An apparatus, system, and method for isometric exercise that safely reduces resting blood pressure and increases overall cardiovascular health. The apparatus includes a handle or grip configured to provide natural resistance to force and maximize user comfort. The system includes squeezing the handle or grip of the apparatus with a force that is less than the maximum squeeze force of the user, thereby reducing blood flow through contracting arm muscles and safely increasing blood pressure during exercise. Resting blood pressure is reduced through regular use of the system. The method includes measuring and recording the maximum squeeze force of a user, calculating a fractional force using the duration of exercise or a desired fractional force percentage, and alternately inducing the user to apply the fractional force for a calculated time and inducing the user to apply a lesser fractional force or no force for a calculated time.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,696 to Wiley (the '696 patent) discloses a protocol or method for lowering the resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures of patients. This protocol commences with a determination of the maximal isometric force which can be exerted by a patient with any given muscle (e.g., skeletal muscle or group of muscles) of such patient. The determined maximal isometric force is recorded. The patient, then, is periodically permitted to intermittently engage in isometric contraction of the given muscle at a fractional level (e.g., up to about 60%) of the maximal force determined for a given contraction duration followed by a given resting duration. A perceptible indicia correlative to an output signal generated in response to isometric force exerted by the given muscle is displayed to the patient so that the patient can sustain the given fractional level of maximal force. The perceptible indicia can comprise of a visual display, an audio signal, or a tactile signal for example. The tactile signal may comprise of a vibration and a feedback force.
The '696 patent further discloses an apparatus for use by a patient in carrying out the foregoing protocol. This apparatus includes the dynamometer for a patient to activate with a given muscle (e.g., skeletal muscle or group of muscles). A memory is connected to the dynamometer for recording the maximal isometric force which can be exerted by the patient with any given muscle of that patient. A display is connected to the dynamometer and to the memory for displaying percentages of the recorded maximal isometric force when the patient activates the dynamometer with the given muscle. A timer is provided for the patient to ascertain the duration over which the given muscle exerts isometric force through the dynamometer and the duration between exertions. The '696 patent is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,639 to Smyser (the '639 patent) discloses a protocol-configurable isometric hand grip recording dynamometer with user guidance. The apparatus employs a grip within which is mounted a load cell. The load cell, in turn, is coupled to a rigid printed circuit board which is compressively squeezed during an exercise regimen. A readout is integrally formed with the battery operated system to provide aural and visual cueing at an angle facilitating the user's reading of a display. Visual cues are provided at the display throughout an exercise regimen prompting the user as to which hand to use and the amount of compressive squeezing force to be applied. The system and method includes a technique for scoring the efforts of the user. The microprocessor-driven device includes archival memory and a data communications port that may be employed interactively with a trainer or physician. The '639 patent is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Apparatus, system and method for carrying out protocol-based isometric exercise regimen


An apparatus and method for delivery of treatment chemicals to the bottom of the wellbore. The delivery system can be a chemical dispenser which can be attached to a plunger used in plunger lift operations, a plunger which has been impregnated with treatment chemicals, a plunger/dispenser apparatus which has an interface section for interfacing with the inside of the tubing and a dispenser section. Automatic recharging or reapplication of chemicals to the chemical delivery system can be accomplished with a chemical application assembly attached to the plunger manifold.

This invention relates to production from petroleum wells, and in particular, the delivery of chemicals downhole. The invention will find the greatest use in wells which produce gas. Thus, the background description and the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention will focus on gas wells.
Typically, as gas is produced from a well the production decreases as the pressure in the formation decreases with the quantity of gas produced from the well. Usually, a well produces not only gas but also liquids, such as water and petroleum condensates with some asphaltines. As the pressure in the formation decreases the volume and velocity of the gas flow slows. Initially, the flow rate and velocity may be sufficient to remove the liquids with the gas. At some point in time the flow rate of gas will be insufficient to carry liquids out of the well, e.g., carry water and petroleum condensates, to the surface. As a result, the liquid loading in the well will increase, and liquid will collect in the bottom of the borehole. This liquid will exert back pressure on the formation which will further decrease the production rate from the formation, and in some cases cause production to cease altogether. When production by natural reservoir pressure becomes uneconomical, artificial lift techniques can be utilized to increase well production. A number of artificial lift systems are known in the industry, including sucker rod pumps, gas lift techniques and plunger lift techniques. Also, it has been known to utilize a combination of plunger and gas lifting techniques within a well as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,316 entitled "Gas Lifting System." Depending upon well conditions, economics and many other factors, a suitable lift technique is selected. Each technique has certain advantages and disadvantages.
Conventional plunger lift systems, which are also known as free piston systems, utilize a plunger (piston) that is dropped into the well by closing the valve on the wellhead and stopping the upward flow of gas in the well. The plunger is "free" because it is not attached to a sucker rod, cable or other mechanism to pull the plunger to the surface. The plunger falls to the bottom of the tubing and onto a bumper or stop at the bottom of the tubing. Liquid in the tubing will flow around the plunger as it falls in the tubing. After pressure in the well has built up to a predetermined load, the valve at the wellhead is opened and the gas pushes the piston upward to the surface, thereby pushing the liquid on top of the plunger to the surface. This sequence can be repeated by closing the wellhead off and allowing the plunger to fall again to the bottom of the well. Another technique is the use of a bypass plunger which is designed so as not to require the well to be shut in. U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,637 entitled "Plunger Lift with Multi Piston and Method" relates to this technique.
Frequently, a well that is utilizing plunger lift is an older well. As a result, the bottom of the well is subject to corrosion, scale, paraffin deposits, deposits of petroleum distillates and other undesirable deposits. Frequently, treatment chemicals are deposited downhole. These treatment chemicals can include such things as soap, acid, corrosion inhibitors, solvents for paraffin and petroleum distillates, stabilizers and other known treatment chemicals. A number of techniques have been employed to deliver treatment chemicals downhole. These techniques have many drawbacks, especially when they are employed with plunger lift production methods.
One method of treatment is to continuously pump a small amount of treatment chemical into the well during production. The treatment chemical falls to the bottom of the well, where it mixes with other fluids and is drawn up with the liquid lifted by the plunger. This continuous treatment approach usually requires a conduit to deliver the chemical to the bottom of the well and uses an unnecessarily large amount of chemicals. Another method is to use a batch treatment that involves pumping liquid treatment chemicals down the borehole relying on a dead space below the perforations to retain residual chemical for a period of time. The method is not reliable, and is unsuitable for use in some wells due to lack of perforations to retain the residual chemical, or because well production rates are so high as to quickly remove the chemicals. Thus, there has been a need for a method and apparatus to provide treatment chemicals down a wellbore which is efficient in the delivery of chemicals, minimizes waste of treatment chemicals, and minimizes disruption to production from the well. The current invention has the advantages of repeatedly delivering chemicals to the bottom of the oil or gas well to prevent scale deposits and/or corrosion. The current invention has the advantages of being economical, requiring little in the way of additional equipment and allowing continuous treatment of the wellbore. Thus, the system is much more efficient than existing delivery methods, in that it can concentrate chemical where it is often most needed which is at and below the stop (seating nipple), and is much less expensive to install than the continuous chemical injection method.
The drawings illustrate certain preferred embodiments of the invention and like elements have been provided with like reference numerals to corresponding items between various drawings.

Well chemical treatment utilizing plunger lift delivery system


The method is described for fabricating an integrated circuit having a combination of a capacitor and metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor with gate electrodes and source/drain regions. The method features the use of silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride barrier layers. The barrier layer is a key to the successful lightly doped drain spacer etch process. The barrier layer aids in endpoint detection for the plasma etch. This allows for less loss of the field oxide and greater thickness control of the field oxide regions. Further, the silicon nitride endpoint detection allows for the removal of undesirable residual silicon oxide from the surface of the capacitor plate without loss of the polysilicon capacitor plate itself.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fabrication of integrated circuit devices, and more particularly, to a method of improved etching in the fabrication of integrated circuits.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, there are many problems which relate to thickness loss or damage to the various silicon oxide layers used in a large scale integration semiconductor process of today. For example, the isolation oxide layer on polysilicon layers sustains substantial damage during conventional plasma etching steps. Further, there is poor endpoint detection stability and repeatability of lightly doped drain (LDD) spacer and isolation layer plasma etch process. There is poor silicon oxide thickness control of LDD spacer and isolation layer plasma etch process. Also, there is poor stability of oxide removal process on capacitor polysilicon area. The isolation oxide layer may be damaged on self-aligned contact plasma etch.
Other workers in the field have encountered the above problems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,502 attempts to overcome similar, but different problems using silicon nitride spacer and caps over their polysilicon gate structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,643 M. H. Tsou shows the use of silicon nitride cap over the polysilicon gate material to prevent oxidation of the gate electrode.

Modified and robust self-aligning contact process

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


The substrate processing apparatus has an enclosure structure enclosing a substrate support member to define a processing space. The enclosure structure has an opening closed by a shutter. A processing fluid supply unit, which supplies processing fluid, such as chemical liquid, is accommodated in a housing. The processing fluid supply unit accommodated in the housing is advanced into the processing space through the opening of the enclosure structure to feed the processing fluid onto the substrate supported by the substrate support member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates, such as semiconductor wafers or glass substrates for LCDs by a cleaning process or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor device manufacturing process uses a substrate cleaning system for cleaning semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to simply as "wafers") with a cleaning liquid, such as a chemical solution or pure water, to remove contaminants, such as particles, organic contaminants and metallic impurities, from the wafers. There are various known batch substrate cleaning apparatus and known single-wafer substrate cleaning apparatus for such a substrate cleaning system. A prior art substrate-cleaning apparatus disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open publication "JP Hei08-78368 A" has a plate disposed close to the surface of a wafer, and supplies a processing liquid or a processing gas into the gap between the surface of the wafer and the plate for a cleaning process. This prior art substrate-cleaning apparatus has an advantage in that the same is capable of achieving a cleaning process at a low consumption of the processing liquid or the processing gas.
In this prior art substrate cleaning apparatus, however, a processing medium supply means for supplying the processing liquid or the processing gas to the substrate is disposed in a substrate-processing space and is exposed to a substrate-processing atmosphere. Therefore, it is possible that the substrate-processing atmosphere produced by the processing medium supply means for supplying the processing liquid or the processing gas diffuses and exerts bad influence on the processed substrate. It is also possible that the processing medium supply means is contaminated with an atmosphere of the processing liquid or the processing gas diffused during a substrate-processing process, in which the processing medium supply means is held in a waiting state. If the substrate cleaning apparatus is provided with a plurality of processing medium supply means, it is possible that the plurality processing medium supply means exert bad influences on each other.
In addition, it is also possible that the processing atmosphere of the processing liquid remains in a cleaning unit after the completion of the cleaning process, and the processing liquid remaining in the processing unit exerts bad influences on the processed wafer. A high-temperature processing liquid is liable to remain in mist in an upper part of the cleaning unit and hence it is highly possible for the mist of the processing liquid to exert bad influences on the wafer.
A substrate-processing atmosphere of the processing liquid is liable to leak from the conventional substrate processing device when a substrate is loaded into or unloaded from the substrate processing device, and there is the possibility that a carrying device and such included in the cleaning system are corroded by the leaked substrate-processing atmosphere of the processing liquid. Therefore the carrying device and such must be rust-proofed. However, most carrying devices and such are formed from explosion-proof materials. Therefore, materials for forming the components of the carrying devices and the like need to be both rustproof and explosion-proof and it is difficult to select such materials.


In a method of blocking a water-out zone in a gas well by dumping cement and injecting pressurizing gas, a gas is injected into a target well to push and press accumulated water in the well back into the formation surrounding the well, so that the well is water-free; meanwhile, a dump bailer is lowered to the water-out zone in the well using a wire line. When the dump bailer has reached the water-out zone, it is controlled to open a bottom opening thereof to release cement milk loaded therein. The released cement milk accumulates in the water-out zone and then slowly flows into a gravel layer between a screen pipe and a wall of the well. The gas injection continues until the cement milk is cured and hardened to achieve the object of blocking the water-out zone.

Natural gas and water coexist in the stratum at where a gas production well is drilled. Since the specific gravities of a natural gas is lower than that of water, the natural gas is stored over the water. During the process of the natural gas production, the pressure within the system would gradually drop, and formation of water would gradually rise to approach the production well being drawn and tend to enter the production well to adversely affect the gas production.
Generally, entering of water into a production well might be caused by different reasons, such as a high permeability sub-formation at the production zone that results in an earlier edge encroachment on the well; vertical cracks or faults within the production zone in resulting the water that is formed in the bottom flowing into the upper production zone; fissures on a casing or a plug set in the well; and poor cement bond at the casing of the well. A rising water gas contact (WGC) might even induce water coning to result in an increased water flowing rate and a shutoff of the well. Under these conditions, the water must be completely shut off lest it should rise and invade the well to adversely affect the gas production at other zones.
In the case of a gravel packed production well subjected to water invasion, since the gravels between a screen pipe and a wall of the well is highly permeable and there is not a casing provided at the production zone, both of the mechanical type bridge plug and the thermal expansion type patch flex are not applicable to block the perforated zone under the WGC for the purpose of continuing the gas production of the well.
The conventional bridge plug can only be mounted in the screen pipe, and does not provide the function of blocking tiny meshes on the screen pipe and the gravels outside the screen pipe. That is, the conventional bridge plug does not function to seize information water from flowing into the well. Similarly, the thermal expansion type patch flex must also be provided in the screen pipe. As to the conventional way of pumping gel into the gravel packed production well using coiled tubing, since the tiny meshes on the screen pipe and the gravels outside the screen pipe are highly permeable, the pumped gel would inevitably flow through the gravels and fail to completely enter a water-out zone in the production well.
Regarding the way of placing traditional G-grade or H-grade cement milk at the bottom of the well to block the water-out zone, it is also not applicable because the cement has large particle size and cannot pass through the screen pipe into the gravels easily. Therefore, once the bottom of the gravel packed production well is subjected to invasion by water, there is no way to save the well but leaving it to the rising water until the well is no longer economical for use and shut off, or until the invaded water accumulates in the oil pipe and the well no longer produces any oil or gas.
For gravel packed production wells, a most common way of stopping water invasion is to use thermosetting resin or fine-grained cement milk to block the water-out zone in the production well. In most cases, the resin used for this purpose is phenolic resin; however, in the case of stopping water invasion with the thermosetting resin, the formation water would still break through a joint of the gravels and the well wall to largely reduce the water blocking effect, provided the differential pressure at the well bottom exceeds 50 pounds when the well resumes production. There is also a limitation to the cement used to block water. Only the ultra-fine-grained cement can flow into the gravels to completely fill up the pore space thereof, and thus blocks the water-out zone after the cement is cured.
In performing water blocking for the gravel packed production well, a dump bailer is used to carry the cement milk, resin, or other types of treating fluids. The dump bailer is a cylindrical container being lowered to the bottom of the well or a desired depth in the well using a wire line. A signal is transmitted from the ground to open the dump bailer and release the treating fluid (i.e., resin or cement milk) loaded therein. Due to a difference in specific gravity between the treating fluid and the formation water, the treating fluid is able to flow into the gravels between the screen pipe and the well wall. When the treating fluid is cured, the water-out zone is blocked.
The conventional water blocking method as described above has several disadvantages:
(1) The cement milk or resin mixed with the formation water is diluted to adversely affect the subsequent curing of the cement milk or resin.
(2) The gravel layer must not be overly contaminated to result in uneven permeability thereof. The gravel layer is used to retard sand. When the well has produced gas for a period of time, the gravel layer thereof would inevitably be contaminated by dust and sand from the producing formation. Under this condition, the cement milk or resin that flowed into the gravel layer are simply due to the gravity force not being able to fully fill all the pores in the gravel layer and completely block the water coning at the bottom of the well.
(3) When a production well is subjected to water invasion, a water column is accumulated at the bottom of the well. When the cement milk or the resin is dumped into the bottom of the well, the formation water would form a thin membrane on the well wall. When the cement milk or the resin is cured and the well is reopened for production, a large pressure difference as high as several tens to several hundreds of pounds between the bottom of the well and the formation will exist. This pressure difference would cause the bottom water to flow into the well bore via the tiny clearance between the cement milk and the well wall; furthermore, the water-out zone could not be blocked at all. As mentioned above, in the case of stopping water invasion with the thermosetting resin, the formation water would still break through the joint of the gravels and the well wall, provided the differential pressure at the well bottom exceeds 50 pounds.

Method of blocking water-out zone in a gas well by dumping cement and injecting pressurizing gas


In a fluorescence detection device and a fluorescence detection method, forward-scattered light which is scattered from a measurement object irradiated with a laser beam is received and detection signals for informing the measurement object passing through the measurement point and for identifying a focus position of the forward-scattered light are produced. While, fluorescence emitted by the measurement object is received through a collecting lens and a light-reception signal of the fluorescence is outputted. The fluorescence intensity level is outputted based on the outputted light-reception signal and the produced detection signals. A focus position of the forward-scattered light is identified from the produced detection signals and the light reception-signal is corrected using a correction coefficient corresponding to the identified focus position.

A flow cytometer used in medical and biological fields includes a fluorescence detection device that receives fluorescence emitted from a fluorochrome attached to a measurement object by irradiation with a laser beam to identify the type of the measurement object.
A laser beam used in such a fluorescence detection device generally has a Gaussian intensity distribution, and therefore its light intensity is high at the center but decreases toward the edge. In order to accurately measure fluorescence with high resolution by a fluorescence detection device, it is necessary to irradiate a measurement object with a laser beam at a uniform intensity. Therefore, when a laser beam having a Gaussian intensity distribution is used, the central part of the laser beam where the light intensity is substantially uniform is used to irradiate a measurement object. However, when passing through a predetermined measurement point in a flow channel, a measurement object flowing through the flow channel is displaced from the center of the measurement point. Therefore, attempts have been made to minimize the amount of displacement of a measurement object from the center of a measurement point. Further, attempts to expand a portion of a laser beam having a Gaussian intensity distribution where the light intensity is uniform have been made by increasing the width of the laser beam.
The online article "Introduction to Principles of FCM-VI," which could be found at http://www.bc-cytometry.com/FCM/fcmprinciple—6-6.html on Dec. 6, 2007, discloses a flow cytometer and describes that the flow cytometer needs to satisfy the following requirements to achieve high measurement resolution: stabilization of the light intensity of a laser beam; reduction in the diameter of a stream of a sheath liquid allowed to flow together with a measurement object; and formation of a laminar flow of the sheath liquid.
However, high measurement resolution and efficient use of a laser beam cannot be achieved only by satisfying the above requirements, that is, stabilization of the light intensity of a laser beam, reduction in the diameter of a stream of a sheath liquid, and formation of a laminar flow of the sheath liquid.
For example, a part of a laser beam having a uniform light intensity and used for measuring a measurement object can be expanded by increasing the width of the laser beam, but an outer portion of the laser beam is not used to irradiate the measurement object, which is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of efficient use of a laser beam.

Fluorescence detection device and fluorescence detection method

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.


A computer aided diagnostic system according to the invention is characterized in that first sick portion detecting means for detecting a sick portion candidate based upon an image acquired by a first modality, second sick portion detecting means for detecting a sick portion candidate based upon an image related to the same region of interest of the same subject and acquired by a second modality different from the modality, detection result synthesizing means for comparing the results of detection by the first and second sick portion detecting means and correspondence displaying means for relating the position of the sick portion candidate detected by the first sick portion detecting means on an image analyzed by the second sick portion detecting means and displaying it and for relating the position of the sick portion candidate detected by the second sick portion detecting means on an image analyzed by the first sick portion detecting means and displaying it are provided. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the computer aided diagnostic system that enables a double check comparing images acquired by plural apparatuses can be provided.

Recently in a medical spot, diagnosis using an imaging diagnostic system (hereinafter called a modality) represented by an X-ray computerized tomograph (X-ray CT), an ultrasonic diagnostic system and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is frequently performed. Further currently, computer aided detection (CAD) using these is also frequently used (for example, refer to JP-3083606).
The computer aided diagnostic system is a system for automatically extracting sick portions and outputting the features of normal and abnormal patterns to aid diagnosis by a doctor for interpreting a shadow. It automates detection work by programming a diagnostic rule by the doctor for interpreting a shadow and reduces a load of the doctor for interpreting a shadow. The doctor for interpreting a shadow finally classifies whether a detected sick portion is a tumor or not or whether it is benign or malignant based upon the output result. Computer aided diagnosis including this classification in the computer aided detection described above is also called CAD.
For the object of such computer aided detection, in addition to automatic diagnosis and labor saving in screening, it can be given to prevent oversight by a doctor. A conventional type radioscopic method in X-ray direct photography and an X-ray TV apparatus has a defect that as information is integrated in a direction of the thickness, contrast is hardly acquired and even if there is a fault, its position in the direction of the thickness cannot be known. For example, a tumor located at the back of the heart and a tumor located at the apex of a lung are difficult to discover in the above-mentioned radioscopic method. In the meantime, also in X-ray CT without such a defect, some tumors may look like a blood vessel at a glance and there may be unexpected oversight.
For such oversight, as CAD is basically acquired by programming a diagnostic rule of a doctor for interpreting a shadow, the similar oversight is estimated even according to CAD.
To prevent such oversight, a system for comparing the result of CAD and a report on the interpretation of a shadow by a doctor and issuing warning in case there is difference between both (for example, refer to JP-3085724) and a system for enhancing the precision of diagnosis by comparing the current image and a past image (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-137230) are proposed.
To prevent such oversight and to enhance the reliability of diagnosis based upon an image, a double check by comparing images acquired in plural systems is more desirable. However, this imposes a double load on a doctor for interpreting a shadow. Besides, at least two types of images are required to be compared, however, two types of results of diagnosis are not always acquired.
The invention is made in view of the above-mentioned situation and the object is to provide a computer aided diagnostic system that enhances the reliability of diagnosis based upon an image and does not impose an excess load on a doctor for interpreting a shadow.
Another object of the invention is to provide a computer aided diagnostic system provided with a function for enabling diagnosis of two types based upon only an image for medical application acquired in one modality.


A diamond polycrystal body having metal films on its upper and lower surfaces is cut in the vertical direction using a laser to form a diamond polycrystal body piece having upper and lower surfaces and a cut surface connecting the upper and lower surfaces. The cut surface may be damaged and include graphite resulting from the laser cutting. To remove the damage and the graphite, the cut surface of the diamond polycrystal body piece is then plasma-treated. Thereby a prescribed degree of electrical insulation between the metallized upper and lower surfaces can be ensured.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods of manufacturing a diamond heat sink, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a diamond heat sink produced by metallizing a diamond surface formed by means of vapor phase synthesization.
2. Description of the Background Art
In association with developments in today's high information-intensive society, the performance of semiconductor devices such as a semiconductor laser diode and an IMPATT diode used for transmitting information has been remarkably improved. In order to further improve the performance of these semiconductor devices, thermal energy generated by these devices should be radiated or dissipated to restrict the temperature increase of the devices. The heat sink is used for such heat radiation. The material known as the best for the heat sink was type II a natural diamond.
Meanwhile, heat sinks have been produced using synthetic diamond, and such heat sinks exhibit high thermal conductivity comparable to type II a natural diamond, with a smaller variation in quality, and therefore have stable heat radiation performance, contributing to improvements in the performance and reliability of various semiconductor devices and prolonging the life of the devices.
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a diamond heat sink produced by metallizing a surface of such synthetic diamond, in other words diamond synthesized by means of vapor phase synthesization.
Five specific examples of a conventional method of manufacturing a diamond heat sink will be now described. In a first conventional example, a diamond polycrystal body is cut into pieces of a prescribed shape by a diamond saw. The diamond pieces cut into a prescribed shape are arranged close to each other and metallized. Metallizing the upper and lower surfaces completes the diamond heat sink.
In a second conventional example, a diamond polycrystal body is cut into pieces of a prescribed shape by a diamond saw. After metallizing the entire surface, end faces of the pieces are ground using a grind stone to leave the metal film only at the upper and lower surfaces and the diamond heat sink is completed.
In a third example, a diamond polycrystal body having its surface metallized is cut into pieces of a prescribed shape by a diamond saw to complete a diamond heat sink.
In a fourth example, as disclosed by Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-114677, and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,381 after metallizing the surface of a diamond polycrystal body, grooves are made in the diamond using a laser, followed by mechanical separation to complete a diamond heat sink.
In a fifth conventional example, diamond is cut into pieces of a prescribed shape by a laser. The conductive portion of each end face is removed by means of an oxidation treatment, and then the pieces are arranged close to each other for metallization. Thus metallizing the upper and lower surfaces completes a diamond heat sink.
Diamond heat sinks have been conventionally manufactured as described above.
In a cutting method using a diamond saw, however, a diamond polycrystal body cannot be highly precisely cut or a large margin is necessary for cutting.
A margin for grinding should be further taken into account for grinding. A method using a laser provides precise cutting, but a conductive layer (graphite layer) is sometimes formed at a cut surface due to graphitization and other damages caused by the laser. An oxidation treatment to remove the conductive layer is therefore necessary. In that case, after a diamond polycrystal body is cut into pieces of a prescribed shape, metallization should be performed. However, after cutting a diamond polycrystal body into pieces of a prescribed shape, metallization with a complicated pattern using photolithography or the like cannot be performed.
Furthermore, in the above-described method of making grooves using a laser after metallization, a chip portion is formed at an end surface in the final mechanical separation process.

Method of manufacturing diamond heat sink


A screed assembly includes a screed assembly frame and a screed plate removably connected to the screed assembly frame to define a space between the screed assembly frame and the screed plate. A heating element and a hold down device for securing the heating element can be provided in the space between the screed assembly frame and the screed plate. The heating element is configured to be removed from the space by sliding the heating element out of the space and disengaging the heating element from the hold down device without removing the screed plate from the screed assembly frame.

The laying of asphalt paving material on road surfaces entails spreading paving material consisting of an aggregate filled bituminous mixture on a prepared roadbed. The paving material is spread while hot and is then compacted so that upon cooling a hardened pavement surface is formed. Conventional paving machines utilize a heavy assembly termed a "screed" that is drawn behind the paving machine. The screed includes a replaceable screed plate that is constructed of a suitable steel, to spread a smooth even layer of paving material on the prepared roadbed. The weight of the screed assembly aids to compress the paving material and perform initial compaction of the paving material layer. Screed assemblies can include vibratory mechanisms placed directly on the screed plate or separate vibratory tamper bars connected in tandem with the screed plate to aid in the initial compaction of the paving material.
To facilitate laying of the paving material, the screed is typically heated, to a temperature in the range of about 82° to 171° C. (180° to 340° F.). Heating the screed assists the paving material in flowing under the screed and reduces adhesion of the paving material to the screed. If the screed is not adequately heated, the bituminous mixture contacts the bottom of the screed and begins to harden, resulting in buildup of paving material and excessive drag.
Conventional screed assemblies were commonly heated by fossil fuel powered burners that heat the upper surface of the screed plate by the direct application of flame or hot exhaust gases. More recently, screed assemblies with electrically powered heating elements are being used, wherein the heating elements are usually bonded or tightly secured to an upper surface of the screed plate.
For example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,516, a heated screed assembly for use with a paving machine includes a screed with an elastomeric, electrically-powered heating element carried on the upper surface of the screed. To ensure that movement of the heating elements along a plane of the upper surface is substantially prevented during operation of the screed assembly, and to also ensure that the heating elements stay in intimate contact with the screed while being vibrated during operation, a layer of insulation is placed on top of the heating elements and a retaining plate assembly, which is a heavy steel grid member, is placed on top of the insulation to hold the heating elements and the insulation in place. The design requires loose components placed on top of one another to maintain full contact of the heating elements with the screed.
Screed assemblies by nature operate in an extremely abusive environment that may easily cause damage to or failure of key components. The heating elements of a screed assembly are among the key components that may require repair or replacement. However, the heavy nature of the equipment involved and the design of conventional screed assemblies requires that any such maintenance must normally be carried at a depot or shop location, for example, wherein the entire frame of the screed assembly must be disassembled in order to repair or replace the malfunctioning heating element. Furthermore, the use of multiple pieces to adequately hold down the heating elements in conventional screed assemblies adds to the time consuming and labor intensive process to repair or replace heating elements.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.


A sampling device comprises a container having an essential cylindrical part and a bottom part. The container further comprises an inner wall member and an outer wall member. The inner wall member and the outer wall member are essentially coaxially arranged in the cylindrical part of the container and joined at the top part of the container, and the inner and outer wall members define a closed insulating space between the outer surface of the inner wall member and the inner surface of the outer wall member. The sampling device further comprises temperature responsive means adapted to extend into the sample quantity during thermal analysis. Spacer means is arranged in the insulating space in the bottom part of the container and/or in the cylindrical part of the container in the vicinity of the bottom part.

Thermal analysis is a technique monitoring variations in temperature change of certain molten substances during solidification to be able to determine the microstructure and hence properties of the substances in solid form. This is accomplished by taking a sample from the melt, transferring it into a sample vessel and recording and evaluating a time-dependent temperature change in the sample during solidification, by means of temperature responsive means, such as thermocouples or other devices known in the art.
When using thermal analysis for controlling solidification processes in molten materials, such as cast-iron or aluminium alloys, a most critical issue is to bring the sample vessel and the sample quantity as close to thermal equilibrium as possible, and to provide for a controlled, even and reproducible rate of heat removal from the sample. The reason for this is to make it possible to measure temperature changes during phase transformations, the knowledge of which is essential in order to control certain solidification processes.
WO 86/01755 discloses a method for producing compacted graphite cast iron by using thermal analysis. A sample is taken from a bath of molten cast iron, and this sample is permitted to solidify during 0.5 to 10 minutes. The temperature is recorded simultaneously by two temperature responsive means, one of which is arranged in the centre of the sample and the other in the immediate vicinity of the vessel wall. So-called cooling curves representing temperature of the iron sample as a function of time are recorded for each of the two temperature responsive means. According to this document it is then possible to determine the necessary amount of structure-modifying agents that must be added to the melt in order to obtain the desired microstructure.
One example of a sampling device is disclosed in WO 96/23206. The device comprises a container intended to contain a sample quantity of liquid metal during analysis, and a sensor for thermal analysis. The container comprises an inner wall with an interior surface intended to face the sample quantity during analysis, and an outer wall with an exterior surface intended to face the ambient atmosphere. The inner and outer walls are joined at the mouth of the container such that an essentially closed space is formed between the walls.
Another example of a sampling device is disclosed in EP 1 034 419. The container of the sampling device comprises a substantially semi-spherical bottom part having a flattened part. The distance between the walls in the flattened part is less than the distance between the walls in the cylindrical part of the container. Thereby, the sampling device simulates a spherical solidification of the molten metal inside the container, which is the most reliable and accurate shape for thermal analysis, but is not spherical in shape.
Thermal analysis is a heat balance. The ultimate shape, and thus the resolution, of the cooling curve is determined by the balance between the heat liberated during solidification and the heat lost to the sampling device and the atmosphere. It is evident that the amount of heat liberated by the solidification of a 200 gram sample of for example cast iron is fixed. If the 200 gram sample is contained in a vessel that cools quickly, the heat liberated by the solidification will be less able to prevail over the heat loss than it would be in a vessel that cools more slowly. The result is that the faster cooling of the vessel will provide less resolution in the cooling curves. Fast cooling caused by the vessel can also alter the true solidification behaviour of the iron by inducing chill or by influencing the undercooling. In order to extract as much information as possible from the heat liberated by the solidification, it is necessary to design a thermal analysis sampling device such that it neither masks nor dilutes the information provided by the solidification. The other major requirement of a thermal analysis sampling device is that it must ensure consistent sampling conditions. Because the differences in the liberated heat between a good microstructure and an out-of-spec microstructure can be very small, it is critical that all variations measured are due to differences in the iron and not due to differences in the sampling technique.
Even though the above mentioned sampling devices work very well for thermal analysis, they are sometimes difficult to produce because the distance between the walls of the container has to be sufficiently regulated in order to ensure the proper heat transfer during thermal analysis such that the sample quantity of the melt in the sampling device solidifies in the intended manner. If the distance between the inner and outer walls of the container is not carefully controlled, the heat transfer, and thus the solidification of the sample quantity, will be affected such that a reliable measurement is jeopardised. Thus, there is still room for an improved sampling device which overcomes or at least reduces the above mentioned problems.


The invention is directed to a method and foot support device for dynamically treating plantar fasciitis in the foot of a patient while enabling patient mobility. The method comprises applying tension to the ball of the foot via a strap held in tension by extending the strap to form a continuous loop, from opposite sides of the knee in the leg of the foot in treatment through an opening in a channel guide member oriented relative to the ball of the foot, with the strap connected at opposite ends thereof to the opposite sides of the knee in alignment with the rotatable joint of the knee and controlling dorsiflexion of the plantar fascia while the patient is mobile by slidably adjusting the position of the strap within the channel guide member in response to the mobility of the patient.

The human foot and ankle contain 26 bones and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This complex structure receives the impact of each step experienced by an individual.
One source of heel pain commonly observed is due to a condition known as recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs in the plantar fascia, a fibrous membrane disposed longitudinally across the bottom of the foot. The plantar fascia is attached at the heel bone. The plantar fascia becomes broader and thinner as it extends longitudinally across the bottom of the foot, eventually dividing near the heads of the metatarsal bones into five processes, one for each of the five toes. The strongest ligament in the body, the plantar fascia's purpose is to protect the softer muscles and tissues of the bottom of the foot from injury, as well as to help maintain the integrity of the foot structure itself.
If the fascia becomes stretched or strained, the arch area becomes tender and swollen as well as the area about the heel bone. This inflammation is called plantar fasciitis and is typically painful from the heel throughout the arch up into the Achilles tendon. Patients suffering from this condition usually have relatively tight and inflexible heel cords, sometimes referred to as Achilles tendon tightness. When the heel cord is tight, it causes compensation in the foot with over pronation of the foot during weight bearing. The pain is consistently worse when you first get up in the morning and at the end of the day. The pain usually lurks in the heel pad and may include the arch ligament.
Plantar fasciitis is often caused by contracture of the Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia, which can occur at night during sleep, or during daytime inactivity. The Achilles tendon, the strongest and thickest tendon in the human body, begins at or about the middle of the posterior side of the leg extending downward towards the heel, narrowing as it progresses towards its point of insertion at the posterior surface of the os calcis. When an individual is standing, walking, running, or even sitting in a position in which the feet are in contact with the floor or other surface, both the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon are extended to varying degrees depending of course on the nature and intensity of the activity. During sleep, an individual has a natural tendency to plantar flex the ankle joint beyond the position, which is normal during walking, standing, or sitting with one's feet on the floor. Plantarflexion is when the bottom of the foot is extended so as to form an angle with the lower leg of greater than 90 degrees, i.e., extend such that the forefoot moves away from the body. Dorsiflexion is the opposite motion, when the foot is moved to a position in which the bottom of the foot forms an angle with the lower leg of less than 90 degrees, i.e., such that the top of the foot moves toward the body.
Another condition, Achilles tendonitis can result from overuse of the tendon in sports activities, and can also result from a number of inflammatory diseases, of which rheumatoid arthritis is one.
Plantar fasciitis has been heretofore treated with the foot undergoing treatment held essentially immobile. One common treatment of plantar fasciitis with the foot held immobile is to use a night splint. The night splint is a static device which typically consists, essentially, of a boot-like structure, which is strapped to a patient's lower leg and foot, holding the foot in a fixed position relative to the lower leg so that the leg does not move and with the ankle joint in slight dorsiflexion so that both the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon are slightly extended and are not allowed to contract during the night. Although the night splint device is somewhat beneficial in the treatment of plantar fasciitis it is uncomfortable and limits mobility to the wearer and accordingly, the duration of treatment is limited.
Other static foot support devices such as braces and splints are known for maintaining the plantar fascia of the foot in a neutral to slight dorsiflexion under application of static tension. One such device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,864 (Beckwith et al.) which includes (a) a calf strap removably engagable to the calf of a leg; (b) a foot assembly removably engagable to the foot of the leg such that when the device is worn the assembly can be positioned proximate to the ball of the foot intermediate to the midfoot and forefoot areas of the foot to secure it to the foot; and (c) a substantially inelastic tension member connectable between the calf strap and the foot assembly in a tensioned manner such that when the device is worn plantarflexion of the ankle is limited which in turn is able to keep the plantar surface of the foot held in a neutral to slight dorsiflexion. Once again, this device is a static device which does not permit the patient to be mobile while undergoing treatment and the duration of treatment is relatively limited.
An additional disadvantage of the calf strap configuration in Beckwith et al. is that the calf muscle receives the tension force which leads to discomfort for the user which is one reason use of the foot support device is limited to relatively short time durations. Another disadvantage of a calf strap configuration is that it requires the calf to be connected to the foot assembly which generates a downward force on the calf and prevents the user from making lateral adjustments in tension.
Currently there is no foot support device commercially available which can controllably maintain dorsiflexion of the plantar fascia while at the same time permit the patient to be mobile, other than Strassburg Sock U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,1155 i.e., move the foot while undergoing treatment and walk. However, the Strassburg configuration requires the pulling on the toes in addition to tight restriction on the leg which may impact circulation on the leg. Therefore Strassburg is contrary to the concept and arrangement of structural elements in the subject invention.
What is therefore desired, is a device which functions dynamically, not statically and is able to control dorsiflexion of the plantar fascia while at the same time allowing the patient to be mobile and to move the leg while undergoing treatment. This results in substantially increased patient comfort and allows the duration of medical treatment to be substantially longer which, in turn, alleviates plantar fasciitis in a much shorter duration of time as compared to the use of conventional static devices.

Method and foot support device for treating plantar fasciitis in the foot of a patient while the patient is mobile


A load binding apparatus for mounting an object comprising a frame assembly suitable for supporting at least one object, at least one channel coupled to the underside of the frame assembly, the channel further comprising at least one receiving aperture, and a securing assembly for releasably coupling an attachment to the frame assembly through the receiving aperture.

Trailers are utilized for various personal and commercial purposes, ranging from hauling goods for delivery to transporting automobiles, watercraft, snowcraft or aircraft to a desired destination for use, sale, repair and the like. Often, a trailer may only be able to transport one specific type of product. For instance, a boat trailer may generally only tow a boat; a jet ski trailer may only be suitable for towing one or more jet skis, and so on. This may require having multiple trailers to tow multiple objects to a desired destination, which may be inconvenient if a user would prefer to tow different types of watercraft, or different types of towable objects, such as a snowmobile and an automobile, or a boat and one or more jet skis.
An additional concern when loading and unloading trailers and other towing devices is ensuring that an towed object is securely mounted onto a trailer bed, ramp or other surface prior to transport. While there exist in the art load-securing systems, many such systems may be bulky, complicated and cost-prohibitively expensive.
Consequently, it would be advantageous if a system and apparatus existed which provided secure, efficient load-binding.

Reconfigurable load-binding system and apparatus


A purse security device according to the present invention includes a front panel having a front side and a back side opposite the front side, the front panel having a generally planar configuration. The purse security device includes a back panel having a front side and a back side opposite the front side, the back panel having a generally planar configuration. The back side of the front panel is operably coupled to the front side of the back panel. A circuit board having a battery is positioned on the front side of the back panel. A light element is situated on the front side of the front panel and electrically connected to the battery and selectively energized thereby. The back side of the back panel is selectively coupled to an inner wall of a purse for illuminating an interior area of the purse.

The present invention relates generally to lighting devices and, more particularly, to a lighting device specially configured to illuminate an interior area of a purse.
It is often difficult for a woman to find items within her purse in that purses are often deep and become the repository for numerous relatively small items, such as keys, cell phones, other electronic devices, pens, wallet, checkbook, makeup, and the like. The task of finding a desired item is made even more difficult after the sun has set or in a darkened room. In these environments, a person must use only her sense of touch to search for an item unless or until a light can be switched on.
Various lighting devices are known in the art that are capable of lighting a purse, such as a flashlight, pressure activated glow sticks, and the like. Although assumably effective for their intended uses, the existing devices are just as likely to become lost in the purse as the very items they are intended to locate.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a purse lighting device that selectively illuminates an interior area of a purse. Further, it would be desirable to have a purse lighting device that may be positioned on an inner wall of the purse so as to provide illumination to substantially all of the interior area. In addition, it would be desirable to have a purse lighting device that is thin, does not obstruct usage, and does not appear to be a lighting device until energized.


A water treatment apparatus includes a housing comprising multiple housing portions and a plurality of treatment sections disposed within the housing, each treatment section comprising at least one distinct particulate layer. The apparatus is designed so that no water pressure need be applied to force the water through the apparatus, as gravity pulls the water down through the filtering layers. Water may also be force fed through the treatment apparatus; when the water is force fed, the housing portions need not be vertically stacked, but may be configured in any suitable arrangement. The treatment sections are distributed through the various housing portions in logical groups to perform various kinds of filtering. The housing portions are detachable and sealably stackable in multiple configurations, thus passing water through more or fewer treatment layers, depending on the quality of the incoming water.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water treatment apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-stage water treatment apparatus. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-stage water treatment apparatus for producing potable water.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As disclosed in the above referred to co-pending application, a need exists for water treatment systems that remove organic, inorganic, radiological, and microbiological contaminants from water, thereby rendering the water suitable for human consumption. The co-pending application teaches a water treatment apparatus that removes these contaminants by passing the water through a housing comprising two chambers, each of which contains a plurality of layers of treatment materials; these treatment materials include silver impregnated activated carbon, activated carbon, iodine resin, and a mixed bed of cationic and anionic resins. While the water treatment apparatus of the co-pending application is efficacious, further experimentation has revealed that its usefulness may be improved by adding more and different layers of treatment material in different configurations, and by enabling continuous, as well as batch, filtration.


A print system includes a communication path, a client device which transmits print data to said communication path, a host device connected to said communication path, and a printer device which prints the print data after receiving the print data from said client device via said communication path, and automatically sends the print data together with printer output information to said host device via said communication path, said printer output information including keywords for identifying said print data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print system which includes a printer device and a host device connected to each other via two-way communication path, and relates to the printer device which is used in such a system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the technological art of printing, schemes for reprinting print data are available for the purpose of making reuse of print data. There is a need for such schemes when original printing fails because of unsatisfactory printing quality, jamming, malfunction, etc., or when reprinting is desired in order to correct unsatisfactory printing quality or in order to print more copies. To this end, various schemes have been presented, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 6-55783, Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 9-114616, and Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 9-269879.
These reprinting schemes make reuse of print data by storing printed print data in a printer or in a print server.
In such a configuration, all that is provided for the purpose of making reuse of original print data or reuse of print data with minor corrections is a crude data storage function to store printed print data in a printer or in a print server. With such a crude data storage function, it is difficult to make reuse of print data for purposes other than simple reprinting. When printed print data need to be collected to build a database, for example, the database need to be built in the printer or in the print server, which poses various restrictions. Further, such a database would be devoid of keywords necessary for appropriate data search. The only measure to create these keywords at the time of database construction would be to extract keywords from the print data. But the keywords extracted in such a manner would be too primitive to help to conduct an appropriate data search.
Accordingly, there is a need for a print system and a printer device which can help to make easy reuse of printed print data and can make it easier to build a database.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Print system and printer device facilitating reuse of print data


A towbar for flat-towing a vehicle, including two telescoping arms each pivotally attached at a pivot end having a heavy-gauge eyelet for attaching to a pintle hitch on the rear of a towing vehicle, with each arm having a gear element at the pivot end, in gear engagement with the gear element of the other arm. The telescoping arms automatically lock at a predetermined length.

1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to the field of accessories for automotive vehicles. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a towbar system for towing a disabled vehicle.
2. Discussion of related art
Ordinarily, in order to tow a disabled vehicle, a tow truck is used, having specialized equipment for raising one end of the vehicle off the ground and holding onto the raised end while towing the vehicle.
In some situations, and in particular in case of military vehicles on patrol or in battle, a tow truck cannot be used. Such vehicles, however, often include on their back end a so-called pintle hitch (i.e. a type of trailer hitch) to which a towbar can be attached for flat-towing (all four wheels on the ground) another (disabled) vehicle having D-rings or other means for attaching the towbar.
In case of the U.S. Army HMMWV (High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle), a towbar is sometimes used including a heavy-gauge eyelet at one end—the tow-vehicle end—for attaching to a pintle hitch on the rear of the towing HMMWV, and two arms pivotally attached at the tow-vehicle end so as to allow adjusting the distance between the ends that attach to the front of the vehicle to be towed. When the towed and towing vehicle are hooked together by the towbar, the towbar can swivel around the Pintle hitch on the back of the towing vehicle.
A problem with the towbar that is sometimes used is that there is limited adjustibility to accommodate the typical situation where the vehicle to be towed is not substantially lined up with the towing vehicle. The two arms of the towbar are fixed in length, and the pintle hitch and the two points of attachment must therefore form an isosocles triangle (two sides equal in length) for the towbar to be hooked up. Thus, there is sometimes quite a bit of maneuvering of the towing vehicle before the hookup can be made. In battle, such maneuvering is often impossible.
In addition, once hooked up, if the towing vehicle brakes or stops when not perfectly aligned with the towed vehicle, then the towbar swivels about the pintle hitch and ends up getting cocked at sometimes a large angle. For example, if the towing vehicle is turning to the left so that the front wheels of the towed vehicle are also turned left, and the towing vehicle then brakes to a stop, then the towed vehicle will tend to continue forward with the wheels turned to the left, with the result that the towed vehicle will end up quite close to the towing vehicle, with the towbar swiveled sometimes to its extreme limit. This puts high stresses on the equipment of the towbar and the towed vehicle. And driving out of such a cocked configuration is sometimes difficult because the front wheels of the towed vehicle are often not suitably aimed to continue following the towing vehicle.
What is needed is a towbar that is easier to hook up, and that does not cock when the towing vehicle brakes to slow or stop.


A body framework construction, includes: a rear seat cross member, extending in a transverse direction of a vehicle, in a rear part of a body in a lower part of a passenger compartment; a dash cross member upper, extending in the transverse direction, in a front part of the passenger compartment; and a backbone, configured into a thin, long shape having a closed cross section, and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A front end portion of the backbone is connected to the dash cross member upper via a gusset, and a rear end portion of the backbone is joined to the rear seat cross member. The gusset is deformed more easily than the backbone relative to a force from a front.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body framework construction which is disposed at a lower part of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a framework construction of the related art which supports a lower part of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, there is a framework construction in which a front end portion of a floor panel which makes up a floor portion of the passenger compartment is joined to a dash panel disposed between an engine compartment and the passenger compartment and a rear end portion is joined to a rear seat cross member which extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle in the rear of a body. A tunnel portion where an exhaust pipe and a drive shaft pass are provided to pass through to the rear of the body is formed in a transversely central portion of a floor panel like the one described above. The tunnel portion has a U-shaped cross section and is configured to project upwards from the floor panel, and a backbone is mounted on an upper surface of the tunnel portion as a reinforcement member in such a manner as to extend in a longitudinal direction. The backbone is made, for example, of a plate-like member and is configured into a thin, long shape having a U-shaped cross section so as to extend along the tunnel portion in a matched fashion. A rear end portion of the backbone is disposed in front of the rear seat cross member, and the tunnel portion is disposed between the rear seat cross member and the backbone. (For example, refer to JP-A-2006-143178.)
In the vehicle body framework construction of the related art that has been described above, however, there have been the following problems inherent therein. Namely, since the floor panel is made up of the single plate member, it is easily subject to torsional deformation, and since the configuration is adopted in which the backbone intended to increase the strength is not directly joined to the rear seat cross member and is provided on only part of the floor panel, it has been difficult to secure high strength.

Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


An apparatus for performing automated in-situ lift-out of a sample from a specimen includes a computer having a memory with computer-readable instructions, a stage for a specimen and a nano-manipulator. The stage and the nano-manipulator are controlled by motion controllers connected to the computer. The nano-manipulator has a probe tip for attachment to samples excised from the specimen. The computer-readable instructions include instructions to cause the stage motion controllers and the nano-manipulator motion controllers, as well as an ion-beam source, to automatically perform in-situ lift-out of a sample from the specimen.

The use of focused ion-beam (FIB) microscopes has become common for the preparation of specimens for later analysis in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The structural artifacts, and even some structural layers, in the device region and interconnect stack of current integrated-circuit devices can be too small to be reliably detected with the secondary electron imaging in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), or FIB, which offers a bulk surface imaging resolution of approximately 3 nm. In comparison, TEM inspection offers much finer image resolution (<0.1 nm), but requires electron-transparent (<300 nm thick) sections of the sample mounted on 3 mm diameter grid disks.
The in-situ lift-out technique is a series of FIB milling and sample-translation steps used to produce a site-specific specimen for later observation in a TEM or other analytical instrument. During in-situ lift-out, a wedge-shaped section (the "lift-out sample") of material containing the region of interest is first completely excised from the bulk sample, such as a semiconductor wafer or die, using ion-beam milling in the FIB. This lift-out sample is typically 10×5×5 μm in size. Removal of the lift-out sample is then typically performed using an internal nano-manipulator in conjunction with the ion-beam assisted chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) process available with the FIB tool.
The process of in-situ lift-out is a procedure of several successive steps, where the starting point is the delivery of a wafer, having the area of interest, and the probe tip inside the FIB vacuum chamber, and the end point is the lift-out sample ready for the TEM investigation. There is a need in the industry to have the entire process automated, thus allowing for fast and safe processing of a lift-out sample without the need to vent the vacuum chamber or to remove the probe and sample through an airlock.
The reader should note, however that the field of application is limited neither to automated lift-out systems, nor to semiconductor samples. Other objects of interest could be micro-mechanical systems, or biological specimens. Further, in-situ lift-out can be carried out in an atmosphere instead of a vacuum, when the nature of the specimen permits.

Method and apparatus for the automated process of in-situ lift-out


A golf putter has a hard grip or an all-metal grip, and the grip, shaft and head are formed of a single, stiff material, or materials having closely-related moduli of elasticity, into an integral structural element. It is cast, forged, bonded, or otherwise assembled, to achieve a stiff, but sensitive "feel", for the golfer. A low frequency "feel" and sound is obtained by the shaft being closed at both ends and by one or more sound chambers or resonating elements. No dissimilar materials are included between the "sweet spot" and the golfer's hands, including in the grip. In one embodiment, toe area loft of the head is greater than the center loft and the heel area loft is less than the center loft. The putter head toe area may be closed slightly and the heel area may be opened slightly. A bulge may be included in the heel or toe areas.

A golf putter should provide "feel" to the golfer. That is, it should provide a feeling of precise control over the ball. A high vibration, if felt in the grip, or even heard, tends to destroy the feeling and psychology of control. The low frequencies give the solid "feel" to the putter and gives the golfer a reference, both as to feel and sound, to be sought in subsequent putts. Therefore, a putter should carry low frequencies to the grip, but not high frequencies. It is also desirable for the low frequencies but not the high frequencies to be heard, when the ball is hit correctly.
Each golf club has a "sweet spot" on the face of the head. The "sweet spot" is the point on the face of the head, in which the golf ball is best struck and which moves the ball in a straight direction. The "sweet spot" is located on the face of the head along a line passing through the center of inertia of the head. When a ball is struck at the "sweet spot", there is a solid "feel" to the strike and little or no torque is imparted to the club. Golfers test for the "sweet spot" on a putter by holding the face of the putter horizontally and dropping the ball on the face. They then listen for a "chuck", or low frequency, sound rather than a "ping", or high frequency, sound. The "chuck" sound denotes the "sweet spot". The "sweet spot" area is a general area around the "sweet spot" which, if the golfer hits within the "sweet spot" area, provides an acceptable golf shot. The "sweet spot area" may be approximately 2.5" in length, on, say, a face which is approximately 4 inches long. The best part of the "sweet spot" area, to hit the ball, is approximately one third the diameter of a golf ball in width, or 0.56", although striking within a width of 0.8" around the "sweet spot", will likely be quite an acceptable hit.
In putting, it is intended that the ball be struck on the "sweet spot" on the face of the putter, which is generally at or near the central area of the face. However, golfers do not always strike the ball within the "sweet spot" area of the club head and will sometimes, because of an inaccurate stroke, hit the ball outside the "sweet spot" area. If a putter is properly designed, as in the present invention, it can prevent disastrous results from an inaccurate stroke. In one of the embodiments, the putter provides some correction for inaccuracies of stroke.
Also, it is desirable on the putting green to give a gall backspin and lift. Various putters in the past have included angular or curved surfaces to provide overspin to the ball to help it roll forward in a straight line. U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,074 to William B. Thompson shows a bulge, or a convex surface, claimed to impart topspin, or overspin, to a golf ball.


A golf swing training device and method of use is provided. The golf swing training device has an elongated member with a first end disposed opposite a second end. The first end includes a slot which is sized to receive a shaft of a golf club. The slot is disposed at a diagonal angle relative to the elongated member such that the shaft of the golf club passes through the elongated member. A curled member is disposed at the second end which can wrap around a shoulder of a user. In use, the golf training aid provides tactile feedback to a user as they execute a golf swing and aids in training the user to keep their arms in a proper position throughout a backswing and a golf swing motion.

The present invention relates to golf training aids. More particularly, the present invention provides for a golf swing training device and method of use to train an individual in the proper mechanics and arm positioning employed during a golf backswing and through a golf swing.
Many people spend countless hours on the golf course, driving range, and chipping green trying to master the proper body mechanics employed during a golf swing. The learning curve for such an endeavor can be quite steep, and bad habits can creep into the individual player's swing which can be hard to correct. In particular, many golfers practice the mechanics of a golf swing, but have difficulty keeping their arm straight as they execute from the bottom to the top of the swing. A proper golf swing entails a golfer not only keeping their arm straight throughout the swing, but also shifting their hips instead of sliding them, and keeping their head aligned in a proper posture at the top of the backswing. When sound mechanics are utilized, the golfer's core is strengthened, and the golfer can develop muscle memory for the proper mechanics. In addition, it can be difficult to master the correct posture needed for a desired swing. Some people hire personal trainers to teach them the finer points of the game and work with the individual golfer on the golfer's stance and golf swings. Such trainers are expensive and are not always available when the golfer desires or has time to practice. Golfers are always looking for new tools to help them perfect their swing, especially a device that they can use on their own when they have free time.
The present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing golf training aids. In this regard the present invention substantially fulfills these needs.

Golf swing training device and method of use


Methods and compositions are provided for treating HIV infection and for inhibiting HIV infection, and for identifying purinergic receptor antagonists or Panx 1 hemi-channel blockers useful therefor. The invention provides a method of treating a mammalian subject having an HIV infection, or suspected of having been exposed to HIV, comprising administering to the mammalian subject an amount of (i) an antagonist of a Panx 1 hemichannel, or (ii) of an inhibitor of a purinergic receptor, effective to inhibit (a) HIV fusion with a target cell, or (b) HIV replication, or (c) HIV entry into a target cell, or two or more of (a), (b) and (c).

Throughout this application various publications are referred to by number in parenthesis. Full citations for these references may be found at the end of the specification immediately preceding the claims. The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties into the subject application to more fully describe the art to which the subject application pertains.
Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) infects mostly immune cells by binding of the viral envelope protein gp120 to the host cellular proteins, CD4 and CCR5 and/or CXCR4, resulting in fusion of the viral envelope with the cellular membrane. To date, in addition to CD4, CCR5 and/or CXCR4, no other membrane cellular proteins have been identified to participate directly in the process of viral entry (1). However, a few studies indicated that upon binding of the virus to its cellular receptors, intracellular Ca2+ levels rise (2-4) and opening of non-selective cation channels as well as calcium activated K+ channels occurs (5), suggesting that signaling and activation of other proteins may be required for infection and replication. Recently, studies in cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) indicated that ATP release through pannexin1 (Panx1) hemichannels is required for FEW replication (6), supporting the hypothesis that additional host proteins are required for infection/replication.
Hemichannels are plasma membrane channels that can be open at the unapposed cell surface, forming aqueous conduits permeable to ions and small molecules (e.g., ATP, glutamate, NAD+, and PGE2). They allow diffusional exchange between the intra- and extracellular compartments, constituting a route for autocrine/paracrine cellular communication (7). Hemichannels are constituted by the oligomerization of six protein subunits termed connexins (Cxs) or pannexins (Panxs), both highly conserved protein families encoded by 21 or 3 genes in humans, respectively (8, 9). Panx1 hemichannels in concert with purinergic receptors have been described to be important in different immune functions, including cellular activation (10-12), apoptosis (13), stress signals (14), secretion of inflammatory cytokines (15) and HIV replication (6). However, how HIV infection changes the opening of these channels in primary human CD4+ T lymphocytes, one of the main targets of HIV, remains to be elucidated.
Additionally, it is known that macrophages are critical for HIV infection and spread within the host. They are the first cells to become infected and serve as a viral reservoir (45-49). Macrophage infection does not result in cell death and HIV infected macrophages can persist for long periods of time in host tissues even in the presence of combined antiretroviral therapy (50-53). Infected macrophages in the CNS are also important mediators of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, secreting inflammatory mediators and neurotoxic proteins that result in CNS dysfunction (54, 55).
HIV infects macrophages by binding of the envelope protein gp120 to CD4 and then CCR5 receptors and subsequent fusion with the host cell membrane (56-58). Binding of gp120 results in increased intracellular calcium and G-protein signaling (59-61) that involve opening of non-selective cation channels and calcium activated potassium channels (62). However, additional specific host proteins that participate in this process need further evaluation.
Purinergic receptors are activated by extracellular ATP and its byproducts, including ADP and UTP, and are classified intro three groups: adenosine receptors (P1), ATP-gated cation channels (P2X), and G-protein coupled receptors (P2Y). Activation of P2X or P2Y receptors causes an increase in intracellular calcium (19). This laboratory's and other results indicate that macrophages predominantly express P2X1, P2X4, P2X7, P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4, P2Y6, and P2Y12 receptors (64, 65). P2X and P2Y receptors in macrophages are important mediators of the response to host injury, recognizing extracellular ATP as a damage signal that induces inflammation through cytokine release and superoxide formation (66-68). Additionally, recent studies showed that ATP release and purinergic receptor signaling are activated in response to infectious agents (69, 70).
The present invention addresses the need for novel treatments for HIV infection and inhibition of HIV infection and assays for identifying agents therefor.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Inc.


A method and apparatus using a probabilistic network to estimate probability values each representing a probability that at least part of a signal represents content, such as voice activity, and to combine the probability values into an overall probability value. The invention may conform itself to particular system and/or signal characteristics by using some probability estimates and discarding other probability estimates.

Analog signals and digital bit stream signals that carry content such as voice, picture, and facsimile patterns may use electric currents, electromagnetic radiation (radio and light waves), sound waves, and other transmission and storage means as carriers for the content. A telephone system, for example, may use numerous carriers in a single connection as a sender's voice signal travels through telephone lines, fiber optic cables, cell phone transmission antennae, and sound speakers. Regardless of the carrier, certain intervals of the signal may represent content, while other intervals or characteristics of the signal may represent nothing more than the presence of the carrier with no content included or superimposed. At times it is beneficial to separate the parts of a signal containing content from the parts of a signal lacking content.
Voice activity detection (VAD) and data compression are examples of techniques that depend upon separating the content part(s) of a signal from the non-content parts. Speakerphone and cell phone systems use VAD to switch signal transmission on and off depending on the presence of voice activity or the direction of speech flow. VAD may also be used in microphones and digital recorders for dictation and transcription, in noise suppression systems, as well as in speech synthesizers, speech-enabled applications, and speech recognition products. VAD may be used to save data storage space and transmission bandwidth by preventing the recording and transmission of undesirable signals or digital bit streams that do not contain voice activity.
VAD usually relies on measurements of one or more attributes of a signal to estimate when voice activity is present in an interval of the signal. For example, the energy level is an attribute of a signal that may be measured using the root mean square voltage levels of the signal to estimate which intervals of the signal contain voice activity. The same energy level measurements may be used in different ways to estimate the presence of voice activity. U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,757 to Cason, for example, is directed to a VAD system that uses two signal filters to provide the difference between a noise floor and the total energy in a communications signal. The signal is partitioned into frames for spectral analysis. Voice activity is detected if the difference between the noise floor and the total energy exceeds a threshold. U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,674 to Mekuria is directed to a periodicity detector that extracts pitch frequencies from a signal and determines speech pitch tracks using a non-linear signal processing block.
There are numerous ways to estimate the presence of voice activity in a signal using measurements of the energy and/or other attributes of the signal. Energy level estimation, zero-crossing estimation, and echo canceling are known methods to estimate or to assist in estimating the presence of voice activity in a signal. Tone analysis by a tone detection mechanism (DTMF) may be used to assist in estimating the presence of voice activity by ruling out DTMF tones that create false VAD detections. Signal slope analysis, signal mean variance analysis, correlation coefficient analysis, pure spectral analysis, and other methods may also be used to estimate voice activity. Each VAD method has disadvantages for detecting voice activity depending on the application in which it is implemented and the signal being processed.
Data compression is another technique that relies upon detection of signal content. Data compression is increasingly used to minimize the number of bits needed to store or transmit digital data. For example, JPEG and MPEG standards for the digital representation of images and movies allow a wide variety of data compression schemes to represent empty or repetitive parts of a picture with a compact marker. This typically saves a large percentage of the storage space or transmission bandwidth that an uncompressed image would have required.
Although detecting intervals of voice activity in a carrier signal using VAD and detecting compressible parts of a signal for data compression, such as Silence Compressed Record, are two examples of applications that use signal content detection, there are many other applications in which the present invention could be used, for example distinguishing communication patterns in random radio waves, searching for patterns in random data, and synchronizing communication between computing devices.

Probabalistic networks for detecting signal content


An objective lens system for a microscope has a high magnification and high numerical aperture. Corrections for various aberrations, and especially coma, can be made over a wide field of view. The system can be used as an objective lens system for a fluorescence microscope. The objective lens system contains a first lens group which has multiple lenses placed in sequence as counted from the object side. The first lens group has a positive focal power. A second lens group includes a first compound lens, prepared by cementing a negative meniscus lens with its convex surface facing the object side and a biconvex lens, and a second compound lens, prepared by cementing a biconcave lens and a biconvex lens. A third lens group has multiple lenses and a negative focal power. A change in aberration can be corrected for by moving the second lens group with respect to the first and third lens groups along the optical axis. The objective lens system meets certain prescribed conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to an objective lens system for a microscope. More specifically, this invention pertains to an objective lens system for a microscope equipped with a correcting ring that can correct for a change in aberration when the thickness of a cover glass changes. The system can also be used for fluorescence excited by UV rays.
2. Description of Related Art
When a biological microscope specimen is prepared for examination by a microscope, the specimen is usually placed on a glass slide and covered by a cover glass for sealing. A "coverglass-attached" specimen is formed in this way. The thickness and refractive index of the cover glass meet certain standards such as, for example, the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). In general, the thickness of the cover glass is set at 0.17 mm. This thickness is considered to be the standard thickness.
When the thickness of the cover glass is different from the standard thickness, the focusing ability of the objective lens system of the microscope is degraded. The influence of the thickness error is significant in that it results in the numerical aperture (often referred to as NA hereinafter) becoming large. When the NA increases to a certain degree, a portion of the objective lens system of the microscope is shifted to correct for the change in the aberration. Therefore, a correcting ring is usually provided in the objective lens system.
Certain techniques relating to objective lens systems for microscopes equipped with correcting rings are disclosed in Japanese Kokai Patent Application Nos. Sho 571982!-148717 and Sho 591984!-100409. Although the NA in these systems is not very large, corrections for changes in thicknesses of the cover glass on the order of a millimeter can be made. Other techniques, such as those disclosed in Japanese Kokai Patent Application Nos. Sho 611986!-275812 and Hei 51993!-119263, can be corrected differently. Although the correction ranges for the thicknesses of the cover glasses is small in these other systems, the various aberrations can be corrected to certain degrees over wide fields of view at high NAs.
In the biological field, the fluorescence microscope is now widely used. By fluorescence-dyeing a specific substance, cells can be observed without being damaged. A short-wavelength light beam is irradiated on the specimen (for excitation). The excited fluorescence is then observed by the fluorescence microscope. A typical example of short excitation wavelength light is light at the i-line (365 nm). Excitation light at a wavelength of 340 nm has also been used to observe calcium ions in living bodies.
In the systems disclosed by Japanese Kokai Patent Application Nos. Sho 571982!-148717 and Sho 591984!-100409, NAs are as small as 0.55 and 0.7, respectively. As a result, the resolving power of these systems is inadequate. When a correction for a change in the thickness of the cover glass is made in either of these systems, the coma is degraded. This is a disadvantage.
The objective lens system disclosed by Japanese Kokai Patent Application No. Sho 611986!-275812 has a NA which may be as large as 0.95. However, the coma is still degraded in this system by a change in the thickness of the cover glass.
The system disclosed in Japanese Kokai Patent Application No. Hei 51993!-119263 is designed for use without using fluorescent glass. It is difficult, therefore, to ensure a high light transmissivity at a wavelength of 340 nm for the lens configuration in this system. The high performance expected from a fluorescence microscope cannot be fully realized as a result. Because emitted fluorescence is always faint, fluorescence is generated by the excitation light in the glass used for forming the objective lens. This phenomenon is known as self-fluorescence. When this takes place, the contrast of the observed image deteriorates significantly.


An image processing apparatus has a trigger receiving section for receiving an external trigger and a trigger generation section including a timer. When a trigger from the outside is inputted, in synchronization with this trigger, the timer of the trigger generation section operates and a predetermined number of internal triggers are generated at predetermined intervals. After each image pickup data picked up by the external trigger and the internal triggers is processed by an image processing section statistical processing is internally performed by a statistical processing section and the maximum value, the minimum value, the average value, etc. of variations in the workpiece are calculated and the results are outputted.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing system and an image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image processing system used for positioning of a robot arm, decision on width of sheet material or inspection of a liquid level inside a vessel is constructed so that, as basic processing, a measured object (hereinafter referred as workpiece) is picked up by a trigger from the outside and various measurements are made on a static image inside a window set.
For example, in the case of measuring a workpiece transferred by a conveyor, when displacement occurs in a static image inside a window by vibration of a width direction of the conveyor, variations occur in image processing measured values of an edge position.
FIG. 8 is a diagram conceptually describing this problem. Displacement of the workpiece w occurs in a measurement direction at the time of performing an image pickup and when it is assumed that displacement of the workpiece w inside a window 1 occurs in the range of a distance L in a measurement direction shown by an arrow, variations occur in image processing measured values of an edge position.
In general, the user side has to cope with such a problem and , the problem of the variations in the measured values described above is solved by inputting plural triggers from the outside and picking up images every each trigger and statistically processing the outputs by an external device such as a personal computer and averaging the outputs.
However, a solution method of the above conventional technology is performed in the user side, and it is required that plural triggers should be inputted from the outside. Further, an external device for performing statistical processing is required.

Image processing system and image processing method


A touch device, a processor and a touch signal accessing method thereof are provided. The touch signal accessing method of the touch device includes the following steps. A current touch point is received. Whether a spatial continuity is smaller than a spatial threshold, and a time continuity is smaller than a time threshold are determined. If the spatial continuity is smaller than the space threshold and the time continuity is smaller than the time threshold, then the current touch point is added to a temporary touch point set and a count value is accumulated. Whether the current touch point is a significance point is determined. If the current touch point is the significance point, a touch point reporting procedure is performed.

Touch panel has become a new information input device in recent years. The principle of touch panel is operated by touching the screen. Touch panel is conveniently carrying and human-based function operation. The touch panel can be classified into the following four types according to the induction principle: optical touch panel, acoustical touch panel, capacitive touch panel and resistive touch panel. Recently, the capacitive touch panel has shared the most market. The capacitive touch monitor is constituted by the Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) transparent conductive thin film. The capacitive touch monitor determines the movement of finger by the change of capacitance, and the change of capacitance is generated by the ITO electrode when the finger touches the touch panel. Before the finger touches the touch panel, the parasitic capacitance between the transparent electrodes ideally is a fixed capacitance. After the finger touches the touch panel, the finger or the conductive object forms a loop to change the parasitic capacitance between the original transparent electrodes. Thus, while the changing amount of the capacitance can be detected, whether the finger or the conductive object touches the surface of the touch panel can also be determined.
The foldable capacitive touch panel can be disturbed by the condition, such as ambient temperature or humidity. Another obvious noise generated source is the electric signal of the display. Therefore, we have to realize the features of interferences and noises of the touch panel.
For example, using the digital filter can achieve the purpose of decreasing noises. The digital filter uses the charge transfer method to sense the change of capacitance of the touch panel. The charge transfer method contains the effect of resisting the high frequency noise. It is because that the average amplitude of noises is 0. If the charge accumulation cycle is longer, the accumulated amplitude of noises will approach to 0.
However, the most of scanning frequencies of the display is 60 Hz. The noises of this scanning frequency are not all the high frequency noises and may not always contain the phenomenon of the accumulated amplitude of noise approaching to 0. Thus, it may hardly to filter all the noises by the existing IC. This may generate the large amount of false reporting point.
In another aspect, the present technology also provides the method to eliminate the impact of noises by using the differential sensing circuit. The principle of the differential sensing method is that because of the two adjacent sensing electrodes of touch panel will respectively receive the similar amplitude of noises. As such, subtracting the two sensing signals of the two adjacent sensing electrodes will the impact of the noises.
However, the capacitance of the sensing electrodes may be different due to the variance of manufacturing processes. When the finger doesn't touch the touch panel, the capacitance values of the two sensing electrodes are similar and the impacts of noises are also similar. When the finger touches the touch panel, the capacitance values of the two adjacent sensing electrodes are different. But, the impacts of noises are still similar. Thus, by subtracting the two sensing signals of the two adjacent sensing electrodes, it will eliminate the impact of the noises. Besides, only the change of current value caused by the finger will be enhanced by the charge amplifier. Also, the change of current value caused by the finger will be transferred to a voltage signal and then output the voltage signal. However, it is hard to use this method to deal with the signal generated by non-locality stray.

Touch device, processor and touch signal accessing method thereof

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE