A surgical sagittal saw with a complementary blade. The blade is formed with a void to receive a pin associated with the saw that releasably holds the blade to the saw. The blade and the pin have complementary tapered surfaces. When the tapered surface of the pin moves against the tapered surface of the blade, the blade is urged against a static surface of the saw.

A powered surgical instrument, surgical tool, used with some frequency is the powered surgical saw. This type of instrument is used to remove tissue, including bone and cartilage. Attached to the saw is a saw blade. A drive assembly internal to the saw reciprocates the blade in a back and forth motion. Often the saw includes a moving head. The head is the component of the saw to which the blade is mounted. Some blades are constructed to pivot back and forth, oscillate, in the plane in which the blade is oriented. This type of blade is referred to as a sagittal saw blade. A sagittal saw blade is provided with teeth that extend forward from the distal end of the blade body.
Many sagittal saws and their complementary blades are designed so that the blade extends distally forward of the blade head. One such assembly is disclosed in the Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 8,100,912/PCT Pub. No. WO 2007/011542, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This type of saw and blade is used to remove a section of bone. This is the most common type of sagittal saw.
A species of the sagittal saw is the acetabular cup remover. As implied by its name, this type of surgical power instrument is used to remove an artificial acetabular cup. An artificial acetabular cup is sometimes implanted in a patient during hip replacement surgery. Hip replacement surgery consists of the replacement of the existing ball and socket of the hip joint with prosthetic replacements. The head of the femur, the ball, is typically removed and replaced with a femoral component made of biocompatible material. This component mirrors the structure of the original bone. The acetabulum, the socket in the hip, is often reamed to form a hole. An artificial acetabular cup that corresponds and cooperates with the femoral component is fitted in the hole. This artificial acetabular cup often includes an outer shell constructed of a metallic material. Typically this shell is in the form of a hollowed out semi-sphere. An insert, constructed of plastic, ceramic or metal, is seated in the outer shell. In many cases, the acetabular cup component is anchored in the bone with cement. Some cups are press fit in place. Still other cups are held in place by screws or fastening tabs integral with the cup itself. A combination of these fastening methods may be employed. Sometimes, owing to the shape of the outer shell and/or the application of compound that enhance bone growth, the outer shell is designed to foster the growth of bone adjacent the shell. This new bone anchors the cup to the rest of the hip. Total hip replacement surgery has often proven successful in relieving many problems associated with the hip joint.
Total hip replacement surgery is often successful. Nevertheless, it is sometimes necessary to perform the same surgery on the same hip. This may be necessary in situations in which wear or infection degrade the performance of the installed cup and femoral head. This sub-set of total hip replacement surgery is sometimes called revision surgery. In a revision surgery, it is necessary to remove the acetabular cup previously implanted in the hip. As mentioned above, these components may have been cemented in place or otherwise held by bone or fibrous tissue that may have grown in and around the component. Thus, their removal requires the cutting or chipping away of cement or bone material.
The acetabular cup remover is employed to remove the artificial acetabular cup. This type of saw includes a pivot head that seats in the socket of the cup. A saw head is connected to the pivot head. The complementary blade has a foot that projects outwardly from the head. The blade has a trunk, a main body, that, relative to the foot, extends downwardly. More particularly, the trunk is shaped to curve around the outer surface of the cup the saw is employed to remove. Teeth extend outwardly from the end and sometimes the side of the trunk. When this type of saw is actuated, the saw head is oscillated to cause a similar back and forth motion of the blade. The blade is then driven around the outer surface of the cup. As a consequence of the oscillatory movement and the blade being simultaneously driven around the cup, the blades, cuts, chips away, bone and any cement that holds the cup to the bone. PCT Pub. No. WO 2014/133536/US Pat. Pub. No. US 2015/0359641 A and PCT Pub. No. WO 2014/207552/US Pat. Pub. No. 2016/0100846 A1, both of which are explicitly incorporated herein by reference, disclose an acetabular cup remover and a number of different blades that can be used with this type of saw.
A surgical sagittal includes an assembly for removably holding the blade to the saw head. This is because the blade, to ensure sterility is removed and replaced between surgeries on different patients. Often a new blade is used for each surgery. This is because upon use of the blade, the teeth are immediately dulled. Owing to the economics, it is often more cost effective to use a new blade with each patient than go to the expense of sterilizing and resharpening previously used blade. This means that each time a saw or acetabular cup remover is used for a new patient, a new blade is fitted to the saw. Moreover, during the process of removing acetabular cup, often two or more blades are used in sequence. The first blade has a trunk that subtends a first arc. This blade is used to form an initial shallow cut around the acetabular cup being removed. Once this shallow cut is formed, a second blade is fitted to the acetabular cup remover. This second blade subtends an arc greater than that subtended by the first blade. The second blade is used to form a deeper cut. This deeper cut typically extends completely around the cup. Once this deep cut is formed, the cup is then removed from the hip.
A surgical sagittal, include a saw designed as an acetabular cup remover, is typically designed so that the head has a slot. The slot is the void space dimensioned to receive the proximal end of the blade. Often the proximal end of the blade is provided with one or more openings. Each opening is dimensioned to receive a pin that is moveably mounted to the saw head. The seating of the pin the blade opening releasably holds the blade to the head.
It is common practice to collectively dimension the saw head and blade so the slot allows the close slip fitting of the blade in the slot. This slip fit dimensioning facilitates the relatively easy insertion of the blade into and removal of the blade from the saw head. An inevitable amount of this component dimensioning is that within the slot, there is small clearance between the blade and the interior surfaces of the saw head that define the slot. This means that within the slot the blade has some space to move.
Owing to this tendency of the blade to move within the slot, the back-and-forth movement of the blade is not always in phase with the back-and-forth movement of the saw head. More specifically this occurs because when the saw head reverses direction, owing to the blade having a momentum in the opposite direction, the blade continues to move in the first direction. Thus, there may be times in the movement of the saw head and blade where these two components move in the opposed directions. This can result in the blade striking an adjacent surface of the saw head. This action is sometimes referred to as blade slap. A result of blades continually slapping against the saw head is that the material forming the head can fatigue. This component fatigue can result in the fracturing of the saw head. Once such a fracture occurs, at a minimum, it is necessary to replace the saw head.
This movement of the blade relative to the saw head can also result in the blade moving to a less than optimal position for the procedure being performed. When a conventional sagittal saw is used, the blade is often placed in a resection guide. A resection guide is a block that is affixed to the bone adjacent where the cut is to be formed. The block is formed with one or more slots. The slots serve as guide paths through which the saw blade is inserted. By cutting the bone along the guide paths defined by the slots, the surgeon shapes the remaining bone to have a selected, precisely defined shape. This precision shaping of the bone is often performed to ensure the proper fitting of an orthopedic implant to the bone. Owing to the flexure of the blade when fitted in one of these slots, the blade can gall, wear the material that defines the slots. This can result in the shape of the slot deforming from the shape needed to ensure that a cut formed based on the shape of the slot has the desired shape. Once this deformation of the resection guide occurs, the guide is no longer useful.
This blade shifting is also disadvantageous when it occurs relative to the head of an acetabular cup remover. This is because the acetabular cup remover is designed so that when the blade is fitted to the saw, and the blade moved around the cup being removed, the blade ideally should move as close as possible around the cup without pressing against the cup. If the blade is spaced away from the cup, more bone is removed from the patient than is necessary to remove the acetabular cup. This can complicate the process of fitting the replacement cup. If the blade presses against the acetabular cup the metal-against-metal movement of the blade, at a minimum, reduces the efficiency of the bone removal process. A more adverse result from this contact is the deformation of the blade or the cup. Either of these events can appreciably complicate the removal of the old cup and the fitting of the replacement cup.
There is therefore a desire to provide a surgical sagittal saw and complementary blade that are constructed so that, when the saw and blade are actuated, the saw head and blade move as a single rigid structure. A means to satisfy this design objective is to design the saw head and blade so the blade is compression fit in the saw head. This can be impracticable because it can require the use of force to first insert the blade into the saw head and then to remove the blade from the head. Having to employ this kind of force can slow the blade removal and insertion processes. Further, the teeth of these blades are very sharp. To reduce the likelihood that the individual tasked with blade insertion and blade removal inadvertently cut himself/herself on the teeth, it might be desirable for this individual task to use a tool to apply the force. The need to provide this type of force with a tool can further complicate the processes of inserting and removing the blades.
An alternative means to ensure the saw head and blade move as a single rigid body is to provide a clamping assembly that, when set, applies an appreciable amount of force to the blade to hold the blade to the saw head. This typically means that the individual charged with blade insertion and blade removal apply a significant amount of force to reset and release the clamping assembly. Requiring the individual responsible to perform these tasks to apply these forces can complicate the process of inserting and removing the blade. This is especially true if the individual has limited arm and hand strength. Further, if these forces are not properly applied, especially the force required to set the clamping assembly, the blade may not be fully locked to the saw head. When the saw is actuated this could result in a clearly undesirable event, the blade working free from the saw.

Surgical sagittal saw and complementary blade with features that fixedly hold the blade static to the saw


An optical fiber power amplifier, particularly for telecommunication lines with optical fibers, including an active fiber doped with Erbium as a fluorescing substance, and with Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 as refraction index modifying dopant. The fiber is pumped with a laser providing a wavelength higher than 520 nm and preferably, 980 nm. The amplifier has a particularly high amplification efficiency close to the theoretical maximum efficiency.

For long distance signal transmission through an optical fiber telecommunication line, it is necessary that the transmitted signals reach the receiving station at a level sufficient to allow their recognition and use. Since, in the propagation of the signals in an optical fiber, there is an attenuation of the signal light, and in order to obtain at the receiving station, which can be tens or hundreds of kilometers distant from the transmitting station, a signal of sufficient level, the signal originally introduced in the fiber must have the highest possible level.
However, the lasers used for the generation of the transmitted signal have somewhat limited power, not more than some mW, whereas more powerful lasers are not able to generate such signals. Thus, it becomes necessary to use power amplifiers which receive the signal generated by the laser and amplify it up to the desired level.
It is known that optical fibers having a core doped with particular substances, e.g. rare earth ions, provide stimulated output characteristics suitable for use as optical amplifiers.
In fact, such fibers can be supplied with a light source, called a "pumping source", at a particular wavelength corresponding to a peak of the absorption spectrum of the doping substance, which is able to bring the atoms of the doping substance in an excited energetic condition, or pumping band, from which the same atoms drop spontaneously, in very short time, to a laser output condition where they remain for a relatively longer time.
When a fiber having a high number of atoms at the excited state in the emission level is transited by a light signal having a wavelength corresponding to such laser emission state, the signal causes the transition of the excited atoms to a lower level with light emission having a wavelength the same as the wavelength of the signal. Therefore, a fiber of such kind can be used to obtain an amplification of an optical signal.
In particular, optical amplifiers using Erbium as laser-emission dopant are well known and make use of the fluorescence of the Erbium at around 1550 nm for the amplification of a signal in the fluorescence range, in which range the line fiber has the best transmission characteristics from the point of view of the attenuation of the signal.
Power optical amplifiers using fibers doped with Erbium have been described in "Proceeding ECOC (European Conference on Optical Communication) 1989", pages 42-43. Such article describes a power amplifier that uses fibers of silica doped with Germanium and Erbium and pumped with a Nd-YAG laser doubled in frequency to 532 nm.
However, such amplifier has a very low amplification efficiency, i.e. the ratio between the power of the transmission signal at the output and the supplied pumping power, lower than 20% which is very far from the maximum theoretical efficiency.
From U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 07/363,072 filed Jun. 8, 1989 and entitled "Optical Fibre Amplifier", fibers of the type doped with Al/Er are known. The dopant used to obtain the index refraction profile suitable to guide the light is Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and the fibers are suitable for optical amplifiers pumped at 514.5 nm wavelength, e.g. with an Argon laser.
According to the last-mentioned patent application, the Al/Er doped fibers are preferable to the traditional Ge/Er fibers if pumped at a wavelength of 514.5 nm because they avoid absorption phenomenon in the excited state which occurs in the Ge/Er doped fibers at such wavelength.
In order to obtain a high amplification efficiency, on the other hand, it is convenient to use relatively high pumping wavelengths, and in particular, the wavelength of 980 nm is useful because the amplification efficiency in a power amplifier is substantially proportional to the pumping wavelength.

Optical power amplifier with Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and erbium doped active fiber


An objective of the present invention is to provide an organic-inorganic hybrid acrylic polymer having an increased refractive index, which has a higher transparency and a less impaired scratch resistance; a metal oxide dispersion and a polymerizable composition as materials for the polymer; and the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer capable of being produced in a crack-free manner. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a high-performance antireflection film using the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer. The metal oxide dispersion of the present invention comprises a phosphorus compound represented by Formula (1):

Optical materials are used for various uses such as a lens, a film, an optical fiber, a light guide plate for liquid crystal display, and a waveguide. Among them, optical polymer materials play an important role as raw materials supporting the basis of the electronics field and the communication technology such as information display, information storage, and information transmission. Therefore, physical properties such as durability and scratch resistance are required at a high level as well as optical properties such as a high transparency, a high refractive index, and fine control of refractive index.
As a method of increasing the refractive index in an optical polymer material, a method of introducing a substituent such as a halogen, elemental sulfur, and an aromatic group into the polymer is known. However, the method of introducing a halogen has problems such as decrease in transparency due to the coloration of the optical material, and high environmental load. The method of introducing elemental sulfur has problems such as generation of odor derived from sulfur and decrease in stability due to disulfides by-produced from impurities. Furthermore, the method of introducing an aromatic group has problems such as increase in chromatic aberration due to decrease in Abbe number.
As a method of increasing the refractive index in an optical polymer, a method of combining inorganic particles of titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, or the like with an organic constituent is attracting attention. This method does not have such disadvantages as in the above method of introducing a substituent into the polymer, but has a problem of decrease in transparency caused by the agglomeration of the inorganic particles. In order to solve this problem, techniques to disperse the particles have been studied actively.
For example, a method in which a phosphate compound having a polyoxyethylene alkyl structure is used as a dispersing agent for zirconia particles (see, e.g. Patent Literature 1) and a method in which a phosphate compound having an aromatic group is used as a dispersing agent for zirconia particles (see, e.g. Patent Literature 2) are known. It is reported that the transparency of the polymer is improved by the improvement of the dispersibility of the zirconia particles in these methods. However, the transparency is still not sufficient, and further improvement in optical performance has been demanded. Moreover, since the scratch resistance (the hardness of the polymer) is decreased, further improvement in physical performance is also required.

Metal oxide dispersion, polymerizable composition comprising the metal oxide dispersion, and polymer thereof

Abstract: (wherein, R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group, or an aromatic heterocyclic group; R2 is an organic residue; and n is 1 or 2) and a metal oxide.

OSAKA RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


The invention relates to a microscope slide holder for an optical microscope. The slide holder comprises a base portion, a slide holder portion arranged on the base portion and having a mounting zone capable of receiving microscope slides of one or more slide types, the slide holder portion being movably arranged on the base portion, and a manipulator for moving the slide holder portion with respect to the base portion in three orthogonal dimensions. According to the invention, the base portion is dimensioned to fit into a mounting zone designed for at least one of the one or more microscope slide types. The invention allows for convenient sample movement in microscopes whose sample stage is not inherently designed for scanning microscopy.

Conventional optical microscopes are equipped with viewing optics arranged on an arm and a sample stage positioned below the sample stage within a focal range of the optics. A sample substrate, i.e. a microscope slide containing the sample to be imaged, is positioned on the sample stage at the optical axis of the viewing optics.
Scanning optical microscopes are used e.g. in microscopy of biological samples and material diagnostics. They typically comprise a specially designed sample stage with integral members for holding a slide and moving the slide perpendicular to the optical axis of the viewing optics (say in X and Y dimensions) so that different parts of the sample can easily be viewed. There may be also an electrical drive for actuation of the movement in an automated fashion.
There are also sample stage assemblies for converting conventional sample stages into X-Y-movable stages. For example WO 2005/101088 discloses a stage assembly mountable on an optical microscope for orienting a sample into a desired focal position includes an X-axis plate operable for rectilinear shifting in the X-axis direction and a Y-axis plate mounted on the X-axis plate operable for rectilinear translation in the Y-axis direction. A Z-axis plate is mounted on the XY plate assembly for carrying a sample to be investigated and a piezoelectric actuator mechanism is interposed between the XY plate assembly and the Z-axis plate operable for rectilinear translation of the Z-axis plate.
In the patent literature, further art is represented by WO 2011/138603, WO 2013/138911, US 2010/0073672, US 2008/0266440, US 2011/0089771, US 2012/0147461 and US 2002/0101654.
In addition, there are separate devices that can be placed on sample stages, such as PInano® "XY(Z) Piezo System P-545.xR7"-series nanopositioning device, designed for superresolution microscopy. The device comprises a shallow but large body with a slide-receiving aperture in the middle and is capable of moving the slide at maximum 0.2 mm in each dimension. Due to its design, the device requires, however a huge amount of flat space on a sample stage compared with the area of the slide, and is therefore not suited for the majority of existing microscopes.
In summary, the existing solutions for automatically moving samples to be imaged require special microscopes with custom sample stages, extensive modifications to ordinary stages or at least large flat sample stages for being able to accommodate the slide moving device.
Thus, there exists a need for improved solutions allowing moving of samples in microscopes with laterally stationary sample stages.


A data round-off device receives a digital input signal of m-bit form (m is an integer) which has arithmetically been processed by addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division by an orthogonal transformer or predictive encoder is summed, if it is positive, with a value of 2.sup.(n-1) -1 (n is a natural number smaller than m) and if negative, with a value of 2.sup.(n-1) and the higher (m-n) bits of a resultant sum signal are delivered as the output of the data round-off device. Preferably, it is used for control of the number of bits if there is a difference in the number of bits between the data output of an orthogonal transformer and the data input of an encoder for encoding the data output of the orthogonal transformer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data round-off device for use in reducing the number of effective data bits during high efficiency encoding of video or audio signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the data of a video or audio signal is redundant and thus, can be trimmed by high efficiency coding for optimum transmission and recording. The high efficiency coding is commonly carried out using an orthogonal transformation method or a predictive coding technique. The former is performed by the data of an digital input signal being divided into blocks corresponding to groups of a given number of pixels and processed by orthogonal transformation in each block before orthogonally transformed data of each block is encoded. The latter is conducted by the information of a pixel to be transmitted being estimated from its adjacent pixel data and a resultant estimated error being transmitted. In such high efficiency coding procedures, the orthogonally transformed data and the estimated error are quantized and a resultant quantized value is then encoded by a fixed or variable length encoding technique for transmission and recording.
It is known that the quantization of the orthogonally transformed data and the estimated error is executed by a linear quantizing process in which the data to be quantized is divided into a given number of quantizing steps and the value of each quantizing step is converted to an integer which is given as the quantized value. In such a linear quantizing process, the division produces a decimal fraction which is in turn rounded by a data round-off device into an integer. A conventional data round-off device is arranged to perform rounding up or down by replacing the digits after the decimal point with zeros. And more familiar, the rounding up is carried out by increasing the first place digit by one if the digit in the first decimal place is 5 or greater.
However, when so-called mid tread quantization which is effective in high-efficiency-coding is used during the rounding up or down operation, considerable error of skipping one step at maximum tends to occur and a resultant code signal will exhibit degradation in the data quality. It is common that if a fractional part of the decimal fraction is 0.5 or more, it is rounded up and if not, it is rounded down. When the fractional part is 0.5, both the rounding up and down processes produce the same magnitude of a quantizing error. Usually in encoding, the smaller the absolute value of a code, the more the data can be reduced. Hence, the rounding up is not preferred when the fractional part is 0.5.

Data round-off device for rounding-off m-bit digital data into (m-n)-bit digital data

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A mobile racking system for installation in a trailer van which is fitted on the inside sidewalls with a number of load retaining strips at different elevations to define different elevation loads. A number of clamping bracket assemblies are releasably attached to the retaining strips, each assembly being provided with a releasable engagement device for accepting a C-shaped track member to provide a pathway for accepting and supporting a carriage in the form of a roller pallet. The releasable engagement device has a cam member for securing the C-shaped track member to the load retaining strip. The roller pallet extends substantially across the width of the trailer van, the roller pallet having at least on one side, a pair of rollers which are rigidly secured to axles which are adapted to move laterally on the pallet to accommodate differences in the spacing between the two side walls of the trailer. The clamping bracket assembly has a "["-shaped body having upper and lower arms joined by a bight. A sleeve is secured to the bottom of the lower arm and extends towards the bight. A releasable engagement device, cooperatively supported by the sleeve, supports a cam member. By rotating a handle to an unlocked position, the clamping bracket assembly can be releasably fastened to the load retaining strip. In the mid-position of the handle, a camming portion of the cam member is raised upwardly to prevent accidental dislodgement of the clamping bracket assembly, and in the locking position, a high camming surface is wedged between the body of the clamping bracket assembly and the load retaining strip to lock the C-shaped track member in the bracket assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mobile racking system. This invention has particular but not exclusive application to a mobile racking system suited for use in vans and the like, and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention could be used in other applications, such as warehouse or coldroom applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to facilitate the movement of stocks of a wide variety of types, it is the practice of the transportation industry generally to, where practical, palletize goods for shipment. In general, vehicles such as semi-trailers and the like are loaded from elevated loading docks with forklifts, the elevated dock being required such that the forklift may load the trailer through the open rear. Where the pallets must be stacked in the trailer, it is necessary to install knock down flooring progressively from the front as the trailer is loaded.
In order to assist in the installation of flooring and partitions, there have evolved several types of semi-standard mounting devices, the most popular of which is a roll formed strip steel member affixed longitudinally to the trailer walls and punched with a plurality of apertures adapted to receive cross bearers for floor supporting and load locking purposes.
A major disadvantage of this type of racking system is the reliance on dock loading to move the palletized cargo into the trailer.


A system and method for configuring wireless process mesh networks is provided. The system includes a processor, user interface module, memory, and an analysis module. The user interface module is configured to generate a user interface to receive user-provided mesh network design parameters. Memory is coupled to the processor and stores information indicative of a plurality of wireless process mesh networks and associated wireless field devices. The analysis module is configured to analyze the information indicative of the plurality of wireless process mesh networks and generate an alternate wireless mesh network configuration based on the user-provided mesh network design parameters.

WirelessHART is a wireless process communication standard that is globally approved as IEC 62591. Wireless process mesh networks in accordance with the WirelessHART standard generally employ an interoperable, self-organizing mesh technology. WirelessHART process mesh networks communicate with host systems securely and reliably, and can be used for both control and monitoring applications. A WirelessHART network is a multi-hop communication network that is generally composed of a wireless gateway and one or more WirelessHART devices. The network is typically organized in a mesh topology and each wireless field device in the network is capable of routing messages from other wireless field devices in an effort to relay data to the wireless gateway. The term "self-organizing" refers to the capability of WirelessHART networks to automatically establish and reconfigure redundant communication paths for sending messages between nodes (wireless field devices on the network). This capability makes WirelessHART networks more robust against interference and obstructions.

Wireless mesh network analysis and configuration


A method of stabilizing heading in an inertial navigation system includes operating an inertial measurement unit comprising horizontal-sensing elements and off-horizontal-sensing elements while the inertial measurement unit is in a first orientation, calibrating the horizontal-sensing elements of the inertial measurement unit based on horizontal aiding measurements, forward-rotating the inertial measurement unit by a selected-rotation angle about a horizontal-rotation axis so that the inertial measurement unit is oriented in a second orientation, operating the forward-rotated inertial measurement unit while the inertial measurement unit is in the second orientation, and calibrating the rotated off-horizontal-sensing elements based on horizontal aiding measurements while the inertial measurement unit is in the second orientation. When the inertial measurement unit is in the first orientation, the horizontal-sensing elements are oriented in a horizontal reference plane. When the inertial measurement unit is in the second orientation, the off-horizontal-sensing elements are oriented in the horizontal reference plane.

Inexpensive inertial navigation systems that are aided by only platform relative horizontal position change or velocity references may not undergo appropriate motions to observe heading drift rate. For example, when a gyroscope in a navigation system of an airborne vehicle is oriented to be sensitive to an axis that is perpendicular to a plane, which is tangential to the point on the earth directly below the gyroscope, and if the altitude of the airborne vehicle is not significantly varying, the heading drift of the gyroscope cannot be corrected by the filters in the inertial navigation system. Over time, the heading drift of the gyroscope results in large position errors in the inertial navigation system. This heading drift can cause the airborne vehicle to go off course.

Heading stabilization for aided inertial navigation systems


A device and method for efficiently and repeatably optically aligning mulode optical fibers. Silicon V-grooves are used to position each fiber in a linear array. The fibers make up two arrays which are separable for repairs and upgrades. The alignment mechanism features a kinematic mounting using a metal balls. The device and method advantageously aligns fiber arrays of varying sizes.

There are several multi-channel connectors used in the art at present. One, utilizes guide rods to align two connector halves together. The device has V-grooves which house individual fibers, and larger V-grooves which house the guide rods. The fiber system of this device has arrays up to eighteen fibers. The connector device, utilizes connecting fibers of equal size. Lastly, alignment of the two fiber arrays cannot be maximized once the guide grooves and fiber grooves are etched or molded. It is the object of our invention to overcome the problems associated with prior art devices, discussed hereinabove.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


An eavestrough system utilizes a two-piece hook wherein a small clip is positioned and secured on a fascia and thereafter assembled eavestroughing and eavestrough hooks are conveniently attached thereto, preferably by means of a sliding snap fit relationship. The eavestrough hooks are slidable on the eavestrough section and can be preassembled on the eavestrough at ground level. This, in combination with the fast engagement with the clips, simplifies installation. The invention is also directed to an improved eavestrough hanger having resilient spring arms.

There are a number of eavestroughing systems manufactured by Plasmo, Genova and GSW which use an extruded plastic eavestrough section in combination with hangers of different arrangements for supporting of the eavestrough from a fascia. Many of these systems use what is referred to as a "hidden" hook, that is the hook is hidden by the eavestrough and essentially supports the eavestrough either side thereof at the front and rear surfaces.
Our earlier system utilized an injection molded eavestrough hook having a central port in an upper edge used to secure the hook to the fascia. Once the hooks were installed on the fascia, the eavestrough section was suspended from an outer edge of the hook and the eavestrough section was rotated about the front of the hook, such that the rear of the eavestrough section came into engagement with a rear portion of the hanger and resulted in a snap type fit at the rear edge of the hanger. Details of this system are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,257,716, 4,632,342 and 4,901,954. With this arrangement, the eavestrough sections were supported by the eavestrough hangers at the front and rear edges and the bottom portion of the eavestrough was free of obstruction from the hangers. Other systems use a bottom support hanger, which is basically a "U" type bracket, however, these have not proven popular due to the interruption of the bottom surface of the eavestrough sections.
The use of hidden hooks attached to the fascia and the various arrangements for securing the eavestrough to the secured hangers resulted in a system which required much of the assembly to be carried out at the elevation of the fascia.
A further problem experienced with these eavestrough systems is with respect to high shock loads which can occur during winter conditions. It is possible for the eavestrough sections to fill with ice, with ice on the roof also being partially supported by the eavestrough section. This can result in high stress loads on the hangers and the hangers have been known to fail. It can be appreciated that the characteristics of the plastic change with temperature and this high load demand and cold ambient temperatures leads to a condition where the hangers can fail. Failure of one hanger creates somewhat of a domino effect, as the other hangers have to pick up the additional weight, and these too can fail.
Another winter condition which is even more of a problem is the possibility of snow or ice on the roof melting and sliding off the roof and impacting upon the eavestrough system. This is of a particular problem with metal roofs where often the snow and ice on the roof slides off and creates extremely high shock loads on the eavestrough system. This has been known to essentially strip the eavestrough system from the fascia by either ripping of the hangers directly from the fascia or causing the hangers to fail, generally adjacent the fascia.
Eavestrough hangers of what is referred to as the hidden hook design typically have a base and some sort of cantilevered "I" or "T" beam projection for engaging the front edge of the eavestrough and engaging the rear edge of the eavestrough. Therefore, the cantilevered portion has been designed to be stiff and to provide positive securement adjacent the base of the hanger. This desire to provide a rigid type hanger causes problems during the high loads discussed above.
The present invention defines an eavestroughing system which is easier to install and also defines an improved hanger.


The invention relates to a method for displaying different levels of grey on a matrix screen including pixels arranged along R rows and M columns of images having Q.sub.S levels of grey and obtained by addition to each pixel during the writing of image data line-by-line, during Sub-times (lines or frames, S being at least 2), of a succession of discrete luminance levels selected from among N such that any grey hue included between 0 and Q.sub.S-1 may be defined by the addition of S said luminance levels. The invention also relates to a system for implementing such method. Particular utility for the present invention is found in the area of displaying data on micropoint screens.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for the display of different grey levels and to a system for performing this process.
The display system according to the invention is more particularly applicable to microtip screens.
In the present description the term "grey tone" covers tints.
2. Brief Description of Related Prior Art
In the display field, the standard addressing processes have been described by T. Leroux, A. Ghis, R. Meyer and D. Sarrasin in an article entitled "Microtip Display Addressing" (SID 91 Digest pp.437-439). This article makes a distinction between two addressing types:
an analog addressing consisting of sampling an analog source signal (e.g. of the video type); and
a pulse width modulation (PWM) addressing based on the time division switching of the column voltage.
The analog solution can be satisfactory for television applications. However, the existing technology for matrix screen control circuits only permits sampling levels of approximately 5 MHz, which is inadequate for data processing applications. For example, the "data" clock for a VGA screen (existing screen of standard size) is approximately 25 MHz. In addition, for data processing there is a digital data source. Therefore an analog control mode requires a supplementary stage of transforming the source signal by means of a digital--analog converter.
The digital solution can be obtained with the aid of several known processes.
A time modulation of the pulse width modulation (PWM type) consists, with a circuit able to switch at the output two voltage levels (making it possible to select the ON and OFF states, of modulating the duration of the ON state of the column in question during the row selection. This type of addressing functions well for the display of a small number of grey tones, e.g. 16. However, for the correct transmission of a grey tint, the selection times must be long compared with the rise times of the signals. However, for a VGA screen (640 columns, 480 rows) scanned at the field or frame frequency of 70 Hz, the row selection time is max. 1/(70.times.480) approximately equal to 30 .mu.s. For 16 grey tones, the smallest selection period is therefore 30 .mu.s/16 which is approximately equal to 2 .mu.s and for 256 tones: 30 .mu.s/256 which is approximately equal to 120 ns. The order of magnitude of the rise times, linked with the output impedance of the column circuits and the capacity of the column of the screen, is one hundred to a few hundred nanoseconds. Thus, this method can be satisfactory for 16 grey tones, but is certainly not for 256.
A time modulation of the frame rate control (FRC) type consists of performing several scans of the image by successively allocating ON or OFF states to the same pixels, the eye serving as the integrator. This modulation is also limited with regards to the number of grey tones, because the multiple addressing of the same image element on the one hand leads to high frequencies at the level of the data flow on entering the circuits and on the other to excessively short selection periods on the outputs. In practice, there are screens displaying 32 grey tones with this method. However, these are liquid crystal screens of the STN (super twisted nematic or multiplexed LCD type), whose response times of approximately 200 to 300 ms make it possible to completely renew the information of a pixel with times exceeding that of the persistence of vision. Such a method is illustrated in European patent applications 384 403-A2 of SEIKO and 364 307-A2 of COMPAQ.
A method using multilevel circuits consists of using circuits able to switch N different voltage levels (in practice N=8 or N=16). The analog output multiplexer ensuring the switching of relatively high voltages consequently has a relatively large "silicon" size. Moreover, for each output there is a multiplexer. It is therefore scarcely possible to envisage more than 16 switchable channels.
Such multilevel circuits can be associated with the FRC method, as described in the article by H. Mario, T. Furukashi and T. Tanaka entitled "Multicolor Display Control Method for TFT-LCD" (SID 91 Digest pp.547-550). It is a question of using multilevel circuits (analog multiplexers), e.g. eight such circuits, and performing two scans of the screen (frame 1 and frame 2). Frame 1 is representative of the low orders and is obtained by using a first set of eight voltages applied to the multiplexers, whereas the second represents the high orders and is obtained by means of a second set of eight voltages different from the first voltages.
FIG. 1 illustrates this method by giving a mimic diagram example for sixty four grey levels with two sets of eight different voltage levels.
In FIG. 1 a source 10 of digital data to be displayed supplies digital data to three logic multiplexers 11 having two inputs and one output, the bits of order 1, 2 and 4 being respectively connected to a first input of said multiplexers 11, whilst the bits of order 8, 16 and 32 are respectively connected to the second input of said multiplexers 11.
The three outputs of these multiplexers are respectively connected to three data storage circuits 12 comprising shift registers associated with storage registers or latches.
A generator 15 supplies a first set of eight voltages V.sub.0a to V.sub.7a and a second set of eight voltages V.sub.pb to V.sub.b, which are connected pairwise to the inputs of eight "high" voltage multiplexers 14 having two inputs and one output.
A controller 16 connected to the data source 10 supplies a control signal ST, which is supplied to each of the logic multiplexers 11 and to each of the "high" multiplexers 14.
A column control circuit 13 of the screen 17 receives on the one hand the outputs of the circuits 12 and on the other those of the "high" voltage multiplexers 14. This control circuit 13 is formed from eight analog multiplexers having eight inputs and one output.
FIG. 1 does not show the row control circuit, which can be of a conventional nature, e.g. using shift registers making it possible to successively select one by one the rows of the screen.
The data source comprises a memory for storing the data corresponding to a screen page. The signal ST, connected to all the multiplexers 11 and 14, with two inputs and an output, is a frame parity multiplexer selection signal.
Such a method requires sixteen voltage values for 64 grey levels (and twenty four if it is wished to apply it to two hundred and fifty six levels on three frames) with relatively high precision levels.
For example, for sixty four levels (with data on six bits), we have the orders: EQU 2.sup.0 =1 2.sup.1 =2 2.sup.2 =4 2.sup.3 =8 2.sup.4 =16 2.sup.5 =32
the first frame having to represent the orders 1, 2 and 4 of said data and the second the orders 8, 16 and 32, so that there are the following luminance or brightness levels on the screen 17:
______________________________________ L(V.sub.0a) = 0 L(V.sub.0b) = 0 L(V.sub.1a) = 1 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 8 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.2a) = 2 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 16 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.3a) = 3 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 24 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.4a) = 4 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 32 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.5a) = 5 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 40 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.6a) = 6 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 48 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.7a) = 7 .times. L(V.sub.1a) L(V.sub.1b) = 56 .times. L(V.sub.1a) ______________________________________
Such a method leads to a reduction of the contrast of the screen, because half the effective addressing time is devoted to the display of a low order level. For example, for a display of the white with two frames for sixty four grey levels, we obtain:
for frame 1:L(V.sub.a)=7.times.L(V.sub.1)
for frame 2:L(V.sub.b)=56.times.L(V.sub.1).
Therefore the overall efficiency is only 9/16 which, with two subframes, gives a luminance loss for the white of approximately 40%.

Process for the display of different grey levels and system for performing this process


The present invention discloses a fluid dispensing system that includes modularized components such as a flow-out member from which fluid dispenses, fluid displacement mechanism, including electronics associated therewith and a reservoir for storage of fluid. The flow-out member, fluid displacement mechanism, and components constituting the fluid dispensing system including the reservoir may have one of a linear or nonlinear cooperative relationship in terms of connectivity and operation, and may be positioned in one of a close proximity or remote locations from one another. Flow out member is provided that may moved in more that one direction to refill reservoir.

Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present invention relates to fluid dispensing system and, more particularly, to an automated fluid dispensing system.
Description of Related Art
Conventional automatic soap dispensers are well known and have been in use for a number of years. Regrettably, due in part to a very tight, closed-system, interdependent integration design between the various components that constitute the conventional automatic soap dispensers, most require the use of a specifically designed proprietary components and in particular, proprietary soap reservoirs (or containers). Accordingly, for example, a soap container or bottle from one manufacturer of automatic soap dispenser cannot be used with another brand or manufacturer of automatic soap dispenser (or produced and sold by a third party manufacturer).
Further, most conventional automatic soap dispensers use a pump mechanism to displace (or cause to move) soap by being in direct contact with the soap. In other words, the soap must go through within the actual internal components of the pump in order to be displaced. For example, if a gear type pump (or reciprocating pump) is used, the soap contacts with and is displaced by the actual internal gears of the gear pump. The requirement of direct contact of soap with the internal components of pumps mechanisms of conventional automatic soap dispensers in order to displace the soap is disadvantageous as such a direct contact reduces the life of the pump. Further, if the pump has not been in operation for some time, the soap inside the pump will most likely loose moisture, loosing its fluidity (or viscosity), dry-out, and become solid, stuck to internal components of the pump.
Furthermore, most conventional automatic soap dispensers require a vertical linear line of cooperative relationship and in a very close proximity in terms of operation and connectivity between the various components thereof that constitutes the conventional automatic soap dispensers. Therefore, in order to assembly, install, and use most conventional automatic soap dispensers, a minimal vertically linear clearance under a vanity is required to fit the various components inline and vertically in close proximity therein.
Accordingly, in light of the current state of the art and the drawbacks to current dispensers mentioned above, a need exists for a fluid dispensing system that would be modularized, that would be isolated from the fluid being displaced, and that would not require linear cooperative relationship or close proximity between the components in terms of operation and connectivity.


An erosion resistant surface is provided for pump components, valves, fluid conduits, diffusion chambers, fluid cleaners, and the like, wherein the surface is exposed to high velocity flow of a fluid containing abrasive particulates. Sharply increased erosion life of such surfaces can be obtained by providing a plurality of closely spaced depressions in the surface, with each depression having a depth in excess of its width, and then applying an erosion resistant coating to the remaining original surface and all surfaces of the depressions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an erosion resistant surface and a method of producing same and finds particular application in providing increased erosion life for components of hydraulic systems wherein a high velocity fluid containing abrasive particulates is impinged upon or flows along such surface. Surfaces subject to such erosion are found in pumps, valves, conduits, diffusion chambers, fluid cleaners and other forms of hydraulic apparatus.
2. Field of the Invention
In many industrial applications, and particularly in oil well pumping operations, it is necessary to pump, transport and/or clean high velocity fluids containing significant amounts of abrasive particulates. For example, in a typical oil well, the fluid pumped from the well generally contains a significant amount of sand. The surfaces of pumps, valves, conduits, cleaning apparatus and other fluid handling components subjected to the impact of such high velocity fluid, or the surfaces along which the high velocity fluid flows, are subject to relatively fast erosion, resulting in a short useful life of the particular component. Even when such components are fabricated from such highly erosion resistant materials as tungsten carbide or molybdenum, the erosion rate is still far greater than desired.
In recent years, coating materials have been developed for such surfaces which involve relatively expensive metallic alloys which are applied as an integral coating with a thickness typically on the order of 0.001 to 0.002 inches. If the particular component has a surface which can be eroded to a depth of ten thousandths (0.010) inch before having to be discarded, and the erosion resistance of a 0.001 inch coating is ten times that of the base metal, it is readily apparent that the application of the 0.001 inch coating would result in a doubling of the useful life of the component and, while this is desirable, it still does not represent a good return on the increased cost of providing the exotic coating material.
There is, therefore, a distinct need for increasing the erosion resistance of surfaces to high velocity fluids containing abrasive particulates to effect an increase in useful life of the surface by, typically, a factor of four or more.

Method of producing an erosion resistant surface


An electrical ignition device (1) has a metal container (2) for a firing resistor or bridge, a first (3) and a second (4) terminal pin and at least one ignition charge (5, 6).. So that firing of the ignition charge does not occur in the event of electrical discharges between terminal pins and a housing, it is proposed that the container (2) be capable of being embedded in a plastic material by injection moulding and inserted in the housing, that a first outward extension (8) be provided on the container (2) which is electrically conductively connected to the first terminal pin (3), and that a second outward extension (9) be provided on the container (2) which can be formed so as to extend to the housing leaving a small clearance and of which an outer end is not embedded in the plastic material.

DE-OS 36 06 364 discloses an electrical igniter bridge support or device for ignition of ignition charges, delay charges and pyrotechnic mixtures and for firing primary detonation materials and charges. The igniter bridge support or ignition device includes a metal container with a cylindrical recess in which a ceramic body is placed. This ceramic body is provided with two bores into each of which a solid, tubular terminal pin is securely and tightly fitted. At the connection end these terminal pins project from the ceramic body, while at the ignition end they are connected together by way of an igniter bridge. An ignition charge is arranged in the container adjacent the igniter bridge. For firing a high enough voltage is applied across the terminal pins to cause the igniter bridge to burn abruptly, thus firing the ignition charge.
Such ignition devices can be used, for example, in pressure elements for use in seat-belt tensioners, buckle tighteners or in seat-belt retractors of motor vehicles. In case of an accident the ignition device is triggered by a sensor, causing a gas to be produced in the pressure element which moves, for example, a piston. The piston is connected to a cable on the belt buckle or to an automatic belt retractor and tightens the seat belt.
A disadvantage of this described ignition device is that externally induced electric fields can cause an electrostatic charge to build up between the terminal pins, which on discharge can lead to accidental firing of the ignition charge.


GDF15 polypeptides, constructs comprising GDF15, and mutants thereof are provided. In various embodiments the GDF15 polypeptides, constructs comprising GDF15, and mutants thereof, can be of use in the treatment or ameliorating a metabolic disorder. In various embodiments the metabolic disease or disorder is type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, elevated glucose levels, elevated insulin levels and diabetic nephropathy.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a divergent member of the TGFβ superfamily. It is also called macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC1) (Bootcov M R, 1997, Proc Natl Acad Sci 94:11514-9.), placental bone morphogenetic factor (PLAB) (Hromas R 1997, Biochim Biophys Acta. 1354:40-4), placental transforming growth factor beta (PTGFB) (Lawton L N 1997, Gene. 203:17-26), prostate derived factor (PDF) (Paralkar V M 1998, J Biol Chem. 273:13760-7), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene (NAG-1) (Baek S J 2001, J Biol Chem. 276: 33384-92).
Human GDF15 gene is located on chromosome 19p13.2-13.1; rat GDF15 gene is located on chromosome 16; and mouse GDF15 gene is located on chromosome 8. The GDF15 open reading frames span two exons (Bottner M 1999, Gene. 237:105-11 and NCBI). The mature GDF15 peptide shares low homology with other family members (Katoh M 2006, Int J Mol Med. 17:951-5.).
GDF15 is synthesized as a large precursor protein that is cleaved at the dibasic cleavage site to release the carboxyterminal mature peptide. The mouse and rat GDF15 prepro-peptides both contain 303 amino acids. Human full-length precursor contains 308 amino acids. The rodent mature peptides contain 115 amino acids after processing at the RGRR (SEQ ID NO:1) cleavage site. The human mature peptide contains 112 amino acids after processing at the RGRRRAR (SEQ ID NO:2) cleavage site. Human mature GDF15 peptide shares 66.1% and 68.1% sequence similarity with rat and mouse mature GDF15 peptides (Buttner M 1999, Gene. 237:105-11; Bauskin A R 2000, EMBO J. 19:2212-20; NCBI). There is no glycosylation site in the mature GDF15 peptide.
The mature GDF15 peptide contains the seven conserved cysteine residues required for the formation of the cysteine knot motif (having three intrachain disulfide bonds) and the single interchain disulfide bond that are typical for TGFβ superfamily members. The mature GDF15 peptide further contains two additional cysteine residues that form a fourth intrachain disulfide bond. Biologically active GDF15 is a 25KD homodimer of the mature peptide covalently linked by one interchain disulfide bond.
GDF15 circulating levels have been reported to be elevated in multiple pathological and physiological conditions, most notably pregnancy (Moore A G 2000. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85: 4781-4788), β-thalassemia (Tanno T 2007, Nat Med 13:1096-101) (Zimmermann M B, 2008 Am J Clin Nutr 88:1026-31), and congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (Tamary H 2008, Blood. 112:5241-4). GDF15 has also been linked to multiple biological activities in literature reports. Studies of GDF15 knockout and transgenic mice suggested that GDF15 may be protective against ischemic/reperfusion- or overload-induced heart injury (Kempf T, 2006, Circ Res. 98:351-60) (Xu J, 2006, Circ Res. 98:342-50), protective against aging-associated motor neuron and sensory neuron loss (Strelau J, 2009, J Neurosci. 29:13640-8), mildly protective against metabolic acidosis in kidney, and may cause cachexia in cancer patients (Johnen H 2007 Nat Med. 11:1333-40). Many groups also studied the role of GDF15 in cell apoptosis and proliferation and reported controversial results using different cell culture and xenograft models. Studies on transgenic mice showed that GDF15 is protective against carcinogen or Apc mutation induced neoplasia in intestine and lung (Baek S J 2006, Gastroenterology. 131:1553-60; Cekanova M 2009, Cancer Prev Res 2:450-8).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) polypeptides


Apparatus for supplying blast to a blast furnace (1) having a plurality of hot blast stoves (4, 5, 6), each stove including a cold blast inlet, a fuel inlet, an air supply inlet, a hot blast outlet, and a waste gas outlet; a waste heat recovery unit (30) connected to a fuel supply, the stove fuel inlet and the cold blast inlet. The stove waste gas outlets are connected to the cold blast inlets, whereby stove waste gas from one stove (5) is supplied, via the waste heat recovery unit, as cold blast to another stove (4).

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for supplying blast to a blast furnace.
Conventionally, the use of heated blast air introduces nitrogen to the furnace, which must be removed from the blast furnace top gas if carbon capture and storage are to be used. One approach to the issue of removing nitrogen from the top gas has been described by G. Zuo and A. Hirsch, SP10-Top Gas Recycling Blast Furnace no2-3, Proceedings of 4th ULCOS Seminar, 1-2 October 2008. In this article, oxygen is used in place of preheated air and carbon monoxide rich top gas is re-injected into the blast furnace.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,013 describes a hot blast stove installation with a plurality of hot blast stoves alternately operating during a heating phase and a blowing phase. A heat exchanger removes heat from cold blast in the cold blast main before supplying cold blast to the stoves.
JP2012031495 describes producing hot blast from a plurality of hot blast furnaces including combustion exhaust gas recirculation.
JP S57137407 describes using a heat exchanger in a regeneration chamber of a hot blast stove.
Peter Heinrich "Heat recovery in blast furnace stove plants", MPT-Metallurgical Plant and Technology, no.3, 1 Jan. 1982 (1982-01-01), page 10,
XP001408316 describes using heat recovery from stove waste gases in blast furnace stove plants.

Method and apparatus for supplying blast to a blast furnace


The location of underground objects such as pipes and conduits are located by detecting electrical signals emitted by the underground objects where the radiated signals include spread spectrum modulated RF signals. The system can operate in a passive or active mode, and in the active mode pseudo-noise (PN) generators can be employed or frequency-hopping can be employed. The use of spread spectrum minimizes or eliminates conflicting signals radiated from a plurality of underground objects and can improve signal to noise ratio of the detected signals.

This invention relates generally to locating underground objects, and more particularly the invention relates to locating an underground object in the presence of other underground objects.
Buried pipes and conduits are used by a large number of utility companies including telephone, water, gas, CATV, and electric power. Frequently it becomes necessary to excavate in an area where one or more of these conduits have been placed. It also becomes necessary to repair broken or leaky conduits. Conversely, it is important to know the location of each of the conduits or pipes before any digging or excavation begins.
In order to facilitate the replacement and repair of buried utility systems it is important to have a simple and quick method of locating the true position of the buried conduits. Most buried utility systems are constructed of materials which produce a magnetic field when electric current is passed through them. In cases where the pipe or conduit is made of a non-conductive or non-magnetic material, there is typically a wire or metal line placed in direct proximity therewith. AC currents can be induced in the conductive wire or pipe thus producing an AC magnetic field.
There are a number of existing devices which are used to locate buried or otherwise concealed electrically conductive objects. The devices use an alternating current which is impressed on the concealed conductive object, such as a pipe or cable, by direct connection or by inductive coupling. The object can be located in a horizontal underground plane or in a lateral plane by use of a suitable horizontal axis pickup coil and amplifier with an appropriate indicating device such as a meter or audio transducer. When the receiver pickup coil is brought closer to the object being investigated, the AC signal level increases and the position nearest the object produces the strongest signal.
Several instruments have been developed to provide this function. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,340 issued to E. Peterman discloses a receiver having four sensors mounted in a fixed relationship. Two of the sensors (antenna coils) are used for left-right determination of the position of the buried conductor. In operation, the axes of both coils are horizontally disposed and the coils are horizontally spaced. The outputs are subtractively combined to produce a signal which is related to the difference between the magnetic flux in each coil. Thus when the device is centered over the conductor, the field strengths through the coils cancel each other out, which is reflected in an appropriate display device. When the difference is non-zero, the phase of one horizontal coil is compared to the phase of the other to determine left-right position.
A device operating on a slightly different principle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,942 issued to L. Sole. That device employs two coils whose axes are horizontally disposed, the coils being separated vertically. The coil signals are rectified and the average DC voltages compared. When the apparatus is directly over the conductor, the two signals are essentially equal (non zero), and an indicator alerts the user to this fact. This device does not, however, provide left-right guidance.
Another invention operates on a phase comparison principle similar to Peterman U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,674 depicts an apparatus having three coils, all vertically disposed, lying in a triangular formation, the plane formed thereby being vertical also. A flip-flop serves as a phase detector between the two signals from the lower coils. The third cell acts to eliminate of ambient magnetic fields.
Three other patents of interest employ phase comparison to locate the conductor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,134,061 issued to H. Gudgel; 4,438,389 issued to A. DeSa; and 4,390,836 issued to Bruce et al. Each includes additional coils for locating faults in the conductor in addition to tracing the conductor path. The '836 patent employs two horizontally disposed coils for tracing the conductor path.
The use of orthogonally disposed coils is also illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,913 issued to Howell et al. Four coils are shown in a rectangular arrangement, however, only the two vertically disposed coils are initially used to determine whether the unit is directly above the buried conductor. Left-right determination is then made by comparing the phase of the signal from one of the vertical coils to the phase of the signal from one of the horizontal coils. In other words, it is not necessary to use all four coils for left-right determination (the "extra" coil is used for depth determination).
Another orthogonal configuration of coils is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,344 issued to Darilek et al which uses two sensors horizontally separated at a distance R, which are held a fixed distance from the ground by a rod. Each sensor is comprised of two coils, one vertically disposed and one horizontally disposed, resulting in four leads. The leads are multiplexed and combined in to a single output fed in to an Automatic Gain Control (AGC). The AGC averages the amplitude of each signal against the prior four signal amplitudes, this produces a weighted value for each coil. These value are used to calculate the left-right offset.
A problem with these systems arises when several pipes are located in the same area and the location of all pipes is desired. Signals transmitted by several pipes can interfere and complicate the detection process. U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,795 to Rider includes an encoded digital or analog code in the carrier in order to facilitate identification of a transmitter and conduit. The transmitter uses a discrete frequency and includes a transmitter identification code sent as a modulated signal. Other information can be modulated on the carrier including voice and tones to reveal battery conditions.
The present invention provides a method of locating one or more underground objects utilizing concurrent radio wave transmission by employing spread spectrum modulation techniques.

System using spread spectrum modulation for locating underground objects


An information card overlay system can include a base card having multiple claims, an overlay card storing an overlay claim, and an overlay module that can be used to apply the overlay card to the base card. A computer-implemented method can include selecting a base card having multiple claims, selecting an overlay card storing an overlay claim, and applying the overlay card to the base card.

When a user interacts with certain sites on the Internet such as service providers, which are also referred to as relying parties, the service provider often expects to know something about the user that is requesting the services of the provider. The typical approach for a service provider is to require the user to log into or authenticate to the service provider's computer system. But this approach, while satisfactory for the service provider, is less than ideal for the user.
For example, the user must remember a username and password for each service provider that expects such information. Given that different computer systems impose different requirements, along with the possibility that another user might have already chosen the same username, the user might not be able to use the same username/password combination for each such computer system. There is also the related problem that, if the user uses the same username/password combination on multiple computer systems, someone who hacks one such computer system would likely be able to access other such computer systems.
It is estimated that an average user has over 100 accounts on the Internet. For users, this is becoming an increasingly frustrating problem to deal with. Passwords and account names are too hard to remember. Second, the user typically has no control over how the service provider uses the information it stores. If the service provider uses the stored information in a way the user does not want, for example, the user has relatively little ability to prevent such abuse—and essentially no recourse after the fact.
In the past few years, the networking industry has developed the concept of information cards to tackle these problems. Information cards are a very familiar metaphor for users and the idea is gaining rapid momentum. Information cards allow users to manage their identity information and control how it is released. This gives users greater convenience in organizing their multiple personae, their preferences, and their relationships with vendors and identity providers. Interactions with on-line vendors are greatly simplified.
A typical information card contains claims (e.g., certain pieces of information pertaining to the user's identity). Claims usually include, but are not limited to, the user's first name, last name, street address, city, state, zip code, email address, home phone number, office phone number, and mobile number.
There are currently two kinds of information cards: personal cards (or self-issued cards) and managed cards (or cards that are issued by an identity provider (IdP) or security token service (STS)). A personal card contains self-asserted identity information. In other words, the person issues the card and is the authority for the identity information it contains. In contrast, the managed card is issued by an identity provider, which provides the identity information and asserts its validity.
When a relying party requests identity information from the user, a tool known as an identity selector or card selector can assist the user in selecting an appropriate information card. For example, the card selector can present to the user one or more information cards that satisfy a given security policy and claim requirements of the relying party. When a managed card is selected, the card selector can communicate with the identity provider to obtain a security token that contains the needed information.
While information card technologies are becoming more widespread in applications, there remain certain problems for which no adequate solutions currently exist. For example, while certain information card claims are static (such as last name, for example), it is not uncommon for a user to have multiple email addresses. Current implementations of card selectors require users to maintain multiple information cards, one for each minor customization of the claim values.
Because the user must maintain multiple instances of the same static data across multiple information cards, a simple change of address or phone number, for example, requires the user to update multiple information cards. This can be a very cumbersome, time-consuming, ineffiecient process. The user also assumes a risk of using outdated information if he or she neglects to make the pertinent change(s) in a particular information card before using it.
Thus, there remains a need for a way to address these and other problems associated with the prior art.


A fastener installation for securing a composite member to a structure. The fastener installation includes a shear member adhesively bonded to a surface of the composite member, and a pin member extending through the shear member and composite member to engage a fastener bore of a structure member and a securing member. The pin member engages a bearing surface of the shear member in bearing contact, and extends through an opening in the composite member spaced from the composite member. Shear forces are transferred between the composite member and the pin member through the adhesive bond, the shear member, and the bearing surface, rather than by bearing contact between the pin member and the composite member. An end of the pin member engages the securing member and acts in cooperation with a head of the pin member to apply compressive force to the composite member, thereby securing the composite member to the structure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fastener installation and method for a composite member and, more particularly, to a fastener installation and method in which a shear member is adhesively bonded to the composite member and a pin member extends through the shear member and an aligned opening of the composite member.
2. Background Information
Structures, as for example airframes, are formed by fastening members together. In past years, refinements have been made in the materials used for such fastener joints, and interference fit fasteners, bushings, inserts, tension pre-loads, and adhesives have been used to advance the fastener art.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,490, an adhesive is forced into spaces between the fastener head, shank, and the workpiece layers as the fastener is tightened. The adhesive bonds the fastener to the structure, and precludes non-destructive disassembly of the workpiece.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,615, a sleeve is bonded in place in a fastener hole. Forces are transmitted through bearing contact between a fastener shank, the sleeve, and the workpiece. The fastener may be removed, but the sleeve remains bonded in place and thus precludes non-destructive disassembly of the workpiece.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,519, metal plates are bonded to surfaces of a composite member. A shank extending through the member is also bonded to the member, and has a central hole for receiving a fastener. Forces are transmitted in bearing between fastener, shank, and fibers of the composite member.
In British Patent 1 455 235, an insert has a shank cemented in the fastener hole of a fibrous material, and a head portion cemented in a recess in a surface of the member. The insert is said to overcome fastener hole deformation caused by vibration stress on inserts. The insert is also said to transmit two-thirds of the shear forces through the shank portion and one-third through the head portion. Substantial shear forces remain transmitted in bearing to the fibrous material.
Combinations of adhesive bonds and fasteners have produced stronger and more reliable fastener joints in metal structures. Faying surfaces of such structures, i.e., opposing surfaces of adjacent members, are bonded together for shear resistance and fasteners such as bolts or rivets extend through the members to secure the members together against tension or peeling forces.
In recent years, the need for high strength, light weight airframes has led to an increased use of structural members formed of fiber-reinforced composite materials. The use of fasteners and faying surface adhesive bonds has been readily adapted to the permanent joints of such structures. In such joints, the limited strength of the composite member in bearing is replaced with the very stiff and strong shear strength of the faying surface adhesive bond.
However, many fastener joints must allow disassembly and reassembly of the structure so that a member or piece of equipment within the structure can be removed, inspected, repaired, or replaced. Faying surface adhesive bond techniques have not heretofore been satisfactorily applied to these kinds of fastener joints because of the need to periodically open and close the fastener joint.
A further problem in securing composite members is that, in typical flush mounted single shear overlap joints, a countersunk pin member extends through the overlapping members and engages the fibers of the composite members in bearing contact to transfer shear loads. Additionally, moment forces from the offset shear loads applied by the composite members bend the pin member, and the head of the pin member gouges into the composite member and buckles and delaminates the plies of the composite member, reducing the strength of the fastener joint. Fastener hole deformation also occurs in such joints from loads applied to bushings or inserts loosened by vibration and other stresses. Eventually, the fastener joint becomes irreparable, and the damaged composite member must be replaced at significant cost and with substantial "down time."
Moreover, the yielding of composite material in tension or compression is negligible. While metallic members can develop full static strength in regions between fastener holes because the ductility of the metal produces a benign stress concentration profile, the high stress concentrations at fastener holes in composite members result in significant static strength reductions for such members as compared to metallic members. Lastly, if the number of fasteners used in composite structures can be minimized, costs can be reduced.
Consequently, the stronger a composite fastener installation can be made, the more likely it is that a composite structure will withstand unanticipated shear loads without damage or failure.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide a high-strength fastener installation for composite members which eliminates bearing loads upon the fibers of the composite members, which enables disassembly and reassembly of the structure for inspection, repair, removal, or replacement of members or internal equipment, which increases the static strength of fastener joints in composite members, and which reduces the costs of composite structures. It is another objective of the invention to provide a method for securing composite members to other members which overcomes the difficulties and problems discussed above.

Fastener installation and method for composite members