An image forming apparatus having a built in AC voltage control circuit which enables the apparatus to be used in regions of the world having commercial power supplies with different supply voltages. The AC voltage control circuit first compares the input voltage to a reference voltage and then performs a switching operation to ensure that the voltage supplied to the AC electric components of the image forming apparatus is the voltage necessary for operation of those components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image, such as a laser printer, copying machine, and a facsimile, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus available for such areas where the commercial power supplies have different voltages.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a laser printer of the type in which characters and graphic images are recorded by using a latent image as formed on a photoreceptor, a latent image as formed is developed by toner, and a toner image formed is transferred onto paper. To fix the toner image by heat, an electric heater, for example, a heat roller, is usually used.
Electric components making up the image forming apparatus may be classified into two types, those components as driven by a DC power source, such as transistors and ICs (integrated circuits), and those components as driven by an AC power source, such as the heater. Motors as a power drive source, and a ventilation fan, that have been driven by an AC power source, are frequently driven by a DC power source in recent days. This arises from the facts that the electric components can be controlled with high precision, and that the electric components with the same characteristics can be used in both an area where the frequency of a commercial power supply is 50 Hz, and another area where the frequency of a commercial power supply is 60 Hz.
To drive the heater and some specific electric components in the image forming apparatus, some image forming apparatuses still use the AC power supply because they consume relatively large power and they are controllable by the AC.
FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a circuit arrangement of a fusing unit that has been used in the image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer. As shown, a commercial power supply 1 is connected through a fuse 2 to a fusing heater 4. The heater 4, which is a filament-like heat generating element, is usually contained in a narrow quartz tube.
FIG. 14 shows a mechanical structure of the fusing unit. The heater 4 is fixed to support plates 5.sub.2 by a set of lamp supports 5.sub.1. The support plates 5.sub.2 support collars 6.sub.1 of a heat roller 6 with the aid of bearings 5.sub.3. The heat roller 6 is a metal tube, which is coated with heat-resistant resin and has a gear 6.sub.2, at one end thereof. The gear is in mesh with another gear (not shown). The heat roller receives a turning force through the gear, and is turned by the force. The fuse 2 is in a slight contact with the surface of the heat roller 6 to monitor its surface temperature. One of the power supply lines, which connected to a connector 7, is directly coupled at one end (left end as viewed in the drawing) of the heater 4. The other power supply line is coupled at the other end (right end) of the heater 4, by way of the fuse 2. When the heat roller 6 is accidentally over heated, the fuse 2 is blown to stop the current feed to the heater 4.
A pressure roller 8 being heated is in press contact with the heat roller 6, to provide a nip of a predetermined width. Recorded paper passes through the nip, so that a toner image formed thereon is thermally fixed on the paper.
At this day, industrial products are distributed throughout the world, through import and export. Particularly in the case of a small or portable product, it is frequently carried by its owner, and used in several countries. In this case, the different voltages of the commercial power supplies in the countries become problematic. For example, the power supply voltage in Japan is 100V. In North America, it is 115V or 120V in most of the States. In Middle and Near East, Africa, and Europe, the power supply systems of 220V to 240V are dominantly employed. In adjacent countries or in different regions in the same country, the power supply voltages are often different.
The battery-driven electric products do not require an AC power source. Accordingly, no measure must be taken for the voltage difference of the commercial power supplies of every region or country. As for the DC electric components, such as ICs and DC motors, a power supply forms both voltages 24V and 5V in the stage of converting from an AC power supply into a DC power supply. Accordingly, also in those electric components, there is no need of taking any measure for the power supply voltage difference.
In the case of the fusing unit shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 using the electric components that are directly driven by the AC power supply, the electric components cannot be used from one region to another region where the power supply voltage is greatly different. For example, if a heater specified to be operable at 100V is used in a region where the power supply voltage is 200V, more current flows through the heater, which may damage the heater or burn related circuit parts. On the other hand, if a heater specified to be operable at 200V is used in a region where the power supply voltage is 100V, the heater is insufficiently heated, so that the fusing unit containing the heater fails to fix the toner image or it takes a long time until the satisfactory fuse fix becomes possible. Accordingly, such a use of the heater is unpractical.
For the above reasons, the electric components such as the heater are manufactured for each commercial power source voltage. Those components are selectively assembled into the copying machines according to regions or countries where the machines are to be used. Accordingly, in manufacturing the image forming apparatuses to be exported to many countries, the electric components operable by the DC power are available for all of the apparatuses. However, the electric components operable by the AC power must be specified according to the electric power supply systems employed by the countries. Many types of electric components, which comply with the specifications of the importing countries, must be manufactured and stored. This increases the cost to manufacture the components, and requires intricate management of storing many types of components. The heater, as shown in FIG. 14, is usually covered with a quartz tube, for example, in order to ensure a high temperature. The quartz tube is fragile, and is easily broken when it is carelessly touched by laymen not accustomed to handling it. However, it is not practical to have servicemen carry and replace all the quartz tubes necessary for the different power supply voltages used.

Image forming apparatus utilizing an AC voltage control circuit


A cable which comprises a plurality of pairs of first and second insulated conductors. The first and the second insulated conductors, of each pair, are twisted with one another to form a twisted pair and each of the twisted pairs has a different lay length from one another. Each of the plurality of twisted pairs is wrapped with a hoop strength wrap which maintains a mechanical strength and integrity of the twisted pair during subsequent handing thereof, and a circumference of the hoop strength wrap is about 5% or less than a dielectric pair minimum circumference of the first and the second insulated conductors of the twisted pair. At least one metallic wrap is provided for shielding and grounding of the plurality of twisted pairs. The plurality of twisted pairs and the at least one metallic tape are surrounded and encased by a conventional exterior jacket to form the cable.

In all transmission lines, the electrical parameters are determined by the physical dimensions and electrical properties of the components. It is common to have periodic or random variations in those properties that induce inconsistencies in the electrical transmission parameters. Within the frequency range of prior cable standards, several design approaches and prior art have been developed in an attempt in order to reduce the effect of those variations.
Insertion loss and return loss characteristics can have abrupt changes at specific frequencies that are related to the electrical wave interacting with the periodicity of the transmission line variations. If the signal wavelengths are sufficiently longer than the perturbations in the cable construction, then the effect of frequency dependent electrical parameters is much less evident or non-existent. However, if the signal wavelengths are in the same range as the cable perturbations, then the effect on the signal transmission is much more pronounced at those specific signal wavelengths that correlate with the dimension of the transmission line anomalies.
A particular source of anomalies in cable performance occurs when the pairs are assembled together. FIG. 1 shows the insertion loss results for a typical cable with non-shielded pairs and an overall metallic shield designed for 500 MHZ. A number of insertion loss electrical response anomalies exist below 2000 MHZ, and anomalies also occur in the return loss measurement results.
Another example is a cable with individually shielded pairs, with each pair being surrounded by a metal shield layer. The manufacturing processes cause periodic variations in spacing from conductor to conductor as well as spacing of the conductors to the pair shield. These variations cause anomalies in the insertion loss and return loss measurements as shown in FIG. 2.
The process of manufacturing a completed cable causes periodic mechanical perturbations. It is known that tension consistency and care in handling of the cable components is important. It was also discovered that one of the effects caused by the twisting action is the unintended spiral that is induced in the cable components by the twisting action. The spiral length is the same as the twist length. In rotating machinery, it is also common to have a slightly different path for the wire from the payoff spool through the machine as it turns. The periodic changing path in the wire results in having different sections of the components which bend and flex differently than other sections. The differences in bending lead to slight periodic differences in the mechanical structure in the cable and is one cause for anomalies in the electrical measurement results.
In FIG. 3, an insertion loss notch occurs at about 1.2 GHz while other insertion loss notches occur in the 2 GHz region and are due to the effect of the cabling process. Changing the process equipment can help reduce the notches (representing these insertion losses), but such changes in the process equipment do not completely eliminate the notches. The problems inherent in the process machinery, and thus the effects thereof still remain.
For shielded pairs, surrounding the pairs with a metallic tape is known to provide electrical isolation from one pair to the next pair. However, metallic tapes are generally not of sufficient tightness in order to provide the pair dimensional integrity to avoid electrical anomalies in the final cable test results. FIG. 4 shows the results of a cable with a metallic pair which is wrap with a wrap length of about 1 inch, but this arrangement does not provide the desired effect due to the relative looseness of the longer tape wrap. It is to appreciated that longer lengths of the wrap of the pair results in even less tightness and less mechanical integrity. A relatively short spiral length of the metallic tape over the twisted pair is needed to provide the necessary mechanical integrity for the wrapped pair.
However the metallic spiral shield wrap construction with a relatively short spiral alone was not found to provide the necessary shielding effectiveness. It was discovered that a combination shield could be employed such that a metallic tape wrap with a shorter lay length is applied over metallic wrap with a long lay length or in a longitudinal fashion. Note that a lay length is traditionally defined as the axial distance necessary for one pair of insulated conductors to complete a full 360 degree of rotation when twisting about one another, such that a tighter twist will result in a shorter lay length while a looser twist will result in a longer lay length. One arrangement is to have the conductive surface of the inner tape facing away from the pair and the shorter lay metallic tape with a metallic conductive surface on both sides to provide electrical contact with the inner longitudinal tape and to adjacent similar shielded pairs in the assembled cable.
FIG. 6 shows the improved crosstalk performance of a combination of two metallic shield tapes, compared to a single metallic wrapped tape with a short spiral, as shown in FIG. 5.
Cabling twist length can be chosen to be below about 0.5 wavelengths of the highest frequency of operation in order to move the cabling process and design electrical anomalies beyond the frequency of interest. However, at frequencies in the range of 2,000 MHZ, this approach has drawbacks due to the additional path length of the pairs within the shorter spiral length of each pair as well as a crushing action caused by the short lay lengths in the cable. This generally leads to problems in meeting specifications for cable propagation delay and insertion loss. However, with the design options provided by the pair wrapping, much longer cable lay lengths can be utilized, avoiding the problems caused by short cable lay lengths.
For the new extended frequency electrical requirements, the prior art does not solve all the problems found in designing and manufacturing such a cable, and some of the prior art techniques cause, rather than solve, problems at these extended frequency ranges.
Pretwisting (U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,441—Brorein '441) was introduced to eliminate the random effect of conductor to conductor spacing, but It is to appreciated that this arrangement also generates its own problems in the new frequency ranges of interest. The random conductor to conductor spacing caused undesirable effects in the electrical parameter of return loss. Although this technology is widely used in the data communication cable industry, it was discovered that the pretwisting of the conductor also results in degradation of electrical properties, such as return losses, due to conductor deformation effects. Those effects are now visible in the extended frequency range of interest.
Bonded pair technology (U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,129—Siekierka et al. '129) is a technology which controls the return loss parameters of a twisted pair by maintaining the conductor to conductor spacing. The main advantage of bonded pairs is to prevent the need for pretwisting of the conductor. However, such bonding does not control the spacing of the wires in the pair to pair shield or to an overall cable shield, so other means must be employed to establish and control the electrical properties defined by the interaction of the pairs to the cable shield components.
For non-shielded pairs, tightly wrapping or coating the two wires of a pair with a dielectric material is one technique for establishing and maintaining the mechanical integrity of the pair.
With respect to category 8 cables, it is to appreciated that such cables increase the frequency of operation for category cables to 2 GHz or more. This change reduces the electrical wavelength in the cable so that mechanical perturbations in the cable are longer than the electrical wavelength.
Until Category 8 cables, the periodicity length of manufacturing operations is longer than the electrical wavelength. However, this changes with Category 8 cables.
When frequencies greater than 2 GHz are required, even shorter periodicity lengths are required and this, in turn, substantially increases the electrical delay and insertion loss effects.
Other cable designs have performance above 2 GHz, but the industry desires to have a cable construction that is very similar to existing Category 6 and 7 constructions. Such similarity of construction allows ease of adapting cable connectors, termination practices, installation ease and familiarity, etc.
The periodicity length in the cable is accompanied by an insertion loss notch at the frequency corresponding to the length. A return loss spike accompanies the insertion loss notch. With conventional equipment, even equipment with updated design and controls, the periodic perturbations cause insertion loss and return loss results that do not meet the cable specifications.
The inventors have discovered that the root cause for the electrical problems result from one or more minor inconsistencies in the mechanical structure of the cable, over its entire axial length, which are normally caused by the associated manufacturing equipment, e.g., cabling of the cable core assembly during manufacture of the cable.

Extended frequency range balanced twisted pair transmission line or communication cable


The process for making a thin Molybdenum sulfide film on a substrate in which the physical properties vary in a wide range and can be adjusted to the desired values comprises depositing on the substrate from a reaction gas mixture in the gas phase. This can be accomplished by decomposing a volatile molybdenum compound together with a volatile sulfur compound as a reactive gas in a glow discharge to form the reaction gas mixture in the presence of the substrate. The molybdenum compound can be molybdenum hexacarbonyl. The sulfur compound can be hydrogen sulfide.

Our invention relates to a process for making thin molybdenum sulfide films having a wide range of properties and, more particularly, to a process for making a molybdenum sulfide film having a thickness between several hundred to 5000 .ANG. and to the molybdenum sulfide films made therefrom.
The manufacture of molybdenum sulfide film is known. Different processes for making targets made of pressed molybdenum disulfide powder by cathodic RF sputtering have been described. However great disadvantages are connected with the use of this technique. It has been established by Mikkelsen, et al, Apply. Phys. Lett. 52(14), 1130(1988), that the films obtained by RF-sputtering have a very greatly reduced density compared with crystalline Molybdenum sulfide, since the material made in this way is very disordered in its crystalline structure and has a high proportion of impurities.
The physical properties of the film are clearly poor in contrast to molybdenum sulfide. The density of these films can be increased to the value of the cyrstalline material by an aftertreatment (400 kV Argon Ion Bombardment). The enormous power densities required limit these manufacturing methods to a few materials. Considerable contamination of the films by water which has a negative influence on the physical properties has been reported. This is because the cathodes must be cooled in order to prevent heating of the target so that residual water can condense; among other things the Molybdenum disulfide powder of the target takes up water, since it is hygroscopic in the powder finely-divided state. These problems are practically excluded by the In situ production of Molybdenum sulfide according to the process of out invention. An additional disadvantage of the described process is that it is difficult to attain a sufficient adherence on the substrate material. To accomplish sufficient adhesion frequently adhesion promotors or glue layers must be used.
The range of application of the known process is limited so that in sputtering processes extraordinarily sensitive substrates such as aluminum oxide ceramics, aluminum nitride, ceramics or noble steel can not be coated without problems. Likewise materials sensitive to higher temperatures such as Teflon, Polyimide, Epoxy resin or other plastic materials can not be used because of the high energy densities.
It is an object of our invention to provide strongly adhering thin layers of molybdenum sulfide of variable composition on any substrate. The electrical and triboelectric properties of these films are variable within a wide range and can be set to any desired value. The semifinished products so made are used in vacuum engineering, air and space vehicles, street and rail traffic control and in machine engineering. Use of layers, particularly for dry lubrication of bearings and sliding surfaces, which are subjected to extreme thermal stress, since the thermal resistance of these layers is very high.
Because of their catalytic properties the layers can be deposited on suitable supporting materials, also they can be used in the chemical industry as catalysts. Moreover use of molybdenum sulfide films in sensor engineering is of interest because of the electrical and chemical properties.
The electrical and optical properties of Molybdenum sulfide films open up the possibility applications in microelectronics and electrooptics.
The use of molybdenum sulfide films made with RF sputtering engineering of these applications is possible because of the previously named properties only with limitations regarding the band structure and the state densities. Since the electronic properties of the materials strongly perturbed in their crystalline structure are not adjustable, their use in microelectronics and electrooptics has not been possible previously.

Process for making a thin molybdenum sulfide film and article


Disclosed are methods for regulating neurotrophin levels within a human body. The invention utilizes an implantable signal generator to deliver stimulation to neural tissue elements. Alternatively, an implantable pump may be utilized to delivery one or more drugs. The implanted device delivers treatment therapy to the neural tissue to thereby alter the level of neurotrophic factors such as BDNF expressed by the influenced neural tissue. A sensor may be used to detect various symptoms of a nervous system disorder. A microprocessor algorithm may then analyze the output from the sensor to regulate the treatment therapy delivered to the body. The invention describes a novel method to regulate the intrinsic levels of neurotrophins and may be used to treat patients with neurological and cognitive disorders.

It has generally been believed that loss of neurons in the adult human brain—as it occurs in aging humans and in neurological disorders—is an irreversible process. Many major diseases of the human brain involve deficiencies of select neuronal populations. The inability by the adult human brain to generate replacement cells is thought to be a leading cause for the irreversible and progressive nature of several neurological diseases and is responsible for persistent and ongoing impairment. In most regions of the human brain, the generation of neurons is generally confined to a discrete developmental period. After this developmental period, it believed that further generation of brain cells occurs only to a limited extent and is restricted to specific areas in the living human brain.
Neurotrophins play an important role in the development, regeneration, synaptogenesis and connectivity of neurons in mammals. Neurons—such as basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, motor neurons and sensory neurons of the central nervous system—remain responsive to neurotrophic factors even in adult humans. The presence of neurotrophic factors may even facilitate the regeneration of neurons and the repair of neural circuits after loss or damage. Work with cell cultures and animal models has shown that neurotrophins prevent neuronal death, induce neural sprouting and enhance neural recovery and repair. In addition to neurogenesis, neurotrophins are known to have a variety of beneficial effects on neurons including, neuroprotection, rescue from toxicity or injury, and induction of synaptogenesis.
Moreover, while no evidence yet exists that a lack of neurotrophins underlies the etiology of any neurodegenerative disease, these studies have spurred on hopes that neurotrophins might be useful symptomatic-therapeutic agents. It is believed that neurotrophins may be useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), peripheral sensory neuropathies and spinal cord injuries. In addition, neurotrophins may act on neurons affected by other neurological and psychiatric pathologies including ischemia, epilepsy, depression and eating disorders. For example, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is known to modulate synaptic function as well as to promote neuronal growth in the adult brain. The reduction in BDNF expression for example has been implicated to be important in stress and in depression.
In the prior art, attempts have been made to treat neurodegenerative conditions by infusing neurotrophins into to the patient. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,815,431 discloses methods for intraparenchymal delivery of neurotrophins to defective, diseased or damaged cells in the mammalian brain using a lentiviral expression vector. However, the prior fails to disclose any techniques for regulating the human body's own expression of neurotrophic factors.


A target (not-to-exceed) speed for a vehicle over a road segment ahead of the vehicle is established based on a desired relationship with a speed profile of the segment. The speed profile is generated by analyzing a statistical distribution of historical speed data over the segment collected by probe vehicles. A driver alert is activated if the vehicle is likely to exceed the target speed based on at least one measured vehicle dynamic property. The target speed may be established by identifying a baseline road segment over which the vehicle has previously travelled and which is similar to the approaching road segment, comparing a past speed of the vehicle over the baseline segment with a speed profile of the baseline segment to determine a speed differential, and applying the speed differential to the speed profile of the approaching segment.

It is known to provide the driver of an automotive vehicle with a warning or advisory if the vehicle exceeds a desired maximum speed. In some systems, the desired or allowable maximum speed may be based on legally-set speed limit data stored, for example, in a digital map, or using artificial vision systems to read speed limit signs posted along the route of travel. Other proposed systems use wireless (for example radio frequency or infrared) systems to transmit signals that are received by equipment aboard the vehicle to indicate a speed limit or desired speed.
It is further known to calculate a maximum safe or recommended speed to be driven around an approaching curve and issue a warning if the vehicle exceeds (or is predicted to exceed) that speed. Such methods generally consider the road geometry, primarily the radius of curvature, to determine the recommended speed. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/712,446 filed Feb. 25, 2010, and assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses such methods, and the disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. However, there are many factors other than road geometry that influence how fast a particular vehicle, as driven by a particular driver, may safely and comfortably negotiate a curve. These other factors may include a driver's particular experience level, road surface conditions, merging traffic lanes, and weather conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,479,897 discloses a method of predicting an imminent vehicle rollover situation for heavy trucks driving around relatively sharp curves such as freeway exit/entrance ramps. The method includes building an accurate digital map of roadways, including a road surface bank angle and radius of curvature at each point on the roadway, using data gathered from a fleet of vehicles equipped with GPS tracking systems. A maximum safe speed is then calculated for each data point based on a calculated lateral acceleration the truck will experience when rounding a curve of that bank and curvature. The '897 reference further discusses calculating a speed distribution for each point along a roadway from data gathered by trucks that have previously driven over the road. This historical speed data is used to predict the likelihood that the truck will exceed the maximum safe speed when it reaches the up-coming curve by examining the relationship between the truck's current speed and the historical speed distribution (percentile) for its current point on the road. This method requires data-intensive measurement of road geometry in order to accurately calculate road curvature and bank angle.
Digital map data bases for use in vehicle navigation systems are well known and are evolving to contain GPS data collected by so-called probe vehicles. A probe vehicle is any vehicle equipped with appropriate GPS and related communication systems that allow the vehicle to transmit data to a remote collection point. The probe vehicles together serve as a data collection fleet. The data collected by probe vehicles may include latitude, longitude, absolute time, position error estimate, and vehicle speed. This data may be referenced to an existing map data base to permit roads to be subsequently queried to determine expected speed over a road or a segment thereof. Tele Atlas® is a digital mapping company that utilizes probe vehicle data for driving purposes. Tele Atlas® advertises that it generates speed profiles for road segments that are derived from aggregating and processing hundreds of billions of anonymous GPS measurements from millions of probe vehicles to reflect actual consumer driving patterns. This data helps determine realistic average road way speeds for different times of day and different days of the week.

System and method for vehicle speed monitoring using historical speed data


A semiconductor-device package includes: a printed circuit board which has a chip-accommodating hole in its center portion and which has external connection terminals formed on its one side and a flexible substrate which has a supporting film having a central hole coaxial with the chip-accommodating hole, a given circuit pattern which is formed on the supporting film and inner leads which project inside the central hole and which have micro patterns, the flexible substrate being bonded on the other side of the circuit pattern of the printed circuit board with electrical conduction between them.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor-device package and a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A TAB (Tab Automated Bonding) tape comprises a heat resistant support film (for example, a polyimide film or the like) and a circuit pattern made of copper foil formed on the support film, the circuit pattern having inner leads projecting inside an element-accommodating hole of the support film and outer leads projecting outside the support film.
A conventional bonding technique using this TAB tape makes it possible to facilitate tests of semiconductor elements (chips) before packaging them, to simultaneously bond a narrow-pitch chip whose pitch width is so narrow that this chip cannot be simultaneously bonded by means of a conventional multi-pin and wire-bonding technique. Furthermore such a TAB tape bonding technique is superior to a wire-bonding technique with regard to its high frequency properties and is suitable to high density packaging. Therefore, such a TAB tape bonding technique is very appropriate to a multi-pin, narrow-pitch and high-speed chip, such as a CPU chip or the like.
However, in such a conventional TAB tape bonding technique, both inner lead bonding and outer lead bonding is required and, as a result, a large number of working man-hours are inevitably required. In addition to this, because of requirements for mounting the package on a substrate, the pitch width between outer leads cannot be made narrow in the same manner as the pitch width between inner leads and, for this reason, the outer leads must project beyond its the support film. Thus, according to such a conventional TAB tape bonding technique, the overall size of a semiconductor device typically becomes larger when a chip is mounted on it, which is contrary to demands of miniaturization.
Furthermore, when such a conventional TAB tape bonding technique is applied to a high-power chip such as a CPU chip or the like, complex and expensive packaging is necessary because adaptation to a heat radiating structure is difficult to achieve.
FIG. 10 shows an example of a heat radiation structure on a conventional semiconductor device.
This conventional semiconductor device has a complex and expensive package structure. As shown in this figure, a circuit pattern for a PGA (Pin Grid Array) type package 10 and a chip 11 is connected through a TAB tape 12 and is sealed by a cap 13. Moreover, by means of soldering or the like, a heat sink 15 is fastened to a support 14 bonded to the chip 11.

Semiconductor-device package and semiconductor device


Novel zirconium compounds of sulfonic acids are disclosed which have the following general formula: EQU [R(SO.sub.3).sub.x ].sub.y [R'(SO.sub.3).sub.x' ].sub.y' Zr[(O.sub.3 S).sub.x" R"].sub.y" [(O.sub.3 S).sub.x"' R'"].sub.y'". where R, R', R", R'" are independently substituted or unsubstituted, alkyl, alkylene, aryl or alkaryl radicals and x, x', x", x"', y, y', y" and y"' are sufficient in value to supply 4 sulfonate groups to the molecule, and the use of such zirconium compounds as catalysts in organic chemical reactions.

This invention relates to certain novel zirconium compounds of sulfonic acids. More particularly, it relates to zirconium compounds of substituted (functionalized) and unsubstituted mono- , di- , and polysulfonic acids.
The novel compounds of this invention are useful as recyclable catalysts for various organic chemical reactions, as, for example, in the production of esters and polyesters.
There is a general need in industry for recyclable catalysts with good catalytic activity. Good catalytic activity is often obtained with soluble catalysts (i.e., compounds soluble in the reaction medium), but such catalysts can be difficult to remove from the final product. Soluble catalysts always present a potential product contamination problem, and soluble catalysts must often times be washed out of products which can't be distilled (away from the catalyst). Recyclable catalysts are environmentally friendly, as recycling reduces the (total) amount of material requiring disposal. The catalysts of this invention can be used as mostly insoluble solid (recyclable) catalysts for the production, for example, of esters by either direct esterification or transesterification. Other solid (recyclable) catalysts have been used in esterification, but such catalysts (e.g. ion-exchange resin catalysts--Amberlyst.RTM. 15) generally have use temperature limitations (approx. 100.degree.-110.degree. C.). The zirconium compounds of this invention, when compared to ion exchange resins, generally have an extended range of permissible operating temperatures.
Zirconium methanesulfonate has an advantage over other common transesterification catalysts, such as tetrabutyl titanate and zirconium acetyl acetonate, in that it is not deactivated by the water sometimes present in the ester/alcohol reactants. Many common transesterification catalysts require anhydrous reaction conditions (i.e., predried reactants), and the manufacture of esters using such catalysts requires an additional drying step in the preparation process. For the preparation of propyl propionate via transesterification of methyl propionate with 1-propanol, the water sensitivity of common transesterification catalysts is clearly shown by plotting the % propyl propionate formed versus time for reactions employing dried and undried reactants with a variety of common catalysts--(See FIG. 1 of the drawings).


A setting tool and a bailer bottom tool are provided for forming a wellbore plugback operation of the type used in hydrocarbon recovery operations. Each of the setting tool and the bailer bottom tool include a battery pack for powering an actuating device to actuate the respective tool downhole, thereby avoiding the risks and costs associated with mechanical jarring devices, explosive charges, and devices activated by transmitting signals to the downhole tool through an electrically conductive cable. Each tool may be biased by a spring to a release position, and the actuating device may release compressed fluid from the tool to the wellbore, thereby allowing movement of a piston member and corresponding movement of a mechanical release device for moving the tool to a release position. A trigger mechanism electronically in series between the battery power source and the actuating device may be a programmable timer or a motion sensitive timer.

Those skilled in the hydrocarbon recovery operations have long recognized that plugback operations can enhance the recovery of oil and gas from wells. A water channel in a downhole formation may migrate over time to the wellbore, so that the water content of the fluids recovered at the surface becomes too high. A portion of the well above and below the water channel entry to the wellbore may thus be plugged in a workover operation, and hydrocarbons thereafter may again be economically recovered by perforating another zone. Wellbore plugback operations are also used for zone isolation purposes. Plugback operations are typically performed by utilizing a downhole setting tool to first set a bridge plug, then utilizing a dump bailer to release the bridging material, such as cement, onto the bridge plug.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,161,557 discloses an early type of wellbore fluid sampler including a biased valve which may be activated in response to a downhole clock. The sampling assembly includes batteries within the tool which allow movement of sampler components during a sequencing operation, after which the tool and sampled fluid are retrieved to the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,549 discloses a downhole tool containing an explosive charge which may be activated by a permanent magnet selectively positioned within the downhole tubular string. U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,550 discloses a magnetically activated well tool which may be suspended in the wellbore from a wireline. The tool may be used to introduce an inhibitrator fluid into the well, to perforate the tubing, or to set well completion or flow control equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,817 discloses a technique for selectively releasing a cable-suspended tool. The releasing tool may be activated either in response to tension transmitted through the cable to the tool, or in response to an electrical signal transmitted from the surface through the cable to the tool. U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,955 discloses a control valve system for terminating the flow of oil and gas during a well blowout. The system includes downhole batteries which power an electric motor and drive gear assembly to close a ball valve. U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,708 discloses a safety valve for a well which is responsive to electromatic waves transmitted from the surface to the tool for opening and closing the valve. The downhole assembly includes an electric motor actuated by downhole batteries, with the motor and actuator being operable to open and close the safety valve. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,172 discloses a downhole control valve assembly including a battery and a clock. The system also includes pressure and temperature sensors which may be placed in the wellbore above and below the valve for taking wellbore measurements.
Three types of tools are in common use today for performing plugback operations, and each type has significant disadvantages which have limited their use in the hydrocarbon recovery industry. The efficient recovery of hydrocarbons from the depleted wells and from wells having significant water intrusion has thus long demanded a reliable yet low cost technique for performing a plugback operation to plug in or close off a portion of a wellbore.
One type of well plugback tool utilizes a jarring action to mechanically activate or set a bridge plug, and subsequently utilizes a similar jarring action to release the plugging material from the dump bailer. The work string may thus be moved axially up and down to create the jarring action which is intended to activate the setting tool and the bailer. This jarring action may also be performed on a wireline suspended tool by jerking up on the wireline, and by releasing the wireline to land the tool on a hard bottom member. These jarring action techniques have generally proven to be unreliable, and thus are disfavored for most plugback operations by experienced hydrocarbon recovery operators. Downhole tools which rely upon a jarring motion for actuation often need a member within the wellbore to serve as a hard bottom, so that the jarring tool may strike this hard bottom to perform the desired jarring action. Additional time and expense are inherently required to position such a hard bottom in a wellbore at the desired location.
A second type of tool utilized in plugback operations activates the bridge plug and the dump bailer in response to an explosive charge. The bridge plug may thus be lowered to a selected depth from a wireline, and a blasting cap electronically activated to cause the setting of the bridge plug. The dump bailer similarly may thereafter be lowered to a location slightly above the set bridge plug, and the cement in the bailer released or dumped in response to the explosive force of a blasting cap, which may shear a pin to allow for axial movement of a mandril. Blasting caps and other explosive devices used in downhole operations are inherently considered hazardous, and accordingly should be used only by experienced personnel who have been specially qualified for these operations. The high cost of the regulations involving the transportation and use of such explosive equipment, and the risks inherently associated with these explosive devices, have thus severally limited the use of this technology for performing plugback operations.
A third type of tool utilizes a wireline to transmit an operating or activating current from the surface to the downhole setting tool and, subsequently, to the downhole bailer. The electrically transmitted operating current may activate a valve to release trapped fluid within the tool, thereby allowing a spring to activate the tool and either set the bridge plug, or release the bridging material from the dump bailer. Wireline setting operations are generally considered safe and reliable, although conductive wireline operations are also expensive. In some cases, plugback operations can be economically performed utilizing an electric wireline extending from the surface to the tool, particularly when a wireline logging tool has already been used to determine the water channeling point to the wellbore, and is thus at the well site. In many other cases, however, a wireline tool is not required to determine the water channeling point. Most conductive wireline service companies require their personnel on site during an electric wireline plugback operation, thereby significantly increasing costs. Accordingly, the widespread use of plugback operations has been limited, particularly in those instances where conductive wireline equipment and personnel are not otherwise required at the well site during the plugback operation. Many low or medium capacity hydrocarbon production wells are not being efficiently operated because of the unreliability, risks, or high costs associated with the plugback operation.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and improved tools and techniques are hereinafter disclosed while performing a plugback operation. More particularly, the present invention discloses the reliable, safe, and comparatively inexpensive technique for reliably setting a bridge plug and/or releasing a bridging material from a dump bailer.

Slickline setting tool and bailer bottom for plugback operations


A continuous ceramic matrix composite strip is produced by passing a dry ceramic fiber strip through a ceramic slurry bath. Impregnation wheels within the bath guide the fiber strip through the bath and force the ceramic slurry into the fiber strip, thereby impregnating the strip. The impregnation wheels stir the ceramic slurry to maintain a homogeneous mixture. Air knives remove excess slurry from the strip. Thickness and width controls squeeze the impregnated strip to desired thickness and width dimensions.

1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to composite materials, and deals more particularly with a method and apparatus for impregnating a continuous fiber reinforcement with a matrix material.
2. Background
Composite structures may be fabricated using composite build materials such as strips of preimpregnated fiber reinforcement (prepreg) that are applied over a supporting tool by automated fiber placement (AFP) machines. The prepreg used in automated fiber placement comprise a resin such as an epoxy that is reinforced with fiber such as carbon fibers. In some applications, however, where the structure is subjected to high temperatures, it may be necessary to use composite build materials such as ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). In addition to their ability to withstand high temperatures without degradation, CMCs are desirable for certain applications because of their light weight and resistance to corrosion.
CMCs typically comprise a ceramic matrix material such as a glass, a glass-ceramic or a crystalline ceramic in which refractory inorganic fibers are held. In one known process, CMCs are produced by preparing a liquid suspension of the ceramic matrix material in powdered form, and then immersing the inorganic fibers in the suspension. The suspension comprises a solvent such as water or an organic liquid as the carrier for the ceramic powders. In one variant of this process, known as slurry infiltration, the reinforcing fibers are passed through a ceramic slurry which penetrates the porous structure formed by the fibers. The driving force of the infiltration is largely capillary effect, but may be enhanced by vacuum or pressure. After the fibers have been infiltrated with the suspension, solvent is removed by evaporation. The materials discussed above are challenging to process and difficult to convert into build materials that are well-suited for high-volume production using techniques such as automated layup of prepreg.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for fabricating CMC build materials such as CMC prepregs. There is also a need for a method and apparatus as described above which are capable of producing continuous strips of CMC prepreg that may be used by AFP machines to automate the layup of CMC structures.

Method and apparatus for impregnating a continuous fiber reinforcement


Edge information of an input digital image is obtained. Digital image data corresponding to the input digital image is transmitted to a receiver. The edge information is also transmitted to the receiver. An output digital image is obtained at the receiver by processing the digital image data received at the receiver using the edge information received at the receiver. In this way, because the edge information is transmitted separately, as side information, and does not have to be obtained at the receiver, the computational complexity requires of the receiver is low. This enables for example real-time edge-adaptive interpolation to be carried out at the receiver.

A number of techniques are known for processing of digital images in which edge information is used to improve the quality of the output image. For example, low resolution images may be interpolated to produce high resolution images, with the interpolation being edge-adaptive so that the quality of the output image, particularly around edges in the image, is improved by removing or reducing blockiness, blurring and zigzag edges which can occur with non-edge based techniques.
A number of edge-adaptive interpolation methods are known and reference may be made for example to "Edge-Directed Interpolation" by Jan Allebach and Ping Wah Wong, International Conference on Image Processing, 1996 Proceedings, Volume 3, pages 707-710; "A New Edge-Directed Image Expansion Scheme" by Qing Wang and Rabab Ward, 2001 International Conference on Image Processing, 2001 Proceedings, Volume 3, pages 899-902; and "Canny Edge Based Image Expansion" by Hongjian Shi and Rabab Ward, IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, 2002, Volume 1, pages I-785-I-788. In general, edge information is used to locally adapt filter coefficients that are used during the interpolation of the input image data. Edge-adaptive interpolation methods generally have a high computational complexity owing to the additional edge processing. Robust edge detectors require spatial filtering with multiple filters corresponding to different edge orientations, resulting in a high computational burden.
An approach to edge-adaptive interpolation is to use edge information, which may be in the form of an explicit edge map that contains information about edges in the image, to guide the interpolation process. This is shown schematically in FIG. 1.
First, a sub-pixel edge estimator 1 obtains an accurate estimate of the high resolution edge map. This edge map of the interpolated (output) image can be obtained in two distinct ways. In one, a simple interpolation technique (such as bilinear or bicubic interpolation) can be used to obtain an initial interpolated (higher resolution) image, and then the estimated edge map is obtained from this initial interpolated image using edge detection masks. Alternatively, an edge map can first be obtained from the original input image and then this edge map is interpolated to obtain the edge map of the output image.
Secondly, the initially obtained edge map is processed 2. It is a fact that regardless of the way that the edge map is initially obtained, it is in general only an approximation and some form of post-processing is required to refine the edge map. This usually is carried out to ensure connectedness so that isolated false edge locations are eliminated.
Lastly, the edge-directed interpolation 3 of the input image is carried out using the final edge map to provide the output image. In general, because the edge detection phase is computationally intensive, a simple interpolation technique may be preferred. One way to achieve this is to slightly modify bilinear interpolation to make it edge-adaptive. In this technique, the output pixel is computed as a weighted linear combination of its closest four neighbours where the weights are chosen to account for the local edge structure.
Whilst this example obtains a high resolution edge map, a low resolution edge map may be obtained and used in the interpolation instead, though with some loss of quality in the output image. A low resolution edge map may be obtained directly from the low resolution input image.
In this process, the accuracy of the edge information is probably the single most important factor in determining the overall performance of a typical edge-directed interpolation scheme. Now, in the context of video streaming and video transmission applications, such as digital television broadcasting or video-on-demand, it is a fact that receivers (such as television receivers, TV broadcast capture cards for personal computers, etc.) are designed to be as simple as possible to reduce cost and in order to be robust. These simple receivers have low computational power and are highly optimised for a small set of predetermined processing tasks (such as MPEG decoding and some mild post-processing). Accordingly, at least with current technology and at a low or medium cost, performing accurate edge detection on the receiver side is not an option. The alternative of using a simple edge-detection method, requiring low computational complexity, to obtain low accuracy edge information results in visual artefacts (such as noisy and blurred edges, ringing and the like). If noise filtering is used prior to the edge-directed interpolation when low accuracy edge information is used, the computational load increases again, which again rules out this possibility in practice. (Of course, for high end products, for which the higher component cost is acceptable to the consumer, edge detection and processing can be carried out at the receiver by using more powerful processors.)
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of processing of a digital image, the method comprising:
obtaining edge information of an input digital image;
transmitting digital image data corresponding to the input digital image to a receiver;
transmitting the edge information to the receiver; and,
obtaining an output digital image at the receiver by processing the digital image data received at the receiver using the edge information received at the receiver.
By using edge information at the receiver where the edge information is provided to the receiver and does not have to be obtained at the receiver, the computational complexity required of the receiver is low. This means that edge-adaptive processing of the digital image data can be carried out at the receiver in real time using a relatively low cost processor at the receiver. This means that real-time edge-adaptive scaling of video signals can be carried out at the receiver to achieve high quality images. As well as being used for scaling of low resolution to higher resolution images, the invention can be used in other processing techniques at the receiver, including for example spatially-adaptive down-sampling of a high resolution image to a lower resolution (for example, to down-sample a high definition television image to a standard definition television image), conversion from one image standard to another, etc.
The image may be a still image but in general will be a video image, i.e. one image of many in a video stream. The image may be a frame of a video stream and, indeed, the process may be applied to all frames of a video stream.
The method may comprise encoding input digital image data corresponding to the input digital image prior to transmission; wherein the digital image data that is transmitted is the encoded input digital image data; and, wherein the processing of the digital image data received at the receiver comprises decoding the encoded input digital image data received at the receiver. The encoding may comprise compressing the input digital image data and the decoding comprises decompressing the compressed input digital image data. In general, compression of an input image, such as is used in may digital image transmission protocols, leads to compression artefacts, such as blocking and ringing. Such artefacts are usually of a high frequency nature and are recognised as edges by sub-pixel edge detection algorithms. By performing the edge detection at for example the transmitter before the video stream is compressed and sending the edge information separately, this problem is avoided. Some compression standards, such as MPEG, use anchor frames or so-called I-frames, and the method may be applied to such I-frames only.
In an embodiment, the encoding comprises encoding the input digital image data as blocks of pixels, and the obtaining of the edge information comprises obtaining respective edge information for at least some of the blocks, and the processing of the digital image data received at the receiver comprises processing the pixels in said blocks respectively according to the edge information of each of said blocks.
The processing of the digital image data received at the receiver may comprise scaling the input digital image so that the resolution of the output digital image is different from the resolution of the input digital image.
The scaling may comprise interpolating the input digital image so that the resolution of the output digital image is higher than the resolution of the input digital image, the interpolating being edge-adaptive and using the edge information received at the receiver. In general, any edge-adaptive interpolation method may be used.
The scaling may comprise down-sampling the input digital image so that the resolution of the output digital image is lower than the resolution of the input digital image, the down-sampling being edge-adaptive and using the edge information received at the receiver. Again, in general, any edge-adaptive down-sampling method may be used.
The processing may comprise converting the digital image data received at the receiver from one standard format to another standard format using the edge information received at the receiver. For example, the digital image data may be converted from 720 progressive scan format to 1080 progressive scan format, or from standard definition to high definition, etc., etc.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for processing of a digital image, the system comprising:
a transmitter-side apparatus and a receiver-side apparatus;
the transmitter-side apparatus being constructed and arranged to obtain edge information of an input digital image, to transmit digital image data corresponding to the input digital image to the receiver-side apparatus, and to transmit the edge information to the receiver-side apparatus; and,
the receiver-side apparatus being constructed and arranged to obtain an output digital image at the receiver-side apparatus by processing the digital image data received at the receiver-side apparatus using the edge information received at the receiver-side apparatus.
The computational burden of obtaining the edge information is placed at the transmitter-side apparatus, where, in general, high computing power is already available, whereas the computational requirements on the receiver-side can be kept low.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of processing of a digital image, the method comprising:
obtaining edge information of an input digital image;
transmitting digital image data corresponding to the input digital image to a receiver; and,
transmitting the edge information to the receiver; and
whereby an output digital image can be obtained at the receiver by processing the digital image data received at the receiver using the edge information received at the receiver.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided transmitter-side apparatus for processing of a digital image, the apparatus being constructed and arranged to obtain edge information of an input digital image, to transmit digital image data corresponding to the input digital image to a receiver, and to transmit the edge information to the receiver:
whereby an output digital image can be obtained at the receiver by processing the digital image data received at the receiver using the edge information received at the receiver.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of processing of a digital image, the method comprising:
receiving at a receiver edge information of an input digital image;
receiving at the receiver digital image data corresponding to the input digital image; and,
obtaining an output digital image at the receiver by processing the digital image data received at the receiver using the edge information received at the receiver.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided receiver-side apparatus for processing of a digital image, the apparatus being constructed and arranged to receive transmitted edge information of an input digital image, to receive transmitted digital image data corresponding to the input digital image, and to obtain an output digital image by processing the received digital image data using the edge information.
The methods described herein may be carried out by appropriate software running on appropriate computer equipment. The software may be embedded in an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit being adapted for performing, or for use in the performance of, the relevant processes. Many of the processing steps may be carried out using software, dedicated hardware (such as ASICs), or a combination.
Referring to FIG. 2, in an example of one embodiment of the invention, edge information is extracted from an image. The edge information is conveniently and preferably in the form of a high accuracy sub-pixel edge map that is extracted by an extraction block 10 on the transmitter-side. The edge map may be of for example all frames of an input video image stream, or only selected frames (such as the I-frames) of an input video image stream. This extraction is carried out on a frame-by-frame basis, i.e. a separate edge map is obtained for each frame under consideration.
In general, the edge maps may be obtained by any suitable method. For example, as described above, to obtain a high resolution edge map, which is preferred in order to obtain the best quality output image, a simple interpolation technique (such as bilinear or bicubic interpolation) can be used to obtain an initial interpolated image and then the estimated edge map is obtained from this initial interpolated image using edge detection masks. Alternatively, an edge map can first be obtained from the original input image and then this edge map is interpolated to obtain the edge map of the output image. Either way, the initially obtained edge map is preferably processed to refine the edge map, again as described briefly above. Whilst it is preferred to use a high resolution edge map, a low resolution edge map may be obtained and used in the interpolation instead, though with some loss of quality in the output image. A low resolution edge map may be obtained directly from the low resolution input image.
It should be noted that in the edge map extraction 10, the selection of pixels may depend on the quality requirements and the specific edge-adaptive interpolation method that is ultimately used (as discussed below).
Next, in this embodiment, an encoder 11 encodes the input video signal. This may be in accordance with one of the known video coding standards, such as H.263/4 or MPEG-1/2/4. Optionally, the encoder 11 may compress the data at the same time.
The encoded video signal is then transmitted over some channel 12. As will be well understood, the channel 12 could be one of many types or a combination, including wired or wireless, broadcast or narrowcast, over the Internet, etc. In any event, a decoder 13 on the receiver-side receives the transmitted encoded video signal, decompresses it if necessary and decodes the received signal as appropriate.
In addition to the encoded video signal being transmitted to the receiver-side, the corresponding edge information, which in this example is in the form of edge maps, is also transmitted as side information 14, preferably simultaneously with the corresponding frames of the video image signals. This side information 14 is received at the receiver-side.
The received side information 14 is used to provide edge information which is used in an edge-adaptive interpolation block 15 to aid interpolation of the decoded video signal received from the decoder 13. In general, the interpolation method used in the interpolation block 15 may be of any suitable type. Nevertheless, in order to keep down costs at the receiver-side (which will often be consumer equipment), a technique requiring low computational complexity is preferred. Moreover, by labelling uniform regions where standard linear interpolation filters (such as bilinear and bicubic filters) perform satisfactorily, edge-adaptive interpolation need only be performed around high-frequency image details, resulting in reduced computational complexity on the receiver-side whilst nevertheless obtaining a substantial increase in visual quality.
In the above described example, the edge information is obtained by performing edge detection on pixels in the input image. Video coding standards such as H.264 and MPEG are based on block processing. In the case that block-type encoding is used, instead of performing edge detection on pixels, the dominant edge structure in individual blocks can be detected at the transmitter-side after the input image has been encoded. Then, at the receiver-side, the pixels within a block can be processed based on the edge label of the block, which is transmitted as the side information 14. As a further enhancement, for texture blocks and blocks with no dominant edge structure, the interpolation may be simple bilinear/bicubic or other non-edge-adaptive interpolation, which do not make any assumptions about the edge structure. This helps to avoid producing artefacts caused by faulty edge detection and/or classification.
In summary, embodiments enable high resolution images to be obtained by real-time interpolation at the receiver side using edge-adaptive interpolation techniques. At the same time, the computational complexity, and therefore the cost, required at the receiver-side is low because the edge information required for the interpolation is obtained at the transmitter side and transmitted separately as side information to the receiver-side. This makes real-time edge-adaptive interpolation at the receiver side practical at relatively low cost.
As mentioned above, there are a number of techniques other than interpolation or upscaling that benefit from being edge-adaptive, such as down-sampling (e.g. from a high definition image to a standard definition image), standards conversion for digital television receivers and wireless hand-held devices with video streaming capabilities, etc. The processing that is carried out at the receiver-side using separately transmitted edge information can be one or more of these types.
Embodiments of the invention have been described with particular reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made to the examples described within the scope of the invention.

Methods and apparatus for processing of a digital image

Vestel Elektronik Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S.


A multiple tubes combination structure for being assembled with air tubes of an airbed is disclosed, wherein a plurality of tubes are assembled in a combinational structure. Each individual component of the combinational structure has a specific element having a predetermined configuration. Thereby, when it is desired to assemble the combinational structure, it is only necessary to assure the configurations of elements. No error occurs. Thereby, the multiple tubes combination structure has a beautiful outlook.

The present invention relates to components used in airbeds, especially to a multiple tubes combination structure for being assembled with air tubes of an airbed, wherein each individual component of the combinational structure has a specific element having a predetermined configuration. Thereby, when it is desired to assemble the combinational structure, it is only necessary to assure the configurations of elements.
A medical airbed has a plurality of airbags. Air is filled into the airbags. In the prior art, the body of the airbed is divided into several sections. The sections are inflated and vented alternatively. Thereby, the inflation condition of the airbed can be changed. There are a plurality of air tubes which are used to supply air to the airbags. Thus, the end of the air pump of the bed has a plurality of tubes for being connected with air pipes connected to the airbags. As a result, the assembling work of the airbed is complicated and thus it is often that some incorrect connections between the air pipes and tubes are induced. Thereby, the alternation of the operations of inflating air and venting air in the airbed is sometimes incorrect. Thereby, the patient lying on the bed will feel uneasy.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a multiple tubes combination structure for being assembled with air tubes of an airbed, wherein a plurality of tubes are assembled in a combinational structure. Each individual component of the combinational structure has a specific element having a predetermined configuration. Thereby, when it is desired to assemble the combinational structure, it is only necessary to assure the configurations of elements. No error occurs. Thereby, the multiple tubes combination structure has a beautiful outlook.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.


The invention relates to a gear wheel pump with two meshing gear wheels which are rotatably mounted within a pump housing by means of a driven driveshaft and a crankshaft journal and which form a pumping channel system between a pump inlet and a pump outlet. Several gaps are formed between the pump housing, the gear wheels, the driveshaft, and the crankshaft journal. One of the gaps between the driveshaft and one of the gear wheels contains means for the rotationally fixed connection of the driveshaft to the gear wheel. In order to prevent leakages penetrating to the connecting means, according to the invention the gap between the driveshaft and the gear wheel is sealed, with respect to the front faces of the gear wheel, by means of a sealant.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a gear pump, especially for conveying paints according to the preamble of claim 1.
2. Description of Related Art
A generic gear pump is known from DE 10 2005 016 670 A1. The known gear pump has two intermeshing gears, which are mounted to rotate within a pump housing through a drive shaft and journal. The gears, together with a pump inlet and a pump outlet, form a feed channel system within the pump housing, in order to convey paint in liquid or powdered form. To prevent paint residues from emerging from the feed channel system through the gap formed between the pump housing and the gears and being distributed over the gap within the pump housing, seals are provided between the front faces of the gears and the pump housing. A flushing channel system is also formed within the pump housing, in order to flush out possible paint residues from the gaps between the pump housing, gears, drive shaft and journal during a paint change.
The known gear pump can already be recognized from the combination between front sealing of the gears and the subsequently arranged flushing channel system, in that such sealing systems, because of continuous friction, are subject to increased wear. To this extent, only limited sealing of the gap on the front faces of the gears relative to the fixed pump housing can be achieved. In addition, higher sealing forces in the front area of the gears would only lead to an undesired increase in drive power.
Another problem in the gear pump known in the prior art results from the fact that dead spaces are created by the connection devices arranged in the gap between the drive shaft and the gear, which cannot be freed of paint residues by flushing. Because of the rotational movement of the drive shaft and the gear, such paint residues, however, propagate in an undesired fashion, so that undesired contamination cannot be ruled out.
A gear pump is known from EP 1 164 293 A2, in which the feed channel system and the flushing channel system are connected within the pump housing only by the gap between the pump housing, the gears, the driveshaft and the journal. To this extent, the paint residues that reach the gap can be removed by intensive flushing. However, in the known gear pump, the driveshaft is connected to the gear by force-fit, which, however, hampers simple disassembly and assembly between the driveshaft and the gear.
The task of the invention is to modify a gear pump of the generic type, so that the gap connected to the feed channel system can be easily flushed within the pump housing.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a gear pump of the generic type, in which assembly and disassembly possibilities are retained even after longer operating times.


The disclosure relates to a method of transmitting data in various types of electronic devices that are connected to the Internet of Things (IoT). An electronic device, according to an example of the disclosure, may include an additional storage device in addition to a buffer that stores data packets for created or collected information in order to minimize or reduce the loss of the information. Further, according to an example of the disclosure, the electronic device can re-transmit data by determining a re-transmission delay value or an aggregation level using a maximum transmission delay value required by an application associated with the corresponding data packet and a current transmission delay value counted based on the creation time of the data packet.

These days, machine type communication is rapidly evolving from a Machine to Machine (M2M) concept capable of performing intelligent communication between people and things, or between things, using a mobile communication network into a concept of interacting with all information of real and virtual worlds as well as things while extending its area to the Internet. Namely, M2M that enables the intelligent communication between people and things, or between things, anytime and anywhere in real time in a stable and convenient manner is extending its area to the Internet of Things (IoT) while connecting all surrounding things through the Internet.
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a technology of connecting various types of things, which have a sensor and a communication function embedded therein, to the Internet. Here, the things include various embedded systems (a computer system of an electronic device such as a smart phone), such as home appliances, mobile equipment, wearable computers, etc. The things connected to the IoT have to be connected to the Internet with unique IPs by which the things can be identified, and may have sensors embedded therein for acquiring information from an external environment.
An example of a network to which such an IoT is applied is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example IoT network. Referring to FIG. 1, the IoT network 100 may include a smart LED 10, a thermometer 20, a washing machine 30, a smart refrigerator 40, a robotic vacuum cleaner 50, a smart TV 60, a digital camera 70, a smart phone 80, a wearable device 70, and the like.
The devices that constitute the IoT network 100 may be classified into: small things that have comparatively simple unique functions and accordingly have small hardware for providing IoT services, such as the smart LED 10 and the thermometer 20; big things that have no display, such as the washing machine 30, the smart refrigerator 40, and the robotic vacuum cleaner 50; and big things that have displays, such as the smart TV 60, the digital camera 70, the smart phone 80, and the wearable device 90.
The devices may transmit and receive data packets that include sensor data measured through sensors included therein or information collected thereby. Accordingly, information may be collected by a specific device, for example, the smart phone 80 and may be provided to users. Alternatively, the information may be provided to an external service server, which makes it possible to provide services using the information. For example, a room temperature measured by the thermometer 20 may be transmitted to the smart phone 80, and a user may identify the temperature to control the room temperature.
Accordingly, each device that constitutes the IoT network 100 may operate as one node, and the devices, such as the smart TV 60, the digital camera 70, the smart phone 80, and the wearable device 90, may be specified as sink nodes that collect information of the other node devices.

Method and device for transmitting data in electronic device


A switchable tappet for directly transmitting a cam lift onto a tappet push rod, includes a housing having a push rod distal end which is formed with a ramp surface for contact by a cam. An inner element is placed in a recess of thehousing and has a push rod proximal end formed with an abutment for the push rod. Secured to the push rod proximal end of the inner element is an attachment to extend the inner element beyond the recess of the housing, wherein the attachment has a housing-distal end formed with a shoulder. A helical compression spring extends between the shoulder of the attachment and a rim of the housing for urging the inner element in a direction of the push rod, and conically expands, at least partly, in the direction of the push rod and is wrapped around the attachment of complementary conical configuration.

This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Serial No. 101 23 964.5, filed May 17, 2001, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a switchable tappet for directly transmitting a cam lift onto a tappet push rod, especially in a valve train of an internal combustion engine.
German Pat. No. 198 44 202 describes a tappet of a type involved here, including a housing formed with a recess for receiving an inner element for movement in longitudinal direction and abutment by a push rod. At a side distal to the push rod, the housing has a ramp surface for contact by a cam. The inner element is extended beyond the recess of the housing and is acted upon by a spring assembly comprised of two compression springs and received in the housing. The spring assembly rests on one end against a housing bottom and on the other end against an underside of the inner element. This conventional tappet suffers shortcomings because the arrangement of the spring assembly results in an unnecessarily long housing length, as a result of the required spring deflection plus the block size of the spring assembly. Thus, the tappet is overall of long dimension between its abutment against the inner element for the push rod and the cam ramp surface, so that the total mass is increased and the overall construction is complicated. Moreover, manufacturing costs are increased, as a number of outer surface areas are not smooth and of long size, and require cost-intensive fine machining operations, such as grinding.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved switchable tappet to obviate prior art shortcomings.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a switchable tappet for directly transmitting a cam lift onto a tappet push rod, in particular in a valve train of an internal combustion engine, includes a housing formed with a recess and having a push rod distal end which is formed with a ramp surface for contact by a cam, an inner element disposed in the recess for movement into at least one position in which the inner element is coupled to the housing, wherein the inner element has a push rod proximal end formed with an abutment for the push rod, an attachment secured to the push rod proximal end of the inner element to extend the inner element beyond the recess of the housing, wherein the attachment has a housing-distal end formed with a shoulder, and a helical compression spring, extending between the shoulder of the attachment and a rim or rim-proximal region of the housing, for urging the inner element in a direction of the push rod, and conically expanding, at least partly, in the direction of the push rod and wrapped around the attachment of complementary conical configuration.
The present invention resolves prior art problems by shifting the arrangement of the compression spring to the outside so that the housing and thus the entire tappet can be constructed significantly more compact compared to conventional tappets. As a consequence, the overall mass of the tappet can easily be reduced. The conical configuration of the compression spring with its attachment contributes to a further shortening of the overall tappet length, when compared to conventional helical cylindrical compression springs. The conical configuration also ensures a sufficient mobility of the push rod upon the abutment during operation of the valve drive. Of course, the free mobility of the push rod may also be established by manufacturing only the inner surface area of the attachment in a conical way.
Despite the conical configuration of the attachment, it may also be possible to make the compression spring cylindrical or partly cylindrical for certain applications. It is also conceivable to provide a conical spring assembly with compressions springs nested within one another.
Measured between the abutment for the push rod and the ramp surface for the cam, the tappet should have a length which at a maximum is about ⅔ of a length of conventional tappets for valve drives in internal combustion engines of this type.
According to another feature of the present invention, the attachment may be a separate structural element and made of thinwalled lightweight material to keep the overall weight to a minimum. Examples of lightweight material for making the attachment include sheet metal or plastic. Suitably, the shoulder of the attachment is formed in one piece with the attachment and configured as ring collar extending from the attachment. Of course, the shoulder may also be a separate part that is connected to the attachment.
According to another feature of the present invention, the attachment may be connected to the outer or inner surface area of the inner element by a clip connection or snap connection. Such a connection is easy to realize. Other types of connection at the disposal of the skilled artisan may be suitable as well. Of course, it is also conceivable to provide the attachment in single piece configuration with the inner element.
A simple securement of the attachment can be realized by providing the inner element with a necking in an axial area of the rim of the housing. Suitably, the attachment is secured to the outer surface area of the inner element in the area of the necking. Of course, it is also conceivable to secure the attachment to the inner surface area of the inner element.
According to another feature of the present invention, the inner element has a ramp surface proximal side which is provided with a cylindrical impression whereby the ramp surface for the cam may be implemented as a rolling bearing mounted roller. In this way, the overall size of the tappet is further reduced, because part of the end face of the inner element moves over the roller as ramp surface in off-mode of the tappet.
According to another feature of the present invention, there is provided a hydraulic clearance compensation element, which is disposed in the inner element. As a consequence, additional adjustment measures for the valve clearance in the valve train, also of mechanical type, can be omitted. Supply of the hydraulic clearance compensation element may be implemented selectively via the push rod or a guide member enclosing the housing. The same is true for the coupling means, not described in more detail here.
According to another feature of the present invention, the housing may have a thinwalled structure and exhibit at least over a major part thereof a continuously open, tubular configuration.

Switchable tappet for directly transmitting a cam lift onto a tappet push rod


Protein targets for disease intervention through inhibition of nucleic acid metabolism are disclosed. Novel polypeptides for one such target, DNA-dependent ATPase A, and novel polynucleotides encoding DNA-dependent ATPase A are disclosed. Phosphoaminoglycoside compounds which act on such protein targets to inhibit nucleic acid metabolism. In addition, screening assays for identifying compounds that inhibit nucleic acid-dependent ATPase activity, including, but not limited to, DNA-dependent ATPase A, are disclosed. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of diseases, including but not limited to cancer and infectious disease, through disruption of nucleic acid metabolism and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, methods for prevention and treatment of diseases including, but not limited to cancer and infectious disease are disclosed.

The interactions of proteins with nucleic acids involve a host of mechanisms for nucleic acid binding. Many nucleic acid-binding proteins (transcriptional repressors, transcriptional activators, restriction endonucleases, etc.) interact with a primary recognition sequence in a polynucleotide. These proteins: i) are generally classified as "sequence specific binding proteins"; ii) tend to bind double-stranded nucleic acids; and iii) tend to have significant numbers of contacts between their amino acid side chains and the edges of the bases which are exposed in either the minor or the major groove of a double-stranded nucleic acid. Proteins in this class have been the subject of extensive biochemical characterization and a significant number of protein-DNA co-crystal structures are now available (Steitz. Q. Rev. Biophys. 23, 205-280 (1990); Pabo and Sauer. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61, 1053-1059 (1992)).
A second class of proteins, "nonspecific binding proteins" (single-stranded DNA binding protein, DNA polymerases, etc.) are generally found to interact with single-stranded nucleic acids. The non-specific proteins are commonly considered to bind to a nucleic acid through predominately electrostatic interactions with the phosphodiester backbone of the nucleic acid and the favorable binding can be enhanced through protein-protein interactions (cooperativity). Biochemical analysis has been extensive for many of these proteins but unlike the sequence specific binding proteins, the information about protein-DNA contacts from crystallographic structures is very limited (Lohman and Ferrari. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 63, 527-570 (1994)).
Finally, there are a number of proteins that are not readily classified according to the specific or nonspecific categories. This third group of proteins is not generally grouped as a class but have the common feature of recognizing and binding to specific nucleic acid structures with neither the sequence specificity nor the electrostatic interactions of either group of proteins described above. This latter group would include proteins such as: i) E. coli RuvA and RuvB, which bind Holliday junctions and promote branch migration (Parsons et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 89, 5452-5456 (1992); Muller et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268, 17185-17189 (1993)); ii) E. coli ribosomal protein L11, which recognizes the three-dimensional conformation of an RNA backbone and thus may regulate conformational changes during the ribosome elongation cycle (Ryan et al., J. Mol. Biol. 221, 1257-1268 (1991); Ryan and Draper. Biochemistry. 28, 9949-9956 (1989)); iii) topoisomerase II, which can yield cleavage of DNA following secondary structure-specific DNA recognition (Froelich-Ammon et al., J. Biol. Chem. 269, 7719-7725 (1994)); iv) DNA-dependent protein kinase, which phosphorylates proteins when activated by the presence of DNA double-stranded to single-stranded transitions (Morozov et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry. 269, 16684-16688 (1994); Chan and Lees-Miller. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 271, 8936-8941 (1996)); and v) transcription factor EBP-80, which also recognizes double- to single-stranded transitions in DNA (Falzon et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry. 268, 10546-10552 (1993)). The sequence specific binding proteins described above utilize a host of motifs for interacting with nucleic acids (zinc fingers, helix-turn-helix, "saddle", etc.). Different potential motifs for this latter group of proteins have not yet been elucidated.
Nucleic acid-dependent ATPases are proteins that previously have not been generally classified as either specific or nonspecific binding proteins. Assays of helicases (molecular motors which unwind double-stranded nucleic acids) frequently require a structural element comprised of both a partial duplex nucleic acid and a nonhomologous tail on the strand to be displaced (Matson and Kaiser-Rogers. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 59, 289-329 (1990)). Furthermore, the hydrolysis of ATP by helicases leads to strand displacement (facilitated distortion) presumably through conformational changes in the helicase itself (Wong and Lohman. Science. 256, 350-355 (1992)).
Although nucleic acid-dependent ATPases have been identified, the precise role of these enzymes in nucleic acid metabolism has not been clearly elucidated. Moreover, nucleic acid-dependent ATPases have not been proposed as targets for therapeutic intervention through disruption of nucleic acid metabolism. Indeed, efforts into such intervention have focused on nucleotide analogs, such as ddI and AZT, which act on the polynucleotide chain itself in inhibiting DNA replication.

Methods and compositions for targeting DNA metabolic processes using aminoglycoside derivatives

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