A connector for optical fibers comprises a rigid plug formed from material molded around end portions of the fibers and a pair of hollow tubes. All the fibers and tubes extend along parallel straight lines and all the tubes and fibers terminate in a common external surface of the plug. Alignment pins disposed within and extending outwardly from the tubes are used to align the plug with an optical component also aligned by the guide pins. A method of fabrication uses an alignment block for precisely relatively positioning first portions of the fibers and tubes, but with second portions of the fibers and tubes extending beyond an end of the block. The extending second portions of the fibers and tubes, but not the first portions thereof, are encapsulated within a molded plug which is then severed from the fiber and tube first portions for forming the plug common external surface.

This invention relates to connectors for interconnecting optical fibers to other optical components and to methods of fabrication of such connectors.
A characteristic of optical fibers is that they are quite small; the operative cores thereof having diameters as small as 8-10 microns for single mode fibers. A requirement for low loss optical couplings between optical fibers and other components, e.g., other optical filers or optical waveguides, is that the central, optical axes of the two components be aligned to an extremely high degree of accuracy, e.g., around 1 micron.
Optical fibers are now in extensive use, and a wide variety of optical connectors are commercially available. Examples of known connectors relevant to the connectors of the present invention are shown in my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,268,981 (12/17/93), 5,287,426 (2/15/94) and 5,388,174 (2/17/95), the subject matter of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A common feature of many and perhaps all prior art connectors is that the connectors include, as an integral portion thereof, some sort of alignment fixture, typically in the form of one or more blocks each containing a plurality of precisely formed V-grooves. The alignment fixtures serve to precisely position the fibers during fabrication of the connectors and to maintain the fibers in place during use of the connectors. The fixtures, however, being themselves precisely formed, are relatively expensive and the resulting connectors are also relatively expensive.


A negative electrode of an electrochemical capacitor includes an electrode layer using a material capable of reversibly absorbing and releasing a lithium ion. A method for pretreating the negative electrode includes forming a lithium layer on a substrate by a gas phase method or a liquid phase method, and transferring the lithium layer onto a surface of the electrode layer of the negative electrode.

An electric double layer capacitor has a high withstand voltage, a large capacitance, and a high reliability with respect to rapid charge and discharge. Therefore, it is used in many fields. For positive and negative electrodes of a general electric double layer capacitor, a polarizable electrode mainly including activated carbon is used. Furthermore, the withstand voltage of an electric double layer capacitor is 1.2 V when an aqueous electrolyte solution is used and 2.5-3.3 V when an organic electrolyte solution is used. Since the energy of an electric double layer capacitor is in proportion to the square of the withstand voltage, energy is higher when an organic electrolyte solution having a high withstand voltage is used than when an aqueous electrolyte solution is used. However, the energy density of an electric double layer capacitor using an organic electrolyte solution is 1/10 or less of that of a secondary battery such as a lead storage battery. Therefore, further improvement of the energy density is necessary.
In such circumstances, an electric double layer capacitor has been proposed, in which an electrode using a carbon material capable of absorbing and releasing lithium ions is used as a negative electrode and this carbon material is allowed to absorb a lithium ion in advance. Such an electric double layer capacitor is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. Note here that this capacitor uses a polarizable electrode as a positive electrode, and the polarizable electrode mainly includes activated carbon. As a method for allowing a negative electrode to absorb a lithium ion, the following three methods are disclosed.
1) A carbon material and lithium powder are mixed with each other to produce a negative electrode. This negative electrode is immersed in an electrolyte solution, so that lithium is ionized and lithium ions are chemically absorbed by the carbon material.
2) A negative electrode produced by using a carbon material is immersed in an electrolyte solution in a state in which the negative electrode is brought into contact with a lithium foil, so that the lithium foil is ionized and lithium ions are chemically absorbed by the carbon material.
3) A negative electrode produced by using a carbon material and an electrode including lithium are immersed in an electrolyte solution, and an electric current is allowed to flow between the negative electrode and the electrode, so that a lithium ion is electrochemically absorbed by the carbon material.
The above-mentioned electric double layer capacitor has an advantage of having a high withstand voltage and a large capacitance, and is capable of carrying out rapid charge and discharge. However, an operation for allowing a carbon material to absorb lithium ions by a chemical or electrochemical method in advance is complicated, and much man-hour or cost is required. The carbon material is capable of absorbing and releasing lithium ions. Furthermore, it is difficult to obtain an excellent performance stably.
On the other hand, other than an electric double layer capacitor, a lithium ion secondary battery has been developed as a power source capable of charging and discharging a large electric current. A lithium ion battery has a higher voltage and higher capacity as compared with an electric double layer capacitor. However, a lithium ion battery has a higher resistance and remarkably short lifetime by a charge and discharge cycle in a large current as compared with an electric double layer capacitor.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H9-55342

Method for pretreating electrochemical capacitor negative electrode, method for manufacturing the electrochemical capacitor negative electrode, and method for manufacturing electrochemical capacitor using the method for manufacturing the electrochemical capacitor negative electrode


An image processing apparatus can generate a vector sequence representing each color region of a color image. The image processing apparatus divides the image into plural regions based on attribute information of the image, and extracts region boundary information relating to a boundary line between different regions. The image processing apparatus generates inter-edge point vector data for each boundary connecting a first edge point to a second edge point corresponding to intersections of boundaries between neighboring regions, based on the extracted region boundary information. The image processing apparatus identifies one or more inter-edge point vector data representing a boundary of each divided region based on the generated inter-edge point vector data, and generates individual region vector data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus configured to generate a vector sequence representing a color image, a method for controlling the image processing apparatus, and a storage medium storing a related control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
The vector processing technique is conventionally used to process an image, such as fonts for a word processor. The font processing technique includes inputting a sophisticated character design as an object of the vector processing. For example, a conventional technique can digitize an analog character design into a binary image of a relatively large size equivalent to 512×512 or 1024×1024 pixels and generate a vector sequence representing a contour of the character. In general, vector data can realize a smooth contour expression of a character in various sizes and can keep good shape of the character. Furthermore, various sizes of characters can be simply generated from the same vector data without requiring a large amount of data.
Therefore, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,161 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-174140), the vector processing can be applied not only to fonts but also other binary images.
The vector data is numerical data, such as coordinate values, which can be easily edited by a computer. For example, as discussed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0230809 A1, it is useful to apply vector processing to the line art (line image). As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-121699, vector processing can be applied to a full-color image. U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,921 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-157578) discusses vector processing applied to a binary image.
The method discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,921 includes a step of designating predetermined position as a point constituting a contour line based on the state of a target pixel and its neighboring pixels, and a step of determining a connecting direction of points constituting the contour line based on the state of neighboring pixels. Furthermore, the method includes steps of determining a connection state between one and other points constituting the contour line, updating the position of the target pixel on image data in a raster scanning order, and executing the above-described processing based on the state of neighboring pixels for each target pixel, to extract contour points.
The method further includes steps of extracting a target pixel in a raster scanning order while maintaining the state of the target pixel and its neighboring pixels on the image data, detecting inter-pixel vectors in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction based on the state of the target pixel and its neighboring pixels, determining a connection state of these inter-pixel vectors, and extracting a contour of image data based on the determined connection state of the inter-pixel vectors.
The method discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,921 can extract all contour lines involved in an image upon finishing a single complete operation of raster scanning. An image memory is not required to store all image data. Thus, a small image memory can be used. This method is characterized in that a contour line is extracted in the units of the periphery of a pixel, not the central position of a pixel, of an input image. Thus, the method is effective for a thin line having a one-pixel width.
As discussed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0238244 A1 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-346137), it is useful to express contour information of a binary image using the 2-order or 3-order Bezier curve approximation in addition to straight lines. A processing method and a processing apparatus using the function approximation of the contour information can reduce the amount of data expressing a high quality variable power image.
Furthermore, it is useful to extract outline vectors from a binary image according to the method discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,921 and applying function approximation discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,161 to the extracted outline vectors. The obtained smoothed outline vectors can form a high-quality digital binary image of a desired (arbitrary) magnification.
However, the conventional color image vector processing relies on the steps of determining a region of pixels having the same color attribute determined on the color space of an input image (i.e., a same color region composed of same color pixels) and generating a vector sequence constituting a contour shape of each determined same color region.
However, if the contour of each region is subjected to Bezier function approximation or smoothing processing, a clearance or an overlap may appear along the boundary of regions because the contours of neighboring regions on the input image may not be subjected to the same approximation or smoothing processing. FIG. 57 illustrates an example of contour shapes extracted for an input image, according to which serially joined pixels having the same color defined on the color space constitute the same region. There are three color regions adjacent to each other on the input image, if the background color is neglected.
FIG. 58 illustrates a clearance and an overlap between two regions which have been generated by the smoothing (function approximation) processing applied to the vectors constituting a contour shape of each region.

Image processing apparatus, method for controlling image processing apparatus, and storage medium storing related program


A polarographic self-referencing probe uses an electrode that is oscillated between two positions. Depending on the electrode used and the voltage applied, the probe can be used to measure oxygen, nitric oxide, or other molecules or compounds.

This invention relates to polarographic measurement of flux from biological specimens as small as a single cell.
It has been known to use an electrode to polarographically measure oxygen in blood or in tissue samples. As described, for example, in Reissue Pat. No. 31,299, a polarographic oxygen sensor with a reduction electrode and a reference electrode can be used to sense oxygen in samples, such as gases, blood, and tissue. Other oxygen sensors have also been used for measuring dissolved oxygen in such samples.
Other methods have been employed for sensing oxygen for a single cell, but these other approaches typically use highly invasive or intrusive techniques. It would be desirable to be able to measure oxygen and other molecules for specimens as small as a single cell in a non-invasive and non-intrusive manner.

Polarographic self-referencing probe and method for using


An apparatus for and a method of continuously adjusting a brightness and a contrast of a video display. An analog video signal is converted to provide digital luminance (Y) signals and amplitudes of the digital Y signals are adjusted based on determining whether the digital Y signals of a frame have amplitudes corresponding to one or more of four regions of digital values. The four regions include a highest region, a second highest region, a lowest region and a second lowest region. Contrast is adjusted based on whether digital Y values of the frame are included for the highest region and/or the second highest region and brightness is adjusted based on whether digital Y values are included for the lowest region and/or the second lowest region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a method of controlling a picture of the display apparatus, and more particularly, to a display apparatus and a method of automatically controlling brightness and contrast of a screen of the display based on a luminance signal (e.g., a Y signal).
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a display apparatus such as a TV decodes broadcasting signals transmitted from a broadcasting company to video signals to provide picture information to viewers. External video signal apparatuses such as a Video Tape Recorder (VTR) and a Digital Video Disc (DVD) are also used to transmit the video signals for the display apparatus. Such a display apparatus receives the video signals including a Y signal and a chrominance signal (e.g., an U/V signal) as an input from a source of the video signals, such as a broadcasting company, or an external video signal apparatus, and displays images using the input Y signal and the U/V signal.
A user may control contrast or brightness of an image, and screen size in a conventional display apparatus by means of a remote controller. Herein, the contrast and the brightness of displayed images are adjustable in response to an input control signal which is input through the remote controller.
FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C illustrate a general waveform of the Y signal input to a conventional display apparatus. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, a region f stores picture information of each frame, Sa indicates a saturation level, and CF is a cutoff level determining brightness of the Y signal. In a case of an ideal Y signal, an amplitude a of the region f is located between the saturation level Sa and the cutoff level CF.
However, the ideal Y signal is not often obtainable since the Y signal for the display apparatus varies depending on each of the broadcasting companies, a type of the video signals transmitted from each broadcasting company and the different types of video signals provided by the external video signal apparatuses. Thus, if the saturation level is exceeded or the signal level falls below the cutoff level, the display apparatus may encounter problems and display blurred images or images having some missing pixels.
As described above, the conventional display apparatus is inconvenient because the user must re-adjust the contrast or the brightness to optimize display settings if a channel and/or contents of the current display are changed, or if a DVD player or a VTR is used.

Display apparatus and control method of picture thereof


An apparatus for training sports skills for games conducted on a playing surface having a goal using one or more simulated opponents on the playing surface to train a player to strike the game object away from an opponent in addition to practicing striking the game object into the goal. A game object machine(s) can be used to project game objects to one side of the playing surface. A controller can be provided to control operation of the simulated opponent(s) and the game object machine(s) to train placement memory and reaction time in addition to muscle memory. For ice hockey and soccer, the controller can receive input from sensor(s) on the game object, player being trained or the goal to locate the game object and/or player to position the simulated opponent(s) to train the player to strike the game object past the simulated opponent into the goal.

A number of sports games are conducted on a playing surface and involve a player striking a game object away from an opponent in order to be successful. Such sports games can include ice hockey, soccer, tennis and volleyball. Training methods for such sports can include a machine for projecting game objects to the side of the playing surface occupied by a player being trained so that the player being trained can practice and improve his/her skills by striking the game object. For example, tennis players often train by returning balls projected by a ball machine or hit by a trainer to their side of a tennis court to develop their ball return skills. Similarly, ice hockey, soccer and volleyball players practice by striking hockey pucks, soccer balls or volleyballs projected to their side of the game surface by a trainer or a machine. Targets and free kick walls are used in training ice hockey and soccer skills.


An automatic analysis apparatus measures a concentration of an intended component in a biological sample, such as blood or urine, or determines whether such component is contained in the sample or not, and includes a function such that, with respect to the optical system, a part whose lifetime has ended is specified or the degree of deterioration of a part is detected to provide a user with the information. The automatic analyzer has a storage unit for storing a transmitted light distribution for a plurality of wavelengths detected by a receptor element for transmitted light which has passed through a substance to be measured, and a control unit for comparing a first, stored transmitted light distribution with a second transmitted light distribution acquired at the time of measurement to determine a deteriorating part from a plurality of parts based on the result of the comparison and output the result.

An automatic analysis apparatus is used for measuring a concentration of an intended component in a biological sample, such as blood or urine, or knowing whether the intended component is contained in the sample or not. As compared to the measurement manually made by an inspection expert, the automatic analysis apparatus has a high analysis speed and high analysis accuracy (reproducibility), and therefore is spreading mainly through large hospitals and inspection laboratory centers.
In the automatic analysis apparatus, for measuring an absorbance, while rotating rotary reaction containers continuously arranged on the circumference, the optical axis is moved successively toward one reaction container to the next one to measure an absorbance. The apparatus has a light projection lamp for projecting a light against the rotary reaction containers, and a band transmission optical filter for preventing a light in the unnecessary wavelength band from arriving at the detector. These facilities are known to deteriorate in properties with the passage of time due to their own properties, and hence they are parts that need to be periodically replaced by other ones.
Conventionally, the inspection quality has been secured by surely conducting the periodic replacement of a part so as not to cause the deterioration of the part to adversely affect the performance of the apparatus.
As a technique for achieving the above object, PTL 1 discloses a technique in which a change of the photometric point absorbance is observed during the analysis to detect a lamp malfunction during the analysis.
Further, PTL 2 discloses a technique related to a method for determining the timing for the replacement of a light source lamp.


An apparatus for measuring at least one selected physical condition of an animate subject is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light receiver that receives resultant light from the light source via the subject; and (c) an information processor connected with the light receiver. The processor receives indication of the resultant light from the light receiver and evaluates the indication to effect the measuring. The processor is implemented in a unitary structure with the light source and light detector that is borne upon a single silicon substrate. The apparatus may further comprise a first interface element coupled with the processor to facilitate communication with the light receiver, and a second interface element coupled with the processor that includes communication means for conveying messages to remote loci. The first and second interface elements are implemented in the unitary structure. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing an apparatus implemented in a unitary structure borne upon a single silicon substrate; and (b) evaluating the indication provided by the apparatus to effect the measuring. The unitary structure is comprised of a monolithic structure having a first portion implemented in silicon, and having a second portion implemented in at least one compound semiconductor material.

Apparatuses for medical diagnostic measurement of physical conditions of animate subjects, such as human subjects or veterinary subjects, are often too bulky and too inefficient in their power consumption to be convenient for use. These limitations are especially disadvantageous when the desired use for such a diagnostic device is as a monitor for a condition associated with the subject. Such diagnostic devices would benefit from improved high speed communications among individual components within products or among products.
It is known, for example, that light absorption in tissue can be used to monitor changes in blood oxygenation and hematocrit (concentration of red blood cells). Generally, a light source, such as a laser, is used to illuminate the tissue being tested and resultant light is measured to identify a particular physical condition. Resultant light may be, for example, refracted light transmitted from one side of tissue through the tissue and received at an opposing side of the tissue. Resultant light may also include scattered reflected light that is detected on the same side of the tissue at which illumination is being effected.
Prior art apparatuses that employ such technology for medical or veterinary diagnostics, or other measurement of physical conditions of animate subjects, include several discrete devices, such as a laser, a light detector communications devices, data processing devices, and other devices. The cumbersome packaging that is necessitated by the employment of such discrete devices, and the necessary interconnecting wires, optic fibers, I/O (input/output) devices and other sundry components have been a barrier to widespread use of such devices, a barrier founded in high cost and inconvenience. The resultant bulky packaging for such discrete component products has particularly been a barrier to products that are easy enough to use and unobtrusive enough to employ to encourage use of the products as a xe2x80x9cwearablexe2x80x9d item for convenient continuous monitoring of an animate subject. Such wearable objects could include, for example, jewelry or articles of clothing.
Such prior art devices implemented in discrete components require interfaces such as high speed buses, I/O (input/output) interfaces for optical links or high speed RF (radio frequency) links, or other interface structures. Integration of the several devices that comprise a product into a unitary structure eliminates the need for some of the interfaces required for signal hand off, buffering and other functions that must be accomplished in a multi-element product. Prior art fabrication techniques available for producing unitary structures involving various semiconductor materials have proven prohibitively costly and space-inefficient to yield significant improvements by unifying structures.
A monolithic structure that achieves device unitary structure at the fabrication level reduces the need for individual I/O interfaces for each module transition, and thereby eliminates the need for on-chip xe2x80x9creal estatexe2x80x9d to accommodate such I/O interfaces. Other advantages realized by such a cost-efficient unitary fabrication ability include a significant reduction in size, an increase in operating speed, a reduction of electromagnetic noise and radiation emanations, an increase in performance reliability, a reduction in cost of manufacture and lower operating power requirements with an attendant lower cost of operation.
A capability for truly unitary fabrication employing a variety of semiconductor manufacturing technologies provides opportunities to produce multi-technology unitary structures that meet a wide variety of needs. For example, unitary structures may be fabricated to satisfy a wide variety of communication standards, such as cellular telephone standards, personal communication system (PCS) standards, xe2x80x9cBluetoothxe2x80x9d communication standards, and other industry-wide standards. Such compact construction capabilities permit manufacture of medical diagnostic products that are convenient to use, have long battery life, generate less radiation and electromagnetic noise, perform continuously, are lower in cost, and communicate test results reliably and cheaply, among other benefits.
Such advantages are particularly valuable in the manufacture of medical diagnostic and monitoring devices. Physical conditions such as heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, hematocrit (concentration of red blood cells), and other conditions may be continuously monitored or checked on command with convenient compact nonintrusive devices. Such devices may be fashioned to periodically sample, or check, a particular physical condition, compare a test result with a predetermined threshold or other criterion, and notify a remote user when the threshold or other criterion is met or exceeded. Such monitor equipment may be made compact enough to be integrally included into watches, jewelry, or other wearable items, including articles of clothing.
There is a need for a compact diagnostic monitoring device manifested in a cost-effective power-efficient integrated unitary structure, especially including a communication capability. Communications may be effected by any of various media: optic coupling, radio frequency coupling, sonic coupling, inductive coupling, capacitive coupling, magnetic coupling, or other communication media.
This invention relates generally to semiconductor structures and devices for medical diagnostic devices, including monitoring devices. This invention more specifically relates to compound semiconductor structures and devices and to the fabrication and use of semiconductor structures, devices, and integrated circuits that include a monocrystalline compound semiconductor material.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for measuring at least one selected physical condition of an animate subject. The apparatus comprises: (a) a light source; (b) a light receiver; the light receiver receives resultant light from the light source via the subject; and (c) an information processor connected with at least the light receiver. The processor receives indication of the resultant light from the light receiver and evaluates the indication to effect the measuring. The processor is implemented in a unitary structure with at least one of the light source and the light detector. The unitary structure is borne upon a single silicon substrate. The apparatus may further comprise at least one first interface element coupled with the processor and with at least the light receiver. The first interface element facilitates communication with the processor. The first interface element is implemented in the unitary structure. The apparatus may even further comprise at least one second interface element coupled with the processor. The second interface element includes communication means for conveying messages to loci remote from the apparatus. The second interface element is implemented in the unitary structure.
The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: (a) providing a light source for illuminating the subject; (b) providing a light receiver for receiving resultant light from the subject; (c) providing an information processor connected with at least the light receiver for receiving indication of the resultant light from the light receiver; and (d) evaluating the indication to effect the measuring. The processor is implemented in a unitary structure with at least one of the light source and the light detector. The unitary structure is borne upon a single silicon substrate.
The unitary structure is comprised of a monolithic structure. At least a first portion of the monolithic structure is implemented in silicon, and at least a second portion of the monolithic structure is implemented in at least one compound semiconductor material.
The vast majority of semiconductor discrete devices and integrated circuits employed for medical diagnostic applications, including hematological and other measurements of physical conditions of animate subjects, such as humans, are fabricated from silicon, at least in part because of the availability of inexpensive, high quality monocrystalline silicon substrates. Other semiconductor materials, such as the so called compound semiconductor materials, have physical attributes, including wider bandgap and/or higher mobility than silicon, or direct band gaps that makes these materials advantageous for certain types of semiconductor devices. Unfortunately, compound semiconductor materials are generally much more expensive than silicon and are not available in large wafers as is silicon. Gallium arsenide (GaAs), the most readily available compound semiconductor material, is available in wafers only up to about 150 millimeters (mm) in diameter. In contrast, silicon wafers are available up to about 300 mm and are widely available at 200 mm. The 150 mm GaAs wafers are many times more expensive than are their silicon counterparts. Wafers of other compound semiconductor materials are even less available and are more expensive than GaAs.
Because of the desirable characteristics of compound semiconductor materials, and because of their present generally high cost and low availability in bulk form, for many years attempts have been made to grow thin films of the compound semiconductor materials on a foreign substrate. To achieve optimal characteristics of the compound semiconductor material, however, a monocrystalline film of high crystalline quality is desired. Attempts have been made, for example, to grow layers of a monocrystalline compound semiconductor material on germanium, silicon, and various insulators. These attempts have generally been unsuccessful because lattice mismatches between the host crystal and the grown crystal have caused the resulting thin film of compound semiconductor material to be of low crystalline quality.
If a large area thin film of high quality monocrystalline compound semiconductor material was available at low cost, a variety of semiconductor devices could advantageously be fabricated in that film at a low cost compared to the cost of fabricating such devices on a bulk wafer of compound semiconductor material or in an epitaxial film of such material on a bulk wafer of compound semiconductor material.
In addition, if a thin film of high quality monocrystalline compound semiconductor material could be realized on a bulk wafer such as a silicon wafer, an integrated device structure could be achieved that took advantage of the best properties of both the silicon and the compound semiconductor material.
Accordingly, a need exists for a semiconductor structure that provides a high quality monocrystalline compound semiconductor film over another monocrystalline material and for a process for making such a structure.

Apparatus and method for measuring selected physical condition of an animate subject


A method for performing mobile communications from a first mobile terminal may include identifying one or more further mobile terminals engaged in device-to-device communications with the first mobile terminal. The method may further include selecting an intermediary mobile terminal from the one or more further mobile terminals, and transmitting mobile communication data from the first mobile terminal to the intermediary mobile terminal using direct device-to-device communications, wherein the mobile communication data is intended for transmission to a base station that is connected to the wireless communication network. The direct device-to-device communications may utilize wireless resources allocated by the network for transmission of cellular data from at least one mobile terminal to at least one base station.

Proximity Services (also known as ProSe), are included in mobile communication standards, such as Release 12 of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. Also known as D2D (Device to Device), ProSe allows mobile terminals to directly exchange wireless information with one another using licensed uplink channels. While base stations and other network components may still be utilized to coordinate the allocation of cellular resources for ProSe, the traffic-carrying requirements of such components may be substantially reduced. In addition to this reduced network load, exploiting direct communication between devices may improve spectrum utilization, overall throughput, and energy consumption. Numerous ProSe-specific applications are also possible, such as in a variety of new peer-to-peer and proximity-based services.

Method for performing mobile communications and mobile radio communication terminal device


A viscous fluid type heat generator which includes a housing assembly defining a heat generating chamber and a heat receiving chamber arranged adjacent to the heat generating chamber via a partition wall disposed therebetween. A rotor element is mounted to be rotated by a drive shaft for rotation within the heat generating chamber. A viscous fluid is held in a gap defined between the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber and the outer faces of the rotor element, for heat generation under shearing stress applied by the rotation of the rotor element. A heat exchanging fluid circulates through the heat receiving chamber to receive heat transferred through the partition wall from the heat generating chamber. A plurality of grooves, protuberances or expression are formed on at least one of the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber to increase the total heat transfer surface area in the inner wall surfaces, and thus enhance a heat transfer efficiency through the partition wall. The density of arrangement of the grooves in the outer peripheral area of the inner wall surface is larger than that in the inner peripheral area of the inner wall surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a viscous fluid type heat generator in which a viscous fluid is subjected to a shearing action or stress in a heat generating chamber to generate heat that is in turn transferred to a heat exchanging fluid circulating through a heat receiving chamber to be carried by the heat exchanging fluid to a desired area to be heated. The present invention may be embodied, for example, as a supplementary heat source incorporated in a vehicle heating system, but it will be appreciated that it is also useful in other applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Viscous fluid type heat generators used as supplementary heat sources incorporated in a vehicle heating system are known in the art. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-246823 (JP-A-2-246823) discloses such a viscous fluid type heat generator. In this viscous fluid type heat generator, a front housing and a rear housing are combined and fastened together with through bolts, to define therein a heat generating chamber and a heat receiving chamber arranged outside the heat generating chamber to surround the same. The heat generating chamber is isolated from the heat receiving chamber by a partition wall through which heat is exchanged between a viscous fluid in the heat generating chamber and a heat exchanging fluid in the heat receiving chamber. The heat exchanging fluid is circulated and introduced through an inlet port into the heat receiving chamber and delivered through an outlet port from the heat receiving chamber to an external heating circuit.
A drive shaft is supported for rotation by a bearing in the front housing, and a rotor element is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft to be rotatable within the heat generating chamber. The rotor element includes outer faces arranged face-to-face with the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber to define therebetween small gaps in the shape of labyrinth grooves. The viscous fluid, such as silicone oil, is supplied into the heat generating chamber to fill the small gaps between the outer faces of the rotor element and the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber. The small gaps shaped as labyrinth grooves are uniformly defined in a radial direction of the heat generating chamber and of the rotor element.
When the output torque of the vehicle engine is transferred to the drive shaft of the viscous fluid type heat generator to rotationally drive the drive shaft, the rotor element is also rotated within the heat generating chamber. At this time, the rotating rotor element provides a shearing action or shearing stress to the viscous fluid held in the small gaps between the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber and the outer faces of the rotor element, whereby the viscous fluid generates heat. The generated heat is then transferred through the partition wall from the viscous fluid to the circulating heat exchanging fluid, and the heat exchanging fluid carries the transferred heat to the heating circuit of the vehicle heating system to heat a passenger compartment.
In the above-mentioned conventional viscous fluid type heat generator, the small gaps between the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber and the outer faces of the rotor element are shaped as labyrinth grooves, and thus serve to increase a total heat transferring surface area of the inner wall surfaces of the heat generating chamber and to improve, in some degree, a heat transfer efficiency through the partition wall between the heat generating chamber and the heat receiving chamber. However, since the small gaps shaped as labyrinth grooves are uniformly defined in a radial direction of the heat generating chamber, the heat of the viscous fluid especially held in the outer peripheral region of the small gaps, which tends to rise up to the relatively high temperature, cannot be sufficiently and effectively transferred through the partition wall to the heat exchanging fluid in the heat receiving chamber. As a result, the temperature of the viscous fluid held in the small gaps in the heat generating chamber rises to an extremely high level, so that the degradation of the viscous fluid is accelerated, which in turn results in the reduction of heat generation accomplished by the conventional viscous fluid type heat generator.

Viscous fluid type heat generator with means for enhancing heat transfer efficiency

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho


A process for applying a refractory castable onto a surface, comprising the steps of: (a) introducing metered amounts of a clay-free, dry refractory castable into a delivery hose, the dry refractory castable having an alumina content of about 40-95%; (b) conveying the dry refractory to a dispensing assembly under pneumatic pressure; (c) introducing water and a set modifying admixture into the dry refractory prior to dispensing the refractory castable from the dispensing assembly; and (d) spraying the hydraulic refractory castable onto a surface.

A refractory castable is generally defined as a combination of refractory grains and a suitable amount of a bonding agent that, after the addition of proper liquid, becomes rigid as a result of chemical action. Refractory castables generally include alumina aggregate together with a hydraulic-setting cement, and are classified based upon the amount of cement contained therein. For example, a conventional castable refractory will contain hydraulic-setting cement and have a total lime (CaO) content greater than 2.5% on a calcined basis. A low-cement castable refractory would have a total lime (CaO) content of between about 1% to 2.5% on a calcined basis. Ultra low cement castable refractories have a total lime (CaO) content of between about 0.2% to 1% on a calcined basis.
In recent years, the shotcreting of refractory castable has become a major method of installation of refractory linings in steel, non-ferrous metal, chemical, mineral and ceramic processing plants. Refractory castable shotcreting is performed by mixing a refractory material with water to provide a material having a pumpable consistency. After mixing, the refractory is delivered to a pumping device, such as a swing-valve pump, to convey the refractory through a delivery hose to a nozzle. At the nozzle, an accelerating admixture is added to the castable refractory to initiate setting of the refractory so that when sprayed on a wall or surface to be lined, the refractory does not slump or sag. The equipment required to shotcrete refractory castables is relatively expensive, and requires significantly more set-up and clean-up time as compared to a conventional dry gunning process.
Gunning is a technique wherein a special refractory "gunning mix" is transported through a delivery hose by pneumatic means to a nozzle where water (and possibly additional air) is (are) added to the refractory mix immediately prior to applying to a surface. Importantly, gunning mixes are generally granular refractory mixes specifically prepared for application with air displacement guns. A gun mix is made up of three basic ingredients: aggregate, clays and binders. The clays are added to the gun mix to increase stickiness and to prevent slumping of the refractory, reduce rebound during spraying and to expand the acceptable water ranges. Stated another way, clay is typically added to a gun mix to provide it with the physical properties which would enable it to be conveyed in a dry state through the delivery hose and to adhere to the surface to be lined when water is added immediately prior to spraying.
The ability to dry process gun a refractory greatly reduces the cost in equipment and set-up and clean-up time. A problem with such a process, however, is that by adding clay, or other like materials, to a refractory, the physical properties of the refractory are adversely affected. Basically, clay reduces the overall refractoriness of the material and provides a less desirous lining than could be achieved by a refractory castable.
The present invention overcomes the drawbacks inherent to each system and provides a method of applying a refractory castable by a dry gunning process.

Dry process gunning of refractory castable


The present invention relates to transgenic animals, as well as compositions and methods relating to the characterization of gene function. Specifically, the present invention provides transgenic mice comprising disruptions in PRO224, PRO9783, PRO1108, PRO34000, PRO240, PRO943, hu A33, PRO230, PRO178, PRO1199, PRO4333, PRO1336, PRO19598, PRO1083, hu TRPM2 or PRO1801 genes. Such in vivo studies and characterizations may provide valuable identification and discovery of therapeutics and/or treatments useful in the prevention, amelioration or correction of diseases or dysfunctions associated with gene disruptions such as neurological disorders; cardiovascular, endothelial or angiogenic disorders; eye abnormalities; immunological disorders; oncological disorders; bone metabolic abnormalities or disorders; lipid metabolic disorders; or developmental abnormalities.

Extracellular proteins play important roles in, among other things, the formation, differentiation and maintenance of multicellular organisms. The fate of many individual cells, e.g., proliferation, migration, differentiation, or interaction with other cells, is typically governed by information received from other cells and/or the immediate environment. This information is often transmitted by secreted polypeptides (for instance, mitogenic factors, survival factors, cytotoxic factors, differentiation factors, neuropeptides, and hormones) which are, in turn, received and interpreted by diverse cell receptors or membrane-bound proteins. These secreted polypeptides or signaling molecules normally pass through the cellular secretory pathway to reach their site of action in the extracellular environment.
Secreted proteins have various industrial applications, including as pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, biosensors and bioreactors. Most protein drugs available at present, such as thrombolytic agents, interferons, interleukins, erythropoietins, colony stimulating factors, and various other cytokines, are secretory proteins. Their receptors, which are membrane proteins, also have potential as therapeutic or diagnostic agents. Efforts are being undertaken by both industry and academia to identify new, native secreted proteins. Many efforts are focused on the screening of mammalian recombinant DNA libraries to identify the coding sequences for novel secreted proteins. Examples of screening methods and techniques are described in the literature [see, for example, Klein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93:7108-7113 (1996); U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,637)].
Membrane-bound proteins and receptors can play important roles in, among other things, the formation, differentiation and maintenance of multicellular organisms. The fate of many individual cells, e.g., proliferation, migration, differentiation, or interaction with other cells, is typically governed by information received from other cells and/or the immediate environment. This information is often transmitted by secreted polypeptides (for instance, mitogenic factors, survival factors, cytotoxic factors, differentiation factors, neuropeptides, and hormones) which are, in turn, received and interpreted by diverse cell receptors or membrane-bound proteins. Such membrane-bound proteins and cell receptors include, but are not limited to, cytokine receptors, receptor kinases, receptor phosphatases, receptors involved in cell-cell interactions, and cellular adhesion molecules like selectins and integrins. For instance, transduction of signals that regulate cell growth and differentiation is regulated in part by phosphorylation of various cellular proteins. Protein tyrosine kinases, enzymes that catalyze that process, can also act as growth factor receptors. Examples include fibroblast growth factor receptor and nerve growth factor receptor.
Membrane-bound proteins and receptor molecules have various industrial applications, including as pharmaceutical and diagnostic agents. Receptor immuno-adhesions, for instance, can be employed as therapeutic agents to block receptor-ligand interactions. The membrane-bound proteins can also be employed for screening of potential peptide or small molecule inhibitors of the relevant receptor/ligand interaction.
Efforts are being undertaken by both industry and academia to identify new, native receptor or membrane-bound proteins. Many efforts are focused on the screening of mammalian recombinant DNA libraries to identify the coding sequences for novel receptor or membrane-bound proteins.
Given the importance of secreted and membrane-bound proteins in biological and disease processes, in vivo studies and characterizations may provide valuable identification and discovery of therapeutics and/or treatments useful in the prevention, amelioration or correction of diseases or dysfunctions. In this regard, genetically engineered mice have proven to be invaluable tools for the functional dissection of biological processes relevant to human disease, including immunology, cancer, neuro-biology, cardiovascular biology, obesity and many others. Gene knockouts can be viewed as modeling the biological mechanism of drug action by presaging the activity of highly specific antagonists in vivo. Knockout mice have been shown to model drug activity; phenotypes of mice deficient for specific pharmaceutical target proteins can resemble the human clinical phenotype caused by the corresponding antagonist drug. Gene knockouts enable the discovery of the mechanism of action of the target, the predominant physiological role of the target, and mechanism-based side-effects that might result from inhibition of the target in mammals. Examples of this type include mice deficient in the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) [Esther, C. R. et al., Lab. Invest., 74:953-965 (1996)] and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX1) genes [Langenbach, R. et al., Cell 83:483-492 (1995)]. Conversely, knocking the gene out in the mouse can have an opposite phenotypic effect to that observed in humans after administration of an agonist drug to the corresponding target. Examples include the erythropoietin knockout [Wu, C. S. et al., Cell 83:59-67 (1996)], in which a consequence of the mutation is deficient red blood cell production, and the GABA(A)-R-β3 knockout [DeLorey, T. M., J. Neurosci., 18:8505-8514 (1998)], in which the mutant mice show hyperactivity and hyper-responsiveness. Both these phenotypes are opposite to the effects of erythropoietin and benzodiazepine administration in humans. A striking example of a target validated using mouse genetics is the ACC2 gene. Although the human ACC2 gene had been identified several years ago, interest in ACC2 as a target for drug development was stimulated only recently after analysis of ACC2 function using a knockout mouse. ACC2 mutant mice eat more than their wild-type littermates, yet burn more fat and store less fat in their adipocytes, making this enzyme a probable target for chemical antagonism in the treatment of obesity [Abu-Elheiga, L. et al., Science, 291:2613-2616 (2001)].
In the instant application, mutated gene disruptions have resulted in phenotypic observations related to various disease conditions or dysfunctions including: CNS/neurological disturbances or disorders such as anxiety; eye abnormalities and associated diseases; cardiovascular, endothelial or angiogenic disorders including atherosclerosis; abnormal metabolic disorders including diabetes and dyslipidemias associated with elevated serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels; immunological and inflammatory disorders; oncological disorders; bone metabolic abnormalities or disorders such as arthritis, osteoporosis and osteopetrosis; or a developmental disease such as embryonic lethality.

PRO224 gene disruptions, and methods related thereto


Method for determining dispersancy performance for a plurality of fluid samples of different compositions is provided. Each sample includes one or more base oils of lubricating viscosity and one or more lubricating oil additives and a predetermined amount of an oil-insoluble material. The methods can advantageously be optimized using combinatorial chemistry, in which a database of combinations of lubricating oil compositions are generated. As market conditions vary and/or product requirements or customer specifications change, conditions suitable for forming desired products can be identified with little or no downtime.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to high throughput screening of lubricating oil compositions for lubricant performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of a combinatorial approach for materials synthesis is a relatively new area of research aimed at using rapid synthesis and screening methods to build libraries of polymeric, inorganic or solid state materials. For example, advances in reactor technology have empowered chemists and engineers to rapidly produce large libraries of discrete organic molecules in the pursuit of new drug discovery, which have led to the development of a growing branch of research called combinatorial chemistry. Combinatorial chemistry generally refers to methods and materials for creating collections of diverse materials or compounds—commonly known as libraries—and to techniques and instruments for evaluating or screening libraries for desirable properties.
Presently, research in the lubricant industry involves individually forming candidate lubricating oil compositions and then performing a macro-scale analysis of the candidate compositions by employing a large amount of the candidate to be tested. Additionally, the methods employed for testing each candidate composition require manual operation. This, in turn, significantly reduces the number of compositions that can be tested and identified as leading lubricating oil compositions.
Drawbacks associated with conventional screening procedures can be seen as follows. For example, governmental and automotive industry pressure towards reducing the phosphorous and sulfur content of lubricating oil compositions used as, for example, passenger car and heavy duty diesel engine oils, is leading to new research to identify oil compositions which can satisfy certain tests such as, for example, oxidation, wear and compatibility tests, while containing low levels of phosphorous and sulfur. In this context, United States Military Standards MIL-L-46152E and the ILSAC Standards defined by the Japanese and United States Automobile Industry Association at present require the phosphorous content of engine oils to be at or below 0.10 wt. % with future phosphorous content being proposed to even lower levels, e.g., 0.08 wt. % by June, 2004 and below 0.05 wt. % by January, 2006. Also, at present, there is no industry standard requirement for sulfur content in engine oils, but it has been proposed that the sulfur content be below 0.3 wt. % to meet June, 2007 requirements for emissions. Thus, it would be desirable to decrease the amount of phosphorous and sulfur in lubricating oils still further, thereby meeting future industry standard proposed phosphorous and sulfur contents in the engine oil while still retaining the oxidation or corrosion inhibiting properties and antiwear properties of the higher phosphorous and sulfur content engine oils. In order to accomplish this, a large number of proposed lubricating oil compositions must be tested to determine which compositions may be useful.
Additionally, similar changes in specifications and changing customer needs also drive reformulation efforts in other lubricant applications such as, for example, transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, gear oils, marine cylinder oils, compressor oils, refrigeration lubricants and the like.
However, as stated above, present research in the lubricant industry does not allow for reformulation to occur in an expeditious manner. As such, there exists a need in the art for a more efficient, economical and systematic approach for the preparation of lubricating oil compositions and screening of such compositions for information correlating to the actual useful properties of the compositions.
For example, it would be desirable to evaluate multiple lubricating oil compositions for dispersancy. Dispersants are added to lubricating oil compositions to keep engines clean by dispersing sludge, soot and varnish-forming deposits in the oil. Sludge can form in an internal combustion engine when, for example, combustion products such as, for example, water, metal particles produced by engine wear, and various partially oxidized hydrocarbon molecules, enter the lubricating oil by blowing past the piston rings. The sludge is a highly viscous composition which inhibits proper flow of the lubricating oil, thereby impairing its effectiveness. The problem can be partially alleviated by running an engine hot over an extended period of time by, for example, extended highway driving, to evaporate the water component of the sludge and loosen up the oil. This allows the filter to work more effectively to remove abrasive particulates which contribute to engine wear. However, with stop-and-go traffic or short trips in city driving, sludge has a tendency to build up. Hence, the importance of identifying and selecting the most effective additives to prevent such a build up. Dispersants also keep soot particles small by preventing agglomeration.
Another consideration is how the various additives in the lubricating oil interact. The presence of one additive may affect the performance of another. Accordingly, testing for any particular performance property is complicated by the fact that an additive cannot be tested in isolation. Rather, many different lubricating oil formulations with various additives and percentage compositions must be tested.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to rapidly prepare and test for dispersancy a plurality of sample candidate lubricating oil compositions automatically, preferably utilizing small amounts of each sample.

High throughput screening methods for lubricating oil compositions


A unidirectional three dimensional fiber structure is provided which does not require weaving, displays a high level of interlayer strength and does not suffer from cracking, and which can also be easily produced with any arbitrary cross-section. A unidirectional three dimensional fiber structure is produced by inserting a plurality of long fibers which have been aligned unidirectionally into an inlet at one end of a cylindrical die with a plurality of needle holes in the peripheral walls thereof, and then performing needlepunch through the needle holes while drawing the plurality of long fibers out from an outlet at the opposite end of the cylindrical die.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unidirectional long fiber three dimensional fiber structure suitable for use as a fiber reinforced material formed complicated shape preform for a composite material used in aircraft and spacecraft structures, ships, and vehicles and the like, as well as a method of producing such a structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods of producing unidirectional three dimensional fiber structures include methods in which long fibers are immersed in a resin and then subjected to drawing, and methods in which prepregs, formed by impregnating fibers with a resin and then semi curing the impregnated fibers, are laminated together. However, both of these methods require the use of a resin as a forming. If a resin is used, then the production process and production time frame is restricted by the need to manage the life of the resin being used, meaning handling of the resin material is rather difficult.
Needlepunch of layered fibers in a single dimension is also a possibility, although presently no consideration is given to intertwine the interface between fibers in a three dimensional manner, and consequently various problems arise such as cracking of the fiber structure following matrix impregnation, and an inability to achieve sufficient interlayer strength even after molding, meaning a good fiber reinforced preform cannot be obtained. These problems cannot be resolved with the inventions disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 6-39743, Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 7-59783, or Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 09-004661. Furthermore, as shown in the apparatus of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-050371, another possible method involves laying or winding a plurality of layers of woven members, tape members or braided members, and then using needlepunch to integrate the layers into a single unit, but even this method does not aim to intertwine the interface between fibers in a three dimensional manner, and because a weaving step is included before the preform is obtained, shortening the preparation time is problematic.
Furthermore, in a three dimensional fiber structure in which the fibers have been aligned unidirectionally without needlepunch, the fiber density is very high and the space between fibers is extremely narrow. Consequently when an attempt is made to impregnate the structure with a resin, the matrix impregnation is extremely poor, meaning long periods of time are required to ensure an adequate level of impregnation.
In addition, in the case of the production of a carbon-carbon composite in which the fibers are aligned unidirectionally, delamination can occur between carbon fibers during the baking process, causing cracks to appear in the product, and preventing a superior product from being obtained.

Unidirectional long fiber three dimensional fiber structure produced by short fiber intertwining and production method thereof


A disposable head and neck immobilization device allows the immobilization of a patient's head and neck, after the patient has been placed upon a spine board, without manipulating the patient's head and neck. The rugged denier nylon construction affords strength, comfort and durability, and allows for the adhesive free retention of a medical supply tube in the vicinity of the patients face. The immobilization device can be manufactured economically as to allow the device to be disposable, thus reducing contamination hazard from transfer of bodily fluids.

In medical emergencies and accidents it is often necessary to immobilize a victim or patient prior to transporting the victim to a medical facility. Typically, a patient is placed on an immobilization board, known as a spine board, which maintains the patient in a flat, straight position. Additionally, in order to prevent further injury, the patient's head and neck must be further immobilized, typically by securing the patient's head to the spine board. Prior art devices are complex in design, difficult to apply and remove, and costly to manufacture. For example, the cervical collar disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,325, which wraps around a patients neck, requires that the patients head be manipulated in order to secure the collar around the patients neck which can cause further, often irreparable injury in some cases. In most injury cases, one of the most important steps to be taken is the quick and safe immobilization of the patient. If immobilization requires manipulation of the patient's head and/or neck, then the goal of quick and safe immobilization is not realized. Similarly, the emergency neck immobilizer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,144 requires that the patient be manipulated in order to apply the device, and is complex in design and costly to manufacture. While these devices may help to immobilize a patient, they are cumbersome and uncomfortable, and may add to the feeling of anxiety being experienced by the patient, by being overly restrictive. Furthermore, these prior art devices are not designed to be disposable, and therefore, must be sterilized after each use. This presents a hazard of contamination from various bodily fluids and presents an increased health risk.
The prior art fails to provide an economical, sturdy, disposable head and neck immobilization device that is easy to apply and remove, and that allows the patient a decreased level of anxiety by allowing the patient to see and hear what is happening around them, and allowing the patient the ability, if able, to communicate freely with emergency personnel.

Disposable head and neck immobilization device and method including tube retainer


The present disclosure pertains to an actuation mechanism for a flap with aileron functionality, including a crank having a crank axle, a crank arm and a crank pivot; a displacement shaft articulated to the crank pivot at an actuating end portion; and a rotatable linear-motion bearing in which the displacement shaft is slidably supported, wherein the displacement shaft is fixedly connectable to a flap body of the aircraft flap at a flap end portion of the displacement shaft opposite to the actuating end portion, and wherein the linear-motion bearing is rotatably attachable at a pivot point to an aircraft wing comprising the aircraft flap, so that the displacement shaft is able to rotate around an axis running spanwise of the aircraft wing around the pivot point. The present disclosure further pertains to an aircraft flap with such an actuation mechanism and an aircraft having an aircraft flap.

Aircraft usually have several movable control surfaces attached to the trailing edges of a wing that are used to fulfil different functions.
A typical aileron is hingedly attached to a profile of the wing. The aileron is able to be pivotably rotated around a pivot point resulting in positive or negative actuation with regard to the horizontal plane of the wing profile. The kinematic hinge may be located within or out of the profile of the wing. A usual range of angular displacement ±δ is between ±30°.
Other mechanisms, such as the one known as "dropped hinge flap" due to the relatively to the wing profile "dropped hinge" and pivot point, are for example shown in document U.S. Pat. No. 7,520,471 B2 which illustrates the principles underlying the dropped hinge flap in more detail.
Negative angular movement −δ would be desirable to provide a flap with aileron functionality. However, the flap body of a conventional flap may undesirably penetrate into the wing profile when being actuated in a negative angular movement −δ. Thus, with the conventional dropped hinge flap mechanism, additional measures would have to be taken to provide the flap with aileron functionality.
Other approaches to combined flaps and ailerons have been proposed for example in the documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,118 A and U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,862 A. In both documents, a flap is pivotably mounted on a roller running chordwise in a roller guide. Thereby, a horizontal translatory movement towards the trailing edge can be achieved, while at the same time being able to independently pivot the flap around the roller. Such mechanisms are generally known as Fowler-type flaps.

Aircraft flap system with aileron functionality


A process for making pharmaceutical dosage units containing a therapeutic quantity of one or more low dosage medicinal agent comprising granulating said medicinal agent in an aqueous medium which contains a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant agent and, optionally, further processing the product of said granulating into a tablet or capsule dosage unit.

The pharmaceutical art recognizes that, when highly active medicaments are prepared in pharmaceutical form for administration to subjects in need of therapy, the even distribution of active ingredient throughout the carrier is important for insuring a proper dosage and no toxic effects due to hot spots of drug. The problem is especially applicable to low dose steroidal compounds; for example, estrogens, progestins, digitalis, spironolactone. These are known to migrate through the carrier upon drying.
The prior art of low dose pharmaceutical formulation is illustrated in the literature for estrogen (e.g., estradiol). Much of the prior art comprises broad disclosures of standard preparative methods; for example, Pasquale, U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,554, etc., or Lerner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,828, with no mention of the problem of non-uniform distribution. The latter reference describes the preparation of low dose drugs using conventional wet granulating methods with organic solvents such as chloroform.
DeHaan (Akzo), European Patent Application No. 92103963.2, discusses the problem of uneven distribution of low dose medicaments in solid pharmaceutical dose units. This, as stated above, may be due in part to migration of the medicament. DeHaan further states that liquid granulation methods for preparing solid dosage units of low dose medicaments are also not acceptable because of the cost and environmental handicaps of the organic solvents which are unacceptable for this use.
DeHaan suggests an alternative method of manufacture which uses the compression of a dry solid mix containing an excipient having a prescribed binding-demixing ratio of the medicament to excipient.
There remains a need in the art for other methods of preparing solid dosage forms, mainly tablets of low-dosage medicaments, which can be adapted by manufacturing pharmaceutical companies to available equipment.

Method for preparing low dose pharmaceutical products


An ECU converts a cylinder pressure P and a cylinder volume V corresponding to a crank angle θ at least from a compression stroke to a combustion and expansion stroke to a logarithmic value log P and a logarithmic value log V, respectively, to find a logarithmic conversion waveform and estimates a motoring waveform which is obtained by subtracting a pressure rise developed by combustion in a cylinder from the logarithmic conversion waveform, that is, corresponds to a non-combustion state. Further, the ECU computes a determination line Y of an ignition timing Tburn on the basis of the base line X of the estimated motoring waveform and determines the ignition timing Tburn on the basis of this determination line Y and the logarithmic conversion waveform.

In an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine and a gasoline engine, it is important to detect the ignition timing of fuel in a cylinder in order to optimally control a timing of injecting fuel into a cylinder. This ignition timing of fuel can be determined by comparing a cylinder pressure waveform when fuel is combusted with a cylinder pressure waveform when fuel is not combusted (referred to as a motoring waveform) (see JP-2001-55955A). Here, the motoring waveform can be calculated by the use of a well-known polytropic equation (PVn=constant, where P is cylinder pressure and V is cylinder volume).
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 21A to 21C, a cylinder pressure at the time of combustion cycle is sensed by the cylinder sensor to find a cylinder waveform showing a change in the cylinder pressure to a change in a crank angle (FIG. 21A). Next, a motoring waveform is subtracted from the found cylinder pressure to find a differential waveform (FIG. 21B). This differential waveform shows a change in a combustion pressure developed by combustion in the cylinder, that is, a combustion pressure waveform. Then, a change point showing an increase in the combustion pressure is found from the combustion pressure waveform to detect an ignition timing Tburn from the change point (FIG. 21C).
By the way, the motoring waveform when fuel is not combusted is calculated (estimated) by the use of the above-described polytropic equation, but a coefficient used in this polytropic equation (polytropic exponent n) varies because of variations in internal combustion engines or varies because of variations in the operating state of the internal combustion engine (engine speed, boost pressure, cooling water temperature) and the like, for example, for each combustion cycle. For this reason, a method of providing the polytropic exponents n in a map has been conventionally used.
Further, to sense the above-described ignition timing Tburn of fuel, the correct crank position (angle) of the internal combustion engine needs to be found and hence a crank angle sensor is used for that purpose.
However, there is presented a problem that when a position where the crank angle sensor is mounted or variations in the engines cause an error in the value sensed by the crank angle sensor (crank angle), as shown in FIG. 22, the sensing accuracy of the ignition timing Tburn deteriorates.
In contrast to this, JP-11-210546A discloses a method of correcting the sensing error of a crank angle by the cylinder pressure of the internal combustion engine (referred to as cylinder pressure). That is, there is provided a method of correcting the crank angle in the following manner: as shown in FIG. 23, a point, at which a cylinder pressure sensed by the cylinder pressure sensor (referred to as motoring pressure) when fuel is not combusted in the internal combustion engine (combustion pressure by combustion in the cylinder is developed) becomes maximum, is assumed a top dead center (TDC) and the top dead center is compared with a TDC found from the crank angle sensor to correct the crank angle.
However, the method of sensing an ignition timing disclosed in JP-2001-55955 A presents the following problem.
That is, when a polytropic exponent "n" is found from a map, a change in the operating state of the internal combustion engine, in particular, variations in the internal combustion engines cannot be sufficiently corrected and hence the motoring waveform cannot be correctly estimated (calculated) to cause a sensing error in the ignition timing. Moreover, because the exponent of the polytropic equation needs to be calculated, a calculation load is made heavy. Hence, it is difficult for an ECU (electronic control unit) mounted on an actual vehicle to calculate the exponent of the polytropic equation at high speed for each combustion cycle. Therefore, it is difficult to employ the method described in JP-2001-55955 A.
On the other hand, according to the publicly known technology disclosed in JP-11-210546A, as shown in FIG. 24, in the vicinity of a maximum pressure point where the cylinder pressure becomes the maximum, a change in the cylinder pressure to a change in the crank angle becomes very moderate. Hence, when noises are caused in the sensing value of the cylinder pressure sensor by some factors, an error is caused in the sensing position of a TDC. In other words, when noises are not developed in the sensing value of the cylinder pressure sensor, a pressure maximum point is sensed in the vicinity of a crank angle θx in the drawing, whereas when noises are caused in the sensing value of the cylinder pressure sensor, for example, a pressure maximum point is sensed at a crank angle θy. Therefore, this presents a problem of causing an error in the TDC between θx and θy.

Controller for internal combustion engine


The disclosure provides a metal ferrite oxygen carrier for the chemical looping combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels, such as coal, coke, coal and biomass char, and the like. The metal ferrite oxygen carrier comprises MFexOy on an inert support, where MFexOy is a chemical composition and M is one of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Co, Mn, and combinations thereof. For example, MFexOy may be one of MgFe2O4, CaFe2O4, SrFe2O4, BaFe2O4, CoFe2O4, MnFeO3, and combinations thereof. The MFexOy is supported on an inert support. The inert support disperses the MFexOy oxides to avoid agglomeration and improve performance stability. In an embodiment, the inert support comprises from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier and the MFexOy comprises at least 30 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier. The metal ferrite oxygen carriers disclosed display improved reduction rates over Fe2O3, and improved oxidation rates over CuO.

In certain applications metal-oxide oxygen carriers are utilized for the delivery of oxygen via reduction. One such application which has been investigated extensively is chemical looping combustion. Chemical looping combustion systems generally utilize a fuel reactor, an air reactor, and a metal oxide oxygen carrier undergoing reduction in the fuel reactor and oxidation in the air reactor. The reduction in the fuel reactor is facilitated by close contact between a fuel and the oxygen carrier. The subsequent oxidation of the carrier in the air reactor is an exothermic process, and a stream of N2 is exhausted from the air reactor and carries the heat of oxidation to an attached power generation island.
Chemical looping combustion cycles provide potentially significant advantages. The enhanced reversibility of the two redox reactions offers improved efficiencies over traditional single stage combustions, where the release of a fuel's energy occurs in a highly irreversible manner. Further, with appropriate oxygen carriers, both redox reactions can occur at relatively low temperatures, allowing a power station to more closely approach an ideal work output without exposing components to excessive working temperatures. Additionally, and significantly, chemical looping combustion can serve as an effective carbon capture technique. Of the two flue gas streams generated, one is comprised of atmospheric N2 and residual O2, but sensibly free of CO2, while the second stream is comprised of CO2 and H2O, and contains almost all of the CO2 generated by the system. It is relatively uncomplicated to remove the water vapor, leading to a stream of almost pure CO2. For these reasons, chemical looping combustion systems have been extensively investigated. However, necessary characteristics of the oxygen carrier such as sufficient durability and reactivity have limited the success, particularly when the fuel utilized has been introduced to the fuel reactor as a solid such as carbon, coal, or biomass.
Challenges associated with the chemical looping combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels include achieving sufficient combustion rates suitable for various reactor systems, sufficient oxygen release capacity facilitating the coal-oxygen carrier interactions, stable reactivity during multiple cycles, high attrition resistance, and low reactivity with ash and other contaminants. Additional issues arise when the solid carbonaceous fuel is introduced directly into a fuel reactor, without benefit of an initial gasification. Introduction of the solid carbonaceous fuel into the fuel reactor can generate a direct reduction of the oxygen carrier by carbon, and the combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels containing or subsequently generating significant amounts of a solid carbon component such as char is dramatically improved when an oxygen carrier capable of reduction from a solid-solid reaction with carbon is utilized. See e.g., Siriwardane et al., "Evaluation of reaction mechanism of coal-metal-oxide interactions in chemical looping combustion," Combustion and Flame 157 (2010). Additionally, a significant concern may arise regarding mismatch between any gasifications within the reactor and the combustion rate at the same temperature. Such issues can prolong the residence time of coal inside the fuel reactor to fulfill the higher carbon conversion efficiency.
A variety of metal oxides have been evaluated for suitability as oxygen carriers in chemical looping combustion systems using solid fuels. Metal oxides based on Ni, Fe, Co, Cu and Mn have a good affinity with CO and are thermodynamically feasible as oxygen carriers, however, Mn2O3, Co3O4 and CuO decompose at relatively low temperatures. CuO has also been extensively investigated, but the low melting point and agglomeration issues introduce significant difficulties. Fe2O3 generally exhibits improved temperature stability, however the reactivity of Fe2O3 is significantly limited as compared to Cu-based oxygen carriers. Additionally, Fe2O3 requires relatively high temperatures as compared to CuO. These characteristics reduce overall system performance and increase the complexity of heat transfer requirements in a working system. Mixed systems have also been evaluated for solid fuels combustion in an attempt to optimize the characteristics of the individual constituents. See e.g., Wang et al., "Investigation of Chemical Looping Combustion of Coal with CuFe2O4 Oxygen Carrier," Energy Fuels 25 (2011); see also U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/159,553 by Siriwardane et al., filed Jun. 14, 2011. Iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) compounds have also been investigated as oxygen carriers. See Shulman et al., "Manganese/Iron, Manganese/Nickel, and Manganese/Silicon Oxides Used in Chemical-Looping With Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU) for Combustion of Methane," Energy Fuels 23 (2009).
It would be advantageous to provide a metal ferrite oxygen carrier having improved durability and reactivity over metal oxides currently used in the chemical looping combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels, such as coal, coke, coal and biomass char, and the like. It would be additionally advantageous if the metal ferrite oxygen carriers exhibited improved reduction rates over typically used materials such as Fe2O3, and were comparable with CuO while avoiding the associated agglomeration issues. It would be particularly advantageous if the metal ferrite oxygen carriers were comparable in cost to Fe2O3 and could be prepared using readily available materials.
These and other objects, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the accompanying description and claims.

Metal ferrite oxygen carriers for chemical looping combustion of solid fuels


A first object is to prevent the leakage of chemiluminescent liquid during chemiluminescence. A second object is to provide enhanced shock resistance. A third object is to provide enhanced hydraulic-pressure resistance and a product at a low cost. A chemiluminescent device comprises a container, and a synthetic-resin ampoule contained in the flexible container. The ampoule has a surface formed with a groove extending along the circumferential direction thereof.

A conventional chemiluminescent device is constructed in such manner that one of two kinds of liquids is enclosed in a glass ampoule, and the other liquid is filled in a container on the outside of the glass ampoule. Before use, the container is bent to break the glass ampoule so that one liquid in the ampoule and the other liquid are mixed together to generate chemiluminescence.
The conventional chemiluminescent device has the following disadvantages due to the ampoule made of glass.
1. During the operation of breaking the glass ampoule, the resulting glass chips can cause damage such as a hole in the wall of the container. Further, the glass chip would stick out through the hole in the worst case. A thin-walled glass ampoule has been used to prevent such an accident from occurring. However, the thin-walled glass ampoule is subject to breakage due to shocks, such as an accidental drop impact, in the product distribution process. In either case, as long as glass is used as the material of the ampoule, such a problem cannot be cleared up.
2. In case of using the conventional chemiluminescent device as a fish lamp for fish catching, the container will be deformed by hydraulic pressure, and the flatly deformed wall of the container can be damaged by the glass chips with higher probability.
3. The microscopic chips of the broken ampoule act as a catalyst in chemiluminescent reaction likely to create an increased luminescent intensity. This action is unsuited to luminescent devices intended for long-term luminescence.
4. The unburnable glass to be included in the used chemiluminescent device is disadvantageous for disposal treatments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A device according to the invention for monitoring two sheet products transported by means of a clamp of a transport device. The device has at least two sensors that are intended to generate signals on the basis of which the number of products held in the clamp can be determined. A first sensor hereby generates a first detection signal referred to as reference signal when a clamp passes a reference area assigned to this first sensor. The second sensor is arranged in such a way that it generates a second detection signal when at least one section of one of the products in a second side edge area free from the clamp passes through its assigned detection area.

The present invention relates to a device for monitoring sheet products, in particular printed products, transported in a transport device by means of clamps.
A method and a device for monitoring pairs of sheet products bearing identification information, each transported in a clamp of a transport device, are known from the Swiss patent application with the application number 01276/05. As they pass a monitoring point, the products are subjected to an opto-electronic check with an image recording device. The images of the identification information recorded in this way are compared with given calibration images in an electronic further processing device. As a result of this comparison it is possible to determine whether the clamp was carrying the predetermined products. In the event of an error, control signals can be transmitted to downline processing devices so that a separate treatment of clamps holding the wrong products can be initiated.
In order to ensure high reliability in the recording of the identification information, it is necessary that this information always passes in roughly the same positions during the recording. In the above-mentioned patent application, this is ensured in that the identification information is contained on edge sections of each product in a side edge area of the products that is firmly gripped by the clamp jaws of the clamp. As the image recording device has to be located relatively close to the passing clamps during the recording of the identification information, positioning and installation problems can occur with some clamp transport devices due to the limited space available. An object is therefore to provide an improved monitoring device that allows the number of sheet products transported in a clamp to be monitored in the simplest and most reliable manner possible.

Device for monitoring sheet products held together in a clamp


A method for lowering a tailgate is disclosed. The method may include selecting a vehicle comprising a first side, a second side, a tailgate, and a first tailgate support. The tailgate may be connected to pivot with respect to the first and second sides through a range of motion. The first tailgate support may have a first end connected to the first side and a second end connected to tailgate. The method may further include detaching the first end of the first tailgate support from first side of the vehicle. Once a first extension link is selected, the first end of the first tailgate support may be connected to the first extension link. The first extension link may be connected to the first side. Once installed, the extension link may effectively lengthen the tailgate support, permitting the tailgate to hang lower than ninety degrees from its closed position.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to motor vehicles and utility trailers, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for easily lowering a tailgate to a position lower than the standard open position, while retaining the tailgate's external appearance and full load carrying capacity.
2. Prior Art
In certain situations, it may be desirable to have a low loading height on a vehicle. In the past, attempts to lower vehicle loading height have focused in two primary areas. First, attempts have been made to lower the bed height of certain vehicles. While this may work well for trailers and special purpose vehicles, it is problematic for multi-use vehicles like pickup trucks, which have certain structural limitations and clearance requirements. Second, attempts have been made to add hoists to vehicles. While hoists neutralize the need for a lower loading height by simply lifting the load for the user, they are typically large, heavy, and expensive. Thus, neither of these two areas of improvement is particularly helpful for the average pickup truck user.
Currently, many vehicles, including pickup trucks, have tailgates. However, a typical tailgate is of no assistance in lowering vehicle loading height. Conventional tailgates pivot between a closed position and an open position. The open position is typically ninety degrees of rotation from the closed position. Accordingly, a typical tailgate in the open position forms an extension to the bed of the vehicle. Thus, the loading height of a vehicle with a tailgate is typically the height of the bed.
In view of the foregoing, what is needed is an inexpensive and unobtrusive apparatus and method for lower the loading height of a vehicle like a common, everyday, pickup truck.


The invention relates to an operating circuit for illuminants, in particular one or more LED sections (17), comprising an actively clocked PFC circuit (11), which can be supplied by an AC voltage (UAC) and optionally also a DC voltage (UDC) and the output voltage of which is directly or indirectly supplied through the illuminant (17) to a unit (19) for generating a PWM-modulated current. The operating circuit also has a control unit (16) that detects a residual ripple in the voltage (UPFC) in the supply chain before (18a), in (18b) or after (18c) the PFC circuit (11) and causes the frequency of the PWM modulation of the current through the illuminant (17) to be selected as a function of the frequency of the residual ripple.

Conventionally, a DC voltage signal is generated from a line voltage in order to supply a power to LEDs by means of a power factor correction circuit and a smoothing capacitor. This DC voltage signal is converted by pulse width modulation into a pulse-width-modulated DC voltage signal. A load, for example directly an LED module, or a further LED converter stage is operated by the pulse-width-modulated DC voltage signal. The output signal of the rectifier module in this case has a residual ripple at a frequency of twice the line voltage.
Even if, for example, a DC supply is present for emergency light operation, ripple may arise if the clocking of the PFC circuit is modulated deliberately in order to improve the EMI properties.
Customary frequencies for pulse width modulation are in the range of from 100 Hz to 500 Hz. In particular when the frequency used for the pulse width modulation is close to the frequency of the residual ripple of the DC voltage signal or an integral multiple of this frequency, low-frequency beats occur as a result of demodulation. In the case of an LED module, these beats result in a clearly visible fluctuation in brightness at the frequency of the beat, i.e. at the differential frequency between twice the line frequency or the integral multiple thereof and the frequency of the pulse width modulation.
For example, US 2011/0043133 A1 discloses an operating circuit for operating an LED module which generates a DC voltage signal with a residual ripple by means of power factor correction from an AC voltage. This signal is processed by pulse width modulation and is used for operating the LEDs. In this case, the frequency of the pulse width modulation is set independently of the line frequency. The circuit arrangement disclosed therein is disadvantageous since it can result in beats, as described above.
The present invention is based on the object of providing a method and a circuit arrangement which, independently of the line frequency used, enable operation of light-emitting means without the occurrence of undesirable fluctuations in brightness which are visible to the human eye.

Method and circuit arrangement for operating light-emitting means, with beat avoidance