Apparatus for heating continuous sponge rubber products by UHF energy to vulcanize them comprises a UHF generator connected to a resonator chamber through which the product passes by a wave guide which divides into two branches connected with the resonator chamber at spaced points. Each branch of the wave guide is tunable by a separate tuning device one of which is operable manually and the other is operated by a motor controlled by sensing probe in a circulator in the wave guide between the UHF generator and the branches. Uniform heating of the product is thereby obtained.

In the technique, evermore complicated strand profiles made of rubber, in particular sponge rubber, are needed. These serve, for example, as sealing strips for doors and windows in buildings, in the automobile industry, in refrigerator construction and in many other branches of industry. These profiles have not only a complicated outer form but often have inner hollows and chambers so that in use these profile strips can be compressed to a very small volume whereby the profile itself may often assume an angle form or wave form cross section and must be so formed that it remains elastic even after long use must not tear or crack or be torn from the usual angle form support on which it is mounted. These requirements of rubber profiles, in particular sponge rubber profiles, make it necessary that the profile strand must be uniformly vulcanized throughout its cross section and over its whole length and must have no portions in which overheating or possibly even burning may have been caused by too strong local energy concentration.
Such complicated rubber profiles, in particularly of sponge rubber, can be vulcanized only in a substantially uniform UHF-energy field. UHF-energy is electro-magnetic energy which lies in the range of milimeter waves, centimeter waves and decimeter waves. Such energy is for the most part produced in magnetrons and is conducted through wave guides in the form of tubular conductors of round or rectangular cross section to a resonator chamber in which this energy acts on the product to be heated and thereby vulcanized. The diffiiculty of heating with UHF-energy is the problem of obtaining a suitable uniform field distribution in the resonator chamber. Non-uniform distribution leads to local overheating or indeed burning or, on the other hand, to insufficient heating and thereby unvulcanized portions. Uniform field distribution is very difficult to obtain. When a uniform field distribution in an empty resonator chamber has been achieved with the help of a measuring probe, this distribution is disturbed by the product to be heated so that it becomes non-uniform.
This difficulty is also experienced in microwave ovens for heating food. In order to reduce it, it has been proposed to divide the wave guide and direct the energy into the resonator chamber by two split beams which are disposed at an angle of 90.degree. to one another. This leads to a certain improvement in uniformity of the field because there are two fields at right angles to one another in the resonator chamber. This may be sufficient in the case of heating food. As food always contains water, no burning can occur until the water is fully evaporated. This requires very substantial local concentration of energy since considerable heat is required to convert water in the fluid state to a gaseous state. It is otherwise with the heating of water-free products such as rubber products. Here the danger of the occurrence of burning at places of high energy concentration is much greater because here there is no heat of vaporization available.

Apparatus for heating rubber products with UHF energy


An aqueous fabric conditioning composition comprising a fabric softener and a polymeric thickening material, said material comprising molecules with a hydrophilic backbone and at least two hydrophobic groups per molecule attached to the hydrophilic backbone, with the proviso that the polymeric material is not a hydrophobically modified nonionic cellulose ether.

A large number of proposals has been made for the formulation of fabric softening compositions, most of these involving the use of an aqueous dispersion of a cationic surfactant, for instance a quaternary ammonium salt or an imidazolinium salt, as the active component or as part of it. It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,024 corresponding to GB-A-2039556 that fabric softening compositions can be formulated to comprise a dispersion of cationic surfactant together with free fatty acid which functions as a nonionic surfactant.
The above compositions based on dispersions of cationic surfactants are non-Newtonian in character. In compositions intended for use by consumers in the home the viscosity (or strictly the apparent viscosity) of the composition is an important factor in its acceptability to the consumer, the more viscous compositions being perceived as being of higher quality than the more mobile ones. Manufacturers therefore attempt to produce a product which is as viscous as possible without being so viscous that problems are created elsewhere, such as in pouring or dispensing characteristics. In compositions intended for automated dispensing in washing machines, a low but tightly controlled viscosity is desirable, which again is difficult to achieve if the composition behaves unpredictably during manufacture and subsequent ageing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,059 corresponding to EP-51983 discloses a process for the manufacture of a shear-thinning fabric softening composition, with good control of final viscosity, comprising the steps of sequentially or simultaneously:
(i) forming an aqueous dispersion of a cationic surfactant, having a viscosity less than the final viscosity; and PA1 (ii) thickening the composition to the final viscosity with a nonionic or weakly anionic polymeric thickener. The thickener is selected from guar gum, polyvinylacetate, polyacrylamide, or a mixture of guar gum and xanthan gum containing no more than 10% by weight of xanthan gum. The polyacrylamides which are specifically referred to are the less anionic polyacrylamides. Quaternised guar gum was stated to be unsuitable. PA1 (i) copolymers of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide with small amounts of C.sub.8 -C.sub.24 side chains, for instance having the basic formula: ##STR1## (ii) Hydrophobically modified poly (ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide/urethanes) for instance of the following formula: ##STR2## (iii) alkyl substituted poly (vinyl) alcohols, for instance of the following formula: ##STR3## Wherein: p=1 to 4 preferably 1 or 2 PA1 n+m=greater than 10 PA1 m=If p is greater than 1, m is such that the group involved constitutes less than 50 mole %, preferably less than 25 mole % of the polymer. PA1 R.sub.1 =a C.sub.8 -C.sub.24 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl PA1 R.sub.2 =hydrogen or a C.sub.8 -C.sub.24 linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl PA1 R.sub.3 =a minimum of two R.sub.1 groups which can be substituted at any CH.sub.2 group along the polymer backbone. PA1 (i) amines of formula ##STR8## wherein R.sub.15, R.sub.16 and R.sub.17 are defined as below; (ii) amines of formula ##STR9## wherein R.sub.18, R.sub.19, R.sub.20 and R.sub.21, m and n are defined as below. PA1 (iii) imidazolines of formula ##STR10## wherein R.sub.11, R.sub.12 and R.sub.14 are defined as above. (iv) condensation products formed from the reaction of fatty acids with a polyamine selected from the group consisting of hydroxy alkylalkylenediamines and dialkylenetriamines and mixtures thereof. Suitable materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,269 corresponding to European Patent Application 199 382 (Procter and Gamble), incorporated herein by reference. PA1 (a) forming an aqueous dispersion of a softener having a viscosity of less than the final viscosity; and PA1 (b) thickening the composition to a final viscosity by including a polymeric material comprising molecules with a hydrophilic backbone and at least two hydrophobic groups per molecule attached to the hydrophilic backbone, except where the polymeric material is a hydrophobically modified nonionic cellulose ether.
The essence of the process of EP-51983 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,059 is to form a dispersion which is less viscous than is desired, and then thicken it with a polymeric thickener.
We have now found that a further class of polymeric materials is especially suitable as a thickener for fabric conditioning compositions. These materials provide dispersions the viscosity of which is relatively stable, and which do not bring with them any disadvantage which would make the product unsatisfactory for treating fabrics.

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.


The rotary machine includes a rotor rotatably provided and a resin-molded stator. The stator includes a stator core, a coil, and a mold portion. A tooth portion in the stator core includes first and second facing portions. The first facing portion includes a first facing surface where an air gap with the rotor becomes a first distance. The second facing portion is integrated with the first facing portion in the circumferential direction centered at the rotation axis of the rotor, and includes a second facing surface where the air gap becomes a second distance wider than the first distance. The second facing portion includes a groove portion on the second facing surface. The mold portion includes a first mold portion. The first mold portion covers the second facing portion, is provided at the groove portion, and includes a third facing surface where the air gap becomes the first distance.

A technique related to a motor as a rotary machine has been proposed. For example, a permanent magnet motor is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. In this permanent magnet motor, an air gap of a rotation backward side portion of a portion facing a rotor surface of a tooth portion is larger than air gaps of other portions.
A method for manufacturing a molded motor is disclosed in Patent Literature 2. In this manufacturing method, wire is wound around a stator iron core including a ring-shaped yoke and a plurality of teeth that is arranged on the inner peripheral portion of the yoke, and the outer shell of the motor is formed by resin-integrated molding. This manufacturing method is characterized in that a clearance between the inner diameter of the stator iron core and the lower die inner core of the molding die is reduced to the minimum. Patent Literature 2 describes that the occurrence of thin-walled burr of resin in the inner diameter of the stator finished product formed by resin-integrated molding cannot be prevented and, in many cases, it is required to perform a process for removing a resin burr by additional work such as wire buffing or inner-diameter cutting in a post-process, and that, if this resin burr is not removed, the resin burr drops off during motor operation and becomes a factor to cause a motor sound failure.


In a method for regulation a gas turbo-generator set operated with sequential combustion, the fuel quantity necessary for operating the first combustion changer is first controlled as a function of a pressure prevailing at the outlet of the compressor. The ratio between this fuel quantity and this pressure is continuously updated by means of a factor reproducing the deviation of a temperature at the inlet into the first turbine from the desired value of this temperature. A fuel quantity necessary for operating the second combustion chamber is controlled as a function of a pressure prevailing at the inlet into the second turbine, and the ratio between this fuel quantity and this pressure is likewise continually updated by means of a factor reproducing the deviation of the inlet temperature into the second turbine from the desired value of this temperature. The inertias in the system are neutralized by means of this pressure backup regulation.

Field of the Invention
EP-0 646 704 A1 disclosed a method for regulating a gas turbo-generator set. This gas turbo-generator set consists essentially of a compressor unit, an HP combustion chamber, an HP turbine, an LP combustion chamber, an LP turbine and a generator. The fuel quantity for the HP combustion chamber is dimensioned by means of a corrected temperature signal which is formed by the value of the temperature at the outlet of the LP turbine, minus the respective temperature rise detectable there. This temperature signal is recorded by subtracting the generated temperature rise caused by the fuel quantity introduced into the LP combustion chamber from the measured temperature at the outlet of the LP turbine. The uncorrected temperature signal at the outlet of the LP turbine is used for dimensioning the fuel quantity for the LP combustion chamber.
In this method, the temperatures which are indispensable for regulation are recorded at locations where there is reliable technical implementation and repeatability. In this case, this regulating concept assumes that a temperature increase at the outlet of the LP turbine caused by the firing of the LP combustion chamber, can be recorded repeatably. A regulating concept for the metering of fuel into the two combustion chambers can be drawn up accordingly by means of this procedure.
Although this regulating concept makes it possible to control fuel metering effectively, it is repeatedly evident that sudden unforeseen disturbances, which have an indirect or direct effect on the process temperatures, cannot be mastered by regulation, as the situation arises, due to the inherent inertias of such a system.

Method for regulating a gas turbo-generator set


A system of medical devices implantable in the human body using transabdominal gastroscopy surgery to repair failing sphincters and to prevent obesity. An intragastric suspended balloon can be sutured into the stomach to cut appetite. The balloon can be roughly the shape of a pepper and take up room in the stomach without closing it off.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices for the human stomach and other passages and more particularly an artificial sphincter and a suspended balloon.
Description of the Problem
A sphincter is a anatomical structure that typically partially or totally closes off a passage in the human body but opens to allow passages of substances. In particular, there is a sphincter where the esophagus enters the stomach, a sphincter where the lower end of the stomach enters the small intestine, a sphincter to the lower end of the colon (anus) and a sphincter below the urinary bladder.
Medical conditions can cause any of these sphincters to partially or totally fail. When the sphincter between the esophagus and stomach fails, highly acid liquid and material can reflux back up into the esophagus causing pain and possible damage to the esophagus. When the pyloric sphincter between the stomach and the small intestine fails, food material enters the small intestine before it is in the proper state of digestion. When the anus fails or partially fails, the patient needs to use bags and other means to control unwanted excretion, and failure or weakness of the urinary sphincter causes incontinence.
It would be advantageous to have an artificial sphincter that could be implanted in the proper location by a general surgeon using transabdominal surgery or gastroscopy assisted by conventional gastroscopy or surgery.
Obesity is a persistent problem in the U.S. and other developed countries. In some cases, it can be controlled by dieting; however, in other cases more invasive medical procedures are needed.
For cases where obesity is caused mainly by overeating, It would be advantageous to have a medical device that could be implanted in the human stomach that would take up space and cause the patient to feel full and stop eating sooner.

Artificial sphincter and intragastric suspended balloon


A comparator combines unbalanced differential input amplifiers to produce a balanced input stage that forces the comparator output to a predetermined state whenever the first differential amplifier enters dropout. The comparator's second differential amplifier is imbalanced to overcome the variable offset voltage which creates the comparator's hysteresis voltage. Its first differential amplifier is imbalanced to compensate for the imbalance of the second amplifier, thereby producing an input stage which is balanced overall and free of input offset voltages that would otherwise be present.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to integrated circuit comparators and, more particularly, to integrated circuit comparators which operate with relatively low supply voltages.
2. Description of the Related Art
Comparators are used in a wide variety of applications such as squaring circuits, zero crossing detectors, oscillators, and voltage level detectors. Comparators are sometimes described as one-bit analog to digital converters and are important components within analog-to-digital converters of all resolutions. They are also employed within control circuits, to switch on lights and heaters, to control the operation of pumps, and to enable a switching power supply's oscillator. These are just a few of the myriad areas in which comparators find application.
Comparators are, in a first order analysis, simply differential amplifiers with positive feedback. Positive feedback takes the amplifier out of the linear region of operation, and promotes rapid switching from one output state to another. Positive feedback also adds hysteresis to the amplifier, thereby ensuring that the output won't swing wildly from one state to another due to minor noise disturbances at the differential in-puts. For a more detailed description of comparators, see Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill, The Art of Electronics, Cambridge University Press, New York, 1989, Pages 229-231.
FIG.1 illustrates the basic components of a comparator 9. A differential input stage 10 provides inverting and non-inverting inputs (marked - and +, respectively). The differential input stage is composed, primarily, of a balanced differential amplifier 12 that is connected to amplify a differential input signal Vdiff imposed across the comparator's inverting and noninverting inputs. The amplifier 12 provides a gain G1 for amplification of the input signal Vdiff. Since the amplifier 12 is balanced, in a first order analysis, no offset compensation is required, i.e., a differential input signal Vdiff will produce a differential output signal at the output of the differential input stage, Vout=(Vdiff)(G1). However, some comparators include an offset circuit 13, discussed in greater detail in relation to FIG.2, that produces a predetermined comparator output in some circumstances. Unfortunately, the offset circuit 13 creates an input offset that adds an error component to the differential input voltage Vdiff. The output of the differential input stage is connected to an output stage 14 which includes a differential to single-ended converter 16 and a positive feedback circuit 18 which provides the comparator 9 with hysteresis. Although, for convenience, the differential to single-ended converter 16 and positive feedback circuit 18 are drawn separately, they may, in fact, be implemented as a single circuit.
One could also view the positive feedback circuit 18 as a flip-flop, or cross-coupled inverters. To analyze the effect of the comparator's positive feedback, first assume that the output of the comparator is at its "positive rail", Vsat+. A portion of the output voltage is fed back, within the output stage 14 in this example, to effectively produces a variable offset which opposes changes in the comparator's output state. That is, to change the output from Vsat+ to Vsat-, not only must the inverting terminal voltage be greater than that at the noninverting terminal, it must be greater by at least the fedback signal. Similarly, once the output signal has swung to the comparator's negative rail, the voltage at the noninverting terminal must exceed that at the inverting terminal by an amount at least equal to the fedback signal in order to change the comparator's output voltage back to the positive output rail, Vsat+.
In the following illustrative examples, which employ pnp transistors, the transistor control terminals are bases and are labeled bx, one of each transistor's current conduction terminals, the collector, is labeled cx and each transistor's other current conduction terminal, the emitter, is labeled ex. As is known in the art, differential amplifiers may, in alternative implementations employ npn transistors, or n-channel or p-channel FETs, with appropriate substitution of control and conduction terminals.
FIG.2 is a schematic diagram which illustrates the differential input stage 10 in greater detail. The balanced differential amplifier 12 includes a differential pair of transistors Q1, Q2 the bases of which b1 and b2 act as the inverting and noninverting inputs, respectively, of the comparator 9. Emitters e1 and e2 of the transistors Q1 and Q2, respectively, are connected through a bias current source I1 to a positive supply bus V+. Collectors c1 and c2 of the transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected, respectively, through load resistors R1 and R2 to a negative supply bus V- (naturally, either supply bus, V+ or V-, may, under the appropriate circumstances, be referenced to "ground"). The differential output is taken from the collectors c1 and c2. The transistors Q1 and Q2 are matched, that is, they are equal-sized transistors and yield substantially the same collector current for a given base-emitter voltage. Additionally, the resistors R1 and R2 are equal valued resistors.
The gain of the differential amplifier 12 is approximately equal to RC/re, where RC is the collector resistance, given by the value of R1 or R2 and re is the transistors' intrinsic emitter resistance, given by:
re =kT/qIc PA1 k=Boltzmann's constant PA1 T=temperature Kelvin PA1 q=the electron charge PA1 Ic=the transistor's collector current
where:
Assuming, for example, a temperature of 293 K., a collector current of 10 .mu.A, and 20 k .OMEGA. load resistors, the gain of the differential amplifier would be approximately 8. The gain may be adjusted by adjusting the collector current Ic.
As described in the discussion related to FIG.1, the differential output of the differential input stage 10 is coupled to an output stage with hysteresis and, in order to change the output state of a comparator which employs the differential input stage 10, a differential input signal must be of sufficient magnitude to overcome the comparator's built in hysteresis. Although in normal operation this may not seem too daunting a task, in some situations the comparator may fail to operate in this manner. In particular, if the input signal is at one extreme of the comparator's common mode input range, the differential pair 12 may go into dropout, shutting off. That is, if the input signals at the inverting and noninverting inputs are too high to provide sufficient base-emitter voltages for transistors Q1 and Q2, the transistors Q1 and Q2 will turn off. Without the offset circuitry composed of a current source I2, and resistors R3 and R4, whenever the differential amplifier enters dropout the comparator output, because of positive feed-back, would remain in whatever state it was in immediately prior to dropout. The offset circuitry, a current source I2 connected from the positive supply terminal V+ through a resistor divider composed of resistors R3 and R4 to the negative supply terminal V-, produces an offset voltage that forces the comparator output to a predetermined state whenever the differential amplifier 12 enters dropout.
The differential amplifier may enter dropout either because the input signals exceed a specified level or because the comparator's supply voltage drops to a level which does not provide sufficient "headroom" for the input amplifier 12 to operate. Under certain circumstances this could lead to disastrous results. In a control application, for example, whenever the comparator input stage is in dropout, the controlled process may be operating "open loop", or effectively without control. Whether the parameter being controlled is the pressure within a hydrogen tank, the temperature of a greenhouse, or the voltage output of a voltage regulator, allowing the process to run open loop could have costly, and possibly fatal, consequences. Systems which operate from low voltage supplies are particularly susceptible, e.g., as battery voltages fall, to this form of failure.
However, the offset which forces the comparator output to a predetermined state also creates, as mentioned in the discussion related to FIG.1, an offset error signal at the input to the comparator, thus requiring additional compensation circuitry.

Comparator with a predetermined output state in dropout


An adjustable pedal assembly (110) is disclosed for maintaining a constant ratio between the movement of the pad (142) and the movement of the output core element (132) in all adjusted operational positions of the pad (142). A support (112) is included for attachment to a vehicle structure and a pedal lever (120) is rotatably supported by the support structure (112) for rotation about a pivot axis (122) and including an actuator arm (138) extending in a first direction from the pivot axis (122) and a pad arm (140) extending in a second direction from the pivot axis (122). A slide member (114) is slidably supported by the support (112) for adjustment between various operational positions. A conduit (124) has a first end (126) attached to the slide member (114) for movement therewith during the adjustment between the operational positions and a second end (128) for attachment to the vehicle support structure. A motion transmitting core element (132) is slidably supported by the conduit (124) and has a first end (134) extending from the first end (126) of the conduit (124) and operatively attached to the pedal lever (120) and a second end (136) extending from the second end (128) of the conduit (124) for attachment to a control member for transmitting motion from the pedal lever (120) to the control member. The assembly characterized by the slide member (114) being slidably supported by the support (112) and including an extension (130) extending in transverse relationship to the actuator arm (138). The first end (134) of the core element (132) extends from the first end (126) of the conduit (124) and in sliding engagement with the actuator arm (138) of the pedal lever (120).

The subject invention relates to an adjustable pedal assembly for use in automotive vehicles wherein the pedal position may be changed to accommodate various drivers.
Description of the Prior Art
The concept of an adjustable pedal for automotive vehicles has been known for some time but is just recently being accepted. Such assemblies include a support for attachment to the vehicle and a carrier supporting a pedal lever for pivotal movement during normal operation, e.g., applying the brakes. The pedal lever is attached to a mechanism for transmitting the pedal lever movement to some component of the vehicle, such as the brakes. A problem is that of the mechanism being capable of maintaining the movement of the vehicle component in proportion or a constant ratio to the movement of the pedal lever regardless of the adjusted position of the carrier on the support. One such assembly for adjusting the pad position while adjusting the position of a cable output is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,946 to Ewing. That assembly includes a complex parallel linkage for adjustment of the operational position of the pad. Other systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,524 to Herring and U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,525 to Gibas. However, there remains a need for a simple system wherein a pedal lever supports the pad at one end and actuates the cable assembly at the other end, i.e., a simplified connection between the cable and the pedal lever.

Adjustable pedal with constant ratio cable assembly


A detachable sink accessory includes a unitary and continuous body having a substantially dome shape covering a surface area of a sink. The body is situated forwardly of the faucet and extends upwardly from the sink about a top perimeter thereof. A plurality of coextensive openings are equidistantly spaced along a front surface of the body and extend upwardly from the bottom surface of the body and terminate subjacent to an apex of the body. The present invention further includes a plurality of monolithically formed flange portions protruding away from the opposed corners of the body such that the body can be removably positioned on a support surface surrounding the perimeter of the sink. The outer surface of the body is transparent such that a user can maintain a continuous line of sight into the sink while standing exterior of the body.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to kitchen accessories and, more particularly, to a detachable sink accessory for preventing undesirable foodstuff and fluids from contaminating surrounding areas.
2. Prior Art
A common problem with food processing such as potato peeling, fish scaling, corn husking, and the like, is that the removed food particles and waste are frequently strewn about the processing area due to a user's propensity to perform such operations in a quick and efficient manner, utilizing as little time as possible.
Unfortunately, such action creates safety problems and issues because moist and slippery food items may fall on the floor, potentially causing a slip or fall. Additionally, these food items may go unnoticed, except by the ever present ants and other insects attracted thereto. This poses a sanitary problem which could have been avoided if a cover or shield was used during the food processing.
Another problem frequently encountered with such activities is that the water from the faucet used to cleanse such food, is sprayed about the counter, causing moisture problems with adjacent walls and moldings, while at the same time contaminating other dishes and cookware that may have just been cleaned or are just about to be used.
Accordingly, a need remains for a detachable sink accessory that can be put in place during food processing activities, and then removed when not needed. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a detachable sink accessory to prevent the splatters and stains on floors and countertops produced while cleaning fish, dicing onions, chopping meats, and performing other tasks in a kitchen sink. Such an accessory could also be used in commercial kitchens where the volume of food processing is much greater, and the resultant risk of slip or fall is greater. With this invention, a kitchen would be easier to clean, saving a user time and effort.


A process for consolidating a composite material comprises the steps of forming a workpiece including a matrix interspersed with fibers, supporting the workpiece by an electrically conductive support, inductively heating the support and thereby conductively heating the workpiece, and applying pressure to the heated workpiece. We apply the pressure by passing the support and workpiece through spaced rolls. To keep the workpiece from sticking to the support (i.e., the mandrel), we use boron nitride as a release agent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for consolidating a composite material and, more specifically, to a process for consolidating a workpiece including a matrix interspersed with fibers by applying pressure to the workpiece while heating it by an induction technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to enhance the mechanical properties of monolithic materials used, for example, in advanced aerospace systems, one approach has been to develop composite materials in which two dissimilar materials having different mechanical and physical properties are combined to form a product having mechanical and physical properties superior to the individual constituents. For example, metals having good ductility and strength can be combined with fibers having low ductility, higher strength and stiffness, and lower density to form a stiff, lightweight composite material.
An example of such a composite material comprises titanium, which has a high specific strength (i.e., tensile strength to density ratio) and excellent corrosion resistance, combined with alumina-based, boron-based, or silicon carbide-based fibers. Many other fiber systems exist, e.g., graphite, which could also be utilized depending on the application. There are a number of processes for consolidating such composite materials including vacuum hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing.
Vacuum hot pressing involves stacking alternating layers of a metal matrix and fiber or layers of a fiber and matrix monotape and placing them in a vacuum hot press. After evacuation, a small positive mechanical pressure is applied via ceramic platens to hold the fibers in place. The temperature is gradually increased to a level wherein the metal matrix flows superplastically around the fibers under an increased pressure. This process, however, involves long heat cycle times, requires tight die tolerances, and Uses large amounts of electrical power.
Hot isostatic pressing involves simultaneously subjecting a metal matrix and fiber composition to elevated temperatures and isostatic pressures. However, hot isostatic pressing involves the use of high gas pressure and thus requires very substantial vessels in order to manufacture large parts, resulting in very high equipment costs. Therefore, typically, only smaller metal matrix composite components are consolidated using this process due to the aforementioned equipment size and cost constraints.
The strict processing requirements, i.e., high temperatures and pressures and long processing times, associated with the vacuum hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing processes result in high production costs and complicated machinery and fixturing.
Another example of such a composite material comprises a thermoplastic combined with carbon-based fibers. Standard processes for consolidating these composite materials include autoclave processing or hot pressing. However, these processes, like the processes for consolidating metal matrix composites, involve long heat cycle times and require expensive tooling and equipment.

Composite consolidation using induction heating


A method and apparatus for controlling the various functions of an internal combustion engine using a program controlled microprocessor having a memory preprogrammed with various control laws and associated control schedules receives information concerning one or more engine-operating parameters such as manifold absolute pressure, throttle position, engine coolant temperature, air temperature, engine speed or period and the like. These parameters are measured and their value or status is supplied to input circuits for signal conditioning and conversion into digital words usable by the microprocessor. The microprocessor system computes a digital word indicative of a particular computer-commanded engine control operation and output circuitry responds to predetermined computer-generated commands and to the computed digital words for converting it into a corresponding pulse-width control signal for controlling such engine operations as fuel-injection, ignition timing, proportional and/or on-off EGR control, and the like. The engine control system further includes "limp home" circuitry for enabling the engine to function for a predetermined time even after the microprocessor fails to enable the vehicle to get to a place of repair or the like.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine, and more particulary to a microprocessor-based electronic engine control system having a memory preprogrammed with various control laws and control schedules responsive to one or more sensed engine-operating parameters for generating signals for controlling fuel injection, ignition timing, EGR control, or the like.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Many of the patents of the prior art recognize the need for employing the enhanced accuracy of digital control systems for more accurately controlling one or more functions of an internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,614 which issued to David F. Moyer, et al on July 13, 1976 is typical of such systems as are U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,819 which issued to Robert L. Anderson, Jr. on Sept. 17, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,856 which issued to Louis Monptit on Sept. 9, 1975; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,207 which issued to Jean-Pierre Rivere, et al on Sept. 16, 1975. All of these patents represent a break-away from the purely analog control system of the past, but neither the accuracy, reliability, or number of functions controlled is sufficient to meet present day requirements.
Many of the modern electronic engine control systems simply stop operating in the event of a system failure particularly where the electronic operation thereof is dependant upon a digital clock or the like and the clock fails. No provisions are made for enabling the vehicle to travel at least a short distance for the purpose of repairs or the like.

Ignition limp home circuit for electronic engine control systems


A digital/analog converting circuit wherein, on the digital signal input side of each of resistances D.sub.1, D.sub.2 . . . D.sub.n whose one end being connected to a digital signal input and the other end to an analog signal output, each of the three-state non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n is provided, and between the analog signal output side of the resistance D.sub.n and the ground potential portion, a MOS transistor 20 is provided. It enables to switch the output/non-output or an analog signal obtained by converting a digital signal, and as a result, a digital/analog converting circuit not generating non-linear region in the digital/analog conversion characteristic can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digital/analog converting circuit, particularly to so-called R-2R type digital/analog converting circuit, more specifically, to a digital/analog converting circuit capable of switching an output/non-output of an analog signal obtained by converting a digital signal as well as capable of solving a non-linear range of a digital/analog converting characteristic generated when a non-output function of an analog signal is provided.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a one-chip microcomputer in which a conventional R-2R type digital/analog converting circuit 8 is built, in, and which is capable of switching the output/non-output of an analog signal to the outside.
In the one-chip microcomputer 1, a signal input/output terminal 2 which is capable of inputting and outputting of a signal to the outside is provided. In the one-chip microcomputer 1, a CPU 3, ROM 4, RAM 5, data register 6, D/A (digital/analog) converter select register 7, digital/analog converting circuit 8, switching circuit 9, digital signal input/output port 10 and bus 11 are built in.
The CPU 3, ROM 4, RAM 5, data register 6, D/A converter select register 7 and digital signal input/output port 10 are connected to each other by the bus 11. Data held in the D/A converter select register 7 is given to the switching circuit 9 and the digital signal input/output port 10. Digital data held in the data register 6 is inputted to the digital/analog converting circuit 8, and the analog signal after the digital/analog conversion is outputted to the outside from the signal input/output terminal 2 through the switching circuit 9. The digital signal inputted from the outside to the signal input/output terminal 2 is to be inputted to the digital signal input/output, port 10.
In the one-chip microcomputer 1, when the switching circuit 9 is turned to ON by the data held in the D/A converter select register 7, an analog signal converted from a digital signal by the digital/analog converting circuit 8 is outputted to the signal input/output terminal 2. On the other hand, in the case where the switching circuit is turned to OFF, when a digital signal is input ted to the signal input/output terminal 2 from the outside, the digital signal is input ted to the digital signal input/output port 10. The one-chip microcomputer 1 can also output, a digital signal From the digital signal input output port 10 to the signal input/output terminal 2.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of the digital/analog converting circuit 8 and the switching circuit 9.
Reference character DT designates a digital signal, which is composed of a plurality of bits (n bits) of the MSB to the LSB.
Each of reference characters B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n designates a non-inverting buffer having an output resistance value of r. To one end of each of these non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n, the signal of each bit of the aforementioned digital signal is inputted.
Each of characters D.sub.1, D.sub.2 . . . D.sub.n designates a resistance having a resistance value 2R-r. To the one end of each of these resistances D.sub.1, D.sub.2 . . . D.sub.n, the output side (the other end) of the aforementioned each of the non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n is connected.
The other end of the resistance D.sub.1 is grounded through a serial circuit of resistances E.sub.1, E.sub.2 . . . each having a resistance value R and resistance E.sub.n having a resistance value 2R. The other end of the resistance D.sub.2 is connected to a connecting node between the resistances E.sub.1 and E.sub.2, and the other end of the resistance D.sub.n is connected to the one end of the non-grounded side of the resistance E.sub.n.
The other end of the resistance D1 is also connected to one end of a parallel circuit of a P channel MOS transistor Q.sub.P and an N channel MOS transistor Q.sub.N. This parallel circuit configures the switching circuit 9 shown in FIG. 1. From the other end of the parallel circuit, of the MOS transistor Q.sub.P and the MOS transistor Q.sub.N, an analog signal AN is outputted. An ON/OFF control signal S.sub.C which ON/OFF controls the MOS transistors Q.sub.P and Q.sub.N is inputted to a gate of the MOS transistor Q.sub.N as well as to a gate of the MOS transistor Q.sub.P through an inverter IV.
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a common configuration of each of the non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n.
The output side of the inverter IV.sub.B, to which each bit of the digital signal DT is inputted, is connected to a gate of the P-channel MOS transistor Q.sub.PB and to a gate of the N-channel MOS transistor Q.sub.NB which are connected seriously. To one end of the serial circuit of the P channel MOS transistor Q.sub.PB and the N channel MOS transistor Q.sub.NB, a power potential V.sub.D is given, and to the other end, a ground potential V.sub.S is given. From the connecting node of the MOS transistors Q.sub.PB and Q.sub.NB, a digital signal is outputted.
In the following, explanation will be given on the operation of the conventional digital/analog converting circuit 8 and the switching circuit 9.
When a signal of each bit of the digital signal DT is inputted to each of the non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n, the output of the inverter IV.sub.B to which a signal of "H" level (or "L" level) is inputted becomes "L" level (or "H" level), and the MOS transistor Q.sub.PB (or Q.sub.N B) is turned to ON so that a signal of the power potential V.sub.D (or ground potential V.sub.S), that is, "H" level (or "L" level) is outputted. And the signal outputted from each of the non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n corresponding to a signal of each bit of the digital signal DT is given to the resistance group comprising the resistances D.sub.1, D.sub.2 . . . D.sub.n and the resistances E.sub.1, E.sub.2 . . . E.sub.n, so that a digital signal is converted into an analog signal. From the digital/analog converting circuit 8 of n bits, an analog signal of 2.sup.n steps of voltage level of 0, V.sub.D /2.sup.n . . . {(2.sup.n -1)V.sub.D }/2.sup.n is obtained.
And when the ON/OFF control signal S.sub.C becomes in "H" level, the digital/analog converting circuit 8 performs digital/analog conversion. On the contrary, when the ON/OFF control signal S.sub.C becomes in "L" level and all of the inputs of the non-inverting buffers B.sub.1, B.sub.2 . . . B.sub.n are in "L" level, the digital/analog conversion is not performed. When the ON/OFF control signal S.sub.C is in "H" level, an analog signal AN obtained by converting a digital signal is outputted from the switching circuit 9 and when the ON/OFF control signal S.sub.C is in "L" level, the analog signal AN is not to be outputted from the switching circuit 9.
By the way, in the case where the analog signal AN, which is obtained by converting a digital signal into an analog signal and outputted from the switching circuit 9, is given to a load resistance L as shown in FIG. 2, when the resistance value of the load resistance L is extremely high, electric current seldom flows through the load resistance L. Therefore, since electric current seldom flows through the switching circuit 9, electric current of the analog signal seldom flows through the load resistance L. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 by a broken line X, the voltage level of the analog signal after converting the digital signal changes linearly.
But when the resistance value of the load resistance L is low, the electric potential is dropped by the on-resistance of the MOS transistors Q.sub.P and Q.sub.N of the switching circuit 9. In a predetermined range of the input potential of the on-resistance, there is an area where the on-resistance becomes extremely high. Therefore, when the electric current of the load resistance L is large, as shown by the solid line Y in FIG. 4, in a predetermined range H of a digital signal, the voltage level of an analog signal does not change linearly with respect to the digital signal. So, there is a problem that conversion accuracy of a digital signal to an analog signal is reduced when the resistance value of the load resistance is small.
In order to improve the precision of digital to analog conversion for such a change of a digital signal, the voltage level of an analog signal had better change linearly. Therefore, it is necessary to widen the channel width W of the transistors Q.sub.P and Q.sub.N of the switching circuit 9 so as to reduce the on resistance. But in such a case, various problems generated at the time of integrating the digital/analog converting circuit in a microcomputer, especially in a one-chip microcomputer.

D/A converter capable of disabling the output

Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Software Co., Ltd.


A power splitting differential transmission unit by which input power is transmitted in a controlled manner to one or both of two differential output shafts at continuously variable output/input speed ratios. The unit includes an integrated pair of continuously variable transmission units by which the output/input speed ratio for each output shaft may be adjusted synchronously for driving both output shafts at equal speeds within the speed ratio range of the unit, for varying the output/input speed ratio for each output shaft independently or for simultaneously increasing the output/input speed ratio with respect to one output shaft while decreasing the same ratio with respect to the other of the two shafts.

This invention relates to differential transmission drives and, more particularly, it concerns a differential drive unit construction by which power supplied at a single driving shaft is transmitted to each of an aligned pair of driven or output shafts at independent and continuously variable speed ratios.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,946, issued May 8, 1979, in the name of the present inventor, several embodiments of continuously variable transmissions (CVT) are disclosed in which three frame supported working bodies operate to transmit a mechanical power input to a rotatable output at continuously variable speed ratios within the design range of the transmission. For purposes of definition in this background discussion as well as in the ensuing detailed description of the present invention and in the appended claims, the three working bodies may be termed, respectively, an "alpha body" which is supported by the transmission frame to be concentric with a first axis, a "beta body" which is concentric with a second axis inclined with respect to and intersecting the first axis at a point of axes intersection, and an "omega body" carried by or forming part of the frame to be concentric also with the first axis. Although any one of these three bodies may be rotatable on the respective axes with which they are concentric, one of the three is held against rotation to provide a reaction torque whereas the other two bodies are rotatable and coupled either directly or by gearing to the respective input and output shafting of the transmission.
It is to be noted that the terms "alpha body," "beta body" and "omega body" are completely arbitrary and as such, do not restrict the components designated thereby either to the class of transmission represented by the disclosure of the aforementioned patent or to specific structure to be described hereinafter. The terms will, however, lend consistency of definition in the description to follow and facilitate an understanding of various speed relationships to be expressed by algebraic equations.
The infinitely or continuously variable speed ratio capability of such transmissions is achieved by providing one of the beta and omega bodies with a pair of rolling or traction surfaces which are surfaces of revolution about the concentric body axis and which are of variable radii along that axis in symmetry with the point of first and second axes intersection. Physically, such rolling surfaces will thus provide the one body with a biconical-like configuration. The other of the beta and omega bodies is provided with a pair of rolling or traction surfaces which are also surfaces of revolution about the concentric body axis but which are of relatively constant radius. The pairs of rolling surfaces on the beta and omega bodies are retained in frictional engagement with each other at two contact points or zones capable of positional adjustment to vary the ratio of the beta body surface radius (R.sub.b) to the omega body surface radius (R.sub.w). Thus, if the alpha body is rotatable at a velocity (.alpha.) about the first axis, the rotational speed of the beta body about the second axis in a fixed frame of reference is (.beta.) and the rotational speed of the omega body on the first axis is (.omega.), then the respective speeds of the three bodies are related by the following equation: EQU .omega.-.alpha.+(.alpha.-.beta.)R.sub.b /R.sub.w =0 (1)
Because one of either the beta or the alpha bodies extends within the other of such bodies, the radius ratio R.sub.b /R.sub.w may represent a value of either less than 1 (where R.sub.b is always less than R.sub.w) or more than 1 (where R.sub.b is always greater than R.sub.w). The function .rho. will be used hereinafter to designate either R.sub.b /R.sub.w or the reciprocal R.sub.w /R.sub.b, whichever is greater than 1, it being understood that .rho. or its reciprocal 1/.rho. are used appropriately.
A generally preferred mode of operating such transmissions has been to apply an input torque to the alpha body to carry the beta body in nutation and hold the omega body against rotation (.omega.=0). The beta body is linked with an output shaft rotatable on the first axis by gearing having a ratio factor (k) which theoretically may be of any value and also may be made either positive or negative depending on the particular gearing arrangement used. In light of the foregoing, where .theta. is unit output speed and taking into account the gearing ratio (k), the output/input speed ratio of the unit is determined by an equation: EQU .theta./.alpha.=1-k.rho.. (2)
A principal advantage of operating in the mode represented by equation (2) is that the physical parameters of such transmissions readily accommodate a range of values for the function (k.rho.) which permit a continuously variable output/input speed ratio range of from zero to 1 (1.0>k.rho.>0.5). Also, this range may be shifted to include an output reversal through zero merely by selecting a gear ratio (k) so that the function (k.rho.) brackets a numerical value of 1 (e.g. 1.2>k.rho.>0.7).
In addition to the aforementioned patent, reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. Re. 29,328, reissued Aug. 2, 1977 in the name of Yves Jean Kemper; U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,779 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,780, the latter both having issued on Sept. 12, 1978, in the name of Yves Jean Kemper and Lucien Bigot. These issued patents disclose additional variations of the continuously variable transmission type referred to above. As will be seen from these several prior patents, the particular configuration of any one of the alpha, beta and omega bodies as defined herein may vary in the respectively disclosed embodiments.


An improved method and apparatus for handling saturation conditions in the digital compensator of a control system. A clipping limiter is incorporated in the digital compensator for outputting both a limited signal to be sent to the actuator, and for outputting a clipping signal indicative of a difference between the input and the output of the clipping limiter. The clipping signal is delayed by one sample period, and fed back to the input to the compensator in order to provide a correct amount of compensation when the system is operating at or near saturation.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a servo actuator such as an electric motor using a proportional-integral compensator. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a servo actuator using a clipping limiter to precisely control the actuator even when the compensator and/or actuator is operating in saturation. The invention is also applicable to process control.
A classic problem encountered in digital servo loop systems involves dealing with saturation effects. Saturation occurs when the output of a compensator or actuator (i.e., the "system") reaches it most extreme value. When this happens, the device normally is no longer operating in a linear condition.
In real implementations, there is a strong economic incentive to use the smallest actuator possible to accomplish a particular task, since the larger the actuator is, the more costly it becomes. There is also a strong economic incentive to perform a task as quickly as possible, and this usually means operating the actuator at or near its physical limits, i.e., in saturation or nearly in saturation.
Classical system theory does not model saturation effects very well, since a saturation condition is a non-linear condition, and classical system theory only works well modeling linear systems. Therefore, classical system theory does not offer much other than the implicit assumption that the system being analyzed must be linear or the predicted performance will not be achieved.
Conventional proportional-integral (PI) compensators are used in forward paths of many feedback control systems. These compensators are driven by an error signal computed from the difference between a reference (setpoint) and a measured value. The output of the compensator drives an actuator, which affects the measured value.
The compensator uses two terms: 1) A "Proportional to Error" term, and 2) an "Integral of Error" term. Both of these terms typically have scaling constants, or gains, associated with them, but these scaling constants will be neglected from further discussion herein, without any loss of generality. The classic PI equation can be expressed as: EQU Output=Error+Integral(Error) (1),
or, in the frequency domain: EQU Y(s)=X(s) /s=X(s) * (s+1)/s (2).
The above equation (2) yields a pole at the origin and a finite zero (at s =-1).
The problem of saturation typically occurs when the "Error" term is large enough to drive an actuator to its physical limit. It is meaningless to drive the output beyond the range which the actuator can manage. When in saturation, the system is non-linear and the feedback loop for controlling the actuator is no longer closed.
Many conventional compensators, however, behave as if the feedback loop was still closed and thus continue to attempt to drive the output to even higher values, since the output is proportional to the error (as seen in the above Equation 1). The linear system theory upon which the compensator design is based no longer applies during the saturation condition, and the behavior of the system begins to deviate from that of the implicit system model the compensator was designed to operate within. This saturation condition persists until the error is reduced sufficiently enough to bring the actuator out of saturation and thereby re-close the feedback loop.
As is known to those of ordinary skill in the art, "Integral Windup" occurs when the output of the actuator is saturated. Integral Windup occurs when the integrator that computes the "Integral of Error" term continues to integrate (i.e., "wind") and attempts to drive the output to even higher values during the period when the actuator is saturated.
When the error term diminishes and the feedback loop re-closes, the Integral of Error term must be "unwound" by having a negative error integrated for an amount of time sufficient to bring the actuator out of saturation. This leads to two undesirable effects: 1) the output "sticks" at the saturated output value for an excessive length of time even though the error has diminished, and 2) the system is forced to deviate from the desired output value until the integrator is "unwound."
In systems with small actuators or high speed response requirements, the performance of the system can become unstable, with the output alternating between saturation at one extreme or the other. Settling time is also greatly extended, thereby leading to a system with poor servo characteristics.
The conventional approach to the saturation problem is to "clamp" the outputs at the saturation limit (or limits) of the actuator. Since the Proportional to Error term of Equation (1) has no history (or memory) associated with it, this method is adequate. The Integral of Error term of Equation (1) which has a history associated with it is then over-ridden, and a value is back-calculated by subtracting the Proportional to Error term from the saturation output level. This appears to prevent "windup" in the integrator, since as the error diminishes to a level sufficient to bring the actuator out of saturation, the output immediately starts dropping.
This conventional approach of "resetting" the integrator has a few problems associated with it, however. First, the integrator is meant to be a long term memory for the compensator. The integrator indicates where the compensator has been, and is intended to cause slow changes on the output of the compensator, to thereby adjust to slowly changing sources of fixed error. By resetting the integrator, "jumps" are caused in the output of the compensator, which is an undesirable condition. Even though these jumps are somewhat masked by the clamps (or limits) on the output of the integrator, they are still noticeable.
Second, when the system operates in the presence of noise just below the saturation limit, or at any time there is noise or a setpoint change sufficient to drive the actuator momentarily into saturation, the integrator is "reset" under the conventional approach, and the output "jumps." This effect leads to noisy, "thrashing" behavior of the servo loop.
Third, calculating the proper value for the integrator to keep the system at the edge of saturation is a non-trivial task. This task becomes substantially more difficult than the ordinary calculation performed when the feedback loop is closed and the system is operating in a linear condition.
Still another problem not addressed by the conventional approach is rate limiting required by the actuator. Most actuators cannot be slewed at an infinite rate, yet this is exactly what is commanded whenever a setpoint change or noise spike enters the system to drive the actuator into saturation.
In view of these problems, it would be desirable to have an integrator that stops integrating and holds its value whenever the actuator is driven into saturation, whether this is for the proportional to error (magnitude of error) term or for the integral of error (rate of error) term. It would also be desirable to set the integrator limits in terms of the known output saturation limits and not have to back-calculate the integral or error term. Still further, it would be desirable to express the rate limits in terms of the output limits of the actuator. Even still further, it would be desirable to have the compensator calculation be identical whether the feedback loop is open or closed. Lastly, it would be desirable to not have any "windup" effects in the feedback loop.

Apparatus for effectively handling a saturation condition in a digital compensator


A charging device is configured to apply electric charge to an image carrier provided outside the charging device. The charging device includes: a cored bar member; and a conductive resin layer provided on a surface of the cored bar member. The conductive resin layer has a film thickness of 200 μm or less. Filtered maximum waviness in an axial direction of the cored bar member is 8 μm or less in a range of a reference length of 60 mm.

Technological Field
The present invention relines to a charging device and an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic device, a recording device, a display device and the like such as a digital copier, a facsimile and a printer, irrespective of whether color or monochrome.
Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus, a photoreceptor dram serving as a member to be charged is charged in advance to prepare a charged surface, which is subjected to exposure, thereby discharging the electric charge on the exposed portion to form an electrostatic latent image, which is then subjected to processes such as development, transfer onto a transfer paper sheet and fixing, with the result that an image is formed on the transfer paper sheet.
The method used for causing the photoreceptor drum to become charged is as follows. Specifically, a charging device formed of a blade, a brush, a charging roller and the like is used for the photoreceptor drum. The charging roller is brought into contact with the photoreceptor drum, so that the photoreceptor drum becomes charged.
As a charging roller, a thin-layer charging roller has been commonly used. This thin-layer charging roller is a charging roller that is obtained by directly applying a thin conductive layer onto a cored bar. This thin-layer charging roller can be reduced in cost as compared with the conventional thick charging roller having an elastic layer. This thin-layer charging roller has a simple configuration in which only a thin protective layer is provided on the cored bar member. Such a thin-layer charging roller is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 08-44141.

Charging device and image forming apparatus


An improved doorstop provides increased safety along with the simplified operation over previous doorstops. The doorstop is adapted to be mounted directly to the door in close proximity to an immovable surface such as the floor or a door channel. The device includes a frictional contact member which is leveraged from a first position away from the immovable surface to a second position in frictional contact with the surface. The improved doorstop is useful on sliding doors as well as hinged doors.

Devices for preventing the opening of a closed door are numerous and varied in design and complexity. These devices range from simple door chains and key activated door locks, slide bolts and padlocks to more sophisticated apparatus. Many devices rely upon the structural integrity of the door device and the door frame for safety, yet an intruder attempting a forced entry can readily overpower many of these devices and gain entry through the door.
One device for limiting the movement of a door from a closed position is a door brace which is pivotally secured at the lower end to the floor and which extends in an angular direction into abutment with the door. The upper end of a door brace is received within a vertically extending slot in the door such that movement of the door from a closed position will urge the upper end of the brace to the top of the slot whereby the brace will contact a stop and thus resist further movement of the door. Such devices, in addition to being visually distracting, tend to extend some distance from the door, thereby presenting a hazardous obstacle to an inattentive person who may inadvertently trip over the brace.
A more recent development in door stops, commercially known as the "Door Club" is a floor mounted device which allows an occupant to prevent or limit the ability of a potential intruder to gain a forced entry through the door. This device comprises a shaft adapted to be slidably received in a tubular receptacle seated within a hole in the floor near the door. The shaft extends upwardly into the pathway of the door, effectively limiting movement of the door. Integral with the shaft are parallel horizontal cross members joined to one another at their ends by two semicircular portions which are parallel to one another but which project horizontally at right angles to the parallel cross members. When the shaft is slid into the receptacle with the semicircular portions extending toward the door, the semicircular portions contact the closed door and prevent opening of the door. By removing the shaft of the door club from the receptacle, rotating it 180.degree. about its axis, and reinstalling it in the receptacle, the door can be opened a small but finite distance for limited viewing and access.
A modification of the Door Club, adapted for use on sliding doors, utilizes a plurality of holes spaced apart along the door track, with the hole closest to the door when in a closed position adapted to co-act with the door stop to prevent any movement of the door when closed. The door may be opened progressively wider by removing the door stop from the first hole and placing it in one of the other holes along the track.
One of the features of the Door Club is the requirement that one or more holes be provided in the floor at or near the closed door. With the relatively widespread use in residential construction of materials such as marble or slate to construct a foyer, builders and homeowners may be reluctant to drill holes through such material for the insertion of a sleeve to receive a door stop.

Winner International Royalty Corporation


Tools for forming a corrugated structure from a pliable blank include a plurality of forming blocks that laterally move relative to each other, a compaction mechanism configured to selectively conform the pliable blank to the forming blocks, and a block translating mechanism configured to reconfigure the tool from a pre-formed configuration to a post-formed configuration, in which the forming blocks are positioned closer together than when the tool is in the pre-formed configuration. Associated systems, methods, and apparatuses also are disclosed herein.

Corrugated structures are used for a variety of purposes. For example, roofing material may be constructed of corrugated structures, such as those used to construct greenhouses, patio roofs, etc. In some applications, corrugated structures may be coupled to or may include a skin structure to define a structural assembly that has desired properties and that generally is stronger and/or stiffer than the skin alone. Corrugated cardboard used to construct typical boxes is one example of such a structural assembly. Aerospace structures are also examples of structural assemblies that often include a skin. For example, typical fuselages are constructed of a skin that is coupled to several distinct frame members that extend circumferentially around and that are spaced longitudinally along the inside of the fuselage and several distinct stringers that extend longitudinally along and that are spaced circumferentially around the inside of the fuselage. Recently, aerospace structures, such as fuselages, are being manufactured from fiber reinforced composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers. Utilizing known methods of construction, fiber reinforced composite stringers are formed individually and are individually either coupled to the associated skin in an outer mold line layup arrangement or coupled to an inner mold line layup mandrel prior to the associated skin being coupled directly to several individual stringers. Historically, it has not been possible to construct a series of multiple stringers from the same unitary piece of composite material and meet the requisite specifications of the bridging between the body of a stringer and the adjacent flange of a stringer.

Systems, tools, and methods for forming corrugated structures and apparatuses including corrugated structures


Described is a medicament delivery device (100, 200) comprising a case (105, 205) adapted to hold a container with a medicament and having a needle (300), a needle sleeve (120, 220) telescopically coupled to the case (105, 205) and having a first extended position relative to the case (105, 205) in which the needle (300) is covered, a retracted position relative to the case (105, 205) in which the needle (300) is exposed, and a second extended position relative to the case (105, 205) in which the needle is covered, a first indicia (125, 225) disposed on the needle sleeve (120, 220) which is visible in the first extended position and the second extended position, and a second indicia (130, 230) disposed on the needle sleeve (120, 220) and not visible in the first extended position and visible the second extended position.

Administering an injection is a process which presents a number of risks and challenges for users and healthcare professionals, both mental and physical. Injection devices typically fall into two categories—manual devices and autoinjectors. In a conventional manual device, manual force is required to drive a medicament through a needle. This is typically done by some form of button/plunger that has to be continuously pressed during the injection. There are numerous disadvantages associated with this approach. For example, if the button/plunger is released prematurely, the injection will stop and may not deliver an intended dose. Further, the force required to push the button/plunger may be too high (e.g., if the user is elderly or a child). And, aligning the injection device, administering the injection and keeping the injection device still during the injection may require dexterity which some patients (e.g., elderly patients, children, arthritic patients, etc.) may not have.
Autoinjector devices aim to make self-injection easier for patients. A conventional autoinjector may provide the force for administering the injection by a spring, and trigger button or other mechanism may be used to activate the injection. Autoinjectors may be single-use or reusable devices.
Conventional delivery devices may also have limited feedback mechanisms. For example, some conventional delivery devices may only provide an audible feedback when an injection is initiated. Thus, a patient may not be aware when the injection is complete. In this case, the patient may remove the delivery device during dose delivery which may lead to injury, pain, or incorrect dose delivery.
Thus, there remains a need for an improved medicament delivery device with a use indicator.

Medicament delivery device with use indicator


The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (i) identifying, by a server computer system, a provider computing device for use in capturing street-level image data, where the provider computing device controls a camera positioned to capture street-level imagery outside the vehicle, (ii) determining, by the server computer system, a configuration that controls use of the provider computing device to provide street-level image data captured by the camera to the server computer system, (iii) sending, by the server computer system, the configuration to the computing device, and (iv) receiving, from the computing device, street-level image data captured by the computing device using the camera responsive to the configuration. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

In the age of personal computing, digital platforms and services have become increasingly integrated with everyday life. Accordingly, these platforms and services often rely on real-world data. For instance, digitally collected and stored street-level imagery now provides countless individuals and corporations with a view into their neighborhoods, cities, and highways.
However, street-level image capture can be an expensive process. Traditional approaches include purchasing dedicated fleets of vehicles with specialized cameras and hiring drivers to take predetermined routes to capture imagery deemed most important. Unfortunately, the resulting coverage may not be adequate for all purposes, as some streets may be neglected due to time or cost constraints. In addition, imagery data may quickly become stale as streets and their surrounding environments change.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptions indicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While the exemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the instant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Systems and methods for coordinated collection of street-level image data


A delay element (10) generates a delay pulse (OUT) the length of which is not dependent on an available system clock. The delay element uses oscillators (12a, 12b, 12c) and edge detectors (16a, 16b, 16c) to generate a delay based on the beat frequency of the oscillators. The delay element is suitable for fabrication as part of a CMOS integrated circuit, and requires less layout area than alternative methods.

This invention relates to the field of electronic circuits. More particularly, this invention relates to an electronic circuit capable of generating a relatively long delay period and that can be incorporated into a CMOS integrated circuit using a small amount of chip area.
In integrated circuit digital design it is often desirable to generate a delay period or a timing pulse that is relatively very long when compared to the system clock signal used in the circuit. For example, digital CMOS circuits typically operate with system clocks measured in nanoseconds (ns). In some applications, it is desirable in such circuits to generate a delay which may be very long compared to the nanosecond clock rate, for example, a delay of several tens to several hundred milliseconds (ms). One application for such a delay may be in chip power up, where a chip, after power up, must delay any output signals it sends to other chips in the computer system so that it can be sure the other chips have had sufficient time to completely power up. Such a delay in a typical system might be 100 ms. If the chip's system clock is 10 ns, the desired delay of 100 ms will be 10,000,000 clock cycles.
Two known methods for generating such a large delay have proven particularly disadvantageous when applied to circuits fabricated with standard CMOS technology. One such method is the use of a counter circuit. Counter circuits have disadvantages in that the amount of delay they can generate is strictly limited by the size of the counter circuit and the clock driving the counter. For example, a 16 bit counter circuit operating in an electronic circuit that uses a clock of 10 ns could generate a maximum delay pulse of 2.sup.16 times 10 ns or 0.65 ms. Such a 16 bit counter bit circuit uses a relatively large amount of circuit layout area.
The second known method for generating a long delay pulse is the use of RC delay circuit. Fabrication of such a circuit using standard CMOS technology creates a problem in that the RC circuits require a very large resistor in order generate a delay pulse of sufficient length. This large resistor may be on the order of several tens to several hundred megaohms. The only practical way to manufacture such a large resistor in CMOS technology is to use large n well resistors, which require a large layout area. Use of large n well resistors also requires care to prevent parasitic transistors from forming between the large n well areas.
What is needed is an electronic circuit suitable for fabrication with CMOS technology capable of generating a delay pulse that is relatively long when compared to the clock frequency of the circuit and that uses a minimum of circuit layout area.

Method and apparatus for creating a large delay in a pulse in a layout efficient manner


An air conditioning apparatus includes a refrigerant tank, a cryogenic liquid pump, a condensing evaporator, a compressor, a user system, a throttle valve, a first reversing valve, and a second reversing valve. It operates in two modes. In the first mode, the refrigerant in the refrigerant tank flows sequentially from the refrigerant tank, the cryogenic liquid pump, the condensing evaporator, the first reversing valve, the compressor, the second reversing valve, the user system, the first reversing valve, the second reversing valve, the condensing evaporator, the throttle valve, and back to the refrigerant tank. In the second mode, refrigerant in the refrigerant tank flows sequentially from the refrigerant tank, the cryogenic liquid pump, the condensing evaporator, the first reversing valve, the second reversing valve, the user system, the first reversing valve, the compressor, the second reversing valve, the condensing evaporator, the throttle valve, and back to the refrigerant tank.

The traditional heat pump theoretical basis is originated from the discovery by Carnot in the early 19th century, and he published an essay about Carnot cycle in 1824. In 1852, Thomson put forth the first time his envisage of heat pump with air as working medium; and in 1854, Kelvin stated that a refrigerating apparatus could be used for heating. In the 1870s, refrigerating equipment based on Carnot principle developed rapidly, however, the development of heat pump lagged far behind. The world energy crisis in 1973 made all countries in Europe as well as the Soviet Union, Japan, the United States and Australia attach great importance to the work on heat pump. Today, all countries in the world are becoming increasingly interested in heat pump, and the manufacturers in Europe, Japan and North America have supplied many heat pumps for industries, commerce, building and civilian applications. International organizations, such as the International Energy Agency and European Community, have worked out development programs for large heat pumps, the testing of many new technologies and the popularization and application of existing heat pump technologies in new fields are going on or under planning, and the applications of heat pump are daily widening. Heat pumps are playing a daily increasing important role in energy conservation.
A traditional heat pump takes up heat from the surrounding environment, and transfers it to the object to be heated up, it follows the same working principle as a refrigerator as the reverse cycle of a heat machine, with the only difference in working temperature range. In some industrial sectors requiring heat supply and refrigerating at the same time, such as meat processing, food and dairy processing, the use of heat pump apparatuses for comprehensive cold and heat supplies is more economic and rational.
In a heat pump type household air conditioner used in winter, the massive cold obtained in the circulation of the refrigerator is only used to absorb the waste heat from the surrounding environment by the outdoor evaporator, and this is actually a great waste; for heating in winter with low ambient temperature, high humidity and in damp and rainy weather, the heating efficiency decreases seriously with ordinary air source heat pump air conditioners available on market, and they sometimes even cannot start up and work normally; therefore, in the north of China where it is quite cold in winter, ordinary air source heat pump air conditioners can only be used in transitional seasons, and they basically cannot meet the heating demand in cold winter. It is known to all that in the north of China, the traditional centralized heating is mainly by burning coal and gas, and such heating form cannot meet the requirements of social development in energy conservation, environmental protection or safety. Therefore, it is necessary to develop heat pump air conditioners that can function normally in winter with severe cold, and the corresponding auxiliary equipment and systems should also be provided.
The traditional refrigerating theory is mainly based on thermodynamics, i.e. Carnot reverse cycle of identical temperature difference is used to analyze the refrigerating cycle process, the economic indicator of the refrigerating cycle is the refrigeration coefficient, or the ratio of obtained gain to the cost of consumption, and also, of all refrigerating cycles between atmospheric environment with temperature for T0 and low temperature heat source with temperature of Tc (such as refrigeration store), the reverse Carnot cycle has the highest refrigeration coefficient:
                              ɛ          c                =                                            (              COP              )                                      R              ,              C                                =                                                    q                2                                            w                0                                      =                                          T                c                                                              T                  0                                -                                  T                  c                                                                                (        1        )
In the formula above, εc is the refrigeration coefficient, q2 refrigerating capacity of the cycle, and w0 the net work consumed by the cycle.
In fact, in his thesis "Reflections on the Motive Power of Heat", Carnot concluded that: of all heat engines working between two constant temperature heat sources of different temperatures, the reversible heat engine has the highest efficiency." This was later referred to as the Carnot theorem, after rearranging with the ideal gas state equation, the thermal efficiency of Carnot cycle obtained is:
                              η                      c                                                                            =                  1          -                                    T              2                                      T              1                                                          (        2        )
In Formula (2), temperature T1 of the high temperature heat source and temperature T2 of low temperature heat source are both higher than the atmosphere ambient temperature T0, and the following important conclusions can be obtained:
1) The thermal efficiency of Carnot cycle only depends on the temperature of high temperature heat source and low temperature heat source, or the temperature at which the media absorbs heat and release heat, therefore the thermal efficiency can be increased by increasing T1 and decreasing T2.
2) The thermal efficiency of Carnot cycle can only be less than 1, and can never be equal to 1, because it is not possible to realize T1=∞ or T2=0. This means that a cyclic engine, even under an ideal condition, cannot convert all thermal energy into mechanical energy, of course, it is even less possible that the thermal efficiency is greater than 1.
3) When T1=T2, the thermal efficiency of the cycle is equal to 0, it indicates that in a system of balanced temperature, it is not possible to convert heat energy into mechanical energy, heat energy can produce power only with a certain temperature difference as a thermodynamic condition, therefore it has verified that it is not possible to build a machine to make continuous power with a single heat source, or the perpetual motion machine of the second kind does not exist.
4) Carnot cycle and its thermal efficiency formula are of important significance in the development of thermodynamics. First, it laid the theoretical foundation for the second law of thermodynamics; secondly, the research of Carnot cycle made clear the direction to raise the efficiency of various heat power engines, i.e. increasing the heat absorbing temperature of media and lowering the heat release temperature of media as much as possible, so that the heat is release at the lowest temperature that can be naturally obtained, or at the atmospheric temperature. The method to increase the gas heat absorbing temperature by adiabatic compression is still a general practice in heat engines with gas as media today.
5) The limit point of Carnot cycle is atmospheric ambient temperature, and for refrigerating process cycles below ambient temperature, Carnot cycle has provided no definite answer.
Because of the incompleteness of refrigeration coefficient, many scholars at home and abroad conducted research on it, and proposed methods to further improve it. In "Research on Energy Efficiency Standard of Refrigerating and Heat Pump Products and Analysis of Consummating Degree of Cyclic Thermodynamics", Ma Yitai et al, in conjunction with the analysis of introduction of the irreversible process of heat transfer with temperature difference into heat cycle by Curzon and Ahlborn and the enlightenment from the finite time thermodynamics created on it, as well as the CA cycle efficiency, proposed the consummating degree of thermodynamics, advancing to a certain extent the energy efficiency research on the refrigerating and heat pump products.
However, the basic theory of thermodynamics cannot make simple, clear and intuitional explanation of the refrigerating cycle. Einstein commented the classical thermodynamics this way: "A theory will give deeper impression to the people with simpler prerequisite, more involvement and wider scope of application." In the theoretical interpretation in the refrigeration field, this point should be inherited and carried forward.
Therefore, it has become a difficult point in the research in air conditioning refrigerating field to really find a correct theoretical foundation of refrigerating cycle, propose a new cold regenerative air conditioning apparatus on this theoretical foundation and apply it in practice, to effectively increase the conversion efficiency of air conditioning apparatuses in refrigerating in summer and heating in winter.

Cold regenerative air conditioning apparatus

NANJING RECLAIMER ENVIRONMENTAL TEKNIK CO., LTD


A transmission method that can implement efficient communication control. A transmission block sends a signal of a first frequency band allocated to each zone, by a first directive beam which covers the entire zone, in a first time slot of a predetermined period and sends a signal of a second frequency band which contains the first frequency band and has a greater width than the first frequency band, by a second directive beam which covers a part of the zone and has a smaller beam width than the first directive beam, in a second time slot of the predetermined period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transmission methods in one or more wireless base stations, wireless base stations, and wireless communication methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present cellular mobile communication system divides a service area into a plurality of cells, where wireless base stations serving there are placed. In the interest of communication capacity, the frequency band that can be used in each cell of the cellular system should be as broad as possible. However, if a plurality of cells (particularly adjacent cells) use the same frequency band, an interference can occur. To implement communication of good quality, the same frequency band should not be used among adjacent cells at least.
A fractional frequency reuse (FFR) technology is also known. FFR provides a time zone referred to as a reuse one (R1) region and a time zone referred to as a reuse three (R3) region, in a radio frame. In the R1 region, a broad frequency band (system band) is used. In the R3 region, a part of the frequency band used in the R1 region is used, the part being allocated to each cell, avoiding overlaps among adjacent cells. The wireless base station measures the quality of communication with each mobile station in the cell and communicates with the mobile station in the R1 region if the quality of communication is high or in the R3 region if the quality of communication is low (for example, refer to "Mobile WiMAX—Part I: A Technical Overview and Performance Evaluation", WiMAX Forum, 2006-08).
Another method places an additional wireless base station at the center of each cell and forms a small-radius concentric cell (internal zone) inside the cell. In this method, the cells (external zones) use different frequency bands that do not overlap among adjacent cells, and all the internal zones use a common frequency band. When a mobile station is placed outside the internal zone, the mobile station communicates with the wireless base station which manages the cell. When a mobile station is placed in the internal zone, the mobile station communicates with the base station which manages the internal zone (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 05-63634, for example).
In order to increase the speed and capacity of wireless communication, the radius of each cell has been reduced in recent years to decrease the number of mobile stations to be served in the single cell, so that more wireless resources can be allocated to each mobile station. In one system, a single base station does not form a communication zone, but a single wireless base station forms a plurality of communication zones (sectors) by emitting directional beams (of 120 degrees, for instance) instead of an omnidirectional beam (of 360 degrees).
A system using a sector structure manages use of the band for each sector. Therefore, interference with another sector in the same cell should be considered in addition to interference with an adjacent cell.
The method described in "Mobile WiMAX—Part I: A Technical Overview and Performance Evaluation", WiMAX Forum, 2006-08, however, has poor radio transmission efficiency. Because the quality of communication often drops in the vicinities of sector boundaries (boundaries with other cells and boundaries with other sectors), the most of mobile stations in the vicinities of the sector boundaries turn out to communicate in the R3 region. Therefore mobile stations which communicate in the R1 region are the mobile stations near the centers of the sectors. Accordingly, the mobile stations in the vicinities of the sector boundaries do not require radio waves in the R1 region.
With the method described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 05-63634, radio waves in the internal zone do not reach the vicinity of the cell boundary, which is preferred in terms of radio transmission efficiency. However, it is difficult to have coordination between the external zone and the internal zone, and the communication control efficiency is low. One reason is that different wireless base stations manage the external zones and the internal zones, and independent control channels are provided. A mobile station in the vicinity of the boundary between the external zone and the internal zone must select and communicate with either the wireless base station which manages the external zone or the wireless base station which manages the internal zone. This makes it difficult to allocate a frequency band in a flexible manner in accordance with the actual quality of communication.

Transmission method, wireless base station, and wireless communication method


A method for detection and/or quantification of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in a sample derived from an individual's blood, the method being based on a sandwich immunoassay employing at least two capture antibodies and at least one tracer antibody, in which a first capture antibody is directed to the N-terminal part of cTnI, to the C-terminal part of cTnI or to the part of the cTnI midfragment, which is slightly affected by the interfering factor, and a second capture antibody is directed to another of these parts, and a tracer antibody is directed to the N-terminal part of cTnI, to the C-terminal part of cTnI or to TnC, which is complexed with cTnI.

The publications and other materials used herein to illuminate the background of the invention, and in particular, cases to provide additional details respecting the practice, are incorporated by reference.
Cardiac troponins I and T (cTnI and cTnT are sensitive and reliable markers of myocardial damage and their use has been recommended by scientific committees for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS)(1, 2). The complex molecular nature of cTnI complicates the measurements by immunoassays giving rise to large discrepancies in cTnI concentrations as measured with differently configured commercial and research assays (3, 4). This is conceivably a compound effect of the lack of an international standard and the divergent recognition of the numerous cTnI forms by the antibodies employed in the assays (5, 6). Since cTnI is a component of the troponin complex responsible for the regulation of muscle contraction, it interacts with other components of the complex, cTnT and troponin C (TnC) with a strong interaction with TnC in the presence of intracellular calcium (7). It has been shown that the main part (about 90%) of cTnI in the blood of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is in the form of the binary cTnI-TnC complex and only a small part is in the free form (8, 9). The antibodies used in immunoassays should ideally recognise both free and complexed cTnI in an equimolar manner (10) but more specifically the unrestricted recognition of the complex is of vital importance. Moreover, the use of antibodies against epitopes in the central part of cTnI has been generally recommended since the N- and C-terminal ends are susceptible to proteolytic degradation both in vivo and after sampling (10-12). The cTnI molecule contains two serine residues in positions 23 and 24 that can be phosphorylated in tissue, and it has been reported that around 50% of the cTnI in the blood of AMI patients is in the phosphorylated form (13). The structure and conformation changes following phosphorylation can significantly affect the binding of some antibodies to cTnI (10, 14). Furthermore, the two cysteine residues in positions 80 and 97 can form a disulfide bond allowing cTnI to be found in oxidized and reduced forms (15) again affecting the antigen recognition of different commercially available assays (6). Since the cTnI molecule has a high positive charge (pI 9.87) it will attract negatively charged molecules such as heparin, which in turn can interfere with the antibody-antigen interaction (10). Heparinised plasma samples are widely used in clinical laboratories and thus discrepant results compared to serum will occur if the antibodies are affected by heparin (16). Also EDTA used as anticoagulant can cause discrepancy, especially in assays utilising antibodies with different recognition of free and complexed cTnI (17), since EDTA will partly unfold the calcium-dependent troponin complex. All of the characteristics of cTnI mentioned above should be thoroughly considered in the design and development of cTnI immunoassays.
Analytical interference due to a number of more non-specific causes is a common problem that affects almost all immunoassays to some extent, resulting in false-positive or false-negative results (18). The most frequently described interfering mechanisms are those caused by heterophilic antibodies, human-anti-mouse antibodies, rheumatoid factors and complement [reviewed in (19, 20)]. Introduction of blocking agents (e.g. mouse serum or IgG) is often useful in eliminating this type of interference (21, 22). Especially false-positive results for cTnI have been frequently reported, while the number of false-negative results reported is much lower. The false-positive results have been claimed to be due to the presence of heterophilic antibodies (23), rheumatoid factor (24, 25) or an unknown macromolecular complex (26). Unrepeatable false increases have also been attributable to the presence of fibrin after incomplete separation of serum (27). More exceptionally they may result from fluid therapy given to patients (28). One report of a false-negative cTnI result was attributed to circulating cTnI autoantibodies (29) and also bilirubin and hemoglobin have been reported to give negative interference in certain cTnI assays (30).