A converging point of processing laser light is made to accurately follow a laser light irradiation surface of an object to be processed. An object to be processed 1 is irradiated with measuring laser light along a line to cut 5, astigmatism is added to a reflected light component of the measuring laser light reflected by a front face 3 of the object 1 irradiated with the measuring laser light, a displacement sensor signal corresponding to a converged light image of the reflected light component having the astigmatism added thereto is detected, and the displacement sensor signal is made to become a feedback reference value corresponding to the quantity of the reflected light component, so as to locate the converging point of the processing laser light at a predetermined position with respect to the front face 3. This allows tire converging point of the processing laser light to follow the front face 3 of the object 1 reliably and accurately even when an area exhibiting an extremely low reflectance to the measuring laser light exists in a part of the front face 3 and lowers the quantity of the reflected light component of the measuring laser light.

Known as a conventional laser processing method is one which irradiates a planar object to be processed with processing laser light while locating a converging point within the object, so as to form a modified region to become a cutting start point within the object along a line to cut the object (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-150537


A screw pump is disclosed in which a screw portion of the pump is constructed having an eccentric portion e, wherein the pitch S of the screw is equal to 4e. The screw channel depth h, is equal to 2e (twice the eccentricity). The resulting screw has an optimum geometric shape allowing maximum pumping capability to be achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for pumping materials and, more particularly, to pumps containing a double-threaded stator accommodating a single-threaded screw-rotor. The device of the present invention can be used for pumping various materials in different branches of industry, including petroleum products, oils, latexes, alkalies, clay solutions and various liquid food products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known in the art are pumps constructed in accordance with USSR Inv. Cert. No. 1,079,894, 1984, MK F 04 c 5/00, in which an outer threaded surface of a screw-rotor and an internal surface of a stator (conveying tube) are conically shaped. For the purpose of increasing the stability of the pump in the course of operation, the diameter of the threaded surface varies inversely with variations of the external surface diameter.
A disadvantage of this construction is that the coupling of the conical screw-rotor with the stator does not result in maximum specific volume (and, consequently, the capacity) of the area between the rotor threads and the stator.
Also known in the art is a pump constructed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,602, having a parabolic screw. However, a disadvantage of this construction is that the parabolic curve results in a screw geometry that does not maximize the capacity of the pump.
Another known pump is the single-threaded rotary pump II8-OHA manufactured in the USSR. The vertical longitudinal profile of the screw of the II8-OHA represents the reiterative concave and convex catenary lines of arbitrary curvature. When the screw rotates, the material in the closed spaces between the internal and external surfaces of the screw and stator is conveyed by pressure from one closed space to the next over the entire pump length until it reaches the outlet pipe. The screw pump capacity depends on the size of the closed space between the screw and stator surfaces, and the maximum size of the closed space depends on the area defined by the cross-sectional vertical longitudinal profile of the screw.
A disadvantage of a pump constructed in this manner is that, for the given geometry of the screw, the capacity is not maximized since its vertical profile is formed by a catenary line, i.e., by a curve which fails to maximize the use of the area in the screw cross-section.


The first of two serially arranged electromagnetically operated spool type drain control valves is conditioned to select the drain passage of smaller the pump before the second valve is moved from its closed or communication cut-off position, to its open position wherein hydraulic fluid can be drained therethrough, whereby the spool of the second valve is exposed to a relatively small flow generated force which acts thereon and which tends to move the valve spool toward to its closed position. In another embodiment the hydraulic fluid temperature is monitored and used to modify the control schedule via which the switching of the drain control valves is determined. A further embodiment monitors a parameter which is indicative of the prime mover rotational speed and inhibits the closure of the second of the two valves when the rotational speed is above a predetermined limit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure via which hydraulically operated devices such as active suspensions and the like are operated and more specifically to such an arrangement which permits the size of the switching valve associated with a dual pump system to be reduced in size.
2. Description of the Prior Art
JP-A-2-123284 discloses a hydraulic fluid supply arrangement which includes two separate pumps, one having a larger displacement capacity than the other. Each of the pumps is arranged to discharge fluid under pressure into separate discharge passages in which respective first and second check valves are disposed. The two discharge passages merge into a single supply passage or conduit at a point downstream of the check valves.
In order to control the amount of fluid which is discharged into the supply passage, a drain control valve arrangement is operatively disposed in two drain passages which respectively lead from the first and second discharge passages at locations upstream of the check valves, and is arranged to selectively determine the amount of fluid which is permitted to drain back to a reservoir from which the pumps induct.
The drain control valve arrangement can be conditioned to assume a first state (mode 1) wherein the drain passage which is associated with the larger of the two pumps is open and the drain passage which is associated with the smaller of the two, is closed; a second state (mode 2) wherein the drain which is associated with the smaller is open and that associated with the larger pump is closed; and a third state (mode 3) wherein both of the drain passages are closed. Accordingly, in mode 1 only the discharge of the small pump is output while in mode 2 the output of the small pump is drained and replaced with that of the larger one. In mode 3 the combined discharge of both pumps is output (both drains being closed).
The drain control valve arrangement can consist of two serially arranged solenoid operated valves. The first and upstream valve is fluidly communicated with the two drain conduits and is such as to select the drain conduit of the larger pump when de-energized and to switch to the drain conduit of the smaller pump when energized. On the other hand, the second and downstream valve is arranged to determine if the drain passage selected by the first upstream valve is to be permitted to communicate with the reservoir or not. In this instance, this second valve is arranged to establish communication between the first valve and the reservoir when energized. In other words, the first valve is used to determine which of modes 1 and 2 is employed while the second valve induces mode 3 when de-energized.
However, this arrangement is such that, when the spool of the second valve arrangement is moved from its communication cut-off position to the one wherein draining is permitted, the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve produces a force which tends to move the valve spool back toward its communication cut-off position. Accordingly, as the spring is used to bias the valve spool toward its cut-off position, the solenoid must be able to produce a sufficient force to overcome both the spring and the force produced by the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve in order to be able to move the spool.
With the prior art arrangement, depending on the state of the first valve arrangement and the conditions to which the system is subjected, upon the second valve arrangement being switched to a position wherein drainage is permitted, it is possible for the spool of the second valve arrangement can be exposed to the flow produced by the larger of the two pumps. As this relatively large flow produces a force larger than produced that by the output of the smaller of the two pumps, it is necessary to provide a solenoid which can definitely produce a sufficient force to move the spool against the spring force and the relatively large force produced by the large flow to the position wherein the valve is open and drainage is permitted.
This of course induces the drawback that this relatively large solenoid, which is capable of overcoming the maximum resistance to spool movement which is apt to be encountered during system operation, increases the overall bulk, weight and cost of the drain control valve.
A further drawback which has been encountered with the above type of arrangement is that the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is not taken into consideration. As the temperature of the hydraulic fluid varies, the discharge characteristics of the pumps vary along with the control characteristics of the device which is motivated by the supply of hydraulic fluid under pressure.
Another problem which has been encountered with the above type of arrangement is that when the pumps are driven by a belt or similar type of connection with the engine crankshaft at high engine speeds, upon the drain control arrangement being conditioned to stop the draining of both pumps, the resistance to rotation which is exhibited by the pumps sometimes leads to a situation wherein driven connection (e.g. belt) slippage occurs.

Hydraulic supply arrangement for use with active automotive suspension or the like


The present invention provides novel methods of cell disruption and release of biomolecules from a cell. The invention comprises the use of positively and/or negatively charged microparticles comprising ground resin. It is particularly useful for purification of biomolecules from cell culture.

Despite all previous efforts to develop artificial production systems, biological entities such as cells are unrivalled in their ability to produce complex substances such as antibiotics, proteins and nucleic acids. Nearly all substances of cellular origin produced industrially today are extracellular products that are produced within the cell and subsequently excreted into the environment. However, a large proportion of potentially useful substances remain intracellular. In order to release the intracellular material, cells are typically disintegrated by mechanical, physical, chemical or enzymatic means. The recovery efficiency of valuable cellular products is closely linked to their formation, location and their interactions within the biological system. In the past decades, investigations of molecular structures and their functionality within these cellular systems have enhanced the diversification of such products and their large-scale processing. At the same time, requirements regarding product quality, especially in the healthcare sector, resulted in the necessity to deliver well defined, effective and highly pure substances.
Current methods for cell disruption include mechanical and non-mechanical methods. Non-mechanical methods comprise physical (decompression, osmotic shock, thermolysis, freeze drying, microwave), chemical (antibiotics, chelating agents, detergents, solvents, alkalis, supercritical CO2) and enzymatic (lysis, autolysis, phages) methods. On the other hand, mechanical approaches and devices for cell disruption comprise bead milling, homogenisers, cavitation (ultrasonic, hydrodynamic) and microfluidizers. Only some cell disruption methods (mainly mechanical) are performed at an industrial scale, where they are commonly integrated in downstream (e.g. recovery, purification) processing.
For large scale, the most common mechanical methods are bead milling and high pressure homogenisation which are typically implemented as standard operations. When using high pressure homogenisation, a cell solution is forced through a narrow valve under high pressure. By passing through the valve, cells are subjected to turbulence, cavitation, high shear forces and a sudden pressure drop upon discharge which tear the cells apart. The stress and erosion of the valve must be considered in the construction and increase with the rising homogenising pressure. Further, the temperature of the solution rises with increasing pressure, rendering the method energy-consuming and making cooling of the device and the suspension necessary, particularly when temperature-labile enzymes are released. Approximately more than 90% of the power consumed by the homogeniser dissipates as heat, and the cooling cost represents a large portion of the total costs for cell disintegration. Further, successive passages are often required in order to achieve sufficiently high yields (Kula et al., "Purification of Proteins and the Disruption of Microbial Cells." Biotechnology Progress 1987).
In bead milling, beads are added to a biological fluid which is subsequently subjected to high speed agitation by stirring or shaking. By collision with beads cells are disrupted and intracellular contents are released. Bead milling also produces heat and requires cooling. It is a rather complex process influenced by a variety of parameters, including construction of the bead mill, operational parameters and product specific properties. Construction and geometry of the bead mill are crucial process variables. However, smaller versions are often geometrically dissimilar to industrial-scale bead mills, which complicates the extrapolation of data from laboratory trials to batch performance (Kula et al., "Purification of Proteins and the Disruption of Microbial Cells." Biotechnology Progress 1987).
Mechanical disruption methods suffer from several drawbacks. Because cells are entirely disrupted, all intracellular materials are released, thereby increasing the contaminants content of the intermediate product. Thus, the product of interest must be separated from a complex mixture of proteins, nucleic acids, and cell fragments. In addition, released nucleic acids may increase the viscosity of the solution and may complicate subsequent processing steps such as chromatography. The cell debris produced by mechanical disintegration often consists of small cell fragments, making the solution difficult to clarify. Complete product release often requires more than one pass through the disruption device, which exacerbates the problem by further reducing the size of the fragments. These are difficult to be removed by continuous centrifugation, because the throughput of the device is inversely related to the square of the particle diameter. Filtration is complicated by the sticky nature of the homogenate and by its tendency to foul membranes. Furthermore, mechanical methods require regular maintenance and costly equipment and are energy consuming. They generate heat and require extensive cooling in order to be usable for temperature-sensitive enzymes. Further, they expose the cells and therefore the extracted products to high shear stress. Most products will be denatured by the heat generated unless the device is sufficiently cooled.
As mentioned above, more selective release methods involve physical, chemical or enzymatic treatment. Chemical treatment involves the use of EDTA, chaotropic agents, organic solvents, antibiotics, acids, alkalis and surfactants. Besides the problem of waste disposal of excess chemicals, these methods are rather expensive and thus not suitable for large-scale application. Contamination of the desired product with the chemicals is another drawback. Some chemicals are not very selective and tend to damage sensitive proteins, enzymes and the cells walls.
Enzymatic cell disruption is more specific but is often limited when applied to complex cell structures with several distinct layers such as bacterial cell walls. Further, it is restricted by the cost of enzyme and buffers. Thus, enzymatic treatment is not applicable at large or industrial scale either. Another drawback is the potential contamination of the desired product with the enzyme.
Physical permeabilization can be accomplished by freeze-thawing or osmotic shock treatment. With freeze-thawing, multiple cycles are necessary for efficient product release, and the process can be quite lengthy. Osmotic shock treatment, on the other hand, may not be sufficient to disrupt cells with robust cell wall structures.
In sum, disadvantages of these methods include comparably high costs, low practicability at large scale, low efficiency and reproducibility, and the necessity to remove added substances after the release.
Taking into account the potential of cellular production systems, there is a need for alternative methods for recovering biomolecules, in particular from cell suspensions, which are easy to handle, cost-efficient, and scalable. Further, the methods should be gentle enough for sensitive biomolecule products and enable a highly selective biomolecule recovery which yields a product with low contamination. It is therefore one objective of the present invention to provide a method or system which overcomes one or more of the above mentioned drawbacks.
It must be noted that as used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the", include plural references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a reagent" includes one or more of such different reagents and reference to "the method" includes reference to equivalent steps and methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art that could be modified or substituted for the methods described herein.
Unless otherwise indicated, the term "at least" preceding a series of elements is to be understood to refer to every element in the series. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
The term "and/or" wherever used herein includes the meaning of "and", "or" and "all or any other combination of the elements connected by said term".
The term "about" or "approximately" as used herein means within 20%, preferably within 10%, and more preferably within 5% of a given value or range. It includes, however, also the concrete number, e.g., about 20 includes 20.
The term "less than" or "greater than" includes the concrete number. For example, less than 20 means less than or equal to. Similarly, more than or greater than means more than or equal to, or greater than or equal to, respectively.
Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integer or step. When used herein the term "comprising" can be substituted with the term "containing" or "including" or sometimes when used herein with the term "having".
When used herein, "consisting of" excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim element. When used herein, "consisting essentially of" does not exclude materials or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claim.
In each instance herein any of the terms "comprising", "consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" may be replaced with either of the other two terms.
It should be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodology, protocols, material, reagents, and substances, etc., described herein and as such can vary. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined solely by the claims.
All publications and patents cited throughout the text of this specification (including all patents, patent applications, scientific publications, manufacturer's specifications, instructions, etc.), whether supra or infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the invention is not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. To the extent the material incorporated by reference contradicts or is inconsistent with this specification, the specification will supersede any such material.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Microparticles for cell disruption and/or biomolecule recovery


Disclosed herein are humanized antibodies in which human germline residues are introduces to the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) of a non-human donor antibody. Also described herein are libraries of antibody variable domains (e.g., phage-display libraries) and methods for screening for humanized antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies can rapidly be produced by the mouse immune system for biological studies. In a clinical setting, however, the use of these murine antibodies can result in a human anti-mouse antibody response (HAMA). Chimeric antibodies can reduce anti-IgG responses in human, but murine v-domains may still have provocative T-cell epitope content, necessitating "humanization" of their framework regions.
Classical humanization generally begins by transferring all six murine complementarity determining regions (CDRs) onto a human antibody framework (Jones et al., Nature 321, 522-525 (1986)). These CDR-grafted antibodies generally do not retain their original affinity for antigen binding, and in fact, affinity is often severely impaired. Besides the CDRs, certain non-human framework residues must also be incorporated into the variable domains to maintain proper CDR conformation (Chothia et al., Nature 342:877 (1989)). The incorporation of murine residues at key positions in the human frameworks to restore function is generally referred to as "back-mutations." Back-mutations can support structural conformation of the grafted CDRs and restore antigen binding and affinity. Many of the framework positions that are likely to affect affinity have been identified, thus structural modeling to select new residues in a stepwise fashion can generally lead to variants with restored antigen binding. Alternatively, phage antibody libraries targeted at these residues can also be used to enhance and speed up the affinity maturation process (Wu et al., J. Mol. Biol. 294:151-162 (1999) and Wu, H., Methods in Mol. Biol. 207:197-212 (2003)).
Current humanization techniques still suffer from flaws, such as high non-human amino acid content retention; grafting into poorly understood frameworks; requirement for homology modeling of the v-domains, which is often inaccurate; or a co-crystal structure with the target antigen. Therefore, there is a need to develop new humanization methods.


A metallic leading edge protective strip adapted to provide impact protection for a leading edge of an airfoil of a turbomachine. The protective strip is formed of a stainless steel or a nickel-based alloy and is denser and provides increased strength and elasticity characteristics as compared to an identical protective strip formed of a titanium-based alloy. The protective strip is particularly suitable for use with composite blades and allows for thinner airfoils, thereby improving engine efficiency.

The present invention generally relates to leading edge protective strips suitable for composite airfoils. In particular, the present invention relates to metals and alloys employed in protecting the metal leading edge (MLE) of airfoil components.
Many modern gas turbine engine airfoil components, such as fan blades and stator vanes, are constructed of composite laminate or molded fiber. MLEs are used to protect the airfoils of such composite components from impact and erosion damage that can often occur in the engine environment. In conventional practices, a V-shaped protective metallic strip is often wrapped around the leading edge and sides of the airfoil to provide such protection.
Many processes exist for the manufacture of such MLEs and will not be discussed in detail here. Related emerging processes have been disclosed in US Patent applications US2011/0129600A1 and US2011/0097213A1. Additionally, other manufacturing processes, including, for example, traditional machining and creep forming can be used to manufacture MLEs. Creep forming is known in the art as a process in which temperatures high enough to cause plastic deformation of a part are used under pressure to effect the desired shape for the part. An aging treatment can simultaneously occur at the process temperature. To date, a large number of MLEs have been composed primarily of titanium or its alloys due to ease of manufacture and reduced weight. Further, the impact strength of MLEs made of titanium or its alloys has been found to be satisfactory. In US patent application US 2011/0194941A1, Parkin et al. disclose a co-cured sheath for a composite blade. While not intending to promote any particular interpretation, it appears to disclose a method of co-curing the MLE with a polymer matrix composite (PMC) blade structure using a sheath made of titanium, nickel, a titanium alloy or a nickel alloy. Though thinner turbine engine airfoils increase overall blade efficiency, thereby reducing engine specific fuel consumption (SFC), any reduction in the thickness of MLEs made of titanium or its alloys may lead to reduced impact strength of the component.
Impact conditions play a large role in sizing an airfoil. Regardless of the thickness of an airfoil, the MLE must be able to withstand the same or similar impact conditions as does the airfoil. Therefore, in order to significantly reduce the thickness of an engine airfoil, an MLE capable of withstanding the same impact conditions with a lower thickness and hence a lesser volume of material is desired. The utilization of a more dense material with higher yield strength allows for an overall thinner structure resulting in system mechanical properties, such as, for example, bending strength and radial mass, nearly identical to those of titanium or its alloys. One particular goal of aircraft engine research and development is improved SFC, which describes the fuel efficiency of an engine design with respect to, for example, thrust output. Since the metal leading edge is applied to protect the underlying composite blade, a leading edge with reduced thickness without compromising mechanical properties can enhance specific fuel consumption, while at the same time affording the needed protection for the composite blade. Thus, there is an ongoing effort to develop materials capable of improving specific fuel consumption without compromising mechanical properties desired for an MLE.

Metal leading edge protective strips for airfoil components and method therefor


An apparatus and method for distributing seasoning on lanes of stackable chip product using a series of vibrating funnel fingers. A narrowed discharge end for each funnel finger is positioned over a lane of chips, thereby directing the seasoning on each chip and limiting the amount of seasoning that must be recycled or discarded. Oscillation of the funnel fingers insures even seasoning distribution on the chips and precludes accumulation of the seasoning on the distribution apparatus.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for depositing seasoning on a stackable chip product and, in particular, to a series of vibrating funnel fingers for precise direction of the seasoning on the chips traveling tip to tip in discrete lanes down a seasoning conveyor.
2. Description of Related Art
Granular or powdered seasoning is typically added to snack food chips, such as potato chips, tortilla chips, corn chips, and the like, after the product has been cooked and prior to packaging. Such snack food is typically seasoned by sprinkling seasoning of one form or another on the surface of the individual snack items. Examples of this process include seasoning potato chips with salt, barbeque flavoring, cheese flavoring, sour cream flavoring, or vinegar flavoring. A typical barbeque flavoring comprises brown sugar, onion powder, corn syrup solids, and cheddar cheese of various particle sizes. A typical cheese flavoring comprises dehydrated cheese, sugar, cheddar cheese, and cultured milk. A typical sour cream flavoring comprises lactose, sugar, sour cream, cultured cream, cheddar cheese, and onion powder. Such seasonings that contain dehydrated cheese and other cheese products are very hydroscopic, requiring handling in an environment with low humidity and relatively cool ambient temperatures.
The application of granular or powdered seasoning to a chip product is typically accomplished by introducing the unseasoned snack food into a cylindrical seasoning drum or tumbler, as is more fully discussed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,939, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,593 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,907, all of which are directed to an apparatus and method for distributing seasoning on snack food items.
Typically, the seasoning drum is tilted at an inclined angle and is axially rotated at a relatively low rotation speed. The chips are introduced at the more elevated end of the drum. The combination of the tilt and rotation causes the chips to travel continuously down the drum toward an exit at the lower end of the drum. A horizontal, non-rotating seasoning dispenser is extended into the drum for distribution of the granular or powdered seasoning onto the chips while the chips are gently tumbled in the drum. This method of seasoning chips provides an even distribution of the seasoning over the chips in the drum, which are then typically routed to weighers and a form and fill machine for packaging of the chips in flexible containers.
The use of a drum for seasoning chips, however, is not practical when the chip product is intended to be stacked in a container, such as a form fried, stackable potato chip packaged in a cylindrical, tube-like container. As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,875, directed to an apparatus for producing and packaging food chips, a preferred method for packaging stackable chips involves keeping the chips in a specific orientation in aligned rows throughout the cooking, seasoning, and packaging process. The chips are form-fried and then placed on a conveyor in discrete lanes or columns to proceed for further seasoning and stacking during the packaging process. The use of a seasoning drum for a stacked chip product would require a subsequent orientation step wherein each chip would need to be realigned in lanes with other chips and properly oriented for nested stacking. Additionally, the seasoning drum would introduce a certain amount of product breakage, which is unacceptable in a stacked chip presentation.
In place of a seasoning drum, a seasoning curtain for distributing granular or powdered seasoning onto the chips as they pass below the curtain on a conveyor has been used in the prior art for seasoning stackable chips. After form-frying, the chips travel down a seasoning conveyor oriented in columns. The chips are sprinkled with salt or other seasoning on one side of the chips from a conventional seasoner located above the conveyor. (Because the chips are stacked, it is not necessary to season both sides of the chips. The seasoning applied to the one side of a chip tends to season the opposite side of the next chip stacked on top.) The seasoning conveyor is typically a continuous open-mesh belt which allows any seasoning that is not deposited on a chip to fall through the belt for collection underneath the seasoning conveyor. Depending on the nature of the seasoning applied, the excess seasoning can then be discarded or, preferably, recycled.
The use of a seasoning curtain for distribution of seasoning on stackable chips using such a seasoning conveyor understandably leads to a relatively high volume of excess seasoning falling past the chips and through the conveyor, particularly between the non-occupied space on the conveyor between the chip lanes. Seasoning can be quite expensive, and the disposal of the excess seasoning is not an economic alternative. Unfortunately, the recycling of the excess seasoning can also be problematic. For example, recycling of the seasoning can change the characteristics of the seasoning that is recycled. With handling, the particulate size of the seasoning can change. As noted previously, many seasonings, such as those with cheese ingredients, are very hydroscopic. Recycling and prolonged exposure to ambient conditions, even in a relatively controlled environment, can therefore change the characteristics of such seasoning. There is also the potential that oil absorbed by seasoning that falls off of chips on the seasoning conveyor can change the characteristics of the seasoning. The absorption of either oil or water by the seasoning particles can make the seasoning sticky, therefore subject to lumping together and adhering to the seasoning apparatus. Further, when the characteristics of the seasoning change, either the process must be modified to adjust for such changes, which can affect, among other properties, the adhesion and flavor characteristics of the seasoning, or the seasoning must be discarded.
Consequently, a need exists for a seasoning distribution method and apparatus that evenly distributes powdered or granular seasoning on a stackable chip product while limiting the amount of seasoning that must be either recycled or discarded. Such invention should be easily adaptable to a stackable chip product line so as not to interfered with chip stacking steps. Preferably, such invention should comprise a mechanically simple design capable of operating continuously without the accumulation of seasoning particles on the seasoning apparatus.
The proposed invention comprises a series of funnel fingers to channel powdered seasonings on chips. The funnel fingers are mounted as a part of a rail that vibrates, thereby promoting even distribution of the seasoning and precluding seasoning from adhering to the funnel fingers. Each individual funnel finger is oriented over a lane of chips and tapers such that the funnel opening immediately above the lane of chips is less than the width of a single chip. In order to minimize wastage between chips, the chips are placed in contact from tip to tip prior to passing below the seasoning funnel fingers.
The proposed invention limits the amount of seasoning that requires recycling or disposal while also insuring a uniform distribution of the seasoning on the chip product. The proposed invention is a mechanically simple design that allows for the continuous distribution of the seasoning without the accumulation of seasoning on the seasoning apparatus. Further, the present invention is easily adaptable to a stackable chip product line in place of a conventional seasoning curtain device.
The above as well as additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following written detailed description.

Vibrating funnel fingers for distribution of seasoning onto discrete lanes


A clamp assembly and method for clamping an elongate member to a support member. The clamp assembly comprises a receptacle adapted to at least partially receive the elongate member, a pair of flexible support straps connected to the receptacle, and a pair of flexible clamping straps. The pair of flexible support straps are capable of matingly engaging one another around the support member and the pair of flexible clamping straps are capable of matingly engaging one another around the elongate member and the support member. The receptacle has a recess therein adapted to at least partially receive the elongate member. A pivotable buckle is attached to one of the flexible clamping straps for securely tensioning the pair of clamping straps around the elongate member and the support member. An adjustment assembly is attached to one of the flexible clamping straps. The adjustment assembly comprises an elastomeric adjuster attached to one of the flexible clamping straps and an adjustment patch attached to the elastomeric adjuster. The adjustment patch is capable of matingly engagingly one of the flexible clamping straps. The pairs of flexible support straps and flexible clamping straps engage with hook and loop type fasteners. A clamping tool is used to provide the leverage to pivot the buckle into the closed position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clamp assemblies for connecting one or more members to a support member, and more particularly to a clamp assembly to attach one or more pipes or lines, such as hydraulic, electric or pneumatic, to another pipe. The present invention is particularly adapted for use as a riser clamp assembly to attach various lines or pipes to a subsea riser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need often arises for a clamp assembly to attach a cable, hose or pipe to a support member or pipe. Typically, the cable, hose or pipe is run along the length of the support member or pipe. Many types of clamp assemblies have been used to secure the members to one another. The members may be horizontally positioned or vertically positioned. It is generally desirable that the clamp assembly be capable of quick installation while securely attaching the clamped members to one another. Additionally, it is desirable that the clamp assembly be lightweight and relatively inexpensive.
In the offshore drilling and production industry, it is frequently necessary to run hydraulic hose bundles and/or electrical cables or pipes hundreds and even thousands of feet below the support vessel or drilling or production platform down to the sea floor and beyond. Typically, the hydraulic hose bundle and/or electrical cables are required to be attached to a support member, such as a wireline cable or a subsea riser. Due to the high cost of working in such environments, it is critical that the clamp assembly be easy to install, quickly installed and reliable and dependable to firmly secure the clamped members. In the offshore industry, limited platform space is available for the workman to install the clamp assemblies and the workman is limited to accessing the riser from a single side. Thus, it is vitally important that the clamp assembly be easy to install from a location on one side of the riser.
In the past, riser clamps comprised of two half sections joined about the riser have been used. These riser clamps have been fabricated completely from steel. Such clamps are subject to rust and corrosion and add unwanted weight to the entire clamped assembly. Additionally, such clamps tend to be time consuming to install. Another type of riser clamp that has been used is similar to a large hose clamp which screws tight and directly clamps the clamped members to the support member. This type of clamp is subject to damaging the clamped members and is time consuming to install.
It is desirable to have a clamp assembly that is lightweight, easy to install, and capable of being quickly installed. It is also desirable that the clamp assembly be economical in addition to firmly securing the clamped members to one another. It is also desirable that the clamp assembly be adapted to be used within a casing. It is also desirable that the clamp assembly be capable of being used within a casing while also providing protection to the clamped members during their travel within the casing. It is further desirable that the clamp assembly be adapted to be used with a support member comprising a cable in addition to a riser pipe. The clamp assembly should also provide protection against abrasion at the contact points with the clamped members. Additionally, the tools required to install the clamp assembly should be lightweight and easy to use.

High strength clamp assembly with flexible straps and method of using same


A tool for pulling a speed reduction unit from a drive shaft includes a puller plate that has outwardly extending flanges adapted to be placed in a groove formed in the internal surface of a tubular mounting sleeve of the reduction unit so that, when a threaded rod is threaded through the plate to extend into the sleeve and the inner end of the rod abuts the end of the drive shaft on which the tubular sleeve is mounted, continued threading of the rod into the mounting sleeve causes the plate to react against the wall of the groove and force the mounting sleeve and the reduction unit carried thereby off the drive shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tools for servicing machinery, and more particularly concerns a device for removing a driven unit from the drive shaft to which it is keyed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several types of devices for removing machinery from drive shafts have been proposed. The best known of these devices are wheel pullers which typically include a central screw member for engaging the end of the shaft, and a reaction member into which the screw is threaded. The reaction member may consist of hook members or bolts or the like that are adapted to grip the wheel to be removed from the shaft so that, after the screw is threaded into the reaction member to a point where it engages the end of the shaft, continued rotation of the screw forces the wheel off the shaft.


A process for making thermally imageable negative working compositions comprising the steps of:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for making a thermally imageably, negative working printing plate.
2. Brief Description of Art
The use of thermally sensitive, negative working printing plates comprising patterning compositions coated over a hydrophilic underlayer is well known. Several methods for forming images using such compositions are known. All these methods are based on the principle of introducing a differentiation in properties between the image-wise exposed and non-exposed parts of thermally sensitive composition, e.g. difference in solubility, adhesion, tackiness, permeability etc. Such generated difference may be subsequently employed in an additional developing step to produce a visible image. A difference in solubility in an aqueous developer between exposed and non-exposed parts of the thermally sensitive compositions is often used for the production of lithographic printing plates.
The use of the difference in solubility is described in the following documents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,254 (Takahashi et al.) is directed to an image-forming method wherein a light-sensitive material comprising a support having a light-sensitive layer provided on the support. The light-sensitive layer containing a quinonediazide sensitizer. This light-sensitive material is imagewise exposed with a high intensity energy beam (e.g. a laser beam) to make the o-quinonediazide compound alkaline soluble in those areas that are imaged; then overall heating the light-sensitive material to insolubilize the exposed areas; then overall exposing (flood exposing) the thus-processed material with light to solubilize unexposed areas; and then developing with an alkaline developer to provide a negative image by removing alkaline soluble areas of said layer. This reference does not teach employing acid generator-type light sensitive layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,254 (Stahlhofen et al.) describes a process for producing negative relief copies using a light-sensitive material that contains either a benzoquinone diazide compound or a naphthoquinone diazide compound. This process includes the steps of imagewise exposing the light-sensitive material; then heating the light-sensitive material; then flood exposing the thus processed material which is followed by developing the material, whereby the layer areas which were not struck by light in the first imagewise exposure are washed off. This reference uses quinone diazides as the sensitizers in the light-sensitive material and does not teach the use of acid generator-type sensitizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,741 (Garth et al.) describes a method for the reversal of photosoluble lithographic printing plates having an aromatic quinone diazide-containing coating. This method includes the steps of (1) imagewise exposing a portion of the coated surface with UV lamp to render that portion soluble in a developer; (2) heating the plate and coating to render the imagewise exposed relatively insoluble in the developer; (3) then overall irradiating the coated surface to solubilize the remaining portion of the coated surface not previously exposed, wherein the overall irradiation step (3) is applied through water. This process does not teach the use of acid generator-type sensitizers, but instead is limited to quinone diazide sensitizers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,699 (Haley) teaches a method of forming a lithographic printing surface comprising the steps of: (a) providing a lithographic printing plate comprising a support and an imaging layer containing an admixture of (1) a resole resin, (2) a novalac resin, (3) a latent Bronsted acid and (4) an infrared absorber; (b) imagewise exposing said lithographic printing plate to activating radiation; (c) heating said lithographic printing plate to provide reduced solubility in exposed areas and increased solubility in unexposed areas; and (d) contacting said lithographic printing plate with an aqueous alkaline developing solution to remove the unexposed areas thereof and thereby form a lithographic printing surface. This process does not teach using a heat treatment between the flood exposure step (c) and the development step (d).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,622 (Roser) describes the production of negative relief copies of a recording plate that uses naphthoquinone diazide compounds as the photosensitive compounds. This process includes the step of: (1) imagewise exposing the recording plate using UV, metal halide, xenon or arc lamps; (2) then heating the exposed plate; (3) then uniform exposing the plate to the same light source used in the imagewise exposure; and (4) then developing the thus-processed recording plate with an aqueous alkaline developer to dissolve the alkali-soluble components and form a negative relief copy. This process also does not teach the use of acid generator-type sensitizers, but is limited to quinone diazide sensitizers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,119 (Shinozaki) teaches an image formation process that employs photosensitive composition layer containing a quinone diazide photosensitizer and includes the steps of: (1) exposing the entire surface (flood exposing) of the photosensitive composition layer, to light rays (normally at 290 to 500 manometers) that render the quinone diazide compound soluble in an alkaline developer; (2) then imagewise heating the flood exposed photosensitive composition layer (such as with a thermal head printer); and (3) then developing with an aqueous alkaline solution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,502 (Van Damme et al.) teaches a method for making a lithographic printing plate comprising the steps of (a) imagewise exposing an imaging element having a photosensitive layer and a thermosensitive layer with a laser thereby imagewise rendering the thermosensitive layer transparent to light for which said photosensitive layer has spectral sensitivity; (b) overall exposing the imaged element with light for which said photosensitive layer has spectra sensitivity; and (c) developing the element. This process does not teach an intermediate heat treating step.
European Patent Application EP 0 851 296 A1 (Habenhauer et al.) teaches a process similar to that in U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,502. Again, no intermediate heat treatment is taught.
Japanese Published Patent Application No. 11190902 A2 (Kunio) teaches making a heat mode recording lithographic printing plate having a image forming layer containing a quinone diazide compound and an infrared absorber. This plate is formed by (1) imagewise exposing the image forming layer with laser beams; (2) then flood exposing it to ultraviolet rays; and (3) then developing it with an aqueous alkaline developer.
Japanese Published Patent Application No. 267266 A2 (Mitsumasa) teaches a method for making lithographic printing plates that includes the steps: (1) imagewise exposing a photosensitive layer to visible laser beams; (2) then developing the imagewise exposed photosensitive layer; and (3) then flood exposing the developed photosensitive layer to UV light.
Japanese Published Patent Application No. 089478 A2 (Yasuo) teaches a method for making a photopolymerizable printing plate wherein a photosensitive layer is imagewise exposed to specified exposure light using a laser, then developed and then flood exposed to light at least 100 times the quantity employed in the imagewise exposure.
As illustrated above thermally sensitive compositions can be used in a variety of methods to reproduce images. Among these methods those, which employed patterning compositions containing light-sensitive material that is a mixture of an acid generator, a cross-linking resin or compound, a binder resin and an infrared (IR) absorber, are commonly used for the production of printing plates. The plates are imaged by imagewise exposure to IR radiation to produce imaged areas, which after further processing steps are insoluble in a developer liquid. These parts consist of a coating which results after acid catalyzed network formation between binder resin and crosslinker.
However, these thermal imaging systems require a heat treatment step after IR imaging and before development (commonly referred to as a preheat step) to complete image formation. The window of operation of these compositions was found to be dependent on the amount of heat exposed during both the IR imaging and the preheat step. When inadequate levels of heat were applied to the imaged areas during IR radiation imaging or preheat, then incomplete image formation or weak images may result on the printing press. In contrast, when the heat energy during the preheat step is too high, both imaged and non-imaged parts are hardened. This phenomenon is referred as fogging, the temperature at which that is first observed as first fogging (in following referred as F).
The thermal sensitivity of the resulting printing plate enables them to function, but for some applications, processing a desirable number of plates within a short period of time is problematic. The most important factor for increasing this number is the amount of acid produced during the IR exposure.
The use of high-performance lasers or laser diodes, which employs higher power than previously used imaging equipment and, thus, leading to a shorter exposure time, is sometimes also problematic with some patterning composition layers. When lasers are used as the exposure equipment, portions of the patterning layer may be ablatively imaged, which decreases the amount of coating remaining at the surface after processing, and decreasing the number of copies during print. When laser diode arrays are used as the exposure equipment, then so-called banding can occur indicated by a strip-wise color difference at the surface of processed plates.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method that will widen the window of operation of patterning compositions, based on acid generation during imagewise IR exposure, thereby decreasing the required IR exposure energy, improve processability, chemical resistance and the performance of printing plates. The present invention provides an excellent solution to that need.
Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is directed to a process for making thermally imageable negative working compositions comprising the steps of:
(1) providing a patterning composition layer on a substrate, said patterning composition comprising:
(a) at least one thermal-generated acid generator;
(b) at least one cross-linking resin or compound;
(c) at least one binder resin comprising a polymer containing at least one reactive pendent group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, sulfonamide, alkoxymethylamide and mixtures thereof; and
(d) at least one infrared absorber;
(2) subjecting the patterning composition layer to a two-stage radiation exposure;
(a) one stage being a flood UV-exposure stage; and
(b) the other stage being a imagewise infrared exposure stage;
(3) treating the exposed patterning composition with heat energy; and
(4) developing the heat treated, exposed patterning composition with an aqueous alkaline developer to remove the non-imaged areas of the patterning composition and leaving the imaged areas substantially unaffected.
According to this invention, it has been found that when selected negative working patterning compositions that are both sensitive in the IR and UV wavelengths are treated with both UV flood exposure and the IR imagewise exposure (in either order) prior a preheat step, the speed can be increased and the preheat and banding latitude are widened. A preferred range of UV exposure exists as overexposure would result in too early fogging, a too low working temperature which may result in insufficient cross-linking. The required level of acid can be produced easily and well defined by common UV exposure devices. Advantageously, such devices are installed prior the preheat segment of the processing line for the plate. Such lines are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/573,126, filed May 17, 2000.
This invention is useful in processing negative working, thermal imaging plates that use patterning compositions containing acid generator and cross-linked resin precursors. One example of such patterning composition is DITP plates commercially available from Kodak Polychrome Graphics LLC.
This invention also increases the preheat and banding latitude and increases the IR sensitivity of the plate, thereby also reducing ablation.
FIG. 1 is a graph of the measured processing conditions shown in Example 2 with a working temperature fogging pointxe2x88x925xc2x0 C. (Fxe2x88x925).
FIG. 2 is a graph of the measured processing conditions shown in Example 2 with a working temperature fogging pointxe2x88x9210xc2x0 C. (Fxe2x88x9210).
FIG. 3 is a graph of the measured processing conditions shown in Example 2 with a working temperature fogging pointxe2x88x9215xc2x0 C. (Fxe2x88x9215).
FIG. 4 is a graph measured densities for the processing conditions in Example 3.
FIG. 5 is a graph of the measured densities for the processing conditions in the Comparison Example where the UV flood exposure occurs after the preheat step.

Process for making thermal negative printing plate

Abstract: (a) at least one thermal-generator acid generator,

Abstract: (c) at least one binder resin comprising a polymer containing at least one reactive pendent group selected from the group, consisting of hydroxyl, carboxylic acid, sulfonamide, alkoxymethylamide and mixtures thereof; and

Abstract: (d) at least one infrared absorber;

Abstract: (a) one stage being a flood UV-exposure; and


There are disclosed a process for producing methyl formate by dehydrogenating methanol in liquid phase in the presence of a solid catalyst and a process according thereto wherein a gas (N.sub.2, H.sub.2, CO, etc.) is continuously blown into the liquid phase from outside, and the gas along with the reaction product are continuously withdrawn outside the reaction system from the gaseous phase directly or through a cooler. By virtue of the liquid-phase reaction in the above process, as compared with the conventional gaseous phase reaction, the reaction temperature can be lowered, the reaction gas rich in the objective methyl formate rather than methanol is obtained by continuously withdrawing the resultant methyl formate outside the reaction system and accordingly, a single pass yield higher than that at the thermodynamical equilibrium-value is assured, whereby energy saving is made possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing methyl formate by the dehydrogenation of methanol.
Methyl formate is a product for chemical industries which is important as an intermediate to be used for producing organic chemicals such as dimethylformamide and formic acid, carbon monoxide and the like.
2. Description of Related Arts
It is known that methyl formate is produced by a process wherein methanol is carbonylized into methyl formate under pressure by the use of a catalyst such as sodium alcoholate according to the chemical equation CH.sub.3 OH+CO HCOOCH.sub.3 (1) or a process in which methanol is catalytically dehydrogenated into methyl formate according to the chemical equation 2CH.sub.3 OH HCOOCH.sub.3 +2H.sub.2 (2).
The production of methyl formate by the dehydrogenation of methanol is industrially put into practice at the present time due to the recent progress of development of catalysts and a variety of catalysts proposed. There are disclosed, as examples of dehydrogenation catalyst, a catalyst comprising copper and an element belonging to group 3a of the periodic table in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6412/1981; a catalyst comprising copper, an actinide and an rare-earth element in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46819/1978; a catalyst comprising copper, zinc, an oxide of aluminum and zirconium in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46821/1978; a catalyst comprising copper and a cement in Japanese Patent Publication No. 15820/1982; a catalyst comprising copper, calcium and a zirconium compound in Japanese Patent Publication No. 44655/1982; and a catalyst comprising copper, zinc, an oxide of aluminum, an alkali-metal compound and a phosphorus compound in Japanese Patent Publication No. 33418/1984 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 151047/1991.
The production of methyl formate by the dehydrogenation of methanol usually attains only several tens percent of yield because of equilibrium conditions. In the case of carrying out the dehydrogenation reaction under pressure taking into consideration the collection of low boiling methyl formate, the yield thereof is further lowered. In the case of effecting the reaction in gaseous phase, therefore, it is forced to cool reactor outlet gas for separating gas from liquid, separate methyl formate from the mixture of the condensed methyl formate and unreacted methanol, and thereafter recycle a large amount of the separated methanol through the dehydrogenation reaction step, causing a disadvantage that a large amount of energy is required. If the problems of such low conversion efficiency in one pass system and the forced recycle of a large amount of methanol are solved, it is made possible to more efficiently produce methyl formate by the dehydrogenation of methanol.
In the production of methyl formate by the dehydrogenation of methanol in gaseous phase, the above-mentioned equilibrium restriction makes it impossible to achieve a high yield of methyl formate in one pass system.
Accordingly, in order to advantageously proceed with the reaction, the equilibrium restriction must be overcome. For the aforesaid purpose, for example, methyl formate or hydrogen as a reaction product may be withdrawn outside the reaction system to enable the reaction to proceed towards the formation of methyl formate. The aforementioned idea is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 235846/1990. According to the disclosure therein, by the use of a reactor equipped with a hydrogen separating membrane, the hydrogen produced by the dehydrogenation of methanol is continuously withdrawn through the separating membrane outside the reaction system so as to proceed with the reaction. However, according to the working examples therein, the above-mentioned method shows improvements in methanol conversion efficiency and yield of methyl formate of only 2 to 13%, when compared at the same reaction temperature.
Under such circumstances, intensive research and investigation were accumulated by the present inventors, and finally the present invention has been accomplished.


A process for preparing a subassembly, the process comprising (a) defining the location of one or more grooves for receiving at least one polymer waveguide in a wafer, (b) etching the grooves into the wafer, each groove having sidewalls and a first facet at the terminal end perpendicular to the side walls, the first facet having a first angle relative to the top planar surface, (c) coating the first facet with a reflective material, and (d) disposing a fluid polymer waveguide precursor into each groove, and writing a core into the polymer material by directing at least one laser beam on the first facet by directing the laser beam into the top of the polymer material such that the beam reflects off of the first facet and down the interior of the polymer material to form the core in the polymer waveguide.

Fiber optic components are used in a wide variety of applications. The use of optical fibers as a medium for transmission of digital data (including voice, internet and IP video data) is becoming increasingly more common due to the high reliability and large bandwidth available with optical transmission systems. Fundamental to these systems are optical subassemblies for transmitting and/or receiving optical signals.
Optical subassemblies typically comprise an interposer. As used herein, an interposer functions as a substrate for optical, opto-electrical, and electrical components and provides interconnections to optically and/or electrically interconnect the optical/opto-electrical/electrical components. For example, a typical interposer may comprise a substrate, for example, silicon, having one or more grooves formed therein for securing an optical fiber. The conventional groove is formed in the shape of a "V" by wet etching the substrate to include two sidewalls that retain the optical fiber along its length and an end face that is used as a mirror device. The conventional V-groove has a particular pitch α, which is the angle between the walls of the V-groove and a top or reference surface in which the V-groove was etched. Each of the sidewalls and the end face are typically formed at a precise angle of 54.7 degrees from the reference surface due to the crystalline structure of silicon.
During operation, the end face of a conventional interposer V-groove is metalized so that it may be used as a mirror to reflect light between the optical/opto-electrical component and the optical fiber. For example, in the case of a transmitter, an opto-electrical light source emits a cone-shaped light beam onto the V-groove end face mirror. The V-groove end face mirror reflects the light through an end of the optical fiber retained in the V-groove. As discussed above, the surface of the V-groove end face is at an angle of precisely 54.7 degrees from the reference surface. As such, light is reflected off the groove end face mirror through the optical fiber at approximately −9.3 degrees from the reference surface and also from the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber retained in the V-groove. Therefore, current devices utilizing the end face mirror of the groove to launch light through an end of the optical fiber cause much of the light to be reflected away from the axis of the optical fiber resulting in non-optimal signal transmission performance.
Therefore, Applicants recognize that there is a need for an improved optical coupling between the optical/opto-electrical component and the optical fiber or an optical planar waveguide. Additionally, Applicants recognize that this optical coupling should be achievable through passive alignment rather than active alignment to facilitate economic production of the subassembly. To this end, Applicants recently filed a new patent application (U.S. application Ser. No. 12/510,954, incorporated herein referenced) disclosing a multi-faceted fiber end face mirror for optical coupling. Specifically, the facets of the fiber end face mirror included a 54.7 degree facet to mechanically contact the end face of the V-groove to precisely position the optical fiber end face mirror in the V-groove along the longitudinal axis and under the emission aperture of the opto-electrical device. Additionally, another facet was a 45 degree facet to facilitate optimal optical coupling between the optical axis of the fiber and the optical axis of the opto-electrical device. Additional facets were also disclosed for enhancing performance. Each of these facets would then be coated with a metal to act as a reflective mirror surface.
Although this development improved the optical performance and facilitated passive alignment of the subassembly, it also required coating the fiber end face on a number of different facets with a metallic/reflective coating. Applicants have identified an additional need to avoid the requirement for depositing a reflecting coating on fiber end faces as such a process tends to be difficult and expensive and may be time prohibitive in a high volume application.
Therefore, a need exists for a simplified means for preparing an optical assembly having good optical coupling to either an optical fiber or an optical planar waveguide and performing this optical coupling by passive alignment. The present invention fulfills this need among others.


A method of monitoring a maximum available capacity of a battery includes providing a number of diverse end-of-discharge-voltage values. A counter is assigned to each of the end-of-discharge-voltage values. The battery is discharged. One of the end-of-discharge-voltage values at which the battery is discharged is determined. A counter reading of the counter assigned to the determined end-of-discharge-voltage value is incremented. The previous steps are repeated. The counter readings are read-off so as to obtain a number of read-off counter readings. Based on the read-off counter readings, a first factor representing a first measure of a decline in the maximum available battery capacity is determined.

In order to provide an uninterrupted power supply, operation by means of batteries, in particular rechargeable batteries, is provided besides mains operation, in case of breakdown. For being able to provide a reliable electric power supply in industrial plants, motor vehicles, and many other fields, it is necessary to monitor the state of health (SOH) of the battery, the currently available or actual battery capacity, the charge status of the battery and numerous other battery parameters. Numerous solution options are already known in this regard.
For example, DE 199 52 693 A1 describes an apparatus for the determination and display of the state of health of a battery. In particular, the charge status of a battery can be determined with the known apparatus. To this end, the apparatus is equipped with sensors for ascertaining the battery voltage, battery temperature and battery current (charging current or discharging current). The known apparatus is further equipped with an analysis circuit, which can determine the battery SOH from the measured values. The known apparatus is furthermore capable of determining a charging and/or discharging balance of the battery for determination of the energy flow as a function of the discharge depth. In this connection, the battery temperature is one of the factors considered.
In addition, a method of monitoring rechargeable batteries is described in DE 38 32 839 C2. The method serves inter alia for calculation of the capacity that can be withdrawn from a battery for various discharging currents in relationship to the associated values of the discharge characteristic. In this manner, the point when the extractable capacity for an intended discharging current falls below a permissible minimum value can be established. This method takes account of the 'Peukert effect', which states that, as the discharging current of a battery increases, the energy that can be withdrawn steadily decreases.
A method for determining the status of a battery is described in DE 40 07 883 A1 with which method a respective discharge voltage value measured after current extraction from the battery is compared with a voltage value which is determined from a series of charge status curves, and the voltage difference of the two values is determined. This voltage difference is compared with the stored characteristics of the particular battery type and the decrease of the maximum available battery capacity is hence determined.
A monitoring and controlling system for several batteries connected in series is described in DE 10 2007 029 156 A1, the batteries potentials thereof being tapped and evaluated in order to optimize the service life or duration of batteries in hybrid vehicles.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the maximum available capacity of a battery


Document storage and display cabinet with one or more pull-out and tilt-down drawers with each drawer having a spring-loaded hold-down and line marking rod which spans substantially the full width of the drawer and is positionable in any location from the front to the rear of the drawer and which by interaction with its spring loading is movable to a raised position spaced from the face of the drawer so as to not impede repositioning or movement of a document onto or out of the drawer.

1. Field of the Invention
Document storage and display cabinet with individually withdrawable trays or drawers in stacked arrangement and with document hold-down means spanning and movable by the user across the entire face of the tray or drawer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Storage cabinets with pull-out trays or drawers which tilt down at an angle to display drawer contents and with document hold-down means have long been well-known, such as disclosed in Noll et al U.S. Pat. No. 428,406, Sell U.S. Pat. No. 832,426, Dungan U.S. Pat. No. 1,205,604, and Ratigan U.S. Pat. No. 1,274,446. However, in such cabinets, the document hold-down means are typically movable in the sense of being liftable and pressed by spring action against documents in a drawer but such hold-down means do not fully span and are not movable across the face of the drawer so as to function as a line marker in relation to and across the full width of a document filling and arranged open-face in the drawer, for example.
Also known are stand type copy or book holders such as disclosed in Putnam U.S. Pat. No. 1,161,339, wherein is disclosed a copy or book holder with a wire strand 11 which is movable vertically on the stand on rods 10, with the wire strand 11 serving to hold a book or paper on the stand in an open position. However, the configuration of the parts is such that the wire strand 11 of the Putnam stand is movable only vertically on the stand a distance less than the full vertical height of the face of the stand and does not span and is not movable horizontally relative to the face of the stand.


Described herein are methods, systems, and computer program products for providing supplementary information with an initial visualization. To provide supplementary information, a display device can provide the initial visualization, a gaze tracker can capture gaze direction data from a user viewing the initial visualization, and a processor of a computing device can process the gaze direction data to determine a point of interest. The display device can then provide the supplementary information with the initial visualization based on the point of interest.

In general, when rendering supplementary information on or for charts and graphs, a processor must execute a plurality of preloading activities to support the rendering. The pre-loading of exhaustive and potentially relevant activities is expensive in computational terms and creates a cluttered user interface.
For example, consider a time series graph of a stock price over ten year period that includes a dramatic spike or dip, which calls an attention of a user. When the user selects the dramatic spike or dip, the processor renders supplementary information that may be relevant to a user's interpretation of the entire time series graph by pre-loading all relevant activities, which can span a year or more of time series information.
It is thus desirable to provide a mechanism for pre-loading activities at a reduced computational cost and for streamlining interface graphics.

Hands-free time series or chart-based data investigation

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Techniques describe tuning a plurality of radio stations, buffering digital audio data from each tuner, recognizing programming segments in the buffer, identifying content (e.g., song title and artist) of at least some segments, selecting from among the identified segments, and providing the selected segments to a listener. In an example, at least two signals are simultaneously tuned from at least two radio stations. Digital audio data and metadata obtained from the tuning may be buffered. The buffered data may be segmented into programming segments. Information may be obtained about the programming segments. For example, a song title and artist may be obtained for a programming segment comprising a song. In another example, a second programming segment may be identified as a commercial or may remain unidentified. The obtained information identifying programming segments may be analyzed to identify listener-preferred programming segments. Preferred programming segments may then be provided to the listener.

One issue that plagues radio listeners is the frequent need to change stations. As songs and/or musical genre change, as radio personalities and/or programming change, or as commercial messages are played, listeners are inclined to change stations in search of more suitable programming.
In a home setting, a remote control (perhaps configured with preset stations) can assist a listener to change stations, particularly if the listener has convenient access to the remote control. In an automobile, pushbutton preset stations assist the listener to quickly change channels. Additionally, a "scan" feature may be used to automatically change stations until the listener hears a station that seems like a good balance between programming and continued searching.
However, in spite of the use of remote controls, preset stations and scanning devices, the listener is frequently tuned to a station that is not optimal.
Furthermore, radio is transient by nature. Listeners have no control over what song or program will come on next. Once a song is over, a listener has no way of listening to the song again.

Radio to tune multiple stations simultaneously and select programming segments


A method for a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication to trigger a transaction according to determined distance thresholds comprises: setting a Threshold 1 as a low-frequency magnetic field intensity value corresponding to a distance to trigger the transaction; setting a Threshold 2 as a low-frequency magnetic field intensity value corresponding to an effective communication distance of the low-frequency magnetic field; setting a Threshold 3 as a low-frequency magnetic field intensity value corresponding to a farthest transaction distance; examining an intensity of the low-frequency magnetic field transmitted by a card reader and determining whether the intensity is >=the Threshold 2; if yes, receiving and storing information of the low-frequency magnetic field; further determining whether a low-frequency magnetic field intensity is >=the Threshold 1; if yes, initiating a transaction process; during the transaction process, determining whether a low-frequency magnetic field intensity is < the Threshold 3; if yes, interrupting the transaction.

Along with the popularization of the mobile communication technology, mobile communication terminals gradually come into people's daily lives. As an important part of mobile communication terminals, the SIM (Subscriber Identity Model) card in the mobile communication terminals is broadly used. Along with the continuous development of the technology, to meet the increasing requirements of users' experiences on mobile communication terminals, a SIM card with multiple new functions is developed and is put into use. A radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication is one of the examples.
The radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication is a SIM card with functions of low-frequency magnetic communication and radio-frequency communication. It comprises a card body and an integrated circuit in the card body. The card body of the radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication comprises a SIM card interface that matches with a mobile communication terminal. The integrated circuit in the card body comprises: a central processing unit (CPU); a low-frequency magnetic induction circuit and a low-frequency magnetic information receiving module that are electrically connected with the CPU; a SIM card memory, a radio-frequency transceiver circuit, and an interface circuit that are electrically connected with the CPU; and a radio-frequency transceiver antenna electrically connected with the radio-frequency transceiver circuit. The radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication is electrically connected, through its own interface circuit and the SIM card interface on the card body, with a mobile communication terminal. The radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication not only can communicate with the mobile communication terminal to realize functions of a normal SIM card but also can conduct short-distance communication with matching external processing devices (e.g. a card reader) through the low-frequency magnetic induction circuit, the low-frequency magnetic information receiving module, the radio-frequency transceiver circuit, and the interface circuit. The process and content of the short-distance communication is processed specifically by the central processing unit CPU inside the radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication.
The radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication is mostly used in a mobile phone. Besides all the functions of a normal SIM card, it can also allow the mobile phone to have the functions of smart cards such as a public transit card, an entrance guard communication card, a credit card, a small-amount payment card, and a time card. Moreover, the information generated when the various smart card functions are used can be displayed directly on a screen of the mobile phone and the user can accomplish the various operations through a keyboard of the mobile phone.
When a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication is used as smart cards such as a public transit card, an entrance guard communication card, a credit card, a small-amount payment card, and a time card, to avoid misreading operations, a distance for a mobile communication terminal having the radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication to carry out an effective data transmission with a card reader, i.e. a transaction-triggering distance, must be controlled to a certain range. In addition, when the SIM card enters such a transaction zone, the transaction-triggering speed shall not be too slow; otherwise, the use effect of the user will be affected.
It is a fact that a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication needs a long time to receive information of the low-frequency magnetic field during the use resulting from a low communication rate of a low-frequency alternating magnetic field. How to maximize the reliability of a transaction-triggering distance while overcoming the problem of an excessive long transaction-triggering time caused by such fact is important and urgent for realizing an application of a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication. Meanwhile, minimizing the user's transaction time is also important.

Methods for a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication to trigger a transaction according to determined distance thresholds


A refrigerant overcharge prevention system is applied to a refrigerant charging apparatus which has a refrigerant supply source and a refrigerant supply pipe connected to a refrigerant circuit of a cooling apparatus. The charging apparatus charges refrigerant into the refrigerant circuit while activating a compressor provided in the refrigerant circuit. The system comprises a refrigerant flow suppressing mechanism provided in the refrigerant supply pipe for preventing an excessive flow of refrigerant being charged, a refrigerant charge determining sensor provided in a high-pressure side path of the refrigerant circuit for determining whether the amount of charged refrigerant reaches a desired level by sensing a change of the state of refrigerant present in the refrigerant circuit, and a compressor deactivating circuit for deactivating the compressor in response to the determination of the refrigerant charge determining sensor. The refrigerant charge rate is appropriately suppressed by the refrigerant flow suppressing mechanism to prevent generation of an excessive amount of bubbles of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit. Completion of a proper refrigerant charge can be precisely and easily detected by the refrigerant charge determining sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerant overcharge prevention system for precisely and easily detecting the finish of a proper refrigerant charge when refrigerant is charged into a refrigerant circuit of a cooling apparatus using a refrigerant charging apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical conventional cooling apparatus and refrigerant charging apparatus are constituted, for example, as shown in FIG. 11. The cooling apparatus has refrigerant circuit 1 formed from pipe 7. A refrigerant such as freon gas is circulated in refrigerant circuit 1. Compressor 2, condenser 3, receiver dryer 4, expansion valve 5 and evaporator 6 are provided in refrigerant circuit 1 sequentially in the circulation direction of the refrigerant which is shown by arrows. Refrigerant charging apparatus 8 comprises bomb 9 for storing refrigerant therein, gage manifold 10, having pressure gages 11, connected to the bomb via pipe 12 having valve 13, and refrigerant supply pipes 14, having valves 15, connected to refrigerant circuit 1.
In the refrigerant charging apparatus 8, the pressure of refrigerant to be supplied is controlled by valves 13 and 15 while the pressure is observed with pressure gages 11. In such a conventional refrigerant charging system, however, there are the following problems.
When refrigerant is charged, an operator terminates charging after recognizing by observation through a sight glass that bubbles of refrigerant (refrigerant in vapor phase) present in the liquid line of refrigerant circuit 1 or in receiver dryer 4 disappear. Namely, since the bubbles of refrigerant disappear when the amount of refrigerant present in refrigerant circuit 1 reaches a required amount, completion of the charge can be recognized by the state with no bubbles. However, if the rate of refrigerant charge is too fast, the bubbles of refrigerant do not disappear immediately after the amount of refrigerant present in refrigerant circuit 1 has reached a required amount. If the refrigerant charge is continued thereafter, an excessive amount of refrigerant is charged. It is difficult to prevent such an overcharge of refrigerant with the conventional system.
FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the amount of refrigerant charged into the refrigerant circuit and the pressure in the high-pressure side path of the refrigerant circuit. Although the pressure gradually increases as the amount of charged refrigerant increases, there exists an interval (A to B) in which the pressure is almost constant. This interval (A to B) constitutes an interval of proper refrigerant charge amounts. If refrigerant is further charged after the charged amount reaches point "B", the pressure again increases. If the charged amount exceeds point "C" which constitutes the upper limit of the charged amount for circuit 1, the pressure raises rapidly. Thus, the hatched area in the graph of FIG. 9 constitutes an overcharge area wherein the charged amount may cause malfunction of or damage to the cooling apparatus (for example point "D").
FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the refrigerant charge time and the amount of refrigerant charged into the refrigerant circuit. The marks "o" on the ends of the respective characteristic lines indicate points at which the bubbles of refrigerant disappear. As shown in FIG. 10, if the rate of refrigerant charge is too fast, the bubbles of refrigerant do not disappear until the charged amount enters into the overcharge area depicted by the hatch lines (for example, point "D"). Point "D" shown in FIG. 10 corresponds to the point "D" shown in FIG. 9. The interval of proper charge amounts is depicted by "R".
Thus, in the conventional system, since the time when the amount of charged refrigerant reaches a proper amount often differs from the time when the bubbles of refrigerant disappear, it is difficult to charge precisely a proper amount of refrigerant. Moreover, it is difficult to charge consistently refrigerant at an adequate rate in order to prevent inconsistency in refrigerant charge times.

Refrigerant overcharge prevention system

Japan Electronic Control Systems Company, Ltd.


In a semiconductor device manufacturing method, an etching mask (75b) having a predetermined opening pattern is formed on an etching target film (74) disposed on a target object. Then, an etching process is performed on the etching target film (74) through the opening pattern of the etching mask (75b) within a first process chamber, thereby forming a groove or hole (78a) in the etching target film. Then, the target object treated by the etching process is transferred from the first process chamber to a second process chamber, within a vacuum atmosphere. Then, a silylation process is performed on a side surface of the groove or hole (78a), which is an exposed portion of the etching target film (74), within the second process chamber.

In semiconductor device manufacturing processes, a dual damascene method is frequently used for forming a multi-layer interconnection structure (for example, see Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-83869). FIG. 20 comprises sectional views schematically showing sequentially ordered steps of a conventional process for forming an interconnection structure by use of a dual damascene method.
At first, for example, an interconnection layer 500, an inter-level insulating film 501, and an anti-reflective coating 502 are formed in this order on a substrate. Further, a first resist film 503 is formed on the surface of the multi-layer structure thus formed (FIG. 20, (a)). Then, patterning of the first resist film 503 is performed by a photolithography technique to form a predetermined pattern (FIG. 20, (b)). In this patterning step, the first resist film 503 is subjected to light exposure with a predetermined pattern, and the light-exposed portion is selectively removed by development. Subsequently, the anti-reflective coating 502 and inter-level insulating film 501 are etched by an etching process using the first resist film 503 as a mask. Consequently, a connection hole 504 is formed to extend from the surface of the multi-layer structure to the interconnection layer 500 (FIG. 20, (c)).
Thereafter, for example, the first resist film 503, which is not necessary any more, is peeled off and removed by an ashing process (FIG. 20, (d)). Then, a new second resist film 505 for forming an interconnection groove is formed (FIG. 20, (e)). Then, patterning of the second resist film 505 is performed by a photolithography technique (FIG. 20, (f)). Then, parts of the anti-reflective coating 502 and the inter-level insulating film 501 are etched by an etching process using the second resist film 505 as a mask. Consequently, an interconnection groove 506 is formed to be connected to the connection hole 504 and wider than the connection hole 504 (FIG. 20, (g)). Then, the second resist film 505, which is not necessary any more, is peeled off and removed (FIG. 20, (h)). Then, the connection hole 504 and interconnection groove 506 are filled with Cu material, so that a Cu interconnection line (including an interconnection layer and a via-plug) 507 is formed (FIG. 20, (i)).
In recent years, for interconnection structures of this kind, low dielectric constant materials (Low-k materials) including alkyl groups, such as methyl groups, as end groups are used as the material of the inter-level insulating film 501. In this case, etching damage tends to be caused to the inner surface portion of the connection hole 504 or interconnection groove 506, which has been formed by etching the inter-level insulating film 501. Further, when the first resist film 503 and second resist film 505 are removed after the etching process, the inner surface portion of the connection hole 504 or interconnection groove 506 is damaged. Due to this damage, the parasitic capacitance between interconnection lines is increased (due to an increase in dielectric constant), so a signal delay occurs and electrical characteristics, such as insulation resistance, are deteriorated. These problems bring about deterioration in the reliability of semiconductor devices, as circuit patterns used in semiconductor devices are increasingly miniaturized and highly integrated.

Apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device


A display device is proposed. The display device includes a frame, a back plate, a display panel, a flexible printed circuit board, and a tape. The frame is assembled to the back plate to form an accommodation space. The display panel, is disposed in the accommodation space and situated on top of the back plate. The flexible printed circuit board is stuck to and electrically connected to the display panel. The tape includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the tape is disposed opposite the flexible printed circuit board on the display panel. The second portion of the tape is disposed between an edge of the display panel and a side wall of the frame. Therefore, light is prevented from being leaked from the display panel and the flexible printed circuit board is protected against being scratched in the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display technology, and more particularly, to a display device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1 showing a schematic diagram of a conventional display device 10. The display device 10 comprises a frame 11, a housing 12, a back plate 13, a display panel 14, a source 15, and an optical film 16. The housing 12 assembled to the frame 11 and the back plate 13 performs the function of support. More specifically, the housing 12 supports the display panel 14 and sticks to the optical film 16 to avoid light leakage. However, the housing 12 is not easy to be assembled and fractures easily, which not only decreases production efficiency but also increases transportation difficulty.
To solve the above-mentioned problem, the housing 12 is not used conventionally. Instead, supporting components, replacing the housing 12, are disposed on four corners of the display device. The disposition of the supporting components simplifies processes of assembly and transportation, and cost is reduced as well. However, without the housing 12, light generated by the source 15 leaks easily from gaps between the display panel 14 and the optical film 16 when the display device 10 operates, which causes light leakage from the display panel 14. Further, without the housing 12, a flexible printed circuit board at the edge of the display panel 14 is inclined to get scratched by the supporting components or the frame 11.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd


The invention corresponds to a device used in conjunction with a resectoscope in endoscopic surgical operations which includes a housing, pumping means, means for controlling, measuring and displaying the speed of said pumping means in order to make corrections in the inflow and outflow rate of irrigating fluid from the patient thereby maintaining a constant distention of the bladder. The device also includes a plurality of audio-visual alarms that alert the operating physician to any abnormal condition.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus, to be used in conjunction with a resectoscope, capable of providing constant distention of the patient's bladder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Endoscopic surgical operations to correct prostatic and urinary bladder pathology are now performed with a resectoscope. The resectoscope has an inlet that is connected to an irrigating fluid storage that is placed between 60 and 90 cm above the operating table level and an outlet connected to a suction chamber maintaining 10 to 50 cm of Hg of pressure. The operating physician has to guess how much distention and pressure the bladder has and interrupt the operation if dangerous limits are approached as time goes by. The Iglesias type of continuous irrigation resectoscope is currently being used as described above but there has not been an apparatus capable of monitoring and controlling the inflow and outflow of irrigating fluid to the patient's bladder and correcting for urine and blood produced.

Transurethral irrigation pressure controller