A specific binding assay process which is useful for quick qualitative or quantitative measurement and which can be used for various purposes, and a specific binding assay device suitable for the practice of the process,. in which a substance to be assayed in a liquid test sample is determined qualitatively or quantitatively by developing the substance in a liquid test sample in a matrix, which comprises the steps of, for example:. allowing the substance to be assayed to reach with a specific binding substance which has specific affinity for the substance to be assayed; PA2 allowing a signal substance generator (a substance which competes with the substance to be assayed for the specific binding substance and which generates a signal) to change its distribution in the matrix in response to the reaction of the above step, and; PA2 detecting the resulting distributional changes at a detection means as changes of signals which are rate-limited by the mass transfer of a signal substance generated from the signal substance generator.

There are a number of known specific binding assay methods such as an immunoassay in which an antigen-antibody reaction is employed, a receptor assay in which a receptor is used, and a nucleic acid probe assay in which hybridization of complementary nucleic acid sequences is employed. Because of the high specificity, these assay methods are used frequently in various fields including clinical inspection and the like.
In general, these methods are divided into a heterogeneous method which requires a step for the isolation of unreacted substances after specific binding reactions and a homogeneous method that does not require such an isolation step.
The heterogeneous method is useful for the measurement of samples with relatively high sensitivity and can be regarded as a general purpose method, because it can detect degree of the specific binding reaction without receiving interference of unreacted substances. This method, however, requires complex handling for the removal of unreacted substances and, in some cases, requires special tools or instruments such as a washing apparatus. Because of this, it is still necessary to improve this method in terms of its simplicity and rapidly.
With the aim of improving the handling simplicity of the homogeneous type assay method, various techniques have been developed, which include agglutination method, EMIT method, proximal linkage immunoassay such as an enzyme channeling technique, immunochromatographic assay and the like. These techniques, however, are still inferior to the heterogeneous method in terms of efficiency and general purpose use.
For example, the agglutination type methods which are effected by the formation of aggregates by antigen-antibody reaction or by the inhibition of the aggregate formation, such as a gel diffusion technique, an erythrocyte agglutination technique, a latex agglutination technique and the like, have considerably inferior sensitivity and accuracy in comparison with other methods in which labels such as enzymes are used.
Examples of homogeneous type methods which are effected by the use of labels such as enzymes include: EMIT method and the like which are effected by the modulation of enzyme activity, itself based on a specific binding reaction; and proximal linkage immunoassay in which signal modulation occurs when two types of labels having mutual relation get close due to a specific binding reaction. In the case of the EMIT method and related techniques, it is necessary to modify an enzyme, a coenzyme component, an enzyme inhibitor or the like with a substance to be assayed (or an analogue of the substance to be assayed) while the activity of the enzyme or the like is kept constant and to induce a significant modulation of the enzyme activity through a binding reaction of the modified product with a specific binding substance. Because of such requirements, this method is inferior to other methods in terms of sensitivity and general purpose use and, in some cases, cannot be used depending on the physical properties (molecular weight, configuration, solubility and the like) and chemical properties (reactivity, position of functional groups and the like) of the substance to be assayed. On the contrary, the proximal linkage immunoassay can sometimes be effected by certain labeling techniques which are generally used in the heterogeneous method and therefore is superior to the EMIT method and the like in terms of general purpose use. In addition, from the viewpoint of specific binding reaction and detection of signals, increase in the sensitivity and decrease in the measuring time can be expected as the concentration of specific binding substances including labeling substances increases. Such a concentration increment, however, increases approaching frequency of labels independent of the specific binding reaction. Such properties which are contrary to each other become a significant factor that limits the sensitivity. An example of the proximal linkage immunoassay is the enzyme channeling technique in which two types of enzymes are used that catalyze two continued reactions such as formation of a product by a first enzyme and utilization of the product by a second enzyme as its substrate. Processes in relation to such a technique have been disclosed for instance in GB 2013986, EP 32286, EP 75379, Analytical Biochemistry (vol.106, pp.223-229, 1980) and the like. However, each of these prior art processes is based on the modulation of the total enzyme reaction rate, which is effected by a difference between a time when a labeled enzyme exists in a free state and a time when a microscopic environment is formed by a proximity effect of labels by a specific binding reaction so that channeling of the labeled enzymes can be carried out, or when the labeled enzyme undergoes specific binding to a dispersion type discrete particulate carrier (dextran particles or the like) or to a non-dispersion type carrier (filter paper or the like) which provides a channeling environment. In consequence, a free labeled enzyme in the liquid phase could approach the solid phase by free diffusion, and its non-specific reaction would cause a problem when the concentration of the labeled enzyme is high. Another problem of this technique is that, since a first enzyme can continue its reaction independent of the degree of proximity of a second enzyme, the reaction product of the first enzyme accumulates inside the measuring system when an environment for its channeling with the second enzyme is not formed. Such an accumulation of the product formed by the reaction of the first enzyme also causes acceleration of non-specific reactions. In order to solve such problems, a scavenger is used which can remove excess amounts of the first reaction product. However, addition of a scavenger in an effective amount causes a certain competitive inhibition effect on the whole reaction. Application of such a scavenger, therefore, cannot be regarded as a general purpose countermeasure.
A different type of assay method has been reported which includes a step in which a test sample presumably containing a substance to be assayed is permeated and developed, together with or separately from a labeled specific binding substance, in a chromatographic area that comprises a porous or particulate-packed type carrier to which a specific binding substance is immobilized. Such a method, or an immunochromatographic assay, is advantageous in some cases from the viewpoint of sensitivity and measuring time because of the large immobilizable effective surface area and the relatively high collision efficiency between reaction molecules which can induce a specific binding reaction, in comparison with a liquid phase reaction. In this instance, the label itself may be a signal substance or may generate a signal, moreover, instead of the generation of a signal by the label itself, a signal substance which is concerned in the generation of a signal may be generated by another label. Examples of the former type of labels include a radioactive isotope, a coloring substance, a fluorescent substance, a luminescent substance and the like, and those of the latter type of labels include an enzyme and the like. Processes for the immunochromatographic assay in which the former type labels are used have been disclosed for instance in DE 2729872, WO 8808534, EP 323605, and those in which the latter type labels are used have been disclosed for instance in EP 100619, WO 8505451 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,275. The latter type of labels may be advantageous in general when it is desirable to maintain sensitivity without using a radioactive isotope. In the case of the use of the latter type labels, a signal substance is generated by the contact of a component which is necessary for the signal substance generation (for example, an enzyme substrate, a coloring matter or the like) with a label (an enzyme or the like). Because of this, such a process requires an additional step to effect the just described contact reaction (to be referred to as "development step" hereinafter), which is carried out after the permeation development step or a test sample presumably containing a substance to be assayed and a labeled specific binding substance, thus entailing the problem of complex handling.
In addition, these immunochromatographic assay processes have a common problem which still remains unsolved. That is, when a labeled specific binding substance and a liquid test sample are subjected to a chromatographic specific binding reaction in a specific binding reaction area, the specific the binding reaction at least depends on the reaction frequency of two molecules. Because of this, binding distribution of the labeled specific binding substance in the chromatographic direction in the specific binding reaction area becomes, more or less, a gentle curved pattern such as a gradient pattern or a sigmoid pattern. When the concentration of a substance to be assayed in a liquid test sample is changed, the reaction frequency changes and the binding distribution of a label in the specific binding reaction area changes, but still exhibits a curved distribution pattern as a whole. Because of this, a boundary line between colored and un-colored portions becomes unclear in many cases, thus causing considerable errors when, for example, the concentration of a substance to be assayed in a liquid test sample is determined qualitatively or quantitatively based on the length or position of a colored portion after the development step, that is, the distance or position to the end point of the binding distribution of a label. In order to improve measuring accuracy, it is necessary to perform quantification of the binding distribution of the label in the specific binding reaction area by understanding it collectively. U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,275 discloses arrangement of a plurality of detection means in a detection area which is also used as a specific binding reaction area. By such an arrangement of a plurality of detection means in the detection area, the understanding accuracy of the binding distribution of a label in the specific binding reaction area is improved in comparison with the case of the use of a single detection means. However, such an improvement is not substantial, because the assay apparatus becomes complex and the number of detection means to be arranged is limited. The just cited patent also discloses that an enzyme channeling-based signal generation system can be arranged in the detection area. According to the description, however, the detection area means an area where immobilized antibody molecules are located, and the description merely explains that only an existing portion of a labeled second enzyme can generate a signal by immobilizing a first enzyme together with the antibody to the detection area and by adding a substrate of the first enzyme to a development solution. In consequence, the process of the just cited patent can simplify the development step, but cannot solve the aforementioned problems in terms of the measuring accuracy and sensitivity.
A specific binding assay device which comprises multilayer analytical materials is known as another type of immunochromatographic assay. Techniques in relation to this type of process have been disclosed for instance in EP 51183, EP 66648, DE 3227474 and EP 236768. Of these, each of EP 51181 and EP 66648 discloses a process in which a specific binding layer comprising a porous material immobilizing a specific binding substance is superposed on a detection layer and, after completion of the specific binding reaction, a labeled substance permeated into the detection layer is detected with a reagent contained in the detection layer. These patents also disclose that a light-shading layer is interposed between the detection layer and the specific binding layer, in order to avoid a bad influence of signals originating from a labeled substance bound to the specific binding layer. However, when a signal product is formed by the reaction of a labeled substance with a reagent in the detection layer, such as the case in which the label is an enzyme, the light-shading layer cannot prevent bad influences of inverse diffusion of the reagent into the specific binding layer and permeation of an enzyme reaction product formed in the specific binding layer into the detection layer. Each of DE 3227474 and EP 236768 discloses a specific binding assay device which comprises multilayer analytical materials into which the principle of the homogeneous method is introduced or in which an immobilized enzyme substrate is introduced into a specific binding layer. However, both of these devices cannot avoid the limitations of the homogeneous method described in the foregoing, and the bad effects caused by the curved binding distribution pattern or a label in the specific binding layer are very serious because of the short and thin chromatography layer.
As described above, a number of specific binding assay methods have been developed with the aim of improving simplicity and quickness, but virtually nothing has been reported about a highly sensitive specific binding assay method which can also be used for various purposes and which can determine a substance to be assayed semi-quantitatively or quantitatively with high accuracy.
With the recently expanding domestic and regional medical care and increasing demands for emergency clinical inspections, great concern has been directed toward the development of a specific binding assay method by which a substance to be assayed can be measured quickly, easily and accurately even by persons who have no knowledge about clinical inspection. Under such circumstances, various types of sensors have been developed including electrochemical sensors. In the field of biochemical assay methods, simple and quick measuring methods have been developed making use of enzyme sensors and the like, and have already been disclosed for example in JP-B 02-59424 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") and EP 125136. Though positive attempts have been made to apply such measuring methods to the specific binding assay process, virtually nothing has been reported on the development of a general purpose assay process which can be handled easily. Of these prior art sensors for use in the specific binding assay, electrochemical sensors which are effected by the use of relatively high sensitivity labels such as enzymes are described in the following.
EP 125136 discloses a specific binding reaction on the surface of an electrode to which an enzyme (catalase)-labeled antibody preparation is applied. Also, EP 125136 discloses a competitive specific binding reaction on the surface or an electrode to which an enzyme (glucose oxidase)-labeled substance is applied. Since a specific binding substance is immobilized on the surface of an electrode which has a limitation in its size, each of the sensors in these disclosures is limited in the immobilization efficiency. Because of this, and because the reaction is effected in a liquid phase, each of these sensors possesess disadvantages in terms of sensitivity and measuring time.
EP 125136 discloses an enzyme activity detection sensor which comprises an oxidation-reduction enzyme (glucose oxidase or the like) and an electron mediator (a ferrocene derivative or the like), in which the extent of a specific binding reaction is measured using either of the enzyme and the electron mediator as a label, by changing (a) the effective level of the electron mediator, (b) the effective level of the enzyme, (c) the effective levels of the electron mediator and the enzyme simultaneously and (d) the effective area of the electrode. According to this disclosure, the specific binding reaction is effected on the surface of a solid phase (vessel wall or electrode) (heterogeneous method) or in a solution where the electrode exists (homogeneous method). Similar to the case of other heterogeneous type methods, the heterogeneous method of this disclosure requires a step for the isolation or washing of unreacted substances. In addition to this, only the surface of the vessel wall or the electrode is available as the immobilization carrier. This sensor, therefore, fails to improve the measuring efficiency and simplicity of the heterogeneous method. Also, the homogeneous method of this disclosure is substantially identical to any of the aforementioned homogeneous type methods, thus leaving the homogeneous method-inherent problems unsolved. For example, in the homogeneous method in which a ligand-modified electron mediator is used, the electron mediator should have a capacity to perform electron transfer by getting close to the redox center of the enzyme molecule however, when an electron mediator is modified with a ligand, the function of the electron mediator is spoiled in some cases depending on the type of the ligand to be used, thus entailing limited availability of ligands, as well as a disadvantage in terms of the sensitivity. A similar technique has been disclosed in EP 402126 which also has a limitation with regard to the binding of an electron mediator and a ligand to carrier molecules.
Similar techniques have also been disclosed for instance in EP 142301, EP 125139, EP 150999, JP-A 63-139248 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"), U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,963,245, U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,372, Anal. Chem. (vol.56, pp.2355-2360, 1984) and Clin. Chem. (vol.31, pp.1449-1452, 1985). Of these, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,963,245 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,372 discloses a semi-homogeneous method in which the measurement after a specific binding reaction is effected without requiring a step for the washing of unreacted substances, by magnetically separating specific binding substance-immobilized magnetic particles on the surface of an electrode. However, this type of method requires a magnetic separation device in order to separate the magnetic particle carrier physically. In addition, similar to the case of the aforementioned proximal linkage immunoassay (enzyme channeling technique or the like), a labeled enzyme free in the liquid phase can approach the electrode by free diffusion, and the resulting non-specific reaction becomes a cause of problems.
EP 223541 discloses a heterogeneous electrochemical specific binding assay process in which an enzyme (alkaline phosphatase) is used as a label that catalyzes conversion of an inactive type electron mediator precursor (a ferrocene-linked substrate) into an active type electron mediator. A PCT application (WO 89-05454) discloses a heterogeneous type specific binding assay process in which an enzyme (alkaline phosphatase) that catalyzes conversion of a precursor (NADP.sup.+) into its oxidation-reduction pair (NAD.sup.+) is used as a label, and the amount of the formed oxidation-reduction pair is measured using an electrochemical enzyme sensor. Also, JP-A 02-112752 discloses a process in which biological cells trapped on a depth filter are allowed to react with enzyme-labeled antibody on the filter, unreacted molecules or the labeled antibody are removed by washing, and then the biological cells are detected by measuring activities of the labeled enzyme using an electrode. However, being a typical heterogeneous method, each of these processes fails to improve the measuring performance and simplicity of the conventional heterogeneous method.

Process for specific binding assay for measuring the amount of analyte in a liquid test sample


A method to identify a candidate compound for use in the treatment of a condition involving dysregulation of glucose homeostasis or of glucose uptake in a mammal, by identifying a candidate compound that causes an increase in translocation of GLUT without causing an increase in the production of cAMP. A kit for use in such a method. A method of treatment of a condition involving dysregulation of glucose homeostasis or of glucose uptake in a mammal and a compound for use in such a method.

Diabetes comprises two distinct diseases, type 1 (or insulin-dependent diabetes) and type 2 (insulin-independent diabetes), both of which involve the malfunction of glucose homeostasis. Type 2 diabetes affects more than 350 million people in the world and the number is rising rapidly. Complications of diabetes include severe cardiovascular problems, kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy, blindness and even loss of limbs and death in the later stages of the disease. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue (fat), and at present there is no definitive treatment. Most treatments used today are focused on treating dysfunctional insulin signaling or inhibiting glucose output from the liver and many of those treatments have several drawbacks and side effects. There is thus a great interest in identifying novel insulin-independent ways to treat type 2 diabetes.
The major type 2 diabetes symptom is loss of response to insulin in peripheral tissues, meaning that adipose tissue and skeletal muscles are unable to increase glucose uptake upon insulin stimulation. One possible approach is to find insulin-independent ways to stimulate glucose uptake in peripheral tissues such as skeletal muscle, the major glucose clearing organ.
Adrenergic receptors are expressed in several tissues, such as lungs, heart, blood vessels and liver. It has been reported that beta-adrenergic receptor agonists can increase glucose uptake in brown adipocytes and skeletal muscle cells in vitro through an insulin-independent way (Liu, Cawthorne & Stock 1996, Ngala et al. 2008, Ngala et al. 2009). However, most effects of beta-adrenergic receptors have been attributed to the cAMP increase and most or all of the beta-adrenergic effect on glucose uptake has been attributed to cAMP. The increase of cAMP has many effects in different tissues. For example, it increases heart rate, regulates blood flow, airflow in lungs and increases release of glucose from the liver, which all can be detrimental or be considered unwanted side effects if a beta agonists should be considered as a diabetes treatment. Adverse effects of beta-adrenergic receptor agonist and cAMP elevation are for example tachycardia, palpitation, tremor, sweats, agitation and increased glucose levels in the blood (glucose output from the liver). All these effects can be attributed to the beta-adrenergic stimulated elevation of cAMP in various tissues.
Also functions associated with glucose homeostasis may be affected: secretion of both glucagon and insulin been suggested to be increased by β-adrenergic signaling (Lacey et al. 1991, Ahren et al. 1981), as well hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycolysis (Exton 1987, Vardanega-Peicher et al. 2000) which increases glucose output from the liver.
It appears therefore that using standard adrenergic agonists to treat diabetes is not a possible approach.
Facilitative glucose transporters (GLUT) mediate glucose uptake into most cells. GLUT are transporter proteins that mediate transport of glucose and/or fructose over the plasma membrane down the concentration gradient. There are fourteen known members of the GLUT family, named GLUT1-14, divided into three classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) dependent on their substrate specificity and tissue expression. GLUT1 and GLUT4 are the most intensively studied iso forms and, together with GLUT2 and GLUT3, belong to Class I which mainly transports glucose (in contrast to Class II that also transports fructose). GLUT1 is ubiquitously expressed and is responsible for basal glucose transport. GLUT4 is only expressed in peripheral tissues such as skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle and adipose tissues. GLUT4 has also been reported to be expressed in e.g. brain, kidney, and liver. GLUT4 is the major isoform involved in insulin stimulated glucose uptake. To treat a condition involving a dysregulation of glucose homeostasis or glucose uptake in a mammal, it is of paramount importance to activate certain GLUTs. For example for diseases such as type 2 diabetes it is vital to activate GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane and thus glucose uptake.
Regulation of GLUT1 translocation or intrinsic activity has been suggested to occur in several tissues including erythrocytes depending on ATP-levels (Hebert, Carruthers 1986). It has also been indicated in HEK-cells (Palmada et al. 2006), 3T3-L1 (Harrison, Buxton & Czech 1991, Harrison et al. 1992) and clone-9 cells (Barnes et al. 2002).
Impaired GLUT translocation, of in particular GLUT8, has been reported as involved in both male and female infertility (Gawlik et al. 2008, Carayannopoulos et al. 2000).
The mechanism whereby insulin signaling increases glucose uptake is mainly via GLUT4-translocation from intracellular storage to the plasma membrane (Rodnick et al. 1992). After longer insulin stimulation also GLUT1-content is increased due to increased transcription (Taha et al. 1995).
Glucose uptake in type 2 diabetes is associated with defects in PI3K activity, insulin receptor tyrosine, IRS and Akt phosphorylation, resulting in impairment of GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane.
Impaired GLUT translocation also plays a role in muscle wasting. Furthermore, GLUT translocation plays a role in feeding behavior. Mice lacking GLUT4 develop problems with lipid and glucose homeostasis leading to changes in feeding behavior.
Decreased concentrations of GLUT1 and GLUT3 have also been shown in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (Simpson et al. 2008).
Also in a review article of Shah K, et al. (Shah, Desilva & Abbruscato 2012) the role of glucose transporters in brain disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease is discussed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Screening method, a kit, a method of treatment and a compound for use in a method of treatment


An recording device includes a recording head that performs recording using ink; a liquid containing body that is capable of accommodating ink; a casing of which at least the recording portion and the liquid containing body are provided on an inside portion; a tube that connects the liquid containing body and the recording head with each other; and a operating panel that constitutes a portion of an outer covering of the recording device and operates the recording device. The operating panel is provided to be capable of performing an opening/closing operation with respect to the casing between two positions which are an opened position which exposes and a closed position which does not expose an inside of the casing, and at least a portion of the liquid containing body is exposed, by an opening operation of the operating panel.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a recording device which performs recording using liquid and a multifunction peripheral in which an image reading device is disposed on the recording device.
2. Related Art
In the related art, a multifunction peripheral is known which is disposed to overlap an image reading device capable of reading an image on an upper side of a recording device which performs recording on a medium using ink as an example of liquid. An ink jet printer (multifunction peripheral) is disclosed in which an image reading unit (image reading device) is provided to be capable of performing an opening/closing operation with respect to the casing of an image forming portion (recording device) between two positions which are an opened position which exposes and a closed position which does not expose an inside of the casing thereof in Japanese Patent No. 4941110 as an example of the multifunction peripheral. In addition, the ink jet printer includes a recording head which discharges ink toward paper (medium) and a main tank which accommodates ink supplied to the recording head in the inside of the casing of the image forming portion.
By the way, in a case of an ink jet printer in Japanese Patent No. 4941110, when the amount of ink accommodated in a main tank is less, ink is poured into an inside of the main tank from a replenishing port included in the main tank. At this time, there is a need to expose an inside of a casing of an image forming portion by performing an opening operation of an image reading unit from a closed position to an opened position thereof for accessing to the main tank disposed in the inside of the casing of the image forming portion by a user. Typically, an opening/closing operation of the image reading unit for each replenishment of ink becomes a burden for the user since weight of the image reading unit is heavy.


A connector 10 (FIG. 1) is arranged with two hinged arms 30, 40 for protecting the terminations of electrical conductors 18 in the connector. Each of the two arms includes hood sections 31, 41, collar sections 32, 42 and clinching means 36, 46 arranged to mate with each other. As the arms 30, 40 are pivoted back over the termination end 21 of the connector, the clinching means 36, 46 mate with each other securely locking the collar section 32, 42 about the electrical conductors 18 thereby aligning the hood portions 31, 41 over the termination end 21 of the connector.

In many electrical connectors, particularly connectors which terminate a plurality of power leads, it is desired to have a connector which not only terminates the leads but which also affords permanent protection to the terminations on the back side, or rear, of the connector. Often, leads from the connector are removed and incorrectly reterminated in the connector, thereby causing damage to interconnected electrical equipment when the connector is reintroduced into an electrical circuit. Additionally, bare-backed connectors pose a threat of electrical hazard to both humans and equipment.
In the past, some protection has been afforded by having connectors which have covers which are held by screws, clasps or some other type clamping device. However, while protecting the connectors, these arrangements do permit the cover to be removed thereby allowing the electrical terminations to be tampered with. Other arrangements have covers which are secured to the electrical leads by clasps or screws, but these arrangements also permit removal of the covers to give access to the terminations within the connectors.
Another method of protecting terminated leads is to completely seal, or encapsulate, the rear end of the termination in plastic or some other non-conductive protective material. This prevents any tampering unless the connector is physically abused, but if one portion of the connector wears out or malfunctions, then the entire encapsulated device and part of the electrical leads terminated in the connector must be removed and discarded. Additionally, this type of connector does not lend itself to use in the field or on odd-size cable terminations since the connector is encapsulated onto the cable at time of cable manufacture and requires expensive encapsulation equipment.
In many of the above-mentioned arrangements, the protective covers can be removed, thus permitting tampering with the electrical connections, which can result in electrical hazards to anyone coming into contact with the uncovered terminations and can also cause further damage to interconnected electrical equipment. Furthermore, when damaged equipment is returned for service and repair, it is not always apparent what caused the damage when the power connector is one that can be easily opened and then closed with no physical evidence that the connector has been violated.

Connector arranged to permanently lock onto a cable


An novel golf ball is disclosed having an improved cover composition comprising a blend of a first copolymer of an olefin and a sodium salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, a second copolymer of an olefin and a zinc salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, and a third copolymer of an olefin and a lithium salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid. The novel golf balls having the improved cover compositions exhibit improved playing properties.

This invention relates to a novel golf ball having an improved cover composition, which cover composition imparts superior properties to the golf balls. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel golf ball having an improved cover composition such that the resulting golf ball exhibits improved initial velocity, superior aging characteristics, improved coefficient of restitution, and better low temperature impact properties.
Golf balls having cover compositions which generally comprise a copolymer of an olefin and at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid are known in the prior art. These cover material compositions are sold under the trademark "Surlyn" by the E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company, Wilmington, Del. The cover compositions are highly advantageous in that the resulting covers are extremely resistant to cuts and abrasion. These balls are commonly referred to in golfing circles as cutless balls. These prior art golf balls are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,280, issued on Jul. 8, 1969.
While being extremely advantageous from the standpoint of cut resistance, the golf balls as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,280 have a shortcoming in that they do not have cold temperature cracking properties such as to permit their use at temperatures below freezing. In fact, when the balls of the prior art are played at temperatures below 32.degree. F., they have a tendency to crack or explode when struck by a golf club. Likewise, the balls of this patent are lacking in their coefficient of restitution, a property related to the distance which a golf ball can be driven.
One attempt to overcome the problems of these prior art golf balls is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,768, issued Jun. 25, 1974. This patent describes golf ball covers made of compositions comprising at least two different ionic copolymers which are produced by the reaction of an olefin having from two to five carbon atoms with a metal salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid containing from three to eight carbon atoms. In particular, the disclosed cover compositions of that patent comprise mixtures of a copolymer of an olefin and a sodium salt of an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid and a copolymer of an olefin and a zinc salt of an unsaturated monocarboxylic acid. This patent is owned by Questor Corp., manufacturer of golf balls sold under the trademark TopFlite. While the Questor patent claims that all commercially available blends of ionomer resins of different metal ions, i.e., all blends of zinc ionomer resins and sodium ionomer resins, will have the improved coefficient of restitution, it has been found that most blends of these two resins, other than the Surlyn 1555 and Surlyn 1557 as specifically set forth in the Questor patent, do not have an improved coefficient of restitution. It has also been discovered that these blends are generally cut when subjected to the so-called guillotine test.
Another attempt to overcome the problems of the prior art golf ball cover compositions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,247 issued Apr. 6, 1982. That patent discloses a triblend composition comprising two sodium-based Surlyn resins and a zinc-based Surlyn resin, wherein each of the three resins has specific limitations on the percentage of free acid, the percentage of total acid, the percentage of metal ion content, and the average melt flow. While this patent discloses golf balls of improved coefficient of restitution and initial velocity, it does not disclose improved cold temperature impact properties or aging properties.

Golf ball having improved cover composition


A luciferase that includes an amino acid sequence in which a mutation is introduced into an amino acid sequence of a luciferase derived from Luciora kuroiwae. The luciferase catalyzes a luminescence reaction that generates luminescence having the maximum luminescent wavelength of 570 nm to 610 nm. The luminescence has an intensity at least 10 times higher than that of luminescence generated in a luminescence reaction catalyzed by a luciferase derived from Rhagophthalmus ohbai.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a luciferase showing orange luminescence.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to examine cell functions such as intracellular signal transduction and gene expression, fluorescent probes such as fluorochrome and fluorescent protein, and chemiluminescent probes utilizing a luciferin-luciferase reaction are used.
In particular, in an analysis of gene expression regulation, a luminescent measurement is used which does not cause damages to cells by exciting light, does not have a problem of self-luminescence, and excellent in quantitativity. For example, when cells to which a luciferase gene is transferred are observed, an expression intensity (specifically, an expression amount) of the luciferase gene can be examined by measuring an intensity of luminescence derived from the luciferase activity of the cells. Specifically, first, the cells are lysed to prepare a cell lysate; then luciferin, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and the like are added to the resulting cell lysate; a luminescence intensity is quantified with a luminometer using a photomultiplier; and an expression amount is determined based on the quantified results.
According to the method, the luminescence intensity is measured after the cells are lysed. For that reason, an expression amount of the luciferase gene at a certain point of time is obtained as an average value of all cells used in the measurement.
As a method of transferring a luminescent gene such as a luciferase gene as a reporter gene, for example, a calcium phosphate method, a lipofection method, or an electroporation method can be used, and these methods are properly used depending on the purpose and the type of cell. A target DNA fragment is linked to the upstream or downstream of a luciferase gene intended to be transferred to a cell, and an expression amount of the luciferase gene is measured, whereby the influence of the DNA fragment on the transcription of the luciferase gene can be examined. In addition, when the target gene is co-expressed with the luciferase gene transferred to the cell, the influence of the gene product on the expression of the luciferase gene can be examined.
In order to analyze an expression amount of the luminescent gene with the passage of time, it is necessary to measure a luminescence intensity of living cells over time. Such a measurement is performed by culturing cells in an incubator equipped with a luminometer, and measuring a luminescence intensity of the whole cell population at regular time intervals. An expression rhythm with a fixed periodicity can be analyzed by observing the time-dependent change in the expression amount of the luminescent gene in the whole cell population.
It is difficult, however, to quantify transcription activity of the target gene in the case of an analysis using one type of luciferase as a reporter, because there is no internal control. Therefore, methods using plural types of luciferases showing a different luminescent color as a reporter, such as a dual assay (the following NON-PATENT LITERATURE 1) or a multicolor assay (the following PATENT LITERATURE 1 and NON-PATENT LITERATURE 2) have been established.
In particular, the multicolor assay is performed by using a sample containing plural types of luminescent enzymes showing a different color, such as a luciferase showing the maximum luminescent wavelength at about 550 nm (green luminescence), a luciferase showing the maximum luminescent wavelength at about 580 nm (orange luminescence), and a luciferase showing the maximum luminescent wavelength at about 620 nm (red luminescence), and simultaneously measuring and calculating a relative quantity of light shown by each luminescent enzyme.
When all of the luciferases used in the multicolor assay are derived from the same species of firefly, multiple luminescent colors can be simultaneously detected using a single type of a substrate. Examples of such luciferases which have been commercially available, include luciferases derived from Iriomote firefly Rhagophthalmus ohbai, such as a green luciferase (SLG luciferase: Toyobo Co., Ltd.), an orange luciferase (SLO luciferase: Toyobo Co., Ltd.) and a red luciferase (SLR luciferase: Toyobo Co., Ltd.) (the following PATENT LITERATURE 1).


There is provided a joint mechanism constituted by a base 1, a turning base 4 provided above the base and rotated, and an arm 6 a lower end portion is pivotably supported by the turning base, in which a speed reducer 2 for rotating the turning base is provided at inside of the base, a counterbalance system 10 constituted by a cylinder 7 pivotably supported above the turning base and filled with a lubricant, a piston 8 provided in a hermetically sealed state slidably in a longitudinal direction at inside of the cylinder, and a piston rod 9 one end portion of which is connected to the piston and other end portion of which is connected to the arm 6 is provided, the speed reducer and the cylinder of the counterbalance system are connected and a lubricant of the speed reducer is introduced into the cylinder.

In a balance system of canceling an rotation moment of a rotation shaft of a horizontal arm generated by a weight of the horizontal arm in an articulated robot of the background art, there are a counterweight system, a system of utilizing an urge force of a tension spring or a compression spring, or a system of balancing by utilizing a force provided by a hydraulic pressure by using a cylinder and a piston, a system of using both thereof or the like.
According to the counterweight system, a weighted object is arranged at a rotation axis symmetric position of a horizontal arm to directly balance, or a balance is taken by installing a counterweight at a vertical axis rear portion and connected to a horizontal arm by using a link. However, the system is provided with drawbacks that an interfering region of a robot is large, also a weight thereof is heavy, an inertia load is large or the like.
Therefore, normally, it is general to provide a balance force by utilizing a spring or a cylinder urged by a pressurized fluid.
That is, there is constructed a direct spring balance structure in which when a weight of a horizontal arm pivoted by constituting a rotating shaft by a shaft of an upper end of a vertical arm pivoted above a turning base, an upper side of the vertical arm is provided with a member moved in parallel therewith while maintaining a vertical direction, and a tension spring urged obliquely between a front end of the member and the horizontal arm is hung to be expanded.
However, according to the direct spring balance system of hanging to expand the tension spring obliquely between the front end of the member provided on the upper side of the vertical arm and moved in parallel therewith while marinating to be vertical and the horizontal arm of the background art, an expanded portion of the member is large, also the weight is large, and therefore, when a range of operating the robot is going to be widened, a total of the apparatus is enlarged, the spring is exposed to outside, which is dangerous. Further, since the tension spring is used, a fatigue rupture is liable to be brought about at a hanger portion by a stress concentration and when the spring is destructed, there is a danger of dropping the arm.
In this way, according to the background art system, the expanded portion of the member is large and also the weight is large. Hence, there is proposed a constitution of installing a spring for a balance at a vicinity of a turning base (refer to, for example, Patent Reference 1 (JP-A-59-167486)).
According to the constitution, an inclination of a horizontal arm is moved to a vicinity of a rotation drive shaft of a vertical arm in parallel therewith by a parallel link mechanism and a balance force is exerted by a tension spring or a compression spring urged at the position.
According to a structure of a balancer utilizing a cylinder urged by a pressurized fluid (air pressure or oil pressure), the spring of the balancer utilizing the spring is replaced by an air pressure cylinder or an oil pressure cylinder, and a pressure adjusting function of the pressurized fluid is added to be installed.
According to the constitution of balancing by the spring by moving the inclination of the horizontal arm to above the turning base in parallel therewith by the parallel link mechanism disclosed in Patent Reference 1, similar to the above-described background art apparatus, the spring is exposed to outside, which is dangerous, the tension spring is used, and therefore, a fatigue rupture is liable to be brought about at a hanger portion and when the spring is destructed, there is a danger of dropping the arm.
Further, in Patent Reference 2 (JP-A-11-262889), with an object of providing a simple balancer mechanism of a horizontal arm bringing a main body of the balancer to inside of the horizontal arm and using a compression spring, there is proposed to constitute a balancer apparatus in which in an industrial articulated robot constituting a parallel link of moving a link arm and a wrist relative to a turning base in parallel therewith and including a motor fixedly provided to the turning base for driving to pivot an upright arm and a motor for driving to pivot the horizontal arm, a cantilever load by a weight of the horizontal arm at an arm shaft is balanced by a lever rotatably supported by a horizontal shaft provided at an upper side of the vicinity of the center of the horizontal arm and projecting an arm in an up and down direction, a lever rod for coupling a shaft fixedly provided onto the link arm and an upper arm end of the lever by a pin, and a pulling device provided at inside of the horizontal arm for coupling one end portion of the horizontal arm through a pin and coupling a loose end portion to a lower arm end of the lever by a pin.    Patent Reference 1: JP-A-59-167486    Patent Reference 2: JP-A-11-262889


An apparatus for suspending a traverse curtain on a common track assembly. The track assembly has opposed generally horizontally extending flanges. Mounted on the track is a carriage having spaced apart rollers, each of the rollers rotating about a respective and substantially vertical axis of rotation. A separate one of the rollers engages each flange for moving the carriage along the track. The rollers rotate in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the flanges. The rollers are located for preventing jamming of the carriage at curved portions of the track. Curtain supports are attached to the carriage for supporting a respective portion of the curtain.

Traverse curtains are frequently suspended from track assemblies by a number of commercially available track and carrier systems. Such systems used, for example, for suspending a traverse curtain in a theatrical application include two individual tracks that overlap at the center of a stage. The overlapping tracks provide means for overlapping the vertical borders of the curtain when the curtain is drawn together.
Known traverse curtain carriers typically include a carriage that is supported by wheels, that travel on an I-beam shaped track in response to the motion of a pull cord attached to the carriage. The track has horizontal upper and lower flanges connected by a vertical web. Typically, the wheels rotate about a horizontal axis on the lower flanges of the track. The carriages are characterized in that they jam against the web. Normally the jamming occurs as the carriage travels along a curved portion of the track. Attempts have been made to reduce the amount of jamming of the carriage against the web by the placement of low-friction material such as Teflon on the surfaces of the carriage that normally come in contact with the web.
The shape and orientation of the rollers on the carriage of this invention enables the simiplification of the number of parts needed for coupling a traverse curtain carriage to a common track while eliminating contact of the carriage with the web of the track. Significantly this reduces the amount of friction between the carriage and the track as the carriage travels along curved portions of the track.


A cleaning roller for a suction head has a substantially cylindrical base body with a cylindrical mantle surface. The base body is driven in rotation about an axis of rotation. Support members are connected to the base body and project radially past the cylindrical mantle surface. At least one elongate wiper blade with a shaft is fastened to the support members so as to extend parallel to the axis of rotation. The at least one wiper blade in its working position projects from the base body in the radial direction. The wiper blade is pivotable out of the working position about a pivot axis defined by the shaft. The wiper blade is made of elastic material.

The present invention relates to a cleaning roller, especially for a suction head or suction nozzle, comprised of a substantially cylindrical base body that is rotatably driven by a drive unit about an axis of rotation and that comprises at least one radially extending wiper blade in the longitudinal direction of the base body which is made of elastic material.
Such a cleaning roller is known from German Patent Application 39 33 722. The wiper blade, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the base body and projects substantially radially, extends helically over a circumferential angle of 180.degree.. The wiper blade is comprised of an elastic material, i.e., rubber, in order to ensure that upon encountering a larger obstacle it can yield in a direction counter to the direction of rotation. The energy for deformation required for such a deflection must be provided by the drive motor. For an electromotorical drive unit there is usually a sufficient power available so that the cleaning roller will not come to a standstill. However, in the case of an air turbine being used as a drive motor and driven by the suction air stream only a limited amount of drive power is available. This amount of drive power is only slightly greater than the required deformation energy for deformation of the wiper blade. In practice this results in a standstill of the cleaning roller so that the cleaning process is impeded. The operator who guides the suction head thus must constantly check during operation of the device whether the cleaning roller is still rotating properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,734,211 discloses a cleaning roller which has a helical brush arrangement alternating with a cleaning strip. The cleaning strip has a reduced axial extension in comparison to the brush arrangement and will thus only impact on greater obstacles. The beater bar is comprised of an elastically deformable hollow body which upon impacting on an obstacle will yield due to local elastic deformation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning roller of the aforementioned kind with which for a high cleaning power a standstill of the cleaning roller upon impacting on a rigid obstacle can be securely prevented.

Cleaning roller for the suction head of a vacuum cleaning device


A method and structure for forming an ink jet printhead can include the use of a transfer pad to transfer an adhesive solution to an ink jet printhead substrate. The adhesive solution can be placed within a patterned recess of a cliché and then an upper surface of the adhesive solution can be gelled. A surface of the transfer pad contacts the gelled upper surface and transfers the adhesive solution to the ink jet printhead substrate. During the transfer, a lower surface of the adhesive solution gels. During contact with the ink jet printhead substrate, the gelled lower surface adheres to the ink jet printhead substrate while the gelled upper surface releases from the transfer pad.

Drop on demand ink jet technology is widely used in the printing industry. Printers using drop on demand ink jet technology can use either thermal ink jet technology or piezoelectric technology. Even though they are more expensive to manufacture than thermal ink jets, piezoelectric ink jets are generally favored, for example because they can use a wider variety of inks.
Piezoelectric ink jet printheads include an array of piezoelectric elements (i.e., transducers or PZTs). One process to form the array can include detachably bonding a blanket piezoelectric layer to a transfer carrier with an adhesive, and dicing the blanket piezoelectric layer to form a plurality of individual piezoelectric elements. A plurality of dicing saw passes can be used to remove all the piezoelectric material between adjacent piezoelectric elements to provide the correct spacing between each piezoelectric element.
Piezoelectric ink jet printheads can typically further include a flexible diaphragm to which the array of piezoelectric elements is attached. When a voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element, typically through electrical connection with an electrode electrically coupled to a power source, the piezoelectric element bends or deflects, causing the diaphragm to flex which expels a quantity of ink from a chamber through a nozzle. The flexing further draws ink into the chamber from a main ink reservoir through an opening to replace the expelled ink.
A printhead can include several layers that form ink channels and other printhead structures. Liquid adhesive such as epoxy can be used to bond two layers together. There are typically two ways of applying liquid adhesives, direct application and through the use of B-stage materials.
Direct application can include such methods as spin-coating, screen printing, and contact printing. Spin-coating can apply a uniform layer of liquid adhesive on top surface, but cannot avoid unwanted area, such as holes. Screen printing is versatile, but may not available for liquid adhesives at low viscosity. Micro-contact printing is appropriate for a very thin layer (a few nanometers or less), targeted at molecular level applications.
B-stage materials are liquid adhesives that have been partially cured to form adhesive films. Developing liquid adhesives into B-stage films can require extensive, time-consuming research efforts.
Additional adhesive methods and structures which can overcome the deficiencies of prior adhesion methods and which can be applied to manufacturing technologies such as printhead manufacture would be desirable.

Liquid adhesive application by contact printing


A system and method for replacing all or part of the original audio of a digital program with other audio enables a user to customize a digital program soundtrack. The method includes receiving the audio portion of the digital program as an audio data stream including multiplexed associated audio and data packets, selecting at least one of the audio packets to be replaced by a replacement audio packet, and replacing the at least one of the audio packets with a replacement audio packet thereby customizing the audio portion of the digital program during program playback. The method also enables customizing an audio portion of a transmitted analog program. The method includes receiving first and second audio signals, receiving information transmitted in a vertical blanking interval of the transmitted analog program, interpreting the information and removing a replaceable audio signal, and replacing the replaceable audio signal with a user-selected audio signal.

Currently, broadcast video, video cassette recorders, and digital video disk (DVD) players limit a user's input to a standard set of functions, which includes play, pause, and stop, for example. Some DVDs also include, on an extended soundtrack disk, additional songs that were not part of the original movie soundtrack. However, there does not exist a system for replacing the prerecorded audio portion of a digital or analog program or presentation with music from an extended soundtrack or music from another source during movie playback in home entertainment systems.
A typical Digital Video Disc (DVD) format includes MPEG-2 video/audio encoding. In MPEG-2 encoding, video and audio are separated into different streams (identified by distinct program identifiers (PIDs) in the header of each MPEG-2 packet). It would be highly desirable to provide a system and method for home entertainment systems that removes or replaces a program's prerecorded audio soundtrack, with other audio, e.g., music, that is customized for the viewer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A drill section includes a hollow tube having a reduced portion of a box disposed in each end. Each box is welded to the hollow tube by a circumferential weld extending around an angled portion connecting the reduced portion of the box to a portion of the box having the same outer diameter as the hollow tube. There preferably is welding of the reduced portion of the box to the hollow tube through three equally angularly spaced slots at each end of the hollow tube. A break out ring is disposed on a threaded pin of a tool joint between the box, which has a threaded recess extending inwardly from its end to receive the threaded pin to attach the tool joint to the box, and an annular surface of the tool joint. A protective sleeve on the box has an annular end surface at the same angle to its longitudinal axis as an annular end surface of a collar, which is welded to the box, and held thereagainst by the tool joint attached to the box. One tool joint has a threaded recess, and the other tool joint has a threaded pin, which extends into the threaded recess of the tool joint of the drill section above it while the threaded recess in the tool joint receives the threaded pin of the tool joint of the drill section beneath it or the threaded end of a drill bit sub.

This invention relates to a drill section of a drilling tool and, more particularly, to a drill section in which tool joints may be replaced without reducing the length of a hollow tube of the drill section.
In a drilling tool used for drilling holes in the ground in oil fields, for forming water wells, and for forming blast holes to enable disposition of explosives in the ground in the mining industry, the drilling tool is formed by a plurality of drill sections connected to each other. Each of the drill sections includes a steel hollow tube having a threaded pin joined to its upper end by a circumferential weld and a box attached to its lower end by a circumferential weld. The threaded pin has a tapered-threaded pin extending from its end while the box has a tapered threaded recess to receive the tapered threaded pin of the next lowermost of the drill sections of the drilling tool. Each of the threaded pin and the box may be deemed to be a tool joint.
The lower end of each drill section of the drilling tool receives the most wear of the two ends because of the upward movement of debris produced by cutting by the drill bit at the bottom of the drilling tool. This lower end of the drill section is the end of the drill section having the box.
When wear of the box by debris requires replacement of the box or either the box or the threaded pin breaks and must be replaced, the drill section must be removed from the remainder of the drilling tool, and both ends of the hollow tube of the drill section are then cut off. Both ends of the hollow tube are cut off because maximum benefit is obtained by alternate switching of the ends of the hollow tube of the drill section to which the box and the threaded pin are attached.
The new box would be welded to the bottom tube with its length equal to the length of the replaced box and the removed portion of the hollow tube. The new threaded pin would be welded to the bottom tube with its length equal to the length of the replaced threaded pin and the removed portion of the hollow tube. Thus, the overall length of the drill section remains the same.
A relatively long period of time is required to remove the drill section from the string of drill sections forming the drilling tool. This can result in reduced production for that specific day.
Furthermore, if the drilling tool is drilling blast holes to receive explosives as is required in the mining industry, the failure of the drill section can have an effect on the blast pattern. This is because federal law prevents explosives, which have been disposed in the blast holes, from being left overnight. Therefore, some of the blasting would have to occur one day and the remainder the next day because explosives are placed in the blast holes before all of the blast holes are completed. This could result in it being more expensive to remove the debris such as rock, for example, from the premises than if all of the blast patterns were completed.
The drill section of the present invention satisfactorily solves the foregoing problems through providing a drill section in which it is not necessary to remove both ends of the drill section from the string of drill sections. Instead, it is only necessary to remove the one end of the drill section having the worn or broken tool joint to be replaced from the remainder of the drilling tool.
Additionally, the drill section of the present invention does not require the removal of any of the length of the hollow tube of the drill section. Thus, the length of the hollow tube of the drill section of the present invention is not shortened as occurs with presently available drill sections.


An image processor comprises on imaging drum (300) for print media (32) and donor sheet materials (36) in registration on vacuum imaging drum (300). A printhead (500) moves along a line parallel to a longitudinal axis of vacuum imaging drum (300) as vacuum imaging drum (300) rotates to provide for an intended image. The intended image may be written in a first direction and/or second direction based on the direction of rotation of vacuum imaging drum (300) and the linear direction of movement of the printhead (500).

Pre-press color proofing is a procedure that is used by the printing industry for creating representative images of printed material, without the high cost and time that would be required to produce printing plates and set up a high-speed, high-volume, printing press to produce an example single of an intended image. These intended images may require several corrections and may need to be reproduced several times to satisfy or meet the requirements of customers, resulting in a large loss of profits and ultimately higher cost to the final customer.
One such commercially available image processing apparatus, which is depicted in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,708 is an image processing apparatus having half-tone color proofing capabilities. This image processing apparatus is arranged to form an intended image on a sheet of thermal print media by transferring colorant from a sheet of donor material to the thermal print media by applying a sufficient amount of thermal energy to the donor sheet material to form an intended image. This image processing apparatus is comprised generally of a material supply assembly or carousel, a lathe bed scanning subsystem (which includes a lathe bed scanning frame, a translation drive, a translation stage member, a printhead, and vacuum imaging drum), and thermal print media and donor sheet material exit transports.
The operation of the image processing apparatus as described above comprises metering a length of the thermal print media (in roll form) from the material assembly or carousel. The thermal print media is then measured and cut into sheet form of the required length, transported to the vacuum imaging drum, registered, wrapped around and secured onto the vacuum imaging drum. Next a length of donor material (in roll form) is also metered out of the material supply assembly or carousel, measured and cut into sheet form of the required length. It is then transported to and wrapped around the vacuum imaging drum, such that it is superposed in the desired registration with respect to the thermal print media (which has already been secured to the vacuum imaging drum).
After the donor sheet material is secured to the periphery of the vacuum imaging drum, the scanning subsystem or write engine provides the scanning function. This is accomplished by retaining the thermal print media and the donor sheet material on the spinning vacuum imaging drum while it is rotated past the print head that will expose the thermal print media. The translation drive then traverses the print head and translation stage member axially along the vacuum imaging drum, in coordinated motion with the rotating vacuum imaging drum. These movements combine to produce the intended image on the thermal print media.
After the intended image has been written on the thermal print media, the donor sheet material is then removed from the vacuum imaging drum. This is done without disturbing the thermal print media that is beneath it. The donor sheet material is then transported out of the image processing apparatus by the donor sheet material exit transport. Additional donor sheet materials are sequentially superimposed with the thermal print media on the vacuum imaging drum, then imaged onto the thermal print media as previously mentioned, until the intended image is completed. The completed image on the thermal print media is then unloaded from the vacuum imaging drum and transported to an external holding tray on the image processing apparatus by the receiver sheet material exit transport.
Although the presently known and utilized image processing apparatus is satisfactory, it is not without drawbacks. In an image processing apparatus, as the imaging drum spins, the printhead moves along the vacuum imaging drum in a path that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vacuum imaging drum (referred to as the slow scan). The translation drive moves the printhead in the "slow scan" direction, from a home position (at the point where it begins writing the intended image using the data from the image processing apparatus) to the opposite end of the vacuum imaging drum. The combined movement of the printhead and the vacuum imaging drum rotation perpendicular to the motion of the printhead causes the resulting image to be written in a single, continuous helix about the vacuum imaging drum. However, with the present image processing apparatus, at the end of a writing cycle the printhead must be returned to the home position before writing the next color in order to assure, for example, color to color registration. Returning the printhead to the home position prior to unloading and loading of media and for the start of the next image scan adversely affects the throughput of the image processing apparatus.

Laser thermal printer with dual direction imaging


In an apparatus and method for prefabricating pockets continuously, pocket material is directed lengthwise along a predetermined path. The pocket material is nipped between a feed roller and an idler roller for advancement first to an adhesive application station. In one embodiment, predetermined adhesive strips formed from ribbons comprising a layer of fusible adhesive on a backing are attached along the edges of the pocket material. If desired, a transverse strip of adhesive can also be applied. In the alternative, adhesive can be extruded directly onto the pocket material along the edges and transversely if desired. The pocket material is then advanced past a cutter and sheared to provide an individual pocket blank. The pocket blank is next aligned, after which the aligned pocket blank is transferred into position for transverse folding. In the preferred embodiment, the edges of the pocket blank having adhesive there along are folded inwardly simultaneously upon transfer. A movable blade then folds the pocket blank transversely and advances the folded pocket blank into one of a plurality of pocket receivers in a rotatable pocket wheel. As the wheel is indexed, the edges of the folded pocket blank are engaged and activated to permanently secure the edges and thereby form a pocket. The prefabricated pockets are then removed for subsequent implantation into a garment.

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for manufacturing pockets, and more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for continuously prefabricating pockets for subsequent attachment to a garment.
In the manufacture of garments, pockets are provided chiefly as a convenient means for carrying useful articles. Such useful items may include, for example, a wallet, a handkerchief, currency, change, keys, and the like. The pockets are integrated into the garment and take the general form of a pouch open at one end to permit easy access to the contents.
The two basic types of pockets utilized in the garment industry are the patch pocket and the standard pocket. The patch pocket is formed simply by connecting a peripheral portion of a layer or patch of material directly to the outside surface of a garment. The standard pocket, however, is of relatively more complex construction. In particular, construction of a standard pocket requires numerous manual operations including material cutting, folding, positioning, sewing, and trimming. These manual operations are both time consuming and costly in terms of labor and material expenditure.
In an attempt to solve some of these problems and thus reduce the overall cost of a garment, some efforts have been directed to the reduction of manufacturing steps through elimination or combination. For example, in co-pending application Ser. No. 905,054, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,293, assigned to the assignee hereof, there is shown an invention pertaining to the manual construction of individual pockets with the aid of adhesives. In another co-pending application assigned to the assignee hereof, application Ser. No. 845,450, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,933, there is shown an invention for the precise deposition of adhesive strips. However, heretofore there has not been available an apparatus which operates on a continuous basis to preform pockets ready for subsequent attachment to a garment.
The present invention comprises an apparatus and method for manufacturing pockets which overcomes the foregoing and other problems long since associated with the prior art. According to the broader aspects of the invention, pocket material of a predetermined width is directed lengthwise along a predetermined path. In one embodiment, ribbons from which are formed strips of adhesive are directed along other predetermined paths adjacent to the pocket material. Alternatively, adhesive can be extruded directly onto the pocket material. Following deposition of the adhesive at the desired locations, the pocket material is sheared to provide a length of material defining a pocket blank. Each pocket blank is then folded, adhesively secured in part, and collected for subsequent implantation into a garment. Use of the invention minimizes material waste, manual intervention and thus cost by achieving continuous prefabrication of pockets for garments.
In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, a web of pocket material having a predetermined width is drawn from a supply roll and fed into the apparatus. The pocket material is engaged between feed and nip rollers for advancement first to an adhesive application station. In the preferred embodiment, strips of fusible adhesive formed from ribbons comprising a layer of adhesive on a backing are advanced into position adjacent the longitudinal edges of the pocket material. Cooperating movable heads, which are preferably heated, are then actuated to effect attachment of two adhesive strips along the edges of the pocket material. Preferably, a third strip of adhesive is similarly attached to the pocket material but in a transverse orientation.
In another embodiment, adhesive is applied in strips along each longitudinal edge, and preferably in a transverse strip also, by means of extrusion heads.
Following precise attachment of the adhesive, a predetermined length of the pocket material is then advanced past a cutter and into an aligning and folding station. Actuation of the cutter shears the pocket material to provide a pocket blank with adhesive attached thereto in predetermined locations. After proper alignment and positioning in one portion of the station, the pocket blank is then transferred to another portion of the station for folding. In the preferred construction, the pocket blank is first folded along the longitudinal edges during the transfer operation. The partly folded pocket blank is then pushed by a movable blade through a cooperating aperture. Actuation of the blade folds the pocket blank transversely with the adhesive edge strips inside and simultaneously advances the folded pocket blank to the activation station. If a less finished pocket is desired, the longitudinal edges of the pocket blank need not be folded prior to the transverse folding operation.
The activation station includes a rotatable wheel including a plurality of pocket receivers for receiving folded pocket blanks in succession from the movable blade. Presser bars, which are preferably heated, within each pocket receiver engage portions of the edges in the folded pocket blanks to secure at least the bottom section of the pockets. Upon each incremental rotation of the wheel, a vacant pocket receiver is indexed for chambering of another folded pocket blank as a prefabricated pocket is substantially simultaneously removed from another receiver for subsequent attachment to a garment.


A rolling mechanic's lamp is disclosed. The lamp is provided with a rectangular frame member having a centrally located opening and two receptacles remote therefrom for carrying small tools and the like. A reflector is secured to the frame member for directing light through the top of the opening. An electric bulb, capable of illuminating the area above the frame member when energized, is supported by the reflector within the opening. A cage is secured to the top of the frame member and disposed above the bulb. The cage includes a ring fitted about the periphery of the opening and a number of arches having their respective lower ends joined to the ring in a spaced apart relationship and having their respective upper ends joined together at a predetermined height above the opening. A caster is secured to each of the four corners of the frame member. A handle is joined to one side of the frame member for grasping by the human hand and movement of the lamp from place to place.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable light sources and, more particularly, pertains to a lamp having casters for movement over a floor surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,731, issued Oct. 6, 1987 to Frederick W. Johns, Sr., shows a lamp secured to the head of a mechanic's creeper. The position of the lamp may not be modified without the mechanic moving his entire body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,854, issued Jun. 19, 1990 to Gerald W. Kernodle, on the other hand, provides a lamp having a telescoping feature for illuminating the undercarriage of a vehicle that has been raised on a garage lift. Because of its substantial height even when in its retracted position, this particular device is not well suited for use in areas with extremely low overhead clearance. A need, therefore, exists for a mechanic's lamp which may be moved without a great expenditure of effort and which may utilized in areas of low overhead clearance.


The present invention consists of a method for the preparation of an anionic water dispersible polyurethane(PU), which has excellent adhesive properties. The preparation method involves the formation of prepolymer from polyisocyanates and an active hydrogen containing compound such as polyols, followed by chain extension with aliphatic diols or diamines, and finally by chain extension with N-(2-aminoalkyl-2-aminoethoxylate ethane sulfonate and dispersion of the reaction product by deionized water to obtain water-borne polyurethane adhesive.

Water dispersible PU resins containing sulfonate group have been described in many patents, including:
(a) Use of sodium salt of N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethane sulfonic acid for the chain extender and emulsifier of water-borne PU resins, reported by the Bayer AG of Germany in following patents: PA1 (b) Use of sulfonate of diols as one of the raw materials in preparing water-borne PU resins by the Bayer AG as reported in following patents: PA1 (c) In the Patent PCT/US95/00030, 5-sulfoisophthalic acid monosodium salt is used as raw material to synthesize water-borne PU adhesive with high green PA1 m=2.about.12 PA1 n=1.about.3 PA1 A=K or Na. PA1 tetramethylene diisocyanate PA1 hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) PA1 1,4- diisocyanatocyclohexane PA1 4,4'- diisocyanatodicyclohexylmetlhane (H.sub.12 MDI) PA1 isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) PA1 tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate (TMXDI) PA1 diphenylmethane-4,4'- diisocyanate(MDI) PA1 toluylene diisocyanate (TDI) PA1 xylylene diisocyanate (XDI) PA1 mixture of above diisocyanates PA1 adipic acid PA1 phthalic acid PA1 tetrahydrophthalic acid PA1 hexahydrophthalic acid PA1 ethylene glycol PA1 propylene glycol PA1 butylene glycol PA1 hexamethylene glycol PA1 glycerol PA1 trimethylol propane PA1 diethylene glycol PA1 triethylene glycol PA1 tetraethylene glycol PA1 polytetramethylene glycol( PTMG) PA1 polypropylene glycol(PPG) PA1 polyethylene glycol (PEG) PA1 ethylene diamine PA1 hexamethylene diamine PA1 isophorone diamine PA1 2,4-diaminotoluene PA1 4,4'-diaminodicyclohexylmethane PA1 diethylene triamine PA1 triethylene tetraamine PA1 hydrazine PA1 hydrazine hydrate. PA1 m=2.about.12 PA1 n=1.about.3 PA1 A=K or Na.
Ger. Offen. 2804609 PA2 Ger. Offen. 2900574 PA2 Ger. Offen. DE 3216567 PA2 Ger. Offen. DE 3415290 PA2 Ger. Offen. DE 3603996 PA2 Ger. Offen. DE 3630045 PA2 U.S. Pat. No. 4056564 PA2 U.S. Pat. No. 4108814 PA2 Ger. Offen. 2446440
When water-borne PU adhesive is coated on the substrate as rubber, metals or PVC, water shall be driven off first by heating followed by thermal activation of the adhesive layer to perform bonding. In case the formulation of water-borne PU is not appropriate to cause higher activation temperature and damage the substrate. The method to lower the activation temperature through the use of more solvent, plasticizer or other resin shall lead to significant loss of heat strength.
Besides, in actual use of water-borne PU for adhesive, the operation aspect should be considered to avoid very short tack time in practice. The extension of tack time is an important topic in the use of water-borne PU resin.
In order to improve the activation temperature and tack time during the use of water borne PU for adhesive, this invention introduces the use of ethylene oxide sulfonates in the side chain of water borne PU molecules to form excellent bonding of said water borne PU with improved activation temperature and tack time.
According to the present invention, the structure of diamine sulfonates is shown as following: ##STR1##
in which
In the use of diamine sulfonates of this invention, the acetone process, as described in Ger. Off. 1495745 and 1495247, can be applied, to add acetone to dissolve the pre-polymer after its formation, followed by chain extension with aliphatic diol or diamine with dispersion of water to obtain water borne PU resin with high molecular weight, after completing the reaction, acetone can then be removed by distillation under reduced pressure.
In the synthesis of water-borne PU for adhesive, the raw materials include:
(I) Diisocyanates with the general formula EQU Q(NCO).sub.2 PA0 (II) The molecular weight of polyester polyols is in the range from 400 to 10,000, most preferably from 400 to 4,000, the preparation of these polyester polyols is by condensation of dibasic carboxylic acid with excess dihydric alcohols, the required dibasic acids include PA0 (III) Amine chain extenders having molecular weight between 30 to 440 include: PA0 (IV) Glycol chain extenders having molecular weight between 60.about.400 such as ethylene glycol and butylene glycol are used. PA0 (V) Chain extenders and emulsifyers containing sulfonate with following structure: ##STR2##
in which Q=aliphatic hydrocarbon radical with 4.about.12 carbon
or =cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon radical with 6.about.15 carbon
or =araliphatic hydrocarbon radical with 7.about.15 carbon.
These diisocyanates include
The molar ratio of diisocyanates to polyols (abbreviated as NCO/OH) is from 1.1:1 to 10:1, most preferably, from 1.2:1 to 2.5:1.
The glycols or polyols having molecular weight in the range of 60.about.400 include:
The polyether polyols include:
Other polyols include polycarbonate polyol, polycaprolactone or the mixture of above polyols.
in which
By introducing above sulfonates to the main chain of PU, the amount is for each 100 g of polymer with 5.about.200 milliequivalent of said slfonate for dispersion in water.
The reaction temperature for preparing prepolymer in general is between 5.about.160.degree. C., most preferably between 50.about.120.degree. C. The reaction temperature for chain extension in general is between 20.about.100.degree. C., most preferably between 20.about.80.degree. C. The removal of solvent as acetone in general is by distillation under reduced pressure, the temperature to be controlled between 20.about.100.degree. C., most preferably between 30.about.90.degree. C. The pressure is controlled between 5.about.1100 mbar, most preferably between 10.about.300 mbar.
The water-borne PU resin in this invention has good stability in forming emulsion, to be used as adhesive with better activation temperature and tack time.
The embodiment of this invention is illustrated as following:

Method for the preparation of water-borne polyurethane adhesive


The disclosure relates to a method for operating a pedestrian-protection device of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, which has a surroundings sensor system and a contact sensor system, and is configured to trigger at least one pedestrian-protection measure. The method comprises monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle to detect a collision object using the surroundings sensor system, and determining the type of detected collision object before an impact with the vehicle. The method further comprises using the contact sensor system to determine an impact feature on the vehicle of the detected collision object, which has impacted with the vehicle, and to compare the impact feature with at least one predefineable limiting value, in order to make a decision about the triggering of the pedestrian-protection measure. In this context there is provision that the limiting value is changed as a function of the determined type of detected collision object.

Methods and apparatuses of the aforementioned type are known from the prior art. In general, contact sensors installed in the bumper of the vehicle are used for the detection of pedestrian accidents. Systems based on two or more acceleration sensors are in wide use. Systems are also known that operate with a pressure tube sensor. In both cases the impact of an object in the relevant region of the bumper results in a signal rise within the detecting sensor. The amplitude of the signal rise is dependent here inter alia on the mass and the speed of the impacting or incident collision object.
From the published patent application DE 103 46 622 A1, moreover, an apparatus of the aforementioned type is known, with which a surroundings sensor is provided that monitors the surroundings of the vehicle and in the event of potential collision objects checks whether this is a pedestrian. The pedestrian protection measures are then triggered depending on whether the collision object is actually a pedestrian. In practice however, it can occur on the one hand that despite widely developed algorithms for checking whether the collision object is a pedestrian, a faulty decision can be made that would result in incorrect triggering of the pedestrian protection measure. On the other hand, it can occur that a pedestrian is not recognized as such, for example as the necessary trigger threshold within the algorithm was not exceeded. This can for example be the case if the pedestrian is a small child or the pedestrian is only partly incident on a relevant region of the bumper. The simple decision as to whether it is a pedestrian or not, and based thereon to decide to trigger pedestrian protection measures, can therefore be insufficient in individual cases.

Method and device for operating a pedestrian-protection device of a vehicle, pedestrian-protection device


An antenna whip construction having a radiating or radiation receiving antenna element, and an isolation transformer electrically connected between the antenna element and the support fitting of the whip, and all of which is bound into a structural self supporting whip. The isolation transformer has a pair of input terminals for connection to a transmission line, and the isolation transformer allows feed through from one of the input terminals to the antenna element but effectively isolates the antenna element from the other of the input terminals.

Conventional whip antennas of less than a half wave length must be connected to some kind of a ground, so that the portion of the wave that extends out of the whip can flow in and out of the ground. If the grounding connection breaks or its resistance becomes large, the efficacy of the antenna is impaired. Conventional whips when mounted on nonmetallic bodies require elaborate grounding systems to be used therewith.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a whip antenna which will operate satisfactorily without an external ground.
Further objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates from the following description of the preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompying drawing forming a part of this specification.