An image data control apparatus comprises a first circuit to generate image data, a second circuit to discriminate a display mode from a main body side and a third circuit to convert the image data in accordance with the discriminated display mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display system and, more particularly, to an image data control apparatus in a display system using a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a memory performance.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, in a liquid crystal display system which is required for a personal computer (PC), a work station (WS), or the like, a large display screen and high resolution have been realized year by year, and compatibility with an existing PC or WS is also required.
When explaining a PC/AT machine made by IBM Corporation, which is generally widely used as an example, as display modes which are used in a display system, there are display modes of the adapter specification for an image such as CGA (Color Graphics Array), EGA (Enhanced Graphics Array), VGA (Video Graphic Array), 8514/A, and the like made by IBM Corporation. The resolutions and the numbers of colors which can be displayed in the above display modes are respectively different.
As a system which can display such various display modes by a single display system, for instance, there have been known "Multisync II", "Multisync 3D", "Multisync 4D", "Multisync 5D", and the like made by NEC Corporation as CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display systems. In the liquid crystal display system which can realize a PC or WS of the lap-top type, there is a problem such that it is difficult to enable various kinds of display modes to be displayed by a single display system.
Particularly, in the display system using the ferroelectric liquid crystal, as compared with the case of the CRT display system, the following considerations are needed with respect to the display color and the resolution and the compatibility with the CRT display system is small.
(1) With respect to the display color:
In the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device, a bistable orientation state, that is, a binary display state is realized as disclosed in U.S. Patent Ser. No. 4,367,924 by Clerk et al. or the like. In other words, there is a problem such that it is difficult to realize a tone expression by a control of an applied voltage or the like. To realize the tone display by such a binarization display device, the tone display (area tone display) is realized by changing a ratio of the numbers of white and black dots.
On the other hand, in the ordinary display mode, the CRT display system has been designed so as to emit a light by a luminance corresponding to a tone for one dot (luminance tone).
In the case where various display modes of different display colors are displayed by the ferroelectric liquid crystal display system, therefore, the luminance tone cannot be used, so that the tone information needs to be changed to the data of the area tone display system for every ferroelectric liquid crystal display system in accordance with each display mode.
(2) With respect to the resolution:
When the display mode used in the CRT display system is applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal display system of a certain resolution (e.g., 640.times.480 pixels), in the case of the display mode of a resolution (e.g., 320.times.200 pixels) lower than the above resolution, surplus pixels occur. Or, in the case of the display mode of a resolution (e.g., 720.times.400 pixels) higher than the above resolution, the pixels lack in the horizontal direction. In such cases, it is necessary to expand or compress the image data in the vertical or horizontal direction.
On the other hand, since the ferroelectric liquid crystal panel has a memory effect, there is a problem such that a display state before switching in a border portion which occurs upon switching of the display mode mentioned above remains as an after image without being erased.

Image data control apparatus and display system


The present disclosure provides a method for measuring an amount of interference from an antenna, the method comprising the operations of: receiving at least on reference symbol; calculating a reference symbol NI, which is the antenna-related noise interference (NI) in the at least one reference symbol, on the basis of the at least one reference symbol; receiving at least one data symbol; calculating a data symbol NI, which is the antenna-related NI in the data symbol, on the basis of the at least one data symbol; calculating an NI ratio of the antenna which is the ratio of the data symbol NI relative to the reference symbol NI; and determining an antenna weight of the antenna on the basis of the NI ratio.

To meet the demand for wireless data traffic having increased since deployment of 4G communication systems, efforts have been made to develop an improved 5G or pre-5G communication system. Therefore, the 5G or pre-5G communication system is also called a "Beyond 4G Network" or a "Post LTE System".
The 5G communication system is considered to be implemented in higher frequency (mmWave) bands, e.g., 60 GHz bands, so as to accomplish higher data rates. To decrease propagation loss of the radio waves and increase the transmission distance, beamforming, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beam forming, and large scale antenna techniques are discussed in 5G communication systems.
In addition, in 5G communication systems, development for system network improvement is under way based on advanced small cells, cloud radio access networks (RANs), ultra-dense networks, device-to-device (D2D) communication, wireless backhaul, moving networks, cooperative communication, coordinated multi-points (CoMP), reception-end interference cancellation, and the like.
In the 5G system, hybrid FSK and QAM modulation (FQAM) and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as an advanced coding modulation (ACM), and filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA) as an advanced access technology have also been developed.
A reception node of a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) communication system receives data via antenna combining. In this configuration, the signal reception performance of the reception node may be degraded due to a noise component or an interference component included in a signal received by the reception node.

Method and apparatus for measuring interference amount


A brake control apparatus has a braking member that is disposed so as to have a clearance with respect to a braked member that rotates together with a wheel, an electric motor that moves the braking member into contact with the braked member and then generates force for pressing the braking member against the braked member, and control means for controlling the force generated by the electric motor based on operation of a brake-operating pedal or the like. The control means detects a state of operation of the vehicle, and controls the force generated by the electric motor so that the speed of the braking member moving toward the braked member is changed in accordance with the operating state of the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle speed is high, the speed of the electric motor is increased to secure good braking responsiveness, and when the vehicle speed is low, the speed of the electric motor is decreased to reduce noises.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.2000-259850 filed on Aug. 29, 2000 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicular brake control apparatus which includes a braked member rotatable together with a wheel, a braking member disposed so as to have a clearance with respect to the braked member, and an actuator that moves the braking member into contact with the braked member, and that then pressurizes the braking member, and which controls the actuator. The invention also relates to a control method for the vehicular brake control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The aforementioned type of apparatus is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-46082. The disclosed apparatus converts a rotating movement of an electric motor into a linear movement and, due to the linear movement, presses a pad, that is, a braking member, to a disc rotor, that is, a braked member, so as to generate braking force. Furthermore, this apparatus changes the clearance between the pad and the disc rotor in accordance with the state of running of the vehicle so as to improve the responsiveness during an early period of braking and reduce the noises produced when the pad is pressed against the disc rotor.
However, the above-described related art does not change the speed of the pad moving over the clearance. In some cases, therefore, the art may cause the pad to strongly strike the disc rotor, thereby producing a shock on the vehicle in some cases. Furthermore, if the actuator is an electric actuator such as an electric motor or the like, it is conceivable that the noise caused by the driving of the actuator will be great. This problem can be solved by reducing the moving speed of the pad (the driving speed of the electric actuator). However, the reduction of the moving speed of the pad is expected to involve a reduction in the braking responsiveness.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicular brake control apparatus that achieves good braking responsiveness of a vehicle and good reduction of the noise produced during braking, and a control method of the apparatus.
One aspect of the invention is a vehicular brake control apparatus including a braking member disposed so as to have a clearance with respect to a braked member that rotates together with a wheel, an actuator that moves the braking member into contact with the braked member and then generates a force for pressing the braking member against the braked member, an actuator control device that controls the force generated by the actuator based on a brake operation performed by an operating person, an operation state detecting device that detects a state of operation of a vehicle, and a moving speed changing device that changes a control performed by the actuator control device so that a speed of the braking member moving toward the braked member is changed in accordance with the state of operation detected by the operation state detecting device.
According to the above-described apparatus, the braking member is moved by the force generated by the actuator until it contacts the braked member. During the movement of the braking member, the moving speed changing means changes the speed of the braking member moving toward the braked member by changing the control performed by the actuator control device to control the force generated by the actuator in accordance with the state of operation of the vehicle, for example, the magnitude of the vehicle speed, the presence/absence of a parking brake operation request, etc. Therefore, during a predetermined state of operation of the vehicle, the speed of the braking member is increased to maintain good initial braking responsiveness. Furthermore, during a difference state of operation, the speed of the braking member is reduced to reduce the noises related to braking operation. Hence, it is possible to provide a vehicular brake control apparatus wherein the braking responsiveness is good and noises that irritate an operating person are not caused by braking.

Vehicular brake control apparatus and control method therefor


A composition includes at least one biologically active agent covalently attached to a first polymerizing molecule that is adapted to undergo a free radical polymerization. The first polymerizing molecule retains the ability to undergo free radical polymerization after attachment of the bioactive agent thereto. The first polymerizing molecule is preferably biocompatible. The polymerizing molecule can, for example. be dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (DOPA) or tyrosine. The composition can also include a second component synthesized by reacting at least one core molecule having a plurality of reactive hydrogen groups with at least one multi-isocyanate functional molecule to create a conjugate including terminal isocyanate groups. The conjugate molecule is reacted with a second polymerizing molecule that is adapted to undergo a free radical polymerization. The second polymerizing molecule includes a reactive hydrogen to react with the isocyanate groups of the conjugate. The second polymerizing molecule retains the ability to undergo the free radical polymerization after reaction with the conjugate. In several embodiments, the first polymerizing molecule and the second polymerizing molecule are the same and dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (DOPA) or tyrosine.

The present invention relates generally to wound healing polymeric networks, matrices, or gels, to compositions and compounds to form wound healing polymeric networks, to methods of synthesizing wound healing polymeric networks and to methods of treating wounds using wound healing polymeric networks.
The following information is provided to assist the reader to understand the invention disclosed below and the environment in which it will typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless clearly stated otherwise in this document. References set forth herein may facilitate understanding of the present invention or the background of the present invention. The disclosure of all references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
Wound healing is a dynamic and orchestrated process that involves cellular and matrix components acting together to re-establish the lost tissues. Co-morbid physiological and psychological conditions and aging compromise this healing, which can be ameliorated by modulating these underlying conditions (with the exception of aging). Infections adversely impact wound repair through ongoing chronic inflammation and production of toxic molecules and metabolites from both the microbe and the immune response. Skin wounds are particularly prone to these infections as they are both exposed to pathogens and also harbor commensural microbes that can infect compromised tissue. Thus microbial proliferation must be controlled or prevented to enable proper healing.
The existence of a variety of wound types with varied healing modes and phases has led to the development of different types of wound healing matrices in attempts to improve upon physiological healing. Traditional wound management involves disinfection and provision of a moist environment to encourage the establishment of the best environment for the natural healing process. The use of biological sealants has been promoted primarily based on their ability to enhance coagulation in addition to their capacity to create a mechanical barrier at the site of bleeding.
In designing a material or matrix to promote wound healing, one that is capable of providing adequate antimicrobial activity is desired provided that the antimicrobial substance(s) present in the matrix do not compromise the physiologic healing, including hemostasis and immune functioning and the repair-promoting physiochemical aspects of the matrix. To be beneficial, the antimicrobial agent preferably exerts its effect over the relevant time scale of days, without being washed out by tissue fluid flows or neutralized by serum- and tissue-derived factors and enzymatic activities.
With the surge of antibiotic resistance, impregnating a matrix with a necessarily broad-spectrum antibiotic is becoming a concern. Moreover, complex molecules may form complexes with the surface of polymer and modify it further resulting in confounding diffusion and elution calculations. This also may produce novel immunological epitopes that would be recognized by the body as foreign.
Silver is a widely used nonspecific antimicrobial, as it acts against a very broad spectrum of bacterial, yeast and fungal species likely to contaminate wounds and body cavities. See, for example, Thomas S, McCubbin P. A comparison of the antimicrobial effects of four silver-containing dressings on three organisms. J Wound Care 2003; 12(3):101-7. This action derives from the binding of the positive silver ions with the negatively charged microbial proteins preventing their replication, and via attachment to sulfhydryl groups, preventing their respiration and resulting in inhibiting their proliferation. See, for example, Holt K B, Bard A J. Interaction of silver(I) ions with the respiratory chain of Escherichia coli: an electrochemical and scanning electrochemical microscopy study of the antimicrobial mechanism of micromolar Ag+. Biochemistry 2005; 44(39):13214-23; Bragg P D, Rainnie D J. The effect of silver ions on the respiratory chain of E. coli. Can J Microbiol 1974; 20(6):883-9; and Darouiche R O. Anti-infective efficacy of silver-coated medical prostheses. Clin Infect Dis 1999; 29(6):1371-7. Silver also works on biofilms, a critical challenge for embedded foreign bodies. See, for example, Chaw K C, Manimaran M, Tay F E. Role of silver ions in destabilization of intermolecular adhesion forces measured by atomic force microscopy in staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2005; 49(12):4853-9.
Currently available products for facilitation of wound healing have met with only limited success. It thus remains desirable to develop wound healing polymeric networks, compounds for forming such wound healing polymeric networks, methods of synthesizing or forming such wound healing polymeric networks and methods of treating wounds using such wound healing polymeric networks.


An apparatus comprises a magnetic write pole, and a cooling device positioned adjacent to the magnetic write pole. The magnetic write pole can comprise a rare earth metal, or an alloy including a rare earth metal. A method of using a cooling device to increase a magnetic moment of a portion of a magnetic write pole in a magnetic recording head is also provided.

In magnetic recording, a recording head is positioned adjacent to a data storage medium, and a write pole in the head produces a magnetic field that affects the direction of magnetization of magnetic domains in the storage medium. To increase the areal density of data stored in magnetic data storage devices, it is desirable to increase the write field produced by the recording heads. The pole piece material and the distance between the recording head and the medium determine the magnitude of the write field seen by the medium. Flying the head closer to the medium seems like an obvious choice to increase the write field, however, it remains an extreme engineering challenge. Therefore, the only other choice at hand, to increase the write field, is to change the pole tip material to a ferromagnetic material that possesses a large magnetic moment (4πM). Currently, the largest magnetic moment at room temperature is 2.45 T found in FexCo1-x alloys, where x=0.5 to 0.6. These FeCo alloys were discovered over 50 years ago and still remain the highest moment material known.
To increase the write field, it would be desirable to increase the magnetic moment of the write pole material. There is a need for a recording head that can produce a write field that is larger than the write fields produced by previous head designs.

Magnetic write head with thermoelectric cooling device


A polyolefin alloy and a process for making the same which alloy includes (A) 40% to 80% by weight of polypropylene material which may be a polypropylene homopolymer or a propylene copolymer with ethylene and/or butadiene, the polypropylene copolymer including 5 mole % to 35 mole % polymerized ethylene and/or butadiene, the polypropylene material having a molecular weight Mw of 100,000 to 300,000 and a melt index of 0.1 to 20 g/10 min; (B) 1% to 10% by weight of a functionalized polypropylene, which may be a grafted polypropylene homopolymer or a grafted copolymer of propylene with ethylene and/or butadiene, having a degree of grafting of 0.2% to 10% by weight; (C) 1% to 50% by weight of a mineral having a mean particle size of about 2.5 .mu.m and a maximum particle size of about 20 .mu.m, the mineral being surface-treated with 0.2% to 5% by weight of amino silane; (D) 1% to 15% by weight of an amorphous fatty acid-treated silica gel including 25% to 75% by weight silica and 25% to 75% fatty acid amide; and (E) 0 to 40% by weight of an ethylene/propylene/polyene terpolymer having a melt index in the range of 1 to 10 g/10 min and a Shore D hardness of 30 to 70. The process of making the alloy includes blending the above components, melting and kneading the blend and cooling and granulating the blend. The alloy is characterized by improved surface hardness and scratch resistance.

The present invention relates to a polyolefin alloy with improved surface hardness and scratch resistance, and processes for producing same. More specifically, the invention relates to a polyolefin alloy on the basis of a polypropylene material, a functionalized polypropylene material, a mineral, an amorphous silica gel and optionally an ethylene/propylene/polyene terpolymer (EPDM), as well as processes for producing said polyolefin alloy.
Various techniques for increasing the scratch resistance of polyolefin materials are previously known, i.a. addition of silica materials. Thus, JP 1318051 (Toray Silicone KK) discloses polyolefins which for this purpose have been modified with a filler on silica basis. Said filler may have been surface treated with silane type compounds. However, the disclosed polyolefins are not alloys and no fatty acid amide-treated silica gel is used in the material. JP 1104637 (Showa Denko KK) discloses materials on a polypropylene basis to which silica/alumina spheroids and a polypropylene material functionalized with carboxylic acid or carboxylic anhydride have been added. These materials also contains no fatty acid amide-treated silica gel.
It has now been found that when a functionalized polypropylene material and an amorphous, fatty acid amide-modified silica gel are incorporated into certain polyolefin materials having a mineral content, the scratch resistance of the material is substantially improved, with retention of the impact strength and the thermal shape stability (HDTA) of the material.
Thus, the invention provides a new polyolefin alloy having improved surface hardness and scratch resistance, and having a melt index MI in the range of 0.1-50 g/10 min at 230.degree. C./2.16 kg, particularly in the range of 3 to 40 g/10 min at 230.degree. C./2.16 kg. The polyolefin alloy is characterized in that it is constituted by a blend of:
(A) 40 to 80% by weight of a polypropylene material consisting of a polypropylene homopolymer or a copolymer of propylene with ethylene and/or butadiene, which polypropylene material may have a content of polymerized ethylene and/or butadiene units of 5 to 35 mole % and has a molecular weight Mw of 100,000 to 300,000 and a melt index MI of 0.1 to 20 g/10 min at 230.degree. C./2.16 kg, PA1 (B) 1 to 10% by weight of a functionalized polypropylene material consisting of a grafted polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer of propylene with ethylene and/or butadiene, having a degree of grafting of 0.2 to 10% by weight, PA1 (C) 1 to 50% by weight of a mineral, having a mean particle size of about 2.5 .mu.m and a maximum particle size of about 20 .mu.m, and being surface-treated with 0.2 to 5% by weight of aminosilane, PA1 (D) 1 to 15% by weight of amorphous fatty acid-treated silica gel, comprising 25 to 75% by weight of silica and 75 to 25% by weight of fatty acid amide, PA1 (E) 0 to 40% by weight of an ethylene/propylene/polyene terpolymer (EPDM) having a melt index MI in the range of 1 to 10 g/10 min at 230.degree. C./2.16 kg and a Shore D hardness of 30 to 70.
EP-A-0 567 058 (Hirano et al.) discloses compositions having improved elasticity, peeling strength and recoating properties, comprising a polypropylene, an ethylene/.alpha.-olefin copolymer elastomer, and a modified polyolefin having a functional group in either or both ends thereof, as well as certain substituted amines/amides. In addition thereto, the compositions can also contain various additives, among which talc is mentioned. Said compositions of EP-A-0 567 058 do not, however, contain the combination of a functionalized polypropylene material of the same kind as component (B) of the polyolefin alloy of the present invention, with a mineral having been surface-treated with an aminosilane, and a fatty acid-treated silica gel, and they do not suggest any improvement of the scratch resistance.
U.S. Pat No. 4,675,122 (Luers et al.) teaches a combined antiblocking agent and lubricant concentrate based on polyolefin, which contains diatomaceous earth, precipitated silica and/or silica gel as the antiblocking agent, and one more more amides of unsaturated C.sub.18 -C.sub.22 fatty acids. No mention is made of any improvement of the scratch-resistance. Also, it could not be considered to be near at hand to combine the teaching of U.S. Pat No. 4,675,122 with the teaching of the above-discussed EP-A-0 567 058, which also does not mention scratch-resistance.
EP-A-0 297 693 (McKinney et al.) teaches a composition comprising an intimate mixture of at least one ethylene interpolymer with acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or an ionomer of either of said acids and a slip-enhancing amount of a secondary fatty acid amide. The composition may also contain small amounts of finely divided inorganic materials such as silica and talc. The aim of the invention of EP-A-0 297 693 is to improve the slip and/or block characteristics of the ethylene interpolymers. No mention is made of any improvement of the scratch-resistance. Even though said EP-A-0 297 693 is disclosing compositions in which silica may be used, and will come into contact with fatty acid amide, it is not question there of any fatty acid-treated silica gel comprising 25-75% by weight of silica and 75-25% by weight of fatty acid amide as in the polyolefin alloy of the present invention. To the extent a finely inorganic material is used in the composition of EP-A-0 297 693, no surface treatment thereof with aminosilane is mentioned, neither is there any mention of any functionalized polypropylene material. A similar composition is disclosed in EP-A-0 257 803 (Yamada et al.), comprising an ethylene/methyl methacrylate copolymer, a slip agent which may be a fatty acid amide, and a small amount (0.01-0.1 % wt) of an inorganic filler, which may be a silica or a talc. The composition is used to produce peelable protective films with low peeling strength for wrapping around e.g. rubbery articles having a tacky surface. Neither EP-A-0 257 803 nor EP-A-0 297 693 suggests the polyolefin alloy of the present invention having improved surface hardness and scratch-resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,791 (De Nicola et al.) discloses a filled composition having improved flexural modulus and impact strength, comprising a propylene polymer material, a propylene polymer material grafted with one or more vinyl monomers, and a rubber component. As filler, the composition may contain i.a. talc and silica, and column 3, lines 25-37, of the patent indicates that the filler may be coated with an organic compound. However, the patent does not suggest any fatty acid amide-treated silica gel in combination with an aminosilane-treated mineral and there is no suggestion in said patent that any such combination would improve the surface hardness and scratch-resistance of a polyolefin alloy as defined according to the present invention.

Polyolefin alloy with improved surface hardness and scratch resistance


A latching mechanism (200) for a surface contact card, used in a portable electronic device, includes a receiving cavity (11) defined in a body (10) and a latch module (12). The body defines a receiving cavity configured for receiving the surface contact card therein, and including a connector disposed in the receiving cavity. The latch module is mounted adjacent the receiving cavity, the latch module including a supporting portion and a rotating bar pivotably supported on the supporting portion. The latch module includes a supporting portion (13) and a rotating bar (300). The rotating bar includes an elastic member surroundingly formed thereon, the elastic member (302) being configured for providing a sufficient friction force to drive the surface contact card to move into or out the receiving cavity upon being pressed against the surface contact card.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to mechanisms for holding surface contact cards of portable electronic devices and, particularly, to a latching mechanism for holding a SIM card in a portable electronic device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the development of wireless communication and information processing technologies, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones are now in widespread use. These electronic devices enable consumers to enjoy the convenience of high-tech services anytime and anywhere. Surface contact cards such as subscriber identity module card (SIM), compact flash card (CF) and multimedia card (MMC) having special circuits are widely used in probable electronic devices to enhance or specialize the functions of the portable electronic devices. For example, a subscriber identity module card (SIM) is placed in a mobile phone to dedicate the mobile phone functions to the SIM card owner. By changing SIM cards, a single mobile phone can be used by many different SIM card owners as a personal phone.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional mechanism for holding a SIM card includes a base 32 made of insulating material and a latching structure 34. The base 32 defines a receiving groove 321 and a SIM connector 30 comprising a plurality of contacts is set in the middle of the receiving groove 321. The size of the receiving groove 321 is the same as that of a SIM card. The latching structure 34 is located adjacent to one end of the receiving groove 321, and can be moved back and forth along the direction as indicated by the arrow shown in FIG. 1.
In use, firstly, the latching structure 34 is moved away from the receiving groove 321 and the SIM card is received in the receiving groove 321. Then, the latching structure 34 is moved adjacent to the receiving groove 321 for latching the SIM card in the receiving groove 321. In the same way, the SIM card can be released by moving the latching structure 34 away from the receiving groove 321.
In the above conventional mechanism for holding a SIM card, the latching structure 34 can be easily moved. If a mobile phone employing such a mechanism for holding a SIM card drops to ground, a shock will easily force the latching structure 34 to move off the receiving groove 321. As a result, the SIM card will not connect well with the SIM contactor 30 or even be released from the receiving groove 321. Obviously, such a conventional mechanism can not hold the SIM card steadily in the receiving groove 321.
Therefore, there is a need for a new latching mechanism for a SIM card, which can hold a SIM card steadily in a portable electronic device.

Latching mechanism for surface contact card

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


An endoscopic surgical instrument has an insertion portion to be inserted in a channel of an endoscope, a treatment portion provided at a tip of the insertion portion for treating an objective part and a manipulation portion provided close to a proximal end of the insertion portion. The operator can move the insertion portion forward and backward at least relative to the channel by operating the manipulation portion in a state the endoscopic surgical instrument is inserted in the channel of the endoscope. In this manner, by the manipulation portion, the endoscopic surgical instrument can be operated to move forward and backward relative to the channel. Therefore in case the manipulation portion is located close to a channel entrance (forceps port) of the endoscope, the operator of the endoscope is able to manipulate the endoscopic surgical instrument without assistance from others.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to endoscopic surgical instruments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when conducting medical treatments on specific parts or inspections for diseased parts or the like with an endoscope operated from outside of the body, it is common to carry out various medical treatments by inserting a surgical instrument in a channel of the endoscope.
Such a surgical instrument is longer than an insertion portion of the endoscope, and an instrument manipulation portion for manipulating the surgical instrument is provided at the proximal end of the surgical instrument.
Therefore, when the surgical instrument is inserted in the channel through a forceps port of the channel end, the instrument manipulation portion is left in a distant position from the forceps port. Consequently, an assistant is needed for manipulating the surgical instrument while the operator is manipulating the endoscope.
Auxiliary tools for surgical instruments, by which an endoscope operator can also perform the operation of the surgical instruments, have been proposed for shortening the surgical time. JP-A-2002-330973, FIGS. 22 and 24, disclose one example of such arts.
However, in the conventional surgical instrument, after mounting the auxiliary tool for the surgical-instrument onto an endoscope, the surgical instrument must be inserted and fixed to the auxiliary tool.


A ballast (e.g. a fluorescent light ballast) includes a primary ballast for powering the lamp from a power supply (e.g., utility line power) and an battery powered ballast for powering the lamp from a battery when the primary power supply is not energized by the power supply. When power supply power is restored to the ballast, the ballast shuts down the battery powered ballast and a switch circuit operably connects the lamp to the primary ballast. The ballast toggles the switch circuit such that the primary ballast detects replacement of a lamp and resets any fault detection or protection circuits (e.g., an end of lamp life circuit) that may have been triggered during the transition from battery power to power from the power supply.

A ballast provides power to a lamp and regulates the current and/or power provided to the lamp. When a lamp (e.g. a fluorescent lamp) nears the end of its usable life or breaks, the resistance of the lamp increases as seen by the ballast. The increased resistance requires the ballast to output higher voltages in order to maintain the current or power transferred to the lamp. Thus, the ballast develops very high voltages (e.g., voltages in excess of 500 volts AC) as the resistance continues to increase. The high voltage poses an electrocution hazard to a technician who needs to replace the old lamp because the increased voltage increases the risk that the electricity will arc to earth ground through the technician as he attempts to replace the lamp. Therefore, some ballasts are equipped with a protection circuit (e.g., an end of lamp life circuit) that detects output voltages in excess of a threshold and shuts down the high voltage output of the ballast. These ballasts also have a circuit for detecting when a lamp has been replaced and restarting the high voltage output of the ballast in order to light the new lamp (e.g., by resetting the end of lamp life circuit).
A ballast may receive power from multiple sources. For example, ballasts used in commercial buildings commonly receive power from a utility line supply and from a battery. Such ballasts include a primary ballast for powering a lamp from the utility line supply and an battery powered ballast for powering the lamp from the battery. The primary ballast is configured to power two lamps in a single fixture while the battery powered ballast is configured to only power one of the lamps. Generally, the primary ballast is providing power to both lamps whenever utility line power is available to the ballast and the light is switched on, and the battery powered ballast powers one lamp from the battery when the light is switched on but there is no utility line power available to the ballast such as during a fire or utility power outage.
A problem can occur in these existing ballasts when switching power sources, for example, when switching from battery power to utility line power after an interruption in utility line power to the ballast. That is, when utility line power is restored to the ballast, the ballast switches operation from the battery powered ballast to the primary ballast by shutting down the battery powered ballast and reconfiguring the connection between the ballast and the lamps such that the lamps can be powered by the primary ballast instead of the battery powered ballast. However, due to timing delays in the primary and battery powered ballasts, the primary ballast may fail to properly power to the lamps due to timing delays in the primary and battery powered ballasts. That is, due to timing delays or rebound action in the switches that reconfigure the lamp to ballast connection, the end of lamp life circuit of the primary ballast may erroneously detect that the lamps are broken or end the end of their useful lives and shut down the output of the primary ballast. These timing delays may also cause other protection circuits to trigger.
To overcome these timing delays, one prior art solution disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,339,296 is to delay supplying power from the utility line to the primary ballast for a period of 5 to 10 seconds in order to allow adequate time for the switches that determine the lamp to ballast connection to reconfigure the connection and other transients in the ballast to settle. Thus, when the primary ballast receives power, the end of lamp life circuit (and other protection circuits) is not falsely triggered because the lamps have been connected to the primary ballast output for a number of seconds. One problem with this solution is that delaying power to the primary ballast introduces a relatively long wait time when switching between power sources (e.g. when switching from battery power to utility line power).

Relamping circuit for battery powered ballast


A backlight assembly includes a light guide plate for emitting a light in two directions and a brightness control member for controlling the brightness ratio of the light emitting in the two directions. An LCD apparatus including first and second LCD panels, displays images in the two directions, with individual brightnesses which are similar to one another or different from one another depending on the brightness control member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight assembly and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) apparatus, and more particularly to a backlight assembly for emitting a light in multiple directions, capable of displaying image information in two directions different to each other and an LCD apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an LCD apparatus displays an image using a liquid crystal in which a light transmittance varies with an intensity of an electric field. The LCD apparatus has a flat shape having a thickness from a number of millimeters to dozens of millimeters including a liquid crystal layer that a thickness is no more than a number of micrometers.
The LCD apparatus is widely used as a communication device such as a cellular phone and as a display device such as a mobile computer or a desktop computer and so on.
The LCD apparatus employing a method that displays the image in only one direction had been developed to reduce a thickness and a volume thereof. Recently, the LCD apparatus has been developed to display a same image or a different image in two directions.
In order to display the image in the two directions, the LCD apparatus includes a reflecting plate for dividing the light into the two directions and an LCD panel having a polarizing filter, a pixel electrode, a liquid crystal, two electrodes facing each other, a glass substrate, a polarizing plate. The LCD apparatus further includes a flat type light emitting part for emitting the light in opposite two directions and a display cell disposed on both surfaces of the light emitting part. The LCD apparatus further includes a backlight assembly, a first LCD panel and a second LCD panel disposed on both surfaces of the backlight assembly, respectively.
The LCD apparatus divides the light so as to display the image in the opposite two directions, however, the LCD apparatus cannot control the intensity of the light divided into the opposite two directions.
As an example of a display device which needs to control the intensity of die light, a cellular phone having an external display device and an internal display device will be described. For example, if a cellular phone of model "A" has an external display device having a brightness lower than that of an internal display device thereof, most of lights emitted from a light source are provided to the internal display device. Also, if a cellular phone of model "B" has an external display device having a brightness higher than that of an internal display device thereof, most of lights emitted from the light source are provided to the external display device.
As aforementioned above, the LCD apparatus may divide the light into the opposite two directions, however, the LCD apparatus may not variably control the amount of the light divided into the opposite two directions according to an external situation.

Backlight assembly and liquid crystal display apparatus using the same


According to one embodiment, an environmental contribution supporting apparatus provided for a system including a printing apparatus and an erasing apparatus includes a duplex-reduction calculating unit, an aggregation-reduction calculating unit, a sheet-reduction-ratio calculating unit, a printing-state-character selecting unit, a sheet-reuse-ratio calculating unit, a reuse-state-character selecting unit, a sheet-reduction-message selecting unit, a sheet-reuse-message selecting unit, an advice setting unit, and a report creating unit configured to edit a character selected by the printing-state-character selecting unit, a character selected by the reuse-state-character selecting unit, and a message set by the advice setting unit into a predetermined form.

In recent years, a printing mode of an image forming apparatus is set to duplex printing or aggregation printing to reduce a used amount of recording sheets and realize a reduction in environmental load during printing. An image forming apparatus is also known that outputs an environmental report in order to improve environment consciousness of a user. Further, a reproducing apparatus is known that applies heating treatment to a sheet having an image formed thereon with a decolorable coloring agent to decolor the image on the sheet and allow the sheet to be reused.
However, the environmental report in the past is merely a report in which an actual result of the number of reduced sheets at a point of issuance of the report is aggregated. It is difficult for a user to maintain motivation for a reduction in environmental loads over a long period. In addition, the environmental report does not advice, in a timely manner, what kind of operation the user should specifically perform in order to reduce environmental loads. Further, there is no environmental report that comprehensively presents a reduction in the number of printed sheets and a reduction in environmental loads through reuse of sheets.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Environmental contribution supporting apparatus and environmental contribution supporting method


A high-voltage electrical connector, including, on the one hand, at the connection of a contact part and of a corresponding electrical conducting cable of at least one connector part and, on the other, at a take-up of an electromagnetic shielding element of at least one connector part, at least one air-tight cavity that is electrically isolated and able to collect air imprisoned in the electrical conducting cable.

Such a connector may be subject to problems of electrical breakdown with the electrical high voltage that it carries, and to problems of electrical insulation of its shielding, notably due to the traces of air contained in the conducting cables. Indeed, the air contained within the conducting electrical cable connected to the connector can pose serious electrical problems if it is transferred as far as the contact part of one of the parts of the connector and similarly as far as the shielding take-up of this part.

High-voltage electrical connector capable of being immersed in a fluid environment


A multi-mode wireless device is provided to communicate with a plurality of networks, at least some of the networks having different modes of communication. The multi-mode wireless device has a network selection component to monitor at least some of networks and switch the multi-mode wireless device to communicate with different networks based on a network selection criterion. The user interface allows a user of the multi-mode wireless device to edit the network selection criterion based on a user preference related to the network used by the multi-mode wireless device. A method for communicating on one or more networks using a multi-mode wireless device is also provided.

Some wireless devices are able to communicate using either of two different communication modes and may be referred to as multi-mode wireless devices. For example, a multi-mode wireless handset may be able to communicate using either a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication mode or an analog communication mode. Multi-mode wireless devices may select a communication mode based on signal strength of the available modes, for example selecting the communication mode with the greatest signal strength.
Wireless networks may have been built at different times. Different wireless networks may have different coverage. For example, in a first area a first wireless communication mode may be supported by a first wireless infrastructure, but a second wireless communication mode may not be supported by a second wireless infrastructure in that first area. In a second area, the first wireless communication mode may not be supported by the first wireless infrastructure, but the second wireless communication mode may be supported by the second wireless infrastructure in that second area.

Handset mode selection based on user preferences


The present invention is directed to a high expansion two-component structural foam that expands to about twice its original volume while maintaining good cell structure. The foam of the present invention is based on epoxy resins. Each component of the foam system exhibits storage stability, e.g., no phase separation, yet reacts when combined to provide a cured material having exceptionally good compression strength and modulus. The blowing system used to prepare the foam produces a foam which is uniform in appearance and is essentially free of the large voids often found in conventional two-part thermosettable compositions, even when a relatively large mass is utilized.

In many new commercial applications for weight reduction, it is required to fill hollow structural members with structural foam as an alternative to metal reinforcement. The use of structural foams enables designers to reduce weight of structural members while maintaining stiffness and structural strength. Methods of reinforcing hollow structural members using two-part, epoxy-resin based systems are known in the art, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,545, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This reference discloses a two-part epoxy-based system, where the first part is a mixture of thermosetting resin and expandable microspheres, preferably also containing a filler such as hollow glass microspheres in an amount effective to provide a paste-like consistency. The second part includes a curing agent, which is effective to cross-link and cure the thermosetting resin present in the first part when the two parts are combined. Additionally, the second part contains a filler, such as hollow glass microspheres. Upon mixing, an exothermic reaction takes place, causing the expandable microspheres to increase in size and thereby foaming the composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,545 suggests that suitable curing agents for the second part of the system are primary polyamines, secondary polyamines, and polyamides (including aliphatic amidoamines). One problem that has arisen with two-part systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,545 is that, although the second part has good chemical stability at ambient temperatures, the curatives tend to phase separate from the hollow glass microsphere filler material.
In particular, when the material is stored in a 55-gallon drum, the hollow glass microspheres phase separate to form a hard top layer over a bottom liquid layer containing the curatives. Additionally, the curing agent side phase separates when heated and/or when pressure is applied, even when freshly prepared. The liquid curing agents tend to drip, for example, when the curing side agent is heated to about 66° C. (150° F.) and subjected to an application pressure of about 35 kg/cm2 (500 psi). These problems make it quite difficult to dispense or handle the curing side agent by pumping, as would be desirable in an OEM vehicle assembly operation. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a second part that exhibits better storage and processing stability and is pumpable at elevated temperatures and pressures.
Another problem with the prior art two-part systems is the tendency for large voids or holes to develop in the thermosettable composition as the heat generated by the exothermic reaction of the two parts expands the expandable microspheres. The problem is especially pronounced when reactive diluents having relatively low boiling points are present in the first part of the two part system and when a comparatively large mass of the thermosettable composition is being used. The non-uniformity of the resulting foam limits the compression strength and modulus levels which can be attained with such systems. Since these properties are critical when the foam is to be used to reinforce a hollow structural member, it is desirable to have a two part system exhibiting more controlled foaming and a more uniform cell structure.
Obtaining a foamed epoxy resin with an optimum cellular structure is recognized as quite challenging, as there are a number of interrelated parameters which affect the foaming/curing process. For example, the rheology of the epoxy/curative mixture during the rise of the foam is important. As the epoxy resin crosslinks and cures, the mixture becomes more viscous. This is believed to be necessary to retain the cellular structure produced by expansion of the blowing agent. Coalescence and collapse of the foam will occur if the mixture is insufficiently viscous. On the other hand, a mixture which becomes extremely viscous and gels or sets up too quickly may prematurely terminate the foam rise, interfering with the full expansion and density reduction of the foam. Controlling the viscosity of the foam is not straightforward, especially since it will vary with the temperature of the mixture, which often changes significantly during the course of curing/foaming and within the mass of the reacting mixture (the core temperature will often, for example, be much higher than the temperature at the outer edges). Another process parameter related to foam rheology is the epoxy cure rate, which is dependent on the processing temperature as well as the chosen epoxy resin and curing agent. If the epoxy-curative system is fast-reacting with a large exotherm, the cure rate may be too rapid to allow the foam to rise. Further, the excessive heat from a large exotherm can lead to burning or charring of the foam interior. If the epoxy reacts too slowly, the exotherm may not be sufficient to fully activate the blowing agent. Other processing parameters which influence foam quality and cell structure include surface tension and cell nucleation.
A problem with two-component foams of the prior art is that as larger amounts of blowing agent were used to increase foam expansion, the foam structure degraded due to thermal decomposition of the blowing agent and breakdown of the expanded foam cell structure. The inventors have unexpectedly found that a solution to this problem of the prior art is to employ a blowing system comprising at least two blowing agents. One of the blowing agents has a low onset temperature and the other has a high onset temperature. Such a blowing system allows for high levels of expansion while maintaining a good cell structure that provides a lightweight and high strength expanded foam.

High expansion two-component structural foam


A starting circuit is used in combination with a high intensity discharge lamp having electrodes. An inductor is in series with the electrodes of the lamp, and a first switching transistor is arranged in series with a diode and a load resistor. The first switching transistor, diode, and resistor are arranged in shunt with the electrodes of the lamp and in series with the inductor for charging the inductor when the first switching transistor is switched ON. The energy stored in the inductor is discharged as a voltage pulse across the lamp when the first switching transistor is switched OFF. A first bias circuit turns the first switching transistor ON at a first voltage level from an AC power source. A second switching transistor turns the first transistor OFF at a second voltage level. A second bias circuit turns the second switching transistor ON at the second voltage.

The ignition of a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp requires a voltage pulse across the electrodes of the lamp that is at least an order of magnitude higher than the normal operating line voltage. One conventional starting circuit for delivering such a voltage pulse includes a pulse transformer in combination with a capacitor and solid state components such as a sidac and transistor. Another conventional starting circuit uses nonlinear capacitors (such as barium titanate) with sidacs.
It is desirable for the lamp starting circuit to operate in proximity to or within the lamp. However, for in-situ applications, only non-linear capacitors can be used since the pulse transformer and capacitor combinations are too large for this purpose. Although nonlinear barium titanate capacitor devices can fit inside an HID lamp, the device has a limited operating temperature range that makes the starting of most hot HID lamps impossible.

Starting circuit for a high intensity discharge lamp


Feed usage data can be generated. Entries within an existing server log can be identified. The entries can correspond to user requests for a feed from a selected Website. Feed usage data from the identified entries can be determined. Communication of a message to at least one user according to the stored feed usage data can be initiated.

A "feed" refers to a data format, or a file, that can be used for serving content and, more particularly, content that is updated frequently. Users are able to subscribe to the feed so that the user does not have to visit the location on the Web to view the information. Rather, the feed is provided to the subscribed user through a feed aggregator, feed reader, or other program executing on the user's computer system which requests and obtains the feed from the feed provider.
Typically, a feed is formatted as an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file. ATOM is one type of feed that is an XML-based file format. Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary (RSS) refers to another family of XML-based Web content distribution, republication, and/or syndication protocols.
Conventional systems attempt to generate feed usage data by dynamically processing user requests for feeds as such requests are received from users. This manner of collecting feed usage data cannot easily be added to existing systems without a significant amount of customization and cost. This type of data collection also can be computationally expensive, requiring significant resources so as not to reduce or slow system performance. Further, the information collected by conventional systems traditionally has been limited in scope, which in turn reduces the usefulness of the information, particularly in terms of adapting Web resources to levels of feed usage.

Using feed usage data in an access controlled team project site environment

International Business Machines Corporation


Automatically classifying multimedia content that is specific to a video production includes obtaining, from a video sensor embedded in a video capturing device that captures a video, a time series of location data, direction data, orientation data, and a position of the first user and the second user, identifying for any given duration in the video, corresponding first user data, corresponding second user data, and corresponding video sensor data, annotating the video with the corresponding first user data, the corresponding second user data, and the corresponding video sensor data to obtain an annotated multimedia content, performing a comparison of a data pattern of the annotated multimedia content with data patterns of a script stored in a database to obtain a recommended section for the annotated multimedia content, and automatically classifying the annotated multimedia content by associating the annotated multimedia content with the recommended section.

Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to video production systems, and more particularly to automatically generating notes and classifying multimedia content specific to a video production using a video production system.
Description of the Related Art
With the falling costs and increased ease of use of advanced digital video recording technology, professional film and video producers, directors, and editors are flooded with more video content than ever before. Even a short duration feature film (e.g., a 90 minute feature film) may have hours of production video content with (i) multiple camera angles and subjects, and (ii) multiple data. This can be extremely expensive and time consuming to manage and catalog video content for a production, which takes place over many months or even years. Even with a well-organized video management process, producers, directors, and editors often struggle and waste time searching for a particular video content for a story or scene, often relying on their memories and notes.
It further becomes difficult to manage the video content being produced when multiple camera angles must be cataloged and synchronized with multiple separate audio feeds from boom microphones and lavaliere microphones which may be wireless and monitored by a sound engineer or by camera operators. The problem further arises for the video content management in a consumer field as most people capture and archive more video content from settings over a lifetime. This becomes even harder for users of that content to find exactly what they are looking for.
Video content management systems that are already in the market allow users to organize content with consistent naming conventions, and organize file folders around one or more topics. There are a few editing systems that allow users to manually add notes to video and audio files. However, the fundamental problem with such systems is that folders only have one dimension, and video files are in one folder around one topic or are replicated across many folders with subsequently many other topics creating an explosion of content and a version control hazard.
Other attempts have been made to analyze and search the video images for subjects, objects, and other features using facial recognition or subject and object recognition software approaches. These approaches are imprecise and can lead to missing or misclassifying important subjects, while still not capturing important attributes that might be needed by the producer. Accordingly, there remains a need for accurately annotating multimedia content with useful and accurate data, and automatically classifying one or more sections in the annotated multimedia content, thus allowing users of the annotated multimedia content being classified to quickly and accurately organize and search for a specific content based on a wide variety of features.

Automatically generating notes and classifying multimedia content specific to a video production


A vehicle barrier uses adjacent rows of wave-like sections adapted to be positioned on a ground surface. A section is defined by (i) a planar wall extending angularly upward from the ground surface to the section's peak, and (ii) a concave wall extending angularly downward from the section's peak to the ground surface.

Vehicle barriers made from concrete and steel reinforced concrete require planning, material construction, and heavy equipment to put in place. Once in place, it can be difficult to remove or to modify the size and shape of these barriers to meet changing mission protection requirements. Such changes include extending, shrinking, or moving a protection area. Using current barrier technology, entire sections might have to be destroyed to modify the protection area.
Concrete-based construction can also require extensive amounts of time and pre-deployment site activity thus allowing individuals with diverging social interests time to plan against this type of deployment. In addition, the weight of these heavy barriers may limit their use to a certain degree. For example, because of their weight, concrete-based barriers are frequently arranged along a single line. Thus, the barriers only offer a single line of defense that, if compromised, opens the "door" to easy vehicle entry.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A method for separating wax from wax containing paper. The method involves immersing the wax containing paper in a heated alkane solvent, preferably n-hexane, to dissolve the wax contained in the paper into the solvent. The dissolved wax and solvent forms a miscella which is later separated from the paper. Any residual solvent absorbed in the paper is removed therefrom. The method also involves retrieving the wax from the miscella.

Several different types of waste paper have potential use as a raw material in making paper pulp, which is used for making paper products. However, many of these waste paper types are not immediately usable as a raw material. Paraffin coated corrugated cartons and wax impregnated papers are examples of waste paper products which are not immediately usable as raw material. These waste paper products are generated by various packaging materials and containers, such as milk cartons, frozen food containers, juice containers, fresh vegetable shipping boxes and the like. In order to make use of these materials as a raw material, the wax must be substantially removed from the paper.
It is known in the art to use various solvents for removing wax, plastic resins, and the like from waste paper products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,708,754 to Myers describes a method of separating wax from paper by immersing wax coated paper chips in a chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,838 to Kelly et al. describes a method for removing thermoplastic resin coatings from paperboard with halogenated hydrocarbon vapors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,741 to Goss describes a method for reclaiming paper stock from plastic or wax coated waste paper using a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent.
The halogenated hydrocarbon solvents described in these patents are detrimental to the environment. Government regulations require industry to employ expensive precautionary handling and disposal techniques when these solvents are used. Hence, the cost of recycling wax containing waste paper has increased to the point where it is no longer economical to use such paper as a raw material in making new paper products. Consequently, most wax containing waste paper products are buried in landfills, etc. which is also detrimental to the environment.
Accordingly, there is need for an improved method of recycling wax containing waste paper which is less expensive and environmental safer than prior art methods.

Method for separating wax from waste paper


A manifolded multiple wand spray apparatus with internal cleaning brushes and a flush valve that is activated when the rods carrying the cleaning brushes are rotated is disclosed. Valves that redirect the flow of water away from the manifold for a brief period during which spray orifice cleaning can be accomplished and an air intake valve that will admit air into the manifold to speed the flushing and create a negative pressure in the spray wands so as to draw obstructing materials into the spray wand during flushing is also disclosed.

In systems that use large quantities of water there are often problems associated with water usage, and waste water discharge. Recirculating or closed systems have become more common in industries such as paper making and some refining processes. The apparatus of this invention was developed for use in the paper making industry, but the apparatus has found uses for other applications such as waste water treatment.
In paper making it has become beneficial to recirculate process water and/or reclaim as much of the paper making fibers that find their way into the waste water as is possible. In one process, the waste water is passed through rotating filter discs that collect a mat of fibers and then pass the filter carrying the fiber mat past a knock off shower which separates the mat from the filter and then passes the filter between the wands of a cleaning shower where clays, aggregates and precipitates which are clinging to the filter are washed therefrom, and then returns the filter to the waste water stream to collect another fiber mat.

Flushing cleaner for multiple shower wand assemblies


Cyclic formal is manufactured by cyclic reaction of an alkylene glycol and an aldehyde in a reactor, producing formal mixed with unreacted aldehyde as an impurity, which impurity is reduced in amount by connecting the reactor to a distillation tower and continuously supplying alkylene glycol to the distillation tower from which unreacted formaldehyde and a cyclic formal are being distilled, and continuously reacting them with supplied raw formaldehyde by countercurrent flow during distillation; water content in azeotropic admixture with cyclic formal can be removed by azeotropic distillation with a hydrocarbon azeotropic mixture with water, distilling water from the cyclic formal.

The present invention relates to a method for continuously producing the compound cyclic formal, also sometimes known as methylal or dimethoxy methane, which is used as an intermediate in producing solvents and drugs, and as a raw material in production of acetal resin, etc., and related formal compounds such as ethylene glycol formal, diethylene glycol formal and 1,4-butanediol formal, for example. In more detail, the present invention relates to a method for continuously producing cyclic formal having reduced contents of impurities such as unreacted aldehyde or water.
It is known that cyclic alkylene formals such as ethylene glycol formal, diethylene glycol formal and 1,4-butanediol formal can be obtained by cyclic reaction between a corresponding alkylene glycol or alkylene oxide and aldehyde. For example, German Patent No. 191420 discloses a method for producing ethylene glycol formal, which is a typical cyclic formal, by reacting ethylene glycol and formaldehyde with each other in the presence of an acid catalyst.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 49-62469 discloses a method for producing ethylene glycol formal by reacting ethylene glycol and paraformaldehyde in the presence of an acid catalyst.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 7-224055 discloses a method for obtaining a cyclic formal by reacting an alkylene glycol and formaldehyde with each other at a specific molar ratio.
Cyclic formals obtained by the above methods are usually obtained as a mixture of a cyclic formal containing a large amount of water, and water. Methods for decreasing water content in the mixture containing water, for obtaining a purified cyclic formal, are also known. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 49-62469 discloses a method for producing a purified cyclic formal by adding cyclohexane to the reaction distillate obtained by reacting paraformaldehyde and ethylene glycol with each other in the presence of an acid catalyst, and rectifying the mixture. Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 3-24071 discloses a purification method in which a crude cyclic acetal is treated with an aqueous alkali solution and/or a solid alkali hydroxide compound. Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 5-241217 discloses a purification method in which the reaction distillate obtained by reacting formaldehyde and ethylene glycol in the presence of an acid catalyst is brought into contact with ethylene glycol in countercurrent flow in a distillation tower. Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 7-206716 discloses a purification method in which a mixture containing a cyclic formal and water is brought into contact with a hydrophilic solvent having a boiling point of 180.degree. to 250.degree. C. in a distillation tower. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 7-206717 discloses a method in which the purified cyclic formal obtained in Japanese Patent Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 7-206716 is further treated with a dehydrating agent.

Method for continuously producing a cyclic formal


A method for producing an opaque polymeric film comprises:

The present invention relates to opaque polymeric films. More particularly, this invention relates to oriented opaque polymeric films prepared with a cavitating agent comprising polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate.
Opaque polymeric films having a polyolefin core layer, e.g., of an oriented isotactic polypropylene (OPP), have been widely used in food and non-food packaging applications, because such films have desirable properties such as resistance to transmission of moisture, air, deleterious flavors, and the like, as well as outstanding mechanical properties.
During the production of these opaque polymeric films, cavitating agents may be used. In cases where polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is used as the cavitating agent, extrusion plate out can be problem. In particular, PBT may degrade and build up in the film production equipment, forming deposits which further affect the flow patterns of molten polymer in the die. The use of PBT cavitating agents to prepare opaque polymeric films is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,869 to Park et al.
There is provided an opaque polymeric film comprising:
(a) a base layer comprising a polymeric matrix and at least one cavitating agent; and
(b) at least one additional layer;
wherein said cavitating agent comprises polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate.
There is also provided a method for producing an opaque polymeric film comprising:
(a) extruding a base layer comprising a polymeric matrix and at least one cavitating agent;
(b) coextruding at least one additional layer on at least one side of the base layer;
(c) cooling the coextruded multi-layer film; and then
(d) orienting the film in at least the machine direction (MD);
wherein said cavitating agent comprises polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate.
Advantages of the present films indude (1) reduced extrusion plate out during manufacture (2) uniform opacity, and (3) resistance to distortion caused by film crease.
The base layer of the opaque polymeric film comprises a polymeric matrix, which may be selected from any of the polymers previously used in the art for such purpose. In many cases, such a polymer is a polyolefin having a melting point, for example, of at least about 150xc2x0 C. and up to, for example, about 167xc2x0 C. Preferably, the polyolefin of the base layer has a relatively high degree of crystallinity. A particularly desirable polyolefin as the base layer polymer is an isotactic polypropylene homopolymer having a crystallinity of, for example, about 89 to 99% (as measured by 13C NMR spectroscopy using meso pentads), a melting point of about 155 to about 165xc2x0 C., and a melt index of about 0.5 to about 15 g/10 minutes (as measured by the standard ASTM D1238 methods).
Other suitable polymeric matrix materials for the base layer include, but are not limited to, syndiotactic polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymers, ethylene-propylene-butylene terpolymers, butylene-ethylene copolymers, functionally grafted copolymers, blends of polymers, etc.
At least one cavitating agent in the form of a dispersed phase is provided in the base layer polymeric matrix material before extrusion and orientation of the film. Such dispersed phase comprises particles of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate. This dispersed phase may also, optionally, comprise at least one additional cavitating agent.
Polybutylene terephthalate is a semicrystal polymer which has low viscosity and, as discussed above, tends to plate out during extrusion. This plate out can be observed by pulling out the screw of the extruder and seeing polybutylene terephthalate build-up on metal surfaces after, for example, a 48 hour run.
Polycarbonate is an amorphous, high viscosity polymer. Polycarbonate is partially miscible with polybutylene terephthalate. It is believed that polycarbonate traps polybutylene terephthalate inside of the matrix polymer, thereby avoiding or reducing plate-out. The present process, therefore, represents an improvement over the aforementioned process of U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,869, where PBT is used in the absence of polycarbonate.
The mixture of polycarbonate and polybutylene terephthalate inside the polymer matrix may be from 4 wt % to 20 wt % of the entire weight of the cavitated layer. The weight ratio of polybutylene terephthalate to polycarbonate may be from 1:1 to 4:1.
The optional additional cavitating agent may be a material having a melting point that is higher than the melting point of the polymeric matrix material of the base layer. The optional additional cavitating agent may also be immiscible with polymeric matrix material of the base layer. The optional additional cavitating agent may be any of those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,616, the entire disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference. Thus, the optional additional cavitating agent may be selected from a polymer, such as, for example, a polyester other than PBT, nylon (e.g., nylon-6), an acrylic resin, or an ethylene norborene copolymer; or an inorganic material, such as, glass, calcium carbonate, metal, or ceramic, or mixtures thereof.
The particle size of cavitating agents in the dispersed phase may be, for example, about 0.1 micron to about 5 microns, more preferably about 0.2 micron to about 2 microns. The dispersed phase may be present in the base layer in an amount of up to about 20 weight percent, for example, from about 4 to about 20 weight percent, based on the entire weight of the base layer.
To preserve the structural integrity of the dispersed phase-containing base layer, a thin layer of the base layer polymeric matrix material without the dispersed phase may be coextruded on one or both sides of the dispersed phase-containing base layer polymeric matrix material. In this case, the total of the dispersed phase-containing polymer layer and the non-dispersed phase-containing layer(s) may be considered the overall base layer of the film. When such a polymer substrate is subjected to uniaxial or biaxial orientation, a cavity forms around the distributed dispersed phase moieties, providing a film having an opaque appearance.
The base layer of the film is of sufficient thickness to provide bulk properties, such as barrier, stiffness, etc. that are desired for product protection and good performance on packaging equipment. Preferably, the thickness ranges from about 50% to about 100%, based on the thickness of the entire film structure.
Additional layer(s) of the present invention may be any of the coextrudable, biaxially orientable film-forming resins known in the art. Such materials include, but are not limited to, syndiotactic polypropylene, low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ethylene-propylene copolymers, butylene-propylene copolymers, ethylene-butylene copolymers, ethylene-propylene-butylene terpolymers, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, nylons, polymers grafted with functional groups, appropriate blends of these, and others known to those skilled in the art. Each additional layer preferably has a range in thickness from about 0.005 mil to about 0.15 mil, preferably from about 0.02 mil to about 0.10 mil.
There can be more than one additional layer coextruded on each side of the base layer. That is, one or more layers can be added to the surface of the base layer. Films having such a multi-layer structure are represented, in simplified form, as having a structure xe2x80x9cABCDExe2x80x9d where xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d represents a base layer, xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d represents an additional layer adjacent to the base layer and xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d represents a further additional layer or skin layer applied to the outer surface of layer xe2x80x9cB.xe2x80x9d In such a film structure, the additional layer xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d can be referred to as a xe2x80x9ctie-layerxe2x80x9d or an xe2x80x9cintermediate layer.xe2x80x9d Layers xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d can be the same or different. Similarly, xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cExe2x80x9d represent additional layers on the other side of the base layer, and they may be the same or different. Layers xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d may be the same or different, and layers xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cExe2x80x9d may be the same or different. Additionally, structures containing more than five layers are contemplated, e.g. seven, nine, or more layers.
In order to modify or enhance certain properties of the multi-layer films of the present invention for specific end-uses, it is possible for one or more of the layers to contain appropriate additives in effective amounts. Preferred additives include, but are not limited to anti-blocks, anti-static agents, coefficient of friction (COF) modifiers, processing aids, colorants, clarifiers, and other additives known to those skilled in the art.
Also, one or more of the exposed layers of the multi-layer films of the present invention can be surface-treated to render the films receptive to printing inks, adhesives and/or coatings. The surface treatment can be carried out by any method known in the art such as corona discharge treatment or flame treatment.
Optionally, a coating may be applied to one or both of the exposed surfaces of the outermost layers of the film. Prior to application of the coating material, the film may be surface treated or may be primed with a primer layer. Appropriate coatings contemplated include acrylic coatings such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,753,769 and 4,865,908, both of which are incorporated herein by reference, and PVDC coatings such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,214,039; 4,447,494; 4,961,992; 5,019,447 and 5,057,177, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. A vinyl alcohol polymer may also be used as a coating composition, such as VINOL 325.
Appropriate primer materials are poly(ethyleneimine), epoxy primers, and the like.
The outer surface of the film is preferably treated as noted above to increase its surface energy and therefore insure that the coating layer will be strongly adherent thereto thereby reducing the possibility of the coating peeling or being stripped from the film. This treatment can be accomplished employing known techniques, such as, for example, film chlorination, i.e., exposure of the film surface to aqueous chlorine, treatment with oxidizing agents such as chromic acid, hot air or steam treatment, and the like. Although any of these techniques are effectively employed to pretreat the film surface, a particularly desirable method of treatment is the so-called corona treatment method which comprises exposing the film surface to a high voltage corona discharge while passing the film between a pair of spaced electrodes. After corona treatment of the film surface, the coating composition is then applied thereto.
The exposed treated or untreated surfaces of the film may have applied to them coating compositions, as mentioned above, and/or substrates such as another polymer film or laminate; a metal foil such as aluminum foil; cellulosic webs, e.g. numerous varieties of paper such as corrugated paperboard, craft paper, glassine, cartonboard; nonwoven tissue, e.g., spunbonded polyolefin fiber, melt-blown microfibers; a metallizing layer, etc. The application may employ a suitable adhesive, e.g., a hot melt adhesive such as low density polyethylene, ethylene-methacrylate copolymer, water-based adhesives such as polyvinylidene chloride latex, and the like.
The extruded film can be stretched in the machine direction, coated with the coating composition and then stretched perpendicularly in the transverse direction. In yet another embodiment, the coating can be carried out after biaxial orientation is completed.
The coating composition should be applied in such amount that there will be deposited upon drying a smooth, evenly distributed layer, generally on the order of from about 0.01 to about 0.2 mil thickness (equivalent to about 0.2 to 3.5 g per 1000 sq. in. of film). Generally, the coating comprises 1 to 25 wt %, preferably 7 to 15 wt % of the entire coated film composition. The coating on the film is subsequently dried by hot air, radiant heat or by any other convenient means.
The film of the invention may have a total thickness ranging from about 0.2 mil to about 5 mils, specifically from about 0.4 mil to about 2.5 mils. The thickness relationship of the layers can be important. For example, the base layer may constitute about 40 to about 100 percent of the total film thickness, any intermediate layers may have a thickness ranging from about 0 to about 30 percent of the total film thickness while any outer skin layers may range from about 0 to about 10 percent of the total film thickness.
Multi-layer films may be prepared employing commercially available systems for coextrusion.
It is preferred that all layers of the multi-layer film structures of the present invention be coextruded. Thereafter, the film is biaxially oriented. Specifically, the polymers are brought to the molten state and coextruded from a conventional extruder through a flat sheet die, the melt streams are combined in an adapter prior to being extruded from the die or within the die. After leaving the die, the multi-layer web is chilled and the quenched web is reheated and oriented. Preferably, the film is oriented by biaxially stretching the film. The film can be oriented by stretching from about 3 to about 11 times in the machine direction (MD) at temperatures ranging from about 105xc2x0 C. to about 150xc2x0 C. and from about 3 to about 12 times in the transverse direction (TD) at temperatures ranging from about 150xc2x0 C. to about 165xc2x0 C.
Films which are cavitated with PBT alone tend to have a distorted appearance when such films are creased or folded. In particular, a honeycomb appearance may show up on the surface of such creased films. However, the present films, cavitated with both PBT and polycarbonate, are more resistant to distortion caused by folding or creasing of the film.

Opaque polymeric films cavitated with PBT and polycarbonate

Abstract: wherein at least said base layer contains polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polycarbonate.


A portable information equipment of this invention has a jog switch for generating different events in correspondence with flip directions and times, and means for executing a process corresponding to a type of event generated by the jog switch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable information equipment and, more particularly, to a personal computer for reproducing CD/DVD data recorded on CD/DVD media and MP3 data recorded on a memory card and HDD etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Upon reproducing digital audio/video data stored in a computer, switching data to be reproduced, and fastforwarding/rewinding data, a method of making an instruction using a mouse or inputting via a keyboard is used.
However, a portable notebook type computer does not always have high operability, since such conventional input interface requires delicate operations. For this reason, some personal computers simplify operations by making a choice from those displayed on a menu using a jog dial.
However, since the jog dial generates an event by dial operation, it can generate only two different events, i.e., an event indicating dialing in one direction, and an event indicating dialing in the other direction. Hence, if there are many choices, jog dial operations are complicated.
More specifically, if there are 20 choices, when the user wants to select the 20th choice while the cursor used to select an item is located at the first choice, he or she must turn the jog dial 20 times to move the cursor, resulting in troublesome operations.


A web cam with an interlude switch, wherein the interlude switch can be toggled between a view and an interlude mode. In its view mode, the web cam captures images of a scene for their transmittal to a web cam page hosted at a web site. With the switch in its interlude mode, the web cam system replaces the live images with interlude content which is prerecorded content which may include still and video images, slide shows, or advertisements. The prerecorded interlude content may be stored locally at the host computer, or it may be stored at and/or provided from a remote site. A user viewing a web cam page in its interlude mode, will see prerecorded interlude content as if it was provided by the digital camera. The interlude switch may be a manual or an automatic switch configured to switch between its view and interlude modes based on the occurrence of external events. The external events may include an outgoing or an incoming telephone call. Alternately, external events such as motion, light, sound levels, movement of doors and windows could be used to cause the interlude switch to toggle from the interlude to the view mode and vice versa. The interlude switch may be a tethered switch or one which is configured to wirelessly receive input and cause the web cam to switch between a view and an interlude mode.

The present invention relates to digital cameras that are most typically connected to a host computer. Such cameras have been used to send images over the internet to a web page hosted at a web site for other clients to access the web site via a browser and view the images captured by the camera and displayed at the web site. Such digital cameras when connected to a web site are commonly known as web cams. More particularly, the present invention is directed towards web cams.
Surfing the web has become quite common, and most surfers can easily discover thousands of different cameras pointing to beaches, gardens, offices, parking lots, homes, pets, and other web surfers. Examples of such cameras are the QuickCam® line of cameras manufactured by Logitech, Inc. These cameras provide for the broadcasting of live video over the web, live video calls and more. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical prior art web cam setup 100. As shown in this figure, a digital camera 102 is connected to a user's computer 104. The user's computer 104 is loaded with the web cam software (not shown) which is used to capture images and prepare them for incorporation in a web page. The user's computer 104 is connected via an internet connection 106 to a server computer 108. The server computer 108 hosts a web page 110, and the web page 110 has the image 112 captured by the camera 102 incorporated therein. The web cam software handles the image capturing and periodic loading of the captured images to the web page or site 110. A client 116 desiring to view the web site 110 connects through an internet connection 114 to the server 108 to view the web page 110. A common feature of all web cams is that a web cam mounted to view a user cannot be quickly aimed at other scenes when the user does not want to be seen on the web. Simply masking the web cam or aiming it to avoid the user would make unpleasant images on the web, defeating the purpose of the web cam as a mode of communication.
It is desirable to improve digital cameras used to set up web cams so that they could easily switch from their normal "view" mode to another non-displaying mode, while not turning them off, or physically blocking their lenses.


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for three dimensional display that produce stereo images (left and right eye images) each having particular known polarization so that they can be segregated and viewed with suitable polarizer eyeglasses to create the perception in the human mind of a three-dimensional image. According to one or more embodiments, two liquid crystal panels are utilized with the two panels being stacked one in front of the other relative to a light source and two polarizers are used surrounding the panel closest to the light source. In alternative embodiments, that panel and polarizers comprise a typical liquid crystal display (“LCD”) monitor. In preferred embodiments, images produced by the system are then circularly polarized for decoding by eyeglasses having corresponding circularly polarized lenses.

Objects are seen in three dimensions because light reflects from them and generates a light field in space. The two eyes of a viewer perceive this light field differently due to their different locations in space relative to the object, and the brain of the viewer processes the different perceptions of the light field by the two eyes to generate three-dimensional ("3-D") perception.
Stereoscopic imaging is a technique utilized to simulate three-dimensional images to viewers. Stereoscopic displays operate by providing different yet corresponding perspective images of the same object or scene to the left and right eyes of the viewer. The viewer's mind thereby processes these two images to produce a perception of three dimensions. The principles of stereoscopic imaging have been applied to various areas for many years, including to the training of professionals, such as pilots to physicians, and to entertainment, such as 3-D movies and computer games.
All stereoscopic systems rely upon one or more techniques to segregate images for the right and left eyes. Typically, stereoscopic imaging systems utilize special parallax barrier screens, headgear, or eye wear to insure that the left eye sees only the left eye perspective and the right eye sees only the right eye perspective. These systems may include, for example, shutters on eye glasses that open or close depending on whether the image on the screen needs to be viewed by the left or right eye. However, these types of systems result in eyestrain associated with the "flicker" created by the shutter.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,717,728, issued to Putilin et al. and commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention, discloses an autostereoscopic 3-D display that provides real-time and high resolution 3-D imaging capability without utilizing parallax barriers or specialized headgear. The Putilin et al. display utilizes an image processing algorithm to generate two or more calculated images from base stereopair images, which are the images that one ultimately wants to deliver to the two eyes of the viewer. A first one of those calculated images are sent to a distant display and the other one or more calculated images are sent to one or more transmissive displays placed in front (relative to the viewer position) of the distant display. Each display therefore simultaneously displays the calculated images that each contain at least some of the image information destined for each eye of a viewer. Each display's calculated image, when viewed simultaneously by a viewer, acts as a mask for and combines with the other displayed calculated images, resulting in the two different stereoscopic images being provided to the left and right eyes of the viewer, the stereoscopic effect being caused by the geometry of the spacing of the viewer's eyes and the spacing of the various layered displays. Putilin et al. discloses that the electronic processing to generate the calculated images necessary to deliver each of the base stereopair images to the appropriate eye can be accelerated by an artificial neural network. In one certain embodiments in the patent, multiple transmissive liquid crystal display panels are stacked one behind the other (relative to the viewer) in conjunction with a spatial mask, such as a diffuser, which is placed between liquid crystal displays to suppress Moiré patterns. While disclosing a highly effective imaging system, however, Putilin et al. describes a highly complex system that requires significant power. Thus, it may not be suitable for all purposes, including low cost applications where low-tech and flexible options are desirable.
As such, there remains a need in the art for improved three-dimensional imaging systems and methods that provide high resolution images simply and effectively to users.

Two-panel liquid crystal system with circular polarization and polarizer glasses suitable for three dimensional imaging