An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member configured to be forwardly and reversely rotatable; a cleaning blade configured to make contact with the image bearing member and scrape toner remaining on the image bearing member; a toner retention section defined on an upstream side of the cleaning blade in a forward rotational direction of the image bearing member, the toner retention section being configured to retain toner scraped by the cleaning blade; a driving section configured to rotationally drive the image bearing member; and a control section configured to control the driving section to reversely rotate the image bearing member by a distance greater than a distance from a position where the image bearing member and the cleaning blade make contact with each other to an upper surface position of toner retained in the toner retention section, at a time when an image formation process is not performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (such as a printer, a copy machine, and a fax machine) is configured to irradiate (expose) a charged photoconductor with (to) laser light based on image data to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor. The electrostatic latent image is then visualized by supplying toner from a developing device to the photoconductor (image carrier) on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, whereby a toner image is formed. Further, the toner image is directly or indirectly transferred to a sheet, followed by heating and pressurization, whereby an image is formed on the sheet.
For example, in an image forming apparatus of an intermediate transfer belt type, a toner image formed on a photoconductor is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt, and the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to a sheet.
In this process, the toner is not completely transferred to the sheet and remains on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt. The remaining toner hinders subsequent image forming, and causes a problem that a favorable transfer image cannot be obtained.
In the above-mentioned cleaning apparatus, a cleaning blade is brought into pressure contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt to remove the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt. As the image formation process is continuously performed, foreign matter 230 (mainly, aggregates of paper dust and the like) is gathered and gradually accumulated at a part (hereinafter referred to as "blade edge 212") where cleaning blade 210 makes pressure contact with intermediate transfer belt 220, as illustrated in FIG. 1. This leads to a state where foreign matter 230 is sandwiched between cleaning blade 210 and intermediate transfer belt 220, or in other words, a state where blade edge 212 of cleaning blade 210 is separated from the surface of intermediate transfer belt 220. When the state where blade edge 212 is separated from the surface of intermediate transfer belt 220 is continued, part 250 (hereinafter referred to as "toner 250") of toner 240 remaining on intermediate transfer belt 220 may pass through a space between cleaning blade 210 and intermediate transfer belt 220 where foreign matter 230 does not exist, in the rotational axis direction of intermediate transfer belt 220.
When toner 250 passes through the space between cleaning blade 210 and intermediate transfer belt 220, that is, when a cleaning defect is caused in the above-mentioned manner, remaining toner 250 is transferred onto the image formed by the next image formation process and becomes image noise in a black streak form. Thus, image noise is caused.
In order to prevent such a cleaning defect, conventionally, there has been proposed a technique in which an intermediate transfer belt is reversed to remove the foreign matter sandwiched between a cleaning blade and an intermediate transfer belt (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-171395).
However, with the conventional technique in which the intermediate transfer belt is reversed, when the foreign matter once removed from the space between the cleaning blade and the intermediate transfer belt again enters the blade edge, the foreign matter is sometimes gathered at the blade edge and sandwiched between the cleaning blade and the intermediate transfer belt. As such, the conventional techniques could not have completely eliminated the risk that toner pass through the space between the cleaning blade and the intermediate transfer belt, that is, the risk that cleaning defect is caused.


A magnetoresistive read sensor includes a first shield layer and a first gap layer over the first shield layer. The read sensor further includes a spin-valve stack over the first gap layer. The spin-valve stack includes a seed layer over the first gap layer. At least a portion of the seed layer includes a soft-magnetic material. The spin-valve stack further includes an antiferromagnetic layer over the seed layer. The antiferromagnetic layer is magnetically decoupled from the seed layer. The spin-valve stack further includes a free layer over a first portion of the antiferromagnetic layer. The read sensor further includes a bias structure adjacent to the free layer. The bias structure is located over a second portion of the antiferromagnetic layer and is isolated from the seed layer by the second portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to magnetoresistive read sensors for hard-disk drives and, more particularly, to bottom-synthetic-spin-valve giant-magnetoresistive read sensors.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional bottom-synthetic-spin-valve (BSSV) giant-magnetoresistive (GMR) read sensors, the effective bit spacing and magnetic readback pulse width (and resolution) are correlated with the shield-to-shield spacing of the GMR read sensor. During readback, the shields filter out flux from the transition regions between the bits so as to reduce the low spatial frequency while high spatial frequencies are enhanced. Thus, the shields help achieve high signal-to-noise ratios at detection.
Each generation of GMR read sensors has utilized proportionate reductions in the shield-to-shield spacing to achieve the desired discrimination of bits having a smaller bit spacing. However, further shrinkage of the shield-to-shield spacing is limited by a minimum size required for the GMR read sensor and a minimum size for insulative gaps to prevent electrical conduction between the GMR read sensor and the shields. Minimum shield-to-shield spacings of approximately 675 Angstroms have been achieved using conventional technology.

Magnetoresistive read sensor with reduced effective shield-to-shield spacing


An ultra-broadband transverse electromagnetic (TEM) exponential antenna in which the radiating or receiving structure comprises first and second elongated conductors have a feed end comprising first and second narrow conductor strips. At an opposite radiating or receiving end, the widths of the first and second conductors expand exponentially in the H-plane, and the spacing between the first and second conductors expands exponentially in the E-plane, thereby providing a double flared, exponentially tapered, transverse electromagnetic horn antenna. Two TEM horn design embodiments are described herein and differ only in the lauching device by which the radiating structure is fed, which converts an input unbalanced transverse electromagnetic wave into a balanced transverse electromagnetic wave. A first preferred embodiment employs a stripline infinite balun as a launching device, while a second embodiment employs a cavity backed waveguide as a launching device. An input coaxial connector introduces an unbalanced transverse electromagnetic wave into the launching device, either the infinite balun or the cavity backed waveguide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ultra-broadband transverse electromagnetic (TEM) exponential horn antenna, and more particularly pertains to an antenna as described wherein at the radiating or receiving end, the widths of first and second conductors expand exponentially in the H-plane, and the spacing between the first and second conductors expands exponentially in the E-plane, thereby providing a double flared, exponentially tapered, transverse electromagnetic horn antenna.
An antenna as described herein can function as either a receiving or transmitting antenna. As a transmitting antenna, an impulse function can be utilized as the transmitted waveform, which results in a theoretically infinite bandwidth for the antenna.
The design of ground based or airborne radar systems which utilize an impulse function as a transmitted waveform has recently become of interest because the frequency spectrum of an impulse waveform has a theoretically infinite bandwidth. An ultra-broad bandwidth results in a radar system with unique capabilities, such as foliage penetration at low frequency wavelengths and high target resolution achieved at high frequency wavelengths.
The key components of an impulse function radar system are the receive and transmit antennas which require the combined attributes of ultra-broadband frequency response, high gain for long range target detection, high transmit voltage stand-off necessary for handling the necessary waveform power in nanosecond time frames, and nondispersive phase properties to maintain waveform fidelity. The present invention provides a design for a novel ultra-broadband antenna designed to be used in combination with a parabolic reflector, which should provide all of the electrical properties described above.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The prior art has considered a similar design for a TEM horn antenna, but wherein the conductor strips forming the antenna have a linearly expanding flare, not an exponentially expanding double flared design. Moreover, the prior art antenna is also not flared in both the H-plane and the E-plane to provide a double flared design similar to that of the present invention.
The design of an infinite balun component as described herein is well known in the art, and infinite baluns have been used with spiral or helix antennas, but not with an ultra-broadband transverse electromagnetic horn antenna similar to that of the present invention.

Ultra-broadband TEM double flared exponential horn antenna


A system and method for governing the delivery rate of electronic mail (email) messages, said method comprising providing for the delivery of email messages, controlling the rate of the delivery based on delivery efficiency and a target delivery rate, and wherein the delivery efficiency is based on the performance of a plurality of mail transfer agents (MTAs) that are capable of delivering email simultaneously.

The rapid growth and popularity of electronic mail (email) has also resulted in new uses for this form of communication. While originally email was primarily used for communicating between individuals or between corporations and their customers, it has now been adopted by other entities which have historically used more conventional modes of communication. For example, news sources and other entities which must communicate with extremely large numbers of people are now utilizing email as a means of communication and transferring data.
Conventional email distribution systems can encounter problems related to performance when attempting to send bulk quantities of email. Some systems may achieve their maximum attainable throughput while others may not. An email system's operating environment can play a part in determining the its performance. For example, connection times to other email systems may be slow, communication links between hops can be error prone, etc. What is needed is an email distribution system that can automatically react to environmental conditions to achieve the best attainable throughput.

Systems and methods for governing the performance of high volume electronic mail delivery


A thermal inkjet cartridge for an organic solvent-based ink includes a cartridge housing, a printhead attached to the housing, and a collapsible ink reservoir disposed in the housing. The ink reservoir has an opening through which ink is supplied to the printhead in fluid communication with the ink reservoir. The reservoir includes a basin member defining a first major portion of the ink reservoir and a movable plate defining a second major portion of the ink reservoir. At least one of the basin member and the movable plate includes a barrier layer for reducing the migration of solvent from the ink reservoir to an external environment.

The present disclosure relates to inkjet printers and inkjet cartridges. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an ink reservoir for an inkjet cartridge with a barrier layer for reducing solvent loss.
Typically, an inkjet cartridge includes an outer housing within which an ink containment system or ink reservoir is disposed in fluid communication with an inkjet printhead. A mechanism linked to the ink reservoir generates a negative pressure or backpressure that is maintained within a sufficient range to prevent ink from leaking from the printhead, but also allow ejection of ink for printing. Prior inkjet cartridges used primarily water-based inks, for which solvent loss is not usually an issue. However, cartridges containing inks with volatile organic solvents may lose significant amount of the organic solvent by migration of the solvent through the cartridge materials to the ambient environment.


The invention relates to a capsule for the preparation of a beverage obtained by supplying hot water within the capsule under pressure and releasing the beverage from the capsule. The capsule includes a food substance therein, a first surface adapted to be traversed by a flow of water entering the capsule, and a second surface adapted to be traversed by a flow of beverage exiting the capsule. The second surface is adapted to deform outwardly upon action of the inside water pressure thereon. Also, that surface includes at least one opening member capable of deforming inwards the capsule upon a mechanical reaction force applied from outside onto the closure member as a result of the deformation of the second surface due to the build-up of the inside pressure.

Foamed beverages such as espresso, cappuccino and latte prepared from a single serve capsule are becoming more and more popular. The principle of using pre-metered and pre-packed portions of coffee or the like for the preparation of coffee or other beverages has already existed for a long time. It has the advantage that it facilitates the preparation of coffee while ensuring that the quality of the product remains relatively consistent. It also provides more convenience for the operator. The capsule usually sits in a leak-tight enclosure of a coffee-type machine and hot water is passed through the capsule under pressure. The use of roast-and-ground powder is widely utilized commercially in capsules that perforate under the build-up of pressure to release the extracted liquid. However, to date, there do not exist any systems of capsules adapted for soluble powder that would confer a sufficient level of quality and foam able to compete with the roast-and-ground segment on the market. Therefore, all the attempts for such soluble powder containing capsules have not met with commercial success to date.
A problem commonly met with the existing capsules comes from the fact that the pressure cannot build up sufficiently well to have the powder entirely and homogeneously mixed with water. Channeling problems are usually noticed within the powder cake causing primary paths for water and zones which are not properly wetted by water. Therefore, the capsule can usually not be fully emptied or washed causing inconsistent dosage and powder waste left within the capsule. Other common problems met with the existing capsules relate to the generation of a poor foam or even no foam at all thereby producing beverages such as cappuccino or latte of very poor quality. As a result, these poor quality beverages get very little consumer acceptance.
Those problems are dependent upon the way the pressure builds up inside the capsule and the way the beverage is released into the cup. The building-up of the pressure and release are steps to ensure a product of satisfactory quality as well as to ensure a correct emptying or washing of the product inside the capsule.
Another problem results from the intensive mechanical interactions between the capsule and the means that exert pressure onto the capsule to effect the release of the beverage. Usually, the capsule is perforated by perforated means such as a corrugated or cutting surface or an opening element forcing a passage through the bottom of the capsule and positioning within the capsule. Such interactions have a tendency to generate bits of material from the capsule, such as plastic bits and the like, which may contaminate the beverage.
Foamed beverages such as espresso, cappuccino and latte prepared from dispensing machines are becoming more and more popular. Methods of preparation of such products from a predosed capsule are also known. The principle of using pre-metered and pre-packed portions of coffee and the like for the preparation of coffee-based beverages has the advantages to facilitate the preparation of the beverage while ensuring that the dose-to-dose quality and strength of the beverage remains constant for the same conditions of preparations (dosage, temperature, pressure, time, etc.). It also provides more convenience to the user. The capsule usually sits in a leak-tight enclosure of a special coffee-type machine and hot water is passed through the capsule under pressure. The underside of the capsule perforates under the build-up of pressure to release the extracted liquid. The use of roast-and-ground powder in capsules is commercialized to make coffee cups of high quality.
EP 0 512470 B1 describes a process for extracting sealed cartridges in a cartridge holder in which a mixture of water and air is injected into the cartridge under a pressure of 1 to 20 bar to deform the extraction face. The extraction face of the cartridge is deformed against a relief surface of the cartridge holder comprising relief elements and recessed elements, the extraction face tearing at the location of these relief elements and/or these recessed elements on reaching the breaking stress to enable liquid to be subsequently removed after extraction of the coffee under a pressure of 1 to 20 bar.
This process proves to be very effective for extracting a beverage liquid from an extractable, non-soluble material such as roast and ground coffee. Since the product is not soluble within the cartridge, the bed of material maintains an elevated inside resistance and pressure tends to build up to a relatively high range as more water enters the cartridge. The combination of high pressure, temperature and extraction time is key for extracting the fine aroma compounds from the coffee bed until the extraction face can tear to allow release of the extracted liquid in the cup.
For soluble products, water does not serve to extract solids and coffee aroma compounds but it is supposed to solubilize all the solids. Dilution of the solids is essentially obtained by thorough mixing within the capsule during a sufficient time up to a complete dilution. Furthermore, mixing should be carried out while entrapping sufficient air to form a good foam or froth upon releasing in the cup. Foam generation of soluble powder is complex and may also be dependent on the physical release conditions of the solution through the capsule. These physical conditions involve the level of shear created and pressure release through the openings. The building-up of pressure and the timing for release are also selected to obtain a sufficient mixing and air entrapment in the solution. The problem is that, when liquid starts entering the capsule, the powder starts dissolving and the solution tends to evacuate. As solids content in the capsule decreases, the resistance created by the powder in the capsule decreases proportionally. As a result, the solution tends to evacuate too quickly the capsule and at a too low pressure, without sufficient mixing having been carried out. As mixing is insufficient, lumps may form in the delivered solution, insufficient amount of air is entrapped and the resulting amount of foam created is poor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,527 to Stasse relates to an apparatus and a cartridge adapted to deliver in succession different drinks or beverages without allowing the drink or beverage to contact the basic elements of the apparatus. The cartridge may contain fine soluble powder and has a perforated bottom side that creates a pressure drop capable of retarding the outflow through the orifice. Such a perforated arrangement by itself, even when small, does not produce sufficient shear and does not retain sufficient pressure inside to be capable of generating a properly whipped or foamed beverage.
EP 0 468 080 to Fond also relates to a process of extraction of a cartridge for roast and ground coffee wherein the cartridge has an apertured bottom side to deliver the extracted liquid along an extensive surface. This process is for roast-and-ground but would not properly apply to soluble powder such as instant coffee powder for the same reasons as for U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,527.
WO 01/58786 to Halliday relates to a cartridge for the preparation of whipped beverages of "espresso" type in machines operating at low pressure characterized in that the cartridge incorporates in the beverage flow path, prior to or at the outlet, means for producing a jet of beverage, at least one inlet for air and means to generate a pressure reduction of the jet of beverage whereby in use air from the air inlet is incorporated into the beverage as a plurality of small bubbles. Due to the low pressure inside the cartridge, air must be added by specific air inlets. Such a cartridge specifically involves many parts and, hence, is tricky, complex and expensive to produce.
A need exists for a system to produce a food liquid, such as a coffee-based product, having superior whipped or foam characteristics obtained from a capsule-type system, and for the system to employ a relatively simple and low cost cartridge that can generate a substantially complete dissolution of the soluble food product and a high amount of foam.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A colored three-dimensional point cloud is encoded in at least two depth and texture images. The proposed method and device use inverse project pixels of the first image and inverse project pixels to the second image. When the inverse projecting of a first pixel of the first image and the inverse projecting of a second pixel of the second image refer to a common generated point, that is two 3D points closer to each other than the imprecision due to the encoding and compression of the images, the color value of the pixel of first and second pixels having the lowest local depth variance is attributed to the common generated point.

The present section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present principles that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present principles. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
A point cloud is a set of points usually intended to represent the external surface of a 3D object but also more complex geometries like hair or fur that may not be represented efficiently by other data format like meshes. Each point of a point cloud is often defined by a 3D spatial location (X, Y, and Z coordinates in an orthogonal frame of reference of the 3D space or angles ρ, φ and distance d in a radial frame of reference of the 3D space) and possibly by other associated attributes such as color, represented in the RGB or YUV color space for example, a transparency, a reflectance, a normal vector, etc. Point clouds may be static or dynamic depending on whether the cloud evolves with respect to time. It should be noticed that in case of a dynamic point cloud, the number of points is not constant but, on the contrary, generally evolves with time. A dynamic point cloud is thus a time-ordered sequence of sets of points.
Virtual Reality (VR) and immersive worlds have become a hot topic recently and foreseen by many as the future of two-dimensional (2D) flat video. The basic idea is to immerse the viewer in an environment all round him by opposition to standard TV where he can only look at the virtual world in front of him. There are several gradations in the immersivity depending on the freedom of the viewer in the environment. Point clouds, especially colored point clouds, are a good format candidate to distribute VR worlds. They may be static or dynamic and are typically of averaged size (a few millions of points at a time).
Well-known approaches project a colored point cloud representing the geometry and colors of 3D objects onto the surfaces in the 3D environment, for example onto the faces of a cube encompassing the 3D objects, to obtain videos on texture and depth, and code the texture and depth videos using a legacy encoder such as 3D-HEVC (an extension of HEVC whose specification is found at the ITU website, T recommendation, H series, h265, http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-H.265-201612-I/en annex G and I).
At the decoder, the picture and depth images (a video is a sequence of images) are inverse projected to re-generate a colored point cloud (or a sequence of colored point clouds). The inverse projection is performed according to information representing the projections mapping associated to surfaces onto which the original colored point cloud has been projected. The representation of the geometry and color of a point cloud with projection images introduce imprecisions on the point coordinates and color because of the avoidable discretization due to the images rasterization and the non-lossless compression methods. In addition, a same point of the original colored point cloud may be projected several times onto several images through several surfaces. When re-generating the colored point cloud from these images, a same point in the original colored point cloud may be inverse projected several times at close coordinates with distinct colors. This situation uselessly makes the decoded colored point cloud more complex than the original.
Existing methods, when estimated that several inverse projected points from distinct projection images have to be considered as the same original point, set a color for this point that is the average or the median of the color of corresponding pixels in the texture images. This create fuzziness and visual artefacts when rendering the reconstructed colored point cloud. There is a lack for a method for attributing the color of the most appropriated pixel to a point reconstructed according to several projections in several depth and texture images.

Method and apparatus for encoding a point cloud representing three-dimensional objects


A dual-rate jounce bumper limits jounce travel between a first component and a second component of a vehicle. The second component is spaced from and moveable toward the first component along a jounce axis. The dual-rate jounce bumper includes a bumper and an outer member. The bumper has a first end for coupling to the first component and a second end spaced from the first end for contacting the second component as the second component moves along the jounce axis toward the first component. The bumper is compressible between the first and second components for limiting jounce travel. The bumper is also radially expandable as the bumper is compressed. The outer member is disposed about the bumper and is capable of limiting the radial expansion of the bumper as the bumper is compressed for increasing a stiffness of the bumper.

Jounce bumpers are used in a suspension system of a vehicle to limit transmission of an impact force to a frame member of the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle travels over a bump, components of the suspension system, such as a strut assembly, jounce or collapse to absorb the energy generated by the impact. However, when the suspension system cannot completely dissipate the energy, the components of the suspension system may impact the frame assembly thereby transmitting the impact force to the frame member, which is not desirable.
Generally, the jounce bumpers gradually stiffen the suspension systems as the suspension system approaches an end of its jounce travel, i.e., before the components of the suspension system impact the frame of the vehicle. As such, a conventional jounce bumper is used to separate components of the suspension system and the frame member of the vehicle to prevent the suspension system from directly impacting the frame member. For example, the conventional jounce bumper may be coupled to a piston rod of a strut assembly of the suspension system between a cylinder of the strut assembly and the frame of the vehicle. The conventional jounce bumper separates the cylinder of the strut assembly and the frame member of the vehicle to prevent the cylinder from directly impacting the frame member as the strut assembly approaches the end of its jounce travel.
The conventional jounce bumper includes a disk-shaped bumper. As the disk-shaped bumper is compressed, the resistance to compression increases to the point the disk-shaped bumper acts like a solid. The compression of the disk-shaped bumper absorbs energy transferred from the suspension system. However, once the disk-shaped bumper acts like a solid, any remaining energy in the suspension system is transferred directly to the frame member of the vehicle. Often, the impact force is greater than the jounce bumper can handle. Therefore, there remains a need to provide an improved jounce bumper.


The present invention relates to an offset cancellation circuit of digital filtering system which is capable of responding to a variation of an offset value with variation of circuit constant of an A/D converter due to temperature variation, etc. The present offset cancellation circuit is constituted with a low-pass filter for deriving an offset cancellation component from an offset component contained in respective codewords y of output codeword sequence y(kT) (where k is an integer and T is a sampling period of the A/D converter) of a parallel B bits of the offset cancellation circuit at a predetermined ratio every sampling period and accumulating the derived offset cancellation components and an adder for reducing the accumulated offset cancellation components from the input codeword sequence x(kT) of the parallel B bits every sampling period and outputting it as the codeword sequence y(kT). As a result, the whole offset cancellation circuit constitutes a recursive, IIR type digital filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a D.C. offset cancellation circuit and, particularly, to an offset cancellation circuit for removing a D.C. component contained in an output of an analog-to-digital converter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An analog-to-digital (A/D) converter widely used in a digital signal processing device or a digital communication system has a problem that an analog modulator which is a key component of the converter produces D.C. drift inherently. Due to this D.C. drift, an output of the analog modulator may contain a D.C. offset (referred to as "offset" hereinafter) component. Such offset component may cause an overflow problem in arithmetic operation of integration and/or addition in, for example, a digital audio signal processing device to occur, which may be audible as click or noise. Therefore, such offset component is to be removed.
It is known that a low frequency component of such offset component can be removed by inserting a digital filter in a stage subsequent to the A/D converter and it is further known that a digital filter of such as non-recursive, finite impulse response (FIR) type has a sharp frequency cut-off characteristics. Nevertheless, such scheme has not been used practically since the number of filtering stages required in such signal processing device and hence the number of registers thereof required for holding data have to be increased, making size of such device very large.
Instead thereof, a calibration system has been used widely for removing offset component. This system is constituted, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,807, such that an output digital value of an A/D converter, when a ground potential is input thereto prior to a start of A/D conversing operation, is stored in a memory and an output of the same A/D converter for an input analog signal supplied after start of the A/D conversing operation is corrected with the digital value read from the memory.
That is, the offset cancellation circuit of the calibration system includes, as basic components, an analog-to-digital converter, switch means having a movable contact terminal connected to an input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter and two fixed contact terminals, one being connected to an input analog signal source and the other being connected to ground potential, and responsive to a control signal for supplying ground potential to the input terminal of the analog-to-digital converter in an offset value detection mode and the input analog signal thereto in an ordinary mode, a random access memory (RAM) connected to an output terminal of the analog-to-digital converter and responsive to the control signal for storing the offset value and subtracter means for subtracting the offset value read from the random access memory from an output digital signal of the analog-to-digital converter in the ordinary mode. Since the digitized offset value indicates an offset component inherent to the analog-to-digital converter, the output digital signal at the output of the subtracter does not contain the offset component. An analog-to-digital converter including an offset cancellation circuit of this calibration system is disclosed in the user manual, "AK5326/27 16 Bits Oversampling Stero A/D Converter", April 1989, ASAHI KASEI.
In the above-mentioned offset cancelling method, since an offset component detected during a period of offset value detection mode and stored in a random access memory is maintained at a fixed value even when the offset value varies with variation of circuit constants of the constitutional components of the analog-to-digital converter due to temperature variation, there may be a difference or error produced between it and an actual offset value, which error may be a source of noise by which a dynamic range of the analog-to-digital converter may be narrowed. In order to solve this problem, it may be considered to increase frequency in use of offset value detection mode. In such case, however, the period of ordinary mode of the analog-to-digital converter may be shortened correspondingly, causing total performance thereof to be degraded.

DC offset correction circuit for A/D converter


On a workpiece there are first longitudinal portions which are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the continuous longitudinal axis and are intended to be ground by way of centerless grinding. The workpiece also has a second longitudinal portion, which is not rotationally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis and would lead to imbalance in the event of rotation. Therefore, a balancing weight having a radially extending recess is placed on the second longitudinal portion. The balancing weight contributes largely to uniform distribution of the rotating masses, thus reduces the imbalance to a very low residual imbalance and allows reliable and precise centerless grinding.

The invention relates to a method for the cylindrical grinding of a one-piece workpiece, the contour of which is defined by a continuous longitudinal axis and, in addition to a first longitudinal region, which is cylindrical with respect to said longitudinal axis, also has a second longitudinal region, in which the radial distribution of mass in relation to the longitudinal axis is non-uniform.
Workpieces of this kind are known. They are contoured in accordance with a continuous longitudinal axis, this longitudinal axis simultaneously being a center line and an axis of rotation during subsequent operation. However, only some of them have one or more longitudinal portions of cylindrical cross section which are rotationally symmetrical in relation to the longitudinal axis. In another longitudinal region, the radial distribution of mass is non-uniform because the radial circumferential contour is eccentric or not rotationally symmetrical in some other way with respect to the longitudinal axis. The best-known example of such workpieces are the balancer shafts in modern engines, especially those for motor vehicles. The increasing use of such balancer shafts is the product of the mutually contradictory demands for smoothness from these engines, for low fuel consumption data and for lightweight construction in general. However, the use of balancer shafts is not restricted only to motor vehicle engines but also extends to compressors and other technical areas.
In the specialist jargon of those in the industry, such workpieces are referred to as "unbalanced". This means that a workpiece of this kind rotating alone is associated with problems of unbalance since the rotary motion is non-uniform and is disturbed by vibrations or wobbling movements. With the increasing use of balancer shafts and similar workpieces, there arose the demand for high-precision grinding of said workpieces, at least in the cylindrical and rotationally symmetrical longitudinal regions thereof, in an economical production process, despite the unbalance behavior thereof.
There have already been various reflections on how this demand could be met with the known means of grinding technology. The knowledge of the applicant on the subject is made up of its own operational practice, from analyses of in-house tests and from discussions among professionals of the kind which customarily take place at specialist conferences, exhibitions and similar occasions. There is no known documentation or publication relating thereto, however.
Thus, consideration was given to producing said workpieces selectively with a considerable allowance in the second longitudinal region thereof in such a way that an approximation to rotational symmetry and hence smooth concentric running would be expected. After grinding, the excess allowance would have had to be removed. However, such a grinding method would be not only very involved and expensive but would also entail a reduction in quality. This is because removal of material by turning or milling after grinding, the latter being a fine machining process, would lead to distortion of the workpiece, making it impossible to comply with the required dimensional and shape tolerances.
The idea of grinding these difficult workpieces by mounting between centers had to be abandoned. It would be expected that grinding said workpieces between centers would be possible only with considerable outlay owing to their instability and the workpiece geometry. For example, an axial contact pressure of the kind which generally arises when grinding between centers would have led to deformation precisely of the weak, eccentric second longitudinal region.
Finally, the tried and tested method for centerless cylindrical grinding was also considered. In this case, however, the experience hitherto has been almost exclusively with completely rotationally symmetrical workpieces. It was therefore known that a relatively severe unbalance of the workpieces made this grinding process very difficult or even impracticable. During centerless cylindrical grinding, an "unbalanced" workpiece will rotate nonuniformly, that is to say will not allow a uniform rotary motion to take place. This means, first of all, an inaccurate grinding result. It was even necessary to accept that the nonuniform rotary motion would even hinder the driving of the workpiece by the regulating wheel, not even allowing the rotary driving of the workpiece to come about. As is known, conditions in the grinding gap are so difficult that the regulating wheel can only transmit a sufficient torque to the workpiece if the latter is by and large also rotationally symmetrical with respect to the distribution of mass. However, if the drive is not reliable for the process from the outset, centerless cylindrical grinding cannot even be considered for these workpieces.

Method for the cylindrical grinding of a workpiece, system containing the workpiece and apparatus for the centreless grinding of the system


An adjustable cable support member includes a first track defining first and second channels extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second track at least partially slideably received within the first and second channels of the first track in the longitudinal direction for enabling adjustment of the overall length of the cable support member. The first track and the second track define a cable receiving space extending continuously in the longitudinal direction over the length of the cable support member.

Safe working environments, and more generally, personal safety in public or private venues, continues to be of critical concern for private industry and government alike. Many of these environments, such as construction sites, concert or other entertainment venues, or convention centers, often rely on significant electrical and other powered equipment. This equipment typically requires large amounts of associated electrical cables or other conduits (e.g., power and/or signal cables, and/or pneumatic or hydraulic lines) routed to various locations and from various sources arranged remotely from one another. As a result, potential safety hazards may be created in the areas of high foot traffic, such as along walkways and/or proximate doorways and other openings. Routing these lines, for example, along the floor of a site presents several drawbacks, including creating tripping and/or electrocution hazards, as well as subjecting the equipment and associated lines to unnecessary damage and/or wear.
Safe and acceptable cable handing practices generally include elevating or suspending these conduits in areas of exposure, so as not to come into contact with or pose a tripping hazard for, a worker or a patron. Currently suspension solutions include attaching cables to existing structures, such as to walls or other preexisting existing equipment. However, such solutions are often time consuming and/or difficult to install and/or uninstall without creating damage (e.g., anchor holes of other mounting surface damage) which must be addressed.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods to quickly and efficiently route cables and other conduits over or otherwise around select areas.


Disclosed herein is a medium- or large-sized battery module having a plurality of battery cells (unit cells), wherein the battery module is constructed in a structure in which detection units for detecting physical operation state of the battery cells are mounted to the respective battery cells, the detection units are connected to a control unit of the battery module while the detection units are connected in series with each other, and signals (detected signals) detected from the respective battery cells are transmitted to the control unit while the detected signals are included in signals detected from the entire battery cells. The detection units are mounted to the respective battery cells, and therefore, the accuracy of information on the physical operation state of the battery cells is improved, and the circuit for transmitting the detected signals to the control unit is simple although the number of the detection units is large. Consequently, it is possible to construct a battery module having a simple structure. In addition, the volume change measurement sensors formed in a specific shape are used for a battery module using lithium secondary batteries as unit cells, and therefore, it is possible to accomplish the simple structure of the battery module with reduced costs and to secure the safety of the battery module with high accuracy.

A secondary battery, which can be charged and discharged, has been increasingly used as a power source for medium- or large-sized devices, such as electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, as well as small-sized mobile devices. When the secondary battery is used as the power source for the medium- or large-sized devices, a plurality of unit cells (secondary batteries) are connected in series or in series/parallel with each other so as to manufacture a battery module(s) providing high output. Consequently, the battery module is generally constructed in a structure in which the plurality of secondary batteries are electrically connected with each other.
Up to now, nickel-metal hydride secondary batteries have been widely used as the unit cells (battery cells) of the medium- or large-sized battery module. Recently, however, lithium secondary batteries have attracted considerable attention as the unit cells (battery cells) of the medium- or large-sized battery module because the lithium secondary batteries have high energy density and high discharge voltage.
The battery module is constructed in a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are included in the battery module. Consequently, it is necessary to detect the operation state of the respective battery cells and to control the operation of the respective battery cells. For example, it is necessary to detect physical operation states of the respective battery cells, such as the voltage and the temperature of the battery cells, and to secure the optimum operation state and the safety of the respective battery cells. The detection of the physical operation states of the respective battery cells is accomplished by a construction in which connecting members for voltage measurement, such as wires, are connected to the battery cells to be measured and a control unit and a construction in which temperature sensors are mounted at the outer surfaces of the battery cells to be measured or adjacent to the battery cells, and signals detected by the respective temperature sensors are transmitted to a control unit via connecting members.
As the number of the battery cells constituting the battery module is increased, therefore, the connection structure between the detection unit for detecting the physical operation state of the respective battery cells and the control unit is very complicated. In the construction for measuring the voltage of the battery cells, a process for detecting the voltage of the battery cells and transmitting the detected signals to the control unit is individually carried out. However, the measurement of the temperature of the respective battery cells must be improved.
When the lithium secondary batteries as described above are used as the unit cells of the battery module, on the other hand, the safety problem of the battery module must be more carefully considered. Each lithium secondary battery suffers relatively large volume change when lithium ions are absorbed to or discharged from anodes. Specifically, the lithium secondary battery is repeatedly expanded and contracted during the repetitive charge and discharge of the lithium secondary battery. The repetitive expansion and contraction of the lithium secondary battery increases the internal resistance of the lithium secondary battery. As a result, the efficiency of the lithium secondary battery is greatly reduced. Also, a battery case is separated from the remaining part of the lithium secondary battery due to the excessive expansion of the lithium secondary battery. As a result, an electrolyte leaks from the lithium secondary battery, and therefore, the lithium secondary battery may catch fire or explode. Furthermore, the fire or explosion of some of the battery cells results in the consecutive fire or explosion of the remaining battery cells, whereby a serious situation may be caused.
In a medium- or large-sized battery module using the lithium secondary batteries as the unit cells, therefore, it is necessary to detect the expansion state of the respective unit cells in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. Some conventional arts propose a technology for mounting a piezoelectric element or another unit to measure the expansibility of the battery cells to the surface of the battery cells.
When the above-mentioned detection unit and connecting members are further mounted to the battery module so as to detect the volume expansibility of the battery cells, however, the structure for detecting the physical operation state of the battery cells is further complicated.
For example, a construction for detecting a physical operation state of battery cells of a conventional medium- or large-sized battery module having a plurality of battery cells is illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 schematically shows only the construction for obtaining a detected signal. As the number of physical operation states obtained from the battery cells is increased, however, the number of sensors is also increased. Furthermore, the number of detection circuits for electrically connecting the sensors is also increased with the result the structure of the battery module having a restricted size is further complicated.
In this connection, U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,262 discloses a technology for acquiring information on physical operation states from battery cells of a medium- or large-sized battery module having a plurality of battery cells connected in series with each other, converting the acquired information into coded alternating current voltage, and transmitting the coded alternating current voltage to a control unit via a power cable of the battery module. The technology disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,262 is embodied in a very simple structure because the signals detected from the respective battery cells are transmitted to the control unit not using an additional connecting member but using the power cable of the battery module. However, it is necessary to mount additional units for converting the detected signals into coded alternating current voltage to the respective battery cells. Consequently, the manufacturing costs of the battery module are inevitably increased. Furthermore, the structure of the battery module is further complicated due to the provision of the conversion units.
Also, Korean Patent Application Publication. No. 2001-46873 discloses a technology for measuring the voltage change of a plurality of thermocouples connected in series with each other and located at opposite ends of battery cells to detect the abnormal state of the battery cells while temperature sensors are not mounted to the respective battery cells. As clearly described in the specification of the Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2001-46873, the disclosed structure has an advantage in that the number of the temperature sensors, as detection members, is reduced, and therefore, a circuit for transmitting the detected signals is simplified. However, the disclosed structure has a fundamental problem in that the operation state information on the respective battery cells cannot be detected, and therefore, it is not possible to secure the substantial safety of the battery cells. In addition, the disclosure of the above-mentioned publication is limited to apply to a technology for measuring the expansibility of the respective battery cells of the battery module using the lithium secondary batteries as the unit cells.
Consequently, there is high necessary of a battery module having a new structure in which the construction for detecting information with respect to the respective battery cells and transmitting the detected signals to the control unit is simplified.

Battery module having simple-structure safety device


A transport refrigeration system, a control method therefor and an electric transport vehicle are provided by the present disclosure. The control method for the transport refrigeration system includes: if a ratio of a current battery charge amount to a minimum battery charge amount is not less than a first preset value, controlling power consuming units in the transport refrigeration system to operate in a power-unrestricted state; and if the ratio of the current battery charge amount to the minimum battery charge amount is less than the first preset value, controlling the power consuming units in the transport refrigeration system to operate in a power-restricted state; wherein the power-restricted state is associated with the ratio of the current battery charge amount to the minimum battery charge amount.

Transport vehicles for cold chain distribution are typically equipped with a dedicated transport refrigeration system. Such a refrigeration system typically includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an expansion valve, and other auxiliary components that constitute a refrigeration circuit. The evaporator of the refrigeration system is arranged in a compartment of the transport vehicle for providing a constant-temperature preservation space for the goods to be transported in the vehicle compartment, such as refrigerating preservation or freezing preservation. Such transport vehicles and their refrigeration systems can be powered by diesel, petrol or new energy sources. For example, with the development of new energy sources, some transport vehicles can use power batteries to provide power for transport vehicles and their transport refrigeration systems. During the operation of the vehicle and transport refrigeration system, the power is continuously consumed until its battery charge reaches a minimum set threshold, which means that the vehicle's power battery will have to be charged. If the battery continues to be used until the charges are exhausted, the vehicle will be unable to run or even the battery will be damaged. To avoid such problems, there is currently a type of solution that shuts down the transport refrigeration system when the battery charge reaches a minimum set threshold. In this case, although the travelling duration of the vehicle is prolonged, the insulation temperature in the vehicle compartment will be out of control, which will rise rapidly, affecting the quality of the goods, or even causing deterioration and damage of the goods.

Transportation refrigeration system, for transportation vehicle, control method thereof and electric transportation vehicle


The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.

Introduction—Hyperlipidemia and Arteriosclerosis
Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular diseases are responsible for a significant number of deaths annually in many industrialized countries. One of the most common pathological processes underlying these diseases is arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is characterized by lesions, which begin as localized fatty thickenings in the inner aspects of blood vessels supplying blood to the heart, brain, and other organs and tissues throughout the body. Over time, these atherosclerotic lesions may ulcerate, exposing fatty plaque deposits that may break away and embolize within the circulation. Atherosclerotic lesions obstruct the lumens of the affected blood vessels and often reduce the blood flow within the blood vessels, which may result in ischemia of the tissue supplied by the blood vessel. Embolization of atherosclerotic plaques may produce acute obstruction and ischemia in distal blood vessels. Such ischemia, whether prolonged or acute, may result in a heart attack or stroke from which the patient may or may not recover. Similar ischemia in an artery supplying an extremity may result in gangrene requiring amputation of the extremity.
For some time, the medical community has recognized the relationship between arteriosclerosis and levels of dietary lipid, serum cholesterol, and serum triglycerides within a patient's blood stream. Many epidemiological studies have been conducted revealing that the amount of serum cholesterol within a patient's blood stream is a significant predictor of coronary disease. Similarly, the medical community has recognized the relationship between hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes mellitus. Further, hyperlipidemia and arteriosclerosis have been identified as being related to other major health problems, such as obesity and hypertension.
Cholesterol Transport
Cholesterol circulating in the blood is carried by plasma lipoproteins that transport lipids throughout the blood. The plasma lipoproteins are classified in five types according to size: chylomicrons (which are largest in size and lowest in density), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) (which are the smallest and most dense). These plasma lipoproteins exhibit differences in size, density, diameter, protein content, phospholipid content and triacylglycerol content, known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Of these, the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are primarily the major cholesterol carrier proteins. The protein component of LDL, the apolipoprotein-B (Apo B) and its products comprise the atherogenic elements. Elevated plasma LDL levels and reduced HDL levels are recognized as the primary cause of coronary disease because Apo B is in highest concentration in LDL particles and is not present in HDL particles. Apolipoprotein A-1 (Apo A-1) and apolipoprotein A-2 (Apo A-2) are found in HDL. Other apolipoproteins, such as Apo C and its subtypes (C-1, C-2 and C-3), Apo D and Apo E are also found in HDL. Apo C and Apo E are also observed in LDL particles.
Numerous major classes of HDL particles including HDL2b, HDL2a, HDL3a, HDL3b and HDL3c have been reported (Segrest et al., Curr. Opin. Lipidol. 11:105-115, 2000). Various forms of HDL particles have been described on the basis of electrophoretic mobility on agarose as two major populations, a major fraction with α-HDL mobility and a minor fraction with migration similar to VLDL (Barrans et al., Biochemica Biophysica Acta 1300; 73-85, 1996). This latter fraction has been called pre-β HDL and these particles are thought to be the most efficient HDL particle subclass for inducing cellular cholesterol efflux (Segrest et al., Curr. Opin. Lipidol. 11:105-115, 2000). The pre-β HDL particles have been further separated into pre-β1 HDL, pre-β2 HDL and pre-β3 HDL. These lipoprotein particles are comprised of Apo A-1, phospholipids and free cholesterol. The pre-β HDL particles are considered to be the first acceptors of cellular free cholesterol and are essential in eventually transferring free and esterified cholesterol to α-HDL (Barrans et al., Biochemica Biophysica Acta 1300; 73-85, 1996). Pre-β3 HDL particles may transfer cholesterol to α-HDL or be converted to α-HDL. These pre-β HDL particles have been characterized in terms of their charge, molecular mass (ranging from 40 kDa-420 kDa), size (Stoke's radius 4 nm-15 nm), shape (ellipsoidal, discoidal or spherical) and chemical composition (protein (including Apo A-1), free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, phospholipids and the ratio of free cholesterol to phospholipids (see Barrans et al., Biochemica Biophysica Acta 1300; 73-85, 1996 for additional details)). HDL levels are inversely correlated with atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Accordingly, what is needed is a method to decrease or remove cholesterol from these various HDL particles, especially the pre-β HDL particles, so that they are available to remove additional cholesterol from cells.
Cholesterol is synthesized by the liver or obtained from dietary sources. LDL is responsible for transferring cholesterol from the liver to tissues at different sites in the body. However, if LDL collects on the arterial walls, it undergoes oxidation caused by oxygen free radicals liberated from the body's chemical processes and interacts deleteriously with the blood vessels. The modified LDL causes white blood cells in the immune system to gather at the arterial walls, forming a fatty substance called plaque and injuring cellular layers that line blood vessels. The modified oxidized LDL also reduces the level of nitric oxide, which is responsible for relaxing the blood vessels and thereby allowing the blood to flow freely. As this process continues, the arterial walls slowly constrict, resulting in hardening of the arteries and thereby reducing blood flow. The gradual build-up of plaque can result in blockage of a coronary vessel and ultimately in a heart attack.
In contrast to LDL, high plasma HDL levels are desirable because they play a major role in "reverse cholesterol transport", where the excess cholesterol is transferred from tissue sites to the liver where it is catabolized and eliminated. Optimal total cholesterol levels are 200 mg/dl or below with a LDL cholesterol level of 160 mg/dl or below and a HDL-cholesterol level of 45 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women. Lower LDL levels are recommended for individuals with a history of elevated cholesterol, atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease.
Current Methods of Treatment
Hyperlipidemia may be treated by changing a patient's diet. However, diet as a primary mode of therapy requires a major effort on the part of patients, physicians, nutritionists, dietitians, and other health care professionals and thus undesirably taxes the resources of health professionals. Another negative aspect of this therapy is that its success does not rest exclusively on diet. Rather, success of dietary therapy depends upon a combination of social, psychological, economic, and behavioral factors. Thus, therapy based only on correcting flaws within a patient's diet is not always successful.
In instances when dietary modification has been unsuccessful, drug therapy has been used as an alternative. Such therapy has included use of commercially available hypolipidemic drugs administered alone or in combination with other therapies as a supplement to dietary control. These drugs, called statins, include natural statins, lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, and cerivastatin. Statins are particularly effective for lowering LDL levels and are also effective in the reduction of triglycerides, apparently in direct proportion to their LDL-lowering effects. Statins raise HDL levels, but to a lesser extent than other anti-cholesterol drugs. Statins also increase nitric oxide, which, as described above, is reduced in the presence of oxidized LDL.
Bile acid resins, another drug therapy, work by binding with bile acid, a substance made by the liver using cholesterol as one of the primary manufacturing components. Because the drugs bind with bile acids in the digestive tract, they are then excreted with the feces rather than being absorbed into the body. The liver, as a result, must take more cholesterol from the circulation to continue constructing bile acids, resulting in an overall decrease in LDL levels.
Nicotinic acid, or niacin, is also known as vitamin B3. It is extremely effective in reducing triglyceride levels and raising HDL levels higher than any other anti-cholesterol drug. Nicotinic acid also lowers LDL-cholesterol.
Fibric acid derivatives, or fibrates, are used to lower triglyceride levels and increase HDL when other drugs ordinarily used for these purposes, such as niacin, are not effective.
Probucol lowers LDL-cholesterol levels, however, it also lowers HDL levels. It is generally used for certain genetic disorders that cause high cholesterol levels, or in cases where other cholesterol-lowering drugs are ineffective or cannot be used.
Hypolipidemic drugs have had varying degrees of success in reducing blood lipid; however, none of the hypolipidemic drugs successfully treats all types of hyperlipidemia. While some hypolipidemic drugs have been fairly successful, the medical community has not found any conclusive evidence that hypolipidemic drugs cause regression of atherosclerosis. In addition, all hypolipidemic drugs have undesirable side effects. As a result of the lack of success of dietary control, drug therapy and other therapies, atherosclerosis remains a major cause of death in many parts of the world.
New therapies have been used to reduce the amount of lipid in patients for whom drug and diet therapies were not sufficiently effective. For example, extracorporeal procedures like plasmapheresis and LDL-apheresis have been employed and are shown to be effective in lowering LDL.
Plasmapheresis therapy or plasma exchange therapy, involves replacing a patient's plasma with donor plasma or more usually a plasma protein fraction. Plasmapheresis is a process whereby the blood plasma is removed from blood cells by a cell separator. The separator works either by spinning the blood at high speed to separate the cells from the fluid or by passing the blood through a membrane with pores so small that only the fluid component of the blood can pass through. The cells are returned to the person undergoing treatment, while the plasma is discarded and replaced with other fluids.
This treatment has resulted in complications due to the introduction of foreign proteins and transmission of infectious diseases. Further, plasmapheresis has the disadvantage of non-selective removal of all serum proteins, such as VLDL, LDL, and HDL. Moreover, plasmapheresis can result in several side effects including allergic reactions in the form of fever, chills, and rash and possibly even anaphylaxis.
As described above, it is not desirable to remove HDL, which is secreted from both the liver and the intestine as nascent, disk-shaped particles that contain cholesterol and phospholipids. HDL is believed to play a role in reverse cholesterol transport, which is the process by which excess cholesterol is removed from tissues and transported to the liver for reuse or disposal in the bile.
In contrast to plasmapheresis, the LDL-apheresis procedure selectively removes Apo B containing cholesterol, such as LDL, while retaining HDL. Several methods for LDL-apheresis have been developed. These techniques include absorption of LDL in heparin-agarose beads, the use of immobilized LDL-antibodies, cascade filtration absorption to immobilize dextran sulphate, and LDL precipitation at low pH in the presence of heparin. Each method described above is effective in removing LDL. This treatment process has disadvantages, however, including the failure to positively affect HDL or to cause a metabolic shift that can enhance atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. LDL apheresis merely treats patients with severe hyperlipidemia.
Yet another method of achieving a reduction in plasma cholesterol in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and patients with acquired hyperlipidemia is an extracorporeal lipid elimination process, referred to as cholesterol apheresis. In cholesterol apheresis, blood is withdrawn from a patient, the plasma is separated from the blood, and the plasma is mixed with a solvent mixture. The solvent mixture extracts lipids from the plasma. Thereafter, the delipidated plasma is recombined with the patient's blood cells and returned to the patient.
Conventional extracorporeal delipidation processes, however, are directed toward the concurrent delipidation of LDL and HDL. This process can have a number of disadvantages. Because LDL is more difficult to delipidate, extracorporeal systems are designed to subject body fluid volumes to substantial processing, possibly through multiple stage solvent exposure and extraction steps. Vigorous multi-stage solvent exposure and extraction can have several drawbacks. It may be difficult to remove a sufficient amount of solvents from the delipidated plasma in order for the delipidated plasma to be safely returned to a patient.
Hence, existing apheresis and extracorporeal systems for treatment of plasma constituents suffer from a number of disadvantages that limit their ability to be used in clinical applications. A need exists for improved systems, apparatuses and methods capable of removing lipids from blood components in order to provide treatments and preventative measures for cardiovascular diseases. What is also needed is a method to selectively remove lipid from HDL particles and thereby create modified HDL particles with increased capacity to accept cholesterol. What is also needed is a method to selectively remove lipid from HDL particles and thereby create modified HDL particles with increased capacity to accept cholesterol, without substantially affecting LDL particles.

Methods and apparatus for creating particle derivatives of HDL with reduced lipid content


A scarifier comprises skis that allow a drum assembly to contour with the concrete. Alternatively, the scarifier comprises at least two segments that are torsionally coupled to each other. Alternatively, the scarifier comprises the torsionally-coupled segments and the skis.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to surfacing equipment and, more particularly, scarifiers.
2. Description of Related Art
Surfacing equipment is often used in various environments to modify textures of surfaces. For example, surfacing equipment is used in road construction, paving, and other known applications. Insofar as different environments have different characteristics, surfacing equipment continues to evolve to accommodate those different characteristics.


A priority encoder (12) has a most significant bit circuitry (18), a first less significant bit circuitry (20) and a second less significant bit circuitry (22). The priority encoder detects a leading one within a plurality of data bits. Each data bit is associated with a different one of a plurality of input signals. The most significant bit circuitry is coupled to a first one of the input signals and generates a first output signal and a parallel blocking signal. Both of the first output signal and the parallel blocking signal are representative in a first logic state of a leading one associated with the first signal. The first less significant bit cell is coupled to a second one of the input signals and to the parallel blocking signal. The first less significant bit cell generates a second output signal and a less significant carry signal. Both the second output signal and the less significant carry signal are representative in a first logic state of a leading one associated with the second input signal. The second less significant bit cell is coupled to a third one of the input signals, to the parallel blocking signal and to the less significant carry signal. The second less significant bit cell generates a third output signal representative in a first logic state of a leading one associated with the third input signal.

In many digital computing applications, it is necessary to identify the first "1" or the last "1" within a data word, or within a string of "1's" and "0's". For instance, it may be necessary in certain data processing applications to normalize the largest data value within a set of data values to a predetermined order of magnitude. After such a normalization the largest data value will have a one in the most significant bit. Generally this process may be accomplished by identifying the largest data word and then determining the position of the first bit containing a one, calculating the number of places between the leading one and the most significant bit and shifting the data word to the left a number of places equal to the calculated difference. Priority encoders are a class of digital circuits that identify the leading or trailing one in a data word.
Known priority encoders determine the leading one, for instance, by generating a carry signal at each bit position and propagating the signal from most significant bit to least significant bit. If any bit is a one, then its carry signal will block all lower order bits from generating a signal indicating a one at their corresponding bit position. The most significant bit will generate a carry signal if its data bit is a logic one. Every other bit will generate a carry signal if its data bit is a logic one or if the carry bit from the next most significant generated a carry signal. A priority encoder designed to determine the trailing one, will propagate the carry signal from least significant bit to most significant bit. In addition, the least significant bit will generate a carry signal if its corresponding data bit is a logic one.
Known priority encoders require a certain propagation time for their outputs to settle on a set of final correct values. A known priority encoder takes N inversion delays to propagate a signal through itself for an N bit data word, where N is an integer. Modern data processing systems regularly process data words of thirty-two, sixty-four and even one hundred and twenty-eight bit lengths. These bit lengths propagate through such a known priority encoder too slowly for many operating speeds.

Priority encoder and method of operation


An image forming device includes a storage unit registering information on at least one server, a communication unit connected to at least one server registered in the storage via a network and receiving application information, a UI processing unit configuring an integrated UI displaying applications supported by at least one server, a display unit displaying the integrated UI and a control unit, if an application is selected from the integrated UI, requesting a web service to a server supporting the selected application. Therefore, convenience in the use of web services may increase.

1. Field
The following description relates to an image forming device for serving a web service and a method thereof and, more specifically, to an image forming device for serving a web service using an integrated user interface (UI) for web services and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thanks to the development of electronic technologies, various kinds of electronic apparatuses have been developed and provided. In particular, tasks in office environments have become increasingly computerized, and numerous kinds of computer peripherals are now being used.
A case in point is an image forming device. An image forming device refers to a device which forms an image on paper or other various recording media, such as a printer, a scanner, a copy machine, a facsimile machine, or a multi-functional peripheral (MFP), for example. A cutting-edge image forming device connected to a network can support web services provided by various web servers. The image forming device accesses the web servers and loads UI data including types of applications installed on the web servers. The image forming device constitutes application UI using the loaded UI data, and then displays on a screen.
Such a UI is supported individually for every server. Accordingly, if a user does not find a desired application in a particular web server, the user has to input an address of another web server and confirm a UI thereof. Therefore, it has been inconvenient for a user to reference address information of each web server to take advantage of various applications provided by diverse web servers. In addition, a user has to remember what application is provided by which web server to easily select desired web services.
In particular, as users' needs have increased with respect to web services, the number of servers providing such web services has increased.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods for users to use web services more conveniently.

Image forming device for serving a web service and method thereof


A mechanism is provided to field adjust offset values for packaged sensors incorporated in devices. Embodiments provide for a processor in the sensor package to measure current environmental conditions and set a zero offset for the sensors in the package in light of those current environmental conditions. In this manner, any changes in the sensor over the sensor's lifetime and current environmental conditions that can affect functioning of the sensor can be accounted for in operational measurements taken by the device.

Field
This disclosure relates generally to sensor devices, and more specifically, to providing a field usable, integrated offset calibration in a packaged microelectromechanical sensor device.
Related Art
Packaged semiconductor sensors are being included in more and more devices annually. In many cases, the so-called "Internet of Things" relies upon the presence of packaged semiconductor sensors to provide the environmental data necessary to the multitude of applications found in the network of devices. In addition, proper functioning of many consumer devices, such as washing machines, dryers, mobile devices, and the like, depend upon accurate sensor readings.
Sensors are found in many varied environmental conditions, such as humidity, water levels, temperatures, accelerations, impacts, and the like. While sensors are typically calibrated at the factory, and in many cases by the equipment manufacturers who incorporate the sensors in their devices, these varied environmental conditions and the age of the device can cause the sensors to drift from their factory values. In order to continue to properly function, it is desirable to have a mechanism to field adjust the sensors to account for this drift.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates identical items unless otherwise noted. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Packaged sensor with integrated offset calibration


A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals with the use of a tape cassette is provided with a pair of reel shafts, each having an engaging member mounted with a bias towards the end of the supporting shaft, and a tape cassette transfer mechanism adapted for shifting the tape cassette inserted by way of the cassette inserting opening in a first direction normal to the reel shafts and guiding or loading the tape cassette for inserting and engaging the reel shafts with a pair of tape reels within the tape cassette. When at least the tape cassette transfer mechanism is set at a position facing the cassette inserting opening, the tape cassette transfer mechanism abuts an end of each of the reel engaging members to shift the members to a retracted position while the tape cassette is moved by the tape cassette transfer mechanism towards the proximal side of the reel shafts, to reduce the displacement in the second direction of the tape reel of the tape cassette by the tape cassette transfer mechanism to a value less than the thickness of the tape cassette to reduce the thickness of the apparatus. After completion of the tape cassette loading by the tape cassette transfer mechanism, the tape cassette is partially exposed to the cassette inserting opening to prevent a second tape cassette from being introduced into the cassette inserting opening after completion of loading of the first-mentioned cassette.

This invention relates to a loading mechanism for a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals on or from a tape, such as a magnetic tape, accommodated within a tape cassette. More particularly, it relates to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals using a tape cassette, which apparatus is provided with a pair of reel shafts each having an engaging member mounted with a bias towards the end of a supporting shaft, and a tape cassette transfer mechanism adapted for shifting the tape cassette inserted by way of the cassette inserting opening in a first direction normal to the reel shafts and guiding or loading the tape cassette for inserting and engaging the reel shafts with a pair of tape reels within the tape cassette.
The recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which information signals, such as audio or video signals, are recorded on a magnetic tape, which is wound between a pair of tape reels rotatably accommodated within the tape cassette, or the thus recorded information signals are reproduced from the tape, are in the current use. As one of such recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a digital audio tape recorder or DAT has been proposed, in which a tape cassette accommodating a magnetic tape as the recording medium is provided and digital audio signals are recorded on or reproduced from the magnetic tape in the tape cassette.
The tape cassette employed in the digital tape recorder is of a tightly sealable structure to protect the magnetic tape contained in the cassette body during storage or the like non-use period when the tape cassette is not attached in position within the digital audio tape recorder.
A tape cassette, generally indicated at 300 in FIGS. 1 and 2, is employed in the digital audio tape recorder. The tape cassette 300 has a main or cassette body 301 formed by a pair of upper and lower halves 301a, 301b abutted to each other, and a pair of tape reels 302, 303 are rotatably supported within the cassette body 301. A tape 304, such as a magnetic tape, is installed between these tape reels 302, 303. The tape 304 is extended outwardly of and on the front side or edge of the cassette body 301 by way of tape extraction openings 305, 306, formed at both front corners of the cassette body 301, so that the tape is placed from the tape reel 302 towards the other tape reel 303.
The reels 302, 303 are formed with reel shaft engaging openings 302a, 303a, into which are inserted a pair of reel shafts that are provided on the digital audio tape recorder for rotating the tape reels 302, 303. These engaging openings 302a, 303a are exposed to the outside by way of a pair reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310 formed in the bottom surface or wall of the cassette half 301b.
On the front side or edge of the cassette body 301, a lid 307 is mounted rotatably on a shaft or pin 308 to protect the tape 304 extended on the front surface of the cassette body 301 during the time the tape cassette 300 is not in use. This lid is rotationally biased in a lid closing direction for enclosing the tape 304 extended on the front side of the cassette body 301 by a spring, such as a torsion coil spring, placed about the shaft 308.
On the bottom surface of the cassette half 301b, a bottom cover 311 having a U-shaped cross section is slidably mounted for movement in the fore and aft direction, for closing the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310 during non-use of the tape cassette 300 to prevent intrusion of dust and dirt into the cassette body 301. The bottom cover 311 is formed with a pair of insertion openings 312, 313, which, when the bottom cover 311 is moved towards the rear side or edge of the cassette body 301, are in register with the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310 to permit the reel shafts on the digital audio tape recorder to extend into the interior of the main body 301. When the bottom cover 311 is moved towards the front edge or side of the cassette body 301, the insertion openings 312, 313 are offset relative to the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310, and the bottom cover 311 extends over or covers a tape extracting section 314 provided on the front edge of the main body 301. The tape extracting section 314 has a cutout on the bottom front side of the main body 301 so that a tape guide member of the digital audio tape recorder may be inserted on the inner side of the tape 304 extended on the front side of the main body 301. This bottom cover 311 is biased by a spring, such as a torsion spring, in the direction for closing the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310 and the tape extracting section 314.
The bottom cover 311 is engaged with a pair of outwardly biased locking pawls 315, 316, provided on the main body 301, and is formed with rear engaging openings 317, 318 and front engaging openings 319, 320 for locking the bottom cover 311 at the forward and rear positions, respectively. With the locking pawls 315, 316 engaged in the rear engaging openings 317, 318, the bottom cover 311 is locked at the position of closing the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310 and the tape extracting section 314 and, with the locking pawls 315, 316 engaged with the front engaging openings 319, 320, the bottom cover 311 is locked at the position that opens the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310 and the tape extracting section 314.
The rear engaging openings 317, 318 and the forward engaging openings 319, 320 are formed in a pair of recessed grooves 321, 322 provided on the bottom surface of the bottom cover 311 to extend in the fore and aft direction of the cassette body 301. Disengaging means, in the form of projections, which are formed on an upper surface of a bottom plate of a cassette transfer frame, not shown, of the digital audio tape recorder, are introduced into the recessed grooves 321, 322 for unlocking the locking pawls 315, 316 from the engaging openings 317, 318, 319, 320. That is, when the disengaging means in the form of projections are introduced into the recessed grooves 321, 322, the locking pawls 315, 316 are thrusted or urged towards the interior of the cassette body 301, so that the locking pawls 315, 316 are unlocked from the rear engaging openings 317, 318 or the forward engaging openings 319, 320 to unlock the bottom cover 311 from the cassette body 301.
The cassette body 301 is provided with positioning openings 323 for positioning the tape cassette 300 in the digital audio tape recorder when the tape cassette 300 is positioned within the tape recorder.
Meanwhile, in a digital audio tape recorder employing the above described tape cassette 300 as the recording medium, a cassette loading mechanism has been proposed, which is constructed to introduce the tape cassette 300 from the front side of the main body of the tape recorder, and which is known mainly as the front loading system. In the digital audio tape recorder provided with a cassette loading mechanism operating under a front loading system, the tape cassette 300 is introduced into a tape recorder housing 324, as shown in FIG. 3, via a cassette inserting opening 325 formed on the forward side of the tape recorder housing 324, with the lid 307 first, so as to be supported by a cassette holder or a cassette transfer frame, not shown, provided in the tape recorder housing 324. The tape cassette 300 is moved by the cassette holder or the cassette transfer frame in the horizontal direction, which is the direction normal to the rotary axes of the tape reels 302, 303, as shown by an arrow m in FIG. 3. During such movement in the horizontal direction, the unlocking means in the form of projections formed on the upper surface of the bottom plate of the cassette holder or the cassette transfer frame are introduced into the recessed grooves 321, 322 to disengage the locking pawls 315, 316 from the rear engaging openings 317, 318 of the bottom cover 311, and bottom cover actuating means, such as a projection, which are provided on the bottom plate of the cassette transfer frame or the cassette holder, then abutting on the forward edge of the bottom cover 311. When the tape cassette 300 is moved further in the direction shown by an arrow m in FIG. 3, the bottom cover 311 is moved in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the main body 301 until the insertion openings 312, 313 in the bottom cover 311 are in register with the reel shaft insertion openings 309, 310, and the reel shaft engaging openings 302a, 303a facing to the outside of the main body of the cassette 301. The tape cassette is then shifted in the vertical direction, which is the direction of the rotary axes of the tape reels 302, 303 until the reel shafts 326 are inserted and engaged with the reel shaft engaging openings 302a, 303a. During such vertical movement, the lid 307 is engaged by lid actuating means, not shown, and thereby opened. Also, with such vertical movement, a tape guide, not shown, of the tape loading mechanism is introduced into the tape extracting section 314.
The tape guide is adapted to be moved horizontally within the casing 324, and is moved in the direction of the arrow m in FIG. 3 more forwardly than the tape extracting section 314 to extract the tape 304. When the tape guide is moved as far as a predetermined position, the tape 304 is guided along a predetermined tape running path so as to be taken up on a magnetic head drum 327 of the recording and/or reproducing head apparatus provided within the housing 324.
With the digital audio tape recorder having the above described front cassette loading system, the amount of the shift or displacement 1.sub.1 in the direction of the thickness of the cassette body 301, or in the direction shown by the arrow n in FIG. 3, by which the tape cassette 300, which is introduced via the cassette insertion opening 325 and is moved by the cassette loading mechanism, is selected to be larger than the thickness t of the cassette body 301.
The purpose of such arrangement is to prevent the main body 301 from contacting with a pair of reel shafts 326 or the tape guide, not shown, provided in the digital audio tape recorder housing, when the tape cassette is shifted in the horizontal direction as indicated by the arrow m in FIG. 3
Hence, the inner dimension of the housing along its height, that is, the distance 1.sub.2 between the cassette inserting openings 325 to the cassette attachment surface, need be at least twice the thickness t of the main body 301 and this thickness or distance 1.sub.2 creates difficulties in reducing the thickness of the overall apparatus.
There is also a risk that, with the tape cassette disposed in the recording or reproducing position in the housing, another tape cassette can be introduced by mistake from the cassette inserting opening 325.
Thus, there is a risk for the component parts of the digital audio tape recorder, such as the tape cassette or the loading mechanism, to be damaged or destroyed by such dual intrusion of the tape cassettes by mistake.

Cassette loading mechanism for a recording and reproducing apparatus


Vias for three dimensional (3D) stacking, packaging and heterogeneous integration of semi-conductor layers and wafers and a process for the manufacture of a via, to a via, to a 3D circuit and to a semiconductor device. Vias are interconnects used to vertically interconnect chips, devices, interconnection layers and wafers, i.e., in an out-of-plane direction.

Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to vias for three dimensional (3D) stacking, packaging and/or heterogeneous integration of semiconductor devices and/or wafers. In particular, the invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a via, to a via, to a 3D circuit and to a semiconductor device, including but not limited to a MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System).
Description of Related Art
Vias are interconnects used to vertically interconnect chips, devices, interconnection layers and wafers, i.e., in an out-of-plane direction. This may be done either electrical, optical or through micro-fluidic channels.
State of the art vias include through-silicon vias (TSVs). TSVs are vias that pass through a silicon wafer in order to establish an electrical connection from the active side to the backside of a die. A disadvantage of TSVs is that significant difficulties are often involved with TSV fabrication such as the conformal coverage of complex surfaces, filling of narrow high-aspect-ratio structures, wafer thinning and cracking of the wafer due to material property mismatch with an interposer (e.g., copper) used to form the electrical connection. Furthermore, accurate placement and the electrical connection of the TSV interposer with an interconnect layer is a challenge in itself.
Another approach is the through mold via (TMV). TMVs are typically formed using a process for epoxy-molding-compound drilling and residue cleaning. Once channels are formed, the vias are completed by filling with solder using for example a screen printing process. This process is not very suitable for 3D integration due to the large diameter of the channel of the via (d≧450 μm), low aspect ratio (1:1) and the high resistance of the solder.
WO 2006/039633 A2 recites a structure and method of making an interconnect element and multilayer wiring board including the interconnect element. US 2006/0267213 A1 recites a stackable tier structure comprising prefabricated high density feedthrough. US 2008/0170819 A1 recites an optical element, packaging substrate and device for optical communication. The packaging substrate has a via with a resin filling and a conductor. US 2003/0139032 A1 recites a metal post manufacturing method. US 2003/0173676 A1 recites a multi-layered semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same. US 2010/0218986 A1 recites a method for manufacturing printed wiring board and printed wiring board.

Through polymer via (TPV) and method to manufacture such a via


A system, method and kit for forming a powered communications interface in a computer system having a computer housing. A processor, a power supply and a communications interface are installed in the computer housing. The power supply includes a ground rail, a first power rail having a first nominal voltage and a second power rail having a second nominal voltage. The processor is connected to the power supply and the communications interface. A booster is connected to the first power rail and is used to boost power from the first power rail to a third nominal voltage and to place the third nominal voltage on a third power rail. An externally accessible connector having a ground conductor and first, second and third power conductors is connected to the booster and the power supplies such that, wherein the first conductor is connected to the first power rail, the second conductor is connected to the second power rail and the third conductor is connected to the third power rail.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) provides both data and power to downstream devices. Under the standard, each USB interface includes two data lines, plus power and ground. The maximum power available under USB for a downstream device is 500 mA@5V (2.5 W). Any device demanding higher power must use an external power source, such as a power brick, eliminating some of the simplicity and advantage of a single cable connection for both power and data.
USB+ was developed as a way of providing additional power to external devices without the use of an external power brick. A USB+ connector defines four additional power pins, providing an additional ground conductor and up to 6 A of +5V, +12V and +24V power. In contrast to the 2.5 W available from standard USB, a single USB+ connector can, therefore, provide up to 144 W of power.
USB ports are standard on any new motherboard today. However, USB+ ports typically are added as either an add-on card to the PC (e.g., a PCI card) or as a standalone USB+ HUB with its own power supply.
In case of the external HUB, the external power supply provides the power distributed to the attached devices via the USB+ connector.
In case of a PCI add-on card the power typically comes from the internal power supply of the PC. The +5V or +12V comes directly from the internal power supply and the +24V is boosted from the +12V.
Today's competitive PC marketplace demands that the size of the internal power supply of the PC be in line with the projected maximum internal power consumption. Installing a larger power supply than required would increase the-cost of the PC. PCs do not, therefore, typically have a great deal of extra power capacity, at least in the low-end units. Therefore, a typical power supply will not have sufficient reserve (unused) power available to provide the up to 144 W that could be required for external USB+ devices.
In addition, while the sum of the reserve power of the power supplies on all different voltage outputs may be sufficient reserve power, it may not match the power requirements. That is, reserve power may be available on the +5V rail where the demand may be needed on the +12V or +24V or vice-versa.
Finally, power demand, and the amount of power that a power supply can provide, vary as a function of time, temperature and operating mode. A PC can be reconfigured by adding either external or internal devices, activating or deactivating high-powered functions.
What is needed is a system and method for routing power to external devices that addresses the issues raised above and other issues that will become apparent in reading the following description of the present invention.

System and method for routing data and power to external devices