A vertical wind turbine having vertical blades, each blade being connected intermediate its ends by a hinge to a support arm having a hub that enables the blades to rotate around a vertical axis, a tie wire connected to the blade at positions spaced along the blade from the hinge, said tie wire engaging a spring-loaded pulley disposed inwardly of the blades, the arrangement being such that when the angle of inclination of the blades to the vertical axis alters under the action of centrifugal force the tie wire exerts a force on the pulley opposing the spring force whereby as the turbine speeds up the blades will remain at a predetermined angle of inclination until the force exerted by the wire exceeds the force of the spring. One end of the tie wire can be connected to a position on one blade and connected to another position on another blade so that all of the blades adopt the same angle of inclination to the vertical axis.

This invention relates to vertical axis wind turbines.
Vertical axis wind turbines are known such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,202 (P. J. Musgrove) but the blades of such turbines are subjected to large bending stresses due to centrifugal force action. This limits the rotational speed which can be achieved in use of the turbine.


Process for the production of a glucoamylase having a pH optimum at about 6.0 to 6.5 by a strain of Stachybotrys and the glucoamylase produced thereby.

At present, when producing dextrose industrially from starch, the principal glucoamylases employed for the saccharification process are those produced by microorganisms belonging to the genera Rhizopus and Aspergillus. The conditions under which these glucoamylases are employed are pH 5.0 and 55.degree. C. for the enzyme of the Rhizopus microorganism, and pH 4.5 and 60.degree. C. for the Aspergillus microorganism's enzyme. In addition, maximum dextrose content of the hydrozylate is about 96% (dry solids basis) when these glucoamylases react with enzyme liquefied starch at a 30% concentration. One reason that the dextrose yield does not reach 100% is that isomaltose accumulates due to a reverse reaction by these glucoamylases. However, there was recently published a report (U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,305) that the reverse reaction of glucoamylses is extremely small in the vicinity of neutrality and that the dextrose yield can thus be elevated to about 98% by carrying out the reaction at about a neutral pH with the joint use of pullulanase. The pullulanase acts to debranch the starch and increases the rate of glucoamylase action under these nearly neutral conditions. As far as neutral glucoamylases are concerned, only one has been reported to date, that being the glucoamylase produced by the rice blast-causing fungus (Piricularia oryzae; Kazuo Matsuda, et al: Amylase Symposium, Vol. 9, 1974), but this glucoamylase possesses low thermostability and so cannot be employed under industrial conditions.

Novel neutral glucoamylase and method for its production


An electro-optical device includes, a first substrate, a second substrate, an electrooptic material layer, an illuminating device, and a polarizing device. The electrooptic material layer is held between the first substrate and the second substrate. The illuminating device irradiates illumination light to an outer surface of the first substrate. The polarizing device is provided on the outer surface of the first substrate. The electrooptic material layer exhibits optical isotropy when no electric field is applied, and, when an electric field is applied, exhibits optical anisotropy corresponding to the magnitude of the electric field. The electrooptic material layer further has a characteristic to selectively reflect a first circularly polarized light having a first rotation direction. Light that passes through the polarizing device is a second circularly polarized light that has a second rotation direction reverse to the first rotation direction of the first circularly polarized light.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus.
2. Related Art
An electro-optical device that uses electronic polarization due to Kerr effect is known. The Kerr effect is a phenomenon that, when an electric field is applied, exhibits optical anisotropy which has an axis in the direction of the electric field and of which the degree is proportional to the square of the magnitude of the electric field. A known electrooptic material that exhibits the above Kerr effect is a liquid crystal material called a blue phase, for example. It has been known that a liquid crystal device (see JP-A-2000-275605) that employs a blue phase as a liquid crystal layer has a quick response speed. The blue phase exhibits optical isotropy when no electric field is applied, and exhibits optical anisotropy that is proportional to the square of the magnitude of an electric field applied under a predetermined temperature range.
Here, the liquid crystal material that exhibits a blue phase selectively reflects (selective reflection) circularly polarized light that advances toward the liquid crystal layer and that has the same rotation direction as the turning direction of the helix of the liquid crystal material. The wavelengths of selectively reflected light depend on the helical pitch and average refractive index of the liquid crystal material. Thus, when the wavelengths of selectively reflected light fall within visible light range, light that passes through the liquid crystal layer is colored by the liquid crystal layer.
Incidentally, the liquid crystal layer contains an additive chiral agent in order to improve development of a blue phase and scattering characteristics of a pseudo-isotropic phase. When the amount of additive chiral agent exceeds a predetermined amount and the helical pitch becomes short (shorter than or equal to 500 nm), a blue phase appears. In addition, as the amount of additive chiral agent is increased, the wavelengths of selectively reflected light become short.
In the above existing liquid crystal device, however, the following problems remain unsolved. That is, as the amount of the additive chiral agent is increased to set the selectively reflected wavelengths to a shorter wavelength side with respect to the visible light range, the chiral agent is deposited. In addition, since the saturation voltage of a cholesteric blue phase is shifted to a high voltage side, an electric field of a higher magnitude is required to drive the cholesteric blue phase. Furthermore, even when the selectively reflected wavelengths are set to a shorter wavelength side with respect to the visible light range, the selectively reflected wavelengths are shifted into the visible light range because of a change in temperature and, as a result, may decrease the contrast.

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus selectively reflecting and transmitting circularly polarized light having reverse rotation directions


A magnetic resonance device for monitoring growth of tissue in one or more bioreactors. The device can include a first magnet and a second magnet that can form a uniform magnetic field of desired strength around at least one sample of effluent from at least one bioreactor. At the command of a controller, an RF signal can illuminate the at least one magnetized sample, and sensors can detect at least one echo signal from the at least one magnetized sample. The controller can characterize the at least one sample based on the at least one echo signal. A resonator can shape the at least one echo signal.

The present teachings relate generally to tissue engineering, and more specifically to systems and methods to monitor tissue growth.
Magnetic resonance can be used to characterize the composition of materials by taking advantage of the different resonant frequencies of molecular structures. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) involves applying a magnetic field to the material, and the composition of the material determines the frequency of the resonance. When resonance is achieved, the material is illuminated for a short time with a radio frequency (RF) signal at the frequency of the resonance. When the material is illuminated, the material absorbs some of the signal's energy. When there is no illumination, the material will echo some of the absorbed energy back out. The echo can be used to identify the material. By systematically adjusting the magnetic field gradient and signal's pulse waveform, the echo can be converted into an image that enables tissue monitoring. NMR devices can be any size. Smaller NMR devices can include permanent magnets and can be used to measure high-resolution NMR spectra. Advances in real-time magnetic resonance techniques can be used to detect moving fluid as it passes through the magnetic field of the magnetic resonance apparatus. Real-time magnetic resonance techniques include continuous data acquisition and iterative reconstruction, and can be used to create a differenced picture of the temporal variation of the tissue growth based on effluent flowing through a growing tissue enclosure.
Currently, desktop NMR devices weigh between about 42 pounds and 375 pounds. A lighter device, geared for production settings, can be cost-effective to build and use. A device that can analyze multiple samples simultaneously can enable rapid tissue analysis.

System and method for characterizing bioreactor fluids


Various arrangements for sound generation based on remotely-enforced rules are presented. A rule definition for a rule may be received that defines a sound event to be remotely output in response to an occurrence of a home automation event. A home automation host system may monitor home automation data received from one or more home automation devices for the home automation event. In response to receiving home automation data indicative of the home automation event, the rule based on the rule definition may be executed. A sound execution message may be transmitted via a low-power wireless network to a sound generator, the message can include an identifier indicative of the sound.

Sound generation can play an important role in a home, both when residents are home and away. When residents are away, sound generated within a home can give an impression that people are home (such as people talking) and can help deter break-ins. If a break-in is in progress and sound is generated from within the home, the offender may abort the break-in due to being unsure of whether residents are present. When residents are home, sound can be used to alert residents and visitors to particular conditions, such as a smoke alarm, a garage door being left open, or a television show starting.

Remote sound generation for a home automation system

ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION


A sealing element for sealing a high-pressure side from a low-pressure side at a rotating shaft, in particular in a pump, with a supporting ring configured to be arranged on a stator surrounding the shaft and from which a first annular membrane protrudes facing in the direction toward the shaft. From the first annular membrane, a second annular membrane protrudes facing in the direction toward the shaft. The first annular membrane is formed longer than the second annular membrane as viewed in the axial direction of the shaft, and the second annular membrane is configured with a sealing edge which is to be arranged lying on the shaft.

The disclosure concerns a sealing element for sealing a high-pressure side from a low-pressure side at a rotating shaft, in particular in a pump, with a supporting ring which is to be arranged on a stator surrounding the shaft and from which a first annular membrane protrudes facing in the direction toward the shaft.
In particular in pumps, higher requirements are imposed on sealing elements for sealing rotating shafts compared with conventional shaft seals. The reason is mainly that a high pressure predominating on the high-pressure side can change greatly relative to the low pressure on the opposite side of the sealing element, and the pressure relationships of high pressure to low pressure can even sometimes reverse. When a low pressure occurs in a chamber which must otherwise be sealed for high pressure, in conventional shaft seals the sealing membrane lifts away from the shaft. As a result, in particular air can penetrate into the system to be sealed. Under a high positive pressure in the system, the sealing membrane with its sealing edge can be pressed so strongly against the shaft that increased friction losses and increased wear can result.
The consequence may be leaks and a shorter service life of the sealing element with its tribological system.
However, dynamic shaft seals for sealing rotating shafts which, in particular on a change of pressure relationship or on pressure fall, achieve a high sealing effect but only generate low friction losses and which are also formed compactly, are not known.

Sealing element for sealing a rotating shaft


A display module comprising a display assembly bonded to a substrate. The display assembly comprises a first side for displaying visual information and a second side. The second side comprises a first area having an adhesive layer and a second area having a through connection to a conductive pad. The substrate comprises a first side for receiving the display assembly. The first side comprises a first surface area for bonding to the adhesive layer and a second surface area comprising an electrode pad having multiple electrodes for receiving electrical signals. A conductive elastomer is positioned within the through connection establishing conductive continuity between the conductive pad and the electrode pad when the display assembly is bonded to the substrate.

The present invention relates, in general, to display modules and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for improving continuity between a substrate and a display assembly.
Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with display modules used in mobile phones.
Typically in Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) devices a contact is made between a conductive pad located on an LCD and electrodes located on an LCD driver. For example, a semiconductor device, such as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), uses a conductive elastomer interconnect. A steel frame is used to adhere the LCD and the LCD driver in a position that allows for minimum resistance between the conductive pad and the electrodes through the conductive elastomer interconnect. Variations in the position of the LCD and the LCD driver may create a discontinuity resulting in an increase in resistance across the conductive path. An increase in resistance across the conductive path affects the quality of the display.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1, where a prior art display module is illustrated and denoted generally as 10. Display module 10 comprises a substrate 12 having a electrode pad 14 comprising multiple electrodes 16 and a display assembly 18 having a conductive pad 20. A conductive elastomer 22 is positioned between electrode pad 14 and conductive pad 20. A steel frame 24 is used to secure substrate 12 to display assembly 18 and to maintain the integrity of the electrical connection between electrode pad 14 and conductive pad 20.
Substrate 12 is an electronic component, for example, a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), used to drive display assembly 18. Substrate 12 comprises electrode pad 14 having several electrodes 16 for receiving and transmitting electrical signals. Electrodes 16 may be formed from copper, gold-nickel plated copper or other similar materials. Display assembly 18, which may be an LCD for displaying visual information, includes conductive pad 20 formed of a transparent conductive film such as Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO). Conductive elastomer 22 is a flexible material comprising a plurality of flexible conductive wires. Conductive elastomer 22 interposed between electrode pad 14 and conductive pad 20 creates a conductive path between display assembly 18 and substrate 12.
The manufacture of steel frame 24 allows for a minimal y-axis variation. Variations in the steel frames y-axis may create a discontinuity or increase resistance across the conductive path formed by electrode pad 14, conductive pad 20 and conductive elastomer 22. Product use, for example, as a result of typical wear and tear, may also increase y-axis variations causing a further decrease in the quality of the electrical connection. In order to maintain a strong connection between electrode pad 14 and conductive pad 20, steel frame 24 must maintain a compression between 10% to 30% of elastomer 22.
As may be seen, therefore, an improved apparatus that eliminates y-axis variation in a display module used in mobile phones could provide a commercially useful article and improve the quality of the display module.
The present invention presents a display module exhibiting improved continuity between a conductive pad located on a display assembly and an electrode pad located on a substrate.
A display module is presented comprising a display assembly having a first side for displaying visual information and a second side. The second side comprises a first area having an adhesive layer and a second area having a through connection to a conductive pad. The display module further comprises a substrate having a first side for receiving the display assembly, wherein the first side comprises a first surface area for bonding to the adhesive layer and a second surface area comprising an electrode pad having multiple electrodes for receiving electrical signals. The display module further comprises a conductive elastomer positioned within the through connection. The conductive elastomer establishes conductive continuity between the conductive pad and the electrode pad when the display assembly is bonded to the substrate.


Apparatus and methods for pre-provisioning a generic connection to the bank to allow clients to transmit electronic test files. The test files may include one or more transaction requests submitted for processing by the client. Methods may evaluate infrastructure for processing the requested transactions. Methods may include determining a feasibility of the establishing the infrastructure. A phantom acknowledgement may be transmitted to the client before establishing the infrastructure to process the requested transactions.

Banks may offer clients different services. One of services offered is to initiate one or more banking transactions by submitting an electronic file to the bank. The client may transmit the electronic file using an online portal of the bank, email, or any other suitable method. Contents of the electronic file may be specially formatted. The contents may be formatted based on the type of transaction requested. Some files may include a plurality of different transactions. Each transaction listed in the file may be formatted differently.
The client may access the online portal using a user interface. For example, the client may wish to process a number of Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers to pay multiple invoices.
To process transactions based on an electronic file, the bank typically establishes an electronic connection that links the client to infrastructure for processing the transactions. The electronic connection may be accessible to the client through a user interface of the portal. The electronic connection may link the client, via the interface and portal to various types of payment networks. A payment network may be viewed as the "rails" used to transfer funds between the client and a target. The target may be another account of the client, a vendor, a government or any suitable target.
The portal may offer the capability to process a variety of different transaction types using various payment networks. The portal may offer the capability to process more transaction types than the client may regularly utilize.
The bank that operates the portal may establish electronic connections to the payment networks requested by the client. The bank may establish electronic connections to one or more payment networks used at least once by the client. The bank may offer the client an ability to utilize payment networks for which an electronic connection has not yet been established on behalf of the client.
The client may request a transaction that utilizes a payment network which the bank has not yet linked to the client or user interface of the client. It would be desirable to provide the client with banking services that, from the client's perspective, do not distinguish between different transactions requested by the client. Specifically, it would be desirable, from the client's perspective, that a requested transaction be processed in a consistent manner regardless of whether an electronic connection has yet to be established on behalf of the client or already exists.
For at least this reason, it would be desirable to provide pre-provisioning of electronic banking files.

Pre-provisioning electronic banking files


A waveguide for high efficiency transmission of high energy light useful in ablation procedures at predetermined bandwidths over predetermined distances comprising: an optical fiber core; a silanization agent; layered cladding surrounding the optical fiber core comprising: a first thin metal layer comprising at least two types of metals the first thin metal layer covalently bonded to the core and a second thin metal layer bonded to the second metal layer, and a catalyst component; wherein the silanization agent comprising organofunctional alkoxysilane molecule, such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS), is a self supporting bridge between the surface of the optical fiber and the first metal layer; the first metal layer is uniformly chemisorbed onto the surface of the optical fiber by means of covalent Si—O—Si bonds with the optical fiber; further wherein the catalyst component derived from an activation solution for enhancing the layered cladding upon the optical fiber.

Metal plating is a well-known process employed to alter the existing surface properties or dimensions of a substrate. A substrate may be plated for decorative purposes, to improve resistance to corrosion or abrasion, or to impart desirable electrical or magnetic properties to a substrate.
There are various methods of plating, including electroplating and electroless plating. Electroless plating involves the deposition of a metallic coating from an aqueous bath onto a substrate by a controlled chemical reduction reaction which is catalysed by the metal or alloy being deposited or reduced. This process differs from electroplating in that it requires no external electrical charge. One positive feature of electroless plating over electroplating is the ability to plate a substantially uniform metallic coating onto a substrate having an irregular shape. Frequently, electroplating an irregularly shaped substrate produces a coating having non-uniform deposit thicknesses because of varying distances between the cathode and anode of the electrolytic cell. Another positive feature of electroless plating over electroplating is that electroless plating is autocatalytic and continuous once the process is initiate, requiring only occasional replenishment of the aqueous bath. Also, electroless coatings are virtually nonporous, which allows for greater corrosion resistance than electroplated substrates.
In general, an electroless plating bath includes water, a water soluble compound containing the metal to be deposited onto a substrate, a complexion agent that prevents chemical reduction of the metal ions in solution while permitting selective chemical reduction on a surface of the substrate, and a chemical reducing agent for the metal ions. Additionally, the plating bath may include a buffer for controlling pH and various optional additives, such as bath stabilizers and surfactants.
Numerous methods have been used to grow metal nanowires. Among all the methods, solution-phase synthesis is one of the most promising routes to prepare ID nanostructure in terms of cost, throughput and the potential for high-volume production. In Y. G. Sun, Y. D. Yin, B. T. Mayers, T. Herricks, Y. N. Xia, Chem. Mater. 14, (2002), 4736., Y. G. Sun, Y. N. Xia. Adv. Mater. 14, (2002), 833 and M. Giersig, I. Pastoriza-Santos, L. M. Liz-Marz'an, J. Mater. Chem. 14, (2004), 607 poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), silver nanowires were synthesized by organic solvent reduction such as ethylene glycol and N,N-dimethylfonnamide (DMF). Silver nanowires also had been synthesized in aqueous solutions. For instance, Murphy and co-workers in N. R. Jana, L. Gearheart, C. J. Murphy, Chem. Commun. 7, (2001), 617, had reported a process to synthesize silver nanorods by reducing AgNO3 with ascorbic acid. Zhang et al. also had reported a seed-less synthesis of silver nanowires using ascorbic acid as reducer in the presence of poly (methacrylic acid) (PMAA). In J. Q. Hu, Q. Chen, Z. X. Xie, G. B. Han, R. H. Wang, B. Ren, Y. Zhang, Z. L. Yang, Z. Q. Tan, Adv. Funct. Mater. 14, (2004), 183, Tan and co-workers had synthesized silver nanorods and nanowires by reduction of AgNO3 with tri-sodium citrate in the presence of dodecylsulfonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,542 also teaches a process for the electroless plating of silver onto a substrate using an aqueous plating bath comprising silver nitrate, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate and/or bicarbonate and hydrazine hydrate as a reducing reagent. The composition of the plating bath allows metallic silver to be precipitated from the plating bath by boiling in the form of sediment uncoated surface. There is therefore a long unmet need for improved metallized optical fibers.

Coated optical fibres having improved features


The present invention relates to packaging for various fragile articles, including a method and particularly relates to the packaging of fragile articles such as glass lighting fixture globes including ones commonly known as "Tiffany" types.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging for various fragile articles, including a method and particularly relates to the packaging of fragile articles such as glass lighting fixture globes including ones commonly known as "Tiffany" types.
The safe transportation of such aforementioned articles is a problem since it demands relatively expensive bulky and elaborate packaging, which has not, in some instances, proved successful in avoiding breakage.

Package arrangement for fragile articles


A heat exchanger tube (10) for use in an application, such as a shell and tube type air conditioning system condenser, in which a fluid flowing through the heat exchanger external to the tubes condenses by transfer of heat to a cooling fluid flowing through the tubes. The tube has at least one fin convolution (22) extending helically around its external surface (13). Multiple axial notches (23) are impressed into the fin at intervals along its extent. Because the notches are impressed and not cut into the fin, material displaced from a fin to form a notch forms lateral projections (24) from the the walls of the fin. The notched fins provide increased external heat transfer surface area on the tube, destabilize the film of condensate on the tube external surface, thus causing the film to be generally thinner, and promote condensate drainage from the fins and off the tube and thus increase the heat transfer performance of the tube.

This invention relates generally to heat exchanger tubes of the type used in shell and tube type heat exchangers. More particularly, the invention relates to a tube for use in an application such as a condenser for an air conditioning system.
A shell and tube type heat exchanger has a plurality of tubes contained within a shell. The tubes are usually arranged to provide a multiplicity of parallel flow paths for one of two fluids between which it is desired to exchange heat. The tubes are immersed in a second fluid that flows through the heat exchanger shell. Heat passes from the one fluid to the other fluid by through the walls of the tube. In one typical application, in an air conditioning system condenser, a cooling fluid, usually water, flows through the tubes of the condenser. Refrigerant flows through the condenser shell, entering as a gas and leaving as a liquid. The heat transfer characteristics of the individual tubes largely determines the overall heat transfer capability of such a heat exchanger.
There are a number of generally known methods of improving the efficiency of heat transfer in a heat exchanger tube. One of these is to increase the heat transfer area of the tube. In a condensing application, heat transfer performance is improved by maximizing the amount of tube surface area that is in contact with the fluid.
One of the most common methods employed to increase the heat transfer area of a heat exchanger tube is by placing fins on the outer surface of the tube. Fins can be made separately and attached to the outer surface of the tube or the wall of the tube can be worked by some process to form fins on the outer tube surface.
Beside the increased heat transfer area, a finned tube offers improved condensing heat transfer performance over a tube having a smooth outer surface for another reason. The condensing refrigerant forms a continuous film of liquid refrigerant on the outer surface of a smooth tube. The presence of the film reduces the heat transfer rate across the tube wall. Resistance to heat transfer across the film increases with film thickness. The film thickness on the fins is generally lower than on the main portion of the tube surface due to surface tension effects, thus lowering the heat transfer resistance through the fins.
It is possible, however, to attain even greater improvement in condensing heat transfer performance from a heat transfer tube as compared to a tube having a simple fin enhancement.


A method for performing unit conversion and managing units in mathematical computations. The method employs unit objects, which each have a scalar part and a unit part that together are treated as a single entity in computation. In the process of carrying out computations, the unit object operands of a particular operation are disassembled into their scalar and unit parts, new scalar and unit parts are calculated therefrom, and the new parts are combined to produce the new unit object. The method thereby simplifies computation involving physical quantities such as length and temperature and also aids in verifying that the computations are correct. To simplify the entry of the unit parts for unit objects, a unique user interface is provided.

This inventions relates to method and apparatus for carrying out mathematical computations, such as with computers and calculating devices. More particularly, this invention relates to carrying out mathematical computations with terms that include a scalar part and a unit part such as length, mass, time, etc.
Mathematical computations often involve physical terms that have units such as a length, a temperature, a voltage, etc. In the process of carrying out a computation with multiple terms, units may be converted to a dimensionally consistent unit, such as inches to feet, or cancelled if the same unit appears in both the numerator and denominator of the final result. Conventional calculating devices such as calculators and computers are not equipped to manage physical units in mathematical computations. The manipulation of physical units is typically limited to providing conversion factors for converting a scalar associated with one type of unit to a scalar associated with another type of unit, such as converting 18 inches to 1.5 feet.
Mathematical computations involving physical units are thus split into two steps. First, one must write out the computations manually, usually with pencil and paper, and then resolve the units using conversion factors. Then a calculating device is used to perform the numerical calculations and the conversions. This two-step method is not only slow but is also prone to error. In attempting to resolve the units one can mistakenly combine dimensionally inconsistent units, such as inches and gallons, and not catch the error.

Method and apparatus for computing with terms having units


A search context is recorded during a search performed by a first user. The search context may include environmental variables associated with the computing equipment used by the first user such as at least one of regional settings, geographic location, social attributes, job role, browse history, and cookie files. The search context may be encrypted or be restricted for use by certain users and for a specific period of time. The search context may be sent to a second user or a group. The context is applied to environmental variables associated with the computing equipment used by the second user. The second user can thereby substantially duplicate the search performed by the first user.

1. Technical Field
Present invention embodiments relate to searching content, and more specifically, to providing a search context of a first user to a second user to enable the second user to obtain search results similar to those of the first user.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Searching for information is performed in a wide variety of contexts from World Wide Web (www)—based browser initiated searches, to basic research, to finding customer related information, and the like. To perform searches, a database or web search engine is employed to search data sources or repositories to retrieve documents or web pages based on the terms employed by the search.
When a particular user browses or searches online web content, a given search path is followed by the search engine based on multiple criteria, many of which form a user specific context (e.g., user location, regional setting, country, social attributes, job role, user search history, and/or user defined search options). Given the user specific nature of many web searches, the same search and corresponding search results are almost impossible to duplicate by another user. By way of example, if user A searches topic X and then passes information (e.g., search terms) to user B on topic X, it is nearly impossible for user B to follow the same search path as user A and obtain the same results. Thus, when user B initiates a search for the same content as user A, user B is likely to search under a different context than that associated with user A, and thereby obtain different results than those obtained by user A.
Accordingly, traditional approaches to web or other searches may hamper collaboration among users that may be working on a particular project and benefit from the ability to duplicate search results among users.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Searching content based on transferrable user search contexts

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The invention relates to a method and a system for placing electric circuits in integrated circuit chip design. Specifically, the invention encompasses performing a global placement step placing the cells into bins on the chip, as well as a detailed placement process which arranges the cells in the bins to obtain a legal arrangement while generating simply connected free space for routing channels.

In the manufacture of microelectronics, circuits and other logic must be placed on chips under certain wirability and timing constraints. Specifically, the electric circuits must be placed in such a way that the wiring interconnects between the cells are within the wiring constraints of the chip. Moreover, the wiring interconnects between the cells cannot be placed arbitrarily close to each other. Rather, a certain wiring pitch must be observed. Placement of cells on a chip is especially problematic when the wiring requirements between the electric circuits approach the wiring availability. In these situations, the resulting wiring congestion can cause "hot spots" on the chip which make the design unwirable. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the placement of cells on the chip so that the available wiring space matches the routing requirements.
Attempts have been made to provide improved circuit placement. In general, such attempts begin by positioning cells (typically including circuits, transistors and other elements) on a chip while minimizing the sum of the squared net length. Subsequently, the chip is then divided/partitioned into a first placement level having four bins or quadrants. The cells are then arranged in the four bins. Next, each of the four bins are partitioned into a second placement level having four sub-bins, and the cells for each bin are arranged in the corresponding sub-bins. The process can then be repeated for subsequent placement levels until a minimum bin size is reached. Although this allows the cells to be physically positioned on the chip, it does not guarantee a wirable chip placement. To provide a wirable chip placement, a user must subsequently either manually identify the positioned logic nodes that cause wiring congestion and reduce the circuit density accordingly, or reduce the overall chip density by increasing the chip size. In the case of the former, several time-consuming iterations are required. In the case of the latter, increasing the chip size will lead to a substantial increase in cost.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,584 B2 discloses a method and a system for placing cells based on an estimated wiring congestion. In congested areas the placement density is reduced, thus reducing the original congestion problem. The output of this placement is an assignment of cells to placement bins. In a final detailed placement step cells are legally placed inside the designated placement bins. Since cells are usually blocked on the first wiring layer M1 by a major portion of their area, this results in a highly fragmented routing space on the first wiring layer which can hardly be used by a routing tool. Due to the high number of first wiring layer shapes and since the first wiring layer cannot be used for significant routing anyway, many modern routers use the first wiring layer M1 strictly for pin access to considerably improve the router's runtime behavior. In typical standard cells of a 90 nm design, the placement densities are between 60 to 70%. Hence, a significant amount of routing space is given up. But even if the router would use the first wiring layer routing resources, the fragmented nature of the placement only allows very short segments that do not improve wireability. Additional vias are needed to wire down into the empty first wiring layer area and back again.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a method and a system for placing logic nodes on a chip in such a way as to improve wiring and make better use of the routing resources of the first wiring layer M1.

Method and system for placement of electric circuit components in integrated circuit design

International Business Machines Corporation


A roller conveyor for automatically sorting produce or other items according to size which includes an apparatus and method for hydraulically adjusting the space between the rollers to permit optional uniformly graduated increments or fixed spacing between each pair of rollers. Each roller of the conveyor is slidably mounted at opposite ends of the roller to a frame. The ends of each roller are supported in a bearing block and each adjacent pair of rollers is interconnected at the ends of the roller by a slidable connecting rod attached between the bearing blocks of the adjacent rollers. The spacing between the rollers is hydraulically controlled by using a series of hydraulic cylinders which are operated in tandem to selectively inject hydraulic fluid into the bearing blocks so as to cause the connecting rods to slide the rollers further apart, or in the alternative to cause hydraulic fluid to be expelled from the bearing blocks and to drive the slidable connecting rods closer together so that the rollers will be spaced more closely.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and methods used for sorting produce or other items according to size, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for hydraulically adjusting the space between the rollers on a conveyor to permit optional uniformly graduated increments or fixed spacing between each pair of rollers.
2. The Prior Art
In many industries there is a need to automatically sort items according to size. For example, in the agricultural industry, one common method for sorting objects according to size is to place the objects on a conveyor which consists of a series of rollers. The surface of the rollers and the slope or incline at which the conveyor is placed permits the various items of produce placed on the conveyor to be transferred from one end of the conveyor to the other. Depending upon the size of the space between each pair of rollers, produce which is a certain size and smaller will fall through the spaces between the rollers, whereas larger items of produce will continue to be carried by the rollers to the end of the conveyor. In this manner, the roller conveyor automatically sorts the produce according to size.
In order to be able to change the size of produce which is permitted to drop through the roller conveyor, there is a need to be able to adjust the space between rollers. The ability to adjust the spacing between rollers is important because it permits the conveyor to be used for a much wider variety of products, as well as permitting the conveyor to be used for sorting various sizes of a particular product. There have been several attempts in the art to address this particular need.
One attempt which has been made in the prior art involves the use of a frame which is used to support the rollers, and providing on the frame a series of holes which can be selected for each roller. Each roller is then secured to the frame by placing a bolt through the selected hole and then securing the bolt with a nut. By providing a series of holes the location of each roller can be changed as desired so that spacing between rollers can be increased or decreased to permit sorting of larger or smaller items, as needed. While this particular methods works for purposes of permitting the conveyor to be adjusted and used for sorting different sizes, the disadvantage of this method is that there is a good deal of manual labor involved in having to undo and resecure each individual roller. Thus, it is very time consuming and inconvenient, as well as creating costly downtime in order to make the needed adjustments.
Another approach which has been used in the art to vary the spacing between rollers is to provide coil springs which are compressed between each pair of adjacent rollers. By increasing the distance between the first and the last rollers on the conveyor, the coil springs will automatically expand the distance between all adjacent rollers so as to increase the space between them. While this particular approach permits more rapid adjustment when increasing or decreasing the space between adjacent rollers, it has the disadvantage that the space between each pair of rollers will be uniform. In some circumstances, it is desirable to have different size spaces between the roller at opposite ends of the conveyor so that smaller items will be sorted at one end of the conveyor while somewhat larger items will be sorted at the other end of the conveyor. Another disadvantage of this approach is that items can get caught between the rollers, forcing them apart. This results in nonuniform sorting.

Apparatus and method for sorting produce


A portable fishing pole support holder. The holder includes support arms for holding the fishing pole in a variety of elevated, operable positions; legs which support the holder in a standing position; collapsing device for quick, easy, and efficient storage or transport thereof; and locking device for secure operation thereof.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a fishing pole support holder, and particularly to a collapsible device for supporting a fishing pole in any of a plurality of operable positions.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
There are known inventions that support fishing poles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 525,132 discloses a fishing pole holder intended to be inserted into the ground, with brackets for holding a plurality of fishing poles. This invention, however, fails to provide a support that can hold a fishing pole in a plurality of operable positions.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,025 discloses a fishing pole holder which includes a helical coil and shank for attachment to a boat surface. The invention is not portable, however, and is capable of holding a fishing pole in only a single operable position.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,146 discloses a fishing pole holder that is inserted into the ground and includes a plurality of partially-adjustable tubular members for holding fishing poles. This invention, however, is not collapsible or able to substantially adjust a fishing pole relative to a given surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,069 discloses a fishing pole holder that includes a clamp and two attachable legs which, along with the fishing pole handle, form a tripod to support the pole in an upright and operable position. Because of the clamping feature, the invention fails to provide a convenient means for adjusting the elevation of the fishing pole.
Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,179 discloses a fishing pole holder utilizing a tripod mechanism for holding a fishing pole in an operable position, but fails to disclose such a holder with means for conveniently adjusting the elevation of the pole relative to the surface upon which the invention is situated.

Fishing pole support holder and methods of constructing and utilizing same


An identification clip for a garment hanger, wherein the garment hanger has a clip holder with a retaining pin and a flange spaced apart and parallel thereto forming a gap therebetween. The clip has side walls and a bight portion and the ends of the U forming a nip adapted to fit in the gap when the identification clip is on the retaining portion of the hanger so as to avoid easy removal of the clip from the hanger.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to garment hangers having an identification clip, but more particularly to a garment hanger with an identification clip which cannot be readily removed manually.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Garment hangers which make use of information or identification tabs allow stores or garment manufacturers to display information about the garment to prospective customers. A garment hanger having a display or identification tab can provide size or brand of clothing on the hanger. It is important that these identification tabs be interchangeable and, therefore, easily removable or insertable on the hangers.
For example, stores will often retain the garment hanger upon the sale of a garment and reuse them with a new collection of garments. Accordingly, new garments placed on the garment hangers have ,to be selected according to a matching identification tab, or the identification tab is removed by a salesclerk and replaced with one indicating the proper size or identification of the garment.
Although these garment hangers with identification tabs are not new, once available to the purchaser, the removable tab can pose a danger to small children who may swallow it.
Changes have recently been made to these tabs to prevent the removal of the tab once it has been inserted on the garment hanger. The problem, associated with removal of the information tabs from the garment hanger, is not completely resolved since such tabs can still be removed with little effort.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,199,608, 1993, Zuckerman, and 5,238,159, 1993, Zuckerman, teach the use of identification tabs which, once installed or inserted on the tab holder, are more difficult to remove (depending on the thickness of the material). Although the patents mention that a tool can be used to remove the tabs, their inherent designs would make the removal, even with a tool, very difficult without breakage. In addition, multiple insertions and removals of the tabs from the garment hanger are likely to cause the weakening of the plastic such that the tab eventually breaks down after multiple usage.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a garment hanger having an identification clip which can be removed manually with difficulty and thus is childproof, but which can be removed with a tool repeatedly without weakening the structure of the tab or the tab holder itself on the garment hanger.


Systems, methods, and devices for dynamically mapping and remapping memory when a portion of memory is activated or deactivated are provided. In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device may include several memory banks, one or more processors, and a memory controller. The memory banks may store data in hardware memory locations and may be independently deactivated. The processors may request the data using physical memory addresses, and the memory controller may translate the physical addresses to hardware memory locations. The memory controller may use a first memory mapping function when a first number of memory banks is active and a second memory mapping function when a second number is active. When one of the memory banks is to be deactivated, the memory controller may copy data from only the memory bank that is to be deactivated to the active remainder of memory banks.

Embodiments described herein are related to the field of memory management techniques and, more particularly, to techniques for memory mapping on-the-fly.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Electronic devices, such as portable and desktop computers, increasingly employ greater quantities of memory for high performance graphics and other features. In many cases, large portions of the memory may sit idle at a given time, since such large portions of memory may be in use only during memory-intensive operations, such as rending high-performance graphics. However, even while idle, the memory and accompanying circuitry may consume power.
Various techniques have been developed to reduce the power consumption of idle memory devices. For example, depending on the performance needs of the electronic device, memory and/or memory buses may be clocked at a lower frequency, but may continue to draw operating power. Moreover, while certain techniques may involve shutting down power to one or more memory devices of a portable electronic device to conserve power, these techniques do not provide on-the-fly memory remapping and/or may inefficiently copy data from the powered down memory to the memory that remains. Instead, these techniques may employ inefficient memory mapping structures, such as translation lookaside buffers (TLBs), and/or may involve copying data from various portions of the memory other than the portion that is to be powered down.


A self-supporting textile package. The package includes a first generally rectangular sheet of cardboard forming a bottom layer having an upper and lower surface. A plurality of stacks of loose cut fabric pieces are placed on the upper surface of the first sheet of cardboard. A second generally rectangular sheet of cardboard forms a top layer having an upper and lower surface. Plastic film then is used to surround both the first and second generally rectangular sheets of cardboard and the plurality of stacks of loose cut fabric pieces to form a stable, self-supporting package suitable for shipment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to container systems and, more particularly, to a self-supporting textile package for shipping cut fabric parts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In today's modern apparel operations, fabric is often cut to size at one location and assembled into a final garment at another location. This is done, in part, because lower cost sewing operations may be some distance away from the best site for fabric manufacturing.
Currently, individual parts for a garment are cut and matched up to provide the necessary pieces to assemble a number of garments. The parts are then packed in a cardboard container such as a "UNI-PAK" container, which consists of a plastic base and a cardboard sleeve (Uni-Pak.RTM. containers are manufactured by Shuert Industries, Sterling Heights, Mich.).
While such containers have been commercially successful, they weigh about 60 pounds each and must be returned to the fabric manufacturing plants in order to be reused. As can be appreciated, this adds significantly to the freight costs associated with moving the fabric pieces between multiple locations.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved self-supporting textile package which is sufficiently strong to support and protect the fabric pieces from dirt, oil and grease while, at the same time, may be discarded after one use to avoid return shipment costs.


A 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline derivative has a structure of formula (I). R9 is a member selected from the group consisted of an aryl group having one or more substituents and a heteroaryl group having one or more substituents, and R1 to R8 are substituents. The 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline derivative of the present invention incorporates an indole and a quinoxaline group therefore inherits good energy transfer ability from indole and good electron-injection ability from quinoxaline. The compound of the present invention may function as a host material or a dopant in the light-emitting layer. In addition, the compound of the present invention may function as hole transport material, electron transport material, hole blocking material, electron blocking material, hole injecting material or electron injecting material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel compound and organic light emitting diode using the same, particularly to 6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline derivative and organic light emitting diode using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
OLED works on the principal that electrons and holes diffuse through an electron transport layer (ETL) and hole transport layer (HTL), respectively, to enter an light-emitting layer, and recombine in the emitting region to form a particle generally referred as exciton. In order for the exciton to relax to the ground state, the energy is given off in the form of photo radiation. The radiation color can be tuned by applying different emitting materials. OLED has been highly-regarded due to a lot of advantages, such as self illumination, wider visual angle (>170°), shorter response time (˜μs), higher contrast, higher efficiency, lower power consumption, higher brightness, lower operative voltage (3-10V), thinner size (<2 mm), flexibility and so on.
The exciton generated from recombining holes and electrons may have triplet state or singlet state for its spin state. The singlet exciton relaxation would radiate fluorescence, and the triplet exciton relaxation would radiate phosphorescence. The phosphorescence has triple lighting efficiency in comparison to fluorescence, and metal complexes may be used in the emitting layer so as to form strong spin-orbital coupling, whereby combined singlet and triplet excited states causes elevated IQE (internal quantum efficiency), 100%, within the device. Therefore, phosphorescent metal complexes have been used as phosphorescent dopants in light-emitting layer. In addition, by using a doping method in the emitting layer, self-quenching of the emitting materials can be reduced greatly to enhance the efficiency of the device. Therefore, the search for proper phosphorescent host materials becomes noteworthy since host materials must be capable of capturing carriers and have good energy transfer properties, high glass transition temperature, high thermal stability and appropriate energy gap of the singlet and triplet excited states. However, it would be difficult to search for host materials that fully meet the criteria and there is still some room for host materials development in OLED.
To sum up, to develop novel host materials is now a current goal.


A balance weight comprising a cartridge having at least one interior chamber, the interior chamber at least partially filled with a flowable balance media, and wherein the cartridge is longitudinally arcuate, at least when attached to a wheel, about an angle of up to 180 degrees or less. The balance weight provides a balanced tire in the new or just balanced condition and helps retain the balance under changes in at least one operational characteristic of the tire/wheel assembly.

It is standard practice to reduce adverse vibrational effects by balancing the wheel rim and tire assembly by using a balance machine and clip-on lead weights or lead tape weights. The lead balance weights are placed on the rim flange of the wheel and clamped in place in a proper position, or adhered to the wheel in the case of tape weights, as directed by the balancing machine. In general terms, balance is the uniform distribution of mass about an axis of rotation, where the center of gravity is in the same location as the center of rotation. A balanced tire/wheel assembly is one where mass of the tire/wheel assembly mounted on the vehicle's axle-is uniformly distributed around the axle. There are generally two types of balancing, single plane balancing and dual plane balancing. Single plane balancing uses a single weight plane and only addresses "up-and-down" imbalance. Dual plane balancing uses two weight planes and thus eliminates "up-and-down" and "side-to-side" imbalance.
While lead weight balancing has been generally effective, there are several problems associated with their use. Primarily, the standard wheel weights are manufactured from a lead material that has been identified as having a hazardous influence on the environment. Various national and multinational regulating agencies have passed rules restricting the use of lead balance weights in the future. Balance weights that are not properly secured may fall off during use—resulting in an unbalanced tire. A further disadvantage is that the standard clip on balance weight is difficult to attach to many of the newer wheels which have a reduced wheel flange and are too aesthetically unpleasing to be used on the flanges of fancy alloy wheels. In addition, once the balance weight is in position, regardless of whether a clip-on or tape weight, you can no longer adjust to slight to moderate changes in the proper balance location caused by changing tire/wheel assembly operational characteristics, i.e. tire wear, different speeds, changes in loads which change the loaded radius of the tire, etc.
Attempts to overcome some of these difficulties in truck tires and wheels have resulted in the development of automatic balancing rings comprising a 360 degree annular tube filled with weights in combination with a damping fluid. The tubes are typically attached adjacent the wheel flange. However, these devices tend to cause out of balance problems at lower speeds until the weights are properly positioned. In addition, the balancing rings prevent the attachment of wheel covers or detract from the aesthetics of newer alloy wheels.
The standard wheel balancing systems described above have various disadvantages. It would therefore be an advantage to combine the features of the fixed balance weights in a no-lead configuration in a manner that was able to adjust to operational changes in the tire/wheel assembly without the problems associated with balance rings, in a simple and effective manner.

Balance weight cartridge with enclosed balance media


Generating a wizard includes receiving a scheme as an input source to form a received scheme, wherein the received scheme is a taxonomy, receiving a defined set of content files to form received content files, and loading the received content files and the received scheme. The received content files can be tagged using the received scheme. A wizard can be generated using the received scheme. The generated wizard is capable of use with an application utilizing the scheme, wherein a change in the received scheme is directly represented in the generated wizard.

Richly classified and structured content enables many useful applications, including faceted browsing and filtered search, dynamically personalized web pages or books. This type of content may also be referred to as smart content (Gilbane in a smart content study (co-sponsored by IBM®)).
Common problems arising when using the content include having the content classified correctly, understanding relationships between classification values and enabling the values to be easy for users to select or navigate.
The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) 1.2 standard (OASIS DITA 1.2 specification, section on classification) provides a standardized solution addressing the problem of classifying and the problem of relating values with an extensible markup language (XML) format for classification schemes. DITA therefore enables XML data for authoring and publishing activities. The format provides control over values available to classifiers (such as original authors and publisher) and also provides a hierarchy for the values, which establishes relationships between the values. The hierarchy can also be used to expose values for user selection.
However, in instances in which classification schemes contain many facets and complex interdependencies, a typical user cannot be expected to select appropriate values to address a specific problem or a filtering scenario without a degree of guidance beyond that which is provided in a simple hierarchical browse.
Typically, in the case of complex schemes, the user is guided through a series of choices using a wizard or other form of coaching interface. This type of guidance typically solves the user problem but also creates maintenance and translation issues for the original authors and publishers. For example, maintenance issues occur when the classification scheme changes, because the guidance must be changed in the classification scheme, and also in the wizard for navigating or selecting from the scheme.
In another example, exploring websites through contextual facets uses dynamic generation of facets, which may be browsed, from discovered metadata in pages. The example however does not enable use of pre-existing taxonomies, or generation of wizards for complex facet selection. A further example deals with automatic personalization of content by dynamic selection of facets, with minimal interaction from a user. The further example does not address management of taxonomies or the design of guided selection experiences.
Another solution example provides a capability to navigate any given hierarchically organized value set, but does not provide a method for generating a guided selection experience (for example, a wizard) to handle complex facet selection scenarios, including inter-related facets. In a similar example, a capability is provided to navigate and select from a combination of facets and tags; however guided selection or single sourcing between a wizard and a taxonomy source is not provided. A further mechanism provides a capability of merging of multiple facets for consolidated search across domains using a mix of different facets. However guided selection or single sourcing between a wizard and a taxonomy source is not provided by the mechanism.
Another mechanism purported to resolve the problems provides a capability for deploying an enterprise-wide taxonomy, with methods for identifying relationships between nodes in the taxonomy that could be used to affect interface display. However the mechanism does not provide support for single sourcing of a guided selection interface and a taxonomy. A similar mechanism provides a capability for guided navigation of search results using taxonomies, potentially derived from a variety of sources including dynamic analysis, and ontologies. The described mechanism does not include guided navigation for the initial selection of a set of related terms, using the taxonomy document itself as a single source for both an allowed value list used by a search engine and a wizard interface used to guide the user through the selection process.

Managing a classification system and associated selection mechanism


A knee prosthesis for surgical implantation to a patient's leg bone at the knee joint area includes a prothesis body portion that extends transversely relative to the patient's intramedullary canal for carrying a bearing surface that articulates with the patient's adjacent leg bone or with another prosthesis component. A conical connector extends from the prosthesis portion and along an axis that generally tracks the patient's intramedullary canal. A stem member includes first and second end portions and has a central longitudinal stem axis. The stem member includes a socket at each end portion for forming connections to the conical connector at the respective end portions as selected by the surgeon. One of the sockets has a central longitudinal axis that generally coincides with the central longitudinal axis of the stem. The other socket has a central longitudinal axis that forms an acute angle with the axis of the stem.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to orthopedic prosthetic devices and more particularly relates to a modular joint prosthesis. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved orthopedic joint implant that allows the surgeon to choose intraoperatively, the valgus angle for a stem extension that will best fit the patient's intramedullary canal by using a stem member having two tapers, one at each end of the stem and each taper having a different angle in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the stem itself. The apparatus of the present invention thus provides an easy method and apparatus for selecting the valgus angle, simply using one end or the other depending on the desired angle.
2. General Background
Most orthopedic implants that have an extension that fits into the intramedullary canal of a patient's bone provide a fixed position for the extension relative to the joint prosthesis that can not be changed intraoperatively. However, some prior art type joint implants do provide variable valgus angles. The prior art typically solves this problem by placing the variable angle structure at one end of the stem only. By only providing a variability at one end of the stem, a complicated system is necessarily required in order to change the angle. Many different components and/or complicated linkage can be required to achieve the desired result.
Many joint prosthetic devices have been patented which have discussed the problem of changing the valgus angle intraoperatively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,796 uses a series of bolts extending through a femoral component at different angles that will correspond to different valgus angles. The loosening of a bolt could lead to catastrophic failure of the entire component. Any prosthesis system of the '796 patent includes stems of different lengths and different diameters which can be attached to the bolts to provide a system with stems of different and diameter lengths set at different valgus angles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,760 provides a modular prosthesis stem extension that is discussed as being an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,037. A stem extension is disclosed with a six degree valgus inclination as well as a degree of superior or inferior angulation such as for example two (2.degree.) degrees. This inclination and angulation are anatomically correct in each reversed position of the modular stem extension. The '760 patent discloses a coupling mechanism and a stem with an off-set angle at one end that goes through the coupling. This allows the stem to be rotated at different positions for different angles, then locked into place with a locking nut. There is a possibility of loosening at the locking mechanism which could lead to instability and failure of the prosthesis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,581 issued to Paxxon entitled "Modular Hip Joint Prosthesis with Adjustable Anteversion" provides a modular hip prosthesis and instrumentation for implanting same. The hip prosthesis has provision for varying the angulation between the stem portion and the trochanteral module portion by provision of connection means between the neck and stem which can be positioned or attached together in a variety of rotational positions. Variation of the angulation or anteversion is made possible in the virtue of the fact that the axis of the connection portion of the stem and neck is angularly off-set from the axis of the body of the stem and neck respectively. Instrumentation is provided for formation of a cavity for implantation of a prosthesis which is provided within indication means for indicating to the surgeon the optimum angle for the assembly of the prosthesis for implantation into a particular proximal femur. A problem can occur with this system when rotating the stem as translation of the stem is not only in the desired medial-lateral direction, but also to the anterior or posterior direction, depending on the angle desired. This could result in impingement of the stem with the cortex and the canal in the anterior or posterior position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,037 issued to Peterson provides a universal modular prosthesis stem extension designed to be attachable on the under surface of a femoral or tibial prosthesis. The stem extension forms part of a modular system wherein a single stem extension could be selectively attached to any one of a multiplicity of femoral or tibial components, thus reducing the amount of inventory which is necessary to be maintained by a surgeon. In the preferred embodiment, each stem extension is designed with a six (6.degree.) degree valgus inclination and is reversible for left or right patients. The system is held in place with pins that could loosen during use. Because a single stem must be required for each different angle, increased inventory is required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,366 issued to Bolesky provides a modular knee prosthesis assembly for the replacement of a portion of the knee joint. The assembly has a femoral component which is formed to include first bearing surfaces and first means for demountably receiving at optional femoral system member. The assembly also has a tibial component that is formed to include a platform and second means for demountably receiving an optional tibial stem member. The assembly includes a separate tibial insert that is configured to be supported by the tibial component platform. The tibial insert is formed to include second bearing surfaces that are configured to mate with the first surfaces on the femoral component to permit pivotal movement between the femoral component and the tibial component. This system puts a stem with the reduced diameter into a mating counter bore of a mounting fixture which is then affixed to the component by means of a screw or nut on the side of the component opposite the stem mounting fixture. As the screw or nut is tightened the component is sandwiched between the screw or nut in the stem mounting fixture. A problem can occur in that this system provides no locking mechanism to prevent rotation of the stem which in turn can cause loosening of the screw or nut or loss of fixation of the entire component.
A French patent 0545833A1 allows the stem to be shifted to align with an intramedullary canal property. However, the French '833 patent does not provide variable valgus angle as provided by the present invention.

Dual taper stem extension for knee prosthesis


The present invention provides oligomeric compounds. Certain such oligomeric compounds are useful for hybridizing to a complementary nucleic acid, including but not limited, to nucleic acids in a cell. In certain embodiments, hybridization results in modulation of the amount activity or expression of the target nucleic acid in a cell.

Antisense compounds have been used to modulate target nucleic acids. Antisense compounds comprising a variety of chemical modifications and motifs have been reported. In certain instances, such compounds are useful as research tools, diagnostic reagents, and as therapeutic agents. In certain instances antisense compounds have been shown to modulate protein expression by binding to a target messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding the protein. In certain instances, such binding of an antisense compound to its target mRNA results in cleavage of the mRNA. Antisense compounds that modulate processing of a pre-mRNA have also been reported. Such antisense compounds alter splicing, interfere with polyadenlyation or prevent formation of the 5′-cap of a pre-mRNA.

Selective antisense compounds and uses thereof


An improved multi-purpose, direct-drive, water-driven rotary tool having improved torque and power. The present invention includes a housing having a central cavity, an impeller with angled, beveled blades around its periphery, a drive shaft connected to a rotatable mounting pad or backing pad that contains a disk with a grinding or sanding surface that is removably attached thereto. A high pressure water inlet conduit includes a changeable nozzle to allow using the tool with different water sources. The water exiting the nozzle strikes the blades of the impeller, rotating the impeller, which rotates the backing pad and sanding disk. Water is strategically diverted through a bearing mounting plate having holes by a shroud or angular flange having an angular periphery that allows the expended water from the impeller to be efficiently expelled peripherally around the outside of the main cavity of the housing. The device also includes a manually-actuated trigger for the inlet water valve which can be held at the same time as a D-shaped handle affixed directly on the housing allowing for close, controlled used or with a saddle handle that is pivotal and that allows the user to attach the saddle handle to a long pool-pole to effectively move the device comfortably from a standing position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a direct drive water-driven rotary tool used for wet grinding, wet polishing, or wet sanding of many surfaces, including stone, cement, fiberglass, wood and metal surfaces, wherein the tool is used in a water filled or water containing environment, and specifically to an improved direct drive water-driven grinder and sander that eliminates the use of internal gears thereby reducing wear on internal bearings, has improved efficiency and reliability, creates higher torque and power and is easy to manipulate when in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydraulic driven rotational tools are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,424 issued to R. Schlieper, dated Apr. 25, 1933, shows a hydraulic driven washing apparatus which is a cleaning apparatus for cars that uses a garden hose to provide rotary motion to a sponge. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,228 issued to Bowler, dated Mar. 18, 1980, provides a water-driven tool that can be used for polishing tile around a swimming pool or shower in a water environment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,525 issued to Sheber, dated Aug. 7, 1984, shows a hand-held cleaning tool with a remote water turbine power source contained in a floating housing. The outlet of the water turbine is connected to one end of a suction hose. A flexible drive cable assembly has one end connected to the cleaning tool and the other end connected to the water turbine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,364 issued to Torrance et al., dated Apr. 15, 1997, shows a hand-held water-driven rotary tool and uses water pressure to drive an internal gear and impeller to create the required torque.
One drawback of liquid-driven rotary tools shown in the prior art is that they do not produce sufficient torque to do a satisfactory grinding and sanding job. Another problem with the tools shown in the prior art is that they are awkward and uncomfortable to hold in position while in use.
The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a high torque water-driven sander and grinder. The device can be specially adapted for a plurality of uses within an already water filled environment such as a pool where it would not be practical to provide electrical power directly to the tool itself. Although electric motors do provide the high torque necessary for certain sanding and grinding operations, their use under water is totally impractical due to the dangers of electrocution and the inoperability of the motor in a totally enclosed environment. Therefore, the use of a high torque rotary power source for wet grinding or wet polishing of stones, cement, fiberglass and even wood and metal surfaces in a water filled or water containing environment is desirable. Such tools may be polishers, grinders, cutting tools, polishing and grinding disks, cutting disks and blades and possibly other uses for pumps, engines, cement mixes and grouts.
The present invention provides for high torque while at the same time providing a housing that includes a handle and trigger mechanism which allows for easy manipulation while the tool is being used, as well as providing ease of turning the device on and off.
In the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,424 to R. Schlieper, the water impacting the turbine is deflected out through holes in sponges that are used to wash a vehicle. The disk shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,228 to Bowler protrudes outwardly from the impeller housing and is disposed away from the housing itself. In the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,364 to Torrance et al. ("the '364 patent"), a gear is locked and keyed to a centrally-mounted shaft so that as the gear is rotated by the impeller, the shaft also rotates causing the pad which retains the working disc to also rotate thereby allowing the device to operate. However, a major drawback of the '364 patent is the wear imparted upon the internal bearings due to the high speed of the rotating gear. The gear must rotate at 20,000 RPM to create the torque necessary to spin the cutting disc at 3,000 to 4,000 RPM, which is the required speed necessary to complete an ordinary job. The heat generated at 20,000 RPM tends to wear down the internal bearings which can ultimately lead to the bearing spinning faster than the shaft. This decreases the torque, creating cavitation, internal damage and insufficient performance.
In the present invention, the internal gears are eliminated, thereby reducing the number of internal parts and virtually eliminating damage to the bearings. The sanding disk or grinding disk is removably mounted to a backing pad in the housing for increased torque and mobility of the apparatus. The water used to drive the turbine is strategically diverted through a series of apertures so as to maximize torque created by the inlet water spray on the turbine allowing the sanding and grinding disk to operate to its full capacity.


A motorized assembly comprises first and second bridge circuits across which respective drive motors are connected. At least one auxiliary motor or actuator is connected between one arm of the first bridge circuit and one arm of the second bridge circuit and electronic control means are arranged to control the operation the drive motors and the or each auxiliary motor or actuator by operating electronic switches of the bridge circuits and an electronic switch connected in series with the or each auxiliary motor or actuator. Such an arrangement obviates the requirement for independent control circuitry for controlling the operation of the or each auxiliary motor or actuator, resulting in a reduction in the overall cost of the motorized assembly.

The present invention relates to an electronic control arrangement wherein existing electronic motor control circuitry of a motorized assembly may be used to control one or more auxiliary devices.
It is common practice to control the operation of a pair of electric motors, used to drive respective wheels of a motorized wheel-chair assembly, by varying the pulse width of a modulated signal applied to each motor.
Each motor is typically connected across a transistor bridge circuit, the transistors of which may be selectively switched to vary the direction in which the motor is rotated.
It is also common practice to provide such motorized wheel-chairs with further motors or other actuators, the operation of these devices being controlled by further electronic control circuitry, independent of that of the two main drive motors.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the overall amount of electronic control circuitry required to control the operation of two main drive motors and at least one additional motor or other actuator of a motorized assembly.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a motorized assembly comprising:
first and second bridge circuits, the two arms of each bridge circuit each comprising a first and a second electronic switch connected in series;
a respective drive motor connected between the two arms of each bridge circuit, at points intermediate the electronic switches of each of the two arms;
an auxiliary motor or actuator connected between one arm of the first bridge circuit and one arm of the second bridge circuit, at points intermediate the electronic switches of each of the two arms and in series with at least one electronic switch; and
electronic control means arranged to operate the electronic switches to selectively control the operation of the drive motors and the auxiliary motor or actuator.
A third bridge circuit is thus effectively formed by said one arm of each of the first and second bridge circuits, the switch connected in series with the auxiliary motor or actuator serving as a means by which to electrically isolate the auxiliary motor or actuator, when one or both of the drive motors is/are being operated.
It will be appreciated that such an arrangement obviates the requirement for independent control circuitry for controlling the operation of the auxiliary motor or actuator, resulting in a reduction in the overall cost of the motorized assembly.
Preferably the motorized assembly comprises a motorized wheel-chair assembly, respective traction wheels of which are driven by the drive motors.
Preferably each electronic switch of the first and second bridge circuits comprises a transistor, which is preferably a Field Effect Transistor (FET) and is most preferably a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET).
Preferably the electronic switch connected in series with the auxiliary motor or actuator comprises a transistor, which is preferably a Field Effect Transistor (FET) and is most preferably a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET).
The auxiliary motor or actuator is preferably connected in series with and between two FET transistors. Preferably electronic control means of the assembly are arranged to operate the auxiliary motor or actuator by applying a control signal to the gates of each of the two FET transistors associated therewith and then switching the transistors of the first and second bridge circuits to apply a pulse-width modulated signal to one or other side of the auxiliary motor or actuator and to connect the opposite side of the auxiliary motor or actuator to ground.
A bootstrap capacitor is preferably connected between the source and gate of each of the transistors connected in series with the auxiliary motor or actuator, to ensure that the transistor via which the pulse-width modulated signal is applied will remain in a conducting state whilst the pulse-width modulated signal continues to be applied.
A resistor is preferably also connected between the source and gate of each of the transistors connected in series with the auxiliary motor or actuator, to provide a discharge path for its parallel capacitance, when a control signal ceases to be applied to the gate of the transistor, to arrest conduction between the drain and source of the transistor.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an electronic control arrangement for a motorized assembly and comprising:
first and second bridge circuits, the two arms of each bridge circuit each comprising a first and a second electronic switch connected in series;
a further electronic switch arranged to be connected in series with a motor or actuator between one arm of the first bridge circuit and one arm of the second bridge circuit, at points intermediate the electronic switches of each of the two arms; and
electronic control means arranged to selectively operate the electronic switches.
The control arrangement may thus be used to selectively control the operation of respective drive motors, connected between the two arms of each bridge circuit, and of an auxiliary motor or actuator, connected in series with the further switch, between said one arm of the first and second bridge circuits.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a switching arrangement for connecting a motor or actuator to a pulse-width modulated supply, and comprising:
a Field Effect Transistor (FET) arranged to be connected in series with the motor or actuator; and
a capacitor connected between the gate and source of the transistor, the capacitor forming a bootstrapped gate supply for maintaining conduction between the drain and source of the transistor whilst the pulse-width modulated supply is applied to the motor or actuator thereby.
Preferably the transistor comprises one of a pair of Field Effect Transistors (FETs), between and in series with which a motor or actuator may be connected, each transistor having a respective bootstrap capacitor connected between its gate and source for maintaining conduction of that transistor whilst a pulse-width modulated supply is applied to the motor or actuator thereby.


Fatty acid derivatives represented by the general formula ##STR1## and salts thereof. The compounds of this invention have excellent fibrinolytic action and a highly improved solubility.

As a prophylaxis or treatment method of thrombosis by dissolving the fibrin clot of arteriovenous thrombosis, a method of administering plasmin, a method of administering a plasminogen activator, a method of releasing a plasminogen activator by the administration of a medicament, a method of restraining a palsmin inhibitor, and the like, have been proposed and variously investigated but since these methods each of has some difficulties, only Urokinase is on the market as a fibrinolytic agent.
However, Urokinase has problems that the medicament cannot be orally administered, the medicament must be administered at a very high unit dosage, which results in increasing the cost of the medicament, and hence the development of compounds other than Urokinase, which can be orally administered and can be administered at a low cost, has been desired.
Hitherto, low molecular fibrinolytic agents which can be orally administered have been investigated but such fibrinolytic agents have not yet been practically used.
Recently, as one of the compounds possessing a fibrinolytic action, acylpeptides shown by the following general formulae (A) and (B) were proposed (European Patent Publication (Unexamined) Nos. 54,435 and 85,255); ##STR2##
However, for the clinical use as a fibrinolytic agent, the foregoing compounds are still insufficient in fibrinolytic activity. Almost all the foregoing known compounds show a low solubility in water, which makes it difficult to attain the sufficient pharamcological activity of these compounds and to form the preparations of these compounds.

Fatty acid derivatives and process of producing them