An object of the present invention is to provide a press-forming method for glass capable of uniformly heating press dies and a preform and preventing oxidation of the press dies. According to the press-forming method for glass of the present invention, a preform is placed between a pair of press dies in a press-forming chamber and the preform and the press dies are heated in an inert gas atmosphere. After the temperature of the press dies reaches a predetermined value, evacuation of the press-forming chamber is initiated. After the pressure of the press-forming chamber reaches a predetermined value and the temperature of the press-forming chamber are stabilized at a second predetermined value, the preform is press-formed. Preferably, an exhaust rate for evacuating the chamber is limited to a predetermined value or less.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a machine for use in press-forming glass.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods for manufacturing glass elements, such as optical lenses with high accuracy, are roughly classified into two groups: One group includes methods of grinding and polishing a glass material, whereas the other group includes methods of press-forming a glass material under elevated temperature.
The former method is employed generally to manufacture optical lenses. However, this method has problems. One is that more than ten steps are required for forming a curved surface. The other is that grinding and polishing produce a large amount of glass powder harmful to the operator. This method further has a drawback in that it is difficult to manufacture a large number of high-priced lenses having aspherical optical surface with the same accuracy.
On the other hand, the latter method employs a preform formed by cooling molten glass in a mold. The preform is heated again and subjected to press forming. In this manner, the pattern of press dies is transferred to the preform to produce an optical lens. This method is an advantage in that a curved surface is formed only in a single press-forming step. This method has another advantage: once the press dies is prepared, a large number of products can be manufactured with the same accuracy, which is determined by the accuracy of the press dies.
In the press-forming method, to increase the life of the press dies, press forming is desirably performed in an inert atmosphere or a vacuum. The press forming is performed by the following steps. First, a preform is placed between press dies. After the press-forming chamber housing the press dies and the preform is filled with an inert gas or evacuated, the press-forming chamber is heated by an infrared lamp (or a high-frequency heating unit). When the temperature of the preform reaches a predetermined value, the preform is subjected to press forming by use of the press dies. The press-formed product is thereafter cooled and taken out from the dies.
In recent years, various glass elements have been used in the optical communications field and the medical field. Of them, the optical elements made of quartz glass have been drawn attention by the reasons that they have a low thermal expansion rate, a small content of impurities, and an excellent ultraviolet light transmittance. There are a wide variety of quartz optical elements different in shape ranging from simple to complicated ones (e.g., a micro lens array) and different in size ranging from ultra micro to large ones.
A general optical lens is press-formed at a temperature at most about 700° C., whereas a quartz optical element at a higher temperature of about 1400° C. To perform press forming at such a high temperature, a high-power infrared lamp must be used.
During heating the press-forming chamber by an infrared lamp or maintaining it at a predetermined temperature, if the press-forming chamber is evacuated, gas flow is generated and deprives heat from the press dies and the peripheral members, with the result that the temperature of the press dies and a preform decrease. In particular, when a high-power infrared lamp is used, the temperature goes up and down (hereinafter, this phenomenon will be referred to as "temperature hunting") along with ON and OFF operations of the infrared lamp, which is performed to maintain the chamber at a preset temperature. As a result, the dimensional accuracy of the formed product deteriorates.
When the press dies and preform are surrounded by an inert gas atmosphere, heat is transmitted from the inert gas atmosphere to the press die and the preform. Since the heat of the inert gas atmosphere is equalized by convection, heat can be equally transferred to the press dies and preform. In contrast, when heating is performed after the press-forming chamber is evacuated, only the heat radiated from the infrared lamp is transmitted. In the case of a transparent perform, infrared rays pass through the preform and do not heat the preform, directly. Therefore, the preform is indirectly heated through heat transmission from the press dies.
A preform frequently used for forming a lens is in contact with the press dies at a small area. Since heat is transmitted only through the small area, a big difference in temperature is produced between the preform and the press dies. Since heat is supplied to the press dies from the outside by an infrared lamp, part of the press dies placed in the shadow of the press dies themselves is not irradiated with the infrared rays. As a result, when heating is performed only by radiation, the temperature difference easily occurs.
As described previously, to prevent oxidation of the press dies, the air of the press-forming chamber is purged and filled with an inert gas. However, it is difficult to completely purge the air retaining in small and thin portions of the die surfaces. It is therefore not easy to prevent oxidation of the press dies. Furthermore, when the press dies are placed in an inert gas atmosphere, a pattern of the press dies is not faithfully and accurately transferred to a preform. To improve the accuracy of the pattern transfer and prevent the oxidation of the press dies, reducing the pressure of the press-forming chamber is helpful rather than filling the chamber with an inert gas. Accordingly, a method performed in a low-pressure press-forming chamber is widely employed.
However, thermal behavior in the press-forming chamber differs between at normal pressure and reduced pressure. Even if a predetermined temperature is maintained by feedback control at normal pressure, inert gas flow is generated by evacuation of the press-forming chamber, changing temperature. Therefore, it takes time to stabilize the temperature. In some cases, the hunting of temperature is never settled. If the temperature of the press-forming chamber is not stabilized, it is difficult to obtain a high-quality press-formed product. In particular, when the hunting increases and temperature rises excessively high, the glass of a preform is thermally decomposed. As a result, the transparency of the glass decreases, failing to satisfy the specification for an optical element.
In addition, there is another problem: the position of the preform shifts on the press dies by gas flow when evacuation is initiated. Consequently, the dimensional accuracy of the press-formed product decreases.


A method of manufacturing a sintered silver alloy body of the present invention includes steps of adding copper oxide to a silver-containing clay-like composition that contains silver-containing metal powder containing silver, a binder, and water to manufacture a clay-like composition for forming a sintered silver alloy body; making an object by making the clay-like composition for forming a sintered silver alloy body into an arbitrary shape; and baking the object in a reduction atmosphere or a non-oxidizing atmosphere after the object is dried.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a sintered silver alloy body and a copper oxide-containing clay-like composition used for the method of manufacturing a sintered silver alloy body.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-239017, filed Oct. 25, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, jewelry, artistic handcrafts, and the like made of silver represented by, for example a ring or the like, have been manufactured by casting or forging a silver-containing material in general. However, in recent years, silver clay (a silver-containing clay-like composition) including silver powder has become commercially available, and a method has been suggested that manufactures silver jewelry or artistic handcrafts having an arbitrary shape by making the silver clay into an arbitrary shape and then baking the silver clay (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to this method, silver clay can be freely shaped in the same manner as in general clay work, and it is possible to very easily manufacture jewelry, artistic handcrafts and the like made of silver by drying a shaped body obtained by shaping and then baking the shaped body using a furnace.
Generally, the silver clay described in Patent Document 1 is obtained by adding a binder and water and optionally further adding a surface active agent or the like to the powder of pure silver (pure Ag) and then kneading the mixture. However, when the silver clay is made using silver powder of pure Ag and then heated so as to manufacture a sintered silver alloy body, there is a problem in that the mechanical properties of the obtained sintered silver alloy body deteriorate since the strength of pure Ag itself is weak.
To solve the above-described problem of the mechanical properties, another method has also been suggested that manufactures a sintered silver alloy body, which is so-called sterling silver, by shaping and then baking silver clay obtained by constituting silver powder with a silver alloy that includes Ag in a component ratio of 92.5 mass % and, furthermore, copper (Cu) or the like, and adding a binder or the like to this silver powder and kneading the mixture (for example, see the 'Example' section or the like in Patent Document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4265127
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 3274960

Method of manufacturing sintered silver alloy body and copper oxide-containing clay-like composition


A multiple packaged good article package including a carrier, a multiplicity of packaged good articles, a handle, and retaining means. The carrier includes a base panel and first and second side panels. The packaged good articles each include a bag that defines opposing major faces, a top region, and a bottom region, and are arranged on the carrier in an upright, major face-to-major face fashion with the bottom regions resting on the base panel. Each of a first and second outermost package provides an exposed major face relative to a remainder thereof. The first and second side panels extend along a portion of the respective exposed major faces. The handle is provided apart from the carrier and extends across the top regions of the packaged good articles. Finally, the retaining means secures an interior packaged good article to the outermost packaged good articles.

The present invention relates to product packaging. More particularly, it relates to presenting a multiplicity of individual packaged good articles as a unitary package including a handle for convenient transport.
A wide variety of goods, such as consumable goods, are sold to consumers in packaged form on a mass-production basis. Exemplary conventional packaged formats include flexible or rigid bags or pouches (e.g., plastic film; metallized, flexible laminate; or foil-based), boxes, canisters, bottles (e.g., glass or plastic), etc. For particular applications, the packaging is selected in accordance with the product being contained and/or consumer preferences. For example, liquid beverages are commonly packaged in cans or bottles, whereas solid, edible food products (e.g., snack foods, ready-to-eat cereals, etc.) are typically packaged in flexible bags and/or boxes. Regardless, the size of the package is normally selected pursuant to consumer preferences, and relates to desired serving sizes. For example, many products are sold to consumers in approximately single serving size packages (e.g., beverages in 12-ounce cans, yogurt in 2.25-ounce tubes or 6-ounce cups, snack foods in 3.75-ounce bags, etc.). Other packaging schemes provide multiple servings in a format desired by consumers (e.g., milk in one-gallon containers, ready-to-eat cereal in 24-ounce bag-in-a-box, snack foods in 12.25-ounce bags, etc.).
Often times, consumers wish to purchase more than one single-serving sized package good article for subsequent consumption. To meet this demand, manufacturers commonly group a number of individually packaged products into a separate package for subsequent sale. For example, eight 2.25-ounce tubes of Yoplait® Go-Gurt® yogurt are packaged in a single box; six or more individually packaged granola bars are packaged and sold in a single box; etc. Another common example of multiple, individually packaged items grouped together for subsequent sale is canned or bottled beverages. One common format for this type of packaging is to simply package the individual cans or bottles within a paperboard box. Alternatively, plastic rings or other carriers are employed to interconnect the canned or bottle products as a single unit. Once again, the group packaging technique is specific to the size and/or weight of the individual packaged goods.
While quite viable for smaller and/or rigidly packaged items (e.g., bottles), the above-described packaging techniques are ill suited for packaging a multiplicity of larger or jumbo-sized packaged good articles (hereinafter referred to as "multi-pack package"). To this end, bulk sale of packaged goods to consumers has become increasingly popular due to cost savings. Of course, a "bulk"purchase can be facilitated by directing the consumer to manually place two or more of the products, especially those larger sized versions, in the consumer's shopping cart via a promotional description placed in close proximity to the product. However, consumers and retailers strongly prefer that the multiple items be secured to one another for ease of transport and storage.
With the above in mind, bulk packaging of relatively large products requires, in most basic terms, two or more existing (individually manufactured) or discrete packaged good articles packaged or otherwise bound together and then sold as a single bulk item. Beyond connecting the individual packaged good items to one another, the multi-pack package desirably facilitates convenient handling by the consumer. For relatively small packaged items, the employed unitary packaging technique is likewise relatively small and thus inherently easy to handle (e.g., multiplicity of fruit snack pouches packaged within a single box). For larger items, however, accepted package formats fail to satisfy these demands.
For example, paper towel rolls are commonly packaged in a transparent protective film outer packaging layer and sold as individual units. Further, bulk packaging (i.e., multi-pack package) of these individual paper towel rolls is also available whereby a number of independently packaged paper towel rolls (e.g., four, six, twelve, etc.) are grouped within a larger, outer packaging (e.g., shrink-wrap plastic film). This bulk packaging technique can be employed because the contained products (i.e., paper towel rolls) will not be irrevocably damaged when subjected to, and maintained within, a shrink-wrap package. The resulting multi-product package is quite large and bulky, and does not provide a readily identifiable handle or other means for conveniently transporting the package.
In addition to the bulky appearance and handling concerns described above, bulk packaging of many other packaged items must address potential product damage issues. For example, multi-serving packages for snack food items (e.g., pretzels, potato chips, Bugles®, etc.), typically entail a thin-walled plastic or metallized, flexible laminate bag. Were these packaged goods subjected to a shrink-wrap operation as part of a bulk packaging approach, food products contained within the bags would likely be crushed or otherwise damaged.
Other attempts to bulk package a multiplicity of relatively large, individual packages of bagged, potentially crushable snack food products have been relatively simplistic. Namely, two or more (typically three) of the individual product bags are loosely maintained within a sufficiently large outer bag (typically formed of polypropylene film) that is subsequently closed. With some applications, a top of the outer bag forms an opening through which a consumer can insert his/her hand for transporting the bulk package. While viable, this technique presents certain potential drawbacks. For example, the individual packaged product bags are somewhat loose within the outer bag, such that a relatively uniform shape of the overall package cannot be achieved. Instead, each bulk package will likely assume a different overall shape, resulting in wasted shelf space when multiple ones of the bulk packages are placed side-by-side. In addition, the outer bag bulk packaging has a "bulky" appearance, possibly leading to a consumer impression that the multi-pack product is over packaged. Consumers may be less likely to purchase such a product due to concerns that this perceived "over packaging" results in higher costs and/or is not environmentally friendly. Alternatively, multiple, large bags of crushable products can be packaged in a large box. While addressing the shelf storage space concerns described above, the outer box entails relatively significant costs due to the expense of paperboard required to form the box.
Though not a multi-pack package, Sun-Maid® raisins are available in a "twin pack" format by which two, tightly packed 2.25-pound packages (formed foil pouches) are connected at their respective sides by a strip of tape, as well as a short handle extending across the respective tops. This twin pack packaging does not include a separate bottom support element, instead relying upon gussets formed at the bottom of each package for overall, upright stability. Unfortunately, this packaging technique is unworkable with three or more individual packages (i.e., a multi-pack package) as the individual to pouch/package bottoms are not separately supported, such that any intermediate packages (i.e., any package not otherwise connected to the short handle) may simply fall away from the remaining packages upon lifting of the handle. In addition, the Sun-Maid® raisin twin pack technique relies significantly upon an inherent stability of the individual packages (due to the tight, dense nature of the raisins within the foil pouch and gussets formed on the bottom thereof) for overall stability. Many other packaged good articles are not inherently self-standing.
Another concern not addressed by the Sun-Maid® raisin twin pack and other multi-pack packages relates to use of existing packaged good articles. It is highly desirable from the manufacturer's standpoint to use existing packaged good articles as part of a "new" multi-pack package so that new individual package formats (and thus new packaging equipment) are not required. In many instances, the individual packaged good articles otherwise included within the multi-pack package would be sold by the same retailer along with the multi-pack package. In this regard, most product packaging includes a bar code symbol (e.g., UPC code) displayed on an outer surface thereof. The retailer utilizes this bar code as part of its computerized customer purchasing system whereby a database is established that correlates a certain price with numbers or other identifiers (in machine-readable form) provided by a corresponding bar code. Thus, where a particular packaged good item is offered by a retailer to consumers as both a single item and as part of a bulk- or multi-pack package, different bar codes must be assigned. In other words, the bar code associated with a single packaged good item (that is otherwise offered for sale on an individual basis) cannot be used with the multi-pack package. For example, the Sun-Maid® twin pack incorporates two "existing" packages of Sun-Maid® raisins, each having an identical bar code. Thus, when provided as part of a twin pack, the bar codes associated with the individual packages must be covered with a separate component (such as opaque tape) and a "new" bar code must be applied to at least one of the twin pack packages. Clearly, this entails additional material and labor costs, and raises the possibility that the bar code cover component will be unintentionally or intentionally removed. Under these circumstances, it is possible that the single product package bar code will be "scanned" and the corresponding price for the individual product be incorrectly charged for the twin pack product unit, resulting in a monetary loss to the retailer.
Consumer demand for multi-pack or bulk packaged good articles, especially larger packaged good articles, continues to rise. Unfortunately, current packaging techniques do not satisfy consumer, retailer, and manufacturer's needs. As such, a need exists for a multiple packaged good article packaging that is easy to handle, is structurally sound, and does not appear over packaged.


A method of providing a secure clock in a communication device in contact with a communication system includes detecting a clock event whenever a clock event occurs; initializing a secure clock and setting a secure clock flag to TRUE; and setting the secure clock to a secure clock time. A secure clock mechanism for use in a communication device which is in contact with a communication system includes real-time clock hardware; programmable memory and non-volatile memory; and a back-up battery for powering the secure clock mechanism; a clock event detection mechanism for detecting clock events, which are taken from a group of clock events consisting of user clock events and system clock events; a secure clock initializing mechanism for setting the secure clock and for setting a secure clock flag to TRUE; and a secure clock setting mechainism for setting the secure clock to a secure clock time.

Some semi-autonomous processes on mobile phones require a time source which cannot be arbitrarily manipulated by the user. Such time sources provide what is referred to herein as "secure time". In the case of digital rights management (DRM) on a handset operating under global system for mobile communications (GSM) protocols, secure time is needed to determine if time constraints placed upon DRM controlled content remains in force, e.g., how much usage time has been used. This is applied to situations where a user or subscriber is allowed a specific amount of time, or a time window, in which to use an item, such as a video presentation. A DRM protocol may be applied, e.g., to the rights to view a motion picture which is downloaded from a server. Typically, the motion picture is encapsulated within a DRM protocol, which incorporates a security protocol, e.g., a public key infrastructure (PKI), which allows use of the downloaded information for a set period of time. In order to insure that the downloaded information is only used during its valid time period, a mechanism must be provided to prevent a user from arbitrarily changing the system clock of the device containing the downloaded information, which, if allowed, would enable unlimited usage of the downloaded information.
One time source for the DRM is the clock provided in a mobile communication device user interface, however, the user interface clock can be arbitrarily set by the user, making it unreliable for DRM purposes.
Although GSM protocols define a means of transmitting a secure time source packet from the GSM network, which is referred to as a network identity and time zone (NITZ) signal, service providers are not required to transmit this time signal. Presently, only a few service providers are providing NITZ, e.g., Cingular, ATT, while others, e.g., Vodafone, are still investigating how to employ it. Furthermore, service providers which do supply NITZ do not guaranteeing system wide coverage, making their NITZ implementation sporadic.
Another source of secure time is to construct an Internet server which provides correct time to any client upon request. However, this protocol has several drawbacks: First, any Internet connection made by the handset incurs air time charges, which are billed to the user; second, users may find it unacceptable that their handset autonomously and periodically connects to a remote server, i.e., the Big Brother Syndrome; and third, such a server requires adequate bandwidth/computing resources to serve potentially millions of hits-per-month, and needs to provide a protocol to insure that a server outage does not cause any handset to cease operation.
The power density of current backup batteries, consumer demand for ever smaller handsets, and the corresponding high power consumption of integrated real time clock (RTC) hardware, limit the capabilities of a battery backed-up secure time source to one to two weeks. Such a short battery life precludes provision of a factory-set, secure-time source which operates independently of the main battery over the device's lifetime. Some GSM handsets, such as the Sharp GX30 handset, include a separate, internal, user-inaccessible, rechargeable battery, which provides power for the RTC hardware for up to two weeks, in the event that the handset's main battery is discharged or disconnected.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,690 to Chrosny et al., granted Feb. 8, 2000, for Method and apparatus for securely resetting a real time clock in a postage meter describes the setting of a single secure clock and the subsequent usage of that clock to enable/disable the printing of postage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,921 to Arsenault et al., granted Dec. 7, 1999, for Electronic postage meter system having plural clock system providing enhanced security describes the maintenance of a non-secure time clock in one format and a secure time clock in a second time format.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,672, to Chrosny et al, granted Aug. 31, 1999, for Electronic postage meter system having enhanced clock security describes insertion of an external smart card containing information that identifies the inserted external smart card as a real time clock security card, and only upon receipt of the information is the inserted external smart card determined to be a real time clock security card.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0115469 A1, of Shippy et al., published Jun. 19, 2003, for Systems and methods for detecting and deterring rollback attacks describes a log which tracks access to protected content, which requires forced periodic updates.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0077985 A1, of Kobata et al., published Jun. 20, 2002, for Controlling and managing digital assets Distinguishing describes a method for managing digital rights of software on a computer system.
WO2003/005145 A2, for Digital rights management in a mobile communications environment, of Kontio et al., published Jan. 16, 2003, describes a method for control the access, copying, and/or transfer of a digital asset by mobile, wireless devices.

Wireless device having a secure clock authentication method and apparatus


The present disclosure provides a lithium-ion secondary battery and an electrolyte thereof. The electrolyte comprises a lithium salt; a non-aqueous solvent and an additive comprising a first additive and a second additive, the first additive comprises at least one of vinylene carbonate and vinyl ethylene carbonate, the second additive is 4-methylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one and its derivatives with a structural formula 1 and/or 4,5-dimethylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one and its derivatives with a structural formula 2; in the structural formula 1 and the structural formula 2, R1, R2, R3 and R4 each are hydrogen, halogen, C1˜C3 alkyl or halogenated alkyl; a weight percentage of the first additive in the electrolyte is 0.2%˜2.0%, a weight percentage of the second additive in the electrolyte is 0.3%˜4.0%. The lithium-ion secondary battery comprises the aforementioned electrolyte. The lithium-ion secondary battery has better cycle performance, better low temperature discharging performance, and higher first coulombic efficiency.

Although a lithium-ion secondary battery has advantages such as high working voltage, long service life and fast charging speed and the like, with development of technology and people's demand for fast and convenient electronic products, the lithium-ion secondary battery is required to have better cycle performance, and is also required to be capable of quickly discharging in condition of lower temperature.
In practice, cyclic carbonate ester and chain carbonate ester are usually used as solvent, but the solvent is continuously oxidized or reduced during charging-discharging process of the lithium-ion secondary battery, the first coulombic efficiency of the lithium-ion secondary battery is lower, and the cycle performance of the lithium-ion secondary battery is also deteriorated. U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,981 discloses a method of forming a SEI film on a surface of a negative electrode plate, in which the first coulombic efficiency and the cycle performance of the lithium-ion secondary battery are improved by adding vinylene carbonate (VC) into an electrolyte. However, due to addition of vinylene carbonate (VC), the SEI film formed on the surface of the negative electrode plate will be too thick, the impedance of the SEI film is relative large, therefore the discharging performance in condition of low temperature of the lithium-ion secondary battery would be deteriorated.
Chinese patent application publication No. CN101755354A discloses a method of forming a SEI film on a surface of a negative electrode plate, in which 4-methylene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one is added into an electrolyte, the cycle performance of the lithium-ion secondary battery is improved, but the low temperature discharging performance is not mentioned in this patent document.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide a lithium-ion secondary battery and an electrolyte thereof, which has better cycle performance and better discharging performance in condition of low temperature.

Lithium-ion secondary battery and electrolyte thereof


Turbocharger compressor wheels rotate at high speeds resulting in noise which is emitted therefrom. To widen the performance band of turbochargers certain efficiency improvements have increased the noise emitted therefrom above the normal level of acceptability by the operator and spectators. The present device for reducing noise emitted therefrom includes a noise reduction system. The system includes a series of deflector fins forming a torturous path between the series of deflector fins associated with the turbocharger compressor inlet and form a torturous path in a secondary inlet. The series of deflector fins have a preestablished spacing therebetween to further enhance the reduction of noise emitted from the turbocharger.

The use of turbochargers to increase the air intake of internal combustion engines is a common, well known mean to increase engine output. In many conventional turbochargers the compressor wheel is driven at high speeds or revolutions per minute. For example, many turbocharger wheels rotate in the range of about 100,000 to 150,000 revolutions per minute. This high speed of the rotating blades causes a high frequency noise to be emitted therefrom. When such turbocharged engines are used in vehicular applications such as a truck, the noise can be very annoying and distasteful to the operator and by-standers. The use of insulation in cabs and in engine compartments has greatly reduced the amount of noise emitted from the turbochargers that reaches the operator and by-standers. To date, such noise reduction packages have managed to keep the objections by the operator and by by-standers to an acceptable level. However, certain performance improvements in turbochargers have increased the noise emitted therefrom above the normal level of acceptability by the operator and by-standers.
Some examples of approaches to widening the performance band of turbochargers include variable geometry guide vanes and vaned diffusers, turbine bleed devices and valves, casing treatments and the addition of features such as axial and circular grooves.
One such example is disclosed, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,161 issued to Frank B. Fisher et al. on May 10, 1988. The goal of this enhancement is to allow operation over a wider speed and load range and also enable higher torque at lower engine speed. What is accomplished is a broadening of the high efficiency range between surge conditions and choke conditions. Surge being where a turbocharger/compressor/engine system is on the edge of instability and stall. Choke conditions being where the system's air requirements exceed the compressor's maximum flow capacity. In this patent, an inducer recirculation groove or bypass is disclosed. The bypass accomplishes two things; increases choke flow by drawing extra air into the stage after the compressor impeller throat, and reduces the flow at which surge occurs at all speeds by joining different parts of the compressor stage with bypass flow. The bypass includes a simple circumferential slot connecting a point along the shroud with a secondary inlet. The bypass produces a positive differential pressure on the inlet at choke and a negative differential pressure on the inlet at surge. The inducer recirculation groove has been found to increase the amount of noise emitted therefrom since the groove connects a point along the shroud with a secondary inlet. Thus, a secondary line of sight or path for the sound waves to pass therealong is constructed when using the inducer recirculation groove.
The problems mentioned above has caused increased negative comment by operators and by-standers. The problems have further caused manufacturers to consider alternatives to turbochargers and variations to noise reduction systems.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.

Turbocharger having reduced noise emissions


A syringe assembly including a syringe barrel defining a chamber having a stopper therein is disclosed. The syringe assembly includes a plunger rod associated with the stopper, the plunger rod includes an outer sleeve having a distal end interconnected to the stopper and a sidewall portion defining an opening therein. The plunder rod also includes an inner sleeve disposed within the outer sleeve including a longitudinally extending track in alignment with the opening in the outer sleeve. The inner sleeve is adapted for telescopic movement with respect to the outer sleeve. The plunger rod also includes a spring mounted in association with the inner sleeve. The syringe assembly further includes a holding mechanism associated with the plunger rod and configured for cooperation with the inner and outer sleeves. Relative movement between the inner and outer sleeves causes the plunger rod to transition from a collapsed position to an extended position.

Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a pre-filled syringe assembly adapted for the dispensing and delivery of a fluid. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a pre-filled syringe assembly having a spring actuated plunger rod resulting in a smaller packaging footprint allowing for reduced storage space. The present invention is also directed to a packaging system for a pre-filled syringe assembly that prevents unintended actuation of the plunger rod and reduces the likelihood of tampering of the syringe contents.
Description of Related Art
Conventional syringes are well known to be used in connection with a vial of a medication, where the user draws the fluid into the syringe immediately prior to injection and delivery of the fluid to the patient. A conventional syringe typically includes a syringe barrel with an opening at one end and a plunger mechanism disposed through the other end. The plunger typically includes a plunger rod extending through the barrel, with a plunger head or stopper at the end of the plunger rod within the barrel and with a finger flange at the other end of the plunger rod extending out of the barrel. In use, the plunger rod is retracted through the syringe barrel to fill the syringe barrel with a fluid, such as a medication, with the plunger rod extending out from the rear end of the syringe barrel. For delivery of the medication to a patient, the opening of the syringe barrel is adapted for fluid communication with a patient, such as through a hypodermic needle fitted at the front end of the syringe barrel or through a luer-type fitting extending from the front end of the syringe barrel for attachment with a fluid line of a patient. Upon depression of the plunger rod, the plunger rod and stopper travel through the syringe barrel, thereby forcing the contents of the syringe out through the opening at the front end for delivery to the patient. Such an operation is well known in the medical field, and medical practitioners have become well accustomed to the use of such common fluid delivery procedures through standard syringes.
Oftentimes, hypodermic syringes may be packaged as "pre-filled" devices, wherein the syringe is pre-filled with medication prior to being packaged and delivered to the end user. In this manner, there is no need for the user to fill the device prior to injection, thereby saving time for the end user and maintaining consistent volumes for delivery. Pre-filled syringes and pre-filled metered dose syringes are often filled with narcotics or other drugs at a production facility, packaged, and then shipped to a medical facility. Once at the facility, these syringes are often placed in controlled storage and/or locked cabinets to reduce theft of the syringes themselves and/or theft of the contents of these syringes. The space within these controlled storage locations is often limited, thus there is a need for a syringe assembly that has a smaller packaging footprint, to reduce the storage space required for containing this syringe. It is also desirable to produce syringes that are uniform in terms of an outer surface shape to allow for stacking of the syringes within the storage cabinet.
Even though measures, such as controlled storage, are taken to ensure the contents of these syringes remain intact, the risk still remains that the syringe contents can be tampered with and/or stolen and replaced with a saline solution. One technique for preventing tampering is the use of a snap cap for the tip cap that makes a snapping noise when removed from the syringe assembly. For example, a tamper-proof cap for a pre-filled syringe including a top member concentrically disposed in a generally cylindrical sleeve member and connected by frangible elements to the sleeve member is conventionally known. In addition, it is known to include an outer cap for a pre-filled syringe that is covered with a cylindrical cover cap which connects with the top wall of a holding member through a frangible portion. The cylindrical cover cap may be broken from the top wall of the holding member for tampering prevention/tamper-proof evidence.

Syringe having a spring action plunger rod


A pair of upwardly projecting, readily displaceable, push-up handles which are selectively mountable on the lateral bars of a wheelchair framework. The handle mounting means for each side includes a tubular member that is fixed between the upper and lower rigid frame members of the wheelchair via a pair of dual U-ring interconnecting bracket means which secures the first tubular member to the frame members in a variable inclined position mode. A second tubular member of an outer diameter somewhat reduced and is adapted at its one longitudinal end to engage telescopically the open upper longitudinal end of the first member. At the upper longitudinal end of the second member is optionally located, a replaceable resilient gripping means. The second tubular member is retained within the first member by a tensioned cord means located inwardly and longitudinally of the conjoined members, which cord is sized to require elongation sufficiently to bias the engaged members into a secure interconnecting relation while serving as a set of push-up bars for the seated invalid. The cord-induced tube engagement bias can be readily overcome by manual effort to be displaced from the telescopic connection and to hang freely along the wheelchair lateral framework.

Many disabled and paraplegic persons rely substantially on a wheelchair, and quite a few of them, despite major body paralysis, are relatively self-sufficient, requiring but limited human assistance in their everyday mobilities. There are several devices available to assist invalids in dealing with everyday activities. Cumble U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,813 is to an accessory holder and mount for a wheelchair, and Scheulderman U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,768 is to a wheelchair with an improved adjustable backrest.
One overlooked need is an apparatus, to be readily available at the chairside, which will permit the wheelchair occupant right himself to an upright sitting position using compromised arm strength; this precludes the need for another person to provide for torso uplifting or providing extra assistance moving out of the wheelchair. Such a device should also be readily displaceable, so as not to unduly cramp, or annoy, the chair user during his other varied seated activities which might include being at a table, which could interfere with the now-displaced second member.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an accessory device which can easily be adapted to mounting on each lateral framework of a modem wheelchair, can be made quickly operative, and can just as readily be displaced to reside in a non-interfering mode, during other chair-bound activities.
It is another object of the invention to provide a self-levitating means for an invalid which is in a better position than that which is offered by standard arm rests, or the wheel brake levers, which are serving as the interim means for an occupant's shifting and lifting himself.
It is yet another object of the invention is to provide a displaceable wheelchair accessory which facilitates invalid shifting while still seated, aiding in pressure sore prevention, which is a problem for all wheelchair users, especially those with spinal cord injuries that compromise normal nervous sensations in the buttocks area.
A further object of the invention is to provide a body shifting device for those invalids with sufficient limited upper body (torso) control by providing a push-up device that permits facile transient unweighting of the buttocks, the leaning forward for manual actions, and also for the easy return to the upright seated posture.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device that safely replaces extended brake levers for wheelchairs, which levers are usually not intended to support the major weight of an invalid's head, torso and upper limbs, in the course of body levitation from the wheelchair itself.
These and other objects will become more readily evident from the reading of the accompanying specification and drawing, which are by way of exemplification of the invention. The disclosure is not limited to the embodiment shown, but is more effectively defined by the appended claims.

Accessory device and mount for wheelchair


A compiler device includes: a processor configured to: when a first register is allocated to first and second spill instructions, which refer to same data in a memory, of an instruction sequence and to a first section between the first and second spill instructions, search for a second register that is a candidate allocated to the first section instead of the first register; when a second section allocated with the second register and the first section do not overlap, allocate the second register to the first section instead of the first register; when the first and second sections overlap, allocate a third register to the second section instead of the second register, and then allocate the second register to the first section instead of the first register; and thereafter, delete an instruction executed later than the other instruction of the first and second spill instructions.

One of compiler optimization techniques for improving the execution speed of a program is register allocation. Register allocation is a technique for reducing memory access during program execution by transferring data in a memory to registers in advance. Since register access is faster than memory access, register allocation improves the execution speed of a program. Note that the techniques related to the present disclosure is also disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications Nos. 2005-107816 and 2002-312179.

Compiler and information processing method for deleting spill instructions


A catheter assembly includes a catheter shaft having shaft proximal and distal portions. A hub is coupled with the catheter shaft proximate the shaft proximal portion. A graduated strain relief fitting is coupled between the catheter shaft and the hub. The graduated strain relief fitting includes at least a first flexural modulus proximate the hub and a fitting proximal portion. The graduated strain relief fitting includes a second flexural modulus proximate the catheter shaft and a fitting distal portion. The second flexural modulus is less than the first flexural modulus and less than or equal to a catheter shaft flexural modulus. The first and second flexural moduli are modulated with one or more of a taper, flexure joints, fitting frame of the fitting or material of the fitting body.

Elongate medical instruments configured for operation include shafts, such as catheter shafts connected with a hub or handle. The hub is manipulated by the medical profession to correspondingly manipulate the catheter shaft, for instance within a patient. In some examples, the hub has an enlarged profile relative to the profile of the catheter shaft to facilitate manipulation. For instance, the hub is an elongate structure that is wider than the catheter shaft. A proximal portion of the catheter shaft is fit within the hub to interconnect the components.
The medical professional manipulates the hub and thereby manipulates the catheter shaft. In some examples, manipulation includes longitudinal movement of the catheter shaft (e.g., along its longitudinal axis) through vasculature, cavities or the like. In other examples, the hub is rotated, moved laterally or the like to correspondingly rotate the catheter shaft or deflect the catheter shaft (e.g., into a curved or bowed configuration) to navigate the catheter shaft through bends, turns and corners within vasculature or cavities.


Controlling a speed of a vehicle based on at least a portion of a route grade and a route distance divided into a plurality of route sections, each including at least one of a section grade and section length. Controlling the speed of the vehicle is further based on determining a cruise control speed mode for the vehicle for each of the plurality of route sections and determining a speed reference command of the vehicle based on at least one of the cruise control speed mode, the section length, the section grade, and a current speed.

The present application generally relates to managing the speed of a vehicle, and in particular to managing the speed of a vehicle operating in various modes of operation such as in a cruise control mode. Vehicle speed may be controlled in various ways, which may result in various efficiency and/or optimization issues. Therefore, further technological developments may be developed in this area.

Systems and methods for vehicle speed management


An ethylene oxychlorination catalyst in granular form, consisting of CuCl.sub.2 supported on an alumina carrier, displaying a cylindrical configuration with trilobed cross-section provided with three through-bores equidistant from each other, each of which through-bores has its axis parallel to the axis of the cylindrical granule.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supported catalyst in the form of cylindrical granules, for 1,2-dichloroethane synthesis by fixed-bed ethylene oxychlorination. More particularly, the present invention relates to a catalyst comprising CuCl.sub.2 as its active compound, supported on an alumina carrier. The cylindrical granules of the catalyst display a cross-section with at least three points of contact with a circumscribed circumference.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that the synthesis of 1,2-dichloroethane by oxidative chlorination of ethylene can be carried out in a fluidized-bed or fixed-bed reactor. In the first case, a more uniform temperature distribution is obtained inside the reactor (with the arising of localized overheating phenomena--"hot spots"--being prevented); unfortunately, at the expense of a certain difficulty of fluidization due to a tendency of the catalytic particles towards sticking. In the second case, controling the reaction parameters is simplier but due to the reduced heat exchange coefficient between the catalyst granules, and between the latter and the reaction gas, hot spots may appear. The formation of such hot spots should be prevented for reasons of selectivity and to prolong the useful life of the catalyst.
A first attempt to solve the problem of the heat exchange between the granules of catalyst for ethylene oxychlorination had been made by resorting to ring-shaped granules or circular-cylindrical granules having a determined height-diameter ("aspect") ratio. Such type catalyst types are disclosed, in EP-B-54674 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,914, for example.
The problem of the heat exchange coefficient is not the only technical problem to be solved in the case of an efficient synthesis of 1,2-dichloethane in a fixed-bed reactor. In fact, a granular catalyst used in fixed-bed ethylene oxychlorination is also required to display the following characteristics:
low resistance to gas flow (low pressure drop with the height of the catalytic bed being the same); PA1 large actual specific surface area, i.e., high surface:volume ratio; and PA1 good mechanical strength in order to prevent the catalytic particles from undergoing breakage as a consequence of bed packing.
The catalysts normally used in a fixed-bed oxychlorination process (which have a spherical, solid-cylindrical, or ring shape, with different dimensions) do not solve the problems discussed above to a satisfactory extent. Furthermore, when catalysts are used which have those shapes that are known from the prior art, the diffusion of the reactant gases inside the interior of the catalyst granules and the back-diffusion of the reaction products from the interior of said granules have often led to very limited results. This means that, when one takes into consideration that the oxychlorination reaction takes place in the heterogeneous system more easily and selectively on the outer surface of the catalyst granule, the oxychlorination catalysts having the shapes known from the prior art are not efficiently used. Therefore, in order to obtain the desired conversion rate, a large amount of catalyst must be used. In the case of a tube-bundle fixed bed, the need for a large amount of catalyst requires the use of tubes having heights suitable to accomodate the large amount of catalyst. With the known forms of oxychlorination catalysts, this causes a further increase in pressure drop, because the empty spaces between the catalyst granules are also limited.
Furthermore, in exothermic reactions, which generate large amounts of heat--such as oxidative, halogenation reactions--a high value of coefficient of heat exchange between the catalyst and the gas feed is required, in order to secure an adequate removal of reaction heat. Adequate removal of reaction heat is necessary to avoid consequent excessive overheating of the catalytic bed, which often damages the catalyst in the bed and/or reduces the catalytic performance thereof. In the case of the catalysts having the traditional shape, in order to accomplish a high heat exchange coefficient, the turbulence of the reaction gas on catalyst particles had to be increased, but such a contrivance would cause a further increase in pressure drops, with consequent increases in operation costs.
Catalysts with shapes different from those traditionally used are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,990; which relates to tubular extruded granules having an essentially triangular or quadrangular, multi-lobed cross-section. With such catalysts, some advantages are achieved in terms of breakage strength and pressure drop. However, the results are not very much different from the results which are obtainable with the traditionally shaped catalysts. Other non-traditional shapes of catalyst granules are disclosed in EP-A-464,633, with specific reference to the process for producing unsaturated esters.
There is a need for a catalyst granule having a configuration, which makes it possible for oxidative halogenation reaction results to be considerably improved.

Catalyst in granular form for 1,2-dichloroethane synthesis


A continuous chain of connected absorbent pouches comprises a first panel, a second panel, and a super-absorbent material. Each of the absorbent pouches is adapted to absorb liquids. The first panel and the second panel are attached to each other along their respective general peripheries so as to form a space therebetween. The space comprises super-absorbent material. At least one of the first and second panels has at least one hole formed therein. The hole is of sufficient size to be permeable to liquid. Each of the pouches is adapted to absorb at least about 20 times its own weight of a 0.9 wt. % saline solution in an unloaded condition.

This invention relates to absorbent pouches and methods of using the same. More specifically, the invention relates to pouches having super-absorbent material which facilitate the packaging of meat, fish, poultry, and other food product(s).
The use of various food packaging trays or containers has been popular for numerous years. These trays have been used by grocery stores, food packers, catering services, meat markets, and butcher shops to support and display food products on sale. These trays typically support the food products while one or more layers of plastic wrap are used to cover the food products to inhibit or prevent leakage. The trays that support food products such as meat and poultry are often stacked, shipped, and/or stored several trays high, the weight of each tray bearing on those below.
The natural juices/liquids of these products may seep away from the products and onto the food packaging tray. This problem may be exacerbated when multiple trays are stacked on each other, resulting in additional weight and pressure bearing on the food product. During shipping, storing, and handling, the juices/liquids may congregate within the tray, which can result in leakage through the plastic wrap. These juices/liquids can leak, for example, between the tray and the plastic wrap, onto a hand or arm of a customer, which can lead to customer dissatisfaction. Extreme customer dissatisfaction can result if these liquids flow onto the apparel of a customer. Even if the juices/liquids do not contact a customer, it is generally not aesthetically pleasing to observe liquids leaking from a food packaging tray. This will most likely have an adverse effect on the sale of a food product.
Methods of collecting or absorbing these juices/liquids may involve using pads, pouches, or pouch pads in the tray. The pads, pouches, or pouch pads are typically placed on a top surface of the tray. Pads, pouches, and pouch pads may include multiple inner layers of cellulose surrounded by outer layers of a perforated polyethylene film. The outer layers of the pads are attached on two sides, while the outer layers of the pouches are attached on all four sides.
There are many disadvantages of existing pads, pouches, and pouch pads. For example, the absorbency under unloaded, and especially under loaded conditions, may not be desirable. This may result in sloshing and spilling occurring within such food packaging trays. In addition, the juices/liquids in existing food packaging trays may still be visible to the customer and, thus, are not aesthetically pleasing. There are also disadvantages with the volume associated with existing pads and existing pouches that include inserts or pads. This additional volume may lead to higher transportation costs as well as being less aesthetic to customers. Existing pads and pouches may have additional manufacturing costs associated thereto as a result of having absorbent material being placed in the fibers or layers of the pads, as well as the cost associated with the fibers. Additional manufacturing costs may also be present in making and placing an insert or pad within a pouch.
In addition, there are other disadvantages with at least some of the existing pads, pouches, and pouch pads being of a sufficient rigidity. The rigidity of at least one of the layers of these structures is beneficial when the structures are attached to trays via machinery. Machinery is generally used in commercial settings when making a pre-padded tray. A pre-padded tray is a tray with a structure (e.g., a pad, pouch, or pad pouch) attached therein. At least some of the existing structures are not formed in a manner conducive to being attached to a tray via machinery.
Accordingly, a need exists for a pouch which overcomes the above-noted shortcomings associated with existing pads, pouches, and/or pouch pads.
In one particular embodiment of the present invention, a continuous chain of connected absorbent pouches comprises a first panel, a second panel, and super-absorbent material. Each of the absorbent pouches is adapted to absorb liquids. The first and second panels are attached to each other along their respective general peripheries so as to form a space therebetween. The space comprises the super-absorbent material. At least one of the first and second panels has at least one hole formed therein. The hole is of sufficient size to be permeable to liquid, and each of the pouches is adapted to absorb at least about 20 times its own weight of a 0.9 wt. % saline solution in an unloaded condition.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an absorbent pouch, which is adapted to absorb liquids, comprises a first panel, a second panel, and a super-absorbent material. The first and second panels are attached to each other along their respective general peripheries so as to form a space therebetween. The space comprises the super-absorbent material. At least one of the outer panels has at least one hole formed therein. The hole is of sufficient size to be permeable to liquid. At least one of the first and second outer panels is made from a polymeric foam. The pouch is adapted to absorb at least about 20 times its own weight of a 0.9 wt. % saline solution in an unloaded condition. The absorbent pouches may be in a continuous chain of connected absorbent pouches.


This invention relates to novel sulfur-containing silane coupling agents, and organic polymers containing carbon-carbon double bonds. These novel silanes can be carried on organic and inorganic fillers. The invention also relates to articles of manufacture, particularly tires, made from the elastomer compositions described herein.

Sulfur-containing coupling agents used for mineral-filled elastomers involve silanes in which two alkoxysilylalkyl groups are bound, each to one end of a chain of sulfur atoms. The two alkoxysilyl groups are bonded to the chain of sulfur atoms by two similar, and in most cases, identical, hydrocarbon fragments. The general silane structures just described, hereinafter referred to as "simple bis polysulfide silanes," usually contain a chain of three methylene groups as the two mediating hydrocarbon units. In some cases, the methylene chain is shorter, containing only one or two methylenes per chain. The use of these compounds is primarily as coupling agents for mineral-filled elastomers. These coupling agents function by chemically bonding silica or other mineral fillers to polymer when used in rubber applications. Coupling is accomplished by chemical bond formation between the silane sulfur and the polymer and by hydrolysis of the alkoxysilyl groups and subsequent condensation with silica hydroxyl groups. The reaction of the silane sulfur with the polymer occurs when the S—S bonds are broken and the resulting fragment adds to the polymer. A single linkage to the polymer occurs for each silyl group bonded to the silica. This linkage contains a single, relatively weak C—S and/or S—S bond(s) that forms the weak link between the polymer and the silica. Under high stress, this single C—S and/or S—S linkages may break and therefore contribute to wear of the filled elastomer.
The use of polysulfide silanes coupling agents in the preparation of rubber is well known. These silanes contain two silicon atoms, each of which is bound to a disubstituted hydrocarbon group, and three other groups of which at least one is removable from silicon by hydrolysis. Two such hydrocarbon groups, each with their bound silyl group, are further bound to each end of a chain of at least two sulfur atoms. These structures thus contain two silicon atoms and a single, continuous chain of sulfur atoms of variable length.
Hydrocarbon core polysulfide silanes that feature a central molecular core isolated from the silicon in the molecule by sulfur-sulfur bonds are known in the art. Polysufide silanes containing a core that is an aminoalkyl group separated from the silicon atom by a single sulfur and a polysulfide group and where the polysulfide group is bonded to the core at a secondary carbon atom are also know in the art. As well as core fragments in which only two polysulfide groups are attached to the core.
When the polysulfide groups are attached directly to an aromatic core, the reactivity with the polymer (rubber) is reduced. The aromatic core is sterically bulky which inhibits the reaction. Compositions in which the polysulfides are attached directly to cyclic aliphatic fragments derived by vinyl cyclohexene contain more than one silated core and form large rings. The cyclohexyl core is sterically more hindered than the aromatic core and is less reactive. Although these compositions can form more than one sulfur linkage to the polymer rubber for each attachment of the coupling agent to the silica through the silyl group, their effectiveness is low due to the low reactivity.
The low reactivity is due to the attachment of the polysulfide to the secondary carbon of cyclic core structure. The positioning of the polysulfide group is not optimal for reaction with the accelerators and reaction with the polymer.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the aforementioned compositions involving silane coupling agents in several ways. The silanes of the present invention described herein are not limited to two silyl groups nor to one chain of sulfur atoms. In fact the molecular architecture in which multiple polysulfide chains are oriented in a noncollinear configuration (i.e. branched, in the sense that the branch points occur within the carbon backbone interconnecting the polysulfide chains) is novel.
The silanes of the present invention have advantages over that in the prior art by providing a means to multiple points of sulfur attachment to polymer per point of silicon attachment to filler. The silanes described herein may be asymmetric with regard to the groups on the two ends of the sulfur chains. The silyl groups, rather than occurring at the ends of the molecule, tend to occur more centrally and are chemically bonded to the cyclic core through carbon-carbon, carbon-sulfur and carbon-silicon bonds. The carbon-sulfur bonds of the thio ester linkages (sulfide) are more stable than the sulfur-sulfur bonds of the disulfide or polysulfide functional groups. These thio ether groups are therefore less likely to react with the accelerators and curing agents or to decompose when subjected to high shear or temperatures normally associated with the mixing and curing of rubber compounds. The thio ether linkage also provides a convenient synthetic route for making the silanes of the present invention. The cyclic core also contains multiple polysulfide groups that are attached to ring by means of a divalent, straight chain alkylene group. The attachment of the polysulfide group to the primary carbon of the alkylene group decreases significantly the steric hinderance of the core, and increases the reactivity of the polysulfides with the polymer. In addition, the cyclic core orients these alkylene chains containing the polysulfide groups away from each other to further reduce the steric hindrance near the polysulfide groups. This distinction is what allows silica to become and remain bonded (through the intermediacy of a sequence of covalent chemical bonds) to polymer at multiple points using the silanes of the present invention.
The examples presented herein demonstrate that the silanes of the present invention impart a desirable balance of physical properties (performance to mineral-filled elastomer compositions) and better wear characteristics to articles manufactured from these elastomers. Improvements in rolling resistance are also apparent for elastomers used in tire applications.

Silated cyclic core polysulfides, their preparation and use in filled elastomer compositions


Provided herein relates to methods and compositions for preparing a silk microsphere and the resulting silk microsphere. In some embodiments, the methods and compositions described herein are all aqueous, which can be used for encapsulating an active agent in a silk microsphere, while maintaining activity of the active agent during processing. In some embodiments, the resulting silk microsphere can be used for sustained delivery of an active agent encapsulated therein.

Microspheres with a particle size from 1 to 1000 μm have been being used as drug delivery vehicles. Compared to nanospheres (e.g., <1 μm) that can more easily penetrate tissues and enter cells, microspheres possess the advantage of higher drug loading capacity due to their larger volumes. Furthermore, microspheres can also present a more homogeneous distribution of entrapped drug molecules throughout their matrices, rendering them more suitable for use as sustained drug release reservoirs. The entrapment of drug molecules is generally achieved during microsphere preparation, and the subsequent drug release commonly occurs once the dry microspheres are hydrated. See, e.g., Chiellini F. et al. "Micro/nanostructured polymeric systems for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications." Nanomed (2008) 3:367-93; Ranade V V et al. "Drug delivery systems." 2nd ed. Boca Raton; CRC Press (2004). If the microspheres are made from non-degradable materials, drug release is generally driven by diffusion alone, e.g., due to a drug concentration gradient from the microspheres to the release medium. Id. For microspheres prepared from biodegradable materials, the drug release pathways can include both material degradation and diffusion (Id.; and Ye M. et al. "Issues in long-term protein delivery using biodegradable microparticles." J Control Release (2010)146:241-260).
However, existing methods for generating microspheres generally require one or more organic solvents, and/or high temperatures. Such conditions can cause degradation or inactivation of an active agent (e.g., a therapeutic agent) during the encapsulation process, resulting in a decrease in the effective amount of the active agent available for administration to a subject. Thus, there is a need for improved methods and compositions for making a microsphere, such that an active agent can maintain its bioactivity during the encapsulation process.

Methods and compositions for preparing a silk microsphere


In the method, a set of limits applicable to a core may be defined, and a test core loading pattern design, to be used for loading the core, may be determined based on the limits. Reactor operation on at least a subset of the core may be simulated to produce a plurality of simulated results. The simulated results may be compared against the limits, and data from the comparison may indicate whether any of the limits were violated by the core during the simulation. A designer or engineer may use the data to modify the test core loading pattern, creating one or more derivative core loading pattern design(s) for simulation and eventual perfection as an acceptable core loading pattern design for the core.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to developing core loading pattern designs for a core of a nuclear reactor.
2. Related Art
A nuclear reactor such as a boiling water reactor (BWR) or pressurized water reactor (PWR), for example, may operate from about one to two years on a single core loading of fuel. Upon completion of a given period (energy cycle), approximately ¼ to ½ of the least reactive fuel (oldest or most burnt) may be discharged from the reactor.
The operation of the cycle may depend on the placement of the fuel assemblies (fresh fuel, once-burnt fuel, twice-burnt fuel, etc.). Due to the presence of burnable poisons in the core, such as gadolinium, for example, the characteristics of the fresh fuel, once-burnt fuel, and twice-burnt fuel assemblies may be different. The fresh fuel assembly is typically less reactive at the Beginning-of-Cycle (BOC), as compared to a once-burnt fuel bundle, due to the presence of gadolinium. At the End-of-Cycle (EOC), since most or all of the poison has burnt out, the fresh assemblies are typically more reactive than the once-burnt fuel. Although the shape of an exposure dependent reactivity curve of the twice-burnt fuel may be similar to that of the once-burnt fuel, the reactivity of the twice-burnt fuel is smaller in magnitude. By combining fresh, once-burnt, and twice-burnt fuel assemblies, however, a substantially even reactivity may be achieved across the core, throughout the energy cycle.
In addition to reactivity considerations, the placement of fuel assemblies ("fuel bundles") may impact thermal limits, power shaping, and fuel cycle economics. If fuel bundles, too high in reactivity, are placed face-adjacent, inadequate margin to reactivity thresholds or thermal limits may result. Cycle length may also be increased by the placement of a greater number of reactive bundles toward the center of the core, rather than placing these reactive fuel bundles at the periphery of the core. Accordingly, a core loading pattern may define many of the most important considerations for a nuclear fuel cycle.
Traditionally, core loading design determinations have been made on a trial and error basis. A current process being used is a stand-alone manual core loading pattern design process that requires a designer to repeatedly enter reactor plant specific operational parameters into an ASCII text file, which is an input file. Data entered into the input file may include blade notch positions of control blades (if the evaluated reactor is a boiling water reactor (BWR)), core flow, core exposure, which may be the amount of burn in a core energy cycle, measured in mega-watt (or giga-watt days per short time (MWD/st, GWD/st), etc.
A Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensed core simulation program reads the resulting input file and outputs the results of the simulation to a text or binary file. A designer then may evaluate the simulation output to determine if the design criteria has been met, and to verify that no violations of margins to thermal limits have occurred. Failure to meet design criteria (i.e., violations of one or more limits) require a manual modification to the input file. Specifically, the designer would manually change one or more operation parameters, and re-perform the core simulation program. This process was repeated until a satisfactory core loading pattern design was achieved.
This process is extremely time consuming. The required ASCII text files are laborious to construct, and often are error prone. The files are usually ASCII format and extremely long, sometimes exceeding one thousand or more lines of code. A single error in the file could result in a crash of the simulator, or worse, may result in a mildly errant result that could be hard to initially detect, but which would profligate with time and iterations to perhaps reduce core cycle energy, if an actual operating nuclear reactor core was loaded in accordance with the erroneous core loading pattern.
Further, no assistance is provided via the manual iterative process in order to guide a designer toward a more favorable core loading pattern design solution. In the current process, the responsible designer or engineer's experience and intuition are the sole means of determining a core loading pattern design solution.

Method and arrangement for developing core loading patterns in nuclear reactors


A cleaning device is disclosed which includes a cleaning member to clean the surface of a charging roll that charges an image carrier. The cleaning member is fixed at one end thereof and contacts at a free end side surface with the surface of the charging roll. The free end of the cleaning member is inserted in between the image carrier and the charging roll. Also disclosed is an image forming apparatus including the cleaning device.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copier or printer, which adopts an electrophotographic system, and particularly to a cleaning device for cleaning a charging roll that charges the surface of an image carrier to be rotationally driven and to an image forming apparatus including such a cleaning device.
2. Related Art
A contact charging system that charges an image carrier by directly contacting a conductive charging roll with the image carrier is mainly used in recent days as a charging device of an image forming apparatus, such as a copier or printer, which adopts an electrophotographic system, because generation of ozone or nitrogen oxide can be reduced to a great extent and such as system has good power supply efficiency.
In such a contact charging type charging device, the charging roll and image carrier are always in contact with each other, and thus friction between the charging roll and a photoreceptor causes a charging history on the charging roll surface to occur when storing for a long period at the shipping stage of the image forming apparatus. Additionally, a conductive material coated in the surface layer of the charging roll oozes, causing the problem of adherence of the conductive material on the surface of the image carrier.

Cleaning device for a charging roller of an electrophotographic system


An antenna for small mobile devices comprises an antenna rod retractable in an antenna cover, the rod having an extended position, when the device operates in an active mode, or a retracted position, when the device operates in a passive mode. The electrical length of the antenna is different in the respective modes. Further, the antenna rod comprises an upper section and a lower section, separated from each other by an intermediate electrically insulating portion, wherein the upper section forms an antenna in a passive mode and the two sections in the active mode.

The present invention relates to an antenna for small mobile devices with an antenna rod retractable in an antenna cover, which rod can be in an extendible position, when a terminal operates in an active mode, as well as in a retractable position, when the terminal operates in a passive mode.
There are several and high demands raised on antennas of mobile stations in a modern mobile telephone system. Except for demands on cost efficiency there are demands on long operating time of a mobile station between the recharging of batteries, which means that the electrical energy consumed must be kept low. The energy consumption is influenced by i.a. the efficiency of the antenna.
To meet the requirements from today users, a mobile phone has to be light and compact so that for example it can be stored in an inside pocket in a jacket or carried in a belt by means of a belt-clip. Further, mobile phones are used in different environments and by many different kinds of users, requiring that the telephone has good performance and at the same time is robust and easy to handle.
A mobile station in a modern telecommunication system such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) operates essentially in two modes, an "active" and a "passive" mode. The mobile station is in its active mode during an ongoing call, when the communication is intensive between the mobile station and the present base station, and in the passive mode, the so called stand-by mode or readiness mode, when the mobile station does not serve any ongoing call but some communication with the base station still occurs in regular intervals.
There are several kinds of prior art antennas for mobile stations, such as rod antennas of half wave or quarter wavetype, dipol antennas, coil antennas, helix antennas etc. Different types of antennas have different suitabilities in view of the above described problem perspective. Notwithstanding that the helix antenna does not show as good antenna efficiency as a half wave rod antenna, it is often used because due to its coil shape it can be made compact and durable.
From considerations of space it is further common that mobile phones are provided with retractable antennas, usually completed with separate antennas arranged on the mobile phones for use in readiness state, because a rod antenna fully retracted in a metal casing of an apparatus is isolated from the environment in the meaning of signaling.
EP-A-0 736 925 describes an antenna with dual functions and a mobile phone provided with such an antenna. This antenna has two parts and can operate in two modes, i.e. in an active mode, when the antenna is extended, and a passive mode, when the main part of the antenna is retracted in the casing of the mobile phone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,687 also relates to an antenna which can operate in two modes. The antenna of U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,687 is formed of two conductive elements arranged in series in an elongated antenna structure without galvanic contact with each other. The upper part of the antenna consists of a helix element, and the lower part of the antenna consists of a rod. When the antenna is in its active mode, i.e. the fully extended position, the lower part of the antenna, the rod, operates as an antenna. When the antenna is in its passive retracted position the upper helix element operates as an antenna.
WO92/16980 also describes an antenna, which has dual functions and consists of an upper helix part and a lower rod part. Contrary to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,687 antenna the two parts of the antenna co-operates when they are electrically attached to each other. The object of the antenna according WO92/16980 is to dimension the rod part and the cover, in which the rod is located in its retracted position, so that when the antenna operates in the passive mode the rod part constitutes a very high impedance, thereby not influencing the operation of the helix part. An incorrect dimensioned rod part can in its retracted position result in undesired reflections or unnecessary attenuation of the signal.
The object of the invention described in EP-A-0 736 925 is to obtain an antenna structure operating in a suitable way both in retracted position and in extended position and being a small size preferably in mobile telephone systems. Also, it should be easy to produce and be suitable for serial production of mobile stations.
According to what is mentioned above this antenna also consists of two parts electrically attached to each other. The characterizing feature of this antenna is that the length of the lower part of the antenna is essentially less than a quarter of a wave length, at which the antenna is intended to operate, and that the lower part of the antenna in the extended position together with the matching circuit is to be matched to the impedance of the upper part of the antenna, so that it corresponds to the impedance of the antenna port. Thus, the lower part of the antenna is not to be hidden for the signal, which is the case according to WO92/16980. Consequently, the electrical length of the lower part may be considerably less than a quarter of a wave length.
A problem with prior art antennas having a rod portion and a helix portion is the difficulty to mechanically design the antenna so that the requirements of good performance and a compact shape is fulfilled. When the antenna is extended, in many cases the helix section has to be disconnected or compressed in order not to influence the total performance of the antenna. It is also difficult to incorporate the long rod within the telephone if an antenna having an electrical length of a half wave length in extended position is prefered.

Retractable antenna with shifting electrical length


A polymer composition for forming in-situ composite molded articles is provided. The polymer composition comprises a polyphenylene sulfide matrix resin, a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer, and a non-crystalline polymer. The polymer composition may be melt injected or melt extruded to form in-situ composite molded articles having improved mechanical properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer composition for forming in-situ composite molded articles having improved mechanical properties. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polymer composition for forming in-situ composite molded articles which comprises a polyphenylene sulfide matrix resin, a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer and a non-crystalline polymer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, general purpose plastics and engineering plastics have been reinforced with various kinds of inorganic additives in order to improve their mechanical strength and thermal properties. However, the use of such inorganic reinforcing agents causes some problems to the subsequent processing steps, for example, an excessive increase in the melt viscosity of the resulting polymer compositions, the abrasion of the processing machinery, and the like.
As an attempt to resolve the above problems, the so-called "in-situ composite forming technique" has been proposed, according to which technique, to an isotropic plastics such as general purpose plastics or engineering plastics as a matrix resin, an anisotropic, thermotropic liquid crystal polymer as a reinforcing agent is added. In this prior art technique, the thermotropic liquid crystal polymer reinforcing agent is present as a low viscous melt at the first stage, but it is crystallized upon cooling to form needle-like reinforced structures in the molding step. The technique of this type using the in-situ crystallization is advantageous since both the processability and the mechanical properties can be simultaneously improved.
A number of in-situ composite forming techniques are described in the prior patents and literatures. See "Polymer Engineering and Science," Vol. 27, p. 410; Vol. 29, pp. 9 and 600; and "Polymer Composite," Vol. 8, p. 158. In this prior art technique, non-crystalline engineering plastics are reinforced with thermotropic liquid crystal polymers. However, the resultant in-situ composite molded articles are still unsatisfactory in terms of their mechanical properties, heat-resistance, dimensional stability, etc..
In order to remove these defects, it has been suggested to use, as the matrix resin crystalline engineering plastics, for example, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), nylon, and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) in place of the non-crystalline plastics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,951 discloses a moldable blended composition comprising polyphenylene sulfide in admixture with branched polyphenylenes. The blend exhibits superior mechanical properties after heat aging to either component alone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,546 discloses a polyphenylene sulfide reinforced with chemically activated fibres or fillers. This reinforced polyphenylene sulfide is useful as an embedding composition. European Patent No. 0 103 279 discloses a poly(arylene sulfide) having a lower melt crystallization temperature. The molded objects obtained from such arylene sulfide polymers exhibit improved physical properties.
However, in order to obtain successful results from the prior art techniques mentioned above, the two or more crystalline polymers to be blended must be properly selected taking into account the physical properties thereof. Generally, when a crystalline polymer is blended with other crystalline polymer, if the two polymers fail to form co-crystallized structures, then the resulting blend tends to give rise to phase separation in the crystallization step thereof, resulting in poor mechanical properties. In practice, this tendency becomes serious when the crystallization temperature, crystallization rate and thermal expansion coefficient of the two polymers are different from each other or when the interface adhesiveness between the two polymers is poor. From this point of view, the thermotropic liquid crystal polymers used in the prior art are difficult to form a stable interface with the crystalline matrix polymer due to their rapid crystallization rate and the negative volume change exhibited during the heat treatment. Actually, with an increase of the content of thermotropic liquid crystal polymer in the polymer blend, the mechanical properties of the molded articles become lower accordingly. These problems encountered in the prior art using thermotropic liquid crystal polymers have been reported in "Plastics Molding Techniques," Vol. 4, p. 11.

Polymer composition for forming in-situ composite molded articles

Korea Institute of Science and Technology


A bias circuit is disclosed for use in a temperature compensation system. The bias circuit provides a current that is proportional to a temperature variation raised to an nth power where |n|>1 in accordance with an embodiment. In further embodiments, the bias circuit includes a PTAT current source for providing to a driver-stage amplifier a current that is substantially proportional to absolute temperature, and a CTAT current source for providing a current that is complementary to absolute temperature, wherein the PTAT and CTAT current sources coact to provide a PTAT2 reference current that is proportional to an absolute temperature variation to the nth power wherein |n|>1.

The invention relates to temperature compensation systems, and relates in particular to temperature compensation systems for linear power amplifiers that include power transistors.
The requirements of a bias circuit for a power transistor are typically quite different from that of a small-signal gain stage. First, the bias circuit should be able to provide sufficient DC base current. Second, linear power amplifiers are usually class AB type for efficiency reasons and this makes achieving constant gain between small and large signal conditions difficult to achieve. This is a requirement for good linear performance. Further, it is typically observed that power amplifier gain exhibits different variation over temperature under small signal and full power operation. A good bias circuit should minimize this effect. A poor bias circuit may result in so much gain drop at high temperature that the power amplifier might be able to deliver only half of its rated power at the extremes of temperature. In general, gain drops with increasing temperature if bias current is kept constant. A gain drop may even be significant for a power amplifier in which the bias current is PTAT (Proportional To Absolute Temperature).
Some of the reasons for these problems are that a PTAT bias current (IC) helps to keep emitter charging time (rE, CJE) constant with temperature, where rE=(kT/qIC). Device gain, however, which is directly proportional to fr, is determined by total emitter to collector transit time, and not only by emitter charging time. The values τB (minority carrier drift-diffusion base time constant), τSCL (collector space charge layer delay time) and τCIB (carrier diffusion time through 'current-induced-base' width WCIB) are significant contributors to the emitter-collector transit time at high frequencies and high current densities. When the power amplifier is delivering near full power; these high current density effects kick in and modify the temperature dependence of these device parameters. In other words, self-heating of the power transistor at high currents decreases the saturation velocity in the collector-base depletion region and the electron mobility in the base, which result in increase in τCIB and τB. This is the primary reason for higher rate of gain drop with temperature when the power amplifier is delivering near full power.
Another problem is that, to achieve better efficiency most linear power amplifiers are class AB type and therefore exhibit self-biasing. This means that DC bias, the temperature dependence of which is controllable, is only one part of the total bias. The rest of it comes from the radio frequency (RF) signal itself. If driver-stage gain drops with temperature therefore, it will directly result in reduced gain of the power-stage at elevated temperatures. The DC bias for the power stage should then be able to compensate for this effect.
Certain power amplifiers have employed a variety of approaches to correct for these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,369,657 discloses various systems that employ one or more of resistive biasing, active biasing and a current mirror bias network. These solutions primarily result in providing some form of PTAT current through the power transistor, but have been found to not fully compensate for temperature in all applications.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved temperature compensation system for power amplifiers.


A brake handle having a supporting frame, a handle and a push unit; wherein: the supporting frame has a receiving space; a piston is installed in the receiving space; the handle has a first sliding groove; the push unit has a second sliding groove; the second sliding groove is installed with an adjusting unit; the handle and push unit are pivoted to the supporting frame; the handle and push unit are pivoted to the supporting frame; the push unit resists against the piston; the adjusting unit passes through the first sliding groove and second sliding groove so as to pivotally install the handle and the push unit; and a screw rod is screwed to the adjusting unit. The screwing operation of the screw rod with respect to the adjusting unit will adjust an elevation of the handle.

Brakes are important for traffic safety, especially for a high speed driving. If the braking device is not good, even the driver has very good technology in driving, he (or she) can not effectively control a bicycle and thus, safety driving can not be achieved. Thus a good brake is very important in driving.
In one prior art braking pump, an oil pressure braking system has a pump. A retainer is installed to the pump. The retainer is used as a fulcrum for adjusting between a releasing position and a braking position. In braking, an actuating rod in the handle will reduce inwards so as to have a braking effect. A braking handle has a seat having a transversal assembly hole. The hole has an opening facing to the pump. A spring is assembled to the hole of the handle. A control block is also assembled to the seat. The control block has a control rod which is protruded from the opening and resists against the actuating rod. A sealing block is installed to the opening of the seat for sealing the assembly hole.
However the prior art braking device is transversally penetrated by a handle and a screw rod resisting against the pneumatic device for providing barking force by pneumatic pressures. The angle adjustable is finite. The barking handle is not in parallel to the pneumatic rod, but is tilt to the pneumatic rod. Thus, the contact therebetween is not complete. The pressure can not be transferred completely, the contact surface of the stud and pneumatic rod is easy to wear. For a long time, the whole structure will destroy. Moreover, the pressure is directly transferred to the braking pump. The oil pressure of the braking pump is controlled by the pressure from the finger. The braking is one stage, but not multiple stages. Thus, the control is inconvenient, even some accident occurs.
Thus, there is an eager demand for a novel design which is more stable and more effective.


The present invention provides a PMOS gate driving circuit, comprising a plurality of GOA unit circuits which are cascade connected, and the GOA unit circuit of every stage comprises a pull-up controlling module (100), a pull-up module (200), a transmission module (300), a first pull-down module (400), a bootstrap capacitor (500) and a pull-down holding module (600); the pull-up controlling module (100) receives a constant negative voltage level (VSS1), which can reduce the influence of PMOS element leakage to the first node (Q(N)); the pull-down holding module (600) is provided with a dual inverter (F1) comprising P-type thin film transistors, and utilizes special leakage prevention design, which can reduce the leakage of the first node (Q(N)) to prevent the influence of the electrical property of the depletion-mode P-type thin film transistors to the output of the inverter, raise the stability of the gate driving circuit, and promote the integration of the panel. The frame width of the liquid crystal display panel can be decreased in advance, particularly to be suitable for small size panel which requires higher demands to the frame width.

The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) possesses advantages of thin body, power saving and no radiation to be widely used in many application scope. Such as LCD TV, mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), digital camera, notebook, laptop, and dominates the flat panel display field.
Most of the liquid crystal displays on the present market are backlight type liquid crystal displays, which comprise a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The working principle of the liquid crystal display panel is that the Liquid Crystal is injected between the Thin Film Transistor Array Substrate (TFT array substrate) and the Color Filter (CF). The light of backlight module is refracted to generate images by applying driving voltages to the two substrates for controlling the rotations of the liquid crystal molecules.
In the active liquid crystal display, each pixel is electrically coupled to a thin film transistor (TFT), and the gate thereof is coupled to a level scan line, and the drain is coupled to a vertical data line, and the source is coupled to the pixel electrode. The enough voltage is applied to the level scan line, and all the TFTs electrically coupled to the scan line are activated. Thus, the signal voltage on the data line can be written into the pixel to control the transmittances of different liquid crystals to achieve the effect of controlling colors. The driving of the level scan line in the present active liquid crystal display is mainly accomplished by the external Integrated Circuit (IC). The external IC can control the charge and discharge stage by stage of the level scan lines of respective stages. The GOA (Gate Driver on Array) technology, i.e. the array substrate row driving technology can utilize the array manufacture process of the liquid crystal display panel to manufacture the gate driving circuit on the TFT array substrate for realizing the driving way of scanning the gates row by row. The GOA technology can reduce the bonding procedure of the external IC and has potential to raise the productivity and lower the production cost. Meanwhile, it can make the liquid crystal display panel more suitable to the narrow frame or non frame design of display products.
Generally, the Low Temperature Poly-silicon (LTPS) semiconductor thin film transistors can be categorized into two types: one is N-type element (NMOS) which mainly conducts with the electrons, and the other is P-type element (PMOS) which mainly conducts with the holes. A general CMOS refers to a complementary element utilizing the NMOS and the PMOS together. Under circumstances of some special applications and process condition restrictions, the liquid crystal display requires selecting the PMOS only element to be the thin film transistor of the gate driving circuit. Consequently, there is a need to design the integrated gate driving circuit for the PMOS only element to improve the performance of the gate driving circuit to promote the integration of the panel and decrease the frame width of the liquid crystal display panel in advance.

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An extraction unit (121) determines, by using a fixed composition file, a fixed composition including a car having a specified equipment installed thereon as a fixed specified composition. The extraction unit determines, by using an operation composition file, an operation composition including the fixed specified composition as an operation specified composition. The extraction unit extracts, from an environment file, environment information corresponding to a set of a specified time and the operation specified composition. A conversion unit (122) converts, by using the environment information, state information indicating the state of the specified equipment at the specified time to comparative information indicating the state of the specified equipment in a reference environment. An evaluation unit (123) compares the comparative information with reference information. Then, the evaluation unit evaluates the state of the specified equipment at the specified time based on the comparison result.

With penetration of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in railroad systems, accumulation of equipment operation data and environment data from operating cars is becoming possible.
Also, in the railroad industry, for the purpose of preventing an equipment failure and reducing a life cycle cost, moves for CBM (Condition Based Maintenance) of equipments are being accelerated.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a car maintenance system.
In this car maintenance system, monitor data collected by a monitoring device installed on a car is compared with information required for failure diagnosis and information regarding determination criteria for inspection and repair.

Train equipment management system, train equipment management method and computer readable medium