mounted within the cam shaft, the shift rod having a drive surface thereon driving a key element. The key element is at least partially positioned within and engages at least the second cam. The shift rod is moveable between a first position in which the first cam engages a valve or similar element, and second position in which the key pushes the second cam radially outwardly and the valve engages the second cam.

In many types of reciprocating machines and particularly internal combustion engines, there may be time when it is desirable to change the valve operating characteristics during the running of the engine. Conventional variable valve timing mechanisms (VVT) have been proposed for varying the timing of opening and closing of the valves in an engine. By providing such variable valve timing it is possible to obtain improved engine performance over a wider range of engine speed and load conditions.
In addition to changing the valve timing events, there is also a desire to provide a mechanism that will change the lift of the valve. By changing the lift of the valve, the induction and/or exhaust efficiency of the engine can be changed during running to offer further enhancements in engine performance. Although the changing of the timing of the opening and closing of the valves utilizing a VVT mechanism is relatively easy to accomplish, the changing of the lift of the valve is more difficult to accomplish.
Because of the difficulty in changing the lift of the valve during the actual running of the engine, very complicated mechanisms have employed. Generally, one type of these mechanisms include follower devices that are interposed between the actuating camshaft and the valve and which change the degree of lift by changing the mechanical advantage between the cam and the actuated valve. Obviously, these systems become quite complicated. Furthermore, they frequently add to the reciprocating mass of the engine and can thus, deteriorate to some extent the engine performance.
In some instances, the variable lift is provided by substituting for the conventional type of cam and follower arrangement, an actual driving system which drives the valve without necessitating the use of a camshaft. These mechanisms become even more complicated than the variable follower mechanisms.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a variable lift valve-actuating mechanism for a reciprocating machine that easily permits the lift to be changed without significantly adding to the complexity of the actuating mechanism.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved camshaft arrangement for providing variable lift for the valve of a reciprocating machine.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved engine camshaft for achieving variable valve lift in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner.


A system and a method for secure transmission of protected content to a subscriber, without requiring a smart card or other renewable security element to be in physical proximity of the recipient module of the subscriber, such as a set-top box for example. Therefore, the renewable security element may optionally be protected and controlled by the transmitter of the protected content, such as by the broadcaster for example.

Digital content can easily and efficiently be delivered through any type of suitable network, such as a cable network, satellite and/or a computer network. Frequently, digital content is broadcast or multicast to many end users over the network. Optionally, digital content can also be efficiently delivered to individual users upon request.
However, in order for digital content to be effectively delivered to users in the context of usage rights or a commerce system, a number of mechanisms need to be provided. In particular, the digital content should be secure against theft, such that only authorized users can retrieve and consume the digital content. Furthermore, access to the digital content needs to be controlled, both against unauthorized use and also optionally to permit access to be linked to other mechanisms, such as payment schemes for example. Other types of control may include determination of an expiration time and date, limitations on the number of displays, and so forth. Such control of the access to the digital content may be generally described as digital rights management.
Failure to protect "Digital Rights" is more damaging than infringement of the same rights when applied to older, "analog" content. The reason is that older forms of content storage and transmission are subject to "generational degradation", where each processing step decreases the quality of the next generation of the product. Digital systems do not, in the main, suffer from such generational degradation. Pirated content may therefore offer exactly the same quality as original material, such that unauthorized users may more effectively infringe digital rights with copied material.
The term "digital rights management" may optionally cover a multitude of rights, which are granted to authorized users. These rights are defined according to a plurality of rules, which regulate the circumstances under which a user is authorized to access the content. These rights may include viewing the content, storing the content, reproduction of the content, excerpting portions of the content, modifying the content, copyrights, access/usage rights, resell/transferring and so forth. These rights may be divided into a number of different phases including specification, packaging (binding the rights to content), delivery, and enforcement in the consumption environment.
Even an authorized user may have only a portion of these rights; for example, the user may be authorized to view and store the content, but not reproduce or modify the content.
In order to prevent unauthorized users from abusing these usage rights, and/or to prevent authorized users from unauthorized use of the rights, the digital content should be protected by some type of security mechanism. Examples of security mechanisms include, but are not limited to, encryption and scrambling of the content. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,249 and 5,481,609 to Cohen et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, disclose one exemplary system, which enables secure content to be broadcast widely, yet only to be played back or otherwise displayed by authorized users. This signal could contain a television program for example. The signal is scrambled, such that the authorized users are able to unscramble the signal and play back or otherwise display the media content only with the proper security device, such as a smart card for example. Thus, widely received media content is still protected from access by unauthorized users.
The scrambled television data streams described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,249 and 5,481,609 feature both scrambled data representing television signals and coded control messages, also known as ECMs. These ECMs contain, in a coded form, data necessary for generating a control word (CW) which may be used to descramble the scrambled data representing television signals.
While U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,249 and 5,481,609 describe an analog system, that is, a system in which analog television data streams are broadcast to television sets, it is appreciated that similar ECM methods may also be used for digital television data streams. Generally, the scrambling techniques used for scrambling analog television signals such as, for example, the well-known "cut-and-rotate" technique, are chosen for their particular applicability to analog signals. However, scrambling of digital television signals preferably employs other techniques, which are well-known in the art and which are more appropriate to digital signals. One example of such a technique is the application of the well-known DES algorithm to the digital television signals.
Methods of transmitting a scrambled digital signal, including ECMs, are described in the MPEG-2 standard, ISO/IEC 13818-1, 15 Apr. 1996 and subsequent editions.
Another attempted solution to the problem of content protection is described in published European Patent Application No. EP 0858184 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,242, which disclose a digital recording protection system and which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The disclosed system enables the digital content to be sent in a scrambled format, such that the digital content cannot be read and/or displayed without a key. The key is obtained from a control message, which is only sent to authorized users. Preferably, the key is obtained from coded information contained within the Entitlement Control Message, or ECM, for generating a code word associated with the ECM. Thus, only authorized users are able to correctly read and/or display the digital content.
In addition, the system and method described in European Patent Application No. EP 0858184 enable the authorized user to record and playback or otherwise display the digital content, while preventing the user from producing and distributing multiple playable copies of the digital content to other, non-authorized users. Therefore, the authorized user is able to fully use and enjoy the digital content, while the content itself is still protected from unauthorized use.
As described in European Patent Application No. EP 0858184, and as shown in background art FIG. 1 taken from this Application, such a system includes a media device 100, such as a television set, for playing the digital content, such as a television program for example. Media device 100 is connected to an integrated receiver-decoder (IRD) 110, for receiving and decoding the scrambled digital content. The system also features a removable security element 120, such as a smart card for example, for providing control words for unscrambling, or otherwise rendering into a clear format, the scrambled digital content by IRD 110. In addition, the system features a digital VCR 130 for communicating with media device 100 and IRD 110. Digital VCR 130 is able to record the digital content for later playback and/or display by media device 100.
IRD 110 receives scrambled digital content which features a plurality of ECMs, each of which is associated with, and is typically followed by, a scrambled digital data segment, containing the actual digital content. Each ECM includes coded information which can be used to generate a code word for unscrambling the associated scrambled digital data segment. Typically, removable security element 120 generates the code word. IRD 110 is then able to descramble the scrambled digital content, for example for being played by media device 100.
Background art FIG. 2, also taken from European Patent Application No. EP 0858184, is a flow diagram illustrating the production of the scrambled digital content. As shown, the scrambled digital content is produced as an SDDS (scrambled digital data stream) 140, featuring a plurality of ECMs such as an nth ECM 145, and a plurality of associated SDSEGs such as an nth SDSEG (scrambled digital data segment) 150 which is associated with nth ECM 145. IRD 110 of FIG. 1, in cooperation with removable security element 120, is able to use SDDS 140 in order to form a recording SDDS 165. Recording SDDS 165 is produced with the addition of a TECM (transformed ECM) key, which is permanently associated with the system of FIG. 1, even if removable security element 120 is changed, replaced or exchanged, for example. This TECM key is used to make a plurality of TECMs, shown as nth TECM 175, from the code words of the ECMs. Thus, a system which did not feature the correct TECM key could not descramble the recording SDDS 165 for playing back or otherwise displaying the digital content, while the authorized user is always able to play back or otherwise display the recorded digital content as long as the TECM key is available.
One significant difference between these types of conditional access and other currently available conditional access mechanisms, is that the latter mechanisms presently rely upon a personal key that is permanently embedded in the set-top box of the user. This key enables the set-top box to decrypt permission messages for accessing (reading and/or displaying) content. However, the key cannot be renewed or altered, since it is permanently encoded in the set-top box hardware. Therefore, it is vulnerable to "sniffing" and/or otherwise being hacked.
By contrast, the previously described mechanisms (as shown for example with regard to background art FIGS. 1 and 2) do not rely upon a key being permanently stored in the set-top box. Instead, the key is stored in the removable security element, such as a smart card for example. Therefore, the key is renewable, yet can be individualized to each subscriber. This smart card itself is also vulnerable to "hacking", as for any type of digital security mechanism, but is less vulnerable than mechanisms which rely upon a permanently embedded key.

Virtual smart card device, method and system


The portable solar energy system stores electrical energy generated by a solar panel, which is made of an array of photovoltaic cells, in a dc storage battery, and upon demand converts the dc voltage of the battery to an ac output suitable for supplying conventional electrical appliances. The battery is a sealed lead-acid type and may be an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery. The system includes an energy storage and converting unit, which houses the battery and a dc-to-ac inverter. The inverter converts the stored energy of the battery, supplied at a low dc voltage, into the ac voltage and current required for supplying conventional appliances. A charge controller manages the flow of current from the solar panel to optimize the state of charge of the battery and to maximize the useful life of the battery. Additional circuitry monitors the discharge level of the battery to limit deep discharging.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical power generation, and in particular to a portable solar energy system for generating alternating current (ac) and direct current (dc) electrical power.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is frequently desired to provide electrical power to ac appliances through sources, which are independent of a national electric power grid.
In some cases an alternate source of electrical power is desired because there is a need to use power in a place not currently serviced by the grid. This situation may occur in during building construction when electric power service has not been provided to a site. The situation may also occur in countries where the infrastructure for providing electrical power does not exist.
It may also be desirable to provide an alternate source of electrical power in the aftermath of a disaster such as a storm, earthquake or other catastrophe causing damage to the electrical generation and distribution infrastructure.
Many types of electrical power generators have been used to generate power as alternatives to the utility power grid including diesel and gasoline powered generator driven generators. Solar powered systems have been used to generate electrical power and are often seen to be advantageous over fossil fuel powered generators because solar power supplies are quiet, do not generate hydrocarbon emissions, and use a renewal source that can be available when gasoline or diesel fuels are not available.
Conventional solar power systems use an array of solar cells to charge a battery. The battery, in turn, powers an inverter, which coverts the dc power provided by the battery into ac power at the current, voltage and frequency (e.g. 120 volts and 50 or 60 Hz) for powering conventional appliances. However solar cell systems of this type are not without their own problems.
A number of power supplies containing inverters have been developed. The following patents describe representative examples of such devices. Japanese Patent No. 63-182,722, published on Aug. 28, 1988, shows in FIG. 1 a solar system with a solar cell, inverter and a rechargeable battery. Japanese Patent No. 7-321,366, published on Dec. 8, 1995, shows in FIG. 4 a portable array of solar collectors with an inverter for generating ac power. Japanese Patent No. 9-199,748, published on Jul. 31, 1994, describes a non-portable system for generating electric power from solar cells mounted to a structure. Japanese Patent No. 2002-238,183, published on Aug. 23, 2002, describes a portable solar energy system in a trunk style case with an inverter for generating ac electrical power and rechargeable batteries for storing energy.
Japanese Patent No. 2002-305,866, published on Nov. 18, 2002, describes a portable solar energy system in a trunk-style case with an inverter for generating ac electrical power and rechargeable batteries for storing energy with a detachable battery and inverter. Japanese Patent No. 2003-92,423, published on Mar. 28, 2003, describes a portable solar energy system in a trunk-style case with an inverter for generating ac electrical power and rechargeable batteries for storing energy with a detachable battery and inverter and with an expandable solar array. Japanese Patent No. 2004-88,043, published on Mar. 18, 2004, describes a power supply with an array of solar cells, a nickel cadmium battery and an inverter for providing ac power to loads.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a portable solar energy system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


A suitcase with portable fan. In some embodiments, the fan is attached to the telescoping arms of the suitcase. In some embodiments, the fan is removable from the telescoping arms of the suitcase. In some embodiments, the fan is embedded in the suitcase. In some embodiments the suitcase has retracting cupholders.

The present invention relates to a suitcase with an attached, or attachable fan, retractable cup holders, and an LED light on the fan.
The present invention is distinguished from the following art in many ways:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,224,628 to Benson is a patent concerning a standing fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Benson.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,311,896 to Criqui discloses an axial flow fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Criqui.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,397,169 to Troller discloses a fan with a motor structure. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Troller.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,293 to Jones discloses an electric fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Jones.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,216 to Brandimarte discloses a portable air conditioner and heating unit. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Brandimarte.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,663 to Tserng discloses a retractable luggage handle assembly. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Tserng.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,356 to Carter discloses a portable fan for use on a child stroller. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Carter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,414 to Kilduff discloses a sports bag with a fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Kilduff. In Kilduff, the fan is made for circulating air through the gym bag. The present invention uses a fan to circulate air outside of the suitcase.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,255 to Hoffman discloses a suitcase cooling apparatus. The device of Hoffman is actually a portable air conditioner for use in travel to cool a bed. Hoffman is not a suitcase for storing items with a portable fan like the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,539 to Santos discloses a personal fan system. The present invention involves a system with a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Santos.
US 2003/0038007 to Han discloses a telescoping handle for a luggage cart. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Han.
US 2012/0152677 to Lu discloses a luggage case with a power device. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Lu.
US D384,144 to DuBois discloses an ornamental design for a portable fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in DuBois.
US D387150 to Coonahan discloses an ornamental design for a portable fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Coonahan.
US D398386 to Chan discloses an ornamental design for an electric fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Chan.
US D406331 to Chan discloses an ornamental design for an electric fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Chan.
US D635656 to Ghosn discloses an ornamental design for an electric fan. The present invention involves a fan in mechanical communication with a suitcase, which is absent in Ghosn.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,235,686 to Wark teaches a fan with a battery, rotating blade, motor, switch, and a charge port configured for a cup holder. Wark does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
US 2008/0283114 to Gray teaches a fan with a USB port. Gray does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
US 2010/0051633 to Porte teaches a suitcase with a telescoping handle having a cup holder with clamps. Porte does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
US 2006/0037825 to Dayton teaches a telescoping luggage handle with a slot. Dayton does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,356 to Carter teaches the use of hinge clamps. Carter does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,979,073 to Lykins teaches an insulated container. Lykins does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,740,070 to Page teaches a locking cooler. Page does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.
US 2016/035382 to Jose (2016/0353882) teaches a fold out tray for luggage. Jose does not have clamps that allow for the fan to be detached from the telescoping arms of the present invention.


A system for separating hydrocarbons from a solid source including a primary separation tank including a first hydrocarbon removing device to remove hydrocarbons from a slurry of water and solids. Further, the system including a transfer device between the primary separation tank and a secondary separation tank, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer solids from the slurry to the secondary separation tank. Further still, the system including a second hydrocarbon removal device, a fine particle separation device to remove remaining solids in the secondary separation tank, and a product collection tank to receive hydrocarbons removed from the primary and secondary separation tanks.

Throughout the world, considerable oil reserves may be found locked in the form of tar/oil sand, also known as bitumen sand. Bitumen, which is a viscous hydrocarbon, is trapped between the grains of sand, clay, and water. Because the recovery of bitumen from the sand may provide an increasingly valuable commercial energy source, processes for extracting and refining bitumen have long been investigated.
One method for recovering tar sand is by mining. In these operations, surface or shallow oil sands are open pit mined. The cost of mining increases with the depth of burial of the formation. At some point, the amount of overburden and the cost of its removal becomes too great. These deeper deposits have recently begun to be exploited by drilling wells through the overburden. In some cases, the bitumen behaves as a fluid under reservoir conditions, and may flow into the well for production by conventional means. However, in other cases, the bitumen is either too viscous or is too solidified, and may not flow. To recover these deposits, steam or other heat sources may be introduced into the tar sand formation to liquefy the bitumen. Recently, a technique of drilling closely spaced horizontal wells that allow a controlled passage of steam therebetween has become popular. After months of steaming, the molten tar flows into collection wells for recovery. So-called Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage is one such technique.
In Alberta, the tar sands underlie a wide expanse of undeveloped and environmentally sensitive areas in the north of the province. Drilling wells inevitably creates large amounts of overburden and tar sand cuttings. Currently, tarred cuttings must be hauled to either existing mining operations or permitted disposal sites. Therefore, processes that separate tar from sands at the drill site and allow delivery of sands clean enough for on-site disposal may reduce the cost of drilling.
Similar problems may occur when attempting to remove tar from drilled cuttings as those encountered when trying to recover tar from mined sand. However, when removing tar from drilled cuttings, surfactants, substances present in drilling fluid, and substances otherwise used to facilitate tar removed during the drilling process may contaminate the drilled cuttings. Such substances may cause environmental concerns if not removed from the drilled cuttings prior to disposal.
Currently, extraction of the bitumen from oil sand and drilled cuttings may be accomplished though a number of different processes. One process involves mixing the oil sand with hot water, an example of which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,741, hereby incorporated by reference herein. In the hot water extraction process, oil sands are first conditioned in large conditioning drums or tumblers with the addition of NaOH and water at a temperature of about 85° C. The tumblers provide means for steam injection and physical action to mix the resultant slurry vigorously, causing the bitumen to be separated from the oil sands, and then aerated to form bitumen froth.
The slurry from the tumblers is then screened to separate out the larger debris and passed to a separating cell where settling time is provided to allow the slurry to separate. As the slurry settles, the bitumen froth rises to the surface and the sand particles and sediments fall to the bottom. A middle viscous sludge layer, termed middlings, contains dispersed clay particles and some trapped bitumen that is not able to rise due to the viscosity of the sludge. Once the slurry has settled, the froth is skimmed off for froth treatment and the sediment layer is passed to a tailings pond. The middlings are often fed to a secondary flotation state for further bitumen froth recovery.
Bitumen froth contains bitumen, solids, and trapped water. The solids that are present in the froth are in the form of clays, silt, and sand. From the separating cell, the froth is passed to a defrothing or deaerating vessel where the froth is heated and broken to remove the air. Typically, naphtha is then added to solvate the bitumen to reduce the density of the bitumen and to facilitate separation of the bitumen from the water by means of a subsequent centrifugation treatment. The centrifuge treatment typically involves a gross centrifuge separation followed by a series of high-speed centrifuge separations. The water and solids released during the centrifuge treatment are passed to the tailings pond, while recovered bitumen may then be transferred for further processing.
When bitumen is treated using the conventional naphtha dilution and centrifugation extraction process, considerable problems may be encountered. First, the naphtha-diluted bitumen product may contain up to 5 wt % water and solids. Second, the naphtha dissolves the bitumen as well as the unwanted and dirty asphaltenes contained in the bitumen froth. The contamination of bitumen oil may result in inefficient end product production, specifically, when hydrocracking is used. Hydrocracking is a process which uses hydrogen gas and a catalyst to separate a reagent into various products. Hydrocracking may produce, among other end products, naphtha and distillates. Because hydrocracking requires a homogeneous feed, which is low in solids and water, the naphtha diluted bitumen product cannot be fed directly to the hydrocracker. In order to use the naphtha diluted bitumen product, it must first be coked to drive off the naphtha solvent and drop out the asphaltenes and solids. Unfortunately, this coker upgrading represents a substantial capital outlay and results in a loss of 10-15% of the bitumen initially available for hydrocracking.
Additional methods of further removing bitumen from oil sand have also been proposed, including a method for cleaning post-primary bitumen froth (i.e. bitumen froth collected after initial skimming) containing bitumen, water, and solids, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,433, hereby incorporated by reference herein. This method includes introducing a bitumen-containing solution into a chamber through a tube carrying one or more pairs of opposed throw propellers. The propellers shear the froth, causing the froth to exit the tube in different directions, thereby separating the solids from the aerated bitumen which rises to the top, forming a new froth. The newly formed bitumen-containing froth may then be collected, while the middlings are withdrawn from the chamber and recycled to join the feed. While this process of removing bitumen is useful in collecting bitumen from post-primary bitumen froth, its utility is limited in that the middlings are simply recycled through the same process.
Because of the limitations of single step systems, as those disclosed above, larger systems have been developed to more efficiently remove bitumen from oil sand. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,444, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. In this process, the oil sand is stirred to form a slurry with hot water and steam. The injection of hot water and steam may cause bitumen oils, sand, and water, to segregate into layers in a flotation vessel. The flotation vessel is then skimmed to remove the bitumen oil from the sand and water, while the remaining slurry is transferred to a hydrocyclone. The hydrocyclone further separates bitumen oil from the slurry, diverting the hydrocyclone overflow to a thickening vessel. The remaining bitumen oil then floats to the surface of the thickening vessel, while any remaining water and sand are transferred to a sand washer, whereby the process repeats.
While this system provides multiple means for separating bitumen from sand, its effectiveness is limited by the single flotation cell skimmer. Additionally, the system does not provide a means for recycling water throughout the process. Thus, the advantages of the system are restricted by the constant need for water, as well as the inefficiency of a system that only extracts bitumen from a single source, namely the flotation cell skimming.
Such processes as those mentioned above have not facilitated the efficient extraction of bitumen oil from oil sands. The aforementioned processes either haven't been adopted by the industry due to the fact that they substantially increase the cost of bitumen extraction, or have been adopted but result in high levels of hazardous waste product. Accordingly, there exists a need for a process that increases the production of bitumen oil from oil sand, while decreasing levels of hazardous waste and producing substantially cleaner sands.


A photoconductor comprising a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer comprised of at least one charge transport component, and wherein the at least one charge transport layer contains at least one imidazolium salt.

This disclosure is generally directed to imaging members, photoreceptors, photoconductors, and the like. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to multilayered drum, or flexible, belt imaging members, or devices comprised of a supporting medium like a substrate, a photogenerating layer, and a charge transport layer, including a plurality of charge transport layers, such as a first charge transport layer and a second charge transport layer, and wherein the photogenerating layer contains an additive or dopant, and a photoconductor comprised of a supporting medium like a substrate, a photogenerating layer, and a charge transport layer, including a plurality of charge transport layers, such as a first charge transport layer and a second charge transport layer, and wherein at least one of the charge transport layers contains an additive or dopant.
The additives or dopants which can be incorporated into the photogenerating layer, and which dopants function, for example, to passivate the photogenerating pigment surface by, for example, blocking or substantially blocking intrinsic free carriers, and preventing or minimizing external free carriers from attracting to the pigment surface, and thereby permitting photoconductors with minimal CDS (charge deficient spots), the control of PIDC, for example controlling, and more specifically, reducing the PIDC, especially in those situations where the photosensitivity of the photoconductor can be adjusted on line and automatically, to a desired preselected value or amount, and which photosensitivity can be increased or decreased; and acceptable LCM characteristics, such as for example, improved lateral charge migration (LCM) resistance.
Also included within the scope of the present disclosure are methods of imaging and printing with the photoconductor devices illustrated herein. These methods generally involve the formation of an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member, followed by developing the image with a toner composition comprised, for example, of thermoplastic resin, colorant such as pigment, charge additive, and surface additives, reference U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,560,635; 4,298,697 and 4,338,390, the disclosures of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, subsequently transferring the image to a suitable substrate, and permanently affixing the image thereto. In those environments wherein the device is to be used in a printing mode, the imaging method involves the same operation with the exception that exposure can be accomplished with a laser device or image bar. More specifically, the imaging members and flexible belts disclosed herein can be selected for the Xerox Corporation iGEN3® machines that generate with some versions over 100 copies per minute. Processes of imaging, especially xerographic imaging and printing, including digital, and/or color printing are thus encompassed by the present disclosure.
The photoconductors disclosed herein are in embodiments sensitive in the wavelength region of, for example, from about 400 to about 900 nanometers, and in particular from about 650 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light source. Moreover, the imaging members disclosed herein are in embodiments useful in high resolution color xerographic applications, particularly high-speed color copying and printing processes.

Imidazolium salt containing charge transport layer photoconductors


A semiconductor integrated circuit includes "n" cascaded inverters IV.sub.j ("j"="1" to "n") formed of MOS transistors. The size of an input side MOS transistor and the size of an output side MOS transistor of each inverter are determined so that an input capacitance CG.sub.j and an output load capacitance CL.sub.j of each inverter satisfy the following relationships: F.sub.j =(CG.sub.(j+1) +CL.sub.j)/CG.sub.j and F.sub.(j+1) =F.sub.j -(CL.sub.j /CG.sub.j).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more specifically to a semiconductor integrated circuit composed of a plurality of cascased basic unitary circuits formed of MOS transistors.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, systems constituted of semiconductor integrated circuits have rapidly improved their performance, and accordingly, the semiconductor integrated circuits incorporated in the systems have been required to have even better performance. By way of example, SRAMs (static random access memory) have been subjected to a rapidly increasing request for an operation speed, with an increasing application of the SRAM as a main memory for a supercomputer and others.
In order to fulfill the desire for the operation speed, it is necessary to shorten a response time of MOS transistors which constitute the semiconductor integrated circuit. However, main conventional means include improvement of a process technology, such as decrease of input gate capacitance due to a skate ring of MOS transistors, and increase of current driving capability.
In addition to improvement by the process technology, a speed-up due to improvement of circuit technology is required in order to improve the operation speed. However, a clear procedure for designing the gate length and the gate width of MOS transistors which are the basis for speeding-up of the response time has not yet been shown, and therefore, these factors have been determined by a trial-and-error manner such as by simulation.
As mentioned above, in order to obtain the high speed operation, the conventional semiconductor integrated circuits have been configured to determine the size of MOS transistors by means of the process technology and the trial-and-error type design procedure such as by simulation. In other words, it has not been possible to obtain a semiconductor integrated circuit having the highest operation speed supported by a theory. In addition, a long time has been required until an expected performance is obtained.


An ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising at least about 70% by weight of porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles having a core/shell structure comprising a porous polymeric core covered with a shell of a water-soluble polymer.

This invention relates to an ink jet recording element. More particularly, this invention relates to an ink jet recording element containing porous polymeric particles.
In a typical ink jet recording or printing system, ink droplets are ejected from a nozzle at high speed towards a recording element or medium to produce an image on the medium. The ink droplets, or recording liquid, generally comprise a recording agent, such as a dye or pigment, and a large amount of solvent. The solvent, or carrier liquid, typically is made up of water, an organic material such as a monohydric alcohol, a polyhydric alcohol or mixtures thereof.
An ink jet recording element typically comprises a support having on at least one surface thereof an ink-receiving or image-forming layer, and includes those intended for reflection viewing, which have an opaque support, and those intended for viewing by transmitted light, which have a transparent support.
While a wide variety of different types of image-recording elements for use with ink jet devices have been proposed heretofore, there are many unsolved problems in the art and many deficiencies in the known products which have limited their commercial usefulness.
It is well known that in order to achieve and maintain photographic-quality images on such an image-recording element, an ink jet recording element must:
Be readily wetted so there is no puddling, i.e., coalescence of adjacent ink dots, which leads to non-uniform density
Exhibit no image bleeding
Absorb high concentrations of ink and dry quickly to avoid elements blocking together when stacked against subsequent prints or other surfaces
Exhibit no discontinuities or defects due to interactions between the support and/or layer(s), such as cracking, repellencies, comb lines and the like
Not allow unabsorbed dyes to aggregate at the free surface causing dye crystallization, which results in bloom or bronzing effects in the imaged areas
Have an optimized image fastness to avoid fade from contact with water or radiation by daylight, tungsten light, or fluorescent light
An ink jet recording element that simultaneously provides an almost instantaneous ink dry time and good image quality is desirable. However, given the wide range of ink compositions and ink volumes that a recording element needs to accommodate, these requirements of ink jet recording media are difficult to achieve simultaneously.
Ink jet recording elements are known that employ porous or non-porous single layer or multilayer coatings that act as suitable image-receiving layers on one or both sides of a porous or non-porous support. Recording elements that use non-porous coatings typically have good image quality but exhibit poor ink dry time. Recording elements that use porous coatings exhibit superior dry times, but typically have poorer image quality and are prone to cracking.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,027,131 and 5,194,317 relate to an ink jet recording medium containing polymeric particles in an ink recording layer. However, there is no mention of porous core/shell particles.
Japanese Kokai Hei 7[1995]-172037, 2[1990]-127447 and 2[1990]-55185 relate to an ink jet recording sheet containing porous resin particles in an ink recording layer. Again, however, there is no mention of porous core/shell particles.
It is an object of this invention to provide an ink jet recording element that has a fast ink dry time with minimal puddling. It is another object of this invention to provide an ink jet recording element that is free from cracking.
These and other objects are achieved in accordance with the invention which comprises an ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising at least about 70% by weight of porous polymeric particles in a polymeric binder, the porous polymeric particles having a core/shell structure comprising a porous polymeric core covered with a shell of a water-soluble polymer.
Using the invention, an ink jet recording element is obtained which has less cracking than prior art elements while providing good image quality and fast ink dry times with minimal puddling.
The support used in the ink jet recording element of the invention may be opaque, translucent, or transparent. There may be used, for example, plain papers, resin-coated papers, various plastics including a polyester resin such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene naphthalate) and poly(ester diacetate), a polycarbonate resin, a fluorine resin such as poly(tetra-fluoro ethylene), metal foil, various glass materials, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the support is opaque. The thickness of the support employed in the invention can be from about 12 to about 500 xcexcm, preferably from about 75 to about 300 xcexcm.
The porous polymeric particles which are used in the invention comprise a porous polymeric core covered with a shell of a water-soluble polymer. The porous polymeric core of the porous polymeric particles are in the form of porous beads, or irregularly shaped particles.
Polymers which can be used as a core for the core/shell particles used in the invention comprise, for example, acrylic resins, styrenic resins, or cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate propionate, and ethyl cellulose; polyvinyl resins such as polyvinyl chloride, copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate and polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and ethylene-allyl copolymers such as ethylene-allyl alcohol copolymers, ethylene-allyl acetone copolymers, ethylene-allyl benzene copolymers, ethylene-allyl ether copolymers, ethylene acrylic copolymers and polyoxy-methylene; polycondensation polymers, such as, polyesters, including polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyurethanes and polycarbonates.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the porous polymeric core is made from a styrenic or an acrylic monomer. Any suitable ethylenically unsaturated monomer or mixture of monomers may be used in making such styrenic or acrylic polymer. There may be used, for example, styrenic compounds, such as styrene, vinyl toluene, p-chlorostyrene, vinylbenzylchloride or vinyl naphthalene; or acrylic compounds, such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, n-octyl acrylate, 2-chloroethyl acrylate, phenyl acrylate, methyl-xcex1-chloroacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate; and mixtures thereof. In another preferred embodiment, methyl methacrylate is used.
A suitable crosslinking monomer may be used in forming the porous polymeric core in order to modify the porous polymeric particle to produce particularly desired properties. Typical crosslinking monomers are aromatic divinyl compounds such as divinylbenzene, divinylnaphthalene or derivatives thereof; diethylene carboxylate esters and amides such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, and other divinyl compounds such as divinyl sulfide or divinyl sulfone compounds. Divinylbenzene and ethylene glycol dimetbacrylate are especially preferred. While the crosslinking monomer may be used in any amount, at least about 27 mole % is preferred.
The porous polymeric particles used in this invention have a porous polymeric core that can be prepared, for example, by pulverizing and classification of porous organic compounds, by emulsion, suspension, and dispersion polymerization of organic monomers, by spray drying of a solution containing organic compounds, or by a polymer suspension technique which consists of dissolving an organic material in a water immiscible solvent, dispersing the solution as fine liquid droplets in aqueous solution, and removing the solvent by evaporation or other suitable techniques. The bulk, emulsion, dispersion, and suspension polymerization procedures are well known to those skilled in the polymer art and are taught in such textbooks as G. Odian in xe2x80x9cPrinciples of Polymerizationxe2x80x9d, 2nd Ed. Wiley (1981), and W. P. Sorenson and T. W. Campbell in xe2x80x9cPreparation Method of Polymer Chemistryxe2x80x9d, 2nd Ed, Wiley (1968).
Techniques to synthesize porous polymer particles are taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,840,293; 5,993,805; 5,403,870; and 5,599,889, and Japanese Kokai Hei 5[1993]-222108, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. For example, an inert fluid or porogen may be mixed with the monomers used in making the core. After polymerization is complete, the resulting polymeric particles are, at this point, substantially porous because the polymer formed around the porogen thereby forming the pore network. This technique is described more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,293 referred to above.
A preferred method of preparing the porous polymeric particles having a core/shell structure used in this invention includes forming a suspension or dispersion of ethylenically unsaturated monomer droplets containing a crosslinking monomer and a porogen in an aqueous medium, where the aqueous medium contains an amount of the desired water-soluble polymer, polymerizing the monomer to form solid, porous polymer particles having a core/shell structure, and optionally removing the porogen by vacuum stripping. The water-soluble polymer can also be added to the aqueous media subsequent to the formation of the droplets and before the commencement of the polymerization reaction.
The shell which covers the porous polymeric core described above can be formed using a variety of techniques known in the art. The water-soluble polymer shell of the core/shell particles generally cannot be formed on the porous polymeric core merely by contacting a pre-formed core with the water-soluble polymer. Instead, conditions need to be established where the water-soluble polymer chemically reacts with the core surface or is strongly adsorbed thereto. Such conditions are known to one skilled in the art and can be achieved using a chemically reactive core surface and binder polymer. The porous polymeric particles may also comprise a core which is prepared in the presence of the water-soluble polymer so that the shell is formed during core formation rather than after core formation. Examples of techniques which can be used in making core/shell particles may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,872,189; 5,185,387 and 5,990,202, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The water-soluble polymer used for the shell of the polymeric particles used in the invention can be any naturally occurring or synthetic polymer which is soluble in water. For example, the water-soluble polymer may be a poly(vinyl alcohol), a gelatin, a cellulose ether, polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(ethylene oxide), etc. In a preferred embodiment, the water-soluble polymer is a poly(vinyl alcohol) or a gelatin. In general, the shell material comprises up to about 5% by weight of the core/shell particle.
In addition to the water-soluble polymer shell, the porous polymeric core surface may be covered with a layer of colloidal inorganic particles as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,598; 5,378,577; 5,563,226 and 5,750,378, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The porous polymeric core may also be covered with a layer of colloidal polymer latex particles as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,934, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The porous polymeric particles used in this invention will usually have a median diameter of less than about 10.0 xcexcm, preferably less than about 1.0 xcexcm.
As noted above, the polymeric particles used in the invention are porous. By porous is meant a particle which either has voids or is permeable to liquids. These particles can have either a smooth or a rough surface.
The polymeric binder used in the invention may comprise the same materials listed above for the shell materials. For example, the binder may be a poly(vinyl alcohol), a gelatin, a cellulose ether, polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(ethylene oxide), etc. The image-receiving layer may also contain additives such as pH-modifiers like nitric acid, cross-linkers, rheology modifiers, surfactants, UV-absorbers, biocides, lubricants, water-dispersible latexes, mordants, dyes, optical brighteners etc.
The image-receiving layer may be applied to one or both substrate surfaces through conventional pre-metered or post-metered coating methods such as blade, air knife, rod, roll, slot die, curtain, slide, etc. The choice of coating process would be determined from the economics of the operation and in turn, would determine the formulation specifications such as coating solids, coating viscosity, and coating speed.
The image-receiving layer thickness may range from about 5 to about 100 xcexcm, preferably from about 10 to about 50 xcexcm. The coating thickness required is determined through the need for the coating to act as a sump for absorption of ink solvent.
Ink jet inks used to image the recording elements of the present invention are well-known in the art. The ink compositions used in ink jet printing typically are liquid compositions comprising a solvent or carrier liquid, dyes or pigments, humectants, organic solvents, detergents, thickeners, preservatives, and the like. The solvent or carrier liquid can be solely water or can be water mixed with other water-miscible solvents such as polyhydric alcohols. Inks in which organic materials such as polyhydric alcohols are the predominant carrier or solvent liquid may also be used. Particularly useful are mixed solvents of water and polyhydric alcohols. The dyes used in such compositions are typically water-soluble direct or acid type dyes. Such liquid compositions have been described extensively in the prior art including, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,381,946; 4,239,543 and 4,781,758, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Although the recording elements disclosed herein have been referred to primarily as being useful for ink jet printers, they also can be used as recording media for pen plotter assemblies. Pen plotters operate by writing directly on the surface of a recording medium using a pen consisting of a bundle of capillary tubes in contact with an ink reservoir.


An interconnected chassis includes a mounting plate including a spring engaging tab. A cover plate includes a recessed spring retention wall. A lower cam has a lower pivot axis. An upper cam has an upper pivot axis. A slide plate is positioned between the mounting plate and the cover plate, the slide plate having a spring retention slot and a spring support ledge. The slide plate includes a first end having a pivot feature and a second end having a lower cam engagement member for engaging the lower cam. A spring is positioned in the spring retention slot of the slide plate and in the recessed spring retention wall of the cover plate, and between the spring engaging tab of the mounting plate and the spring support ledge of the slide plate. A toggle is pivotably coupled to the slide plate by the pivot feature, the toggle having a head portion positioned to engage the upper cam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to door hardware, and, more particularly, to an interconnected chassis for a lock set.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lock sets have long been available that include an interconnected lock assembly, wherein actuation of an interior operator, e.g., knob or lever, simultaneously retracts both a latch bolt and a dead bolt. Such a lock assembly may be found in both commercial and residential environments. In one such lock set, a series of gears, e.g., a rack, is used to effect the simultaneous operation.
In another such lock set, for example, a slide is positioned between the actuation mechanism of the operator and the actuation mechanism of a turn piece connected to the dead bolt, wherein the slide may be spring biased in a plane of travel of the slide. Assembly of such a lock set, however, may be complicated by including chassis components that are riveted together.
Furthermore, some lock sets may be limited by their configuration to a particular escutcheon and/or operator, and thus, limit a customer to a particular escutcheon design and/or operator type.
What is needed in the art is an interconnected chassis for a lock set that addresses the above-identified problems.


A locking system 24 for securing adjacent concrete form panels 20a, 20b together during assembly of a concrete form 22 is disclosed. The locking system 24 includes a mounting block 50 which is removably attachable to one of the adjacent panels 20a, 20b. A slide member 52 is mounted for sliding movement relative to the mounting block 50 between a first position retracted from aligned apertures 48 in side members 30 of the adjacent panels 20a, 20b and a second position extending through the aligned apertures 48. The slide member 30 includes a bolt member 92 mounted to rotate within the mounting block 50 in its extended position between locked and unlocked positions to secure the adjacent panels 20a, 20b together. Alternatively, the bolt member 206 is configured to receive a wedge member 204 at its projecting end or has a clamping member 304 mounted to rotate on the bolt member 306 for securing the adjacent panels 20a, 20b together.

Pre-fabricated concrete form panels are used to assemble opposing walls of a concrete form. A number of the concrete panels are typically positioned adjacent each other, and may also be placed one on top of another in a gang or group, to form cavities between the opposing walls of the panels of various shapes and sizes into which wet concrete may be poured. Typically, the panels are abutted together on their adjacent sides and are securely fastened together by two or more locking devices, such as bolts and nuts, bolts and wedges, or hinged latches, which have a portion of the locking device passing through aligned holes or slots formed in abutting side members of the adjacent panels.
The opposing walls of the concrete form are connected together and held in spaced apart relationship by horizontally extending tie rods which are connected to the opposing walls of the concrete form. The tie rods are typically secured in place by the same locking devices used to secure the adjacent panels together. The tie rods keep the opposing walls of the concrete form from spreading apart when the wet concrete is poured into the cavities. When the concrete dries, the concrete form panels are removed and may be reused.
Known locking devices of the past suffer from several shortcomings and drawbacks. For example, these locking devices may have several loose pieces which must be carried by workers as the panels are positioned and secured together to assemble the concrete form. A large quantity of locking hardware is oftentimes necessary to secure adjacent panels of the concrete form together so the locking hardware is typically carried by the workers in large containers as they erect the concrete forms. Carrying of the locking hardware can be cumbersome for the workers and the loose pieces may be accidentally dropped. The loose pieces of the locking hardware must be gathered as the panels are disassembled and are oftentimes lost or misplaced.
In addition, known locking systems of the past may have one or more components permanently attached to portions of the panel. When the panel becomes damaged and must be discarded, components of the locking hardware may be discarded with the panel as well. All of these drawbacks and shortcomings may lead to increased costs of labor and materials.
Accordingly, there is a need for a locking system which secures adjacent panels together with a minimum number of loose parts. There is also a need for a locking system which is readily attachable and detachable from the panel so it can be reused on other panels as may be required.

Locking system having mounting block with mounting arm and slide member for securing concrete form panels