The present invention relates to a thermoplastic composition that provides improved thermal aging stability. The thermoplastic composition includes a polyamide resin, glass fibers, tin(II) oxalate, and a functional additive. It has been found that a combination of a polyamide resin with tin(II) oxalate and a functional additive produces a superior product demonstrating greater thermal stability than the polyamide resin alone.

Nylon polymer commonly takes the form of pellets or flakes, which can be melted and shaped for use in plastic applications or extruded as fiber for use in yarn applications, such as apparel, carpet, airbags and outdoor gear. Nylon polymers are desirable in many applications due to its outstanding elasticity, dye-fastness and high melting point.
Nylon resins are often formulated with additives which impart desired properties to the resin in order to make it suitable for other uses. Desired properties include thermal aging resistance and impact resistance. Typically polymer compositions often comprise fillers to modify the mechanical properties of a resin.
The thermal stability of nylon polymers used for various purposes is a very critical characteristic. When plastic parts such as those used in automobiles and electrical or electronic equipment are exposed to high temperatures for a long period of time, their mechanical properties will decrease due to thermal degradation of the polymers. This kind of phenomena is known as heat aging. In order to prevent such a decrease of mechanical properties, various heat stabilizers are usually added to polymers to improve their heat aging properties. For instance, polyamides are usually stabilized with heat stabilizers including phenolic antioxidant, aromatic amines and copper or copper salt in combination with potassium iodide or potassium bromide.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,763,674 non-metallic inorganic filler and elementary iron was used in the thermoplastic composition to achieve heat aging properties. U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0228728 discloses a thermoplastic composition that comprises a polyamide resin and a polyhydric alcohol that provides improved thermal aging stability. However, none of these compositions can meet all the application requirements at temperatures of 230° C. for 1000 hours or more.
With the rapid development of the automobile and electronic industries a better thermal stability of polymer materials are needed. Therefore, there is a need for compositions with increased aging stability with regard to standard stabilizing systems.


A method of pattern recognition is achieved by processes which comprise recognition algorithms in a multiple-process environment and a distributed data storage whose data model comprises objects, links for connecting objects, and attributes for writing, wherein the writing, reading and clearing of objects, links and attributes as well as the creation, opening, closing and elimination of data storages are effected by means of data access functions, and wherein each process is exclusively allocated a predetermined number of ports for reading input data and writing output data, and the exchange of data between processes is effected implicitly in that data portions are sent to the data storage or received due to the calling of the data access functions.

The present invention relates to the area of pattern and type recognition, particularly a pattern-recognition system having N processors and a data storage for processes comprising application algorithms, the data model of the process being objects, links for connecting objects and attributes for describing objects.
As a consequence of the complex problems involved with pattern and type recognition, in the last few years a foundation has been developed which is analogous to object-oriented programming languages (OOPS) and object-oriented data models (OODM). The central idea in this case is that objects that can be conceptualized with all of the collected data of the pattern recognition and are to be represented explicitly are described. Data storage on a data model comprising objects for representing recognition objects, connections between objects for representing structural information for the recognized objects and attributes for describing objects is already known from the Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 80, pages 1116-1119, PMFT-Verbundproject F0brderkennzeichnen PMFT Joint Project Special Identification ITM! 8501 A , Jan. 1, 1985-Mar. 31, 1989, pages 114 to 127. All recognition algorithms receive their input data from this data and store their output data there. Thus, a clear separation of the recognition algorithm aspects from the administration and control aspects can be attained. In particular, recognition algorithms can be developed to correspond specifically to the need. This is already apparent in the dependence of the recognition quality, for example the reading and error rates of address readers, on data records. In a given application, therefore, the algorithms that are always used are those that deliver better results, utilizing all prior knowledge of data records to be recognized in order to recognize them. In type-recognition systems, simple examples of data record characteristics that may be known in advance are font, type size, a limited vocabulary or the position that the type to be recognized occupies in a document. At the same time, the desire for reusability of the algorithms can be satisfied. The recognition methods should be embodied on different computer types having different operating systems, and also be adapted as easily as possible to new problems that arise.
Because recognition algorithms involve a great deal of calculation, the throughputs necessary in practical use can only be attained with parallel computers; a few processing steps must be supported with special hardware. The recognition systems known from the cited prior art are, however, conceptualized as single-process systems.


A method for enabling a secure communication with a target device over a network includes: opening an unsecured OPC UA Endpoint by an OPC UA Server that runs on the target device; connecting to the OPC UA Server over the network by an OPC UA Client running on a first device, and requesting the initial device certificate; receiving the initial device certificate by unsecured communication over the network; validating, by the first device, the initial device certificate; establishing, by the first device, a device certificate; encrypting, by the first device, at least the device certificate; sending the encrypted data over the network; decrypting, by the target device, the encrypted data using an initial device private key associated with the initial device certificate to obtain at least the device certificate; storing the device certificate on the target device; and opening a secured OPC UA Endpoint by the OPC UA Server.

The currently ongoing fourth industrial revolution, including what is known as "industry 4.0", is pushing in an unprecedented way towards automation and data exchange in manufacturing processes, but also within offices and household to provide smart connectivity between devices such as field devices, and in particular so-called embedded devices. A party often has a network infrastructure on-site, be it in a factory, office or even household, and desires that the devices communicate with controllers with each other over a network in a secure way so as to avoid security breaches ranging from eavesdropping to gather relevant data to malicious tempering with the devices which may cause catastrophic failure within the factory, office or household. Asymmetric cryptography based on a public key infrastructure (PKI) is a way to secure such communication.
OPC UA is a technology for communication with such devices. Therein, "OPC UA" is the well-known abbreviation for the Unified Architecture (UA) of the OPC Foundation. The current OPC UA specification, consisting of 14 parts, shall form the basis for all OPC UA-related terms and functions, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. OPC UA supports PKI-based mechanisms to secure communication between an OPC UA Server running on a device, such as a sensor or actuator, and an OPC UA Client being part of a controller which may typically have a user interface. For a secure communication based on a PKI, certificates of both the OPC UA Server and the OPC UA Client are exchanged and validated to build a trust-relationship or security context.
However, many OPC UA Servers particularly on embedded devices are still lacking integration with a certificate-based secure OPC UA communication. A non-secured communication is often used, or a basic username/password-based concept is employed to secure the OPC UA communication. These approaches do not protect sufficiently against eavesdroppers and malicious manipulation. There is a large need for upgrades to certificate-based, encrypted and integrity protected communication. The party having the network infrastructure on-site often seeks to install new devices coming with an integrated OPC UA Server or upgrade old devices so as to communicate with controllers with each other over a network in a secure way based on a PKI, and may prefer the party's own PKI.
To build up the trust relationship between the OPC UA Server of the device and an OPC UA Client, such as during commissioning of a new device or re-initialization to upgrade an existing device connected to the party's network infrastructure, the party may trust a pre-installed device certificate of the device in question, but then may have to manage a lot of third-party certificates within the party's own PKI. Using such pre-installed device certificates may also cause validation issues in OPC UA Clients.
The party may want to generate own device certificates that are well integrated in the party's own PKI, but then needs to install the device certificates on the devices, which may be of different types due to coming from different manufacturers/vendors, and thus may have different hardware and operating systems. Particularly when the devices are embedded devices they may lack the ability to create certificates due to hardware restrictions. Device specific commissioning tools may be used to access the file system of the device directly in order to copy the device certificate there. But this may require proprietary software for each specific device type, and may often not be possible through a remote access over the network. Direct access to the device, such as through USB, may be used to install a device certificate, but is cumbersome and potentially insecure. Other approaches use an initially unsecured communication to the OPC UA Server on the device to access security related aspects and install a device certificate, but rely on the assumption of a trusted network connection being present during this initial phase, which may often not be true and present security risks. Other network protocols in an attempt to securely access the device, but their security may often not be estimated correctly, leading to inadvertent security risks. But even if they are deemed secure (e.g., SSH), they can make additional efforts in networking and configuration necessary, such as adjustments to firewalls and routing, and may ultimately introduce security risks if the party forgets to revert these adjustments.
Therefore, there is a need for improving the establishment of a security context or trust-relationship between an OPC UA Server integrated in the device and an OPC UA Client running on a network device.

Method of enabling a secure communication to a target device over a network


A yarn tension control system incorporated into a computerized control system of a textile machine for controlling the operation of a fast responding braking or friction device. The braking or friction device is positioned along a weft yarn path and includes a functional control unit operably coupled to the computerized control system, a tension sensing arrangement for sensing the tension of a strand of weft yarn passing therethrough, and a friction force applying arrangement for applying a friction force to the strand of weft yarn in dependence upon the tension sensed by the tension sensing arrangement.

An example of functions which have to be controlled and supervised in a weaving machine is e.g. the tension in the yarn during the weaving procedure. The tension can be modified by means of yarn brakes with actuates the yarn frictionally. Spool shifts and changing over yarn feed elements is another example for controlling operations concerned with the yarn. A third example is operations for weft insertion, threading up, drawing in, etc. The invention is useful i.e., on and for weaving machines/i.e., looms of the type rapier (=gripper the term of (which is used below). In a weaving loom it is today typically necessary to be able to initiate 800-1200 picks/minute.
It is previously known to provide elements in a textile machine with a computer or microprocessor for control of functions or units.
The units exist in different types and variants and have to be capable of being applied to different types and variants of weaving machines. The electrical connection of the feeders to one another and to the controlling or supervising system of the weaving machine has hitherto been brought about in a different manner for each connection case. The connection is in general effected in terminal boxes in which a number of connection wires must be assigned their positions which are fixed for the connection case. There is a need for more standardized kinds of connection.
The weaving machine and feed elements represent a large number of functions which on the one hand have to be capable of being individually controlled and supervised and on the other have to be mutually interrelated to achieve an optimum functioning of the weaving machine. This means that the supervising and/or controlling system must be able to work rapidly and functionally reliably with e.g. short reaction times for yarn breaks, faults in the weaving pattern etc.
The use of a computerized system opens up the possibility of storing a large amount of information which can be used for the control and the supervision of elements/the machine. Signal-processing units, transmitters and drive units can be used in large numbers. A large range of different variants and solutions is offered to clients who wish to adapt their machinery according to the case selected for the occasion, which means that solutions which permit simple modifications of existing equipment are attractive.
Considering the large amount of information and the requirement for accuracy of the information, the transmission in the computerized system must take place accurately and with such speed that events which have occurred in the system are detected sufficiently rapidly in the places where the events which have occurred are to be acted upon in some respect. For each transmission case, the principle which applies is that a sequence of events is to be carried out. This sequence must in general be synchronized in some way, which can be achieved with the aid of, on the one hand, a run initiation signal (trigger signal) which gives rise to a certain sequence being carried out in the system, and, on the other, an acknowledgement signal which issues acknowledgement that an effected sequence is performed. In certain cases, an acknowledgement signal can be such that it directly initiates a new run. Alternatively, acknowledgements can be collected at a suitable place in the system in order to initiate a new run, taking as a starting point these together with some other criterion.
In order that the transmission be effective, it must have the following characteristics. The signal is to reach its destination within a stipulated time. Often it is a matter of a maximum permissible time between event and action, in which respect it can be of interest to know when the event occurs. In certain cases, therefore, time delays can be compensated. Another requirement is that the transmission must take place with high reliability, which means that the transmission must not be sensitive to interferences in the environment in which the equipment operates. The risk of faulty connection or faulty transmission must be minimized. The communication must also operate with considerable dynamics. Upon start-up and adjustment of the equipment before a determined operating state, relatively large amounts of data are to be transmitted but without any greater requirement for short times. The contrary can apply for synchronization signals in which there is no data, but only a message that the occurrence concerned is to be transmitted. A further requirement for making it possible for synchronization to be carried out in a rapid and effective manner is that the synchronization must be capable of being sent from or by all units concerned. The respective units concerned must moreover be capable of detecting the signal, as in many cases an event within the functional run of the elements or of the textile machine requires actions from a number of units.
The use of the new micro-electronics (computer technology) means that problems arise in collecting and reaching the different pieces of information at physical boundaries or interfaces. In order to connect the units together, electrical or optical lines are used for the signal transmission. The use of the textile machine and associated connectable elements is to a great extent dependent upon how the different controlling and supervising units are connected together with the connection concerned. A complicated machine has hitherto led to extremely complicated wiring. This has meant that reconstruction of a machine has not only been a matter of exchanging a lot of units, but it has also required extensive rearrangements of wires.
There is also a requirement to optimize the weaving function in the weaving machine so that even rapid weaving runs have gentle effects or stress on different parts in the weaving machine and/or feed elements. This means, inter alia, that actions, e.g. activations and stops, of certain parts and elements are to be capable of being prepared in advance so that sudden accelerations and decelerations are avoided or high speeds can be avoided.
It is also of great interest to anticipate and measure, in a rapid, effective and supervisory manner, the yarn consumption, which in individual cases is desired to be optimum with the least possible waste.


A zoom lens includes: a first lens unit having a positive refractive power; a second lens unit having a negative refractive power; a third lens unit having a positive refractive power; and a rear unit having two or more lens units, in the order from an object side to an image side, an interval between the adjacent lens units being changed in order to carry out at least one of zooming and focusing, wherein the rear unit includes a focus lens unit that has a negative refractive power and that moves during the focusing, and wherein, when the zoom lens focuses on a specific object distance, the focus lens unit moves integral with the other lens unit during zooming.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens, and an image pickup device provided with the same, and is well adaptable to an image pickup device using a solid-state image pickup element, such as a video camera, an electronic still camera, a broadcast camera, or a monitoring camera, or to an image pickup device such as a camera using a silver halide film.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photographing optical system in an image pickup device has been demanded which uses a high-performance zoom lens having a high zoom ratio and which enables a reduction in the size of the system. An image pickup device has also been demanded which has an autofocus (automatic focus detection) mechanism and which is capable of photographing not only a still image but also a moving image. When operating noise from the autofocus mechanism is load during the photographing of a moving image, an image pickup device having the autofocus mechanism might record the operating noise with the moving image. Therefore, an image pickup device having an autofocus mechanism has been demanded which is capable of performing quiet and quick focusing.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,331,035 describes a 4-unit zoom lens including four lens units having respectively a positive refractive power, a negative refractive power, a positive refractive power, and a negative refractive power in the order from an object side to an image side, wherein focusing is carried out by using the fourth lens unit to satisfactorily photograph a still image and a moving image. U.S. Pat. No. 8,451,549 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-180722 describe a 5-unit zoom lens including five lens units having respectively a positive refractive power, a negative refractive power, a positive refractive power, a negative refractive power, and a positive refractive power, in the order from, an object side to an image side, wherein focusing is carried out by using the fourth lens unit to satisfactorily photograph a still image and a moving image.
A zoom lens used in an image pickup device is required to be compact (downsized) as a whole, to have a high zoom ratio (high magnification ratio), and to have high optical performance within the entire zoom range. In most zoom lenses, a focus lens unit is moved in synchronization with zooming in order to prevent a focus variation during the zooming. When the focus lens unit and other lens units are controlled by different driving units, it becomes difficult to move the focus lens unit completely in synchronization with the zooming due to an electrical control delay or speed limit of motors, for example, whereby defocusing occurs upon the zooming.
In this case, the defocusing upon the zooming can be reduced by quickly operating the focus lens unit. However, this operation increases the operating noise. Therefore, use of a focusing system and zooming system capable of easily preventing the defocusing upon the zooming is required. When a lens unit moving with the zooming is used as a focus lens unit, the focus lens unit has to be provided with two types of moving mechanisms, which are a moving mechanism for zooming and a moving mechanism for focusing. It is also necessary to move the focus lens unit very fast.
When the focus lens unit is provided with two types of moving mechanisms, the whole system becomes large in size, and operating noise during focusing increases. Accordingly, a zoom lens used in an image pickup device has to have a focusing mechanism that can easily perform quiet and quick focusing and that can easily prevent defocusing during zooming. In particular, since the operating noise during focusing is mainly determined by the weight of a focus lens unit, it is important to appropriately set an arrangement, size, and weight of the focus lens unit in an optical path.

Zoom lens and image pickup device provided with the same


A water collector for umbrella includes: a catcher member having a plurality of resilient jaws radially secured to a central collar or a retainer fixed on a tip portion of the umbrella, an absorbent lining secured to an inner surface of the catcher member for absorbing rainwater or raindrops drained from a wet umbrella when retracted or closed, and a web member circumferentially disposed around an outer surface of the catcher member, whereby upon opening of an umbrella cloth as urged by the umbrella ribs and tensioning springs, the rainwater absorbed and held in the absorbent lining in the catcher member will be outwardly squeezed and stripped as the lining is pressed in between the opened umbrella cloth and the resilient jaws of the catcher member, thereby automatically squeezing and removing water from the umbrella as previously absorbed in the water collector of the umbrella.

A conventional drip cup may be provided to collect rainwater dripping down or drained from an umbrella cloth of a wet umbrella. Such a conventional drip cup is always connected with a telescopic umbrella cover comprised of a plurality of cylindrical elements having their diameters gradually decreased towards a tip portion of the umbrella, whereby upon extending of the plural cylindrical elements of the umbrella cover, a wet umbrella can then be shielded to prevent water dripping or contamination to the surroundings, and upon retraction of the umbrella cover, the umbrella may then be opened for its use. The telescopic mechanism of the conventional umbrella cover and drain cup is complex to possibly cause operation inconvenience and increase production cost accordingly. Meanwhile, once the rainwater is collected, the collecting cup should be operated to decant or discharge the accumulated water outwardly, increasing its inconvenience. If forgetting to discharge or remove the water from the cup or collector, the water may be accidentally spilled, drained or may flow outwardly to moisten or contaminate the surroundings, causing hygienic problem.

Automatically squeezable water collector of umbrella

c/o Hung Hsing Patent Service Center, P.O. Box 55-1670


In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises logic for optimizing return traffic paths using network address translation (NAT). The logic is operable to receive outbound data from a source node in a source network, and to replace a source address in a source address field in the outbound data with a first address from a first address pool associated with a first connection. The logic is operable to determine that return traffic on the first connection needs to be switched over to a second connection, where a second address pool is associated with the second connection. The logic is operable to generate a mapping that associates the first address with a second address from the second address pool and, based on the mapping, to replace the first address in the source address field in the outbound data with the second address. The logic is also operable to send the outbound data to the destination node over the second connection.

The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
In some network deployments, a customer network may use multiple Internet Service Provider (ISP) connections to the Internet. For each connection of the multiple ISP connections, an ISP network would typically provide a small pool of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that may be used to overload Internet-bound traffic sent from a node in the customer network. For example, a Network Address Translation (NAT) process executing in a router at the edge of the customer network would translate (or replace) a local IP address in outbound traffic to an IP address from the pool of IP addresses assigned to the router by the ISP network. In this way, a relatively large number of nodes in the customer network can use relatively few global IP addresses that can be reached through the ISP network.
In a customer network that uses multiple ISP connections, it is usually desirable to optimize routing for performance and load-balance of inbound and outbound traffic across all available ISP connections. However, optimizing and load-balancing of inbound (or return) traffic is difficult to achieve because inbound traffic relies on a return path which is determined by the IP address assigned to the corresponding outbound traffic by the NAT at the edge of the customer network. For example, in some operational scenarios it may be necessary to change the return path for inbound traffic when load-balancing on an inbound ISP connection needs to be performed or when an inbound ISP connection experiences degrading performance because of brownouts or other network problems. However, since the return path is determined by the IP address assigned to the corresponding outbound traffic, and since the routes for reaching this IP address have already been advertised, the return path cannot be changed to an ISP connection provided by another ISP network unless the (possibly significant!) route changes are advertised to that and/or other ISP networks. In addition, if the outbound traffic includes packets carrying data for already established Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections, the source (return) IP address in such packets cannot be changed because such a change would cause the termination of the TCP connections.
Although the problem of optimizing return traffic paths is presented above with respect to a customer network that uses multiple ISP connections over an IP network protocol, it is noted that this problem is not unique to ISP connections or to the IP protocol. Rather, this problem may exist for any operational context that may benefit from optimized routing and load-balancing over multiple connections that carry data over any Layer 3 or Layer 2 routable protocol.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Optimizing return traffic paths using network address translation


This invention relates to a thin reinforced nonwoven fabric for fire blocking an article, articles containing such fabrics, and methods for making the fabrics and fire blocking the articles. When exposed to heat or flame, the fabric is capable of increasing its thickness by at least three times. The fabric comprises an open mesh scrim having a having crimped, heat-resistant organic fibers compressed thereon and held in a compressed state by a thermoplastic binder. When subjected to high heat or flame, the binder in the structure softens and flows, releasing the restrained crimped fibers and allowing the thickness of the fabric to increase dramatically.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a thin reinforced nonwoven fabric, made from a compressed web of crimped fiber and a reinforcing scrim, that bulks when exposed to heat or flame and that is useful as a component for fire blocking mattresses, upholstery, and the like. This invention further relates to a fire-blocked article incorporating this fabric. This invention also relates to processes for making this reinforced nonwoven fabric and incorporating the fabric into an article.
2. Description of Related Art
The State of California has led the drive to regulate and reduce the flammability of mattresses and mattress sets in an attempt to reduce the number of lives lost in household, hotel, and institutional fires. In particular, the Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation of the Department of Consumer Affairs of the State of California issued Technical Bulletin 603 "Requirements and Test Procedure for Resistance of a Residential Mattress/Box Spring Set to a Large Open-Flame" to quantify the flammability performance of mattress sets. In many cases, mattress makers want to include a layer of fire blocking, however, they do not want that additional layer to detract from the existing aesthetics of their mattresses. Strong thin fabrics, such as a combination of staple fibers and a thin reinforcing scrim fabric, are therefore desired in many instances because they are durable and also are not likely to be objectionable in the intended use.
Various methods are known in the art for combining staple fibers and scrim fabrics that lock the staple fibers in place. One such process is hydro-entangling, also known in various publications as hydrolacing, spunlacing, and water-jet treatments, where high pressure water jets impact the staple fibers and drive them into the scrim, consolidating the fiber and scrim together. Nonwoven sheets made by this process mechanically entangle the staple fibers either with themselves or with the scrim or both, limiting the ability of the fabric to bulk when heated or exposed to flame. The following patents are representative of nonwoven fabrics made primarily by the hydro-entangling process. PCT Publication WO 98/42905 discloses a multilayer textile material consisting of a complex textile grid embedded inside a textile structure consisting of nonwoven laps arranged on either side of the grid, the laps entangled with each other and the grid by the force of hydro-entangling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,838 to Wyss discloses a high temperature filter felt of a scrim and batt of fibers entangled into that scrim. U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,658 to Putnam et al discloses a laminated fabric having a three dimensional image, the fabric formed from a lightweight layer of heat-resistant fibers and a heavyweight layer bonded together via hydro-entanglement.
Another process known in the art for combining staple fibers and scrim fabrics is by needlepunching. In this process, barbed needles grab the staple fibers and drive them into the scrim, or into the internal fiber batting, locking together the structure. Again, nonwoven sheets made by this process have their staple fibers mechanically entangled either with themselves or with the scrim, limiting the ability of the fabric to bulk when heated or exposed to flame. Some products made by needlepunching can be made by hydro-entangling, or vice versa, since both products require the entangling of the fibers with and to the scrim and other fibers in the fabrics. The following patents are representative of nonwoven fabrics made primarily by the needlepunching process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,495 to Lilani et al. discloses a nonwoven fire blocking seat fabric comprising at least two felted plies comprising aramid fibers and phenolic fibers that are united together with a stabilized woven scrim. U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,036 to Lin et al. discloses a cushioning material having at least two layers of unwoven temperature-resistant staple fibers with layers of reinforcing scrim between the layers, wherein the entire structure is needlepunched for integrity and one face is embossed with a pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,465 to Parsons et al. discloses a textile construction having a resilient textured surface formed by needlepunching nonwoven fibers into a layer of plastic grid material. The grid is then caused to retract and cause the nonwoven fibers to arch out of the plane of the batt, forming the textured surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,368 to Forsten et al. discloses a fire-resistant material useful in upholstered furniture and mattress tops, comprising a fiberfill batt and a layer of fire-resistant aramid fiber contacting at least one side of the fiberfill batt. Another fire blocking material is made by entangling flame resistant fibers to and with a scrim via hydro-entangling, needlepunching, and/or chemical means, is disclosed in United States Patent Application 2002/0098753 to Latham et al. Such materials are useful for fire blocking aircraft seats.
Still another process known in the art for combining staple fibers and scrim fabric is by adhesive lamination or the addition of binders. In this process, a binder or adhesive is used to either adhere or bind layers or individual fibers together. The following patents are representative of nonwoven fabrics made by this process. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,579,396 and 6,383,623 to Erb disclose a very low-density insulating material having non-thermoplastic fibers that are bound by a flammable thermoplastic binder. European Patent EP 622 332 to Yamaguchi et al. discloses a heat resistant and flame-retardant cushioning structure comprising a matrix fiber of a bulky nonwoven web of crimped non-elastic staple fiber, a crimped flame-retardant fiber exhibiting residual weight of at least 35% as tested by a glowing test method, and a thermoplastic elastic fiber, with at least some of the intersecting points between the matrix fiber and the flame-retardant fiber with thermoplastic fiber being fusion bonded. The matrix fiber is preferably polyester or aramid fiber, but preferably the polyester contains a flame retardant compound and the preferred aramid fiber is a meta-aramid fiber. The flame-retardant fiber is preferably pre-oxidized acrylonitrile polymer fiber, but can be carbon fiber, crosslinked phenolic resin fiber, or polybenizimidazole fiber. The preferred thermoplastic elastomer fiber is a sheath/core composite fiber made of thermoplastic elastomer and a non-elastic polyester. The Erb and Yamaguchi patents both use the binder to maintain the nonwoven in a lofted or bulked form so that it will have resiliency. U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,648 to Pearlman et al. discloses a three-layered composite fabric for use a carpet backing, the composite fabric made from two layers of entangled nylon filaments adhesively attached to a fiberglass scrim. This fabric has the same problem hydro-entangled or needlepunched fabrics have, that is, because the fibers are mechanically entangled together they lose their ability to bulk when heated or exposed to flame.
What is needed therefore, is a reinforced nonwoven fabric that provides flame protection but is lightweight and thin during normal use but then bulks when subjected to high heat or flame.

Reinforced nonwoven fire blocking fabric, method for making such fabric, and articles fire blocked therewith


A wire harness is provided in which, by merely overlap wrapping a binding tape member around a group of lead wires, intruding water can be guided to the outside. The wire harness includes a group of lead wires and a binding tape-type protection portion that covers the group of lead wires. The binding tape-type protection portion is formed by overlap wrapping a binding tape member around the group of lead wires, the binding tape member having a tape member body made of a synthetic resin and an adhesive layer formed on one surface of the tape member body. The tape member body has a plurality of water drain holes that are provided so as to penetrate the wall of the tape member body in the width direction, and that are provided in the lengthwise direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, conventionally, in a wire harness 20 of this type, a binding tape member 21 is constituted by a flat band-shaped tape body, which is made of vinyl chloride, and an adhesive layer provided on the inner surface of the tape body, and the binding tape member 21 is used to form a binding tape-type protection portion 23 that is overlap wrapped around a group of lead wires 22, thus protecting the group of lead wires 22 (e.g., see JP H7-105742A).
FIG. 4 in JP H7-105742A shows an example of related art.
However, in the case where the wire harness 20 disclosed in JP H7-105742A is routed outside a vehicle compartment, if rainwater or carwash water comes into contact with a branch line, it is possible for the water to travel along the branch line and enter the trunk line via a branch portion. In a conventional wire harness in which a binding tape member is half-overlap wrapped around the group of lead wires, there is a problem in that water that has entered the wire harness cannot easily flow back out, and such water remains between lead wires.
The present invention was achieved in order to solve the problems described above, and an object thereof is to provide a wire harness in which intruding water can be guided to the outside by merely overlap wrapping a binding tape member around a group of lead wires.


Branched polycarbonates having properties suitable for blow molding are prepared by equilibrating a linear or branched aromatic polycarbonate with certain tetraphenols, especially 2,2,5,5-tetrakis (4-hydroxyphenyl)hexane and 1,1-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl!-phenyl ether.

This invention relates to the preparation of branched polycarbonates and to reagents suitable for use therein.
Branched polycarbonates are becoming of increasing importance for many purposes, especially in blow molding operations as exemplified by the fabrication of water bottles. Their non-Newtonian properties are extremely important under blow molding conditions. Branched polycarbonates useful for this purpose are typically prepared by the incorporation of a hydroxyaromatic compound having more than two hydroxy groups into a conventional polycarbonate-forming reaction mixture.
Thus, U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 27,682 describes the preparation of branched polycarbonates in a conventional interfacial reaction or from chloroformates. U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,725 describes a similar method which may employ a carbonyl halide such as phosgene (as in the interfacial procedure), a haloformate or a diarylcarbonate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,521 describes the preparation of branched polycarbonates by reactive extrusion of a linear or branched polycarbonate with a branching agent of the type described above.
Many of the branching agents considered useful for the preparation of branched polycarbonates are trisphenols. The most common of these is 1,1,1-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethane. Others are disclosed in the aforementioned patents with particular reference to Re Pat. No. 27,682.
It has been found, however, that the branched polycarbonates obtained from trisphenols in a reactive extrusion procedure do not have optimum viscosity characteristics for blow molding. The key properties for this purpose are a relatively low viscosity during high shear melt mixing such as extrusion, and a high viscosity under low shear conditions such as those encountered by a parison before and during blow molding.
The melt strengths and melt viscosities of trisphenol-branched polycarbonates prepared by equilibration are too low to permit their fabrication into parisons. Only by the employment of very high molecular weight polycarbonates, such as those having weight average molecular weights greater than 175,000 relative to polystyrene, is it possible to produce branched products which even approach the desired blow molding properties in viscosity characteristics at low shear.
It has been thought that the use of tetraphenols rather than trisphenols in reactive extrusion processes might improve the viscosity characteristics of the branched products. However, many of the tetraphenols disclosed as useful for this purpose in the art previously identified have serious disadvantages. These include the presence of benzylic hydrogen atoms, which decrease their thermal and oxidative stability; the presence of ortho-substitution, which decreases reactivity; and a characteristic bright color due to a high degree of conjugation, which carries over into the polymeric product and makes it unattractive for use.
The search continues, therefore, for tetraphenolic branching agents which afford polycarbonates with the desired viscosity characteristics and which do not suffer from other serious deficiencies.

Tetraphenols and their use as polycarbonate branching agents


It is provided a method for obtaining Irbesartan polymorph A, with few synthesis steps, by coupling the intermediate of formula (II) with the compound of formula (III), neutralising one of its alkaline salts in an aqueous medium and recrystallising the crude product obtained. The utilisation of said method obviates protection and deprotection of the tetrazole ring and is therefore of considerable interest for obtaining Irbesartan on a large industrial scale. The invention also refers to the synthesis intermediate of formula (II).

Irbesartan is a known angiotensin II receptor antagonist, the octapeptide produced by the action of the angiotensin converting enzyme and having considerable influence on blood pressure. The structure of Irbesartan is shown in (I).

The synthesis of Irbesartan has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,317 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,233, among others. The antepenultimate reaction step consists in the reaction of a cyano group in the biphenyl ring with an azide, such as tributyltin azide. U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,317 discloses reaction times of up to 210 hours.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,331 also describes the synthesis of Irbesartan from the precursor 2-n-butyl-3-[(2′-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)methyl]-1,3-diazaspiro-[4,4]non-1-en-4-one with sodium azide and triethylamine hydrochloride in an aprotic dipolar solvent, neutralisation of one of its alkaline salts in an aqueous medium and subsequent recrystallisation to obtain form A. The utilisation of azides involves safety risks, while aprotic dipolar solvents, such as N-methylpyrrolidone, have a relatively high boiling point and can be difficult to eliminate.
Patent WO 2004/065383 also describes the synthesis of Irbesartan tritylate by reacting 2-(1-trityl-1H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenylboronic acid with 2-butyl-3-(4′-bromobenzyl)-1,3-diazaspiro[4,4]non-1-en-4-one under Suzuki coupling conditions. The product so obtained is then submitted to acid conditions in order to hydrolyse the trityl group of the tetrazole ring in order to finally give Irbesartan. One negative aspect of said technique is the use of a voluminous protecting group such as trityl, which very considerably increases the molecular weight of the last synthesis intermediate, which last is then dramatically diminished in the final hydrolysis that provides Irbesartan, thereby resulting in a process of low atomic efficiency. This further creates a considerable amount of residual products and increases the number of synthesis steps in the process.
Patents DE4313747, DE4407488, U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,006, EP594022 and WO9609301 describe the synthesis of other biphenyl compounds by reacting an aryl halide with 2-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenylboronic acid in the presence of a palladium catalyst.
A safe, ecological and high-yield method for obtaining Irbesartrán with few synthesis steps therefore remains necessary. Furthermore, it must be possible to apply said method on an industrial scale.

Method for obtaining a pharmaceutically active compound (Irbesartan) and its synthesis intermediate


A centrifuge includes at least two centrifugal drums, each drum including a disc stack and each drum being rotatable about first and second axes of rotation. The first axis of rotation extends through a center of gravity of and is within each drum. The second axis of rotation is situated outside each drum.

The present disclosure relates to a centrifuge with a rotatable centrifugal drum having a stack of discs.
Separators of this type are known in many different embodiments, for example, from German Patent Document DE 200 10 743 U1.
The present disclosure relates to an improvement on this state of the art such that separators are created which have at least partially improved characteristics and new usage possibilities.
The present disclosure relates to a new type of centrifuge which has many different advantages in comparison with the state of the art.
The present disclosure relates to a centrifuge having at least two centrifugal drums which can respectively be rotated about two axes of rotation. One of the axes of rotation extends through the center of gravity of the centrifugal drums such that the axis of rotation is situated inside each of the at least two drum(s). An additional axis of rotation is situated outside the centrifugal drums. The two axes of rotation extending through the center of gravity may be aligned or may be parallel to one another in a plane. A disc stack is in each of the drums.
A separator or centrifuge with at least two drums which each rotate about two axes of rotation and which each have a stack of discs results in new effects in the interior of the centrifugal drums which can be utilized, for example, for optimizing the solids discharge.
From the state of the art, filter centrifuges are known, for example, which have two filter drums (German Patent Document DE 3131329 A1).
German Patent Document DE 3 092 579 also shows an evacuating system for open drums which can be rotated about an axis of symmetry and, during the evacuation, are tilted about a second axis extending through the drum.
German Patent Document DE 1 432 853 OS shows a method and a device for separating substances by gyrofugation. In such a case one drum is rotated about its axis of symmetry and is moved about another axis on a circular ring, which axis is inclined by approximately 45° with respect to the axis of symmetry.
Concerning the state of the art, German Patent Document DE 40 13 388 A1 and Belgian Patent Document BE 703747 are also cited which are more remote.
However, separators with more than one drum, with each drum having a disc stack and the drums being rotatable about more than one axis of rotation are not known to be disclosed or suggested in the state of the art.
According to the present disclosure, a centrifuge includes at least two centrifugal drums. One of the axes of rotation is situated inside the at least two centrifugal drums, and the other axis of rotation is situated outside the centrifugal drums. Thus, a centrifuge is obtained which can more easily be balanced than a centrifuge with only one centrifugal drum because the additional axis of rotation of the centrifugal drum is situated outside the centrifugal drum.
The present disclosure can be implemented in a compact and uncomplicated manner such that the first axes of rotation of the drums are each situated inside the drums and are congruent with an axis of symmetry of the drums. The second axis of rotation perpendicularly crosses the first axes of rotation. This arrangement can be implemented, for example, by a dumbbell-type distribution of the drums, the axis of symmetry of the drums in each case representing the first axis of rotation and the two drums being rotated in a dumbbell-type manner about the second axis of rotation. In this case, the solids are transported to the outside as a result of the rotation of the two drums about the joint second axis of rotation, without requiring auxiliary devices for this purpose. The disc stacks have an additional clarifying effect because they rotate about the first axis of rotation. As a result of the rotation about the second axis outside the disc stack, which is superposed on the rotational speed of the first axis, flow behaviors are also obtained which differ from those of the state of the art.
The at least two centrifugal drums have a double-conical construction, including two mutually oppositely oriented conical sections each being constructed at a respective end area, of the drum. One such end area is located adjacent to the second axis of rotation and the other such end area is located and distanced further away relative to the second axis of rotation. The two conical sections of each centrifugal drum are mutually connected by cylindrical sections.
A disc stack with conical discs and rising ducts is arranged concentrically with respect to the inflow pipe in the centrifugal drums. Solids from the feed or centrifugal material are separated in the disc stack and collected in the solids space (cylindrical) of the centrifugal drum. As a result of the rotation about the second axis A2, the solids are then transported to the outside. As a result of this construction, it becomes possible to convey the solids by rotation of the drums about the joint second axis of rotation completely automatically to the outside. A use of the system is conceivable for the purpose of clarification (solid/liquid) and/or of separation (liquid/liquid). As a result of the rotation about the first axis, the effect of the disc stacks is the same as in a normal separator. However the disc stacks can also have discs at the top. The rotational speed at the first axis corresponds to that of a separator.
Since it becomes possible to transport the solids without additional mechanisms out of the drum, in comparison to decanters, this means that neither a planetary gear nor a screw are to be provided for discharging the solids. This also eliminates wear.
In addition, because of the disc stack in the drums, an almost arbitrary clarification surface can be implemented. Mechanical limits as a result of natural frequencies can largely be avoided. It also becomes possible to mount self-cleaning sieve inserts. The energy requirement is relatively low because the solids outlet is situated in the center of the axis of rotation. By an open inlet with centrifugal support, overflowing can be avoided. However, not only open but also closed systems, such as centripetal pumps or the like, are conceivable.
In comparison to known separators, no hydraulic drum system has to be provided for the evacuation. Also, the clogging of nozzles can be avoided because the nozzle diameter can be large in comparison to systems with many small nozzles, and the energy requirement for the solids discharge in the center of the main axis of rotation is low. Under certain circumstances, backwards-oriented nozzles are even conceivable if they do not also rotate about the first axis. This can be implemented, for example, by floating ring seals. If the nozzles are arranged on a machine frame which rotates only about the second axis of rotation, this again lowers energy requirements.
However, it should also be noted that it is conceivable to connect the centrifugal drums behind one another with respect to the flow path of the centrifugal material. And, for example, it is possible to use one of the centrifugal drums for a preclarification and another centrifugal drum for the fine clarification which follows.
Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Centrifuge comprising a plurality of centrifugal drums provided with packets of disks


A color image forming apparatus may include photoconductors, developing rollers, and cases, each configured to hold developer to be supplied to a corresponding photoconductor from a corresponding developing roller, and each having an elongated opening in which the developing roller is disposed. Also included are a side seal member disposed at each end of the elongated opening in a longitudinal direction of the opening, each side seal member contacting a peripheral surface of the developing roller at each end of an axial direction of the developing roller, and a belt configured to move in a transporting direction parallel to an arrangement direction of the photoconductors, the belt being disposed below the developing rollers. The belt can be disposed to avoid contacting the photoconductors in an area defined by the side seal members being projected onto a plane on a surface of the belt parallel to an axis of the photoconductors.

A known tandem image forming apparatus includes photoconductors in association with each color of yellow, magenta, cyan and black. Such a tandem image forming apparatus can print in color at substantially the same speed as printing in monochrome, because the photoconductors are provided in association with each of the colors.
As disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-305828, a tandem color image forming apparatus is provided with image forming units, each including a developing roller and a photoconductor, arranged in the horizontal direction. In the color image forming apparatus, the width of an intermediate transfer belt is set smaller than the length of the photoconductor to reduce slidable contact between the intermediate transfer belt and the photoconductor edges. Thus, the intermediate transfer belt is prevented from being damaged or broken by a grounding layer of the photoconductor.
In the color image forming apparatus, toner carried on the developing roller may sometimes leak from the image forming units and drop onto the intermediate transfer belt. The toner dropped onto the belt is generally collected by a cleaning unit. The width of the cleaning unit is greater than the width of the intermediate transfer belt.
To reduce the size of the image forming apparatus, it would be desirable to downsize the cleaning unit such that the width of the cleaning unit becomes smaller than the width of the intermediate transfer belt.
If the toner dropped from one image forming unit onto the intermediate transfer belt is conveyed to a photoconductor of another image forming unit disposed downstream of the image forming unit in a traveling direction of the intermediate transfer belt, the toner may be adversely transferred onto the photoconductor. If the toner adversely transferred onto the photoconductor is collected by the developing roller, the color toner contained in one image forming unit, which leaks the toner therefrom, is mixed into the other image forming unit disposed downstream of the image forming unit. Thus, the toner of different colors is mixed, resulting in the contamination of the toner of the other image forming unit. If a side sealing member slides with a peripheral surface of the developing roller at its each end, the side seal member is contaminated with the different color toner.


A matrix for a carbonate electrolyte including a support material and an additive constituent having a relatively low melting temperature and a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion. The additive constituent is from 3 to 45 weight percent of the matrix and is formed from raw particles whose diameter is in a range of 0.1 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m and whose aspect ratio is in a range of 1 to 50. High energy intensive milling is used to mix the support material and additive constituent during matrix formation. Also disclosed is the use of a further additive constituent comprising an alkaline earth containing material. The further additive is mixed with the support material using high energy intensive milling.

This invention relates to molten carbonate fuel cells and, in particular, to an electrolyte matrix for use in such cells.
Molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) power plants offer a highly efficient and environmentally clean option for power generation. A key component in a MCFC is the electrolyte matrix that provides both ionic conduction and gas sealing. The conventional electrolyte matrix is a porous, unsintered .gamma.-LiAlO.sub.2 ceramic powder bed impregnated with molten alkali carbonate electrolyte. It is essential for the electrolyte matrix to remain substantially crack or defect free to provide effective gas sealing during MCFC operations.
During such operation, the matrix experiences both mechanical and thermal stresses, and these stresses are believed to be the major contributing factors in causing matrix cracking. The difference in mechanical characteristics of active and wet seal areas of the matrix can cause high mechanical stress on the matrix. The thermal expansion mismatch between the carbonate electrolyte and ceramic particles, in addition to the large change in electrolyte volume associated with freezing/melting, causes high thermal stress on the matrix.
More particularly, the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the LiAlO.sub.2 ceramic particles (less than 10.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C.) and the carbonate electrolyte (greater than 20.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C.) can generate a significant amount of compressive stress on the LiAO.sub.2 particles and tensile stress on the carbonates during cooling. For a temperature decrease of .about.400.degree. C. (from the 488.degree. C. solidification temperature of the Li/K eutectic carbonate to ambient temperature), this thermal stress can exceed 3,000 psi. This is much greater than the strength of the frozen carbonates (approximately 2,000 psi). Therefore, even in the absence of mechanical stress, the thermal stress generated by the thermal expansion mismatch is sufficient to cause cracking of the matrix during thermal cycling. Accordingly, the electrolyte matrix, without any additional second-phase reinforcement, can develop thru-cracks after only one thermal cycle due to high thermal stress.
The matrix can also experience cracking during initial MCFC stack start-up. During this period, organic binders in the matrix are removed (burnt off), nearly completely at about 350.degree. C. The resulting binderless matrix of unsintered ceramic powder bed is very weak in structure (even weaker than the matrix impregnated with carbonate during the 650.degree. C. operation) before impregnation by carbonate above the carbonate melting temperature (.about.488.degree. C. for the Li/K eutectic). Therefore, the matrix is very susceptible to mechanical or thermal cracking in the 350.degree. C. to .about.500.degree. C. start-up temperature range. Such cracks can propagate to large sizes during MCFC operation.
The matrix cracking during either start-up or operation permits undesired fuel and oxidant gas cross leakage, causing lower power generation efficiency, shorter life and, more importantly, poor power plant economy. Therefore, providing strong and tough matrices resistant to cracking to maintain good sealing capability is highly desired.
Various approaches for improving electrolyte matrix cracking resistance have been proposed. A number of these approaches are based on incorporating secondary reinforcing phases into the matrix. These secondary reinforcements have the form of large particles (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,482 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,348), fibers (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,555), metal wire mesh screens (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,363) and metal powders (Al, Zn) (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,197). Moreover, they act as crack attenuators and deflectors to slow crack propagation or to enhance the bonding between the ceramic support materials, resulting in improved matrix strength and toughness.
Where the reinforcements act as crack deflectors, (i.e., fibers, screens, particles), unsintered ceramic particles (including the secondary reinforcements) in the matrices are merely bonded with the impregnated carbonate of low strength. As a result, thermal stress alone can still generate microcracks in the matrix. Microcracks can also be generated by mechanical stress, particularly during the start-up after binder burnout. Although these microcracks are not of a size which allows fuel and oxidant gas cross leakage during initial fuel cell operation, they can eventually propagate to larger sizes, causing increased cross leakage after several thermal cycles.
The aforesaid microcracking can be reduced by the use of reinforcements which enhance bonding. Thus, dispersed metal powder phase (Al, Zn) reinforcements can sinter to provide higher strength during both start-up and operation. A higher strength is essential for reducing microcracking. The low melting points of the metal phases, .about.660.degree. C. for Al and .about.419.degree. C. for Zn are required for producing the sintering.
While the use of metal bonding reinforcements thus increases matrix strength, it would be advantageous to provide further procedures and matrix configurations which result in added strength for the matrices.
It has also been known to incorporate into the electrolyte of carbonate fuel cells alkaline earth additives (Mg.sup.++, Ca.sup.++, Sr.sup.++, Ba.sup.++). These additives are homogeneously mixed with the electrolyte and flow into the matrix with the electrolyte during start-up of the cell.
The presence of the additives suppresses dissolution of NiO in the cell cathode electrodes. If such dissolution is allowed to occur it can cause metallic deposition in the matrix which can result in cell shorting.
While incorporation of such alkaline earth additives in the electrolyte is thus desirable, the quantity of additive has been limited. Additionally, the uniformity of the additive when resident in the matrix has also been limited.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrolyte matrix of increased strength.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating such increased strength electrolyte matrix.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide an electrolyte matrix having increased amounts and improved uniformity of alkaline earth additives.

Electrolyte matrix for molten carbonate fuel cells


A specimen holder is offered which can reduce the amount of chemical sprayed over a specimen consisting of cultured cells. The specimen holder has an open specimen-holding surface. At least a part of the specimen-holding surface is formed by a film and a tapering portion formed around the film. The specimen can be cultured on the specimen-holding surface of the film. The presence of the tapering portion can reduce the amount of used reagent. The specimen can be irradiated via the film with a primary beam for observation or inspection of the specimen. Consequently, the specimen, such as cells, can be well observed or inspected in vivo while the specimen is being cultured. Especially, if an electron beam is used as the primary beam, the specimen can be well observed or inspected in vivo by SEM (scanning electron microscopy).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a specimen holder, specimen inspection apparatus, and specimen inspection method capable of observing or inspecting a specimen consisting of cultured tissues and cells of an animal or plant.
2. Description of Related Art
In the fields of life science and pharmaceutics, it has become important to observe reactions of biological cells produced by giving a stimulus (such as electricity, chemical substance, or medicine) to them. In the past, optical microscopes have been used for such observation. Manipulators or pipettes have been employed to give stimuli to cells. Frequently, important portions to be observed are very tiny regions of less than 0.1 μm that are impossible to observe with an optical microscope.
For example, diseases arising from the inability to exchange substances normally among biological cells include hypertension, diabetes insipidus, arrhythmia, myopathy, diabetes, and deprementia. Exchange of substances among cells is performed by ion channels having sizes of about 10 nm and existing in cell membranes. Because it is difficult to observe such ion channels with optical microscopes, there has been a demand for a technique enabling observation using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) having high resolution.
However, a specimen to be inspected with an inspection apparatus incorporating SEM capabilities is normally placed in a specimen chamber whose internal pressure has been reduced by vacuum pumping. The specimen placed in the specimen chamber, which, in turn, is placed in a reduced-pressure ambient in this way, is irradiated with an electron beam (charged-particle beam). Secondary signals, such as secondary electrons or backscattered electrons, produced from the specimen in response to the irradiation are detected.
In such inspection of a specimen using SEM, the specimen is exposed to a reduced-pressure ambient. Therefore, moisture evaporates from the specimen, so that the cells die whereupon it has been impossible to observe reactions of living cells to a stimulus.
When a specimen consisting of dead cells where the proteins have been fixed is placed in a reduced-pressure ambient or vacuum ambient, much labor and various pretreatments, such as dehydration, drying, and metal vapor deposition, that require a high degree of skillfulness have been necessary to prevent evaporation of moisture within a vacuum; otherwise, the specimen would be deformed. Accordingly, an excessively long time has been required to observe the specimen. It has not been possible to achieve high throughput observations.
For these reasons, in order to observe a biological specimen, it is desired to prevent evaporation of moisture. When an inspection is performed under the condition where the specimen contains moisture, it is necessary to prevent the specimen from being exposed to the reduced-pressure ambient; otherwise, moisture would evaporate from the specimen. One conceivable method of inspecting a specimen using SEM without exposing the specimen to a reduced-pressure ambient in this way consists of preparing a specimen holder (sample capsule) whose opening (aperture) has been sealed off by a film, placing the specimen in the holder, and installing the holder in an SEM specimen chamber that is placed in the reduced-pressure ambient.
The inside of the specimen holder in which the specimen is placed is not evacuated. The film that covers the opening formed in the sample capsule withstands the pressure difference between the reduced-pressure ambient inside the SEM specimen chamber and the ambient (e.g., atmospheric-pressure ambient) of the inside of the specimen holder that is not pumped down. Furthermore, the film permits an electron beam to pass therethrough (see JP-T-2004-515049).
When a specimen is inspected, an electron beam is directed at the specimen placed within the sample capsule from outside the capsule via the film on the capsule. The capsule is placed in the SEM specimen chamber at a reduced-pressure ambient. Backscattered electrons are produced from the irradiated specimen. The backscattered electrons pass through the film on the capsule and are detected by a backscattered electron detector mounted in the SEM specimen chamber. Consequently, an SEM image is derived.
However, with this technique, the specimen is sealed in the closed space and thus it has been impossible to give a stimulus to cells from the outside with a manipulator or the like. Where the cells should be observed or inspected in vivo for a long time after the specimen consisting of the cells has been sealed in the sample capsule, there arises a problem.
Furthermore, an SEM image has high resolution but contains only black-and-white information. Therefore, it has been difficult to identify the observed tissue. On the other hand, in optical microscopy, fluorescence labeling technology has been established, and it is easy to identify tissues. If an SEM image and an optical microscope image derived from a substantially identical position can be observed substantially at the same time, the tissues can be identified with the high-resolution SEM image. However, with the aforementioned sample capsule, it is necessary to open the capsule for obtaining an optical microscope image. In order to derive an SEM image, it is necessary to close the capsule. Hence, it has been impossible to achieve the simultaneous observation.
Usually, cells are cultured by adsorbing them onto a laboratory dish having a diameter of more than 35 mm, pouring a culture medium onto the dish, and culturing the cells under conditions including a temperature of 36° to 38° C. (normally, 37° C.) and a carbon dioxide concentration of 3% to 10% (normally, 5%). When the cells are observed, the cells are peeled off from the dish and put into the sample capsule.
However, the environment inside the sample capsule is different from the environment on the laboratory dish and so the possibility that cells survive within the specimen container is low. That is, with the sample capsule described in JP-T-2004-515049, only about 15 μl of solution can be put into it. Because the environmental ambients including pH and osmotic pressure vary in a short time, it has been difficult to culture cells.
Examples of a method of acquiring an SEM image by irradiating a specimen with an electron beam via a film capable of withstanding the pressure difference between vacuum and atmospheric pressure in this way and detecting backscattered electrons emanating from the specimen are also described in "Atmospheric scanning electron microscopy," Green, Evan Drake Harriman, Ph.D., Stanford University, 1993 (especially, Chapter 1: Introduction) and JP-A-51-42461.
Examples in which two films of the structure described above are placed opposite to each other with a specimen interposed between the films and in which an image is acquired by a transmission electron microscope are described in JP-A-47-24961 and JP-A-6-318445. Especially, JP-A-47-24961 also states a case in which an SEM image of the specimen interposed between such films is acquired.
A morphological variation caused by a reaction occurring in a cell after a stimulus is given to the cell using a manipulator or pipette takes place in a very tiny region within the cell and, therefore, the variation cannot be observed with an optical microscope. High resolution imaging using SEM is essential. In order to observe cells by SEM while maintaining the liquid, the specimen (cells) cultured on a laboratory dish is sealed into a sample capsule, and then the specimen is irradiated with an electron beam via a film formed on the capsule so as to image the specimen.
However, the sample capsule is a closed space. This makes it impossible to use a manipulator or pipette for giving a stimulus. Furthermore, the probability that cells sealed in sample capsules survive has been low. In addition, even if high resolution imaging is enabled by SEM, it is impossible to identify tissues. It is desired to observe the tissues with an optical microscope simultaneously because the optical microscope permits identification of the tissues.
Consequently, there is a demand for development of a specimen holder which permits cultured cells to be manipulated from the outside or a chemical or medicinal solution to be spread over the cells and which enables a user to well observe and inspect the cells in vivo.
In the above-described specimen holder, it is desired that cells can be cultured for a long time. This enables the specimen to be well observed or inspected in vivo. Additionally, simultaneous observation with an optical microscope and an SEM is preferably enabled such that a stimulus can be given to cultured cells using a manipulator or pipette and that the specimen can be observed or inspected well.
Especially, in a case where a chemical is sprayed over cultured cells using a manipulator or pipette, it is desired to reduce the amount of the sprayed chemical.

Specimen holder, specimen inspection apparatus, and specimen inspection method


Aspects of a method and system for an operating system (OS) virtualization-aware network interface card (NIC) are provided. A NIC may provide direct I/O capabilities for each of a plurality of concurrent guest operating systems (GOSs) in a host system. The NIC may comprise a GOS queue for each of the GOSs, where each GOS queue may comprise a transmit (TX) queue, a receive (RX) queue, and an event queue. The NIC may communicate data with a GOS via a corresponding TX queue and RX queue. The NIC may notify a GOS of events such as down link, up link, packet transmission, and packet reception via the corresponding event queue. The NIC may also support unicast, broadcast, and/or multicast communication between GOSs. The NIC may also validate a buffered address when the address corresponds to one of the GOSs operating in the host system.

In networking systems, a single server may be utilized to concurrently support multiple server operations or services. For example, a single server may be utilized for providing access to business applications while also operating as an email server, a database server, and/or an exchange server. The server may generally support the various server operations by utilizing a single operating system (OS). The server operations, via the single OS, make use of server processing resources such as the central processing unit (CPU), memory, network interface card (NIC), peripheral sound card, and/or graphics card, for example. In many instances, the server resources may not be efficiently utilized because the demand for server operations generally vary based on the type of service provided and/or user needs. Consolidating server services into a single operation may result in an improvement in server efficiency. However, consolidation also removes the level of protection that is provided when the operations are maintained separate. For example, when the operations are consolidated, a crash or failure in a database server may also result in the loss of email services, exchange services, and/or application services.
Another approach for improving server efficiency may be to utilize multiple operating systems running concurrently to so that each operating system supports a different server operation, for example. The multiple operation systems may be referred to as guest operating systems (GOSs). This approach maintains the level of protection provided when server operations are not consolidated while also enabling the optimization of the usage of the processing resources available to the server. The use of multiple guest operating systems may be referred to as OS virtualization because each GOS perceives to have full access to the server's hardware resources. In this regard, a GOS is unaware of the presence of any other GOS running on the server. In order to implement OS virtualization, a software layer may be needed to arbitrate access to the server's hardware resources. This software layer may be referred to as a hypervisor or virtual machine (VM) monitor, for example. The hypervisor may enable the multiple GOSs to access the hardware resources in a time-sharing manner.
A hardware resource that may be frequently utilized by at least one of the server operations or services is the NIC. In this regard, a hypervisor or VM monitor may enable creating a software representation of NIC that may be utilized by a GOS. This software representation of the NIC may be referred to as a "virtual NIC." However, a virtual NIC may be limited as to the kind of features or functionalities of the NIC that may be provided to the GOSs. For example, a virtual NIC may not be able to support transmission control protocol (TCP) offload functions. Offloading at least part of the TCP processing from the CPU to a processor on the NIC may provide improved network throughput. Without offloading capabilities, the data rate of the server may be limited in some circumstances. Another limiting aspect may be that a virtual NIC may only provide basic layer 2 (L2) networking functionality to the multiple GOSs. The virtual NIC may be limited to providing data communication between the GOSs and the network. In this regard, the virtual NIC may not be able to support other advanced features such as remote direct memory access (RDMA) and/or Internet small computers system interface (iSCSI), for example.
In addition to the limitations on the kind of features that may be provided by the virtual NIC, the hypervisor may also be required to do a significant amount of work when managing the interaction between the multiple GOSs and the server's hardware resources. Utilizing a hypervisor layer may introduce an overhead penalty to basic L2 networking operations that may not be present when a single OS is utilized. For example, when data is to be transmitted from any of the GOSs, the hypervisor may be required to arbitrate access to the NIC. When data is received by the NIC, the hypervisor may be required to determine which one is the appropriate GOS to send the received data. Moreover, because each GOS and the hypervisor may utilize different portions of memory, the hypervisor may have the added responsibility of managing the transfer of data from one portion of memory to another.
Due to the growing demand to support multiple GOSs in a single server, new solutions may require that the overhead introduced by the presence of a hypervisor layer be reduced and/or that advance features may be supported by the virtualization of a portion of the server's hardware resources such as the network interface card.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for an OS virtualization-aware network interface card


A metal vapor discharge lamp and a lighting fixture are downsized without causing breakage of an outer tube because of optimization of a positional relation among the outer tube (34), an inner tube (32), and an arc tube (40). The metal vapor discharge lamp has the arc tube, the inner tube housing the arc tube, and the outer tube housing the inner tube. The positional relation satisfies the relation of 2×A+B≧1.06. In a cross section of the lamp (the cross section of the arc tube is unshown for convenience), A (mm) represents the shortest distance between the arc tube and the inner tube along a line in a radial direction of the inner tube, and B (mm) represents a distance between the inner tube and the outer tube on a line segment C that is extension of the line.

Metal vapor discharge lamps of high luminance, high efficiency and long life, such as a metal halide lamp (hereinafter, simply referred to as "lamp"), have been widely used in many places for the above features.
A conventional lighting fixture that uses the above lamp as a light source further includes, in addition to the lamp, a reflector that has a concave reflecting surface that reflects light emitted from the lamp in a desired direction. The reflector's light output opening is covered with, for example, a front glass plate (what is called a closed type lighting fixture). Note that the reason for covering the light output opening is to prevent broken pieces of the lamp from scattering outside of the lighting fixture when the lamp (arc tube) is broken for some reasons.
Recently, there has been a demand for a so-called open type lighting fixture whose light output opening is not covered with a front glass. To meet such a demand, a lamp with the following structure is suggested. For example, the lamp is composed of an arc tube, an inner tube and an outer tube, which is so-called a triple-tube structure. The inner tube houses the arc tube, and the outer tube houses the inner tube. If the inner tube is damaged because of the breakage of the arc tube, broken pieces of the inner tube remain within the outer tube. (e.g. Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japan Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-96973

Metal vapor discharge lamp and illumination apparatus


Embodiments of the invention provide a condition-based maintenance tool that may be used to monitor, configure, and in some cases correct, problems experienced by a compressor in a pipeline system. The condition-based maintenance tool may evaluate data retrieved from a compressor status database to identify overconsumption events. In response, the maintenance tool may generate maintenance alarms, initiate work orders, and/or provide recommendations for action to an operator.

Generally, a pipeline system provides a continuous pipe conduit that may include a variety of components and equipment, e.g., valves, compressor stations, communications systems, and meters. A pipeline may be used to transport liquid or gaseous materials from one point to another, usually from one point (or points) of production or processing to another, or to points of use. At compressor stations, one or more compressors maintain the pressure of gaseous material in a pipeline, as it is transported from one site to another. Similarly, for a liquid bearing pipeline, pumps may be used to maintain the pressure of liquid transported by a pipeline.
Obviously, running and maintaining a pipeline system can be expensive, and an important goal for the pipeline operator is to reduce operational costs. One substantial expense for the pipeline operator is the electricity required to run the compressors (or pumps) of the pipeline. At a minimum, an improperly maintained (or configured) compressor can require more electricity, and thus more money to run, than a properly configured one. This state is often referred to as "overconsumption," i.e., a state where the compressor is operating and maintaining a desired pressure level in the pipeline, but consuming more electricity than is required (or was estimated) to accomplish this task. Further, at some point the performance of a malfunctioning (or improperly configured) compressor may degrade to the point where the pressure of the material transported in the pipeline falls to unacceptable levels, or the compressor may simply cease to operate at all.
The operations of a pipeline system may be coordinated and controlled from a central operations control center. At such a control center, an operator may monitor the operational state of the compressors used by a pressurized gas pipeline. To perform this task, software applications are available that monitor the operational state of pipeline components, including compressors and pumps. Sensors affixed to the pipeline components are used to relay information regarding a then current state of the pipeline to the control center. In some cases, the monitoring systems may be configured to raise an alarm when a monitored parameter (or combination of parameters) falls below (or climbs above) a predetermined value. However, these applications typically only provide an operator with alarm information for a specific overconsumption case. That is, the alarm may inform the operator that some monitored parameter is exceeding (or falling below) a specified threshold. This approach leaves the action to be taken, if any, to the discretion of the operator. Thus, this approach relies heavily on operator availability, skills, and knowledge to address and correct a problem with a compressor. Unfortunately, therefore, this approach does not ensure that a problem gets solved or even logged. In addition, even when an overconsumption problem is corrected, consistency in the solution is not guaranteed. A recurrent problem may frequently need an identical corrective action. However, because of the reliance on the control center operator, this does not always occur.
Accordingly, there remains a need for techniques for optimizing the operations of a pipeline system. Typically, the optimization process should be used to identify an allowable state of pipeline operations that satisfies any operational requirements, physical abilities, and that minimizes operational costs, most notably power consumption.

Condition-based and predictive maintenance of compressor systems


A light emitting article comprises a composite of carbon-bonded carbon fibers, prepared by: blending carbon fibers with a carbonizable organic powder to form a mixture; dispersing the mixture into an aqueous slurry; vacuum molding the aqueous slurry to form a green article; drying and curing the green article to form a cured article; and, carbonizing the cured article at a temperature of at least about 1000.degree. C. to form a carbon-bonded carbon fiber light emitting composite article having a bulk density less than 1 g/cm.sup.3.

In the field of temperature measurement using optical pyrometers, infrared spectrometers, or the like, there is a need for standards and calibration devices which possess emissive properties that approach those of an ideal blackbody, also called a blackbody radiator. For the ideal blackbody, the total radiant emissivity varies directly with the fourth power of the absolute temperature, i.e., EQU M.sup.b (T)=.sigma.T.sup.4
where .sigma. is constant. Materials can be characterized by a total emissivity .epsilon.(T) relating the total radiant emissivity M(T) (total power emitted per unit area) to that of a blackbody M.sup.b (T) at the same temperature by EQU M(T)=.epsilon.(T)M.sup.b (T).
Typical values of .epsilon.(T) at T=300K for a few solid materials are given in Table 1. Kirchhoff's Law states that an object having the maximum possible absorbance also has the maximum possible emissivity.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Material Temperature, .degree.C. Emissivity, .epsilon. ______________________________________ Brick, common red 20 0.93 Candle soot (carbon) 20 0.95 Graphite, filed surface 20 0.98 Concrete 20 0.92 Glass, polished plate 20 0.94 Magnesium, polished 20 0.07 ______________________________________
An ideal blackbody can be closely approximated by an aperture in an isothermal cavity. A layer of soot on a smooth surface has reasonably high emissivity (.epsilon.=0.95), but is generally considered to be inconvenient to fabricate, and is easily damaged by surface contact.


A multi-functional power supply device comprises: a secondary cell, a charging circuit, a controller, and a first connection unit. The secondary cell is used to store electrical energy, and produces a first voltage and a second voltage. When the first connection unit is electrically connected to a solar board, the charging circuit receives the electrical energy which is transformed from the solar board and is then stored in the secondary cell. The controller controls the second voltage to produce at least one output voltage to an application apparatus. Moreover, when the first connection unit changes to connect with a lighting device, the secondary cell provides the first voltage to the lighting device directly. Hence, the present invention provides power to the application apparatus, and produces a light source through the lighting device at the same time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply device, and more particularly to a multi-functional power supply device and its operating method that charges power via solar energy.
2. Description of Related Art
As industries and technologies advance rapidly, our living environment and habits have been changed. The issue of energy has become an important subject in recent years. To meet the increasingly high global demand for energy, more and more energy related industries are developing. Furthermore, people are also paying more attention to environmental and ecological protection and the quality of our living environment. Thus it is necessary to take into consideration minimizing the use of chemicals and prevent damage being caused to the environment as we develop energy sources. Therefore, solar energy has become increasingly looked to as a major energy source that is capable of supplying sufficient quantities of energy without inflicting further damage to the world's ecology.
As to conventional solar charging systems, most solar charging systems are provided for charging specific products, thus it is difficult to make solar charging become more efficient and effective. When a product is charged, the existing designs of products cannot be used for achieving applications with different functions. Although users can charge sufficient electric energy to a secondary cell of the product via solar energy, the electric energy is supplied for the use of an external system through a limited number of connection ports provided by the product, thus the flexibility and function of the whole solar charging system are restricted.
Therefore, finding a way of providing sufficient battery storage while fitting an operating place and providing different applications has been an increasingly researched subject for designers and manufacturers of solar energy related industries.

Multiple input/output power supply device and operating method thereof


In a self-oscillating full bridge inverter, a small non-linear inductor is connected in series with the inverter's load. Tightly coupled with this inductor are four individual secondary windings, one for each of the inverter's four transistors. By way of a high-speed rectifier for each secondary winding, at the end of each half-cycle of the inverter's 20 kHz squarewave output voltage, the energy stored in the inductor is used for: i) rapidly sweeping out the charges from the collector-base junction of the transistor last to cease conducting of the two most recently conducting transistors, and ii) for preventing the obverse two transistors from becoming conductive until the most recently conducting two transistors have both fully ceased to be conductive. As a result, even with a purely resistive load, the transistors are affirmatively prevented from forming direct conduction paths across the DC source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic inverters, particularly to self-oscillating full bridge inverters using bipolar transistors.
2. Description of Prior Art
When a self-oscillating full bridge bipolar-type transistor inverter is loaded with an inductive load, after then end of each half-cycle of the inverter's high-frequency output voltage, current will continue to flow in the bridge for at least a short period after the two most recently conducting transistors have ceased conducting, yet before the obverse two transistors have started to conduct.
As a result of this lingering inductive current, the inverter's bipolar transistors will tend to switch off rapidly and therefore give rise to high-efficiency inverter operation.
However, when a self-oscillating bipolar-type full bridge inverter is used with a purely resistive load, no lingering inductive current results and low-efficiency inverter operation is apt to occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,107 to Nilssen describes a full bridge self-oscillating bipolar-type transistor inverter wherein the net inverter load is made inductive by the overt addition of an inductor in parallel with the inverter's otherwise resistive load. However, in order for this method to work well, there has to be a matching between the value of the inductor and the load; which requirement may represent a drawback in some applications.


The method and system provides for receiving at a local base transceiver station a wireless signal and for routing that signal from the local base transceiver station to a remote base station controller. In exemplary embodiments, control logic stored in local components of a wireless telecommunications network can select one of multiple remote base station controllers to which to route the signal. Further, local telecommunications components can make these selections based on the occurrence of various triggering events, such as the occurrence of a particular time/day/date, or such as the involvement of a particular client station, or the signal having a particular form or content.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications and more particularly to allocation of call processing resources in a wireless communications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical cellular radio communications system ("wireless telecommunications network"), an area is divided geographically into a number of cell sites, each defined by a radio frequency ("RF") radiation pattern from a respective base transceiver station ("BTS") antenna. The base station antennae in the cells are in turn coupled to a base station controller ("BSC"), which is then coupled to a telecommunications switch or gateway, such as a mobile switching center ("MSC") or packet data serving node ("PDSN") for instance. The switch or gateway may then be coupled to a telecommunications network such as the public switched telephone network ("PSTN") or the Internet.
When a client station (such as a cellular telephone, pager, or appropriately equipped portable computer, for instance) is positioned in a cell, the client station communicates via an RF air interface with the BTS antenna of the cell. Consequently, a communication path is established between the client station and the telecommunications network, via the air interface, the BTS, the BSC, and the switch or gateway.
As its name suggests, a BSC functions to control communications via a BTS. For instance, in some arrangements, a BSC may control the power level of signals emitted wirelessly by a BTS and may control handoff of communications as a client station moves between sectors within a BTS coverage area.

Method and system for dynamically re-homing a base transceiver station


An organic light-emitting display device comprising first through third pixels emitting light of first through third colors, respectively and a fourth pixel comprising first through third subpixels which emit light of the first through third colors, respectively, is disclosed.

1. Field
The disclosed technology relates to an organic light-emitting display device, and more particularly, to an organic light-emitting display device which can adjust white balance.
2. Description of the Related Technology
As portable display devices (such as notebooks, mobile phones and portable media players (PMPs)) as well as display devices for homes (such as TVs and monitors) become lighter and thinner, various flat panel display technologies are being widely used. A flat panel display device includes a display panel for displaying an image and is the type of technology used can be classified as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OELD) display, or an electrophoretic display, for example.
An organic light-emitting display includes a plurality of pixels, and each of the pixels includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The organic layer emits light at a luminance level corresponding to an electric current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode. The organic light-emitting display generates a desired image by controlling the electric current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode.
As the performance of the organic layer degrades over time, its light emission efficiency tapers off. Degradation often results from corrosion of the organic layer due to the introduction of oxygen and moisture from the environment, a change in the structure of the organic layer due to electrical stress acting on the organic layer, or the crystallization of a material in the organic layer due to a temperature change.
Generally, the composition of the organic layer included in each pixel (also called a subpixel when an individual color is to be identified) varies according to the color of the pixel. The thickness and area of the organic layer included in each pixel may also vary according to the color of the pixel. Therefore, the organic layer can degrade at varying degrees according to the color of the pixel. This variance according to color changes often changes the color tone of pixels and the entire display, particularly, the white balance of the organic light-emitting display will change over time.