The present invention describes an offshore foundation system (10,10a,10b) that is operable for preloading after self-weight installation on a seabed without relying on additional or external ballasts. The foundation system (10,10a,10b) is also operable for extraction by reversing the process of preload operation. In one embodiment, the foundation system (10) comprises a reaction base (20) and suction compartment (60). In another, the foundation system (10a,10b) comprises a plurality of units of reaction base (20) and suction compartments (60), with the units being connected by bridging structures (21). In yet another, the foundation system comprises a reaction base (20) and a plurality of suction compartments (60). A closed-top of the suction compartment (60) projects above the reaction base (20) so that, in use, there is a gap h between a top of a soil plug inside a suction compartment (60) and its closed-top.

Foundations of permanent and mobile offshore structures have been undergoing evolution over the past five decades. The use of gravity base, pile, or mat foundations for platform structures in the early periods of offshore oil and gas drilling have clearly shifted to the deployment of caisson or spud-can type foundations. In the last two decades, the latter types are becoming more popular when mobile jack-up rigs are deployed for oil/gas drilling and production.
The foundation of an offshore structure is typically subjected to combined loads due to its self-weight and environmental forces; the environmental forces include lateral and over-turning loads created by wind, wave, and currents acting on the structures; seismic loads; and so on. To anticipate the expected maximum foundation loads that may occur during the structure's service life, the foundation is normally preloaded or proof-loaded to ensure that the foundation can provide the designed bearing capacities with an adequate safety margin. As is in practice, preloading is typically carried out by imposing static gravity loads, being equivalent to the anticipated maximum load, on the foundations and maintaining the loads for a certain period of time until no further settlement of the foundations occurs. Such a direct preloading method has been proven to be effective and is currently practiced.
Despite development of various established foundation types and proven preloading method, in some situations, existing foundation systems cannot offer technically and economically viable foundation solutions for mobile offshore structures. For example, mat foundation system is commonly used to support a mobile offshore platform installed on soft seabed by spreading the working load over a relatively large bearing or contact area. In spite of the resulting low bearing pressure under the foundation, the mat foundation still suffers from potential tilting, possibly due to load eccentricity and differential soil settlement, as well as potential horizontal instability occurring during service. In another example, the use of spud cans on soft seabed will typically lead to considerably deep leg penetration, which in turn results in difficulty in extracting the legs. When compressive load is predominant, conventional caisson foundations may not be an economically viable option with soft seabed because large diameter or deep-skirted caissons are required to provide sufficient foundation resistance.
The conventional preloading method also poses some potential risks, particularly when a mobile offshore platform supported by spud cans is preloaded on irregular seabed surface or punch-through prone areas; sliding or sudden penetration of any of the legs under preload can impose eccentric loads on the platform which in turn may create excessive bending moments on the legs and braces; this often leaves the rig operator with insufficient time to respond.
Apart from the potential risks associated with complexity of seabed conditions, the conventional preloading method also has some fundamental limitations. For example, foundation preloading for jack-up rigs is typically achieved by pumping sea water into ballast tanks located in the rigs' hull. These ballast tanks contributed to additional deadweights to the rigs which translates to additional loads on each leg. However, when large loads are required to 'proof-test' foundations located in harsh offshore environments or deep waters, increasing the volume of ballast tanks to meet the proof load requirements may not necessarily be always acceptable. On the other hand, for other types of independent offshore structures, such as minimum platforms or subsea storage tanks, providing ballast tanks solely for preloading purposes may not be an economical solution; providing for external ballast tanks may not be economical either.
Thus far, mat foundation system is normally adopted for mobile offshore platforms operating particularly in soft seabed. Some mat foundations have been modified to overcome somewhat problematic seabed conditions or operational constraints. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,127, issued to Bethlehem Steel Corp, uses pivotable mat-platform leg connections and multiple spuds extending downwardly on the mat base to tackle sloping seabed problem and lateral stability issue. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,108, issued to Purvis, et al., provides a rig with a mat that has a central opening to overcome difficulties associated with the need for ballasting/deballasting the mat's compartments. The mat has buoyancy that supports the hull and legs in a floating position when the rig is in transit, whilst allowing the mat to be lowered to the sea bottom without assistance of ballasting/de-ballasting pumps. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,568, assigned to The Offshore Company, uses spaced-apart reaction members to spread load to the seabed, instead of using a large single mat or gravity base, in attempts to overcome foundation rotational stability issues. The reaction members are allowed to penetrate into the seabed so that a bottom of the supported structure is not in contact with the seabed. In soft seabed condition, however, relatively massive reaction members may be required to resist the design vertical load.
The relatively large area of a mat or reaction members required to provide stability for its deployment on soft seabed remains an unresolved main drawback of such foundation systems. In addition, the conventional preloading method, i.e. by adding ballasts in the mat's compartments and platform's hull may cause uneven bearing pressure or differential settlement due to potential lateral variability of the seabed. The dependency on ballast tank to facilitate preloading may also hinder known foundation systems from being deployed in deeper waters or when ballasting method is not technically viable due to specific constraints such as that associated with total weight or stability of the structure.
It can thus be seen that there exists a need for a new foundation system that is viable for any seabed condition, in particular soft seabed, yet offering ease in installation/removal and stability during operation. With the industry shift to the use of mobile structures for offshore oil/gas drilling and production in harsher environments and deeper waters, there also exists a need to equip the new foundation system with integral elements which would enable preloading without reliance on ballast tanks and facilitating removal of the foundation.

Offshore foundation system with integral elements for preloading and extracting

Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre Pte Ltd


A method of fabricating a hologram having a pattern made up of pixels in which a photosensitive material for forming a hologram is stacked on either a reflection-type hologram or a transmission type hologram. According to one aspect of the invention, the photosensitive material is stacked on a reflection-type relief hologram and reconstructing illumination light of a given wavelength is struck on the reflection-type relief hologram through the photosensitive material, so that interference fringes produced by interference of the light diffracted from the reflection type relief hologram and the incident light are recorded in the photosensitive material. According to another aspect of the invention, the photosensitive material is stacked on a transmission-type hologram, and reconstructing illumination light of a given wavelength is struck on a side of the transmission type hologram that is not opposite to the volume hologram photosensitive material, so that interference fringes produced by interference of light diffracted from the transmission type hologram and reference light incident on the photosensitive material are recorded in the photosensitive material. According to a third aspect of the invention, the photosensitive material is stacked on a transmission type hologram, and reconstructing illumination light of a given wavelength is struck on a side of the transmission type hologram that is not opposite to the photosensitive material, so that interference fringes produced by interference of light diffracted from the transmission type hologram and zero-order transmitted light are recorded in the photosensitive material, and a reflecting layer is provided on a back side of the photosensitive material.

The present invention relates to a reflection type diffuse hologram that can be used for display devices such as liquid crystal display devices, a hologram for reflection hologram color filters, etc., and a reflection type display device using such holograms.
Backlight used with a liquid crystal display device should have some scattering characteristics, so that the display device can have a wide viewing angle. So far, scattering characteristics have been imparted to backlight by use of beads or the like, but a problem with this is that too large an angle of diffusion results in wasteful illumination light loss.
This is also true of an automotive brake lamp or direction indicator. That is, although too large a diffusion angle is not required in view of the positional relation to succeeding cars, light from these lamps is not only wastefully consumed but also becomes dark because lenses positioned in front of the lamps cause the light to be diffused at an angle larger than required.
The present applicant has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 12170/1993 to come up with a color filter in which a hologram is used to achieve a remarkable increase in the efficiency of backlight used for liquid crystal display purposes, etc., and a liquid crystal display device that makes use of such a color filter.
A typical liquid crystal display device that makes use of this hologram color filter will now be briefly described with reference to a sectional view attached hereto as FIG. 43. As illustrated, a hologram array 55 forming the color filter is spaced away from the side of a liquid crystal display element 56 upon which backlight 53 is to strike, said element being regularly divided into liquid crystal cells 56′ (pixels). On the back side of the liquid crystal display element 56 and between the liquid crystal cells 56′ there are located black matrices 54. Although not illustrated, polarizing plates are arranged on the incident side of the hologram array 55, and the exit side of the liquid crystal display element 56. As is the case with a conventional color liquid crystal display device, between the black matrices 54 there may additionally be located an absorption type of color filters which transmit light rays of colors corresponding to pixels R, G, and B.
The hologram array 55 comprises micro-holograms 55′ which are arranged in an array form at the same pitch as that of R, G, and B spectral pixels, corresponding to the period of repetition of R, G, and B spectral pixels, i.e., sets of liquid crystal cells 56′, each including three adjoining liquid crystal cells 56′ of the liquid crystal display element 56 as viewed in a plane direction of the drawing sheet. One micro-hologram 55′ is located in line with each set of three adjoining liquid crystal cells 56′ of the liquid crystal display element 6 as viewed in the plane direction of the drawing sheet. The micro-holograms 55′ are then arranged in a Fresnel zone plate form such that a green component ray of the backlight 3 incident on the hologram array 55 at an angle θ with respect to its normal line is collected at a middle liquid crystal cell G of the three R, G, and B spectral pixels corresponding to each micro-hologram 55′. Each or the micro-hologram 55′ in this case is constructed from a relief, phase, amplitude or other transmission type of hologram which has little, if any, dependence of diffraction efficiency on wavelength. The wording "little, if any, dependence of diffraction efficiency on wavelength" used herein is understood to refer specifically to a hologram of the type which diffracts all wavelengths by one diffraction grating, much unlike a Lippmann type hologram which diffracts a particular wavelength alone but does not substantially permit other wavelengths to be transmitted therethrough. The diffraction grating having little dependence of diffraction efficiency on wavelength diffracts different wavelengths at different angles of diffraction.
In such an arrangement, consider now the incidence of the white backlight 53 from the side of the hologram array 55, which does not face the liquid crystal display element 56 at the angle θ with respect to its normal line. The angle of diffraction of the light by the micro-hologram 55′ varies depending on wavelength, so that light collection positions for wavelengths are dispersed in a direction substantially parallel with the surface of the hologram array 55. If the hologram array 55 is constructed and arranged such that the red wavelength component is diffractively collected at a red-representing liquid crystal cell R; the green wavelength component at a green-representing liquid crystal cell G; and the blue wavelength component at a blue-representing liquid crystal cell B, the color components pass through the corresponding liquid crystal cells 56′ with no or little attenuation through the black matrices 4, so that color displays can be presented depending on the state of the liquid crystal cells 56′ at the corresponding positions. It is here noted that the angle of incidence θ of backlight 53 on the hologram array 55 is determined by various conditions including hologram-recording conditions, the thickness of hologram array 55, and the distance between the hologram array 55 and the liquid crystal display element 56.
By using the hologram array 55 as a color filter in this way, the wavelength components of backlight used with a conventional color filter are allowed to strike on the liquid crystal cells 56′ without extravagant absorption, so that the efficiency of utilization thereof can be greatly improved.
The aforesaid hologram color filter proposed by the present applicant is applicable to only a color liquid crystal display device making use of backlight. However, when surrounding ambient light alone is used as illumination light, this hologram color filter cannot diffract, and collect its wavelength components into desired positions. In other words, this hologram color filter can never be applied to a direct-view type of liquid crystal display device or other like device in which surrounding ambient light is used as illumination light, or any particular backlight source is not required.
Moreover, the applicant has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 120016/1993 to come up with a method for using a swelling film to make from a volume hologram having uniform interference fringes recorded therein a color pattern that varies in reconstructed color depending on position. The principles are similar to those applied to a photo-polymer. First, a swelling film is prepared by mixing a monomer or oligomer, a photopolymerization initiator, etc. with a binder polymer. Then, the swelling film is irradiated with a given quantity of light before or after its close contact with a photopolymer or other photosensitive material having interference fringes recorded therein, so that a given proportion of the monomer or oligomer contained in the swelling film, on the one hand, is polymerized for deactivation and the amount of the remaining active monomer or oligomer, on the other hand, is controlled. The thus controlled amount of the monomer or oligomer is diffused, and swollen into the photosensitive material with interference fringes recorded therein, whereby fringe spacings are precisely controlled to any desired quantity to control reconstruction wavelengths to given ones. After this swelling treatment, the photosensitive material with the interference fringe recorded therein is irradiated with light or otherwise heated to fix the diffused monomer or oligomer in the interference fringes, so that there can be obtained a hologram excelling in the storage stability of reconstructed colors. In addition, a color pattern can be formed on the hologram by allowing the illumination light to have a spatial distribution.
This method will now be explained in a little more detail with reference to FIGS. 44 and 45. FIG. 44 illustrates the principles applied when the swelling agent (monomer or oligomer) contained in the swelling film is deactivated by irradiation with light after the swelling film has been brought into close contact with the photosensitive material, and FIG. 45 depicts the principles applied when the swelling agent contained in the swelling film is deactivated by irradiation with light before the swelling film is brought into close contact with the photosensitive material. Referring to FIG. 44(a), such a volume hologram 64 as depicted in FIG. 44(b) is obtained by striking object light 62 and reference light 63 on both sides of a photo-polymer or other photosensitive material 61 to record an interference fringe therein. As depicted in FIG. 44(c), a swelling film 65 prepared by mixing a monomer or oligomer, a photopolymerization initiator, etc. with a binder polymer is then brought into close contact with the photosensitive material. Subsequently, either the hologram 64 or the swelling film 65 is irradiated with light 66, as depicted in FIGS. 44(d1) to (d3), before or at the same time as heating is carried out to increase the degree of diffusion of the penetrating monomer or oligomer in the swelling film 65. This irradiation with light 66 causes a part or all of the penetrating active monomer or oligomer in the swelling film 65 to be polymerized, and so deactivated, at a proportion corresponding to the quantity of irradiating light 66, so that the ability of the monomer or oligomer to penetrate (diffuse) vanishes substantially. When the quantity of irradiating light 66 is large (FIG. 44(d1)), therefore, nearly all of the penetrating active monomer or oligomer in the swelling film 65 is deactivated, so that the monomer or oligomer does not substantially penetrate into the hologram 64 even upon being heated. If, for instance, interference fringes are recorded in the volume hologram 64 with a blue wavelength in FIG. 44(a), the hologram 64 subject to the swelling step in FIG. 44(d1) does not substantially swell, and diffracts and reconstructs blue light. When the quantity of irradiating light 66 is moderate (FIG. 44(d2)), on the other hand, about a half of the penetrating active monomer or oligomer in the swelling film 65 is deactivated. Another half of the penetrating monomer or oligomer penetrates into the hologram 64 upon being heated, which in turn swells moderately. For this reason, the hologram 64 subject to the swelling step shown in FIG. 44(d2) diffracts, and reconstructs green light that is longer in wavelength than blue light. Moreover, when the swelling film is not irradiated with light 66 (FIG. 44(d3)), nearly all of the penetrating monomer or oligomer from the swelling film 65 penetrates into the hologram 64, which in turn swells to the maximum extent. For this reason, the hologram 64 subject to the swelling step shown in FIG. 44(d3) diffracts, and reconstructs red light that is longer in wavelength than green light. By controlling the quantity of light 66 with which the swelling film 65 in close contact with the hologram 64 is irradiated, it is thus possible to optionally regulate the color to be reconstructed to one lying between red and blue.
Referring then to FIG. 45, especially FIGS. 45(a) and 45(b), a volume hologram 64 is obtained as depicted in FIGS. 44(a) and (b). As shown in FIGS. 45(c1) through (c3), a swelling film 65 is prepared by mixing a monomer or oligomer, a photo-polymerization initiator, etc. with a binder polymer. Upon this film being irradiated with a given quantity of light 66, a part or all of the penetrating active monomer or oligomer contained therein is deactivated at a proportion corresponding to the quantity of light 66, so that the ability of the monomer or oligomer to penetrate (diffuse) vanishes. When the swelling film 65 already irradiated with light 66 is brought into close contact with the hologram 64, as depicted in FIGS. 45(d1) through 45(d3), and then heated as shown in FIG. 44, the degree of swelling of the hologram 64 varies depending on the quantity of light 66. By controlling the quantity of light 66 with which the swelling film 65 is irradiated, it is thus possible to optionally regulate the color to be reconstructed to one lying between red and blue.
In this regard, it is noted that the swelling film 65 is prepared by mixing a monomer or oligomer, a photo-polymerization initiator, etc. with a binder polymer, and so is similar to a photopolymer used for recording holograms. Therefore, the hologram-recording photopolymer may be used as the swelling film 65; that is, it is unnecessary to prepare any special swelling film.
The aforesaid color pattern-making method proposed by the present applicant is to control the quantity of light with which the swelling film is irradiated before or after it is brought into close contact with a photosensitive material having interference fringes already recorded therein, thereby controlling the amount of the active monomer or oligomer contained in the swelling film, so that the proportion of swelling of the interference fringes (or the interference fringe spacings) can be controlled to regulate the color to be reconstructed to a given one. In short, the color to be reconstructed is controlled by the quantity of irradiating light.
However, one problem with the aforesaid method is that it is not always easy to precisely control the quantity of light to develop a given color, and another possible problem is that the reproducibility of the color reconstructed is not stable.

Reflection type diffuse hologram, hologram for reflection hologram color filters, etc., and reflection type display device using such holograms


A hydraulic control unit (HCU) assembly, for an electro-hydraulic limited slip differential system for a vehicle, includes a support bracket configured to couple to an underbody of the vehicle in a location remote from a live axle assembly of the vehicle, and an HCU including an integrated accumulator and reservoir assembly, a control valve assembly, and a motor and hydraulic pump assembly. The HCU is coupled to the support bracket.

Differentials are provided on vehicles to permit an outer drive wheel to rotate faster than an inner drive wheel during cornering as both drive wheels continue to receive power from the engine. While differentials are useful in cornering, they can allow vehicles to lose traction, for example, in snow or mud or other slick mediums. If either of the drive wheels loses traction, it will spin at a high rate of speed and the other wheel may not spin at all. To overcome this situation, limited slip differentials were developed to shift power from the drive wheel that has lost traction and is spinning to the drive wheel that is not spinning.
Electronically controlled, limited slip differentials can include a hydraulically actuated clutch to limit differential rotation between output shafts of the differential. However, some vehicles may experience trailer sway or oversteer during cornering. While such known systems function for their intended purposes, it is desirable to provide improved differential systems to counteract or mitigate trailer sway.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hydraulic control unit with differential connection


The present invention generally relates to systems, methods and program products for use with Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETF”) holding one or more secured notes backed by one or more precious metals.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) typically include a basket of securities or other investments that are often chosen to follow or track a benchmark or index. Shares in the fund are sold intraday in financial markets while holdings in the fund may be balanced or rebalanced regularly in order to maintain their tracking function. Some ETFs are designed to track the prices of commodities, either perishable, such as agricultural products or non-perishable. Some existing ETFs track precious metals prices or indexes by holding title to precious metals directly in the fund. Holding title to large amounts of precious metals, however, presents a multitude of issues for a fund, including: (i) counterparty risk concentration, (ii) logistical challenges, (iii) security concerns, (iv) insurance limits, and (v) a variety of regulatory concerns. Many of these issues can be alleviated by applying various forms of diversification, but in order to correctly and efficiently implement such diversification at scale, with a large quantity of precious metal assets, multiple factors and a large volume of data must be evaluated quickly as transactions are made throughout the day. Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system of providing an ETF that provides for proper tracking of precious metals pricing, in a practicable manner, with an approach to diversification that reduces the myriad of issues presented by an ETF maintaining title to large amounts of precious metals.

Systems, methods, and program products for operating an exchange-traded fund


An automotive vehicle steering column lock assembly is disclosed for use with a steering wheel connected to a steering column passing through a steering column housing to which an ignition switch is mounted. The assembly has a lock ring adapted to be mounted to the steering column and having at least one lock recess on an end thereof and a lock pawl movable between a lock position engaged in the lock recess and an unlock position disengaged from the at least one lock recess. A tray is adapted for slidable movement within the steering column housing generally parallel to the steering column, the tray having a lock pawl bed allowing the lock pawl to slide therein generally parallel to the steering column. Tray control means operatively connecting the ignition switch and the tray move the tray between at least two positions in which the lock pawl alternately engages and disengages the lock ring to prevent and allow, respectively, rotation of the steering column. A lock lever, fixed with respect to the steering column housing, is movable between a blocking position preventing the lock pawl from moving into the at least one lock recess on the lock ring, and an unblocking position allowing the lock pawl to enter the at least one lock recess. To control operation of the lock lever relative to a key inserted state of the ignition switch, a control lever operatively connects the ignition switch with the lock lever and is moveable between a release position when a key is inserted into the ignition switch allowing the lock lever to move to the block position, and a depress position when the key is removed from the ignition switch forcing the lock lever to an unblock position to allow the lock pawl to move to the locked position.

It is known to provide a lock mechanism for an automotive vehicle steering column to prevent rotation of the steering wheel under certain circumstances, for example, to deter to vehicle theft when not in use. Various steering column lock mechanism have been disclosed which use an ignition switch actuated rack and pinion drive to prevent rotation of a steering column. Early examples of such devices include the mechanisms disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,400,507 (Addis) and U.S. Pat. No. 1,487,863 (Lavigne), which use the rack of a rack-and-pinion drive to act directly on the steering column to prevent steering column rotation. A more recent example of steering column lock technology is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,487 (Williams et al.), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which uses a steering wheel mounted ignition to reciprocate a rack by a pinion connected to a key cylinder. Another steering column locking device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,576 (Milton), rotates a pinion by a steering column support ignition to actuate a rack. A second rack attached to the first rack rotates a control gear which, in turn, actuates a clutch connected to the steering column.

Automotive vehicle steering column lock mechanism


The present inventive concept provides a door holding and/or a door latching apparatus including an elongated door latch bracket including a first end that is affixed to an area on a door frame that extends toward a substantially U-shaped door latch portion for engaging with and holding the edge of a door, wherein the U-shaped door latch portion extends toward a second end including a tab or flap member for flexing the bracket for engaging or disengaging the door with or from the U-shaped door latch portion and methods of using the same.

For pet owners, there is a need to keep doors open so cats do not get trapped in rooms, and so dogs do not have access to the cat's litter. There is a need for a door latching device to hold a door so dogs cannot open the door by jumping on the door, while holding the door open enough for cats to pass through the door and also closed enough to keep average-sized dogs out. Moreover, the door latch mechanism should be sturdy so as to withstand a door slamming into the device, and the door latch should permit the door to open and close fully when desired without the need to remove the device.
A reliable door latch is also needed to assist with other tasks such as keeping children out of various areas, preventing children from pinching their fingers in closing doors and maintaining doors open for more efficient heating and/or cooling.
Generally, prior art devices fail to provide a sturdy door holding and/or latching mechanism that can hold a door open or closed at a prescribed distance along any point of the door frame.
Hence, there is a need for a sturdy door holding and/or latching mechanism designed to hold a door open or closed at a prescribed distance.

Apparatus and method for a door latching mechanism


Apparatus, systems and methods for determining, for each respective phenotypic characterization in a set of {T1, . . . , Tk} characterizations, that a test specimen has the respective characterization are provided. A pairwise probability function gpq(X, Wpq), for a phenotypic pair (Tp, Tq) in {T1, . . . , Tk} is learned using a training population. Wpq is a set of parameters derived from Y for (Tp, Tq) by substituting each Y1 in Y into gpq(X, Wpq), as X, where Yi is the set of cellular constituent abundance values from sample i in the training population exhibiting Tp or Tq. The learning step is repeated for each (Tp, Tq) in {T1 . . . , Tk}, thereby deriving pairwise probability functions G={g1,2(X, W1,2), . . . , gk-1, k(X, Wk-1, k)}. Pairwise probability values P={p1,2, . . . , pk-1, k} are computed, where each ppq is equal to gpq(Z, Wpq) in G, the probability that the test specimen has Tp and not Tq, where Z is cellular constituent abundance values of the test specimen.

The phenotypic characterization of a specimen is a tool that has wide ranging diagnostic applications. For instance, phenotypic characterization of a specimen is needed for tumors in which a tumor's origin cannot be readily identified. These types of tumors are frustrating for pathologists, who are unable to provide a definitive diagnosis, and to oncologists, who thus lack information needed to begin standard-of-care, tissue-directed therapy. Such uncertain results can also add to patient suffering and prevent the efficient use of healthcare resources.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network's (NCCN) guidelines emphasize the significance of identifying the tissue of origin so that cancer-specific management recommendations can be followed. In a prospective clinical study, Abbruzzese et al. concluded that, for certain challenging cases, "the survival duration of patients in whom the primary tumor was diagnosed was superior to that of patients in whom the primary tumor remained unknown." See, Abbruzzese et al., 1995, J Clin Oncol. 13: 2094-2103.
In some cases, a battery of tests is performed, yet still fails to definitively identify the primary tumor site. In some especially challenging cases, current pathological techniques, including immunohistochemistry (IHC) and imaging studies, such as x-rays and computed tomography (CT), identify the primary tumor site only 25 percent of the time. Hillen, 2000, Postgrad Med J. 76: 690-693. Clearly, there is a need for a more robust diagnostic solution. This is particularly important, given the availability of newer, more specific, and more effective therapeutic options that target cells of the primary tumor site.
There are a number of tools for determining a phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations. One example is immunohistochemistry (IHC), which is a type of assay in which specific antigens are visualized using fluorescent dye or enzyme markers. IHC studies can sometimes identify the primary tumor, even in poorly differentiated metastases. See, for example, Pavlidis et al., 2003, Eur J Cancer. 39: 1990-2005. However, currently available IHC markers do not address the full range of potential tumor types. Another example is cytogenetic methods, which assess chromosomal abnormalities to pinpoint the primary cancer tumor site. While cytogenic methods can provide insights in a number of specific situations, they generally are not in a comprehensive manner. Thus, in the case of cancer, cytogenetic methods are limited because only a few diagnostic chromosomal abnormalities have been identified to date. See, for example, Pavlidis et al., 2003, Eur J Cancer. 39: 1990-2005.
Yet another tool for determining a phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations is imaging. CT scans, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) are representative examples of imaging. However, imaging has limitations. For example, in the case of cancer of unknown origin, these various imaging techniques can often be ineffective at determining the origin of the tissue. There are many reasons for the failure of imaging techniques to determine the site of origin of a tumor. These include very small tumor size and confounding structural abnormalities, as well as the limitations of each imaging modality.
Yet another tool for determining a phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations is microarray analysis. Although several groups have demonstrated the feasibility of using microarrays to classify uncertain tumors according to tissue of origin, (e.g., Su et al., 2001, Cancer Res. 61: 7388-7393; Ramaswamy, 2002, J Clin Oncol 20: 1932-1941; Giordano et al., 2001, Am J Pathol 159: 1231-1238; Bloom 2004, Am J Pathol 164: 9-16; Buckhaults et al., 2003, Cancer Res 63: 4144-4149; Tothill et al., 2005, Cancer Res 65: 4031-4040; and Ma et al. 2006, Arch Pathol Lab Med 130: 465-473) the application of these varied technologies in the clinical setting has proved a challenge due to the inherent complexity of accurately interrogating and interpreting expression signals from the thousands of distinctive genes that represent the dozen or more tissue types of highest interest. This is the fundamental informatics challenge involving any highly multiplex data. See, for example, Yeang et al., 2001, Bioinformatics 17: S316-S322. While microarrays are theoretically suited to this high degree of multiplexy, no test to date has demonstrated reliability in classifying large numbers of specimens involving the full range of potential tissue types.
The cost to determine a phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations can be significant, given that traditional approaches involve multiple technologies that are often run in parallel. For example, in the case of cancer, one study showed that, for certain challenging cases, the primary cancer site was found in only four (7.1 percent) of the 56 cases studied. The average cost of diagnosis was over seventeen thousand dollars. See Tong et al., Poster presented at annual meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology; Jun. 2-6, 2006; Atlanta, Ga. Another study showed that, in Medicare patients, medical payments averaged $38,000 per patient per year. Tong et al. Poster presented at annual meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology; Jun. 2-6, 2006; Atlanta, Ga. By rapidly identifying phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations, clinicians could potentially apply more appropriate therapies more quickly, potentially enabling improved patient outcomes and a better use of healthcare resources.
When a phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations has been made, physicians can provide far better, more focused therapeutic regimens. For instance, in the case of cancer, physicians increasingly have more tissue-specific treatment options. For example, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based therapy was historically the treatment of choice for essentially all gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma tumors, whether they were colonic, pancreatic, or gastroesophageal in origin. However, each of these entities might be treated now with a more individualized approach (e.g., 5-FU/leucovorin with irinotecan or oxaliplatin for colonic, gemcitabine for pancreatic, and perhaps epirubicin, cisplatin, and 5-FU or a taxane for gastroesophageal primaries).
A prevalent problem in the art is the identification of which tissue originated a particular cancer. This is particularly a problem in instances where the cancer is not discovered before it has spread to multiple locations in the body. Of concern in such instances is determining which of the tissues the cancer originated, because such determination will affect the treatment regimen that is prescribed and will improve clinical outcome. For example, if the cancer originated in the bladder, a treatment regimen optimized to treat bladder cancer will be followed, whereas if the cancer originated in the breast, a treatment regimen optimized for breast cancer will be followed.
Identifying the tissue of origin of a poorly-differentiated or undifferentiated tumor at initial presentation can be challenging. Oncology treatment decisions are largely based on the tissue of origin, which makes proper identification vital to selection of the appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic cascades. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Practice Guidelines recommend that, whenever possible, the tissue of origin should be identified so that the patient may be treated per the NCCN disease-specific guideline. Current diagnostic procedures include a physical examination and full medical history of the patient, laboratory and radiological evaluation, and pathologic assessment. Methods used to characterize a poorly-differentiated or undifferentiated tumor specimen include histologic, immunohistochemical and, when appropriate, electron microscopic evaluations. However, these techniques are limited in their ability to assess the tissue of origin for many poorly-differentiated or undifferentiated tumors. Improved methods are needed to obtain a more definitive diagnosis.
Given the above-background, what are needed in the art are improved systems and methods for phenotypic characterization of a specimen from among a plurality of phenotypic characterizations.
Discussion or citation of a reference herein will not be construed as an admission that such reference is prior art to the present invention.

Systems and methods for diagnosing a biological specimen using probabilities


Provided are an apparatus and method for sensing a moving ball, which extract a feature portion such as a trademark, a logo, etc. indicated on a ball from consecutive images of a moving ball, acquired by an image acquisition unit embodied by a predetermined camera device, and calculate a spin axis and spin amount of rotation the moving ball based on the feature portion and thus spin of the ball is simply, rapidly, and accurately calculated with low computational load, thereby achieving rapid and stable calculation of the ball in a relatively low performance system. The sensing apparatus includes an image acquisition unit for acquiring consecutive images, an image processing unit for extracting a feature portion from the acquired image, and a spin calculation unit for calculating spin using the extracted feature portion.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for sensing a moving ball for acquiring an image of the moving ball and processing and analyzing the image to calculate the spin of the ball.
With regard to sports games, specifically, golf, attempts have always been made to accurately sense the physical characteristics of a moving ball that is hit by a golfer, to analyze the ball in flight or to realize the ball in flight in the form of an image using the sensed value, and to apply the result to simulated golf such as so-called screen golf.
In particular, when a ball is hit to fly, the ball rotates at very high speed with respect to an axis in a three-dimensional space, and thus, it is very difficult to measure spin of the ball and very expensive equipment is required to accurately measure the spin of the ball. A representative method for measuring spin of a ball is a method using a radar sensor.
However, such an expensive sensing apparatus is not appropriate for a general-purpose sensing apparatus for analysis of a ball in flight in so-called screen golf or on a driving range, which senses a ball in flight according to golf swing, calculates a trajectory of the ball, and allows golf simulation on a virtual golf course based on the calculated trajectory. There is a need to a technology for rapidly and accurately sensing spin of a ball also in a relatively inexpensive and low-performance system.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for sensing a moving ball, which extract a feature portion such as a trademark, a logo, etc. indicated on a ball from consecutive images of a moving ball, acquired by an image acquisition unit embodied by a predetermined camera device, and calculate a spin axis and spin amount of rotation the moving ball based on the feature portion and thus spin of the ball is simply, rapidly, and accurately calculated with low computational load, thereby achieving rapid and stable calculation of the ball in a relatively low performance system.

Method and apparatus for sensing moving ball


A golf club having a fiber-reinforced resin club shaft comprising at least a plurality of bias layers having reinforcing fibers therein disposed as to be inclined to an axial direction of the shaft and a plurality of straight layers having reinforcing fibers therein disposed in parallel with the axial direction of the shaft, the bias layers and the straight layers being wound in a tubular form, and a club head, wherein a recess formed at a tip of the club shaft is fitted to a protrusion disposed at a hosel of the club head in an over-hosel arrangement, characterized in that at least one reinforcing layer having reinforcing fibers therein arranged as cross the axial direction of the shaft is disposed only in the tip portion of the club shaft.

This invention relates to a golf club in which a club shaft made of a fiber-reinforced resin is connected to a club head in an over-hosel type, and more particularly to a golf club in which longitudinal cracking of a shaft tip portion is prevented due to impacts at the time of hitting.
Generally, the following two methods are known for connecting a fiber-reinforced resin club shaft to a club head. As shown in FIG. 17, a first method is a so-called "inner-hosel type" in which a tip portion 1a of a club shaft 1 is fitted into an insertion hole 7 in such a manner as to penetrate up to a sole 6 from above the upper end of a hosel 5 of a club head 4 as shown in FIG. 18, a second method is a so-called "over-hosel type" in which a protrusion 5a formed on the hosel 5 so as to protrude from it, is fitted into a recess 1b formed inside the tip portion 1a of the club shaft 1.
Generally, a fiber-reinforced resin club shaft consists of a laminate of a plurality of bias layers in which reinforcing fibers are inclined with respect to an axial direction of the shaft and straight layers in which the reinforcing fibers are in parallel with the axial direction of the shaft. In a golf club in which the fiber-reinforced resin club shaft is connected to the club head in the over-hosel type, expanding force from inside act on the shaft tip portion due to impacts at time of hitting, etc, so that longitudinal is likely to occur in the straight layers in the axial direction of the shaft, though such crackling does not occur in the bias layers.
To cope with the problem described above, a proposal has been made in the past which disposes a hoop layer of reinforcing fibers crossing orthogonally the axial direction of the shaft, across the entire length of the shaft. According to this proposal, however, since the hoop layer is disposed across substantially the full length of the shaft, overall rigidity of the shaft increases and there occurs the problem that the shaft lacks elasticity at the time of hitting, the distance of a hit ball decreases and feeling worsens at the time of hitting balls. Since the rigidity of the hoop layer is high, the hoop layer cannot be wound easily in a tubular form during molding of the shaft, decreasing efficiency and hence, productivity.


A nozzle for a rotary water delivery system comprising at least a pair of nozzle orifices of similar size spaced apart on a face of the nozzle and having a nozzle orifice size to nozzle orifice spacing distance ratio of about 1:2 to about 1: 10, said ratio being sufficient to produce separate nozzle streams which emerge from the nozzle face as separate streams which may join together or commingle only at a distance from said face which does not appreciably increase an overall velocity of a resultant stream or commingled stream or individual streams so that the gallonage per minute delivered by the nozzle can be increased incrementally in multiples without appreciably increasing the distance thrown by the resultant water stream.

Typical nozzles primarily increase the gallons per minute delivered by enlarging the primary delivery orifice on the nozzle. It is desirable in practice to increase or decrease the gallons per minute delivered by a sprinkler whenever multiple sprinklers are used within the same piping or valved delivery system that applies water to a given area which requires different patterns or radius from individual sprinklers within the system. The term "matched precipitation" refers to a system comprised of sprinklers within a particular system delivering about the same amount of water to a given area in the same amount of time regardless of the individual radius or areas the individual sprinklers are required to service. This means that a sprinkler set for a 180 degree radius (half circle) on the same circuit as a sprinkler set for a 90 degree radius, needs to deliver twice as much water as the sprinkler set for 90 degrees over the same amount of time. Since these sprinklers are on the same circuit there is no practical means of increasing or decreasing an individual sprinklers operating time.
The current method of attaining matched precipitation is by increasing the nozzle(s) orifice size to incrementally increase the discharge in gallons per minute. For example, a 90 degree sprinkler could use a nozzle set to deliver one gallon per minute, a 180 degree sprinkler could use a nozzle set to deliver two gallons per minute, a 270 degree sprinkler could use a nozzle set to deliver three gallons per minute, and a 360 degree sprinkler could use a nozzle set to deliver four gallons per minute by making the orifice correspondingly larger on the each individual sprinkler nozzle. This method achieves a poor degree of success, in fact, because the distance the nozzles throw the water stream increases as the gallons per minute increases thereby increasing the radius. Mechanical stream interfering devices are currently employed to compensate for the distance (radius) increase, but at great expense of application uniformity. Mechanical interfering devices (commonly screws that extend into the water stream) produce unpredictable results and destroy the physical characteristics of the water stream. Uniformity of application is the goal of matching precipitation rates. Consequently, a need exists for a sprinkler nozzle which can uniformly distribute water without increasing the distance thrown.

Spray nozzle with two or more equally sized orifices


The present invention provides compounds, compositions and methods for the selective inhibition of cathepsin S. In a preferred aspect, cathepsin S is selectively inhibited in the presence of at least one other cathepsin isozyme. The present invention also provides methods for treating a disease state in a subject by selectively inhibiting cathepsin S.

Cysteine proteases represent an enzymatic class of proteins that catalyze the hydrolysis of peptide bonds by a nucleophilic sulfhydryl group of a cysteine residue in the active site of the enzyme. Several normal and disease processes in mammals have been associated with cysteine protease activity and include, but are not limited to: osteoporosis, osteoarthritis (Inui, T., O. Ishibashi, J Biol Chem 1997, 272(13), 8109-12; Saftig, P., E. Hunziker, et al., Adv Exp Med Biol 2000+ADs 2000, 477, 293-303; Saftig, P., E. Hunziker, et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998, 95(23), 13453-8), periodontal diseases, Paget's disease, atherosclerosis (Jormsjo, S., D. M. Wuttge, et al., Am J Pathol 2002 161(3), 939-45), multiple sclerosis (Beck, H., G. Schwarz, et al., Eur J Immunol 2001, 31(12), 3726-36), rheumatoid arthritis (Nakagawa, T. Y., W. H. Brissette, et al., Immunity 1999, 10(2), 207-17; Hou, W. S., Z. Li, et al., Am J Pathol 2001, 159(6), 2167-77), juvenile onset diabetes, lupus, asthma (Cimerman, N., P. M. Brguljan, et al., Pflugers Arch 2001, 442 (6 Suppl 1), R204-6), tissue rejection, Alzheimer's disease (Lernere, C. A., J. S. Munger, et al., Am J Pathol 1995, 146(4), 848-60), Parkinson's disease (Liu, Y., L. Fallon, et al., Cell 2002, 111(2), 209-18), neuronal degeneration, shock (Jaeschke, H., M. A. Fisher, et al., J Immunol 1998, 160(7), 3480-6), cancer (Fernandez, P. L., X. Farre, et al., Int J Cancer 2001, 95(1), 51-5), malaria (Malhotra, P., P. V. Dasaradhi, et al., Mol Microbiol 2002, 45(5), 1245-54), Chagas (Eakin, A. E., A. A. Mills, et al., J Biol Chem 1992, 267(11), 7411-20), leishmaniasis, shistosomiasis, and African trypanosomiasis (Caffrey, C. R., S. Scory, et al., Curr Drug Targets 2000, 1(2), 155-62; Lalmanach, G., A. Boulange, et al., Biol Chem 2002, 383(5), 739-49).
Cathepsins are a subclass of cysteine protease that belong to the enzyme classification EC 3.4.22 (Barrett, A. J., N. D. Rawlings, et al., Handbook of proteolytic enzymes. London, Academic Press). Cathepsins play a major role in lysosomal, endosomal, and extracellular protein degradation and have thus been implicated in many disease processes. For example, Cathepsin B [EC 126.96.36.199] has been postulated to play a role in tumor metastasis (Berquin, I. M. and B. F. Sloane Adv Exp Med Biol 1996, 389, 281-94).
Cathepsin S [EC 126.96.36.199] is largely expressed in professional antigen presenting cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells. Cathepsin S has been shown to be required for proper MHC class II antigen presentation (Shi, G. P., J. A. Villadangos, et al., Immunity 1999, 10(2) 197-206). As a result of its non-redundant role in MHC class II antigen presentation, cathepsin S has been associated with inflammation, arthritis, and atherosclerosis. The selective expression of cathepsin K [EC 188.8.131.52] in osteoclasts coupled with the ability of cathepsin K to degrade type I collagen suggests that it plays a role in normal and pathogenic bone remodeling (Bromme, D., K. Okamoto, et al., J Biol Chem 1996, 271(4), 2126-32). There is a need in the art for compounds and methods that selectively inhibit specific cysteine proteases for treating several pathogenic disorders in mammals. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.


A mechanically reconfigurable instrument cluster is provided. The mechanically reconfigurable instrument cluster includes a first display portion to display information of a first type, the first display portion includes a stem about the first display portion's axis driven by a motor; a second display portion to display information of a second type, the second display portion being configured to move in an inward and outward direction.

Vehicles, such as automobiles, may be equipped with an instrument panel. The instrument panel may provide the operator with useful information for operating and driving the vehicle. The instrument panel may indicate the speed of the vehicle, the revolutions-per-minute (RPM) of the vehicle's engine, a present state of the lighting, a present state of the windshield wipers, for example. The instrument panel may employ mechanical gauges, digital displays, or a combination thereof to convey information about the status of the vehicle.
Instrument panels may be embedded or placed in the dashboard of the vehicle. This ensures that the instrument panel is in a line of sight for the vehicle's driver. Thus, the vehicle's driver may view the road while safely glancing at the instrument panel to obtain useful information for aiding in the operation of the vehicle. The instrument panel's placement is static, and thus fixed in a specific location.
The gauges of the instrument panel may be implemented with mechanical pointers, or digital displays, or combinations of both. A mechanical pointer is anchored at a pivot point, and driven by a motor (for example a stepper motor) in a 360 degree fashion. Based on the current employed to drive the motor, or control signals, the motor may move the mechanical pointer in a clockwise or counter-clockwise fashion. The mechanical pointer is conventionally longer in the direction in which the mechanical pointer is pointing at.
Traditionally, instrument clusters have primarily been analog and mechanical presentations. Thus, a pointer, or other type of mechanical interface may be implemented. The mechanical presentations may interface with various electronics associated with the vehicle, and provide information via indicators and indicia to an observer of the instrument panel.
Recently, instrument clusters have become digital in their presentation. The digital presentation allows for various types of electronic information to be presented to a vehicle's operator or passenger. The digital information may reflect all the information traditionally provided via the mechanical presentations. Additionally, the digital presentation device may also serve content traditionally associated with digital provided data. The content may be news, information, streaming content, and the like. The digital presentation device may be provided with an interface, such as an external operating device. The digital presentation device may also be incorporated with various touch screen technology, such as resistive touch or capacitive touch technologies.
Various implementations of instrument clusters have employed a combination of a mechanical elements and digital presentation devices. Thus, an implementer of an instrument cluster may employ the mechanical elements in situations where a mechanical presentation is preferred (i.e. for cost based reasons or aesthetic reasons) in combination with a digital presentation device. Thus, the advantages and extra content associated with the digital presentation device may be served to a vehicle's driver or occupant, while maintaining an aesthetic associated with mechanical elements commonly employed in an instrument cluster.

Mechanically reconfigurable instrument cluster


Disclosed is a method of coupling light into a power semiconductor device having a semiconductor structure with two or more layers. The power semiconductor device has multiple cells of functionally identical units linked by multiple interconnects. In each device unit, a patterned electrode layer is disposed on the surface of the semiconductor structure. The method includes illuminating the power semiconductor device by directing a light from a light source through the patterned electrode layer to form an enhanced light coupling with the semiconductor structure. The patterned electrode layer is configured to have a micron scaled grid pattern having multiple metal grids and aperture openings that is based on a distributed resistance model having two characteristic current decay lengths.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to high power semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to light coupling into power semiconductors.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Typically, turning ON a power semiconductor device, such as a thyristor by introducing a laser pulse into the blocking region and thereby creating carriers, may shorten the current rise time. Turn-ON in this manner may increase the current rise rate from about 10 kA/μs to almost 1 MA/μs. Generally, light is introduced through an aperture of millimeters in size in the upper metallization layer of the semiconductor device. Variations including the apertures extending through the upper p or n layers have also been tried. When the light is introduced to the semiconductor device in such a manner, the light may not penetrate far under the upper metallization and current may only flow in slow sideways spreading whose speed is typically less than 100 μm/μs. Further, less current flows in the central regions of the apertures since no electrode is present to supply the current. This results in the current flowing in and around the peripheral of the aperture. In one existing method, to obtain a faster current rise time, the light was allowed to enter into the semiconductor device through the side between electrodes. This method allows the light to enter through an edge of the voltage holding region of the semiconductor device, which may be a difficult task to obtain efficient light coupling. Further, when the light enters through the edge, the light penetration is shallow. For example, the light penetration is typically shallow and is around 1 mm with a Nd:YAG-laser in Silicon, and very less with laser diode sources in the 900 s μm range. Therefore, this method limits the current conduction to about 1 mm from the edge of the semiconductor device and requires the semiconductor devices to be in the shape of long (narrow) slivers.
In another existing method, the above mentioned limitation was overcome by introducing leaky fibers into many grooves in the semiconductor device electrode spaced at few millimeters apart. The drawback with this method is that the current conduction took place only around the edges of the grooves and not in the middle of the grooves where no electrode was available to supply the current, or even under the electrode away from the groove edge. Thus a large part of the semiconductor device real estate was not utilized. Further, it is difficult to achieve a fiber leak uniformly over a path more than hundred times longer than that of the fiber diameter, when the diameter of the semiconductor device is measured in centimeters (cm) and the diameter of the fiber is, typically, less than 1 mm.
In general, it is recognized that the amount of light necessary for a fast turn-on of the semiconductor device is the one that will generate about 1017 cm−3 inside the semiconductor device. In a blocking semiconductor device of 1 mm in thickness, this translates into about 1 mJ/cm2 of laser energy per unit device area. For a fast turn-ON, the light has to be introduced within, for example, 10˜100 ns. This in turn translates into light power density per unit area of about 104˜105 W/cm2 on a semiconductor device. The power density carried by a fiber is limited to around 1 GW/cm2 across the cross section area of a fiber. Thus, for the turn-on the light may be expanded from the exit facet of the fiber to the semiconductor area by 4 to 5 orders of magnitude. Whereas, a leaky fiber, can only illuminate a few hundred times its aperture size (about twice of Length/Diameter ratio). This necessitates hundreds or thousands of fibers to couple to a 4-inch semiconductor wafer area.

Methods for light coupling into power semiconductors

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


The invention relates to a nozzle for the surface treatment of metal workpieces, in particular for the powder build-up welding or thin-layer alloying of highly stressed metal components, which can be selectively connected to a mirror-focused or a lens-focused high-energy beam installation, preferably a high-performance laser installation, by using the cooling medium units, inert gas lines and powder conveyors/extractors provided. In comparison with known laser spray nozzles, the nozzle guarantees a directionally-independent coating of highly stressed metal components with a regular annular distribution of the stream of powder-delivery gas and inert gas supplied. With this a defined flow of powder material, which is made up of a determined quantity of powder and a determined percentage of delivery gas, is distributed via a special powder supply appliance, so that the apex of the outlet of the stream of powder-delivery gas represented as an inverted cone coincides with the defocused laser beam outside the nozzle, and there the melting on of the powder particles and thus the formation of a melting bath with little melting onto the substrate and thus the build-up welding process itself occur.

The invention relates to a nozzle in particular for the powder build-up welding or thin-layer alloying of highly-stressed metal components by means of a high-energy beam.
In laser coating and alloying, under the aspect of performing the operational steps regarding the supply of the filler metal to be applied to the workpiece and its laser beam treatment in a single operation, special importance is attached to the creation of a suitable arrangement with a good positioning facility of the laser beam and supply of the stream of powder-delivery gas.
To reduce directional dependency in laser-powder build-up welding, from the Tagungsband "Lasertechnik" BIAS/VDI--Bremen 1991, Page 442 onwards under the title "Aspekte des Laser-Spritzbeschichten" by R. Becker, C. Binroth and G. Sepold, are known several nozzle refinements with the objective of a quasi-central supply of powder. The multi-beam nozzle described there only permits a centering of the stream of powder-delivery gas with difficulty, with small differences in the flow pulses of the individual beams having a negative effect. The requirement of a very precise orientation of the partial flows, which is associated with considerable expenditure, also has a disadvantageous effect.
The centering of the stream of powder-delivery gas by means of the annular nozzle presented is not possible because of the unevenly distributed discharge of powder caused by the construction. The third refinement, in which an additional separate stream of gas deviates the stream of powder downwards towards the substrate, in fact guarantees a circular distribution of the powder, but is very sensitive to dirt accumulation. The powder particles become attached to the walls of the outlet apertures and result in disruptive turbulence in the gas stream and can completely clog the nozzle aperture.
The laser spray nozzle known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,299 consists of a nozzle body having a first and a second sealed-off part and a beam passage, which extends between them so that the laser beam enters into the passage, passes through the first part and exits through the second part. A housing encloses the second part so that an annular passage is formed and with the said beam passage a coaxial aperture is enclosed, which allows the laser to pass. There are also means which operate with this aperture so as to convey a powder so that this and the beam coincide at a common point.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,815 discloses a nozzle similar to the solution described above, which also operates according to the principle of laser spray coating and which is used for the preventative surface treatment of nickel alloys.
As a result of their special use for the laser spray coating, the two nozzle constructions mentioned have the common failing that the consumption of scavenging gas, which sprays the molten particles on to the surface to be coated, is very high. The thermal stress on the structures at the powder outlet aperture is comparatively high, as the powder particles still coincide with the laser beam inside the nozzle and thus, the melting of the powder particles occurs in the nozzle and thermal radiation occurring directly stresses the spray nozzle outlet apertures. The necessary cooling circulation of the first nozzle increases the manufacturing costs.
Therefore the object of the invention is, with the removal of the above-mentioned shortcomings and contrary to the conventional methods of laser spray coating, to create a nozzle, in particular for the laser-powder build-up welding or thin-layer alloying, which guarantees a directionally independent coating of highly-stressed metal components with the regular, annular distribution of the flow of powder material and inert gas supplied. It will be possible to connect the nozzle, as an important addition to the selection of tools already available, with few manipulations to commercially available high-performance laser installations, for example.

Nozzle for the surface treatment of metal workpieces


The process of the invention comprises contacting a hydrocarbon stream, comprising light olefins plus impurities such as acetylenes, in the absence of hydrogen with a supported copper catalyst, preferably CuO/alumina. The acetylene component undergoes a coupling reaction producing a diacetylene which can be more readily removed. Thus, the methylacetylene (MA) contaminant in liquid propylene yields at about 80° C. and 3792 kPa (550 psig) a significant amount dimethyl diacetylene (2,4-hexadiyne). Surprisingly, very little cyclization products are present. The process is useful for purification of olefin feeds. It can be used alone or in combination with known purification methods such as catalytic distillation or selective hydrogenation.

Olefins, including ethylene and propylene, are converted into a multitude of intermediate and end products on a large scale, mainly into polymeric materials. Commercial production of olefins is mostly accomplished by the thermal cracking of hydrocarbons. Unfortunately, due to the very high temperatures involved, these commercial olefin producing processes also yield a substantial amount of the less desired acetylenic (alkyne) impurities such as acetylene, methylacetylene and C4 alkynes which contaminate the target olefin streams and therefore need to be removed. The separation of the acetylenes from the olefins can considerably increase the plant cost. Propylene, for example, can contain several percent methylacetylene and propadiene (collectively referred to as "MAPD"). A selective hydrogenation (SH) reaction with hydrogen in presence of supported metal catalysts is the most common method for MAPD removal. In spite of significant progress over the years, this process has significant shortcomings such as the need for a source of hydrogen, the appearance of side products such as green oil and propane, and catalyst deactivation from impurities such as arsine or carbonyl sulfide.
Several methods are known for separation of an organic gas containing unsaturated linkages from gaseous mixtures. These include, for instance, cryogenic distillation, liquid adsorption, membrane separation and pressure swing adsorption in which adsorption occurs at a higher pressure than the pressure at which the adsorbent is regenerated. Cryogenic distillation and liquid adsorption are common techniques for separation of carbon monoxide and alkenes from gaseous mixtures containing molecules of similar size, e.g. nitrogen or methane. However, both techniques have disadvantages such as high capital cost and high operating expenses. For example, liquid adsorption techniques suffer from solvent loss and need a complex solvent make-up and recovery system.
Beside palladium and modified palladium, copper with some additives can be used also as a catalyst for selective hydrogenation as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,789 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,956. Kokai JP Number 50929-1968 describes a method of purifying vinyl compounds containing up to about 10 percent by weight of acetylenic compounds. In this method, acetylenic compounds were described as being adsorbed on an adsorption agent of 1-valent and/or 0-valent copper and/or silver supported on inert carrier such as Δ alumina, silica or active carbon. Separations described included 1000 ppm ethyl acetylene and 1000 ppm vinyl acetylene from liquid 1,3-butadiene, 100 ppm acetylene from ethylene gas, 100 ppm methylacetylene from propylene gas, and 50 ppm phenyl acetylene from liquid styrene (vinylbenzene). Each application used fresh adsorption agent and only a short time of one hour on stream at mild conditions of temperature and pressure. Such limited applications were likely because it is well known that acetylene and these acetylene compounds react with copper and/or silver to form copper acetylide or silver acetylide. Both the acetylide of copper and silver are unstable compounds. Because they are explosive under some conditions, their possible formation presents safety problems in operation and in handling adsorbent containing such precipitates. A current commercial process employs a copper based catalyst in the presence of hydrogen.
It is known that acetylenic impurities can be selectively hydrogenated and thereby removed from such product streams by passing the product stream over an acetylene hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of dihydrogen (molecular hydrogen, H2). However, these hydrogenation processes typically result in the deposition of carbonaceous residues or "green oil" on the catalyst which deactivates the catalyst. Therefore, acetylene hydrogenation processes for treating liquid or liquefiable olefins and diolefins typically include an oxygenation step or a "burn" step to remove the deactivating carbonaceous residues from the catalyst, followed by a hydrogen reduction step to reactivate the hydrogenation catalyst. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,488 to Johnson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,981 to Hettick et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,057 to Morgan and U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,255 to Toyoda. However, U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,789 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,705 state that by using selected hydrogenation catalysts containing palladium, at least partial regeneration can be accomplished using a hydrogenation step alone at high temperatures of 316° to 371° C. (600° to 700° F.) and in the absence of an oxygenation step.
Selective hydrogenation of the about 2000 to 4000 parts per million (ppm) of acetylenic impurities to ethylene is generally a crucial operation for purification of olefins produced by thermal steam cracking. Typical of a small class of commercially useful catalysts are materials containing very low levels of an active metal supported on an inert carrier, for example a particulate bed having less than about 0.03% (300 ppm) palladium supported on the surface skin of carrier pellets having surface area of less than about 10 m2/g.
Many commercial olefin plants using steam crackers use front-end acetylene converters, i.e. the hydrogenation unit is fed C3 and lighter cracked gas, which has a high enough concentration of hydrogen to easily hydrogenate the acetylenic impurities; however, when run improperly, will also hydrogenate a large fraction of the ethylene and propylene product. Both hydrogenation of acetylene and ethylene are highly exothermic.
One technology used for removal of acetylenes is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,517 assigned to BP Amoco. This patent discloses the removal of acetylenes from olefin streams by adsorption in absence of hydrogen over a copper—alumina adsorbent containing Cu in a reduced, zero covalent state. Hydrogen containing gas is then used to regenerate the adsorbent.
The present invention provides an efficient method for purification of hydrocarbon streams, olefins in particular, by removing acetylenes from the hydrocarbon stream in the absence of hydrogen. The acetylenes are converted to a diacetylene form which can be easily separated from the hydrocarbon stream due to the high boiling and melting points of the diacetylenes. One of the possible applications of the present invention is as a pre-treatment in combination with a selective hydrogenation step in which the load on the selective hydrogenation unit is significantly reduced and allowing for the processing of a significantly greater sized hydrocarbon stream.

Method for removal of acetylenes from hydrocarbon streams


A heat dissipation device for cooling an electronic device. The heat dissipation device comprises a fan, a controller connected to the fan and coupled to the electronic device and a sensor connected to the controller and sending a first signal to the controller by detecting a temperature variation in the electronic device. The electronic device sends a second signal to the controller, the controller changes the speed of the fan according to either the first signal or the second signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat dissipation device.
An electronic device such as a desktop computer requires a heat dissipation device such as a fan.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
A conventional heat dissipation device mainly employs two control methods, a temperature control method and a pulse width modulation control method, shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b respectively. In FIG. 1a, a temperature sensor 20 is connected to a fan 10. The temperature sensor 20 detects the temperature variation of a heat source, such as an electronic element (not shown) and transmits a signal to change the speed of the fan 10. Reference numbers 12 and 14 represent positive and negative voltage output from a power supply to the fan 10. Reference number 16 is a squared-wave signal FG indicating speed of the fan 10 and the signal transmitted to the electronic device (not shown) serving as a feedback signal.
In FIG. 1b, the speed of the fan 10′ is controlled by a pulse width modulation signal (referred to as a PWM signal herein) 40 from the electronic device. The output of the PWM signal 40 for fan speed control is based on various requirements, for example, a sudden rise in temperature of electronic elements. Reference numbers 12′ and 14′ represent positive and negative voltage from a power supply to the fan 10′. Reference number 16′ is a squared-wave signal FG indicating speed of the fan 10′ and transmitted to the electronic device (not shown) serving as a feedback signal.
Either the fan 10 or the fan 10′ is controlled by a unitary control method. This, however, limits the applicability of the fan to various electronic devices using different control methods.
Thus, a fan provided with several control modes is required for various applications.

Heat dissipation device and control method for same


The present invention aims at acquiring a display device with no brightness irregularities of display. A plurality of drain signal lines are formed in parallel on a pixel-forming-side surface of a substrate. With respect to the respective drain signal lines, a plurality of drain signal lines which are arranged close to each other are formed into each group, and one ends of the respective drain signal lines which are formed into each group are converged together, are extended and are connected to an output terminal of a semiconductor integrated circuit which constitutes a video signal drive circuit. A bus line for supplying reference signals to respective pixels is formed on at least an outer profile side of a mass of pixels at the video signal drive circuit side. The first power supply lines start from both sides of the semiconductor integrated circuit, run outside the drain signal lines which are formed into groups and are connected to the bus line. Second power supply lines start from both sides of the semiconductor integrated circuit, reach portions of the bus line corresponding to an approximately center portion of the drain signal lines which are formed into groups and are connected to the bus line.

The present invention relates to an image display device, and more specifically to an image display device such as a liquid crystal display device or the like.
A liquid crystal display device is, as shown in FIG. 16, configured such that on a pixel-forming-side surface of a substrate, a plurality of gate signal lines GL which are arranged in parallel and a plurality of drain signal lines DL which cross the respective gate signal lines GL and are arranged in parallel are formed, and pixels are formed on respective regions surrounded by these respective signal lines.
Although not shown in FIG. 16, each pixel includes a switching element (for example, a thin film transistor) which is operated in response to a scanning signal from the gate signal line GL and a pixel electrode to which a video signal is supplied from the drain signal line DL through the switching element.
Further, the scanning signals which are supplied to respective gate signal lines GL are generated by a scanning signal drive circuit V which is formed outside a liquid crystal display part AR which is a mass of pixels, wherein when a plurality of gate signal lines GL which are arranged close to each other are formed into one group, the scanning signal drive circuit is constituted of a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits which are allocated to respective groups.
In the same manner, the video signals which are supplied to respective drain signal lines DL are generated by a video signal drive circuit which is also formed outside the liquid crystal display part AR, wherein when a plurality of drain signal lines DL which are arranged close to each other are formed into one group, the video signal drive circuit He is constituted of a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuit which are allocated to respective groups.
Further, there may be a case in which, besides the scanning signals and the video signals, a signal which becomes the reference with respect to these signals is supplied to the each pixel. For example, as such a reference signal, a signal to be supplied to counter electrodes for generating an electric field to drive liquid crystal between the counter electrodes and the pixel electrodes, a signal to be supplied to capacitive signal lines for forming capacitance between the pixel electrode and the capacitive signal lines or the like is considered.
In this case, the reference signal is supplied to each pixel through power supply lines SL which start from both sides of the each semiconductor device, run outside a grouped signal lines and are connected to a bus line BL which is formed such that the bus line BL draws a profile of the liquid crystal display part AR.
Here, the bus line BL is connected to the counter electrodes or the capacitive signal lines through reference potential lines SVL which are formed such that the reference potential lines SVL reach the respective pixels.


An economical lubricant blended from refined bleached deodorized soybean oil, a food grade. additive that confers xe2x80x9ctackxe2x80x9d or stringiness, and a food grade anti-oxidant. The preferred food grade additive that confers xe2x80x9ctackxe2x80x9d is FUNCTIONAL V-584 and the preferred food grade anti-oxidant is TENOX 20A.

This invention relates to economical lubricants that have no, toxic ingredients so that they can be used to lubricate and/or rust protect machinery without danger of polluting products made by the machinery or the environment surrounding the machinery.
Machinery that processes and handles food and food products, requires lubricants, usually in such proximity to the food or food product that small amounts of such lubricants end up in the food.
The regulations of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) prohibit the inclusion of materials in food unless the materials have been specifically approved by the Agency. Most mineral oils fall within such prohibition, so vegetable oils such as soybean oils, are commonly used as lubricants. Although such oils are effective, they have undesirable temperature/viscosity characteristics and can become rancid. Therefore, xe2x80x9cwhite oilsxe2x80x9dhave been developed for use with food machinery. White oils are characteristically colorless, odorless, and tasteless mineral oils produced by treating light industrial oils with acid and then neutralizing the resultant with a strong base. The treatment removes aromatics and olefins from such oils, resulting in benign oil products that are relatively non-reactive. Consequently, white oils are widely used in the food, drug, and cosmetic industries due to their non-staining properties, as well as their inertness, and particularly because of their freedom from toxic effects.
White oils have significant drawbacks, however, important in certain situations, in that they exhibit relatively high pour points as a result of the substantial amounts of wax contained in the oils and they are expensive. The wax present tends to leave solution when the oils are cooled, resulting in increased viscosity and making the oils difficult to handle, particularly at lower temperatures. While white oils derived from naphthenic mineral oils contain somewhat less wax than those produced from paraffinic materials, even the former oils can contain 10% or more wax, on a weight basis.
Normally, xe2x80x9cdewaxing aidsxe2x80x9d would be used to assist in the filtration of wax particles precipitated during wax-removing, chilling procedures by reducing the size of the precipitated particles, thus making them easier to filter. Such treatment is not feasible for white oils, however, because of their market applications in the food area, and the fact that such xe2x80x9caidsxe2x80x9d have not received approval of the F.D.A., and could at least in part remain in the oil following the wax-removal step.
Another approach used in enhancing the low-temperature handling characteristics of ordinary mineral oils involves the use of pour point depressants such as high molecular weight compositions formed by the alkylation of benzene, or derivatives thereof, by the polymerization of lower molecular weight methacrylates, or by condensation polymerizations involving compounds of various kinds. However, as in the case of dewaxing aids, the use of such materials cannot be use in association with foodstuffs because they have not received F.D.A. approvals.
Ethylene-vinyl acetatecopolymers have in the past been used as pour point depressants in petroleum products and white oils, since such copolymers have received approvals of the FDA for use in contact with foodstuffs. However, they have not been used in lubricants where much more economical vegetable oils are the primary ingredient.
Other lubricants such as those including distilled acetylated monoglycarides and vegetable oils as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,682 work well in bottle capping operations, but are about eight times more expensive to use than the present invention.
The present invention is a lubricant for use in food production applications to lubricate packaging equipment, mainly in the bottle capping industry to lubricate bottle cap crimping equipment. Other possible uses of the present invention include general lubrication of various types of food machinery, as an anti-corrosion coating for food production equipment including automated baking equipment and as an ecologically frendly antirust coating and lubricant for machinery, where pollution due to machine operation is a problem. Although it is not intended for use in a consumable product, it is non-toxic and can be consumed by humans without injury. The present lubricant includes economical constituents so that the present lubricant can be made available to industry at much lower cost than competing lubricants.
The present lubricant is primarily refined bleached deodorized soybean oil to which a food grade additive that confers xe2x80x9ctackxe2x80x9d or stringiness and a food grade anti-oxidant are added. In experimental use, the lubrication properties are as good or better than other known food grade lubricants sold for bottle capping applications.
Therefore it is an object to provide an economic food grade lubricant.
Another object is to provide a food grade lubricant that can be used in the rigorous mechanical environment of bottle capping machines.
Another object is to provide a food grade lubricant which is non-toxic and can be blended from commercially available ingredients.
Another object is to provide a food grade lubricant and/or anti-rust compound that can be used in pollution sensitive environments.
Another object is to provide a food grade material which can be used as a corrosion resisting coating.

Anti-corrosion lubricant for pollution sensitive uses


A monolithically integrated vertical twin-waveguide structure reduces the sensitivity of the device performance characteristics due to the laser cavity length and variations in the layer structure. This is achieved by the introduction of an absorption or loss layer between the active and passive regions. This layer eliminates the propagation of the even mode, while having minimal effect on the odd mode. The threshold current densities and differential efficiencies of the devices are unaffected by the loss layer. A coupling efficiency of 45% from the laser to the external passive waveguide is obtained.

During the past several years, significant advances have been made in improving semiconductor materials and device quality for use in long wavelength communications systems and networks. As a consequence, a new generation of optoelectronic systems and applications is expected to emerge. A precursor to this event is the development of platform integration technology devices using common and simple epitaxial materials, structures and fabrication processes. One such integrated technology platform is Photonic Integrated Circuits ("PIC"), which are often employed for transmitter purposes. PICs generally consist of combinations of active devices and passive devices, such as, lasers and semiconductor optical amplifiers coupled with modulators, couplers and waveguides.
PICs have the potential for producing low cost, high performance, advanced devices for optical communication. An important building block for PICs is a laser coupled to a passive waveguide. This fundamental structure is used for the monolithic integration of lasers with modulators, splitters, and efficient couplers to optical fibers. As known in the prior art, a laser can be integrated with a passive waveguide using a number of different techniques, including regrowth with separate optimization of the two devices, single growth on an etched substrate, disordering of multiple quantum wells ("MQW") to locally change the bandgap, selective area growth enhancement using organometallic vapor phase epitaxy, or evanescent optical field coupling in a vertical twin-waveguide ("TG") structure. Each of these coupling techniques suffer one or more of the following disadvantages: expense, complicated alignment procedures, unacceptable coupling losses or reduced reliability and performance. In particular, the regrowth technology is extremely difficult to control and has numerous problems which must be addressed. For example, one particular concern are the irregular interfaces at the regrown interfaces which can lead to poor device performance and high optical losses between adjoining devices.
Despite the above disadvantages, the vertical TG structure is useful as a versatile platform technology for PICs, since a single epitaxial growth step produces a structure on which a variety of active and passive devices can be fabricated. For example, a prior art TG laser was disclosed consisting of vertically integrated active and passive waveguide layers, which were phase-matched in a manner similar to a directional coupler. Within the past year, another prior art device was fabricated which had a GaAs/AlGaAs-based TG laser integrated with a Y-branch single mode ridge waveguide. A drawback of this latter implementation is the relative inability to control the lasing threshold current and coupling to the passive waveguide resulting from the sensitivity to variations in the device structure itself. The sensitivity variations arise from the interaction between the even and odd modes in the conventional TG structure. Due to this interaction, the fraction of the total optical power incident on the etched facet of the active waveguide is a periodic function of cavity length, which makes it relatively difficult to control the amount of power reflected from the etched facet. Alternatively stated, the interaction of the odd and even modes results in constructive and destructive interference in the laser cavity, which effects a threshold current, modal gain, coupling efficiency and output coupling parameters of the device. This interaction results in devices which are unreliable, unpredictable and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the modal gain and coupling length both vary dramatically with changes in the composition and thickness of each layer comprising the device.
Accordingly, there is a serious need to provide a simple and effective device which reduces the sensitivity of the device performance characteristics to laser cavity length, odd/even mode interaction and to the variations in the layered structure. This reliable and easily fabricated device can then be utilized in realizing a highly versatile, platform technology where a variety of active and passive devices can be monolithically fabricated on a single epitaxial wafer structure.

Photonic integration using a twin waveguide structure


There is provided a static eliminator capable of improving a sheath effect exerted by shielding a leading end of a discharge electrode by a clean gas so as to prevent the leading end of the discharge electrode from being contaminated, in which a first-stage circumferential chamber, a second-stage circumferential chamber and a first gas pool are arrayed in series along the longitudinal direction of a discharge electrode, the first gas pool is disposed in the mode of diametrically overlapping a gas outflow channel for shielding located on the inner circumferential side of the first gas pool, and a clean gas is supplied to the first gas pool through the chambers disposed at multi-stages by means of the circumferentially spaced multi-stage orifices (the first and second chases).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a static eliminator used for eliminating static electricity of a workpiece, and a discharge electrode unit built therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
For the purpose of eliminating static electricity of a workpiece, a corona discharge type static eliminator has often been used. Typically, in a static eliminator having a long bar shape, a plurality of discharge electrodes are mounted in a longitudinally spaced condition, and a high voltage is applied to these discharge electrodes to generate an electric field between the discharge electrodes and the workpiece and thereby to apply ions to the workpiece so that static electricity of the workpiece is eliminated.
A static eliminator disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-260821 will be described below. A gas main channel is provided along the longitudinal direction of a static eliminator, and a purified gas (clean gas) flowing in this gas main channel is distributed to the periphery of each discharge electrode. A gas pool extending along the longitudinal direction of the discharge electrode is mounted around each discharge electrode. The clean gas is supplied from the gas main channel to this gas pool through an orifice provided between the gas pool and the gas main channel. The clean gas flowing into the gas pool is allowed to flow to the outside through a plurality of assist air outflow holes formed around the leading end of the discharge electrode, and a gas flow along the shaft line of the discharge electrode is generated.

Static eliminator and discharge electrode unit built therein


Various examples are directed to systems and methods for evaluating electronic components. A server computing device may provide an evaluation user interface to a user application executing at a user computing device. The server computing device may receive an indication of an electronic component for evaluation from the user application and via the user interface and access a configuration data set for the electronic component. The configuration data set may comprise argument data describing a set of arguments for the electronic component; binding data describing a relationship between a first argument of the set of arguments and a first model input parameter; and simulator data describing a model for the electronic component. The server computing device may also evaluate the electronic component based at least in part on the configuration data set.

Interfacing with many types of environmental sensors (e.g., temperature, vibration, acceleration, light, speed, sound, etc.) generally includes use of analog circuitry and mixed-signal circuitry for receiving and converting signals from the sensors to provide a discrete-time or digital representation. As the range of different available sensor types expands and as precision continues to improve, circuit designs capable of processing and converting signals from sensors are becoming increasingly more complex. Meanwhile, analog hardware design expertise is diminishing amongst application and system design engineers, with a focus instead being biased towards one or more of software or sensor expertise.

Virtual evaluation for circuits and systems