An endoscopically guided novel naso-intestinal tube for intubation of the duodenum comprising a hollow flexible member, circumferentially mounted mercury bag and a series of drainage ports which is used in a novel intubation process to result in intubation of the duodenum without need of radiation and with minimal patient discomfort.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intubation of the duodenum and small bowel.
More particularly, it relates to intubation of the long naso-intestinal tube into the duodenum and small bowel to a predetermined and desired location and to a novel long naso-intestinal tube for use therein.
More particularly, the present invention relates to use of an endoscopically guided long naso-intestinal tube which, by the inventive process disclosed herein, is guided to the proper location in the duodemum, and subsequently into the small bowel.
2. The Prior Art
Intubation of the long naso-intestinal tube has long been a problem faced by those skilled in the art.
Rubber or poly vinyl tubes of the type used by Miller and Abbott (Am. J. Sc., 1934, 187:595) and Cantor, (Am. J. Surg. 1947, 73:690) have long been used for this purpose. The success rate for placing these tubes in the proper location has been low and also difficult in regard to conventional methods.
More recent advances include blind approach fluoroscopic placement of naso-intestinal decompression tubes. An example is discussed by F. C. Shipps and C. B. Sayler (Radiology, 132:226-227, July, 1979). Still, the failure rate is high by most radiologists due to the difficulty of the process. A need exists for an improved method and apparatus to pass the long tube into the duodenum through the pylorus of the stomach of the seriously ill patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,564, issued to Kwak illustrates a nasal gastric tube insertion guide and method, however location determination is not satisfactorily shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,222 issued to Smiddy discloses an intubation for an endotracheal tube using a fiber optic bundle, however, placement of a tube for evacuation is not disclosed nor is location of the tube into the duodenum.
The need therefore still exists to intubate the long naso-intestinal tube through the pylorus of the stomach for intestinal obstructions via easy placement through direct view of flexible gastroduodenoscopic guidance.
This need and others are met by the present invention.

Apparatus and process for naso-intestinal intubation


A capacitor circuit includes two ceramic capacitors that are connected in series. The two ceramic capacitors each have a ferroelectric layer interposed between conductive layers and have substantially identical direct-current bias characteristics such that an electrostatic capacitance during application of a voltage, which is half of a rated voltage, is larger than the electrostatic capacitance during application of the rated voltage higher than the voltage.

Conventionally, a power conversion system has been proposed in which a snubber circuit is connected between output terminals of a power supply circuit that supplies direct-current power to a power conversion circuit including a switching element, and a surge voltage generated in the power conversion circuit is absorbed by the snubber circuit, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 (identified below). In this power conversion system, a capacitor circuit in which two capacitors are connected in series is used as the snubber circuit. This makes it possible to prevent short circuit between the output terminals of the power supply circuit even if a short-circuit fault occurs in one of the capacitors connected in series, thereby preventing flow of a high current in the power conversion circuit. It is noted that, in this kind of power conversion system, a snubber circuit is sometimes connected, for example, in parallel with a capacitor for smoothing. A module integrating the capacitor for smoothing and the snubber circuit is sometimes referred to as a capacitor module.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-252009.
However, according to the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the electrostatic capacitance of the whole capacitor circuit changes upon occurrence of a short-circuit fault in one of the two capacitors in a case where, for example, low-dielectric-constant ceramic capacitors or film capacitors are used as the capacitors that constitute the capacitor circuit. This undesirably changes surge voltage absorption characteristics of the capacitor circuit.

Capacitor circuit, capacitor module, and power conversion system


A transmission/reception system 1 includes a transmission device 10 configured to transmit image data and a reception device 20 configured to receive the image data transmitted from the transmission device 10. The transmission device 10 includes a serializer 11, an encoding unit 12, a data buffering unit 13, a data selection unit 14, a counter 15, and a synchronization signal generation unit 16. The data buffering unit 13 buffers data every n bits in synchronization with the clock. The data selection unit 14 outputs m-bit data selected from the data buffered by the data buffering unit 13 on the basis of a count value from the counter 15.

A transmission/reception system which transmits image data for displaying an image on an image display device such as a liquid crystal display device is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The transmission/reception system 2 disclosed in this literature includes a transmission device 10A which transmits image data and a reception device 20A which receives the image data transmitted from the transmission device 10A and causes the image display device to display the image as illustrated in FIG. 1.
The transmission device 10A includes a serializer 11 and an encoding unit 12. The encoding unit 12 encodes image data (parallel data) to be transmitted. The serializer 11 converts the encoded parallel data into serial data and transmits serial data in which the clock is embedded to the reception device 20A.
The reception device 20A which receives data transmitted from the transmission device 10A includes a deserializer 21 and a decoding unit 22. The deserializer 21 recovers serial data and a clock on the basis of the received data and converts the serial data into parallel data. The decoding unit 22 reproduces image data by decoding the parallel data. Technology for recovering serial data and a clock on the basis of the received data in the reception device is referred to as CDR (clock data recovery).
Compared to transmission of parallel data, a transmission/reception system which adopts this CDR technology to transmit serial data can further reduce the number of transmission paths for data transmission and further reduce an area of a substrate connected to the transmission path. Also, this transmission/reception system can eliminate a problem of skew between data and a clock in principle and transmit high-speed and large-volume data because data in which a clock is embedded is transmitted.
A level of serial data to be transmitted from the transmission device to the reception device needs to transition at a high frequency in order for the data and the clock to be correctly recovered in the reception device. In order to assure high-frequency level transition in serial data to be transmitted, an encoding process is performed in the transmission device and a decoding process corresponding to the encoding process is performed in the reception device. The encoding process to be used here is, for example, an 8B10B encoding process, a scramble process, or the like.
Data (specific data) having a specific bit string for achieving synchronization of communication between the transmission device and the reception device is transmitted from the transmission device to the reception device so that the reception device correctly performs the decoding process on serial data encoded in the transmission device. In the conventional transmission/reception system, specific data is transmitted at a predetermined timing on the basis of a data enable signal (DE signal). The DE signal has a first level (e.g., H level) in a period in which valid data (image data) is transmitted and has a second level (e.g., L level) in a period in which invalid data (blanking data) is transmitted. Specific data can be transmitted at the timing of level transition of the DE signal. The specific data may be transmitted for every bit of the image data, the specific data may be transmitted for every two or more bits of the image data, and the specific data may be transmitted for every frame of the image data.

Transmission device, reception device, and transmission/reception system


A coating, a coating system, and a coating method are provided. The coating includes between about 0.25-35% filler particles embedded in a chrome phosphate binder matrix comprising a balance of the coating by volume. The filler particles have a size in the range from nanosize to six microns with an aspect ratio of from 1:1 to 3:1, and include up to 100% by weight lubricious particles with a balance hard particles. The lubricious particles are selected from the group consisting of boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), titanium oxide (TiO2), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), oxides of zinc and tin, and combinations thereof. The hard particles are selected from the group consisting of chromium carbide (CrC), tungsten carbide (WC), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), oxides or nitrides of silicon and aluminum, and combinations thereof. A green slurry coating includes an evaporable solvent mixed with the filler particles and chrome phosphate binder matrix.

During turbine operation, many components are exposed to high temperature, high pressure conditions. Additionally, various air-stream particles contact the components as they travel through the turbine. Under the high temperature, high pressure conditions, the air-stream particles may deposit on the surface of the components, particularly on rear stage compressor blades.
One method of reducing deposition of particles includes coating compressor blades with an inner layer of aluminum particles, and an exterior coating of ceramic alumina flakes. The exterior coating of ceramic alumina flakes forms the outer surface of the component, and provides some erosion protection. However, the air-stream in a turbine often includes iron oxide particles, which may adhere to the ceramic alumina flakes on the surface of the compressor blades.
Another method of reducing deposition of particles includes the use of anti-stick compounds. Most currently used anti-stick compounds are limited to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) like materials having a temperature limit of 250° F. These anti-stick compounds are not suitable for use with rear stage compressor blades, which are exposed to temperatures of 1000° F. or more.
A coating, coating system, and coating method with improvements in the process and/or the properties of the components formed would be desirable in the art.

Coating, coating system, and coating method


The present invention relates to a method for preparing an optically active cyclic alcohol compound represented by general formula [I]:

Generally, from the view point of intended pharmacological activities, side-effects and the like, pharmaceutical compounds having an asymmetric center in the molecule are desirable to be used in their optically active form instead of in racemic form. A racemic naphthalene compound (Patent literature 1) represented by general formula [A-2]:
which is known to possess cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE4) inhibitory activity and be useful as anti-asthma drugs and the like, has one asymmetric carbon atom in the molecule, and therefore it is considered that the compound is desirable to be applied to clinical use in the optically active form. It is known that the compound [A-2] can be obtained by reacting a compound represented by formula [B-1]:
with 4(1H)-quinolinone compound represented by formula [B-2]:
and then reducing the reaction product with sodium borohydride (Patent literature 1). However, the corresponding optically active form per se or a method for preparing the same (optical resolution methods of racemic form, asymmetric synthesis methods and the like) has not been reported so far.
From the viewpoint of synthetic chemistry, upon preparing an optically active form of the compound [A-2], there is considered a method of using an optically active cyclic alcohol compound (an optically active tetrahydroquinoline compound) represented by general formula [Ib]:
[wherein Z represents a protecting group for hydroxyl group, and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom.]as a synthetic intermediate, instead of using the compound [B-2]. However, the optically active cyclic alcohol compound per se is a novel compound, and of course a method for preparing the same has not been reported so far. Under the circumstances, in order to establish a method for preparing an optically active form of the compound [A-2] comprising using the above-mentioned optically active cyclic alcohol compound, it is required to develop a method for preparing the optically active cyclic alcohol compound with high optical purity and good yield.
Generally, as a method for preparing optically active alcohol compounds, for example, the following methods may be assumed: (1) a method comprising subjecting the corresponding prochiral ketone compound to asymmetric reduction in the presence of optically active oxazaborolidine compounds (CBS catalyst) (Nonpatent literatures 1 and 2); (2) a method comprising subjecting the corresponding prochiral ketone compound to asymmetric reduction in the presence of an asymmetric transition metal complex obtained from a transition metal compound and an asymmetric ligand (Nonpatent literature 3); or (3) a method comprising subjecting the corresponding prochiral ketone compound to asymmetric acylation with lipase (Nonpatent literature 4), etc. However, with regard to cyclic ketone compounds containing a carbonyl carbon and a hetero atom (nitrogen atom) in the same ring moiety such as tetrahydroquinolinone, consideration of possible application of asymmetric reduction or asymmetric acylation methods as mentioned above has not been reported so far.
The present inventors have been earnestly studied and as a result, they have found that an optically active alcohol compound [I] can be prepared with high optical purity and good yield from the corresponding cyclic ketone compound [II] by using an asymmetric reduction catalyst such as CBS catalyst, and completed the present invention.
[Patent literature 1] European Patent No. 748805 (see page 2)
[Nonpatent literature 1] E. J. Corey et al., Journal of The American Chemical Society, Vol. 109, pp. 7925-7926 (1987) (see page 7925)
[Nonpatent literature 2] G. J. Quallich et al., Tetrahedron Letters, Vol. 34, No. 5, pp. 785-788 (1993) (see page 785)
[Nonpatent literature 3] S. Hshiguchi et al., Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 117, pp. 7562-7563 (1995) (see page 7562)
[Nonpatent literature 4] J. Uenishi et al., Journal of Organic Chemistry Vol. 63, pp. 2481-2487 (1998) (see page 2482, lines 18 to 25 at left column)

Optically active cyclic alcohol compound and method for preparing the same

Abstract: [wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a protecting group for amino group, and * represents an astymmetric carbon atom.]which comprises a step of subjecting a cyclic ketone compound represented by general formula [II]:

Abstract: [wherein R has the same meaning as defined above.]to asymmetric reduction (A) in the presence of an optically active oxazaborolidine compound and a boron hydride compound, or (B) in the presence of an asymmetric transition metal complex obtained from a transition metal compound and an asymmetric ligand and a hydrogen donor, and relates to said compound.


A computer-implemented method for remediating a defective uninstaller during an upgrade of a product is described. A system is queried to identify the defective uninstaller. An executable application is streamed to a file in a temporary folder. The executable application is separate from the defective uninstaller. An internal database table is queried to generate a script file containing commands used to modify the defective uninstaller. The script file is executed with the executable application to modify the defective uninstaller.

The use of computer systems and computer-related technologies continues to increase at a rapid pace. This increased use of computer systems has influenced the advances made to computer-related technologies. Indeed, computer systems have increasingly become an integral part of the business world and the activities of individual consumers. Computer systems may be used to carry out several business, industry, and academic endeavors. The wide-spread use of computers has been accelerated by the increased use of computer networks, including the Internet. Many businesses use one or more computer networks to communicate and share data between the various computers connected to the networks. The productivity and efficiency of employees often requires human and computer interaction.
Computer technologies used by consumers and by the business world continue to demand that the efficiency of these technologies increase. These demands have included demands to improve products and software implemented on computer systems. For example, new versions of software may be downloaded on a computer system to replace the previous version of the software.
Removing or replacing previous versions of products and/or software may cause errors to occur within the computer system. For example, files or other resources that are common to both the upgraded version of the product and the prior version of the product may be deleted from the computer system when the previous version of the product is removed. This may cause errors and other malfunctions to occur when the computer system implements the upgraded version of the product. As a result, benefits may be realized by providing improved systems and methods for remediating a defective uninstaller during an upgrade procedure of a product on a computer system.

Systems and methods for remediating a defective uninstaller during an upgrade procedure of a product


A fluid detection system by which the presence or absence and identity of fluids may be detected within confined areas, such as those existing within underground storage tank systems and in which fluids may accumulate. The fluid detection system includes a probe assembly having circuitry which determines the presence of fluids by the capacitance developed across a variable capacitor. The output signal provided by the capacitor is converted to frequency values, is filtered by a receiver included with the system, and transmitted to a remote location for display. The system is suitable for deployment within and monitoring of one or a multiple of tank systems.

The present invention generally relates to a detection system. More particularly, the invention relates to a detection system by which the presence or absence and type of fluid unintentionally or accidentally present in confined areas, such as within an underground storage tank system may be identified.
In certain systems, the presence of fluids is unwanted and may be indicative of a more serious problem. Underground storage tank systems include confined areas in which the presence of fluid may be indicative of a serious problem.
An underground storage tank is any tank that has at least a portion of its volume positioned below ground level. The tanks are largely made from metal, such as steel with or without coating, or synthetic materials, such as plastic or fiberglass. One type of underground storage tank, the double-walled underground storage tank, is constructed such that an inner wall retains the stored fluid or substance and a surrounding, but separate, outer wall acts to confine any fluid that leaks from the inner wall and to maintain the integrity of the inner wall. It is into the interstitial space that opens between these walls that ground water from the outside may enter or that leaked fluid from the inner wall may enter, such as after a portion of the wall has corroded away or has been disrupted by the shifting of the underlying or surrounding soil or by unsupervised digging.
An underground storage tank is one part of a system that includes piping by which the fluid or substance to be stored in the tank is delivered to the tank and by which the same fluid or substance is drawn from the tank, such as with the use of a dispenser. Any one location may have a plurality of such tank systems. An example of such a location having a plurality of tank systems is a gasoline service station in which products, such as different grades of gasoline may be stored in and dispensed from different underground storage tanks. Dispensers at such a location consist of conventional gasoline pumps. In order to protect the tank system piping from disruptive effects, and to prevent spills--that occur during the filling of or dispensing from the tanks--and leakage from the piping from entering the surrounding environment, underground tank storage systems may include one or more containment chambers. Such chambers generally surround, for example, the area at which products are delivered to the tank and the areas from which the products are dispensed from the tank.
Underground storage tanks, particularly those that are buried completely below ground, are the preferred means to store and dispense fluids--such as gasoline, oils, petroleum products, chemicals--that are toxic and/or hazardous. Underground storage tanks are proportionately less exposed and thereby better protected from accidental rupture. Furthermore, if such tanks do leak or spills do occur, the fluid is accepted into the surrounding soil thereby preventing immediate exposure to the public. Furthermore, placing the tank underground saves above ground space for other purposes.
Given the need for and advantages of underground storage tank systems, it is not surprising that there are an estimated several million such systems currently in use throughout the United States. One of the largest uses of underground storage tanks is for the storage of gasoline and related fuel products at services stations across the country.
One serious consequence that occasionally results from the use of underground storage tanks, however is the emission of product when it is being delivered to, stored within, and/or drawn from the tank. The product as stored within the tank may be leaked into the environment because of corrosion, disruption, and/or faulty installation of the tank, the system piping, and/or the dispenser. Underscoring the leakage problem is that it is estimated that some twenty-five percent of all underground storage tanks are said to be now leaking.
Substances leaking from tanks can contaminate the surrounding soil, air, and ground water. Contamination of the ground water supply is serious since some fifty percent of the U.S. population still depends on ground water as a source of drinking water and because ground water is a resource that is renewed at a particularly slow rate. Depending upon the type of fluid or substance that is leaked, poisonous and/or explosive vapors may result. These vapors tend to accumulate in confined spaces such as basements, septic tanks, or sewers causing hazardous and possibly life threatening situations. Tank leaks are costly not only because of the loss of the stored product and because of the fines that may be imposed under federal, state, and/or local laws, but also because ultimately the released product must be cleaned up. Clean-ups often cost $100,000. or more.
A variety of devices and methods by which leaks from underground storage tanks may be detected are known. However, a variety of disadvantages are associated with them. For example, double-wall underground storage tanks made of a metal or coated metal conventionally include a monitoring pipe extending vertically adjacent to and generally approximate to one or more of the corners of the outer wall of the tank. A section of pipe opens between the monitoring pipe and the tank such that any fluid that leaks onto the inner basal area of the interstitial space--either because of a breach of the outside wall or a breach of the inner wall of the tank--may drain toward and onto the floor of the monitoring pipe. Whether a leak has occurred from a tank containing gasoline or other volatile fluid is determinable from the vapors that will be emitted. The vapors are detectable upon removal of the surface cap of the monitoring pipe. The presence of non-volatile fluids in the monitoring pipe, such as water, is conventionally detected by lowering and retrieving a sampling device down the length of the monitoring pipe. Such a sampling device may be as simple as a long cloth rag. Similar known methods and devices are used to detect the presence of leaked or spilled fluids in containment chambers. One of the many problems associated with such monitoring devices and methods is that they require personal attention and do not provide continuous monitoring. Without continuous monitoring, a leak may go undetected for a long period of time thereby allowing what may be a minor problem to become exacerbated.
Other conventional systems signal the presence of fluid in the detection area by the movement, for example, of a probe. Such a probe system may include a float that signals that a leak has occurred upon the float being buoyed up by the liquid.
Systems that utilize moving parts, such as floats, are particularly problematic in that they do not identify the presence of a leak until a sufficient amount of liquid has collected so the float can be buoyed up. If the fluid does not collect in such a way as to buoy up the float, the signal is not triggered. Furthermore, the float's ability to become buoyant depends not only on the material characteristics of the float and its own weight, but also the weight of that which is attached to the float. Very often power lines and/or guide wires are attached to the float. These elements act to weigh the float down. Floats can also bind, get caught, hang up, or lose their buoyancy with time, thereby decreasing the ability of the system to identify that a leak is occurring.
Other conventional systems utilize certain means to detect the presence of a fluid chemically or electrically. These known probes are disadvantageous in that they have a generally limited period of usefulness and/or cannot be reused. For example, some such probes utilize exposed metal surfaces to sense the presence of a fluid. However, the effectiveness of such probes largely decreases with time and exposure because the metal surface oxidizes and/or becomes covered with film or dirt. Other probes utilize a reactive face that changes in response to a liquid such as by undergoing an irreversible chemical reaction. Such probes must be replaced after contact with a liquid is made.
Many known detection systems are limited in their applications. For example, some systems can be positioned in the interstitial area between the walls of a double walled tank system, or in a monitoring pipe, or in a containment chamber around piping or under a dispenser, but not necessarily in all of these applications. Other systems are capable of detecting one or a very limited number of fluids but are generally not tunable to selectively detect one or more of a wide range of fluids.
Other known systems that do utilize some type of circuitry to identify leaks tie the electrically-powered probe to a control assembly by conventional means, such as lengths of wire. Such systems are generally not reliable because the noise that may be generated over a length of the wire is not filtered out thereby giving rise to spurious signals.
A demand therefore exists for a system and methods with which the presence or absence of fluid within, for example, the interstitial space between the inner wall and outer wall of an underground storage tank, within the monitoring pipe adjacent to an underground storage tank, and/or within a containment chamber--such as which surrounds the piping leading to or from an underground storage tank or that is below and surrounds the piping to a dispenser--may be monitored reliably and on a continuous, unattended basis. The present invention satisfies this demand.
The fluid detection system of the present invention uses the capacitance that develops across an unique comb-like electrode assembly within a unique liquid sensing probe to identify the presence and/or absence of a fluid and, more specifically, the type of the fluid that may enter a confined area within an underground storage tank system. It is known that the capacitance between two closely spaced, but separate, plates will also be affected by the distance between the plates: the greater the distance between the plates, the lower the capacitance developed across the circuit. Capacitance will be affected also by the material--termed the dielectric--present between the plates. Each dielectric is assigned a dielectric constant that is indicative of the ability of the dielectric to affect the capacitance generated across a circuit. Air has a dielectric constant of one. The system of the present invention utilizes the particular dielectric constant, or signature, that each fluid has to identify the presence or absence of and the type of fluid that is encountered by the electrode assembly in the system.
More particularly, a detection system according to the present invention includes a assembly designed to monitor conditions within and to detect the presence and/or absence and types of fluids in confined areas in which inspection, visually or otherwise, is generally impossible or difficult to accomplish on a regular and/or cost effective basis. Such confined areas include those areas within underground storage tank systems where fluids unintentionally or accidentally entering the system can accumulate, such as the floor of a monitoring pipe, the floor of a containment chamber, or the inner basal area of the interstitial space between the walls of a double-walled tank. The probe includes a sensor that is positionable approximate to, but separate from an accumulation area. Within the probe, a sensor having specialized solid state liquid sensing circuitry and, in particular, a electrode assembly across which, in response to contact with a fluid or substance present in an accumulation area, capacitance develops that is characteristic of the fluid or substance. The system circuitry responds to the capacitance of the electrode assembly by generating a variable frequency signal for transmission to a surface-mounted, analyzer unit. The liquid sensing circuitry further includes within the analyzer unit, logic by which frequencies characteristic of humidity and/or temperature ambient conditions, and frequencies characteristics of fluids not of interest, are removed from the output signal. The edited output signal is digitized and transmitted to a central display location, located for example, above ground and remote from the underground storage tank system.
The detection system of the present invention may be advantageously used in a variety of applications. For example, the probe assembly may be lowered into the interstitial space between the walls of a double-walled underground storage tank, lowered into monitoring pipes, such as those typically associated with metal or metal underground storage tanks, or positioned within the containment chambers that are approximate to the filling area and/or dispensing area of such tanks.
The detection system utilizes no moving parts, such as a float, that can hang up or otherwise provide a false reading. Instead, the probe assembly is capable of identifying the presence or absence of fluids by a specialized sensor circuitry. The detection system does not require a great amount of fluid to accumulate before the presence of the fluid is identified. A liquid film accumulation as shallow as one thirty-second of an inch may be identified by the detection system.
The sensor of the present invention has no elements that are exposed or otherwise can be altered, especially in the presence of the fluids to be monitored. The probe assembly detects without the destruction of the sensor thereby obviating the need to replace the sensor after a single contact with fluid.
The sensor circuitry of the probe assembly furthermore may be tuned to the capacitance generated by water and any one of a variety of fluids, including gasoline, petroleum, diesel fuel, or methanol.
The sensor is advantageously positionable by the probe assembly approximate to but separate from the accumulation area to prevent the system from providing the false readings that intimate contact with the accumulation area would provide.
The probe assembly of the present invention provides a variable frequency output signal. A signal provided in this form is less subject to interference by customary occurrences, such as adjacent power lines or variations in power line voltage.
The variable frequency output signal generated by the probe assembly of the system is analyzed by an "intelligent" frequency counter which reads the signal on a constant basis and separates frequencies, such as that generated by "noise", fluids of no interest, and that generated in response to ambient moisture and temperature conditions.
The resulting output signal is digitized to allow the signal to be reliably transmitted over long distances without risk of electrical interference. The signal may be displayed at a location, such as a ground level display, and/or at a remote location such that the conditions within a multiple of accumulation areas may be displayed at once.
It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide a system by which conditions within underground storage tank systems may be monitored.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that is capable of detecting the presence and/or absence of a wide range of fluids, including water.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a detection system by which one of a variety of fluids may be separately identified within an accumulation area of an underground storage tank system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that includes a sensor that contains no exposed metal surface or reactive surface and that is not prone to oxidation and/or corrosion or otherwise is alterable in response to the presence of a fluid.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system that includes a sensor by which the presence or absence of and identity of a wide range of fluids may be detected reliably and continuously.
Also an object of the present invention to provide a system that includes a sensor that can detect a wide range of fluids without the destruction of and need for the replacement of the sensor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system that includes circuitry by which signal noise, such that generated by ambient conditions and non-selected fluids may be filtered out.
Additionally, an object of the present invention is to provide a system that includes a transmitter by which the signal may be digitized for transmission without a loss in information.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will be clearly understood and explained with reference to the accompanying drawings and through a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Electric leakage detector for underground storage tank systems


A method for processing a telephone number embedded in a voicemail received by a user of the handheld device comprising a processor and a memory is provided. The method includes playing back the voicemail. The method further includes in response to receiving a first marker set by the user to indicate a start of a telephone number, initiating storage of an audio sample corresponding to the telephone number in the memory. The method further includes terminating storage of the audio sample corresponding to the telephone number in the memory either automatically or in response to receiving a second marker set by the user to indicate an end of the telephone number. The method further includes using the processor, processing the stored audio sample to extract digits corresponding to the telephone number and communicating the extracted digits to an application executing on the processor.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to handheld devices, and more specifically, to a handheld device for dialing of phone numbers extracted from a voicemail.
2. Related Art
Often when a user receives a phone call on a handheld device and is unable to respond right away, the caller may leave a voicemail. As part of the voicemail, the caller may leave a call back number, such as her mobile phone number or office telephone number. The user of the handheld device would then typically play the voicemail back and while listening to the voicemail being played write down the relevant parts of the message and the call back number left by the caller. While in most instances the process of writing down the call back number does not pose a problem, it is difficult to do so in other instances. For example, the user of the handheld device may not be able to write down the call back number while driving or engaging in any other activity that prevents the user from writing down the call back number.
Accordingly, there is a need for a handheld device for dialing phone numbers extracted from a voicemail.

Handheld device for dialing of phone numbers extracted from a voicemail


The invention pertains to a zeolite catalyst, methods of making same, and its use in the catalytic cracking of naphtha for the production of lower molecular weight olefins and alkanes, while minimizing production less desirable products. A zeolite is modified by base leaching and by the addition of a metal cation, thereby lowering the Si/Al2 ratio and improving the stability of the formed catalyst.

Catalytic cracking of the refinery-derived feedstock and readily available straight run light naphtha (LSRN), is a process that is used to produce lower molecular weight hydrocarbons, particularly C2-C3 olefins, which are, in turn, valuable intermediates for product of other industrial chemicals and plastics. The catalysts used in the cracking process are generally of the zeolite type, which are porous aluminosilicates. The cracking process takes place when naphtha is contacted with the catalyst at a temperature sufficient to initiate the reaction. The actual products produced during the process depend on the nature of the catalyst used.
Accordingly, disclosed herein are methods for catalytic cracking naphtha that maximize the production of desirable products while minimizing less desirable products, and zeolite catalysts related thereto, and methods for the production of a modified zeolite catalyst for carrying out such methods.

Modified zeolite catalyst and methods for producing and using same


A support stand made of sheet metal is cooperated with an optical module and a reflective module. The support stand includes a base and a back frame. The optical module is disposed on the base. To enhance its structural rigidity, the base substantially has a “” or inverted “U” shape as viewed from an optical axis. The back frame is connected with the base, and the reflective module is disposed on the back frame. An optical apparatus with the above support stand is also disclosed.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an optical apparatus and a support stand thereof, and in particular, to an optical apparatus comprising sheet metal and a support stand thereof.
2. Related Art
The commercial ultra-short-throw projector has the image magnification much larger than that of the common projector, so it needs longer light path and better precision of optical components to achieve the desired magnification and quality.
In order to provide the accurate projection path, the ultra-short-throw projector needs the casting member with high precision to carry and fix the relative optical components (e.g. the optical engine, optical lens or reflective mirror) so as to achieve the demands of optical quality. However, the manufacturer must seriously control the manufacturing processes and machines to achieve the demands of high precise casting members. This serious control makes the manufacturing cost of the casting member as well as the ultra-short-throw projector very expensive. Unfortunately, the expensive ultra-short-throw projector has bad market competitiveness and is easily eliminated from the market.
Therefore, it is an important subject to provide an optical apparatus and its support stand with lower production cost and high competitiveness.

Optical apparatus and support stand thereof


A method for maintaining file-type information for a file is described. Data in a first position of a file is analyzed. A file-type for the file is determined based on the analyzed data in the first position. The file is monitored for input/output operations. The file-type of the file is updated if input/output operations occur within the first position of the file.

The use of computer systems and computer-related technologies continues to increase at a rapid pace. This increased use of computer systems has influenced the advances made to computer-related technologies. Indeed, computer systems have increasingly become an integral part of the business world and the activities of individual consumers. Computer systems are used to carry out several business, industry, and academic endeavors. For example, computer systems are used to complete transactions, store data, provide information, etc.
Data used by a computer system may be organized into a computer file. The data may be represented as a collection of binary digits that represent integer values, text characters, etc. A computer program may access a computer file, interpret the contents of the file, and present the contents to a user as more meaningful information (text, images, sounds, etc.)
The number of computer files that may be stored in a given computer system may be extremely large. Techniques may be used to organize the large quantity of computer files. The files (or links to the files) may be located in directories. For example, a directory may include either a list of files or a list of links to files. These lists may be organized according to the name of a file, the type of a file, the size of a file, etc.
Computer systems may also take precautions to prevent a malicious computer file from being activated (i.e., opened). The activation of a malicious file may damage or destroy other data, files, etc. stored in the computer system. Computer systems may analyze certain characteristics associated with a computer file in order to determine if the file is a malicious file. As such, benefits may be realized by providing improved systems and methods for monitoring computer files. In particular, benefits may be realized by providing improved systems and methods for maintaining file-type information for a file.

Systems and methods for maintaining file-type information


This invention relates to storable, solvent-free, thermosetting polyurethane-based molding compositions containing a fibrous reinforcing material and to the production of fiber-reinforced moldings using these molding compositions.

It is known that fiber-reinforced moldings can be produced from a number of different synthetic polymers. Glass fibers have proved to be a particularly advantageous reinforcing material. For example, it is known that resins containing unsaturated polyesters (referred to hereinafter as "UP-resins") can be processed with glass fibers to form storable semi-finished products (resin mats, prepregs; molding compositions) which can be formed by means of heated presses and hardened to form moldings combining high strength with rigidity. This process is, however, attended by several disadvantages. Thus, during the free radical initiated polymerization reaction, the monomers containing vinyl groups (for example styrene) normally used as solvents for the UP-resins lead to a very high crosslink density which in turn makes the molding extremely brittle and reduces its notched impact strength. In addition, the presence of solvents complicates processing since elaborate measures must be taken for extracting the solvent vapors and explosion-proof processing installations are generally necessary.
It is also known that polyurethane elastomers can be reinforced with fibers. Thus, glass-fiber-reinforced polyurethane moldings can be produced, for example, by the injection-molding or reaction injection-molding process. The mechanical properties of these moldings, and paricularly their stiffness in flexure, can only be improved to a limited extend because the length of the fibers used may not exceed about 1 to 6 mm for processing reasons. It is particularly disadvantageous that, due to the limited length of the fibers, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the reinforced polyurethane elastomers is still several times higher than that of steel.
German Pat. No. 968,566 describes a process for the production of high molecular weight crosslinked plastics in which an intermediate product is initially prepared from a polyester containing hydroxyl groups, a glycol and a subequivalent amount of diisocyanate. The intermediate is subsequently converted into storable semi-finished products by reaction with an excess of a diisocyanate containing uretdione groups. Finally, these semi-finished products may be subjected to plastic forming and hardened by the action of heat to form elastic moldings.
These polyurethane elastomers have a predominantly linear structure. Although they combine high elasticity with toughness, they are not hard and stiff enough for numerous applications. The use of fibrous reinforcing material is not described in the above-noted German patent. Although glass fibers having a length of greater than 6 mm, could in principle, be incorporated into the above-mentioned intermediate product, the high viscosity of the intermediate product would necessitate mixing rolls or kneaders of the type normally used in the processing of rubber for mixing in the fibers and the uretdione diisocyanate required for crosslinking. If the fibers were incorporated in this way, however, such intense shear forces would occur that the individual fibers would be reduced to fractions of their original length. It would, thus, not be possible to fully obtain the required effects of reinforcement on the one hand and reduction of the coefficient of thermal expansion on the other.
The object of the present invention is to provide new solvent-free storable molding compositions which may be hardened by molding at elevated temperature to form moldings combining extreme stiffness with high impact strength and high dimensional stability. This object is achieved by the molding compositions provided by the present invention.

Thermosetting molding compositions containing polyurethane and a fibrous material, and a process for the production of moldings


A portable hoist system suitable for mounting to a pair of rails includes a vertical support, an inclined boom connected to the vertical support and a hoist secured to the boom. Clamping members are provided at the lower ends of the vertical support and the boom for detachably mounting to the rails. The hoist system is preferably foldable for transport or storage purposes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of hoists and, more particularly, to a portable hoist system for mounting to rails.
2. Background of the Related Art
Safety and rescue workers such as fireman are commonly confronted with situations where it is necessary to raise or lower persons and objects between different elevations, such as between the ground level and an upper level of tall structures such as buildings and bridges. During rescue operations, it is frequently impossible to access tall structures using a conventional vehicle-mounted ladder or elevated platform due to time, space or safety concerns.
Portable lifting devices are known for use on the roofs of buildings to lift or lower objects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,898 to Baziuk and U.S. Pat. No. 2,569,821 to Maxeiner disclose portable lifting devices which are foldable or collapsible, and constructed to be supported by a roof surface without fixed attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,628 to Anderson discloses an elevator device comprised of a trolley permanently attached to a pair of rails which are detachably secured to upstanding supports provided on roofs of buildings.
The above-described lifting devices for use on roofs of buildings are not suitable for portable use on fixed rails and, especially, on an elevated railroad bridge extending over land or water. Maintenance work and rescue operations performed on such railroad bridges involve added difficulties. While it is possible to store lifting devices on or near to roofs to have them available at all times, the same is not possible with respect to railroad bridges. Furthermore, bridges located at remote locations and lacking nearby access roads further increase the difficulty of providing lifting devices in emergencies.
Thus, in view of the above-described disadvantages associated with the known devices, there has been a need for a lifting and lowering device for objects, materials and persons which is portable, easily assembled for use and disassembled for storage or transport, and suitable for use on rails.


The multiuse eyeglasses include a frame that holds two lenses and arms that extend from the frame. The arms include a first axis of rotation that is generally perpendicular to the arms and a second axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the first axis of rotation and allows the arms to be rotated downwards relative to the frame.

Traditional eyeglasses have two positions: A folded position and an extended position. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the former and FIG. 3 shows the later. The folded position is for eyeglass transportation and storage. In the extended position, the eyeglass arm earpiece loops over and behind the wearer's ear, securing the glasses to the wearer's face. This is so convenient that the design is little-changed from its early 1700s introduction by Edward Scarlett and James Ayscough, who invented eyeglass arms and their foldability respectively in 1730 and 1752.
The traditional eyeglass advantage is not only that it holds the lenses in front of the eyes while the wearer's hands are free, but it also holds the lenses in a plane in front of the wearer's eyes, allowing a user to move their eyes and retain the same optical advantage through the lenses.
One of the problems with early eyeglass designs is that as people age, they become more far-sighted and may thus lose both their ability to see near and far. Such a challenge presented a challenge to early eyeglass manufacturers, who could only produce one appropriate lens to help their wearers. As is widely known, America's famous polymath Benjamin Franklin solved this problem with his invention of the bifocals in the mid to late 1700s.
In roughly the same time period, George Adams invented the lorgnette spectacle that had no arms but instead included a handle that allowed the user to place the corrective lenses in front of their eyes in use and remove them when not. These types of glasses proved popular in theater settings and masquerades.
Each of these inventions, the traditional, the bifocal, and the lorgnette eyeglasses share certain challenges that no single eyeglass addresses. The traditional eyeglass works well but in situations where a user's ears are not accessible (during hair dying, hair drying, surgery, etc.), a person does not want to give up their ability to see and read. The bifocal (and today's progressive lenses) solve the challenge of those who want to see both near and far, but a person who wants to look over their glasses must allow the glasses to slide down their nose to look over them, in a stereotypically "disapproving teacher" pose. This way of wearing glasses down-the-nose makes them prone to falling off. Finally, the lorgnette, while stylish and functional in the hair salon, has a valuable functionality but people only call upon in certain circumstances.
Thus, there is a need for a stylish yet functional eyeglass design that solves some or all of the above challenges.

Spectacles with dual salon and traditional configurations


A composition for use as a cosmetic or pharmaceutical consisting essentially of Vitamin A or ester, glucose in an amount of between about 0.5 and 10.permill. by weight and a stable aqueous emulsion of hydrogen peroxide.

The therapeutic action of vitamin A in its acid (retinoic acid), aldehyde (retinal) or alcohol form (retinol) is well known in dermatology.
The use of a composition including both an ester of vitamin A and a stable emulsion of hydrogen peroxide was proposed in patent CH-A-670 951. Such an emulsion has a particularly high capacity for releasing oxygen (paraosmotic pressure of about 10 atm), the effect of which is in particular to increase the movement of the vitamin A derivative across the outer layers of the skin, where the conversion of the vitamin A ester into retinoic acid may proceed.
Katzberg has reported in Anat. Rec. 112, 418 (1952) and later H. Pinkus in Dermatologica, 106, 28 (1953), that the life span of a human epidermal cell is of 101 days during the ten first years of life and decreases subsequently to 46 days at the age of 80. This means that time causes an ageing which is evidenced by a decreased capacity of the cells to regenerate the epidermis. When the energy which can be used physiologically by the cells is no longer sufficient, for instance because of an inadequate permeability of the capillaries or because of an inadequate capillary circulation, there is then an increase in the disappearance rate of the cells, which is accompanied by a significant impairment of their vital functions.
Whilst multiplication and growth of epidermal somatic cells require oxygen, the survival of cells is dependent upon glycolysis, which is an oxidative breakdown of glucose. Actually, to keep its structure ready to function or to fulfil its functions, each individual cell of the body needs a large amount of energy.
Should the energy, or a part of the energy needed to keep the cell functioning, not be available, damages may occur which are reversible at the beginning, but which may lead to a loss of cell structure and eventually to premature death, if not treated.
Up to now, no composition was available for cosmetic or for pharmaceutical use, which would associate the effects of vitamin A and of hydrogen peroxide and which could also supply the cell with the energy it needs.
The new composition according to the invention supplies this energy and, accordingly, is capable of restoring immediately the proper functioning of each individual cell, when the capillary insufficiency is due to an inadequate energy supply, which is particularly beneficial for cutaneous tissues.

Composition of vitamin A, glucose and hydrogen peroxide for cosmetic or pharmaceutical use


A method and apparatus for removing sand, which has been separated from well fluids, from a well bore. A separator is provided to separate sand from well fluids before the well fluids enter an electrical submersible pump (ESP). A bypass tube is connected from a flow conduit above the pump to a location below the ESP where the sand is collected. The ESP is turned off and the fluid levels within the flow conduit are allowed to equalize. The flow conduit is then pressurized at the surface to cause a downward flow of well fluid in the flow conduit below an equilibrium point for the well fluid. After lowering the level of fluid within the flow conduit, the pressure within the flow conduit is then relieved, which causes the well fluid to flow upwards through the bypass tube to the flow conduit. As a result, sand is drawn up the bypass tube into the flow conduit above the pump. A check valve prevents back-flow of sand through the bypass tube after the sand and fluid have flowed through the bypass tube into the flow conduit. The pump is then restarted and the sand and fluid located above the pump in the flow conduit is pumped to the surface.

Electrical submersible pumps are widely used in oil wells. It is desirable to remove sand and other solid particles from well fluids before they enter the submersible pump since sand causes wear and plugging of the pump and other components. The subsequent repairs or replacement of a downhole pump can be expensive due to labor, parts costs and loss of production.
During oil production from a well, oftentimes sand or other particles that are entrained with well fluids are pumped through the downhole pump. Various sand control systems have been implemented to stop or reduce sand flow into the wellbore. Screens or filter openings have been utilized in the casing or other members to restrict the flow of solid particles. In many wells, the quantity of sand flowing from the formation is relatively small, but is sufficient to wear or plug the downhole pump. One solution is to provide a separator, such as a hydro-cyclone separator to separate sand from well fluids that enter the wellbore.
Once the sand is separated from the fluids, the separated sand will settle out within the wellbore. If large quantities of sand are produced, then it may be necessary to remove sand from the wellbore. Since it is expensive to cease production and pull the electrical submersible pump, it is desirable to utilize a method and apparatus for removal of the sand without pulling the electrical submersible pump.

Sand protection system for electrical submersible pump


A seal apparatus including an elongated body formed of a resilient expandable material defining an interior chamber and having a longitudinal axis. The elongated body is capable of being rolled up on itself by rolling one of the first and second ends of the elongated body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. At least one stem is attached to the elongated body and is in fluid communication with the interior chamber.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/206,366, filed May 23, 2000, entitled xe2x80x9cInlet Sealsxe2x80x9d which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if fully set forth.
The present invention relates generally to seals for pipes and, more specifically, to a flexible seal forming member capable of sealing a pipe within an opening of an object.
Pipes used with storm water run off systems often terminate within a concrete catch basin. Collected storm water is transferred through a pipe and into the catch basin. In preparing a storm water system, the installation and maintenance of a proper seal between the pipe and the catch basin is critical. When a pipe is inserted into a hole in a catch basin, a gap is typically present between the pipe and the catch basin. Such gaps can be sealed using concrete or bricks and mortar which is an extremely time consuming process. Additionally, after installation and back filling of the basin is completed, there is a potential for leakage around the area between the pipe and the catch basin because the seal between the catch basin and the pipe tends to degrade when the catch basin is back filled. Additional factors such as extended use, aging, digging around the pipe and ground settling may shift the position of the pipe with respect to the catch basin causing leakage between the pipe and the catch basin.
Alternatively, pipes can be sealed to walls using a bulkhead fitting, such as that commonly used in sumps. However, to properly attach a pipe to a bulkhead fitting, the pipe should be oriented generally perpendicularly to the wall supporting the bulkhead. Thus, the use of bulkhead fittings typically requires more careful laying of pipe resulting in increased costs.
The above methods of sealing a pipe within an object can be problematic when used with polymeric pipes. Polymeric pipes often have multiple spaced apart longitudinal ridges located along the outer pipe surface to increase pipe rigidity and to provide the necessary pipe strength. In such pipes, grooves are present between the longitudinal ridges that make it difficult, at best, to establish an effective seal around the polymeric pipe.
What is desired, but has not yet been provided by the conventional art, is a method for sealing a pipe to an object and a seal apparatus that is easy to install between a pipe and an object, that allows for a pipe to be askew from perpendicular to the surface in which the pipe is sealed, that is effective at providing seals between objects and plastic pipes having spaced apart longitudinal ridges along the outer surface, and that is easy to remove and reinstall to simplify repairs.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for sealing a pipe within an opening. The method includes: providing an object having an opening forming an inner surface; positioning a pipe having an outer surface through the opening resulting in a gap between at least a portion of the outer surface of the pipe and the inner surface of the object; positioning a flexible member around at least a portion of the pipe and at least partially in the gap, the flexible member being expandable; and filling the flexible member with a pressurized agent to expand the flexible member forming a seal between the pipe and the object.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a seal apparatus including an elongated body formed of a resilient expandable polymeric material defining an interior chamber and having a longitudinal axis. The elongated body is formed by two panels and has first and second ends. The elongated body is capable of being rolled up on itself by rolling one of the first and second ends of the elongated body in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. At least one stem is attached to the elongated body and is in fluid communication with the interior chamber.


A photovoltaic cell and method of making are disclosed. The photovoltaic cell includes a substrate having a surface at least partially covered in wrinkles and folds, the folds dividing the surface into a plurality of domains. A photoactive layer is formed on the substrate. At least one transparent electrode is coupled to the photoactive layer and configured to allow transmission of light into the photoactive layer. The domains may have a wrinkle periodicity of less than 2 μm. The folds may have a fold density of less than 0.25. The transport layer may comprise PEDOT:PSS. The photoactive layer may comprise P3HT:PCBM. The photoactive layer may comprise a bulk heterojunction.

Wrinkles form spontaneously and are commonly seen in nature (A. F. Miller, Science 317, 605 (2007); R. S. Poethig, Plant Cell, 9, 1077 (1997)). Many researchers have been studying this wrinkling phenomenon, resulting in the improvement of our understanding on wrinkle formation as well as making it possible to artificially generate and control wrinkles (J. Genzer, et. al., Soft Matter 2, 310 (2006); N. Bowden, et. al., Nature 393, 146 (1998); K. Efimenko, et. al., Nat. Mater. 4, 293 (2005); Y. Sun, et. al., Nat. Nanotechnol. 1, 201 (2006); S. Y. Ryu, et. al., Nano Lett. 9, 3214 (2009)). The application of wrinkles to electronics achieved dramatic progress; mechanically stretchable inorganic photodetector (Y. Sun, et. al., Nat. Nanotechnol. 1, 201 (2006)), flexible inorganic thin-film transistors (D. Y. Kang, et. al., Science 311, 208 (2006)) and inorganic capacitors (C. Yu, et. al., Adv. Mater. 21, 4793 (2009)) are amongst the devices realized today. Also, wrinkles have been shown to enhance light extraction efficiency in organic light-emitting diodes (W. H. Koo, Nat. Photonics 4, 222 (2010)). Devices incorporating wrinkled structures and having improved characteristics are desirable.

Photoelectric cells incorporating wrinkles and folds to enhance efficiency and bendability and method of making


Provided are adhesive tapes and methods of use. The adhesive tape provides a flying splice of fibrous materials. An example adhesive tape comprises an adhesive layer, a backing adjacent to the adhesive layer, and a non-adhesive mechanical fastener.

A flying splice is a method of splicing a new roll of a material to an expiring roll of material as the expiring roll is almost completely unwound. The method is described as "flying" or "on-the-fly" because the splice is made without the need to stop or slow down the unwinding of the expiring roll of the material.
Flying splice operations may be of particular importance to the woven and nonwoven materials industries. In some of these industries, for example, the diaper industry, many different types of materials are unwound and incorporated into the final product. Typically, several unwinding machines may be needed to unwind the various distinct materials. The large amount of unwinding machines may result in manufacturers making a large number of flying splices on the different materials in order to maintain continuous production. A flying splice typically uses an adhesive tape to splice the leading edge of a new roll of material to an almost completely unwound expiring roll of material. The flying splice adhesive tape may also use a type of fastener known as a splittable adhesive system to adhere the leading edge of the top winding of the new roll to the second from the top winding of the new roll. The splittable adhesive system thus prevents the premature unwinding of the leading edge of the new roll when the new roll is brought to the approximate rotational speed of the expiring roll in order to perform the flying splice operation. After the flying splice is made, the splittable adhesive system may then split, as the leading edge is unwound from the new roll. An adhesive residue may remain on the second from the top winding of the new roll when the splittable adhesive system is split. With every flying splice made, the portion of the new roll comprising the flying splice and the adhesive residue is separated and removed to ensure that the spliced section and the residue section are not sent to consumers. Removing this amount of product for every splice made reduces the amount of product produced and also generates waste.
Additionally, some of the woven and nonwoven materials may be difficult to bond due to their varying surface characteristics. Generally, the contact area of the adhesive of the splittable adhesive system is much smaller than that of the contact area of the splice adhesive layer. As such, it may be difficult to find a common adhesive sufficient to bond each of these different materials with an adhesive that is localized to a reduced contact area, which is typical of the splittable adhesive systems.

Flying splice tape with residue-free fastener for woven and nonwoven fibrous materials


A marine transmission mounting system for marine engine and drive that are mounted in a mid-travel position to joists in the hull space between a hull and a floor of the boat. Such a system is typically used on a competition water-ski boat where the engine, transmission, and propeller shaft are mounted in-line at a downward angle with respect to a floor of the boat such that the propeller shaft passes through the hull of the boat in front of the transom. The transmission mounting system includes a transmission mounting bracket having reinforcement webs located above the span of the bracket so that smaller reinforcement webs can be located below the span of the bracket. With such a bracket, there is sufficient room underneath the bracket so that an engine exhaust tube can pass under the bracket. This allows overall engine and exhaust system space requirements above the floor of the boat to be reduced.

Competition ski boats normally have a powerful (i.e., 250-400HP and above) inboard engine mounted in a mid-travel position. That is, the engine is located directly behind the driver and front passenger seats in a hump mostly above the floor of the boat. Mounting the engine in the mid-travel position leaves room available rearward of the engine near the transom of the boat for passengers to maneuver when attending water-skiers. In such a system, it is typical that the engine, the transmission, and the propeller shaft are mounted in-line at a downward angle of about 12 degrees to the hull of the boat, such that the propeller shaft exits rearward through the hull at the 12 degree angle.
A propeller is rotated by the propeller shaft, and because of the 12 degree downward angle, the propeller not only thrusts the boat forward, but also pushes in part upward on the boat so that the boat can be lifted to plane quicker. It is useful for the propeller to be located forward of the transom underneath the hull of the boat to reduce turbulence behind the boat. Steering in such a system is normally accomplished using one or more rudders attached to the transom.
The transmission receives an engine crankshaft, and the propeller shaft is coupled to the other end of the transmission by a transmission coupler. The engine and the transmission are mounted to joists or studs located in a hull space of the boat, which is in between the hull and the floor of the boat. It is extremely important that mounts for the engine and the transmission be strong and adjustable. Strength and adjustability are important because the crankshaft of the engine, the transmission, and the propeller shaft must remain in line even when subjected to extreme forces. Extreme forces on the mounts are possible because ski boats have high power requirements both at start up and when operating at high speeds.
As noted above, the engine is located in a hump behind the driver and front passenger seats when the engine and transmission are mounted in the mid-travel position. It is desirable to reduce the size of the engine hump without reducing the performance and power capacities of the engine.

Configuration for a marine engine exhaust system


Natural gas is reinjected into an earth formation for storage and/or stimulating the recovery of hydrocarbon liquids by mixing the gas with water at a pressure sufficient to maintain bubble flow of gas dispersed in a water flowstream in a range of volumetric gas fraction up to about twenty percent of total flow. A water and gas distribution system includes static flow mixers for maintaining uniform distribution of gas bubbles in the water flow stream through the distribution conduits. The mixers may comprise multi-stage bladed mixing elements of the same or opposite pitch and extending across the intersection of branch conduits with the main conduit of the distribution system. The water and gas may be mixed in an injection well having a tubing string extending within the well and having a distal end below the point of injection into an earth formation so that a uniform gas and water mixture enters the formation through the well perforations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a system and method for injecting a mixture of water and gas into a subterranean earth formation for storing the gas in the formation and for enhancing the recovery of hydrocarbon fluids from the formation.
2. Background
Reinjection of gases produced from subterranean earth formations has been carried out as a method of storing the gas for future production and for stimulating the production of hydrocarbon liquids such as crude oil. In certain earth formations the injection of gas alone will quickly result in migration of the gas towards oil production wells thereby disrupting the effective production of oil, particularly if the quantities of gas migrating are substantial, and resulting in unwanted production of the gas back to the surface.
In certain earth formations such as those found in the North Slope Oilfields of the State of Alaska mobility control over the flow of gas after reinjection into a formation has been provided by alternately injecting water and then gas into the formation. Reduced mobility without serious loss of use of the gas as a stimulant for the production of oil has been carried out with some effectiveness. However, the cost of providing separate water and gas injection piping networks leading to each injection well can become prohibitive and the alternate injection of slugs of water followed by slugs of gas, or vice versa, is not believed to be as effective in reducing the gas mobility within the formation as may be obtained if a mixture of water and gas is injected into the formation. Hence, simultaneous water and gas injection is believed to be desirable.
However, certain problems arise in providing for simultaneous water and gas injection into subterranean earth formations through injection wells. For example, uniform distribution of the gas and liquid mixture is difficult to obtain when the mixture must be transported long distances through piping networks and manifolds. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a system which will provide effective injection of a uniform mixture of water and gas into selected injection wells to effectively control the mobility of the injected gas so that the earth formation serves as a gas storage reservoir while permitting at least some of the gas to migrate sufficiently through the reservoir to serve as a drive fluid to increase the yield of liquid hydrocarbons from the formation through production wells.

Simultaneous water and gas injection into earth formations


An incombustible honeycomb radio absorptive material is disclosed, forming a honeycomb structure that is an aggregate of many cells, wherein (i) the honeycomb structure contains a hydrated inorganic compound and an electrically conductive material, or (ii) the honeycomb structure contains a hydrated inorganic compound and has an electrically conductive layer made of an electrically conductive material being formed on the surface of the structure. A radio absorber is also disclosed, wherein a large number of the incombustible honeycomb radio absorptive materials are disposed on a shield panel or a ferrite tile covering he shield panel is provided. The incombustible honeycomb radio absorptive material and the radio absorber using it according to the invention are suitably used for an anechoic chamber and are excellent in the fire resistance and the radio absorption effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an incombustible honeycomb radio absorptive material and to a radio absorber using it. More specifically, the invention relates to an incombustible honeycomb radio absorptive material which is suitably used for an anechoic chamber (radio shielding room), has a high incombustibility, is excellent in radio absorptivity, is lightweight, and has a high strength, as well as to a radio absorber using the material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, for an advanced information society, the utilization of radio waves has been rapidly expanded particularly in the mobile communication field. Also, with today's innovative progress of microelectronics techniques, various kinds of electronic instruments have come into widespread use. Under these circumstances, a hindrance occurred by unnecessary electromagnetic waves, such as electromagnetic wave noises, from those electronic instruments has become a large problem.
The measurement of said electromagnetic wave noises is usually carried out in an anechoic chamber where no reflection is caused of electromagnetic waves, and the inside wall of the anechoic chamber is made with a radio absorber. For the radio absorber, it is mostly used an organic material, such as foamed polystyrene and foamed polyurethane, where each being compounded with carbon black for improving electric conductivity, however, incombustibility is low of foamed polystyrene or foamed polyurethane. As radio interference has increased recently, the test of a large electric power, such as an immunity test, would be a mandatory one in Japan. As the anechonic chamber requires works in a closed space, a radio absorber to be used for said chamber is required to have, in addition to radio absorptivity, a higher incombustibility for improving safety.
Radio absorbers having incombustibility have been proposed as follows: a heat-resisting incombustible radio absorber made of a shaped material formed by cumulating and bonding many closed cellular inorganic particles with a heat-resisting inorganic adhesive having a definite amount of carbon black dispersed therein (Japanese Patent No. 2,743,227); a radio absorber obtained by attaching and fixing an electrically conductive material to a molded material comprising ceramic or glass short fibers each having a specific aspect ratio by penetration and impregnation (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 307,268/1997); and a radio absorber made of a composition constituted by a cement, a light-weight aggregate, non-electrically conductive fibers, and a synthetic resin emulsion (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 67,544/1996).
However, the heat-resisting incombustible radio absorber of Japanese Patent No. 2,743,227 is structurally weak, having low mechanical strength, and as it is formed with many closed cellular particles, dusts are apt to be generated during assembling the absorber and by a mutual-contact of the particles.
In the radio absorber proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 307268/1997, a manufacturing cost is very high.
In the radio absorber proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 67,544/1996, large amounts of organic hollow particles and an organic binder are used to reduce a weight of a mortal be lightweight, however, as they are quasi-incombustible materials or smoke-producing materials, fuming amounts from them are greatly large compared to those from incombustible materials.
Furthermore, the above conventional radio absorbers each is heavy in its own weight, and therefore, each of them is easily distorted by its own weight to cause deformation or breakage.
In order to prevent the deformation or breakage, several techniques have been proposed so that radio absorbers be made in honeycomb structures (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 205,000/1991 and 132,691/1994, etc.). However, those radio absorbers are quite inferior in fire resistance, as the supporting materials therefor are papers or plastics.

Incombustible honeycomb radio absorptive material and radio absorber using the same


Method for manufacturing a pressure-measuring device comprising a diaphragm of semiconductor material having a resonating element fixed thereto, said diaphragm being exposed to the pressure of a process fluid, wherein it comprises the following phases:. i) machining a multilayer semiconductor material to obtain a diaphragm having on the upper side a resonating element, an excitation element and a detection element for measuring the pressure applied to said diaphragm; PA0 ii) machining a semiconductor material having one or more layers to obtain a support having a pressure port for the flow of the process fluid; PA0 iii) making a bond between the lower side of said diaphragm and the upper side of said support.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a pressure-measuring device equipped with a resonating element.
More specifically, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a pressure-measuring device for measuring absolute, relative or differential pressure.
The pressure-measuring device that can be manufactured using the method according to the invention is, for example, of the type described in Italian patent application No. MI96A002268, filed in the name of the same applicant as the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein for reference.
It is known that pressure-measuring devices can be prepared by suitably machining wafers of semiconductor-based materials.
In particular the technologies currently known and referred to as "silicon micromachining" are widely used for manufacturing sensors using silicon as the base material.
It is known that such micromachining technologies are very similar to those used for the production of microelectronic circuits. With a single process, it is possible to machine a considerable number of devices that are identical to one another with significant advantages in terms of production costs.
Micromachining generally comprises technologies such as thin layer deposition (a few microns thick) of semiconductor materials and their derivatives or metal materials, extremely precise photolithographic techniques (resolutions of less than one micron), selective removal of semiconductor material through the action of suitable chemical agents, bonding techniques on separate layers.
It is known from the literature that "silicon micromachining" technologies can be divided into two main categories known as "bulk micromachining" technologies and "surface micromachining" technologies.
The former refers to the possibility of obtaining monocrystalline structures by machining both sides of a wafer of semiconductor material, whereas the latter refers to machining performed on one side of the wafer only. "Bulk micromachining" technologies have been developed from crystal machining and are therefore highly consolidated. "Surface micromachining" technologies, on the other hand, are highly innovative compared to the former and make it possible to manufacture smaller microstructures (one order of magnitude smaller). They also offer the considerable advantage of easier machining and greater potential for integrating the structures produced with microelectronic circuits made in the same chip of semiconductor material.
The manufacture of pressure-measuring devices generally involves a number of manufacturing difficulties as described hereinafter, especially when high performances are required.
In the first place, the high number of manufacturing process phases makes the manufacture of the pressure sensor costly. Moreover, the devices of known type are often based on polysilicon and quartz and their mechanical performances are not optimal. Also, in most cases, both sides of the wafer are subjected to very critical machining steps, thus complicating the manufacturing process.

Method for manufacturing a pressure-measuring device equipped with a resonating element


The present specification provides a conductive structure body and an electronic device comprising the same.

With sudden emergence of a new renewable energy industry together with a high-tech information technology industry, there is a growing interest in a conductive structure body with both electrical conductivity and light transmission. A conductive structure body in an organic electronic device as a thin transparent substrate needs to transmit light and have excellent electrical conductivity.
As a material of the conductive structure body, transparent conducting oxide (TCO) fabricated in a thin film shape is representative. The transparent conductive oxide which is collectively referred to as an oxide-based degenerated semiconductor electrode having both high optical transmittance (85% or higher) and low specific resistance (1×10−3 Ωm) in a visible-ray region is used as core electrode materials for functional thin films such as an antistatic film, an electromagnetic wave shielding film, and the like, a flat panel display, a solar cell, a touch panel, a transparent transistor, a flexible photoelectric device, a transparent photoelectric device, and the like according to a size of the surface resistance.
However, the conductive structure body manufactured using the transparent conductive oxide as a material has a problem that efficiency of the device is lowered due to low electric conductivity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Conductive structure and electronic device comprising same


An air conditioning lid for use with beverage containers is provided. The lid is designed to cover the open end of a beverage container and to direct ambient air over or through the contents of the beverage container to generate conditioned air. The lid includes a body and a fan. The body is defined by a container engagement portion that engages with the open end of the beverage container and a duct portion that extends downwardly from the container engagement portion. The duct portion defines a first air channel through which ambient air drawn through an intake opening within the container engagement portion by the fan may be directed towards the contents of a beverage container. Conditioned air resulting from an exchange of heat between the ambient air and contents of the beverage container is directed to users via a second air channel within the container engagement portion.

Individuals commonly engage in activities and attend events in outdoor environments. Depending on the weather conditions present in the outdoor environment during an individual's participation in such activities or attendance of such events, the individual may be subjected to intense heat or extreme cold, thus causing the individual to experience discomfort. To provide temporary relief from such discomfort, individuals commonly ingest beverages having a temperature above or below the temperature of the outdoor environment. For instance, to combat the effects of intense heat, individuals may carry or purchase beverage containers containing cooled or iced liquids having a temperature below that of the outdoor environment. Conversely, to combat cold weather conditions, individuals may carry beverage containers containing heated liquids having a temperature above that exhibited by the outdoor environment. Although, ingesting cooled or heated liquids can provide temporary relief from discomforting weather conditions, continued application of cooled or heated air to an individual's may serve to provide more prolonged and effective relief. To this end, attempts have been made in the art to create air conditioning devices designed to utilize the internal contents of a beverage container to cool or warm individuals. However, known devices of this kind are largely impractical or ineffective as they generally either require the use of a specially designed container or lack any means to direct ambient air over or through the internal contents of a beverage container to generate conditioned air sufficient to cool or warm an individual's skin.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an air conditioning device that can be utilized with known beverage containers and that effectively provides conditioned air to individuals by utilizing the heated or cooled contents of the beverage container.

Air conditioning lid for beverage containers


A shiftable friction clutch for gear drives, in which a shift collar is arranged axially movably on a carrier sleeve which is mounted on the shaft which must be coupled to a gear, and in which at least one axially movable friction ring is provided, which belongs to a first clutch half and which cooperates through clutch friction surfaces with a second clutch half and which is supported through rolling elements on the carrier sleeve for producing the contact pressure by means of pressure surfaces which are arranged on the front surfaces remote from the clutch surfaces and which are inclined with respect to the plane of rotation. The friction clutch is constructed as a spring-loaded safety clutch, in which the friction members which are pressed onto one another during the starting or engagement operation are supported against a spring.

A friction clutch of this type is known from German Auslegeschrift No. 16 25 849, first published on Aug. 20, 1970, in which the spring for the safety clutch is arranged in the power flow - viewed from the clutch pack - behind the gear which must be coupled, so that when the safety clutch becomes effective, the gear must move. Thus the safety clutch is burdened with the mass of the gear, which can lead to difficulties during shifting, which are noticed externally by a chatter noise during shifting.
These disadvantages are overcome, if the masses in the power flow are arranged behind the spring first published Dec. 6, 1973 (German Patentschrift No. 2 225 096), so that the initial tension force of the spring is being influenced by as little mass as possible, in particular not by the mass of the movable gear. For certain cases of use, primarily if only small powers are to be transmitted, the installed length of this construction is relatively great. The transmission volume and thus the transmission price can therewith not be reduced proportionally with the output in the lower power range.
Other types of known structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,203,525 and 3,703,226.
Therefore, the basic purpose of the invention is to provide a friction clutch of the above-described type, which has at a relatively small assembled length still only small masses which act onto the spring.
This purpose is inventively attained by the carrier sleeve being mounted axially movably on the shaft and the supporting spring being arranged on the side of the carrier sleeve remote from the clutch friction surfaces, between the carrier sleeve and the shaft or between the carrier sleeve and a part which is fixedly connected to the shaft.
To increase the operating safety, two stops are arranged as is actually known, to limit the axial movement of the friction ring in direction of the clutch engagement of which stops the first is effective until the torque is exceeded and the second during an exceeding of the maximum permissible torque.
A preferable development of the invention is achieved, when the second stop is arranged acting in peripheral direction. Stops which act in peripheral direction are known. The friction ring which is supported through rolling elements on the guide sleeve carries out a helical movement, that is, a movement in both the axial direction and the peripheral direction. The stop which acts in peripheral direction prevents a jamming of the rolling elements or of the friction ring at high torque. The invention becomes particularly advantageous with an arrangement of the spring in the annular space which is formed by the carrier sleeve, shaft, gear and clutch element to thereby provide a compact solution.

Shiftable friction clutch for gear drives

Carl Hurth Maschinen- und Zahnradfabrik GmbH & Co.


A determination is made whether to forward a request for communication services associated with a specific number range from a physical telephone number mapping service server to a virtual telephone number mapping service server. Responsive to determining to forward the request, a determination is made whether a virtual telephone number mapping service instance has been provisioned to handle requests associated with the specific number range.

Telephone number mapping is a system of unifying the international telephone number system of the public switched telephone network with the Internet addressing and identification name spaces. Internationally, telephone numbers are systematically organized by the E.164 standard, while the Internet uses the Domain Name System (DNS) for linking domain names to IP addresses and other resource information. Telephone number mapping systems provide facilities to determine applicable Internet communications servers responsible for servicing a given telephone number using DNS queries.
The most prominent standard for telephone number mapping is the E.164 Telephone Number Mapping (ENUM) standard. The ENUM standard uses special DNS record types to translate a telephone number into a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) or IP address that can be used in Internet communications. Responsive to queries from clients in networks, such as Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks, ENUM servers return Naming Authority Pointer Resource Records (NAPTRs). NAPTR records are most commonly used for applications in Internet communication session management, e.g., in the mapping of servers and user addresses in the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The NAPTR record corresponding to the subscriber URI contains the subscriber contact record information.
ENUM therefore functions as a mechanism for translating a telephone number into a domain name with the requested address or number associated with it. ENUM services have become the core of national and international session management protocols for Video/Voice over IP (VoIP). ENUM services are used by VoIP service providers around the world and are expected to be employed for inter-service-provider operability.
While the ENUM standard provides important services, in the competitive world of multimedia IP solutions, there is increasing pressure to improve infrastructure resiliency and cost structures. Physical ENUMs (pENUMs) are limited in the sense that they are fixed on the underlying computing and communications infrastructure, as compared to cloud infrastructures. Once a pENUM is in place, it is not very flexible, e.g., to accommodate changes in traffic loads or location changes.

Methods, systems, and computer readable storage devices for determining whether to forward requests from a physical telephone number mapping service server to a virtual telephone number mapping service server


The disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for vector scattering parameter (s-parameter) measurements, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for providing a simple, low cost solution for tests requiring vector s-parameter measurements. The apparatus includes a source which provides an input signal, a divider which splits the input signal to a reference signal and a testing signal, a phase shifter which shifts the reference signal by a first phase and outputs a phase shifted signal, a device under test (DUT) which shifts the testing signal by a second phase and outputs a DUT shifted signal, a combiner which combines the phase shifted signal and the DUT shifted signal into a combined signal, and a detector which detects a product of the phase shifted signal and the DUT shifted signal.

Vector s-parameter measurements are used for fully characterizing a linear network, ensuring distortion-free transmission, designing efficient matching networks, and deriving accurate device and error models. In a generalized two-port network with characteristic impendence Z0, S11=b1/a1, describes the reflection/return loss for port 1, S12=b1/a2 describes the reverse gain/loss, S21=b2/a1 describes the gain/insertion loss, and S22=b2/a2 describes the reflection/return loss for port 2.
To determine vector s-parameter measurements, a phase detector down-converts a reference and test channels to make the measurements at a lower frequency. In this method, the phase detector requires extra hardware such as local oscillator sources, mixers, and filters to synchronize, convert and process the signals. Further, in this method, the phase detector requires complex software algorithms to calibrate the system in order to make both magnitude and phase measurements. In another method to determine vector s-parameter measurements, a six-port coupler uses at least three receivers to calculate the phase and another receiver for more accurate measurements, such as phase measurements close to zero and one-hundred eighty degrees. Further, two six-port couplers will be needed for a full two port of measurements. In addition, the six port coupler is a special purpose hardware component, which is not commonly available off the shelf. Thus, this method is problematic because it requires a complex six-port coupler which is not commonly available and because an extra receiver is required for phase measurements which are close to zero and one-hundred eighty degrees.

Apparatus and method for vector s-parameter measurements


Multilayer thermoformable structures for packaging film applications. The multilayer structures having at least a first layer of polyester, a second layer of a first adhesive and a third layer of a nylon blend formed into a flexible non-oriented film by coextrusion.

The present invention relates to multilayer thermoformable structures for packaging film applications. Particularly, the invention relates to polyester and nylon structures formed into packaging films.
Multilayer thermoforming structures formed into flexible films are used to package food and medicinal articles, to protect the articles against external contamination and abuse, and to provide an attractive package for the article for its eventual sale.
There is great commercial interest in the packaging industry for a film structure, which provides superior mechanical strength, better optical and gas barrier properties, and improved thermoformability.

Packaging films containing coextruded polyester and nylon layers