An apparatus for lifting and storing a boat above water and particularly for shallow water, is made up of a pair of laterally spaced floats fixedly secured to inner ends of a pair of beams whose outer ends are pivotally secured to a dock, a set of fixed posts, a bulkhead or other fixed structure. The floats and beams form a well having an entrance away from which is mounted a rear bar and further away from the rear bar and on the beams is mounted a front bar. A boat mounting frame onto which a boat can be driven under its own power is pivotally mounted on the rear bar such that after a boat is loaded on the boat mounting frame, the frame can be tilted such that its leading end engages the front bar and maintains the boat above the water in a position suited for storage. A method of forming the apparatus and a kit containing the apparatus is also disclosed.

The self-contained apparatus, method and kit of the present invention is based upon and represents an alternative and useful form of the apparatus, method and kit described in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,022 issued Aug. 5, 2003. The contents of hereafter referred to '022 patent, are incorporated herein by reference.
As with the invention apparatus described in the '022 patent, the apparatus of the present invention is intended to facilitate removal of a pleasure boat from the water, elevating the boat, maintaining the boat in a stored position elevated above the water, and launching of the boat back into the water when desired. Pleasure boats of the kind to which the present invention is particularly adapted are, as with the invention of the '022 patent, thought of, for purpose of the present description, as being generally within the range of about fifteen to twenty-four feet in length and within the range of about 800 to 6,000 pounds in weight.
Further useful background information related to the present invention is to be found in the background information given in the '022 patent, and therefore will not be repeated here. What is to be recognized however is that the apparatus, method and kit of the '022 patent has brought about a significant improvement in the way pleasure boats are removed from the water, elevated, stored above and later returned to the water. Extensive use of the present invention docking apparatus incorporating the invention of the '022 patent is also to be recognized as having revealed a need for a self-contained docking structure exhibiting both the advantages of the docking structure of the '022 patent as well as the advantage of not being dependent for its construction and operation on any other docking structure. It further exhibits the advantage of being detachably and pivotally securable to a fixed dock, a fixed set of posts, a bulkhead and the like as a self contained operable apparatus.
With the foregoing in mind, the primary object of the present invention becomes that of providing a self contained pleasure boat docking apparatus which can operate without requiring other docking structure and in addition can be detachably and pivotally secured to an existing dock, a bulkhead, or other fixed objects such as a pair of posts adjacent a body of water. The apparatus of the present invention also has an object that of being uniquely adapted for use with a boat support frame, such as found in the '022 patent, onto which the boat can be driven, particularly in shallow water, loaded with passengers, and positioned ready for storage using only the motive power of the boat itself and which, after being positioned on the boat support frame, can with the boat support frame be pivoted so as to elevate the boat above the water for storage and later be pivoted in an opposite direction so as to be able to discharge the boat into the water for further use. The apparatus of the invention also has as an object that of being adapted to use a winching apparatus such as disclosed in the '022 patent.
A further object is that of providing an apparatus of the kind described which can be quickly assembled, quickly removed from the water and quickly disassembled.
Another object is that of providing a method and kit for creating the described apparatus. Other objects will become apparent through the detailed description to follow.

Self-contained drive-on boat docking apparatus, method and kit for creating such apparatus


A gusset forming machine includes a mandrel having a support surface on which a blank for the gusset is manually mounted, and one or more pusher assemblies which are driven into contact with the mandrel to deform the blank, thus forming a gusset. Preferably, each pusher assembly includes a holding blade which prevents movement of the blank relatively to the mandrel during the gusset forming operation, and a plurality of pushing blades which deform the blank into valleys formed between adjacent ridges formed on the support surface of the mandrel, thus forming the gusset. The mandrel is preferably movable into and out of alignment with the pusher assembly or assemblies. Multiple pusher assemblies are preferably provided which extend at angles from one another and produce a multi-sided gusset in a single operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to gusset forming machines and processes and, more particularly, relates to a machine and process for forming gussets used in the edges of expandable folders and the like.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many folders, containers, and the like are expandable from a relatively flat state for storage or shipment to a working state for storing articles such as papers. Such expansion is typically enabled by forming the edges of the folders or other articles from pleated gussets each having an effective width which can be selectively varied by alternately collapsing and straightening out the gusset in an accordion-like fashion. Such gussets are typically expandable from a thickness of 1/8" or less to several inches or more.
Gussets of the type discussed above are typically formed by bending paper or cardboard blanks along longitudinal lines so that the resulting gusset is foldable in opposite directions on opposed sides of each line thus permitting the gusset to collapse onto itself. The blanks for the gussets may be scored in the desired locations to facilitate folding.
Heretofore, gussets have usually been formed either by forming the blank by hand or with manually operated knives. These prior art processes are relatively labor intensive and thus are relatively time consuming and expensive. They are also relatively unreliable because they are dependent upon the skills of the individual laborer who may make mistakes, rendering the completed gusset ineffective or useless.
These problems are especially critical when a gusset is formed which extends along the sides and ends of the folder or other article incorporating the gusset. For proper folding, the corners of the gusset must be formed such that the bottom edges of the valleys on one side of each corner are aligned with and extend into the valleys formed between the adjacent ridges on the other side of each corner. Producing such a gusset manually or even via a manually operated machine typically requires at least three separate forming steps--one for each side--and is thus very time consuming. Any misalignment of the ridges and valleys of the adjacent sides may seriously degrade the effectiveness of the gusset. While this problem may be alleviated somewhat by employing scored gussets, it cannot be eliminated entirely. Even those machines which are capable of folding gussets are incapable of forming the corners. The corners must therefore be formed manually in an operation which results in adjacent plates extending in alternate directions at the corners because the pushing forces for adjacent pleats are imposed from adjacent sides, e.g., top and right side, of the gusset. The resulting corner is not only aesthetically unappealing but also tends to trap dust between alternate folds.

Gusset forming machine and gusset forming process


A method and apparatus for printing arbitrarily large circuit patterns using small field optics. The use of small field imaging optics allows the use of high NA lens designs capable of printing smaller geometries than otherwise would be possible. The field size in a first axis is extended by scanning an object and image past the lens; the field size in a second axis is extended by stitching the scans together in an overlapped fashion. This overlapped printing technique averages many random and systematic errors and allows the placement of field adjacencies within die boundaries. The effective field size of such a system is limited only be reticle size and stage mechanics. The apparatus further includes error correction loops for enhancing stage synchronization accuracy and for reducing field adjacency errors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of microlithography, in particular to the printing of integrated circuit patterns with a feature size of less than 1 micron.
2. Prior Art
In the photo-lithographic fabrication of integrated circuits, films sensitive to radiant or particle energy are exposed in predetermined patterns to define circuit features. In some cases, the energy is passed through masks which define the patterns, thereby selectively exposing a photoresist film on a semiconductor body. In other instances, the film is on a mask substrate and the film is exposed as a step in the making of the mask. Other times the direction or pattern of the radiant energy itself is controlled to define patterns in the film. This can be done as part of making a mask or reticle or to directly "write" onto the photoresist film covering a semiconductor wafer.
As integrated circuits are developed that are more densely populated with devices, the feature size of the discrete devices within the integrated circuit become smaller. This is important in both the making of masks or reticles or writing onto the photoresist film covering a semiconductor wafer. To aid in increasing the density, the ability to print integrated circuit patterns with small feature sizes is necessary. The tool of choice for printing integrated circuit patterns with features sizes between 0.5 and 1.5 microns is the reduction step and repeat camera, commonly known as a stepper. A step and repeat camera utilizes reduction optics to reduce a reticle image for writing directly onto a photoresist film covering a wafer. The writing occurs in a stepwise, i.e. move reticle, expose and repeat fashion across the wafer. The step and repeat camera has the drawbacks of being relatively slow and having a relatively small field size (limited by the design of the lens).
A second known technique for printing a circuit pattern on a wafer is through scanning. In a scanning system, a radiant energy source is projected through a mask and an arc-shaped aperture to create a well corrected image field. The field image is then directed towards a semiconductor wafer covered by a photoresist film. The reticle and semiconductor wafer are concurrently scanned through the arc-shaped object and image fields, so that the entire reticle image is printed onto the wafer. No reduction optics are utilized. Scanning systems generally are faster than step and repeat cameras, but are not suitable for printing wafers with small feature sizes.
As feature sizes have shrunk, die sizes have gradually increased (die refers to the individual integrated circuit component or chip prior to it being packaged). For example, it is projected that a memory device having a capacity of one gigabyte will require a die size of 30 mm per edge. For known photolithography tools, the die size is dependant on the image field size of the tools' optics. The dual constraints of higher resolution and constant, if not increasing, field sizes have made the design and manufacture of reduction lenses, as used by step and repeat cameras, ever more difficult and costly. It is anticipated that in the near future, it may not be economically feasible to produce large field lenses capable of resolving the 0.25 micron features that will be required for future generations of integrated circuits.
One known approach that addresses the dual constraints discussed above is embodied by the Perkin-Elmer Micrascan.TM. system. This system combines the step and repeat and scanning techniques and uses primarily reflective optics in a `step and scan` fashion to achieve a 4 to 1 reduction ration. `Step and scan` refers to a technique where individual exposure fields are scanned past an image field of a reticle created by an illumination system. When the scan is complete, the system steps to the next field to be scanned. In the Micrascan system, the reticle will be positioned on a reticle stage and the wafer or mask will be positioned on a wafer stage. Since a 4 to 1 reduction is occurring, the reticle stage will be moving at a speed 4 times as great as the wafer stage. The optics in the Micrascan system are designed to produce a scanned field size of 20.times.32.5 mm when utilizing 6.times.6 inch reticles. A well corrected arcuate field that spans 20 mm on a first fixed axis (the width of an exposure field) is scanned in a second axis to produce an effective image length of up to 50 mm (limited primarily by available stage travel). This approach removes the field size constraints on one axis only. The micrascan system is described in detail in an article entitled "Step and scan: A system overview of a new lithography tool", authored by Jere D. Buckley and Charles Karatzas, appearing in SPIE Vol. 1088 Optical/Laser Microlithography II Page 424-433 (1989).
A second known system is described in Jain, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,257, entitled "Scan and Repeat High Resolution Projection Lithography System", herein incorporated by reference. The system in the Jain reference provides for extending the field size along two axis. The system in the Jain reference utilizes a hexagonal shaped image field that is scanned in a manner to create complementary exposures in an overlap region between adjacent scans. Utilizing this scanned overlapping technique, the effective field image is created along both axis.
The system in Jain relies on the synchronization of the reticle and wafer stages to insure that the proper image field is presented to the wafer. Using this technique, stage synchronization must be accurate well below 0.1 microns in order to accommodate anticipated feature sizes. It would be desirable to provide a scanning lithography system where the proper image field is presented to the wafer by means where corrections may take place in the optical path. Such a system would have the benefits of insuring accuracy while relaxing stringent stage synchronization requirements.
A third known system described in Warkentin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,605, entitled "Rasterization System Utilizing an Overlay of Bit-Mapped Low Address Resolution Databases", assigned to assignee of the present invention, provides for overlapped multiple-pass printing of a circuit pattern. In the Warkentin reference, a high address resolution database representing a high address resolution pattern is converted into a plurality of low address resolution databases. Multiple-passes utilizing the low address resolution databases are used to print the low address resolution databases resulting in a high resolution printed pattern. The method described in the Warkentin reference provides for the reduction of butting, critical dimension and placement errors.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a microlithography system that scans using small field refractive optics and which is capable of extending the field size in both axes Small field refractive optics are desirable because of their suitability for high Numerical Aperture (NA) lenses (which provides for greater resolution). It is desirable to extend the field size along both axes to enable larger and more practical die sizes and shapes. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a highly accurate microlithography tool that will precisely place a reticle image field on a wafer through means means found in the optical path.


A battery rod assembly, an electronic cigarette, and an electronic cigarette charging apparatus are provided. In the electronic cigarette, on end of the battery rod assembly (1) is provided with an external electrode (12) and an internal electrode (11). A clamping groove (13) is disposed in an inner sidewall of the external electrode (12). A charging base (2) of the electronic cigarette charging apparatus comprises a first charging electrode (21) for being electrically connected to the internal electrode (11) and a second charging electrode (22) for being electrically connected to the external electrode (12). The second charging electrode (22) is provided with a buckling bending portion (221) protruding toward the direction away from the first charging electrode (21), and the position of the buckling bending portion (221) is corresponding to that of the clamping groove (13).

Normally, an electronic cigarette is connected to an electronic cigarette charging apparatus by threaded connections during a charging process. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a first charging electrode and a second charging electrode are placed on a charging base of the electronic cigarette charging apparatus while an internal electrode 100 and an external electrode 200 are provided on one end of a battery rod assembly. The first charging electrode is electrically connected to the internal electrode 100 and the second charging electrode is electrically connected to the external electrode 200 when the battery rod assembly is charged by the electronic cigarette charging apparatus. The first charging electrode, the second charging electrode, the internal electrode 100 and the external electrode 200 are designed as annular structures, therefore, the first charging electrode can be coaxially positioned in the second charging electrode while the internal electrode 100 can be coaxially positioned in the external electrode 200. As shown in FIG. 3, a screw which designed on an outer sidewall of the second charging electrode is corresponding to a screw on an inner sidewall of the external electrode 200. When the electronic cigarette is being charged by the charging apparatus, one threaded end of the charging base of the electronic cigarette charging apparatus is screwed into the battery rod assembly of the electronic cigarette along the screw on the inner sidewall of the external electrode 200 to achieve a electrical connection between the battery rod assembly and the electronic cigarette charging apparatus. However, this method of threaded connections tends to need a plurality of rotations to realize a firmly fixing which enables a steadily charging process. If the threaded end does not rotated to a designated position, an unstable charge can be caused by this loose connection while an excessive rotation may result in a damage of the electronic cigarette.

Battery rod assembly, electronic cigarette, and electronic cigarette charging apparatus

HUIZHOU KIMREE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. SHENZHEN BRANCH


A marine propulsion system that achieves both an acceleration performance and top speed closer to the performance desired by a boat driver includes an engine, propellers rotated by the driving force of the engine, a transmission mechanism arranged to convey the driving force of the engine to the propellers at least after shifting into a low speed reduction gear ratio and into a high speed reduction gear ratio, an acceleration sensor arranged to detect the acceleration of a hull propelled by the rotation of the propellers, and a control section and an ECU arranged to carry out the control for changing the reduction gear ratio of the transmission mechanism. The control section and the ECU are configured to control the transmission mechanism to shift from the low speed reduction gear ratio into the high speed reduction gear ratio based on the acceleration of the hull.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marine propulsion system, especially a marine propulsion system provided with an engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a marine propulsion device (a marine propulsion system) provided with an engine is known (see JP-A-Hei 9-263294, for instance). JP-A-Hei 9-263294 discloses a marine propulsion device provided with an engine and a power transmission mechanism that conveys the driving force of the engine to a propeller at a predetermined fixed reduction ratio. This marine propulsion device is configured to convey the driving force of the engine directly to the propeller via the power transmission mechanism, and is configured so that the propeller rotation frequency increases corresponding to the increase of the engine speed.
However, the marine propulsion device (marine propulsion system) disclosed in JP-A-Hei 9-263294 has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to improve the acceleration performance in the low speed range when the reduction ratio of the power transmission mechanism is configured to achieve the higher top speed. On the contrary, when the reduction ratio of the power transmission mechanism is configured to improve the acceleration performance in the low speed range, it has a disadvantage in that the higher top speed is difficult to achieve. Thus, the marine propulsion device disclosed in JP-A-Hei 9-263294 involves an issue that it is difficult to bring both the acceleration performance and the top speed closer to the performance desired by the boat driver.


A method to create blocks having a weathered and aged look by modifying the blocks before they are cured. Green blocks exiting a block forming machine are conveyed along a path past brush elements which scrub block mix from the upper longitudinal corners of the formed, uncured blocks. The blocks are also passed longitudinally over tooth elements which irregularly remove block mix from the lower longitudinal corners of the green blocks. The modified green blocks are moved to a kiln for curing.

In the manufacture of decorative concrete blocks for retaining walls and like uses, it is customary to achieve a weathered and aged look by tumbling the cured blocks in a drum or similar tumbling apparatus to cause blocks to collide and damage their edges. This process is labor intensive and time consuming because the cured blocks must be loaded into the tumbling apparatus and then removed therefrom. In addition, some wastage of finished products occurs because of the impacts of blocks upon each other. Since blocks of this type are frequently molded in three-piece sets, when one piece of a set of three is damaged, the set is incomplete and palleting of the sets is delayed and obstructed.

Method to create irregular edge decorative blocks


A sorting device is provided. The sorting device includes: a carrier substrate; an input unit disposed on the carrier substrate for inputting a biological sample into the sorting device; a porous material disposed on the carrier substrate and adjacent to the input unit, wherein the porous material contains antigen molecules having specificity to a target biological analyte; a driving module generating at least one driving force in the porous material so as to sort the biological sample based on the affinity for the antigen and the driving force; and an output unit disposed on the carrier substrate and adjacent to the porous material for collecting the sorted target biological analyte. A sorting method is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sorting device and a sorting method, more particularly, to a sorting device and a sorting method for sorting a target biological analyte.
2. Description of Related Art
The research of the interaction between biomolecules and their characteristics (such as antibodies, antigens, proteins, enzymes, metabolites, nucleic acids, drugs, and deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA)) becomes a major topic in various fields (such as drug development, genetic engineering, biochemistry, biotechnology, and molecular biology, etc.).
Take bacteriophage as an example, phage display is a technique that has been widely used. The main advantage of phage display is to provide a substantially physical connection for the phenotype and the genotype of the bacteriophage, and may be produced in large quantities. For example, the DNA sequence of the protein analyte may be spliced to the DNA sequence of the coat protein of the bacteriophage, therefore, when the protein analyte is successfully expressed on the surface of the bacteriophage through the coat protein of the bacteriophage, the protein analyte can be sorted together with the bacteriophage.
Currently, the most commonly used method for sorting bacteriophages is the biopanning process, which generally consists of the following steps: 1) fixing antigen molecules onto a solid surface, a column, or a biosensor chip (such as a Biacore sensor chip), wherein the antigen may seize positive strains of bacteriophages that have high affinity for the antigen; 2) removing unbound or negative strains of bacteriophages after extensive washing; 3) eluting bound bacteriophages subsequently using an elution buffer; and 4) amplifying the eluted bacteriophages using bacteria for hosts and conducting further rounds of affinity enrichment if needed. Usually, three to five repeated rounds of capture, wash, and amplification steps must be carried out in order to attain desired sorting efficiency. However, the total amount of time required to complete the process of biopanning can be longer than a month.
Accordingly, sorting bacteriophage is time-consuming and costly due to the process of biopanning and the subsequent analysis and evaluation processes, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and DNA sequencing.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a simple, fast and efficient sorting platform for sorting a target biological analyte from a biological sample.


A medical device assembly having a polarizable delivery mechanism reversibly engaged with a medical device and a method used by an operator to deploy said medical device at a targeted site in a body vessel is provided. The polarizable release mechanism generally comprises a pusher element having a distal end including at least two tines; the tines having a proximal section and a distal section, the tines being capable of exhibiting polarizable properties. The medical device has an opening sized to receive and to detachably engage the distal section of the tines. The delivery mechanism has an engaged position in which the tines securely hold the medical device and a detached position in which the tines and medical device are substantially unengaged. The operator causes the delivery mechanism to move from the engaged position to the detached position by applying or removing an energy stimulus to change the polarization.

A standard procedure used in the treatment of endovascular diseases is the placement of medical devices, such as embolic coils, stents, and dilation balloons, among others, at a desired or targeted site (e.g., aneurysm, etc.) within a patient. The delivery of such a medical device has typically been accomplished by a variety of means, including the use of a catheter along with a pushing wire or a means of injection, as well as a system to which the device is attached during delivery and detached once the device is proximate to the targeted site. These medical devices usually have a contracted shape that allows them to pass through the lumen of the body vessel and an expanded shape that occurs after being deployed at the targeted site.
One specific example, of such a medical device is an embolic or occlusive device that is placed within a body vessel or vasculature of the human body to filter the flow of blood through a vessel in the vasculature or to block the flow of blood within a defect in the vessel, such as an aneurysm. One example among many widely accepted types of occlusive devices is a detachable helical wire coil whose coil windings are sized to engage the wall of the vessel. Detachable coils are usually selected when the anatomy is especially distal and tortuous, a risk of coil displacement exists, or a very precise placement of the coil is required. Despite the technological advancement in the field of delivering such occlusive devices to a target site, problems still exist with many of the current means of deployment.
These problems include difficulty in positioning and repositioning the medical device before detachment from the catheter, the lack of accuracy in maneuvering the device into position at the target site, and the lengthy duration of time necessary to deploy the device. Several additional shortcomings associated with current delivery systems include the lack of control over the device once the delivery wire is out of the catheter; unreliable detachability; the inclusion of additional system assembly steps necessary to successfully detach the device; and the inclusion of a detachable mechanism that adds to the stiffness of the system creating the risk of losing delivery catheter position, to name a few.
Accordingly, there exists a desire to provide improvements in the mechanism used to detachably deploy a medical device at a targeted location in the vasculature of a patient. More particularly, there exists a desire for the continued development of a coupling mechanism that securely holds the medical device, thereby, allowing it to be effectively maneuvered throughout the deployment process, while also allowing said medical device to be easily and reliably detached once it is properly located at the target site. A mechanism that is adaptable for use with a wide variety of medical devices would be advantageous.

Polarizable delivery mechanism for medical device deployment


A gum massaging device includes a sheet member closely attachable to a gum, a gum-condition sensor disposed on the sheet member, and a massaging element disposed on the sheet member at a position corresponding to a position at which the gum-condition sensor is disposed, the massaging element operating in accordance with a detection result from the gum-condition sensor. The gum-condition sensor detects, for example, a color tone of a portion of the gum adjacent to the gum-condition sensor. The massaging element provides, for example, a pinching massage to a portion of the gum adjacent to the massaging element.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a gum massaging device and a method for massaging a gum.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices for massaging the gums (referred to as "gum massaging devices", below) have been developed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-24863 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-125405). A gum massaging device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-24863 includes a tooth brush-like member through which an electric current is caused to pass. A gum massaging device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-125405 includes a mouthpiece-like member, which covers the teeth and the gums and which is caused to vibrate.
The tooth brush-like member of the gum massaging device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-24863 is applied to a portion of a user at which he/she wants to receive a massage. Alternatively, the mouthpiece-like member of the gum massaging device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-125405 is put into the user's mouth. Thus, the technologies described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-24863 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-125405 (hereinafter referred to as "existing technologies") provide massages to the gums and improves the blood circulation of the gums.
However, the existing technologies are not suitable for effectively improving the conditions of the gums.

Gum massaging device and method for massaging gum

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


An orthodontic brace which is easy to use and which will optimize the relation between moment and force includes a guide mechanism that includes an upper bending stable mounting bar, two lower mounting bars, and substantially rectilinear wires connected between the upper mounting bar and each of the lower mounting bars. The lower mounting bars are fastened to an arch wire or a bracket on the teeth desired to be moved by fastening locks. As the springs of the orthodontic brace are made up of the wires, which are made from a superelastic material, and which are fixed in the bars, a desired moving, in relation to another tooth segment, may be obtained in form of a translation, which possibly is combined with a rotation of a tooth segment. The desired movement depends on the form of the guide mechanism. The applied force will substantially be constant, and due to the torsion stable guide mechanism, which with torsion stability is connected with a tooth to be moved, a self-adjusting contribution of moment is obtained. Consequently, an unintended rotation is obviated during movement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an orthodontic brace of the type that includes spring formed of a superelastic material for establishing movement of the teeth desired to be moved, and fastening means which are intended for fastening the spring means to force-transmitting means which are connected with the teeth for transmitting the actuation force of the spring means to the teeth desired to be moved.
2. The Prior Art
For a correction of misaligned teeth small locks are placed on the teeth, these locks are so-called brackets, in which it is possible to mount different types of wires, depending on the type of tooth movement desired to be carried out.
In the majority of all cases orthodontics is carried out by means of continuous arches along which the tooth movements are carried out. This technique, which is called the straight-wire-technique, is connected with drawbacks as friction arises between the locks and the wires, and as it is difficult to carry out a parallel translation along the arch. Furthermore, it is only possible to carry out tooth movements in the direction of the arch.
In order to overcome the drawbacks of the straight-wire-technique, a so-called segmented technique has been developed in which specially shaped braces are applied between groups of teeth, which braces supply forces and momenta resulting in the tooth movements. Using this technique the correction of the misaligned teeth may be controlled in a more precise way.
However, this requires a thorough knowledge of the relations between the geometry of the teeth, bone support, and the mechanical properties of the braces. It is especially important to have a precise knowledge of how forces and momenta are released from these braces in order to obtain a desired tooth movement. Though the arches remedy some of the drawbacks of the straight-wire-technique, they are complicated to use as great degree of manual adjusting and a large professional skill is required in order to correctly apply and use the known braces. Furthermore, the known braces will not make it possible in all situations to obtain desired relations between moment and force during tooth movement, which occurs after applying the known braces.
It is also difficult to relate the forces and momenta directly to the so-called centre of resistance for a tooth. The centre of resistance is defined as the point through which the effect from simple force will result in a translation. The centre of resistance will normally be positioned approximately in the centre of a root of a tooth, that is to say, in the jawbone approximately 1/3 from the tip of the root. As the teeth are affected via brackets which are positioned on the crowns of teeth, a simple force acting on a bracket will result in a combined translation and rotation of a tooth or a tooth segment which is affected. On the contrary, a pure translation of a tooth is obtained by applying a combined force and a moment on the brackets used. When the relation between the applied moment and the applied force vary, different tooth movements are obtained, which may be a pure translation, a combined translation and rotation, or a simple rotation around the centre of resistance.
A drawback of the known techniques is the need for optimizing the actuation on the teeth in order to obtain tooth movement relative to biomechanical properties. Thus, it it desired to keep the force actuation within limits in which an optimizing of the biomechanical system occurs, so that tooth movement takes place with a speed that is as optimal as possible. This relation should also be compared to the desire to minimize adjustments of the actuation means, as this normally requires a consultation.
Another important aspect is that a tooth movement with great actuation force will also cause much unpleasantness for the patient. Accordingly, through experience it has been found that an optimal force should be between approximately 50 cN and 250 cN. In order to obtain such a comparative, well-defined and constant force, it has been previously suggested, e.g., from U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,032, to use springs from a superelastic material, as a substantially constant force may be obtained over a comparatively long spring compression. That is to say, establishment of springs which do not follow Hookes' Law of linear elastic materials.
Though the use of the superelastic springs will highly comfort the patient and simultaneously give the possibility of less frequent consultations for checking the orthodontic brace, the use will not remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks with uncertain tooth movements.
It is the object of the present invention to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide an orthodontic brace which also makes it possible to carry out orthodontic correction of misaligned teeth according to the two known fundamentals, that is to say, with the straight-wire-technique and the segmented technique, and which simultaneously will be very easy to use and wherein a precise and unique tooth movement is obtained. At the same time, it is the object that the orthodontic brace can be prefabricated, and that there will be no subsequent need for individual adjustment and adaption when using the orthodontic brace.


Method and apparatus for locking by sharing lock states. Each resource or object has an associated lock state (that may be cached) comprised of transactions that own a lock in a specific mode for the resource. Several resources may share the same lock state. In one embodiment of the invention, a table of immutable lock states (TILS) is utilized to maintain the correct association of locked resources and immutable lock states. To acquire a lock, a new lock state is computed by adding the current transaction to the old lock state. If the new lock state is already in the TILS, the association between the resource and the lock state is updated to reflect the new lock state. If the new lock state is not in the TILS, the new lock state is added to the TILS. To release a lock, the transaction determines the new lock state that will result after removal from the lock state for that resource. The association between the resource and the lock state is then updated to reflect the change. When a transaction has completed execution, all resources associated with the transaction are released. The transaction may maintain a lock set (which may be implemented in a stack) containing information regarding each resource the transaction obtained a lock for and then release each identified resource. Alternatively, a lock set may not be maintained and the TILS is scanned upon transaction completion to determine the lock states that contained the transaction as an owner.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of computer software, and, more specifically, to transaction processing and object or resource locking.
Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, Solaris, Java, JavaOS, JavaStation, HotJava Views and all Java-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
2. Background Art
In modern computing environments, it is commonplace to store and access a variety of diverse information and data. To efficiently utilize the information, the information is stored in a database and is structured in a manner that provides a user with the ability to interpret and manipulate the information (referred to as a "data structure"). One type of database structure is in the form of a table, where each row of the table contains a record and each column specifies a field in the record. For example, a table can be used to store information regarding a company's inventory where each record is a specific item in the inventory and each field specifies information about the item (e.g., the name of the product, the price of the product, etc.). Data structures may vary depending on the application and type of database utilized. As a result of the diverse types of information being utilized (e.g., text, images, sound, video, etc.), data structures have grown increasingly complex.
Each time a computer system performs an activity, the activity is referred to as a transaction. For example, when a customer order is entered, or an inventory item is updated, a transaction for each activity is executed by the computer system. Thus, when information in a data structure is accessed or manipulated, a transaction is executed by the computer system. A transaction may need access to a record in a database or a portion of information in a database. Alternatively, a transaction may modify the entire database. When executing transactions, a computer system may execute a group of transactions at one time (referred to as batch processing), or may execute each transaction immediately after the transaction is received by the system (referred to as transaction processing). Transactions contain certain properties that must be adhered to. For example, transactions must be isolated such that each transaction must be contained separately from each other transaction. Additionally, transactions must provide for recoverability (the ability to establish a previous or new status from which execution can be resumed in the event of a system or execution failure ). Required transaction properties are also referred to as low level details of a transaction.
In many modem applications, increasingly complex data structures coupled with transaction processing capabilities is becoming a common requirement. The complexity of these applications, in terms of the data structures, algorithms, and type of the transactions used, does not fit well in the framework offered by traditional database systems. Persistent programming languages (PPL) (programming languages that provide for data to have a lifetime that persists for a specified amount of time) that support transaction processing may be utilized by programmers as an alternative or in combination with traditional database systems. To provide adequate support, some PPLs automatically enforce required transaction properties. Thus, low level transaction details (e.g., enforcing a transaction's properties) are automatically performed without input from a programmer.
One automated low level detail consists of the acquisition and release of a lock. A lock is a mechanism that restricts use of a resource to the holder of the lock. By locking a resource, the integrity of the data in the resource is ensured by preventing more than one user (or transaction) from accessing or changing the same data or object at the same time. There are several types of locks that may be used.
One type of lock is a shared lock. A shared lock permits multiple transactions to read (view) an item simultaneously without any modification or addition to the item (no writing is permitted). A shared lock is referred to as permitting concurrent (or concurrency) control by a transaction (i.e., multiple transactions are permitted to concurrently access a resource). Another type of lock is an exclusive lock. An exclusive lock permits one transaction to read and write to an item while excluding all other transactions from reading or writing to the item.
The locking and unlocking of resources must be administered to ensure that any required lock properties are complied with. For example, two or more different transactions cannot each acquire an exclusive lock at the same time for the same resource. Additionally, locks must be administered to provide a queue for transactions that are waiting to acquire a lock, and to rollback any executed actions if a deadlock results (i.e., when each of two transactions are waiting for a lock release from the other before continuing). For example, a deadlock occurs if transaction 1 has a lock on resource A and is waiting to acquire a lock on resource B, and transaction 2 has a lock on resource B and is waiting to acquire a lock on resource A.
A locking protocol partially determines the administration of a locking and unlocking of resources. A locking protocol determines how and when a transaction is granted (or acquires) a lock for a resource and when the resource is unlocked (i.e., the lock is released allowing other transactions to acquire a lock on that resource). A lock manager administers a locking protocol.
For example, in a two-phase locking protocol, each transaction issues a lock and unlock request in two phases. In one phase, referred to as the growing phase, a transaction may obtain locks but may not release any lock. In the second phase, referred to as the shrinking phase, a transaction may release locks but may not obtain any new locks.
Another protocol, referred to as a graph-based protocol, a partial ordering of information in a database is performed. For example, a set R of resources consisting of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, . . . , R.sub.h is ordered such that R.sub.i.fwdarw.R.sub.j. In this manner, any transaction accessing both R.sub.i and R.sub.j must access R.sub.i before accessing R.sub.j. With this ordering, the set R may be viewed as a directed acyclic graph, called a database or resource graph. A directed graph may be viewed as the tree of FIG. 2, where each node of the tree is a resource. Each resource descends from another resource (referred to as a parent resource) up to the root of the tree that has no parents (resource A 200). In a graph-based protocol, the following rules are followed: (1) the first lock by a transaction T may be on any data item, (2) subsequently, a data item or resource R can be locked by T only if the parent of R is currently locked by T, (3) resources can be unlocked at any time, and (4) a resource that has been locked and unlocked by T cannot subsequently be relocked by T. For example, referring to FIG. 2, if T needs access to resource C 204, both resource C 204 and resource A 200 must be locked. Similarly, if T needs access to resource J 218, in addition to locking resource J 218, all of the parents of resource J 218 must be locked (i.e., resources H 214, D 208, B 202, and A 200). Thus, in some cases, a transaction must lock resources that it does not access (i.e., the parent resources of a resource being accessed).
FIG. 3 demonstrates an example of lock acquisition according to a traditional protocol. In the traditional protocol, each resource is allocated a lock data structure. This lock data structure is updated every time a lock operation changes the state of the resource's lock. FIG. 3 demonstrates a scenario where two resources, O.sub.1 300 and O.sub.2 302, have been read by a transaction T.sub.1, and O.sub.2 302 is about to be read by transaction T.sub.2. The state of the lock of each resource is shown before (304-306) and after (308-310) the acquisition of the lock on O.sub.2 302 by T.sub.2. When transaction T.sub.2 requests the lock on resource O.sub.2 302 in read mode, the lock data structure associated with O.sub.2 302 is updated to reflect the new lock state (i.e., lock owned by T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 in read mode).
Each of the lockable resources may be a record in a database, a field of a record, an entire database, or in an object oriented system (discussed in detail below) a single object, for example. The size or level of the lockable resource is referred to as the granularity of the resource (e.g., the field level v. the record level v. the table level).
A lock is comprised of a data structure that records the identity of the transactions that are given the right to execute operations on the resource the lock protects. Each time a lock is acquired, memory is used for the lock data structure. The memory utilized by the lock remains unavailable until released through garbage collection or some other method. Consequently, one goal in lock administration is to minimize the memory locks consume, which usually translates in minimizing the number of locks.
The process of creating and manipulating a lock is time consuming. Thus, another goal in lock processing is to minimize the lock processing cost for acquiring and releasing a lock.
As resource granularity becomes finer, more resources are available for transactions. Such resource availability occurs because locks are placed on smaller resource units, freeing remaining resources that may be locked if the resource is coarser. Consequently, another objective in lock processing is to utilize a fine resource granularity.
Locking may be performed manually by programmers who then explicitly put lock requests in their programs, or automatically at runtime without input from programmers. When applied in the context of general purpose programing languages, both solutions may result in many unnecessary redundant lock requests (i.e., a lock request for a lock already owned) because of the complex data structures and algorithms these programming languages enable. Consequently, one goal of lock management is to minimize the processing time spent to process redundant lock requests.
The objective of a lock management implementation is to obtain the best combination of low memory consumption, low processing costs, and fine granularity of locking.

Method and apparatus that utilizes lock states to lock resources


The present invention is a finishing plate and method of fabricating a finishing plate. The finishing plate can be fabricated to various shapes, and can be used with various surfacing machines. In a preferred mode, the present invention is a disc cutting plate which can be used with a random orbital sander, and can be used to replace traditional abrasive sheets such as sandpaper. The present invention can be used in smoothing various materials including wood, painted wood, plastic, and various metals.

1. Field of the Invention
Various means are available for mechanically smoothing the surfaces of materials. Rotary, vibratory, belt and orbital sanders, have various sanding surface shapes and sizes, and are often used for this purpose. The invention is described in terms of its application to random orbital sanders, rotary sanders, and orbital sanders. However, application to any surfacing machine is included in the field of the invention.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of surface finishing, workers use various types of powered and manual abrading methods. In most cases, a worker will use replaceable sandpaper pads in conjunction with reciprocating or orbital machines. Generally, these methods produce a satisfactory finish on woods, painted woods, plastics or metals.
A problem faced by such workers is the cost associated with constantly replacing sand paper. These costs can mount both in the expense of the pads and in the time required to replace. The replacement time can be considerable, as workers often must traverse ladders and locate fresh pads. Moreover, as traditional abrading devices wear, they provide variable finish, which is not desirable. For example, a 40-grit sandpaper can start its useful life providing a proper coarse finish. However, the grit level immediately begins to degrade when the pad use begins. The 40-grit might perform like an 80-grit when the replacement time arrives.
The prior art is replete with abrasives attached to flexible sheets. As an example, FIG. 1 illustrates the use of flexible sheets 30 coated with sheet back side 33 on one side with adhesive applied to the sheet back side 33. The flexible sheet 30 attached to the platen 31 of a manually operated or handheld orbital sander 13, which are known in the art of smoothing the surfaces of hard and soft materials. When smoothing soft material surfaces or low melting point surfaces, the sheet back side 33 becomes easily clogged with waste or amorphous material that can not be removed, resulting in premature failure and replacement. When smoothing hard material surfaces the sheet back side 33 often breaks down and loses the ability to remove material from the material surface resulting in premature failure and replacement. When smoothing soft and hard material surfaces simultaneously, i.e. a nail in a piece of wood, the flexible sheet 30 often tears also resulting in premature failure and replacement.
FIG. 2 illustrates advances over that of the flexible sheet 30 art that have addressed convenience and ease of replacement. A flexible sheet of metal 34 has one rough surface 35 and one flat surface having Velcro™ 36 adhesively attached thereto. Velcro™ 36 is also applied to the platen of the manually operated or handheld orbital sander 13. Although this advance addresses the issues of premature failure experienced with the coated flexible sheet 30 art, many performance, effectiveness, productivity, efficiency and convenience issues are not addressed.
Moreover, various attempts have been made in using metallic and other rigid cutters or abrasive discs. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,411,936 to Salata discloses a filing machine and U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,509 to Easters discloses a metal and wood surfacing tool. (936) to Salata shows only a device for reciprocating a conventional metal file back and forth, and is thus not intended for a random orbital machine. (509) to Easters shows a rotary filing machine which may work on wood. However, the complexity of the roller mechanism will make it susceptible to failure due to debris entering the machine.
A simpler method of facing a surface that alleviates the problems above is to attach files to rotary discs or to form file patterns in rotary discs. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 992,437 to Metcalf discloses a rotary file. U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,277 to Hardy discloses an abrasive finishing disk. U.S. Pat. No. 2,768,422 to McKenna discloses a file and method of making the same. U.S. Pat. No. 2,994,942 to Harvell discloses a motor operated vehicle body and fender file. U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,989 to Filby discloses a sanding tool. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,203 to Miller shows an abrading and cutting tool assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,813 to Harvell discloses a rotary file. (989) to Filby provides a series of saw type blades on a rotary disc which may be used in conjunction with an orbital sander. However, the sparsely located teeth could not be used to provide a smooth finish on a wood surface. (277) to Hardy and (942) to Harvell show rotary files with replaceable cutters. They do not however, show rotary devices which are used for simultaneous smoothing and cutting. (422) to McKenna, (203) to Miller and (803) to Harvell show rotary files with continuous patterns. These devices cannot however be used to both remove and smooth material simultaneously.
A number of cutters and abraders have been combined with quick fasteners for rapid replacement of worn or damaged tools. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,571 to Selander discloses a quick change shoe assembly for a straight line sander. U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,886 to Wuensch discloses a hand power tool for flat machining. U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,139 to Leppert shows a buffing pad assembly. None of the above devices, however show a finishing plate which when used on a random orbital sander can both remove material and smooth material simultaneously.
To address the need to move an abrading device into a corner, a number of different shapes have been used. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,457 to Updegrave shows an edge and corner sanding attachment. This device, however does not show a hardened steel disc with multiple lines of cutting blades.
To address the shortcomings of traditional abrasive pads, abrasive manufacturers have also developed a number of structured abrasive products. By way of example, U.S. Published Application Number 20070254560 to Woo shows a structured abrasive article. While these systems provide certain benefits over traditional abrasives, they also have certain drawbacks. Since the points are "pyramidal" rather than angled, they cannot be used for simultaneous smoothing and cutting. Moreover, since they are abrasive, they work by way of friction. The same friction which causes the system to work also causes particles to build up, and thereby lose effectiveness. If the system comprised a series of smooth hardened cutting blades, the particle buildup problem could be alleviated because the blade relief surface would provide a low friction channel for debris to escape.

Device for smoothing the surfaces of hard or soft materials


Water-soluble polyorganic acids having a molecular size of more than 1,500 Daltons enhance plant fertilizer uptake when supplied to the plant, usually in the root feeding zone or through foliar mechanisms. Particularly suitable for this purpose are the polyamino acids such as polyaspartic acid and copolymers thereof.

Organic acids and oligomers thereof have been shown to promote plant growth. Typical such promoters of plant growth are described by Kinnersley et al., Plant Growth Regulation 9:137-146 (1990), which publication mentions the effects of lactic acid and relatively low molecular weight oligomers of lactic acid on plant growth. Similar description is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,997 to Kinnersley et al. (oligomers of glycolic and/or L-lactic acid) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,957 to Danzig et al. (oligomers of thiolactic and thioglycolic acids). All of the forgoing approaches to plant growth promotion appear to focus on coordination as a means for increasing plant uptake of compounds vital to the growth of the plant, e.g., micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, boron, and the like.
A very common approach to the promotion of plant growth has been, and continues to be, the use of nutrients (fertilizers), natural as well as synthetic. The latter usually provides nitrogen in a plant-usable form, such as urea for example, and/or inorganic nitrates, phosphates, or the like compounds. While such nutrients may be applied, more or less, at the convenience of the farmer, and may be applied as often as deemed desirable, the overuse of synthetic nutrients and the inefficient use of synthetic nutrients are major factors responsible for environmental problems such as eutrophication of ground water, nitrate pollution, phosphate pollution, and the like. An overview of the undesirable effects of nitrogen fertilizer is presented by Byrnes, Fertilizer Research 26:209-215 (1990).
To ameliorate the problems attendant to inefficient nutrient use and nutrient overuse, it would be desirable and necessary for environmental and production reasons to improve the collection, absorption and consolidation of plant nutrients and hold them in a condition and position to maximize availability for plant uptake while minimizing loss of nutrients or fertilizer elements through leaching, denitrification, vaporization and other mechanisms that distort or prevent assimilation of these nutrients by plant biological and physical mechanisms. The present invention addresses these problems, and provides methods for collecting or attracting plant nutrients which results in more efficient usage of nutrients in the growing plant.

Method for more efficient uptake of plant growth nutrients


A cyclone main body includes a cylinder-shaped upper barrel and an inverse cone-shaped lower barrel; a top plate which covers a top edge of the upper barrel and includes an opening at a center portion; a first introduction pipe which introduces a first fluid containing powder along an inner wall surface of the cyclone main body; a second introduction pipe which is disposed near the top plate in a portion upper than the first introduction pipe and introduces a second fluid; an exhaust pipe which is inserted in the opening of the top plate along a vertical center axis of the cyclone main body, makes an exhaust flow rise from the cyclone main body, and discharges the exhaust flow from the cyclone main body; and a collecting section which collects powder separated by turning movement of each of the first fluid and the second fluid in the cyclone main body.

Conventionally, a cyclone type dust collecting device which separates and collects powder dust and the like in a fluid with a centrifugal force has been known (for example, Patent Literature 1). According to this cyclone type dust collecting device, a fluid to be subjected to dust removing is made to turn in a cyclone chamber, whereby powder contained in the fluid is separated from the fluid by a centrifugal force, and collected.

Cyclone device and classification method


A fire fighting tool provides a handle that is removably and adjustable attached to a pole (or similar instrument) at a convenient location along the length and about the circumference of the pole. The tool is constructed to orient the handle generally perpendicularly to the axis of the pole to which the tool is attached, and to maintain the relative orientation of the handle and the pole as forces are exerted manually on the handle and transmitted to the pole by the tool. The tool enables a user of the tool to apply a greater amount of their available strength in manipulating the tool.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a fire fighting tool that is designed to be releasably and adjustably attached to the length of a conventional pike pole. Once attached to the pike pole, the tool provides a handle that projects perpendicularly from the pike pole that enhances the fire fighter's ability to exert a pushing or pulling force on the pike pole.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The pike pole is among the oldest tools used for fire fighting and remains the most practical way of pulling down structure to expose pockets of fire. Particularly useful for removing ceilings, the pike pole and modern variants are in daily use by virtually every fire department in the United States.
Over the years, the conventional pike pole has undergone various modifications in an attempt to make it easier to penetrate structure, whether the structure be lath and plaster, drywall, pressed tin or lightweight wood panels, and then hook into the structure to pull the structure down from a building ceiling or wall. The length of the pike pole has also been modified with some poles being provided with a D-shaped handle opposite the pole tip. The D-shaped handle made it easier for a fire fighter to maintain a grip on the pike pole while pulling down structures, but the added bulk of the D-shaped handle made the modified pike poles difficult to stow in standard pike pole racks of fire equipment and also allowed no adjustment of the handleposition along the length of the pike pole or in the orientation of the handle relative to the pole tip.
Over recent years the requirements of fire fighters have also changed, placing less emphasis on the physical strength of the fire fighter. It is no longer a given that all of the fire fighters at the scene of a fire will be over five foot ten inches tall and over 175 pounds. Jobs that require a strong grip-and upper body strength, such as pulling ceilings, are very difficult for smaller fire fighters to perform safely with the conventional configuration of the fire fighting pike pole. Adding to the problem is the continuing reduction in the fire fighter crew size. Forty years ago, five man engines and six man trucks were common. Today, three man crews are common and two man crews are not unknown. In many cases, rotating crews on physically demanding jobs like pulling ceilings is simply not possible due to the shortage of fire fighters.

Fire fighting tool for attachment to a pike pole


A process and structure are disclosed which are suitable for forming large arrays of Schottky diodes at desired locations between mutually perpendicular strips of aluminum and strips of metal-silicide. The invention is particularly useful in creating read-only memories and programmable logic arrays, and allows fabrication of Schottky diodes more compactly than previous structures.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to Schottky diodes, and in particular to a polycrystalline silicon Schottky diode array of particular utility for use in fabricating read only memories and programmable logic arrays.
2. Prior Art
Schottky diodes are typically fabricated in monocrystalline silicone together with other electronic components, for example, transistors. In such prior art structures, an N conductivity type buried layer typically has been the diode cathode. Unfortunately, the resulting diodes have high resistance and buried layer to substrate capacitance. Schottky diodes have also been fabricated on polycrystalline silicone. One such approach is described in our copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 227,837, filed Jan. 23, 1981, and entitled "Low Resistance Schottky Diode on Polysilicon/Metal-Silicide". According to that approach, a plurality of diodes may be fabricated in a single strip of polycrystalline silicon by forming regions of metal over the polycrystalline silicon. A cathode pick-up serves to connect between the surface of the structure and an underlying region connected to the cathodes of the diodes. One disadvantage of the invention described in the above-referenced patent application is the large amount of wafer surface area required for the fabrication of each diode.

Polycrystalline silicon Schottky diode array


Embodiments of the present invention provide a network functions virtualization network system, method, and an apparatus. An NSO node is connected to a first network node by using an operation support-network service orchestration interface, the NSO node is connected to an RO node by using a network service orchestration-resource management orchestration interface, and the NSO node is connected to a catalog; the RO node is connected to a first network node by using an operation support-resource management orchestration interface, the RO node is connected to a VNFM node, the RO node is connected to a VIM node, and the RO node is separately connected to the catalog, a network functions virtualization instance, and a network functions virtualization infrastructure resource. The system, method, and the apparatus are used to deploy the network service orchestration function and the resource management orchestration function.

A network functions virtualization network is a communications network that virtualizes a function of a physical entity device in a communications network, that is, the function of the physical entity device in the communications network is implemented on at least one physical server by using only software or by using a combination of software and hardware. The physical entity device may be a radio access network device, a core network device, or the like. A functional unit configured to implement the physical entity device in the communications network on the at least one physical server may be referred to as a virtualized network node. A physical server may include at least one virtualized network node, and a virtualized network node may be a server group including multiple physical servers.
In the prior art, the network functions virtualization network includes an operation support system (OSS) node, an element management system (EMS) node, a virtualized network function (VNF) node, a network functions virtualization orchestrator (NFVO) node, a virtualized network function manager (VNFM) node, a virtualized infrastructure manager (VIM) node, a network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) node, and the like. The OSS node is an integrated operator system that supports information resource sharing. The EMS node is a system that manages one or more virtualized network nodes, and is configured to implement a fault management, configuration management, accounting management, performance management, security management (FCAPS) function for a VNF. The VNF node is configured to implement a physical network function (PNF), and may be a mobility management entity, a base station, or the like. The NFVI node is configured to provide a virtual resource for the VNF node. The NFVO node is configured to implement a network service orchestration function and a resource management orchestration function. The VNFM node is configured to manage a life cycle of a VNF instance. The VIM node is configured to control and manage a computing resource, a storage resource, a network resource, and virtualized entities of the computing resource, the storage resource, and the network resource.
However, an NFVO includes some functions of defining a network service and abstracting a resource requirement of a VNF. The network service belongs to the scope of network operation maintenance and management, and resource management of an abstracted network functions virtualization platform layer (an NFVI) not only includes centralized global resource management, but also includes a function of allocating a local virtualized resource function in a coordinated manner. The two main function requirements, a network service orchestration function and a resource management orchestration function, are coupled and completed in the same function entity NFVO, which causes a difficulty in deployment. For example, it cannot be ensured that a hierarchical resource management model of the NFVI and a planning function of a network service instance are always deployed in a same logic entity. For example, in a large-scale network architecture, a granularity for deploying a resource management orchestration function entity is much finer than a granularity for deploying a network service orchestration function entity. In addition, different from the resource management orchestration function entity, the network service orchestration function entity may be tightly coupled to an OSS for deployment.

Network functions virtualization network system and data processing method, and apparatus


Provided herein are systems and computer readable media for associating environmental measurements with an individual using a plurality of sensors, a plurality of tags and a plurality of receivers disposed about a monitored area. Various embodiments of the invention include: receiving blink data from receivers positioned about the monitored area, wherein the blink data is generated by at least one tag carried by the individual; determining tag location data based on the blink data, wherein the tag location data comprises a tag location estimate; associating the tag location data with an individual profile; receiving a sensor signal from a sensor comprising environmental measurements associated with the individual; receiving a sensor location associated with the sensor; comparing the tag location estimate to the sensor location; determining a sensor-individual correlator based on the proximity between the tag location estimate and the sensor location; and associating the sensor-individual correlator with the environmental measurements.

Individuals (e.g., persons, patients, athletes, animals, machines, etc.) may encounter circumstances whereby their health, fitness, operation, or performance becomes limited or compromised. Applicant has discovered problems associated with current methods and systems for monitoring the health, fitness, operation, or performance of individuals. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has solved the identified problems by developing a solution that is embodied by the present invention, which is described in detail below.

Method, apparatus, and computer program product for tag and individual correlation


Approaches are described for managing the processing of images or video on a computing device. A portable computing device can include one or more dedicated components, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or other dedicated processor component, to be integrated into the computing device to perform at least a portion of the imaging processing of captured images or video. For example, the dedicated processor component can enable the offloading of basic image signal processing, as well as higher level or “machine vision” processing from the device processor of the device. In this way, the dedicated processor component can perform signal processing for which the input is an image (or video), and where image or video data can be analyzed, interpreted and/or manipulated to generate an output, the output of image processing being either an image or a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image. The output can be provided to a device processor for further processing.

As computing devices offer increasing processing capacity and functionality, users are able to operate these devices in an expanding variety of ways. For example, computing devices are increasingly offering multiple high quality cameras that enable additional types of functionality. In some devices, these cameras are capable of capturing high resolution images and/or videos, and can also be used to provide three-dimensional (3D) image capture for both still and video imaging. As such, these cameras can provide a large amount of imaging data and therefore present significant opportunities for performing image analysis and other computations. However, a downside to providing cameras that can capture high resolution images, and/or are capable of 3D image capture, is the fact that processing such images can be expensive in terms of computation resources and power consumption. This has been due in part on the large number of features and components that have been integrated into the device. Accordingly, manufacturers have been looking to improve the battery life and increase the processing performance of these devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Distributing processing for imaging processing


A modified polyisocyanate which has a high emulsifying/dispersing ability in aqueous resin compositions (solution or dispersion) and can be used advantageously as a curing agent or cross-linking agentis disclosed. The modified polyisocyanate is comprised of a reaction product of a polyisocyanate (an aliphatic or alicyclic polyisocyanate such as 1,6-diisocyanate hexane or a derivative thereof) with one of the following components (1) to (3):. (1) a nonionic emulsifying agent which contains active hydrogen atoms reactive with isocyanate group, has a hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) value of 17 or less and contains 15 to 35 in average of ethylene oxide units in one molecule,. (2) a polyoxyalkylene alkylaryl ether which contains active hydrogen atoms, has an HLB value of from 5 to 17 and contains ethylene oxide unit and. (3) a nonionic emulsifying agent which contains active hydrogen atoms and a coupling agent (e.g., a mercapto group-containing silane coupling agent) which contains active hydrogen atoms and has a hydrolysis condensing group.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nonionic modified polyisocyanate (or a polyisocyanate mixture) which has isocyanate groups and has been modified to be hydrophilic. More particularly, it relates to a modified polyisocyanate which can be used advantageously as a curing agent for aqueous resin compositions (e.g., paints, printing inks and adhesives).
2. Description of the Related Art
Modified polyisocyanates have been proposed for the purpose of producing an aqueous two-component polyurethane resin by emulsifying a water-soluble or water-dispersible polyisocyanate into an aqueous polymer solution or aqueous polymer dispersion. For example, JP-A-6-17004 discloses an aqueous coating composition which comprises a mixture of a polyol component comprising an olefin polymer having a hydroxyl group, etc. (a binder) with a polyisocyanate component in which the polyether chain has 5 to 70 in average of ethylene oxide units (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application"). JP-A-7-109327 discloses a water-dispersible or water-soluble polyisocyanate composition obtained by allowing a monohydric or polyhydric alcohol to react with tolylene diisocyanate, in which at least 70 mol % of 7 to 25 in average alkylene oxide units are ethylene oxide units.
JP-B-4-15270 discloses an adhesive composition which comprises a water dispersion of a water-soluble polymer and an aqueous emulsion and a terminal isocyanate group-containing auto-emulsifying prepolymer which is obtained by allowing an isocyanurate ring-containing hexamethylene diisocyanate polymer to react with an alkoxy polyalkylene glycol having a molecular weight of from 250 to 4,000 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent application").
JP-B-7-30160 and JP-A-9-137146 disclose a water-dispersible polyisocyanate preparation having an average NCO functionality of from 2 to 3.5, as an additive agent for use in aqueous adhesives which use a polymer dispersed in water as the base. In these references, a reaction product of an aliphatic polyisocyanate with a nonionic polyalkylene ether alcohol which contains at least one polyether chain having at least 10 ethylene oxide units is disclosed as the above-described polyisocyanate preparation, and phenol as well as methanol are described as the alcohol for the production of the polyether alcohol. In this connection, HLB of the nonionic polyalkylene ether alcohol, when phenol is used as a starter, is about 18 or more.
JP-A-5-222150 describes that a polyisocyanate mixture is obtained by allowing a polyisocyanate component to react with a polyalkylene oxide polyether having 5 to 99 in average of ethylene oxide units and that a monohydric alcohol having a molecular weight of from 32 to 150 (particularly methanol) can be used as a starter for obtaining the polyether alcohol.
These polyisocyanates (auto-emulsifying polyisocyanates) can improve emulsifying ability in water. However, since they have small emulsifying and dispersing abilities in aqueous polymer solutions and aqueous polymer dispersions, emulsification of the polyisocyanates (auto-emulsifying polyisocyanates) requires a high shearing force by a mixer, etc. or requires a prolonged period of mixing time when the shearing force is low. Because of their small emulsifying and dispersing abilities, these polyisocyanates do not emulsify or disperse uniformly when added to an aqueous resin composition and they are partially crystallized or precipitated, so that isocyanate cannot be used effectively as a curing agent or cross-linking agent. In addition, when they are used as a curing agent for aqueous paints, transparency and uniformity of the resulting coats are also reduced due to decreased emulsifying and dispersing abilities.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a modified organic polyisocyanate which shows high emulsifying and dispersing abilities in aqueous polymer solutions or aqueous polymer dispersions even if it has low emulsifying ability in water itself and can be emulsified therein within a short period of time even under a low shearing force, as well as to a process for producing the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a modified polyisocyanate which can be used effectively as a curing agent and a cross-linking agent for aqueous resin compositions (e.g., paints, printing inks and adhesives), and a process for producing the same.

Modified polyisocyanate and production process thereof


A method of molding soft sheet material having a foam layer and a skin layer. In the method, a skin powder is sprinkled on a predetermined area of the foam layer for forming the skin layer. The predetermined area is such that when the molded product is produced, the only waste material needing to be removed is foam layer. Therefore, the method enables recycling of the waste material and provides an increased yield.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for molding soft sheet material which provides increased yield and enables waste material to be recycled.
2. Description of the Related Art
Soft sheet materials are used broadly as ornamental material such as a typical automobile pillar (see FIG. 9 described later) and the like.
FIGS. 18-20 are explanatory views for describing a conventional method of molding soft sheet material.
The soft sheet material 10 is composed of a skin layer 11 on a foam layer or foam sheet 12 as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20.
The skin layer, shown exclusively in FIG. 18 is formed of sludge skin or the like. The foam layer 12 formed of urethane resin or vinyl chloride resin is injected and insert molded to the back surface of skin layer 11 to produce the soft sheet material 10 shown in FIG. 19.
After molding soft sheet material 10 into a particular shape such as an automobile pillar, a waste part 19 is cut off and removed by a trimming device 5 such as a hot knife as shown in FIG. 20.
After molding and cutting, a base layer 13 formed of hard urethane resin or acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene (ABS) resin may be injected or insert molded to the back surface of foam layer 12.
The conventional method, however, has the problem that since the waste part 19 is a combination of skin layer 11 and foam layer 12 heat fused together, the layers cannot be separated after molding. Therefore, foam layer 12 and skin layer 11 cannot be recycled and used for reproduction individually, resulting in decreased yield.


A circuit for linearizing analog-to-digital output is shown in FIG. 2, with an analog signal V.sub.i transmitted by input circuit 10 is applied to an input port of an analog-to-digital converter 12 controlled by a sampling signal V.sub.s, to provide digital data V.sub.d on an "N" bit data bus 14. An analog-to-digital linearizing memory 16 storing a look-up table of digital values, is coupled to bus 14 to receive the digital data V.sub.d, and to respond to the digital data V.sub.d by providing true linear digital values from the look-up table to digital data processing system DSP 20 via an "N" bit data bus 18. A microprocessor 22 is temporarily coupled between the output port of converter 12 and the input port of memory 16 via bus 14, to serve as a switch between bus 14 and a programming memory 24 containing a table of true linear digital values V.sub.t. A known test signal is applied to input circuit 10, and true linear digital values V.sub.t stored in programming memory 24, are then read into linearizing memory 16 to provide an accurate and reliable relation to a characteristic such as the amplitude of each step of the known test signal over the entire range of the known test signal.

Digital signal processing (DSP) systems usually have an analog-to-digital converter as an input link from the analog domain. An analog-to-digital converter is always assumed to provide a digital signal based on the input level. For a given peak-to-peak input of V.sub.pp, an A/D converter generates a given number of codes at its output port. Consequently, the input-to-output linearity of an A/D converter is very important.
Currently available high priced analog-to-digital converters have one or more linearity controls. These controls allow the user to adjust the output for a given input (e.g., either 50%, or 25% and 75%) level to obtain a linear output. Frequently however, there is some non-linearity in the intermediate input levels.
For commercial grades of consumer appliances using mass production quality analog-to-digital converters such as video signal products, it is imperative that the degree of non-linearity of the analog-to-digital converter be kept under control. For example, in deghoster circuits, the ghost parameters may be computed from a transition in a given region; by way of illustration, a vertical synchronization signal (-40 to 0 IRE) or 0.fwdarw.70 IRE broadcast television (i.e., a BTA) signal. Then, the entire -40 to .apprxeq.120 IRE video signal is "deghosted" based on these parameters. Thus, for reliable deghosting performance, the "assumed" linearity of the signal is extremely important.
Earlier efforts by others to obtain particular output characteristics from analog-to-digital converters have tended toward two different approaches. One approach used an expensive, high-quality analog-to-digital converter designed to include adjustable gain and phase stages. Prior to use, each of the adjustable stages would necessarily be "tuned" to give optimal output characteristics. Cost of the converter, and the time consumed in making the adjustments, are two problems attendant to the first approach. Consequently, the use of such converters is limited to customized, expensive applications.
The second approach, as represented by Kimura, U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,751, applies the output signal "z" from a non-linear analog-to-digital conversion circuit to a look-up table memory containing straight line conversion data, in an effort to obtain compensated digital values "z'" stored in the look-up table, and to thereby provide a conversion exhibiting a particular non-linear (e.g., logarithmic) characteristic. Several stages are coupled to the input port of the non-linear analog-to-digital conversion circuit to adjust offset and gain of the analog signals being applied to the conversion circuit. This approach however, requires measurement of conversion characteristic data of the non-linear analog-to-digital converter, calibration of the conversion characteristic data curve at an origin and at the maximum output value (e.g., 2.sup.N -1) as part of a normalization and curve-fitting step, and calculation of compensated digital values corresponding to the level of the input signal in terms of reference data and the conversion characteristic data. Consequently, because this approach necessarily demands reliance upon offset and gain adjustment stages, the use of a specialized digital-to-analog converters, and measurement of the conversion characteristic data of the converters, it is unsuitable for use with mass production quality analog-to-digital converters. Moreover, this approach neither recognizes, nor addresses the problem of improving the linearity of conversion by linear digital-to-analog converters at values intermediate to the two extremes of the range of conversion.

Linearizing non-linear analog-to-digital process and circuit


An at least aesthetically integral orthodontic appliance which is formed from an orthodontic base and a separately formed orthodontic body, as well as a method for making the same. In one embodiment, a base and body are separately formed by metal injection molding, the upper surface of the base having a pair of preferably mesio-distally extending alignment rails formed thereon. The lower portion of the body is positioned between these rails and forced into engagement with the base. The resulting assembly is thereafter heat treated to form an at least aesthetically appearing and preferably structurally integral orthodontic appliance by an amorphous blending of the interface between the base and body.

One factor which affects the commercial viability of a particular orthodontic appliance is of course the cost of the appliance. The cost of the appliance is influenced by a number of factors, one of which is the manufacturing costs. With regard to metal brackets, a wide variety of these types are manufactured in two-piece form. Specifically, the body of the bracket, which includes the tie wings, is manufactured as one part (e.g., by metal injection molding ("MIM"), while the other part, a tooth contoured bonding base, is manufactured separately (e.g., by photo etching or by stamping). The body and base are then welded or brazed together about the perimeter of the body. Although this manufacturing method produces brackets which perform suitably in many cases, the associated manufacturing costs may have a tendency to be comparatively high depending upon, for instance, the specific manufacturing sequence and the labor involved therewith. Moreover, corrosion can result from non-passive resistance welds and crevice corrosion sometimes occurs at the interface of orthodontic bodies which are welded to bases. Orthodontic bodies and bases which are joined by brazing require relatively expensive precious metal or noble alloys to avoid this type of corrosion problem.
Another method of manufacturing metal brackets is by MIM. That is, the entire bracket may be molded as a single part. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,854 refers to such a bracket. The manufacturing costs associated with this particular method may be comparatively high due primarily to the cost of the molds. That is, depending of course upon the configuration of the particular bracket, the molds tend to be relatively complex to design and/or manufacture.
Based upon the foregoing, there continues to be a need for further improvements in the manufacture of orthodontic appliances which have commercially acceptable performance characteristics and which are commercially available at a competitive price.

Orthondontic appliance and method of making the same


A method of fabricating a metal casket by assembling a body containment mold and a lid mold. Each of the molds has inner and outer surfaces. A release mechanism is separately applied to the surfaces of each of the molds. A body containment compartment is formed by depositing a layer of metal on the inner surface of the body containment mold until a desired thickness is achieved. A lid component is formed by depositing a layer of metal on the inner surface of the lid mold until a desired thickness is achieved. Structural polymeric material is then applied to the inner surfaces of the body containment compartment and the lid component. Thereafter, the body containment compartment and the lid component are removed from their respective molds and are hingedly connected to one another.

This invention relates to caskets or coffins used to house the remains of once living organisms. More particularly, this invention is directed toward an economical and leak proof metal casket and a method for making the same.
Caskets have long been known and used for the burial of deceased persons. The use of metal caskets has become increasingly prevalent. Typically, metal caskets are fabricated in a sectionalized fashion. The different sections are commonly stamped from sheet metal and formed on a brake. Stamped metal caskets require the use of bulky machinery and heavy dies. The casket is comprised of a bottom, two sides, two ends and a lid. The sections are welded at the joints and seams. Once joined, the casket is ground and sanded until a smooth and cosmetically acceptable surface is obtained. Needless to say, the aforementioned stamped metal process is expensive as well as labor intensive.
Metal caskets, in general, are subject to deterioration by organic acids created by the decomposing corpses contained therein as well as corrosion from oxidation. The organic acids and oxidation attack and corrode the metal casket resulting in the subsequent leakage of fluids.
Another drawback with caskets formed by conventional techniques is that it is difficult to construct caskets that have intricate shapes and details.


A dispensing container which stores two or more separated fluids and blends the fluids when dispensing. The container includes a storage bottle for containing the first fluid and an interior auxiliary vessel for containing a second fluid. The auxiliary vessel is configured as a closure closing the open storage area of the storage bottle by threading thereto, and forms a mixing chamber above the storage bottle and auxiliary vessel. The mixing chamber has first check valves preventing backflow into the storage area of the bottle and second check valves preventing backflow into the auxiliary vessel. Preferably, the check valves are flaccid membrane valves. Optionally, agitating balls are provided in the mixing chamber. In another option, squeeze resistant compression members are placed inside the storage bottle to transfer pressure from squeezing to the interior auxiliary vessel. In still another option, dispensing container has at least one and optionally several recharging vessels. The storage bottle and interior auxiliary vessel have alignable ports enabling the latter to be recharged by a recharging vessel, which has a nozzle which penetrates the aligned ports.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers which blend fluent materials stored in separate chambers when dispensing these materials. More particularly, the invention sets forth a container which has plural separate fluid compartments and a resiliently flexible wall for enabling a user to discharge the contents of both compartments by squeezing the container. The novel dispensing container finds application wherever fluid materials must be blended and dispensed in quantities appropriate for individual consumers. For example, the container may be utilized by consumers to store and dispense personal care products such as shampoo and hair conditioner, cooking products such as sweeteners and colorants, and food products such as oil and vinegar for preparing salad dressings, among others. Alternatively, the container may be utilized in industrial, commercial, institutional, medical, and scientific applications to blend active ingredients with carrier fluids, or to blend ingredients which would interact on contact with one another. The fields which may benefit from the invention are many and diverse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is necessary from time to time to dispense several dissimilar fluent substances which must be separated from one another prior to being utilized, yet blended when utilized. Two substances separately stored usually require special measures to assure that they be fully blended or mixed together. Dispensing of two separate substances is somewhat time consuming. Furthermore, metering and dispensing, if performed separately, may expose one or both substances to contact with the air, airborne contaminants, light, or other detrimental influences.
Another aspect of containers, especially of containers having plural compartments or fluid storing vessels, is that in many cases, it is not feasible to coordinate depletion of separate fluids as both are discharged. That is, it is frequently the case that one fluid is depleted while a usable quantity of another fluid yet remains. To this end, it would be desirable to provide a container which accommodates connection of a separable vessel containing one of the fluids, for renewing one of the fluids.
It is convenient and effective to store, blend, and dispense several substances from a single container in a manner assuring that plural contents be separated until the point in time at which they are used. The prior art has proposed containers which dispense plural contents. An example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,346, issued to James E. Richardson et al. on Nov. 26, 1974. The subject dispenser of Richardson et al. is hand squeezed to dispense fluids. Richardson et al. sets forth a valve to control discharge of fluids. However, this valve is not similar to the check valve of the present invention. Also, there is no closed mixing chamber with agitating balls, as seen in the present invention. There is no teaching in Richardson et al. of in situ recharging an internal vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,033, issued to Sen H. Chou on Dec. 18, 1990, describes a pressurized dispensing container having a bladder which receives pressurized propellant gasses. The bladder is internal to the container. By contrast, in the present invention, the container is squeezed by hand to develop propulsive pressures. The device of Chou lacks check valves and blending apparatus of the present invention. Also, there is no provision for in situ recharging of the inner vessel, as seen in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,931, issued to Richard E. Farrar et al. on Nov. 16, 1965, describes a multicompartmented dispenser. The device of Farrar et al. lacks check valves, a mixing chamber, and in situ recharging of the inner vessel, all being features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,149, issued to Karl H. Zulauf on Apr. 29, 1986, describes a hand squeezable container which incorporates a rotatable valve for adjusting relative proportions of dispensed fluids. This valve is unlike the automatically acting, unidirectional check valve of the present invention. Zulauf further lacks the mixing chamber with agitating balls and in situ recharging features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,107, issued to Gerhard Obrist on Jun. 16, 1987, shows a dosing dispenser incorporating two manual valves disposed in series. By contrast, the present invention has one or more automatically acting unidirectional check valves. Where more than one check valve is provided, they are disposed in parallel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,056, issued to Bernard Schneider et al. on Jul. 12, 1994, describes a dispensing tube which dispenses plural creamy or pasty fluids. The device of Schneider et al. lacks the mixing chamber and agitating balls, check valves, and in situ recharging of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,510, issued to Wilhelm A. Keller on Jul. 15, 1997, illustrates a metering and proportioning device having a collapsible cartridge. The device of Keller lacks the squeezable outer container, mixing chamber, check valves, and in situ recharging of the present invention.
The various devices of the prior art typically incorporate much more complex design than is seen in the present invention. By contrast, the present invention can be formed in as few as three or four pieces including a cap.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

Squeezable mixing and dispensing container having removable attachable supply vessels