A press (10) for waste has a chamber that is enclosed in part by a sliding door (20). The door has an extrusion section (22) and an expulsion section (24). The extrusion section encloses the chamber while waste (18) is compressed in the chamber to extrude a wet fraction (32) of the waste. The expulsion section abuts the chamber when a remaining dry fraction (40) of the waste expelled. Preferably, the expulsion section is above the extrusion section. Various details of the door account for leakage of wet fraction waste between the chamber and the door.

This specification relates to presses for treating solid waste and methods of operating them.
Solid waste includes, for example, municipal solid waste (MSW), source separated organics (SSO) and waste from industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sources. The waste can de divided into various fractions. For example, the organic fraction is the part of the waste that is most easily biodegraded and may also be referred to as organic waste. The organic fraction is primarily made up of food waste, but may also include leaf and yard waste or other materials. The organic fraction is approximately 40% of ordinary MSW after recyclables are removed. SSO may have an organic fraction of 80% or more and ICI wastes can have varying amounts of organic material.
Historically, organic waste was landfilled with other solid waste. However, the organic fraction of solid waste is the major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, leachate and odors in landfills. There is a general trend to divert organic waste for biological treatment, for example by anaerobic digestion (AD) or composting. Most biological treatment steps require some preprocessing of the waste such as debagging and sorting to remove large items such as bottles and cans. Certain biological treatments, such as some composting methods and high-solids slurry and wet (low solids) anaerobic digestion, also require that the waste be reduced in size and homogenized. The size reduction is typically done in a device that comminutes the waste, such as a hammer mill, shredder or pulper. In some cases, the comminuting device also provides a coarse separation of contaminants (i.e. material that is not readily biodegraded, such as plastic). Alternatively, a separate separation device may be added. With adequate processing, at least some of the non-organic waste may be used, for example as refuse derived fuel (RDF), rather than landfilled.
Recently, there have been various attempts to use presses to separate solid waste into organic and non-organic fractions. The organic fraction may also be called a wet fraction and the non-organic fraction may also be called a dry fraction. In general, the solid waste is loaded into a chamber having a porous wall. A hydraulic ram compresses the waste, which causes liquids and soft materials (i.e. food waste) to be squeezed through the porous wall. Large pieces of primarily non-organic waste are retained in the chamber. The non-organic fraction can also include materials, such as wood, that are organic but would be difficult to digest. The non-organic waste is rejected through a door of the chamber. In some (but not all) cases the pressure of the ram is enough to break open cell walls in the organic waste that is squeezed through the porous wall.
US Publication 2013/0316428 describes one process in which an organic fraction is separated from solid waste in a press. The organic fraction is extruded through a grid having small-bore holes, under a pressure higher than the burst pressure of the cell membranes. The cells are disrupted and a gel or paste of a doughy consistency is produced. The gel can be digested in an anaerobic digester. Some examples of presses are described in European Publication Nos. 1207040 and 1568478, International Publication WO 2010/097177, and Italian patent application ITTO20111068. Commercially available presses include, for example, the Biosqueeze press sold by Finsterwalder and the VM 2000, Orex and Biorex presses sold by DB Technologies or Anaergia.


A machine leveling pedestal incorporating a cylinder and piston defining an interior space, having a helically threaded outer surface, and having an upwardly facing land; a hydraulic fluid port opening the interior expansion space; a nut having a downwardly facing land and gear teeth, the nut being threadedly mounted over the helically threaded outer surface; a drive gear connected to the cylinder and piston for vertically slidably engaging the drive gear with the gear teeth, and, upon alternate rotations of the drive gear, rotating the nut about the cylinder and piston so that the nut vertically moves between a mechanical support position and a hydraulic support position, the upwardly and downwardly facing lands contacting each other upon movement to the mechanical support position, and the downwardly facing land displacing upwardly upon movement toward the hydraulic support position; and a motor connected to the drive gear.

Hydraulic fluid actuated equipment leveling pedestals, or cylinder pedestals, are known to be equipped and configured for performing a screw actuated "lockdown" function which alters the pedestal's mode of support from pressurized hydraulic fluid support to mechanical support. Such lockdown apparatus are often difficult to access for actuation and commonly become fouled by dust or debris.
The instant inventive machine leveling pedestal solves or ameliorates the problems, defects, and deficiencies noted above by providing a cylinder pedestal which is specially equipped with a motor (or other turning means) actuated locking nut, and is further equipped with a dust and debris shroud or shield.


A framework defines a minimum set of requirements that all entities within an organization must adhere to when acquiring an information technology (IT) product. The framework has a first policy that each entity of the organization must follow the framework, a second policy defining a business process that each entity must follow when acquiring an IT product, a third policy defining a set of tools for being employed to implement the business process of the second policy; and a fourth policy defining additional requirements specific to one or more of the entities within the organization, where the additional requirements for each entity are defined by such entity.

A large organization such as a large corporation may have many constituent entities, including divisions, groups, sectors, wholly and partially owned subsidiaries, local office units, etc. Moreover, each constituent entity may require IT products as part of the continuing operation thereof. Such IT products are many and varied, and for example include office furniture, office supplies, vehicles, raw materials, computer equipment, and computer software. Especially with regard to Information Technology (IT) services, such IT products can include specialized and standardized hardware, specialized and standardized software applications, technical support, technical management, and the like.
IT services are in general currently being consolidated from localized IT centers into more globalized IT centers. Such consolidation is good in that IT products and services are being provided for constituent entities of a single organization by one or a few IT centers, as opposed to a different IT center for each entity. Such consolidation is problematic, however, in that the uniform approach that an IT center may apply to a plurality of the entities in an organization may in fact satisfy none of the entities. Put another way, a single IT product may be developed by the IT center to perform an overall function for the plurality of entities, and the single IT product may in fact perform well under a given operating environment. However, if none of the plurality of entities in fact has such an operating environment, all of such entities are dissatisfied, and the single IT product is in fact less than optimal if not useless. Similarly, if the single IT product works marginally well for the overall needs of all of the plurality of entities yet does not work substantially well for any of the plurality of entities, all of such entities are again dissatisfied and the single IT product is again in fact less than optimal if not useless.
As an example, consider first and second entities within the organization that both require an IT product or service such as a piece of software that performs an accounting function. However, and importantly, the first entity (and not the second entity) requires that the software perform a specific interfacing function with another piece of software, and the second entity (and not the first entity) requires that the software perform a specific printing function with a specialized printer. If the first entity orders the IT product without any input from the second entity, the printing function will be missing and the IT product will be useless to the second entity. Likewise, if the second entity orders the IT product without any input from the first entity, the interfacing function will be missing and the IT product will be useless to the first entity. Worse yet, if a third entity orders the IT product without any input from the first or second entities, the printing function and interfacing function will be missing and the IT product will be useless to both the first and the second entities.
Accordingly, a need exists for a process for obtaining such IT products. In particular, a need exists for such a process that obtains an IT service for multiple entities within an organization such that the obtained IT service satisfies the needs of each entity. More generally, a need exists for a formalized approach to obtaining an IT service such that each entity within an organization is obligated to obtain an IT service in such formalized manner.

Process for obtaining a service for multiple entities within an organization

BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation


A pest control system for integrating into a building structure for providing a strong and reliable defense against pests for building structures which is convenient to utilize. The inventive device includes a plurality of pipes interconnected throughout the walls of the building structure, a plurality of dispensing nozzles connected along the pipes, and a pump connected to the pipes for forcing a chemical throughout the pipes and out the nozzles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Exterminating Devices and more particularly pertains to a new Integrated Pest Control System for providing a strong and reliable defense against pests for building structures which is convenient to utilize.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of Exterminating Devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, Exterminating Devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art Exterminating Devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,796; U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,434; U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,749; U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,669; U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,806 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,706.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new Integrated Pest Control System. The inventive device includes a plurality of pipes interconnected throughout the walls of the building structure, a plurality of dispensing nozzles connected along the pipes, and a pump connected to the pipes for forcing a chemical throughout the pipes and out the nozzles.
In these respects, the Integrated Pest Control System according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a strong and reliable defense against pests for building structures which is convenient to utilize.


A pre-scented or custom-scented attachment designed to fit onto any existing lamp or lamp shade. The scent attachment allows consumers to choose a scent additive to freshen their home, kitchens, bedroom, bathroom, common-space lobbies, bar, restaurant or any other place where these products are used, as well as to complement the light emitted from the actual light fixture. The attachment can be replaced easily to refresh the space, or change the fragrance for the desired area to be scented. The attachment can be sold with a matching lamp fixture and shade or individually as its own product. It is a shaped attachment, with fragrance embedded therein, being a central hole to fit in the lamp spider, and incorporate grooves to fix it in place.

Over the years, there have been many inventions and attempts made to dispense fragrances that deal with light fixtures, bulbs or from candles. Many of these inventions are elaborate, even motor driven, battery operated, complicated and costly devices. Others may be placed directly onto the light bulb or onto a candle with fragrance oil being directly exposed to the bulb, fixture or open flame. This poses a safety hazard and the consumer potentially may spill or have the fragrance oil come in direct contact with furniture or skin, posing various health, safety and aesthetic risks. Producers of air fresheners have attempted to address this market by incorporating fragrance emitting devices including oils, fans and sprays onto various electrical appliances that plug into typical outlets. This works quite well, but there are several drawbacks.
One prior art aroma dispenser is an aroma dispensing device manufactured by "Delightful Scents" under the name of "light bulb fragrance ring." The device includes a ceramic annulus with a reservoir extending along a top portion thereof. The ceramic annulus is adapted to be received into the reservoir a quantity of an aromatic substance, and adapted to mount directly on a standard incandescent light bulb. The heat given off by the light bulb causes the aromatic substance to vaporize and diffuse into the air. The device permits the user to select a desired aromatic substance for use. However, such devices pose several hazards and limitations. The temperature of a typical incandescent light bulb can reach to at least 5,400° F. at the filament. Since some aromatic substances may be flammable, direct contact of the hot light bulb with the ceramic annulus and the aromatic substance may ignite the latter, thereby creating a dangerous fire hazard. Typical incandescent lamps are further configured to include an electrical light socket which is located below the light bulb. Since liquid aromatic substances are preferably used, such devices may further pose an electrical shock hazard should some of the substance leak down the bulb and into the socket. There is also the danger that the ceramic annulus may break the glass bulb if their respective thermal expansion coefficients are not closely matched.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,831 to Spector describes an elaborate air-filled device with jet openings and pressurized chambers that when hand actuated, expel a pulse of fragrance into the atmosphere.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,649 to Montealegre, and also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,373, 4,208,012 and 4,155,500, describe a variety of air freshener cartons that are free standing or can be wall mounted and exhibit perforated sleeves, folded flaps or other carton constructions that can be adjusted to allow more or less of a fragrance air freshener material to be released.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,658, to McCall, describes a roll spindle and hand ratchet mechanism that activates a music box, a fragrance dispensing apparatus, an audio tape player, and a night light.
The fragrance carrier itself also is the subject matter of many patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,912, to Santini, describes a membrane-gel diffusion device that allows for the controlled release of fragrance gel through a membrane material.
The patent to Spector, U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,011, shows an aromatic disk usable in conjunction with a conventional table lamp that is designed to provide for the emanation of a fragrance.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,737, also to Spector, shows a further arrangement for use with a light bulb for emitting a fragrance.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,162, to He, provides a device identified as an intermediary device for altering the surrounding environment.
The patent to Pete, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,231, shows another light bulb fragrance dispenser.
The patent to Huff, U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,248, discloses a controlled fragrance dispenser for light bulb.
The patent to McAuley, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428, is another room air freshener, in the form of a porous ceramic ring.
Another patent to Spector, U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,011, shows another type of aroma disk usable in conjunction with a conventional table lamp.
The patent to Jaworski, U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,440, shows another type of air freshener dispenser. A further patent to Gyulay, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,717, shows another room air freshener.
The patent to Buccellato, U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,935, discloses an aroma dispenser for a candle.
Another patent to Gyulay, U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,428, discloses another room air freshener, in the form of a porous ceramic ring.
The patent to Zembrodt, U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,737, discloses a fragrant light bulb ring.
Other patents relating to this technology include U.S. Pat. No. 1,403,548, upon a lamp vaporizer. U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,371, relating to evaporating disseminator. U.S. Pat. No. 2,419,357, relating to smoke pot cover. U.S. Pat. No. 2,435,756, relating to vaporizing and disseminating device. U.S. Pat. No. 2,557,501, relating to vaporizer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,624, relating to die stamping and printing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,784,102, relating to pendant capable of exposing different areas of a volatile tablet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,384, relating to lamp scent unit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,034, relating to lamp stand for lampshade. U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,011, relating to scented sticker. U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,059, relating to aroma-generating lamp structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,592, relating to aroma-generating capsule. U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,250, relating to night light assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,581, relating to self deodorizing ash tray. U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,433, relating to long-life aroma-generating capsule. Pat. No. D,301,636, relating to light bulb attachment for supporting scent-releasing pebbles or the like. Pat. No. D,301,760, relating to combined light bulb attachment and scent releasing pebbles therefore. U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,711, relating to fragrance dispensing device. Pat. No. D,308,419, relating to Cover Plate for a ceiling fan. U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,490, relating to Scent-generating lamp using mating parts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,877, relating article for diffusing volatile substances, and in particular perfume. U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,822, relating to Vent scent adapter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,286, relating to lamp shade adapter. Pat. No. D,363,537, relating to scented decorative ring for lamps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,831, relating to bed linen deodorizer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,728, relating to Combined drip preventing and fragrance dispensing candle holder. U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,248, relating to Controlled fragrance dispenser for light bulb. U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,963, relating to microwave deodorizer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,883, relating to guide for selectively receiving a wick in a dispenser for a volatile liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,665, relating to flameless candle with air intake chamber and air outflow chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 7,008,083, relating to method and apparatus for leveling a shade.
All of the above prior art patented inventions are more or less cumbersome to assemble and use. Many are very elaborate and costly to manufacture as they incorporate to varying degrees electric motors, valves, pressurized containers, ratchet handles and gears, electronics, wooden cabinets, batteries, moving parts, injection molded components, springs, mounting brackets, gels, complicated membrane packaging or scented oil to be applied to a reservoir by the consumer. The initial cost to purchase and later maintain the refills is relatively high.

Prescented and custom scented light fixture attachment


An adjustable height mounting pedestal (10) for public or coin telephones (18) comprises a tubular upright post (12) having a plurality of arrangements of mounting holes (80) corresponding to varying telephone mounting heights ranging from a drive-up curb side height to a standard handicap access height. A backboard mounting enclosure (16) is longitudinally aligned with and overlapping the upright post (12) such that the backboard (16) adjustably slides along the upright post (12) during installation of the mounting pedestal. A single installer can accurately determine the center height of a coin slot (19) of the telephone (18) before mounting the telephone within the backboard mounting enclosure (16) by use of a coin slot center height indicator (141). The upright post (12) allows mounting of a backboard (16) and telephone at a selectively variable height, and also allows the mounting of a second backboard (16') and telephone at the selected height.

Many public telephone booth and pedestal mounting arrangements are purchased and installed by building contractors and property owners rather than by telephone companies, and the proceeds from operation of such telephones are retained by the property owners. As a result, contractors and property owners purchase public or coin telephone mounting arrangements from manufacturers thereof and have an installation mechanic install the telephone mounting arrangement at a desired location. Afterwards, a telephone company mechanic installs the telephone to the mounting arrangement.
Because there is a variety of different applications for public or coin telephones, each requiring a separate type of mounting arrangement to accommodate varying telephone height requirements, adjustable telephone height mounting pedestals have been developed. For example, there are telephone applications for conventional pedestrian use, for drive-up use, either in a curbside mounting or directly installed on the pavement of a parking lot, and for handicap access use. Adjustable telephone pedestals allow for the manufacture of a single telephone arrangement adaptable for installation in all of these applications with the telephone mounted to the pedestal at a selected height above the ground. However, these adjustable telephone pedestals have been designed in a manner that makes installation of the telephone at an accurate height often difficult and time consuming.
Typical of such an adjustable height mounting pedestal for public and coin telephones is U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,103 to Holland. This adjustable height mounting pedestal employs a backboard mounting enclosure mounted at a selected height along a vertical wall of an upright pedestal to secure the telephone to the upright pedestal. A pair of adjustable height U-shaped channels, each containing threaded studs welded onto the channel, are utilized by a single installer to attach the backboard mounting enclosure to the pedestal. The installation of the Holland pedestal can be accomplished be a single installer.
Another type of adjustable telephone pedestal, known in the telephone mounting industry as a "Universal Adjustable Pedestal," manufactured by Nix & Miller Co., Buford, Ga., U.S.A. and by Acoustics Development Corporation, St. Joseph's, Mo., U.S.A., includes an elongate upper pedestal assembly, which supports and encloses a public or coin telephone and which is telescopically mounted to a relatively short bottom pedestal assembly. The upper pedestal assembly can be adjustably affixed at different heights along the bottom pedestal assembly, allowing for installation of the telephone at a selected height, by use of mounting bolts located along the exterior side walls of the pedestal. Because the upper pedestal assembly is much greater in length than the bottom pedestal assembly, and because the mounting bolts are exposed, this type of telephone mounting arrangement can be vandalized easily. The longer length of the upper pedestal assembly, as compared to the length of the bottom pedestal assembly, in combination with the weight of the telephone mounted to the upper pedestal, limits the strength of the attachment of the upper pedestal assembly to the lower pedestal assembly by subjecting the exposed mounting bolts to stress and shear forces. In addition, the exposure of the mounting bolts to the public subjects the bolts to potential tampering and possible removal. Thus, a vandal can loosen or eventually separate the upper pedestal assembly from the bottom pedestal assembly by loosening the mounting bolts and applying sufficient lateral force to the upper pedestal assembly so as to move the upper pedestal back and forth in a rocking fashion. This movement of the upper pedestal places extreme stress and shear forces on the loosened mounting bolts and can eventually loosen or break the mounting bolts.
During installation of the prior art universal adjustable pedestal, a single installer must support the upper pedestal assembly with one hand while stretching toward the bottom of the pedestal to insert simultaneously the mounting bolts into the aligned openings on the upper pedestal assembly and the bottom pedestal assembly. This can be an awkward, and sometimes difficult task. Thus, installation of these prior art adjustable height pedestals can be time consuming.
Additionally, it is known that certain state regulatory agencies require a specified mounting height or mounting height range for a public or coin telephone that does not exceed 54 inches for a standard handicap access height. Specifically, such governmental regulations typically specify that the center height for the coin slot of the telephone, the highest user interactive part of the telephone, cannot exceed this 54 inch limit, to provide for access to the telephone by the general public as well as by individuals in wheelchairs. The height for the coin slot in normal drive up applications is approximately 48 inches, and curbside drive up height is approximately 46 inches. Furthermore, many state regulations require that these coin slot heights be measured at a point thirty six inches in front of the coin slot.
However, prior art adjustable height pedestals have not provided an installer with an easy to use and accurate built-in mechanism for the determination of the center height of the coin slot at a point thirty six inches in front of the coin slot prior to the mounting of the telephone to the pedestal. Thus, it is difficult for an installer to determine accurately the center height of the coin slot during installation of prior art adjustable height pedestals because the telephone is typically mounted to the pedestal by the telephone company installer on a later date after the installation of the pedestal.
In particular, the installation of prior art adjustable height pedestals requires the installer to install the pedestal at the required coin slot center height without a reference point for the position of the coin slot by either visually gauging the approximate center height of the coin slot during the installation of the pedestal or by utilizing an independent measuring device to measure the approximate center height for the coin slot during the pedestal installation. In either case, the installer might be required to return to the pedestal installation site, after the telephone has been mounted to the installed pedestal, and adjust the pedestal height to satisfy the state regulatory requirement of a specific coin slot center height for standard handicap access of the mounted telephone.
Furthermore, prior art adjustable height pedestals, when installed on an inclined surface, create a gap between the mounting base of the telephone pedestal and the inclined surface upon which the pedestal is mounted. A user of the telephone can get his foot caught within this gap and damage his shoe or possibly injure his foot. Also, many telephone pedestals are leveled on a mounting surface by use of leveling bolts that bear down against a leveling plate to prevent the bolts from digging into the mounting surface. However, the leveling plates provided in prior art pedestals typically have to be installed at the same time the base of the pedestal is secured to the mounting surface. This requires alignment of the mounting bolts and the mounting holes in both the leveling plates and the base of the pedestal, for insertion of the mounting bolts through the pedestal base and into the mounting surface, a task that can be tedious and sometimes difficult.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved adjustable height mounting system for public or coin telephones that is easily installed at a mounting site by a single installer. In addition, there is a need for an improved adjustable height pedestal that provides an accurate height determination mechanism for allowing the installer to determine accurately the center height of the coin slot of the telephone before the mounting of the telephone to the adjustable height pedestal. Furthermore, there is a need for an adjustable height pedestal that is more secure from vandalism and theft than prior art telephone mounting arrangements, yet which is flexible and versatile to accommodate a variety of mounting arrangements. Also, there is a need for such an adjustable height pedestal that securely attaches an upper pedestal telephone mounting portion to a lower, base pedestal wherein the mounting bolts are protected and not subject to excess stress and shear forces. Furthermore, there is a need for an improved adjustable height pedestal that protects the feet of a user of a telephone mounted to the pedestal from becoming caught between the pedestal base and the mounting surface, and that allows for easy installation of leveling plates during the leveling process of the pedestal base.

Adjustable height pedestal for public and coin telephones


A coupling device for attaching a power lift of a tractor to an attachment includes a link mounting region having coupling units for the articulation of an upper link and two lower links of the power lift, and an apparatus mounting region for fixing the attachment. A coupling unit assigned to the upper link is movable in a translatory manner in a vertical direction running perpendicular to a transverse direction. The coupling units are movably disposed on a device base of the coupling device, and the coupling units assigned to the two lower links are movable in a translatory manner in the transverse direction.

In DE 10 2015 224 757 A1, a device is provided on a tractor in order to determine the vertical position of an attachment in the form of a plow pulled by the tractor. In the case of deviation from a reference vertical position, a hydraulic actuating unit is activated in order to pivot the plow.
There is a need, however, for an efficient operation of an attachment by a simple technical manner.


A method for separating carbohydrates from pulping liquors includes the steps of providing a wood pulping or wood or biomass hydrolysis pulping liquor having lignin therein, and mixing the liquor with an acid or a gas which forms an acid upon contact with water to initiate precipitation of carbohydrate to begin formation of a precipitate. During precipitation, at least one long chain carboxylated carbohydrate and at least one cationic polymer, such as a polyamine or polyimine are added, wherein the precipitate aggregates into larger precipitate structures. Carbohydrate gel precipitates are then selectively removed from the larger precipitate structures. The method process yields both a carbohydrate precipitate and a high purity lignin.

Paper manufacture requires a source of cellulose fibers. Common raw materials as cellulose fiber sources are hardwoods and softwoods as well as those of annual vegetable origin, such as wheat and rice straw, hemp, jute, as well as annual or perennial reeds and grasses, and sugar canes which are often biennial and, in some climates, perennial. Rag materials, as well as recycled fibers, can also be used. However, wood has been, and continues to be, a primary source of cellulose fibers for paper production.
Before use, the wood or other cellulose containing raw material must be processed to release the cellulose fibers. This operation is referred to as "pulping". At present, commercial pulping operations are of three principal types: mechanical, full chemical, and semichemical. Another method of pulping, known as sulfite pulping, involves chemical transformation of the lignin component of the fiber source resulting in chemically modified lignin to be solubilized in water.
Full chemical and semichemical pulping employ chemical reagents to effect separation of the cellulosic fibers from other components. Wood chips or other raw materials are cooked with suitable chemicals in aqueous solution, usually at elevated temperatures and pressures. The object is to dissolve the organic binders holding the cellulosic fibers, termed "lignins", which vary widely but typically comprise around 20-30% of common raw woods, for example, along with other types of organic molecules, such as saccharide molecules, and other extraneous compounds, leaving the cellulose fibers intact. Although there is generally some resulting cellulose degradation, the objective can be realized to a commercially satisfactory degree through the use of a variety of chemical reagents. Pulp yields from wood using such processes usually exceed 40% of wood dry weight. The resulting liquid stream after pulping is generally referred to as wood pulping liquor, which includes lignin therein.
Lignins have been studied extensively and are believed to generally comprise the noncarbohydrate portion of the cell walls of plant materials. Originally, the lignin content of plant materials was defined as the residue after hydrolysis with strong acid following removal of waxes, tannins, and other extractives, including resins and tall oils. Lignins are amorphous, have high molecular weight, and are predominantly aromatic in structure. In general, the monomeric units comprising lignins can be referred to as p-hydroxycinnamyl alcohols. More specifically, according to The Merck Index, lignins comprise coniferyl, p-coumaryl, and sinapyl alcohols. Their precise composition vary with several factors including the method of isolation, and the species, age, and growing conditions, of the plant. Lignins are more or less completely removed from fiber by the digestion process of chemical pulping and enter the water phase of digestion pulping liquor in oxidized colloidal form.
Wood pulping liquors are typically concentrated by multieffect evaporation. Concentrated pulping (black) liquors from the dominant U.S. process, Kraft pulping, are burned to provide both process energy and nearly-complete recycle of inorganic pulping chemicals. Liquors from processes, such as acid sulfite pulping, where chemical recycle is limited are marketed as concentrates. If Kraft lignin is separated, it is typically precipitated from partially concentrated hot pulping liquors. Because lignin precipitates at a pH lower than that at which hemicellulose precipitates, hemicellulose is typically coprecipitated with lignin. This may be advantageous for some applications, such as asphalt additives. However, the presence of carbohydrate increases weight loss during firing of lignins at temperatures above 200° C. A high volatiles content is not desired for applications such as carbon fiber feedstocks, in which a predominantly lignin material is fired at high temperature.
Hemicellulose is the predominant dissolved carbohydrate in wood pulping streams. A hemicellulose can be any of several heteropolymers (matrix polysaccharides) present in almost all cell walls along with cellulose. Hemicelluloses include xylan, glucuronoxylan, arabinoxylan, glucomannan, and xyloglucan. Currently, the forest products industry is funding research to evaluate methods for decreasing black liquor carbohydrates in several ways, most notably by stripping hemicellulose from wood chips by using a two-step pulping process. Hemicellulose and inorganics can also be precipitated from liquors by addition of alcohol(s) or ketones in water.
At present, the major use of hemicellulose in alkaline (Kraft and soda) pulping liquor is combustion to supply mill energy. A small amount of hardwood hemicellulose, which consists primarily of pentose (5-carbon) sugars, is currently recovered from spent sulfite pulping liquors as a feedstock for xylitol synthesis or biosynthesis. Xylitol is used as a sweetener and flavoring agent. In the sulfite pulping technologies (neutral sulfite semichemical, acid sulfite) common outside of the U.S., the need to develop uses and processing methods have resulted in the evaluation of modern separation processes for liquor components, such as lignosulfonates and hemicelluloses. These efforts often involve the use of ultrafiltration.
Several methods are known for removing carbohydrates from pulping liquors prior to lignin filtration. These methods include direct enzyme hydrolysis of hemicellulose, ion exchange stripping of hemicelluloses with acid moieties (oxidized sulfate compounds, carboxyl groups), acid hydrolysis of lignin, and selective precipitation of dissolved carbohydrates. The high hemicellulose content of commercial lignins and lignins precipitated from black liquors make direct enzyme hydrolysis of hemicellulose generally impractical, while the pH of black liquors (>pH 11) is higher than the effective pH ranges (typically pH 3 to 8.5 or, rarely, 9) of available commercial enzymes. At pH 5 to 8.5, where lignin exists as a precipitate or gel, many carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes bind to lignin. The low levels of acid moieties in hemicellulose from lignin and black liquors preclude the effective use of ion exchange resin stripping. The potential for damage to the lignin structure (hydrolysis and depolymerization) by acid hydrolysis generally precludes the use of the acid hydrolysis technique.
Selective precipitation of carbohydrates dissolved in black liquors does significantly reduce volatiles in lignins produced from those black liquors. At room temperature and using either weak Kraft or alkaline pulped black liquor or commercial lignins dissolved to a similar concentration, carbohydrate precipitation could be accomplished by dropping the pH from 12 to 14 down to pH 9.5 to 10.5. However, the hemicellulose precipitates are very small, typically about 1 micron in size, and form voluminous soft gels which can be removed by centrifugation. Cleaner lignin could then be prepared by precipitation of the centrate at pHs ranging from 3.0 to 6.0. Precipitated lignin could then be redissolved and the processing steps repeated until the desired lignin (or hemicellulose) purity was obtained. This method produces high quality lignins and recovers high quality hemicellulose. However, the method is non-economical because three pH cycles were typically required.
The necessary features of black liquor processing additives for major industry generally comprise 1) little or no use of "non-process elements," (such as magnesium, iron, aluminum, nickel, or cobalt) which could cause equipment corrosion or pulp discoloration, 2) limited use of additives (not to exceed 100 to 1000 ppm each of three or fewer additives per separation), and 3) where possible, additives should be materials tested and accepted for use in paper or in foods. What is needed is an economical method to improve separation of carbohydrates from pulping and hydrolysis liquors that satisfies all the above requirements.

Method for improving separation of carbohydrates from wood pulping and wood or biomass hydrolysis liquors


A portable electromagnetic power system used as a remote alternate power source includes a water tank having an oil reservoir mounted on top of the tank with four cylinders extending through the tank and the two outer cylinders denoted the pressure cylinders and the two inner cylinders serving as accumulators with electromagnets mounted at the ends of each pressure cylinder for reciprocating an internal floating piston and each inner cylinder having a permanent magnet mounted at one end for actuating a magnetized floating piston disposed therein and each magnetized floating piston dividing the inner cylinder into an air chamber portion and a fluid chamber portion with the oil reservoir and the cylinders all in fluid flow registration with each other and the inner cylinders connected to a working pressure line that connects to a device, such as a hydraulic motor, so that the outer cylinder develop working pressure concomitant with the flow of oil therein that is directed to the inner (accumulator) cylinders for providing working pressure to power a device such as a hydraulic motor.

Power generating systems are ubiquitous in our modern industrial and technological society. They are needed to power everything from factories and electrical grid systems to sprayers, washers, cleaners and heaters for small scale and residential consumer use. Power generating systems can be electrically powered or powered by or through an internal combustion engine. However, many situations and occasions arise where power is needed but is not readily available; such situations and occasions can range from vacationing and camping activities at remote sites to construction and work sites far from readily available power sources. There is also the need for portable systems to provide power to a turbine, hydraulic motor or heating system of an automotive vehicle such as a tractor-trailer. Emergency situations and first responder situations also require power as there are often power shortages and power outages accompany such emergency situations. One disadvantage of power systems that have some portability is that they include combustion engines which thus require the storage and transport of fuel, such as kerosene or gasoline, along with the power producing system—and this adds to the cost, complexity, and safety concerns for the power system. Thus, the prior art discloses a number of power system many of which include magnets to actuate linear reciprocable pistons.
For example, the Gillott et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,082) discloses an improved permanent magnet motor and an improved air delivery system so that the motor provides the linear drive for a respirator piston.
The Simes et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,911) discloses an improved permanent with an improved air delivery system for respirators wherein a permanent magnet translational motor provides the linear drive for the respirator piston.
The Alsobrooks et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,163) discloses a fuel injection fuel supply system for a combustion engine that includes a fuel injector valve for metering and injecting all the required fuel to the engine.
The Mesenich patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,252) discloses a fuel injection fuel supply system for a combustion engine for metering and injecting fuel to the engine induction system.
The Bassine patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,563) discloses a magnetically actuated linear displacement compressor that includes a cylinder, a diaphragm, a means for introducing gas into each of the cylinder portions, and a linear actuator surrounded by groups of windings that can be selectively energized and de-energized.
The Wisskirchen et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,135) discloses a bistable electromagnet is moved from one operating position into the other operating position by a short direct-current pulse.
The Schafer patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,746 B2) discloses an electromagnet that is applied to a proportional magnet that is arranged within a hydraulic system of an apparatus for varying the control times of inlet and outlet valves of an internal combustion engine.
Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a portable remote alternate power system for ground use and without the use of a combustion engine.

Portable, remote electromagnetic power system


A method of promoting business on a golf course using golf ball position markers including the steps of: providing replacement golf ball markers mountable on golf gloves, the markers having a corporate theme or logo to be promoted conveyed on the top side of each marker; distributing the markers to golfers and substituting the markers for non-promotion markers which do not convey the corporate theme or logo, so as to promote the corporate theme or logo to the golfers during play, whereby as consecutive golfers from a group of the golfers putt on each green in the series of greens comprising the golf course being played, the corporate theme or logo is recurringly conveyed to the group each time various markers in random order are used during putting on the greens.

The game of golf as it is known today originated from a game played on the eastern coast of Scotland during the 15th century. It was, and for centuries remained, a game of the affluent for it was they who had the means to afford the handcrafted equipment required to partake in the sport and the luxury of time in which to play. With the industrial revolution, however, came the large-scale production of metal club heads, shafts and balls and a consequent reduction in the cost to acquire same. The sport became accessible to the general populace and its popularity rapidly grew. [A History of Golf since 1497 at www.golfeurope.com/almanac/history/history3.htm]
As is described at Business Reference Services, Library of Congress [www.loc.gov/rr/business/BERA/issue3/golf.html+golf+industry+sale+stati . . . ], amateur participation in golf has been increasing in the United States since 1985. In 1985, approximately 17 million golfers in the United States played over 414 million rounds of golf at over 12,000 facilities. That number had increased to over 27 million golfers playing almost half a million rounds at almost 16,000 facilities by 2003. Revenues generated from the retail sale of golf related equipment such as bags, balls, etcetera were $2.5 billion in 1990 and by 2002, had climbed to over $3 billion.
As is evidenced by the above-referenced revenue statistics, the golf industry has become heavily commercialized. Product branding, through the placement of corporate logos on promotional golf accessories such as golf tees and balls which are intended to be given away, is commonplace.
In addition to its rapid growth in overall popularity, golf and, more specifically, the act of engaging in a game of golf with others has, in the commercial setting, evolved from mere recreation to a place for doing business. Jonathan B. Weinbach of The Wall Street Journal reported in his Jan. 11, 2000 article,                "As golf continues its transformation from province of the wealthy to mass pastime, a growing number of major U.S. companies—including Marriott Corp., International Business Machines Corp. and Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc.—are sending young executives to "business golf" experts to learn the art of selling themselves on the fairway. The rationale: Rounds of golf are now the "martini lunches" of a generation ago, so companies need salespeople with social graces and tactical savvy on the links." [www.theglobeandmail.com/series/golf/business/20000111.html]
Golf is considered by networking experts to be one of the single most important activities for a business be it for negotiating deals, procuring new clients or expanding contacts. [Ottawa Business Journal, May 10, 2006 at www.ottawabusiness.com] It has become a useful tool for initiating contacts, acting as an ice-breaker. With golf forming a common bond of interest between two or more individuals, a basis upon which a business relationship can develop is thereby created and fostered. The hours spent together on the links allows players to acquaint themselves with the personal likes, dislikes, interests and histories of their fellow players, which information may prove useful in future dealings, as well as providing the players with an opportunity to form assessments of their golfing partners.
Golf has a well-established reputation as being a game of etiquette and finesse. The manner in which a player conducts himself on the golf course can communicate much to those with whom he is golfing. When those individuals are prospective clients, business partners or referral sources, they may during the course of the round learn about that player's attitudes, approach to business, and to life. Not surprisingly, golf etiquette, a skill which is said to be learned, practiced and respected, has been likened to the customs practiced in business. [www.GolfIncline.com]
One such rule of etiquette involves the procedure to be followed when putting on the green. As is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,103, it is a practice in the game of golf to allow a player whose ball lies farthest from the hole on the green to putt first. As another player's ball may lie on or close to the anticipated path of the furthest ball, the rules of the game allow for the closer player to mark the location of his or her ball temporarily with a marker which will not impede the travel of another ball if that other ball passes over the marker. Many players place a dime or other small, flat object such as a button at the location of the temporarily removed ball to mark its location until the ball is returned to play. The golfing industry has developed a number of specialized markers for such use.
One such specialized marker is a marker which is removably mounted to a golf glove. As is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,519,776, a number of years ago, golf glove manufacturers began to sell gloves which had a removable ball marker attached by means of a "snap" connector to each glove. The glove is equipped with a female receptacle or socket, and the marker has a corresponding male fitting or stud on its back.
Such snap-on ball markers, when sold with the corresponding glove, commonly bear the logo or insignia of the golf glove manufacturer. The appearance of such brands on snap-on ball markers is, for the most part, commonplace in the golfing industry and, consequently, unremarkable. Such non-distinctiveness may prove to be problematic where two or more players in a golfing party are wearing gloves made by the same manufacturer, each of which gloves are fitted with markers bearing that manufacturer's logo. The problem may be compounded if the players all belong to the same golf club and hence likely shop for gloves in the same pro shop, thus ending up with the same brands of gloves and, consequently, identical markers. If two or more of these players have occasion to use their matching ball markers on the green at the same time, it may become difficult for them to determine which marker was placed where by which player which could result in an awkward situation for the subject golfers. Hence, should one such player be seeking to curry favour with his carefully selected golfing partners, the player may find himself at a decided disadvantage. Rather than delivering a well-rehearsed, smooth and polished business presentation and showing a commensurate command of the game of golf as planned, the player, because of the confusion resulting from the use of identical, nondescript ball markers, may suddenly find himself or herself not entirely in control of the game and perhaps, at worst, flustered and embarrassed in front of those the player wants to impress.
In addition, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,947, the markers designed for attachment to golf gloves are usually small and, in many instances, may be left on the green unintentionally or dropped prior to being replaced into the glove receptacle thereby becoming separated from the glove indefinitely. Applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,103, issued to Sihn on Oct. 29, 1996 which describes a Golf Ball Marker preferably formed entirely of a precious metal, such as ten to eighteen karat gold, and may include one or more settings precious stones on the upper surface thereof. Alternatively, Sihn teaches that the marker may be formed primarily of a less costly base metal and plated with a precious metal, as desired, or that the upper periphery of the marker preferably includes a plurality of facets therearound, with the precious metal and stones and the faceted edged providing a brilliant and highly reflective marker from virtually any angle or position. Sihn describes that the substantially spherical protrusion extending from the bottom surface serves to secure the marker on the green, and also serves to secure the marker to an article of apparel as an ornamental jewelry articles when not in use as a ball marker.
The loss of snap-on ball markers is a common occurrence which results in the glove owner being left with a golf glove which has no snap-on ball marker, only a female receptacle looking for a mate. This loss, in turn, means that the player, who may by now be in the middle of an important golf game with prospective clients or a prospective employer whom the player wishes to impress, must now seek alternative means for marking the location of his golf ball on the green, such as fumbling through pockets looking for loose change. This, of course, defeats one of the primary reasons which motivated the player to purchase the golf glove in the first place, namely, to convey, by having a readily accessible ball marker to hand, an air of preparedness and mastery of the situation. Such unseemly fumbling, however, may have an opposite impact upon the individuals with whom the player is golfing, and is endeavouring to impress.
The failure to have made provision for the loss of the snap-on marker, which is a reasonably foreseeable event, may be considered by these golfing partners to reflect poorly on the player's perceived aptitude for planning for contingencies, including then by inference, those in business. That is, the golfer's fellow players may, for example, consider such an incident to be indicative of a failure to anticipate and to make appropriate provision to avoid such perceived failures, the antipodal message to that which the golfer was intending to convey. For the fellow players, who are not only playing a round of golf but are also assessing the business acumen, poise and finesse of their fellow golfer as a prospective supplier, partner or other business associate or employee, such lack of preparedness may, in their minds, have a significant negative impact on their assessment of the golfer's candidacy for the subject project or position.

Method for conducting business on the golf course incorporating the use of golf ball markers


A method and apparatus for dynamic characterization of reliability wearout mechanisms is disclosed. The system comprises an integrated circuit incorporating a device under test to be measured, structure for inputting a waveform to the device under test for a first predetermined time interval, structure for disabling the inputting of the waveform to the device under test, structure for measuring one or more fundamental parameters of the device under test after a second predetermined time interval, and structure for calculating an aging estimate of the device under test without the influence of recovery effect based on the one or more measured fundamental parameters. The time between stressing and measurement is precisely controlled, providing for repeatable experiments, and serves to minimize measurement error caused by recovery effects.

There are two major types of FET (Field-Effect Transistor) devices, the metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor or MOSFET (also called an insulated-gate FET, or IGFET), and the junction-gate FET, or JFET. An FET has a control gate and source and drain regions formed in a substrate. In MOSFETs, the control gate is formed above a thin dielectric insulator (gate dielectric) overlying a doped "channel" region between the source and drain regions. JFETs, like MOSFETs, have a doped channel region between their source and drain region but in JFETs, the control gate is formed by an oppositely doped gate region surrounding the channel region and forming a p-n junction therewith (hence the name "junction-gate" FET). In normal operation, this p-n junction is reverse biased. As the voltage applied to the control gate is varied, the electric field formed between the gate region and the channel region affects free carriers in the channel region to form a larger or smaller conduction channel through the channel region depending upon the applied gate voltage (the "field effect"). The gate voltage at which the conduction channel "pinches off" and becomes non-conductive is referred to as the "pinch off" voltage.
FET devices can be used as either amplifying or switching devices in electronic circuits. When used as an amplifying device, control of conduction between the source and drain through the channel region is used to amplify small AC signals. When used as a switching device (binary mode), a small current is used to switch the transistor between an "on" state and an "off" state. In a typical switching application, when the applied gate voltage causes a conduction channel to form, the FET device turns "on" and current can flow between the source and drain regions. Conversely, when the applied gate voltage causes the conduction channel to disappear or "pinch off", the FET device turns "off" and current flow between the source and drain regions is blocked.
Modern computers, consumer electronics devices, and other computerized devices employ integrated circuit devices comprising many transistors operating in binary mode. In recent years, the computing power of computers and consumer electronic devices has increased dramatically. This has been accomplished by dramatic reductions in the size of transistor devices, resulting in a corresponding increase in the number of transistors on an integrated circuit device, in turn enabling reductions in the overall size of computer or consumer electronics devices, thereby increasing the amount of computing power that can be fit within a given volume. In addition, by increasing the number of transistors in an integrated circuit device, operational problems such as cross talk between physically adjacent conductors and signal propagation delays between different sections of a computing device can be reduced. As computers and consumer electronics continue to require increased computing power, there is considerable incentive for the semiconductor industry to continue the current trend towards increasingly compact and complex integrated circuits.
This trend toward more complex integrated circuits has been driven by increasing density of individual circuit elements on integrated circuit devices. Circuit elements such as metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), resistors, etc. are typically used as components in an integrated circuit design. To increase the number of circuit elements within an integrated circuit, it is necessary to decrease the size of individual circuit elements. The size of individual circuit elements cannot be reduced arbitrarily. There are limitations to size reduction, including dimensional tolerance capabilities associated with manufacturing processes and various electrical phenomena that are associated with physical dimensions of circuit elements. In addition, the essential requirement for high reliability of integrated circuits itself places limitations on shrinking the size of such elements. The steps of identifying these and other limitations and discovering techniques for ameliorating these limitations have made possible the increasing complexity of integrated circuits.
As an example, the prior art in the field of manufacture, testing, and use of MOSFET devices has identified several problems that occur during long-term use of such devices. Of particular concern are various degradation or dynamic "wearout" mechanisms including, but not limited to, channel hot carrier (CHC) damage, negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and Electromigration (EM).
NBTI in a MOSFET device is a serious detriment to the long-term stability of the MOSFET device. As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,521,469 to La Rosa et al., which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, NBTI results from charge buildup at the silicon—silicon oxide interface and is due to the influence of negative voltages on the gate electrode of MOS structures.
The simultaneous demands for higher drive current at lower operating voltages has led to more serious concerns over negative bias temperature instability (NBTI), which significantly shifts threshold voltage and reduces drive current. There are also indications that NBTI worsens exponentially with thinning gate oxide, and Vt (threshold voltage) shifts in the order of 50 mV are serious for devices operating at 1.2 V or below.
In order to produce accurate predictions of the expected service life and reliability of CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) integrated circuit technologies, it is essential to quantify the dynamic wearout mechanisms that can adversely affect the performance of the circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors) employed by those technologies. In SiO2 based CMOS technologies, Channel Hot Carrier (CHC) and NBTI damage have been identified as two key transistor-level FEOL (front end of line) wearout mechanisms that can reduce transistor lifetime. Typically these mechanisms are characterized under DC stress conditions and the effect of AC stressors is estimated based upon a "quasi-static" approximation.
Recent experimental data suggest that the quasi static approximation may not be accurate in the case of NBTI due to recovery effects. Evidently, there is a recovery effect that can occur whereby observable accelerated aging effects (e.g., threshold shift) due to applied AC "overstresses" can tend to reverse themselves over a period of time after the stress signals are removed. That is, the degradation (e.g., threshold shift) measured immediately after removing the stress will be greater than the degradation measured at some time later. Using conventional prior-art stress/characterization techniques, considerable time can elapse between stress and measurement, resulting in mischaracterization of the rate of degradation and inaccurate device lifetime predictions. This is particularly critical in High K technologies where the role of electron trapping in AC operation needs to be characterized.
Another problem with current accelerated aging techniques relates to the characterization of resistor/wire Electron Migration (EM) aging under AC condition. It can be expected that there will be an improvement of the End Of Life lifetime under AC stress conditions as compared to DC stress conditions. Currently, the difference between electro migration aging effects under DC and AC operating conditions is measured using external (to the chip) pulse generators to apply AC stress waveforms to the device under test (DUT). This approach is severely limited by the bandwidth of the cabling used for wafer level testing permitting DC vs. AC stress comparisons only at frequencies below 10 MHz.
There is thus a need in the art of reliability testing of MOSFET devices for improvement in the processes used to test for NBTI, which degrades the gate oxide of the MOSFET device, preferably without having to heat the full wafer on which the transistor is built. There is also a need for an NBTI test procedure that is sufficiently quick and cost-effective that the procedure can be applied to monitor NBTI on every lot in a semiconductor manufacturing line.
The current techniques used to characterize wearout have limitations that prevent a detailed characterization of both AC and DC wearout characteristics. Therefore, it is desirable to have a system and method that allows a better understanding, and capability for verifying experimentally, wearout mechanisms and their impacts on a given circuit design, to ensure continued high reliability for semiconductor devices and circuits.

Method and apparatus for dynamic characterization of reliability wearout mechanisms

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus is provided that is configured for attachment to an aerosol can to permit mixing of contents therein. The apparatus includes a generally flat base portion coupled to a drive shaft orthogonally oriented relative to the base portion, and a securing strap attached to the base portion. The securing strap is configured to engage or grip a cylindrical end portion of an aerosol can to secure the aerosol can to the apparatus, whereby the drive shaft is configured to be mounted within a drill chuck to permit the mixing apparatus to rotate an aerosol can attached thereto for mixing contents within the aerosol can.

This section provides background information related to the various embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.
Conventional aerosol spray cans of various typed experience the effect of settling of contents within the can after a period of storage, and require subsequent mixing of the contents prior to use. Most paint shakers now available are specialized and costly to the average homeowner, who infrequently has a need to mix the contents of an aerosol paint can and cannot justify the expense and storage space required for a specialized paint shaking or mixing machine. Several devices have been developed for utilizing a common homeowner tool to mix paint, but such devices are unwieldy and cumbersome to use.


A lock has a housing with a hole. A lock post has an interior end fixed in the housing and an exterior end extruded out of the housing via the hole. The lock post has a lock portion at the exterior end thereof. Two close posts have interior ends received in the housing and a plate is connected to the interior ends. The close posts are movable relative to the lock post. A control device is provided to the housing for manipulation to move the close posts. An elastic device is provided in the housing with opposite ends against the housing and the plate. A lock mechanism is provided to the housing to be switched between an unlock condition, in which the close posts are free for movement, and a lock condition, in which the close posts are exterior ends thereof extruded out of the housing and are secured threat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a lock, and more particularly to a lock having an easier way in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13 shows a conventional lock 90, which has a housing 91 with two lock posts 92, a ring 93 fitted to the housing 91 and a lock block 94 provided at between the lock posts 92 and connected to the ring 93. As shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, while the lock 90 is unlocked, the ring 93 is rotated to drive the lock block 94 for rotation between an open position as shown in FIG. 13 and a close position as shown in FIG. 15.
Aforesaid lock usually is applied to notebook or hard disk and so on. The lock block is inserted into a lock hole of the notebook or hard disk and is locked therein. This kind of lock is locked by rotating the ring to drive the lock block turning and locked in the lock hole.
In application, a cable is connected to the lock and the cable has a loop at a distal end thereof. As shown in FIG. 16, the cable 95 is wound on a fixed device, such as a column, and the lock passes through the loop 96 and is locked with the notebook to lock the notebook to the column.
Another application is that the cable has a fixed block 97 with a hole to be fitted to the cable and moved to where beside the loop. The cable is wound on the predetermined object, it is a suitcase in FIG. 17, and lock it on the column.


The invention relates to a corner accessory for placing at the junction between at least two ducts that extend in different directions, the accessory comprising two distinct flaps, one of which includes a projecting element and the other of which includes a circular opening receiving said projecting element to allow said flaps to pivot about a pivot axis, the circular edge of said opening opening out locally to a straight slot that extends radially relative to the circular edge of said opening and that opens out into a free edge of said flap. According to the invention, said projecting element is a cylindrical wall presenting firstly an outside diameter equal, ignoring clearance, to the inside diameter of said circular opening so that during pivoting of one flap relative to the other, the outside face of said cylindrical wall slides over the edge face of the circular edge of said opening, and presenting secondly a height that varies around its circumference.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to ducts of the type used, for example, to support, house, and protect various pieces of equipment, such as pieces of electrical equipment, and also to support, house, and protect cables, conductors, pipes, or other pieces of equipment needed for serving said pieces of equipment.
The invention relates more particularly to a corner accessory for placing at the junction between at least two ducts that extend in different directions, the accessory comprising two distinct flaps, one of which includes a projecting element and the other of which includes a circular opening receiving said projecting element to allow said flaps to pivot about a pivot axis, the circular edge of said opening opening out locally to a straight slot that extends radially relative to the circular edge of said opening and that opens out into a free edge of said flap.
A particularly advantageous application of the invention lies in making an inside or an outside corner accessory for ducts.
2. Description of Related Art
Document IT 01281834 discloses a corner accessory having a web that includes facing lugs at one end of its flanges, which lugs carry studs for insertion into circular openings provided in the flanges of the other web.
The webs are assembled together by squeezing together a little the flanges of the web including said openings so as to deform said flanges elastically and engage said studs in said openings.
Thus, said webs can take up different relative angular positions between a first extreme position in which the web carrying the studs uncovers a maximum amount of the other web so as to form an angle less than equal to 90°, and a second extreme position in which said web carrying the studs completely overlies the other web so as to form an angle greater than 90°.
In addition, according to that document, each of said lugs carrying the studs of the corresponding web presents a circular edge provided with a chamfer such that when said web is in the second extreme position completely overlying the other web, the edge co-operates with a recessed corner in the vicinity of the opening on the outer surface of the rim of the corresponding web. That co-operation of chamfers with corners ensures that when in said second extreme position, an impact on said webs will not cause the studs to escape from said openings and thus said webs to be disassembled.
Such an accessory presents several drawbacks.
Firstly, it is difficult to assemble the two flaps of the accessory together since that requires said flaps to be deformed and requires the studs to be brought into alignment with the respective openings while they are unseen.
Furthermore, in order to limit the amount of deformation that is necessary for the flap including said openings, and thus make it easier to assemble the flaps together, the studs provided on the other flap are of small height. Thus, when an impact occurs against said flaps, it can easily cause the studs to escape from said openings and thus cause the flaps to be disassembled. Apart from the arrangement of chamfers and corners, the accessory does not include any means for ensuring, that in the relative angular positions of said webs other than said above-mentioned extreme positions, an impact against said webs does not cause the stud to escape from said openings, i.e. does not cause said webs to be disassembled.
Finally, document DE 20 2005 012 520 U describes an outside or inside corner accessory having two distinct identical flaps that are hinged to each other via a peg provided on one of the flaps with the shank thereof engaging via a slot in an opening provided in the other flap. Each flap comprises a web between two facing flanges on two opposite sides, the flanges extending substantially at right angles to the web, the peg being provided on the inside face of a portion of the flange that covers a portion of the flange provided with said opening in the other flap.

Duct corner accessory with pivoting flaps


A pack contains a dry alkaline solid (1), which produces in an aqueous media a pH value exceeding 10, which consists of at least a one-layer packaging and which contains at least one polymer film (3) soluble in aqueous alkaline media. The polymer film contains two phases, whereby the continuous phase is made of a copolymer or terpolymer of .alpha.-.beta. unsaturated monocarboxylic acid which has a COOH group and the discontinuous phase is formed by a polymer which has an epoxy group, whereby both polymers are bonded in the boundary layer through esterification between COOH groups of the copolymer or terpolymer and epoxy groups of the discontinuous phase polymer.

Packs of this nature are described in WO 92/20775. The pack contains a prescribed amount of strongly alkaline and hence aggressive cleaning agent, which is apportioned in the dosing unit of washing or rinsing machines, in particular professional machines of this kind. The film surrounding the alkaline solid should protect against contact with the alkaline solid during handling. On the other hand, the film should dissolve or disintegrate in an aqueous alkaline medium by itself, so that separate evacuation and hence handling of such film when or after releasing the solids is not required anymore.
The way of using so-called wash blocks is described in EP-652,724 B1, the contents of which are referred to here.
The general application of packs containing water soluble cleaning agent is affected by problems of physical and chemical compatibility of the films with water and cleaning systems. Many films, for instance those made of polyvinyl pyrrolidine, polyethyl-oxazoline and polyvinyl-alcohol are able to react with active components of a cleaning system. Such films are moisture sensitive and may soften and loose their strength under the effect of the moisture. More important, however, is the fact that many chemicals used in cleaning compounds attack the films and may cause defects in the sealing and/or the water solubility of the pack, particularly if the pack is stored under moist conditions.
In the above mentioned WO 92/20775, several types of films are described. As a rule, multilayer composite films are provided, in which the various layers have a different composition. One of these layers may consist of a copolymer, or a terpolymer of an .alpha.-.beta. unsaturated monocarboxylic acid, possessing a COOH group.
Plastics possessing a COOH-group, which are soluble in aqueous alkaline solution and which are stable in aqueous acid media and generally also in neutral aqueous media, are known in the art. In this context, we refer to the following European disclosures: EP-A-143,935 and EP-A-032,244. From EP-A-314,156, plastics that can disintegrate in neutral aqueous media are also known.


A knife system for providing efficient replacement of a knife blade. The knife system generally includes a body, a lever pivotally connected to the body, a collet connected to the body, and a shaft connected between the lever and the collet. When the lever is in a closed position, the shaft applies tension to the collet resulting in frictional engagement with a blade within the collet. An illuminating unit is preferably positioned within the body directing light towards the blade within the collet to illuminate a work area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to knives and more specifically it relates to a knife system for providing efficient replacement of a knife blade.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Utility knives and hobby knives have been in use for years. Conventional utility knives, such as drywall knives, utilize replaceable blades that require removing a portion of the housing to replace the blade. Inexpensive utility knives utilize extendable blades that have breakable segments to allow for a sharpened segment to be exposed from the body. Hobby knives, such as X-ACTO® brand knives, utilize a blade that is mounted in an elongated cylindrical body by a knurled collar that tightens a collet that retains the blade.
A problem with conventional knives is that they are time consuming and cumbersome to replace a blade. A problem with conventional hobby knives is that they are prone to rolling off tables and other surfaces. A problem with utility knives and hobby knives is that they do not provide an independent light source for a user. Another problem with knives that use replaceable blades is that the blades become loosened over time as they are used making it difficult to be accurate.


A signal estimation apparatus classifies reception signal components included in a reception signal y and transmission signal components included in a transmission signal into a plurality of signal groups in accordance with a degree of a correlation between the reception signal component and the transmission signal component, on the basis of system information, sets, for each signal group, parameters β, ρ, τ and η that specifies a detail of a signal estimation method to be either one of a learned value that is learnable by a learning operation and a fixed value that is independent from the learning operation, and estimates, for each signal group, an estimation signal xe that is an estimated value of the transmission signal from the reception signal by using the signal estimation method specified by the set parameter.

Recently, research has been carried out on a communication system in which signals are transmitted and received by using an OAM-MIMO (Orbital Angular Momentum-Multiple Input Multiple Output) transmission technology (technique). The OAM-MIMO transmission technology is a transmission technology in which signals multiplexed by using a plurality of radio waves or electric waves of different OAM modes are transmitted from a transmission apparatus including a plurality of antenna elements to a reception apparatus including a plurality of antenna elements. Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses an example of the communication system that employs such an OAM-MIMO transmission technology. Specifically, Non-Patent Literature 1 discloses a communication system in which signals multiplexed by using a plurality of radio waves of different OAM modes are transmitted between a transmission apparatus that is provided with a transmission antenna including a plurality of antenna elements and a reception apparatus that is provided with a reception antenna including a plurality of antenna elements.
In addition, Patent Literature 1 to Patent Literature 2 and Non-Patent Literature 2 are cited as Background Art Documents related to the present disclosure.

Signal estimation apparatus, signal estimation method and program recording medium


A multi-beam LADAR apparatus and a method for use in a multi-beam LADAR system are disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of mission specific optics; a gimbal in which the mission specific optics are mounted; an off-gimbal laser; and a multi-fiber relay optically linking the laser output to the mission specific optics. The method includes gimbaling a plurality of mission specific optics; generating a laser signal off the gimbal; and optically relaying the laser signal to the mission specific optics through a plurality of discreet channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to LADAR systems, and, more particularly, to a LADAR transmitter for use in a scanned illumination implementation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many military and civilian remote sensing applications rely on optical techniques such as laser detection and ranging ("LADAR"). At a very high level, LADAR works much like the more familiar RADAR ("radio wave detection and ranging"), in which radio waves are transmitted into the environment and reflected back, the reflections yielding range and position information for the objects that generate them. LADAR does roughly the same thing, but using light rather than radio waves. Although there are some significant differences in performance, they are similar in at least this one basic respect.
One type of LADAR system employs what is known as a "scanned illumination" technique for acquiring data. More technically, a LADAR transceiver aboard a platform transmits the laser signal to scan a geographical area called a "scan pattern". The laser signal is typically a pulsed, split-beam laser signal. That is, the laser signal is typically transmitted in short bursts rather than continuously. The LADAR transceiver produces a pulsed (i.e., non-continuous) single beam that is then split into several beamlets spaced apart from one another by a predetermined amount. Each pulse of the single beam is split, and so the laser signal transmitted in is actually, in the illustrated embodiment, a series of grouped beamlets. The LADAR transceiver aboard the platform transmits the laser signal. The laser signal is continuously reflected back to the platform, which receives the reflected laser signal. Note, however, that some implementations employ a continuous beam, an unsplit beam, or a continuous, unsplit beam.
Each scan pattern is generated by scanning elevationally, or vertically, several times while scanning azimuthally, or horizontally, once within the field of view for the platform. Thus, each scan pattern is defined by a plurality of elevational and azimuthal scans. The principal difference between the successive scan patterns is the location of the platform at the start of the scanning process. An overlap between the scan patterns is determined by the velocity of the platform. The velocity, depression angle of the sensor with respect to the horizon, and total azimuth scan angle of the LADAR platform determine the scan pattern on the ground. Note that, if the platform is relatively stationary, the overlap may be complete, or nearly complete.
The platform typically maintains a steady heading while the laser signal is transmitted at varying angles relative to the platform's heading to achieve the scans. The optics package of the LADAR transceiver that generates and receives the laser signal is typically "gimbaled", or mounted in structure that rotates relative to the rest of the platform. Exemplary gimbaled LADAR transceivers are disclosed in:                U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,606, entitled "Laser Radar Scanning System," issued Apr. 6, 1993, to LTV Missiles and Electronics Group as assignee of the inventors Nicholas J. Krasutsky, et al.; and        U.S. Pat. No 5,224,109, entitled "Laser Radar Transceiver," issued Jun. 29, 1993, to LTV Missiles and Electronics Group as assignee of the inventors Nicholas J. Krasutsky, et al.However, there are many alternatives known to the art.
For technical reasons, the entire optics package is typically gimbaled. More particularly, in conventional systems, the components that comprise the optical train through which the laser signal is generated and transmitted must be optically aligned. This optical alignment cannot be achieved when a part of the optical train is moving relative to the rest of the optical train. Thus, the LADAR transceiver has "on-gimbal" laser cavities and bulk optics to expand, collimate, segment, and align the laser output. This adds size, weight, complexity, and cost to the LADAR transceiver. The on-gimbal laser cavity also requires a fiber coupled Laser diode pump which is a significant cost driver. Furthermore, current delivery and alignment techniques for the bulk optics are inefficient, sensitive to tolerances and temperature, and limit the output power per channel and therefore limits the signal-to-noise ratio in a multi-beam LADAR system.
The art has not found a successful solution to these types of problems associated with conventional gimbaled LADAR transmitters/transceivers. One approach employs a fiber laser to mitigate some of these problems. However, current fiber lasers and mode coupled fiber delivery approaches are limited either in their power tolerance (i.e., laser induced 5 damage threshold, or "LIDT") or laser beam quality (e.g., times diffraction limit, or M2) because they tend to rely on a single fiber optic channel. For example, a conventional single mode optical fiber has a very small mode field diameter, and therefore, higher energy densities at its fiber/air interface and lower LIDT. Increasing the mode field diameter without limiting the number of guided modes may improve LIDT, but it increases output M2 reducing delivered beam quality.
The present invention is directed to resolving, or at least reducing, one or all of the problems mentioned above.

Multi-channel fiber relays for high energy laser delivery to multi-beam optical sensors


Automatic play progresses automatically with each sound generating operation based on timing data that indicates the timing for sounding a tone. In this manner, performance information for time count automatic play can be used with one-step automatic play. In addition, the information based on the tone generation operation for one-step automatic play and the information based on the sound generating operation for manual play are assigned to tone generating channels, which enables one-step automatic play and manual play to be performed together (in soli). Also, whether or not one-step automatic play is performed can be selected for each respective performance part or instrumental part.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automatic performance system, in particular relates to a one-step automatic performance (play) system (device) wherein automatic performance is performed by one step at each operation of sound generation (canceling), and wherein one generation and one canceling of a musical tone of automatic performance is performed at each sound generating (canceling) operation.
2. Description of Background Art
Although, a one-step automatic performance system is not generally known to the public, the one-step automatic performance system referred to here is basically described as outlined below. A performance data of the one-step performance system consists of plural (multiple) note data, and the note data includes key number data (KN), gate time data (GT), touch data (TC) and so forth. Based on such data, a sound is generated each time a key is operated (or pressed) (key ON). Several "simultaneous commands" are memorized in such performance data, and as each key on the keyboard is pressed, all of the note data existing between a "simultaneous command" and a subsequent "simultaneous command" are generated and are sounded as a sound simultaneously. Accordingly, automatic play progresses sequentially each time a key is pressed. It gives the appearance that the player (performer) is actually playing the same as the automatic performance, instead of merely manually pressing the keys.
In addition to an automatic performance system, there is also a full automatic performance system. This system is already commonly known and operates based on time count. The fully automatic performance system is based on performance information (MP) as shown in FIG. 2. It performs by comparing step time data (ST) for each note data of the performance information (MP) with the time count value, then each note data is generated automatically as a sound in step time sequence as time progresses. The full automatic performance system is generally known to the public.
(1) As said two automatic performance systems are not compatible with each other, a one-step automatic performance system cannot be used together with the fully automatic performance system such as that depicted in FIG. 2 which operates based on time count. However, the purpose of this invention is to enable the one-step automatic play by making use of the performance information from the time-count based automatic performance system.
(2) In addition, there is a drawback in the existing one-step automatic performance system, in that as automatic play advances one-step each time a key is pressed, if the performer leaves the stage or concert area during the middle of a performance, he is apt to forget where he previously left off, and it becomes difficult for him to continue performing when he returns.
(3) There is also another drawback in the existing one-step automatic performance system in that, because some or all of the keys on the keyboard are used for the automatic play operation, the player cannot manually play together (in concert, in soli) along with the automatic performance system, which is a very useful way to practice music if realized.
(4) A further drawback of the one-step automatic performance system as it exists today is that a performance is normally made up of various parts such as melody, background (chords, bass, etc.) rhythm and other performance parts. There are also an upper keyboard, lower keyboard and foot keyboard, pedals, as well as different instrumental group parts, such as keyboard instruments, string instruments, brass instruments, and percussion. In a one-step automatic performance system these parts must be executed simultaneously, and cannot be played separately. Thus, one-step automatic performance still does not allow for changes in musical style, or for extracting or deleting specific parts for one step automatic performance and so forth.
(5) Fully automatic play also has drawbacks in that the respective performance data is played automatically as time progresses. With this system, said gate data (CT) undergoes subtraction processing, or some other form of processing, for example, in order to measure the time duration that the sound remains ON in accordance with the gate time data (GT). Accordingly, the time count speed will accord with the tempo set for automatic performance. In the case of one-step automatic performance, however, as the one-step automatic play progresses each time a key is operated, the tempo for one-step automatic performance does not accord with the time count for the set tempo, as with fully automatic performance, but rather with the speed and interval at which the respective keys are operated. Because of such differences, the following problem arises in relation to systems such as fully automatic performance systems, wherein the measurement of the duration of time that a sound remains ON accords with a set tempo, and one-step automatic performance systems, wherein determination of the timing for generating or canceling a sound accords with the speed and interval at which the keys are operated, particularly when such systems are considered together.
Mainly, for example, if a slow tempo is set and a speed or interval at which the keys are operated is accelerated, and the next key is operated to produce the next sound before the sound currently being played has ended, then the sound which should accord with the previously operated key and the sound which should accord with the key that was subsequently operated become indistinguishable, lowering the overall quality of play.


An improved semiconductor package with a transparent window and a fabrication method thereof having a transparent window formed at a central portion of a semiconductor apparatus not providing a ceramic upper plate and adhesive, which includes a semiconductor chip; a ceramic plate for receiving the semiconductor chip; a lead frame sealed with the ceramic plate, the lead frame being angled and curved; a transparent window mounted on the upper portion of the lead frame; and a sealant provided at the ceramic plate and a side surface of the transparent window.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor package with a transparent window and a fabrication method thereof, and particularly to an improved semiconductor package with a transparent window and a fabrication method thereof having a transparent window formed at a central portion of a semiconductor apparatus.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
Recently, it is required that semiconductor package material should have a low dielectric rate, a high heat conductivity, and a desired thermal expansion coefficient similar to that of semiconductor device as electronic parts having an extensive storing capability, a high speed operation, and a low fabrication cost in the industry.
In this trend, a semiconductor package with a window has been developed so as to overcome the problems encountered in the prior art. FIG. 1 shows a ceramic dual-in-line package (CERDIP) of a charge coupled device (CCD). As shown therein, the ceramic package with a transparent window is directed to attaching a semiconductor chip 1 after applying a ceramic sealant 6 to a ceramic lower plate 2, mounting a lead frame 4 thereon, coating a die sealant 3 at one side of a central portion of the ceramic lower plate 2. In addition, the semiconductor chip 1 and the lead frame 4 are adhered by a conductive wire 8, and a transparent window 10 is sealed by a transparent window sealant 7.
In more detail, as shown in FIG. 2, the conventional ceramic package is directed to applying a ceramic plate sealant 6 on the ceramic lower plate 2, and mounting the lead frame 4 thereon. In addition, the ceramic upper plate 5 o which one lower side is provided with the ceramic plate sealant 6 is mounted on the lead frame 4, and is heat-treated, so that the ceramic plate sealant 4 is molten.
Meanwhile, the die sealant 3 is coated on a certain central portion of the ceramic lower plate 2, and the semiconductor chip 1 is mounted thereon, and is heat-treated.
Thereafter, the semiconductor chip 1 and the inner leads 9 of the lead frame 4 are bonded using a wire. In addition, the transparent window 10 of which one side is provided with the transparent window sealant 7 is mounted on the ceramic upper plate 5, and is heat-treated so that the transparent window sealant 7 is molten and is sealingly attached to the upper portion of the ceramic upper plate 5.
Thereafter, the lead frame 4 is trimmed, and the fabrication of the semiconductor package is completed.
However, the conventional ceramic type semiconductor package and a fabrication method thereof has the following problems.
Firstly, since a ceramic upper plate and a ceramic plate sealant coated on the upper portion of the ceramic upper plate should be additionally provided, additional fabrication cost with respect thereto is disadvantageously necessary, and fabrication processes are complex.
Secondly, since a transparent window should be provided at an additional ceramic upper plate, it is impossible to achieve a desired sealant effect between the ceramic plate and the transparent window sealant.

Semiconductor package with transparent window and fabrication method thereof