A hand stamp that preferably includes a case, a platen secured for selective movement within the case, a stamp die retained adjacent to the platen for movement therewith between a non-marking position where the stamp die is remote from a surface to be marked and a marking position where the stamp die is pressed into contact with a surface to be marked; and a retaining member mounted on the platen in any one of a plurality of positions such that the stamp die is secured in an assembled position adjacent the platen is provided. A preferred method of assembling the hand stamp is also provided.

Several types of hand stamps are available in the commercial market. Most common are self-inking hand stamps and pre-inked hand stamps. Self-inking hand stamps contain an internal source of ink and a mechanism for inking. Thus, self-inking hand stamps include a rather large number of internal parts, and therefore may not be easy to assemble. Great efforts have been expended to develop self-inking hand stamps, which can be quickly and inexpensively assembled. One brand of high quality self-inking hand stamps is sold by MandR Marking System, Inc. of Piscataway, N.J., under the trademark IDEAL. A good example of simplified assembly for self-inking hand stamps is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,992, assigned to MandR Marking System, Inc.
For a variety of applications, mostly due to a smaller number of internal parts, the pre-inked hand stamps are preferable to self-inking hand stamps. Due to the absence of an internal source of ink and inking mechanism and therefore simpler construction, the pre-inked hand stamps may be less expensive and easier to assemble. To insure that a pre-inked hand stamp may create a large number of impressions before a need for re-inking arises, the marking structures of pre-inked hand stamps are made from microporous marking materials, and as such are called microporous marking structures. The microporous marking structures are usually made from suitable polymeric materials or resins (i.e., thermoplastic resins) or other open cell compositions, which include a large quantity of microscopic pores. The multiplicity of such pores allows impregnation of microporous structures with a large quantity of ink. When such microporous marking structures are impregnated with ink and used in hand stamps, thousands of impressions may be created without applying additional ink to the marking structure. The microscopic size of the pores allows the ink to escape at a controlled rate. The marking structure of a pre-inked hand stamp is called the stamp dye.
The stamp dye of a pre-inked hand stamp typically includes a marking surface and a non-marking surface. The marking surface includes raised characters of the image to be created when the hand stamp is pressed against the paper to be marked. When the marking surface of the stamp dye is placed in contact with the paper to be marked, the ink is released at a controlled rate through the surface of the marking structure. The micropores within the raised character are not sealed, allowing the ink to pass through. The pores on the rest of the surface of the stamp dye must be sealed to prevent the release of ink and the distortion of the image.
Several methods of making stamp dyes are known. These methods include for example, syntering, salt leaching and others. Also, stamp dyes may be made from gel material, salt-leached/laser etched rubber or thermal etched foam. One of the preferred methods of making stamp dyes involves cutting the microporous material with a laser. To increase the precision of the cutting process, lasers of higher power are sometimes required. It is known that use of a lower wattage laser may lead to an increase in size error.
A typical pre-inked hand stamp includes a platen, a stamp dye made of a microporous material, a case and a mechanism for moving the stamp dye between marking and non-marking position. The stamp dye is usually secured to the platen and moves along with the platen between a marking and a non-marking position. The non-marking surface of the stamp dye usually lies flat against the platen. The stamp dye has traditionally been secured to the platen by using either a mechanical securing device or an adhesive.
Several drawbacks have been associated with the use of adhesives. For example, the adhesive may work its way through from the non-marking surface of the stamp dye toward the marking surface. There, the adhesive could seal off part of the marking surface, thereby creating ink transfer problems and distorting the image. Problems have also arisen with the use of adhesives because they do not adhere well to wet surfaces. To overcome this problem, the non-marking surface of the stamp dye is typically sealed with a sealant material. The process of applying the sealant material prior to the application of a suitable adhesive can be messy and inconvenient. More importantly, the sealing of the non-marking surface prevents re-inking of the stamp dye from the rear, i.e., from the side of the non-marking surface.
Even with the large ink capacity of modern microporous materials, the stamp dye eventually runs out of ink. It is preferable to re-ink the stamp dye from the rear, i.e., from the side of the non-marking surface, because the marking surface pre-inking is messy and necessitates a temporary suspension in the use of the hand stamp. However, when the non-marking surface is sealed to allow the use of adhesive, the re-inking from the rear is impossible since the sealant closes the pores, inhibiting the absorption of ink.
The use of mechanical securing procedures does not require the use of a sealant, and thus allows re-inking from the rear. However, the use of the mechanical securing devices has also been, to date, associated with some drawbacks. The mechanical securing device is typically a ring or a ledge, which holds the edges of the marking surface of the stamp dye in the assembled position on the platen. In the prior art hand stamps, a mechanical securing device, e.g., a ring or a ledge, is usually locked on the platen in a single locking position. When the ledge is locked, the distance between the ledge and the platen is fixed and cannot be adjusted. However, the thickness of stamp dies to be used with the hand stamp varies, for example as a function of the cutting error. Therefore, some stamp dies will be held tightly, whereas others will not. To address this drawback, the majority of commercially available pre-inked hand stamps, which utilize the mechanical securing devices, commonly use additional shims to properly fit the stamp dye between the platen and the mechanical securing device. Whether the ring or the ledge fits inside the platen or outside the platen, the prior art pre-inked hand stamps usually use such shims. The use of shims leads to additional steps in the assembling process, as well as the increase in cost for the shims themselves. Also, shims may somewhat inhibit re-inking from the rear.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved pre-inked hand stamp that allows securing a stamp dye in an infinite number of positions within a desired range.
The present invention addresses this need by providing a hand stamp that allows the use of stamp dyes of various thicknesses, as well as a method of assembling such hand stamps.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a hand stamp is provided which includes a case, a platen secured for movement within the case, a stamp dye which is retained adjacent to the platen, allowing the movement of the stamp dye together with the platen between a non-marking position and a marking position, and a retaining member which may be mounted on the platen in any one of a plurality of positions. In an assembled position, the stamp dye is secured adjacent to the platen. Preferably, the retaining member is directly mounted on the platen. Preferably, the retaining member is mounted in such a way that it may assume any one of an infinite number of positions between a lowermost position, where the retaining member is furthermost from the platen, and an uppermost position where it is closest to the platen. By assuming a position which corresponds to the thickness of the particular stamp dye, the hand stamp may accommodate stamp dyes of various thicknesses.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the platen includes a substantially plain button surface, a top surface and a perimeter. The retaining member includes a frame, which defines an interior opening. The stamp dye, having a marking surface and a non-marking surface, is positioned with the non-marking surface adjacent to the bottom surface of the platen, and the marking surface extending through the interior opening. The interior opening allows the marking surface of the stamp dye to reach the surface to be marked.
The hand stamp of the present invention also includes one or more clips for securing the retaining member to the platen by friction. The clips extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platen and may be part of and integral with the retaining member. The frame of the retaining member includes a ledge and a sidewall, which are integral and substantially perpendicular to each other. The ledge extends into the interior opening in the plane parallel to the bottom surface of the platen. In the assembled hand stamp, the non-marking surface of the stamp dye lies flat against the bottom surface of the platen, and the marking surface of the stamp dye and the perimeter of the marking surface of the stamp dye is arranged flat against and adjacent to the ledge.
The clips for securing the retaining member on the platen by friction fit may include a pair of flexible and resilient fingers. The fingers may extend upwardly from and be integral with the sidewall of the retaining member. The fingers are constructed in an arrangement having a broad part and a narrow part, wherein they are capable of moving toward each other so that the broad part becomes narrower. In the most preferred embodiment, the arrangement has a form of letter xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d.
The platen may include a platenwall, which defines the perimeter of the platen and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platen. When the stamp dye is inside the assembled hand stamp, it is enclosed by the platenwall. The platenwall may include one or more grooves having a width adapted for receiving the fingers of the retaining member. The grooves extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platen. When the fingers of the retaining member are in inserted into the grooves of the platen, they are flexed toward each other and thus exert pressure in the direction opposite to the direction of their flexing, allowing the retaining member to be mounted on the platen in friction-fit arrangement.
The hand stamp according to an embodiment of the present invention may also include openings through the top and bottom surfaces of the platen for supplying ink to the stamp dye. The hand stamp may also include a handle and a shaft arranged within the case and being connected between the platen and the handle, as well as a spring for biasing the platen in the non-marking position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a part for a hand stamp is provided. The part is designed for holding a stamp dye in the assembled hand stamp. The part for hand stamp includes a platen and a retaining member mounted on the platen in any one of a plurality of positions such that a stamp dye is secured within the part adjacent to the platen.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the retaining member may be mounted on the platen in any one of an infinite number of positions between the lowermost position and an uppermost position, whereby, upon final assembly of the hand stamp, stamp dyes of various thicknesses may be tightly secured between the platen and the retaining member by assuming the final assembled position which corresponds to the thickness of the stamp dye. The part for a hand stamp according to the present invention may also include one or more clips for mounting the retaining member on the platen in friction fit arrangement. The clips may extend vertically between the retaining member and the platen and may be part of the retaining member. The clips may also be integral with the retaining member. It is important to appreciate that other arrangements of the retaining member and the platen are possible. For example, the clips may extend from the platen or be integral with the platen. In such a case, the retaining member would include the grooves for friction fit mounting. Also, the clips may be independent from both the platen and the retaining member. One skilled in the art appreciates that all of these arrangements are within the scope of the invention.
The part for a hand stamp may include a substantially planar bottom surface, a top surface and a perimeter. The retaining member may include a frame defining an interior opening, with the frame including a ledge and a sidewall integral and substantially perpendicular to each other. The ledge may extend into the interior opening narrowing the interior opening and lie in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the platen. The part for a hand stamps according to the present invention may also include one or more clips extending in the direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platen. The clips may include a pair of flexible and resilient fingers in an arrangement having a broad part and a narrow part. The fingers could be capable of moving toward each other to narrow the broad part. The arrangement may have a forum of letter V. Preferably, the clips extend operably from and integral with the side wall of the retaining member, with the broad part of the arrangement directed toward the platen. The platen may include a platenwall defining the perimeter of the platen and integral therewith. Preferably, the platenwall extends downward in a direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platen. In the assembled hand stamp, the platenwall encloses a stamp dye placed therein.
To receive the fingers of the retaining member, the platen wall has one or more grooves extending in the direction substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the platen. When fingers are engaged in the grooves, they are flexed toward each other exerting pressure in the direction opposite the direction of their flexing, allowing the retaining member to be mounted on the platen by a friction feed mechanism. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the platen and the retaining member are rectangular, and the retaining member includes four clips. The retaining member is produced from a resilient and flexible material, preferably an appropriate plastic.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the method of assembling a part of hand stamp comprising a retaining member, a platen and stamp dye is provided, the method including the steps of placing the stamp dye within the retaining member so that the perimeter of the stamp dye is enclosed by the perimeter of the retaining member, arranging the platen of the retaining member so that the perimeter of the platens surrounds the perimeter of the retaining member, and applying a force to the platen to create a sufficient friction fit with respect to the retaining member, whereby the stamp dye is secured in the assembled position within the platen and the retaining member. Preferably, in this method of assembling a part of a hand stamp, the retaining member includes a frame defining interior opening and with the frame including a ledge and sidewall integral and substantially perpendicular to each other, the ledge extending and then narrowing the interior opening. Most preferably, the platen includes a substantially planar bottom surface and a top surface. In the most preferred embodiment, the platen is placed over the retaining member with the ledge being substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the platen. The most preferable embodiment includes assembling the part for the hand stamp described above.

Hand stamp and a method of assembling hand stamp


An ultra-broadband coherent radar transponder for precision tracking, and in particular a transponder arrangement having an antenna, receiver, control logic, delay, and transmitter components arranged to coherently amplify, delay and repeat back a reference signal to be utilized by a microwave radar system for high fidelity tracking.

Radar transponders have been utilized for many applications including missile, aircraft, and ship tracking and navigation for many years. They are generally used to receive, delay, amplify, and retransmit a radar signal to present a strong reference signal to the interrogating radar. However, most were non-coherent, answering back at a fixed frequency different from the radar transmitter. Some coherent units have been developed for missile and satellite tracking applications where knowing the velocity vector is critical to determining flight safety. However, these units are single frequency and have very narrow bandwidths of 10 MHz or less, and are tuned to the radar transmitter frequency which was typically never changed.
Frequency chirp or frequency hopping radar systems require a frequency agile transponder that could keep up with the radars to provide a steady tracking signal. A coherent transponder with approximately 1 GHz bandwidth was developed by the Navy in the early 1990s by expanding the earlier narrow bandwidth surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) delay line technology with similar wider bandwidth components. Although this Navy unit is useful for applications where the radar frequency band can be confined to that of the transponder, there are applications where the frequency range of the interrogating radar exceeds that transponder's bandwidth.
The bandwidth of older designs is typically the bandwidth of SAW or BAW delay lines. It is desired to have an ultra-broad band transponder that has a bandwidth that covers the entire S, X and Ku microwave bands.

Ultra-broadband coherent radar transponder for precision tracking

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


A fragment program may configure a fragment processor to compute several output positions and associated data for a fragment, effectively scattering the fragment. Each output position may be independent of a position computed for the fragment during rasterization of a primitive. Each output position may be computed based on a point light source position to compute a shadow map corresponding to the point light source. A raster operation unit writes processed fragment data to each output position. Furthermore, the fragment program may configure the fragment processor to compute per-output position parameters for the fragment such as stencil and alpha values.

1. Field of the Invention
One or more aspects of the invention generally relate to processing graphics data in a programmable graphics processor, and more particularly to producing multiple output positions for a fragment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current graphics data processing is exemplified by systems and methods developed to perform a specific operation on several graphics data elements, e.g., linear interpolation, tessellation, texture mapping, depth testing. Computation units are connected in a "shading pipeline" to perform shading operations and produce shaded fragments. In a conventional shading pipeline a position within an image that is represented as a pair of coordinates, e.g., (x,y), is specified for each fragment formed by the intersection of a pixel and a primitive. Each shaded fragment is stored in a frame buffer at the location specified by the position.
FIG. 1A is a prior art Output Buffer 130 including a Pixel 135 within a Primitive 125. Primitive 125 is defined by vertices, a Vertex 141, a Vertex 142, and a Vertex 143. A position, specified as a pair of (x,y) coordinates, is computed for a fragment within Pixel 135 during rasterization of Primitive 125. The fragment is shaded by the shading pipeline and the shaded fragment is stored in Output Buffer 130 at a location corresponding to the position. In order to control what is stored in Output Buffer 130 for each specific position and to allow, for example, reprojection of initial points into reprojected locations in a final frame buffer, Primitive 125 is tessellated to generate a very dense mesh such that each vertex in the mesh maps to a single pixel in Output Buffer 130.
FIG. 1B is a prior art highly-tessellated Primitive 125 where each pixel, such as Pixel 135, includes a corresponding vertex, such as a Vertex 145. Each vertex (and final pixel that it corresponds to) may be controlled using a vertex program, for example to control the position corresponding to where the shaded fragment will map to. Rather than tessellating a primitive, such as Primitive 125, to independently control the position corresponding to each shaded fragment within the primitive, it is desirable to control the position of a fragment without tessellating the primitive.


A semiconductor device has a plurality of bumps in a same row for staggered probing. The bumps in a same row are disposed on a chip and include a plurality of regular bumps and a plurality of irregular bumps. The regular bumps and the irregular bumps are interspersed in a same pitch. Along a defined line, the widths of the irregular bumps are narrower than the ones of the regular bumps for fine pitch applications. Additionally, the irregular bumps have a plurality of integral probed portions far away the line, top surfaces of which are expanded such that probed points can be defined on the probed portions for staggered probing.

Conventionally, a plurality of bumps are disposed on the surface of a semiconductor device, then flipped to an external substrate. For example, a driver IC chip having bumps is flipped and bonded to a glass substrate or a COF film. Especially, during the manufacture of the panels of STN LCD, a layer of SiO2 is evaporated on the surface of the glass substrate then a layer of ITO conductive traces are patterned and formed by sputtering and photolithography. Normally the glass substrate is called ITO conductive glass. Another glass is attached to the ITO conductive glass then the gap between two glasses is filled with liquid crystals. To assemble a display panel, a plurality of driver IC chips with a plurality of bumps are needed to bond to the ITO conductive glass for driving the panel. However, the chip dimension is getting smaller and smaller, the number of bumps on chips are getting more and more. Therefore, the pitch between the bumps has to be reduced, i.e., the bump widths and bump spacing have to be reduced. Without well-controlled bump spacing, electrical shorts between bumps become a serious issue when implementing ACF or soldering for flip-chip electrical connections. With the reduced bump pitch and the minimum requirement of bump spacing, the bump width becomes smaller where the top surface of bumps available for test probing become smaller as well, which can not be probed by the probes of a probe card leading to testing failure.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional semiconductor device 100 comprises a chip 110 and a plurality of bumps 120 disposed at a same row where the bumps 120 are disposed on the surface 111 of the chip 110 and are electrically connected to the bonding pads 112 thereunder. A plurality of probing points 121 for probing are defined on the top surfaces of the bumps 120 where the probing points 121 are disposed in a line. According to the processing capabilities and product specifications, when the bump spacing S1 of the same row of bumps is below 10 μm, electrical shorts and insufficient bonding strength become the major issues. When the bump widths W1 of the same row of bumps is below 15 μm, the tolerance of the defined probing points 121 becomes smaller, i.e., probes can not touch all the bumps at the same time during probing. Therefore, the bump pitch of the same row of bumps can not further be reduced.
A conventional way of solving the current issue is to dispose a row of bumps into a plurality of rows of bumps to enable staggered probing by redistribution traces done on a chip. An additional passivation layer on chip is also required. Moreover, the bonded substrate is designed to have multiple layers of traces. The chip having RDL and the multi-layer substrate are different from conventional STN flip-chip structure, an extra expensive cost is expected.

Semiconductor device having bumps in a same row for staggered probing


A virtual subscriber line terminal station device includes a software component including software to be added in accordance with a service requirement; and hardware having general-purpose functions; wherein the hardware includes a communication unit that receives a bandwidth allocation request transmitted by a subscriber line termination device; and the software component includes a bandwidth allocation component. The bandwidth allocation component has an individual unit that, based on an algorithm for allocating bands, computes a bandwidth to be allocated to the subscriber line termination device that transmitted the bandwidth allocation request; a common unit that, in accordance with the bandwidth allocated by the individual unit, allocates the bandwidth to the subscriber line termination device; and an interface between the individual unit and the common unit. The common unit converts the bandwidth allocation request received by the communication unit to a format that can be used by the individual unit. The individual unit computes the bandwidth to be allocated to the subscriber line termination device that transmitted the bandwidth allocation request that is converted, by the common unit, to a format that can be used by the individual unit.

A PON (Passive Optical Network), which is access system equipment, is constituted by a subscriber line terminal station device (OLT: optical line terminal) that is installed in a central office of a communication service provider and subscriber line termination devices (ONU: optical network terminal) that are installed in users' homes. In this case, an OLT is a device for communicating with other communication devices, such as ONUs, by means of optical signals transmitted via an optical communication network. ONUs are devices for communicating with other communication devices by means of optical signals transmitted via a communication network. ONUs may be formed by using multiple devices. ONUs are installed, for example, in the homes of users to whom communication services are provided.
In a PON system (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1), the light of a downlink signal, which is a signal from an OLT to ONUs, is split by a splitter, so the same optical signal reaches all of the ONUs. As a result thereof, the downlink signals are transmitted to all of the ONUs as a broadcast. Each ONU receives the signals and selects whether to accept or discard received frames by extracting frames from the arriving downlink signals and determining whether or not the frames are addressed thereto. In a PON, identifiers known as LLIDs (Logical Link IDs) are used for this determination. The value of an LLID is determined in the OLT at the time of ONU registration. Additionally, the values of the LLIDs are managed so that LLIDs are not duplicated between ONUs subordinate to a PON interface.
An LLID is contained in the preamble of a frame defined under the IEEE 802.3ah standard. In downlink communications, an OLT determines which ONU each transmission frame is to be transmitted to, inserts the LLID of that ONU into the preamble of the transmission frame, and sends the frame to the ONUs. The ONUs collate the LLIDs in the received frames with their own LLIDs of which they have been notified beforehand by the OLT. If there is a match, an ONU determines that the frame is addressed thereto and accepts the received frame. If not, the ONU concludes that the frame is not addressed thereto and discards the received frame. In uplink communications, which are communications from an ONU towards an OLT, the ONU inserts the LLID allocated thereto into the preamble of a transmission frame and transmits the frame to the OLT. In the OLT, it is determined which ONU transmitted a received frame by means of the LLID contained in the preamble of the received frame.
In PONs, efforts are currently being made towards virtualization, such as network function virtualization (NFV), for expediting the introduction of services. The concept of NFV involves using software to implement communication device functions (hereinafter referred to as "NW functions") that have conventionally been implemented by means of dedicated hardware, and having said NW functions operate on an operating system using general-purpose hardware. Since NFV allows NW functions to be added or modified by merely updating software, the time from development to introduction and deployment of services is reduced. Due to such properties, the virtualization of PON systems has garnered interest for use in optical access systems.

Virtual subscriber line terminal station device and control method for virtual subscriber line terminal station device

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


An apparatus and a method for providing information during a call by delivering the current state and changes of state of a mobile device by tactile information, and which does not interfere with the phone conversation. The apparatus for providing information during a call comprises an information-sensing unit sensing at least one among information about the state of a mobile device and the state of a phone conversation, an information-analysis unit analyzing the sensed state information, a tactile information-generating unit generating tactile information corresponding to the sensed information, which was analyzed by the information-analysis unit, a tactile information-outputting unit delivering the tactile information to a user, and a driving unit generating a driving signal which drives the tactile information-outputting unit by converting the tactile information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing information during a call. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing information during a call, which helps ease conversation by delivering the current state of a mobile device and the change of the state in a tactile manner that does not interfere with the conversation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, changes of the state of a mobile device produced by events such as another call, arrival of a message, etc. occasionally occur during a call. Several methods for sensing a change of the state of a mobile device during a call have been provided, and a representative method among them is to inform a user of such information by sound or vibration. U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,930 presents a method for informing a user of the arrival of an urgent message during a call by a vibration that is different from a call in a normal mode.
However, a problem occurs when a user is notified of a change of state of a mobile device by sound or vibration, which can disturb the conversation.

Method and apparatus for providing information during a call and a mobile device including the same


The invention relates to a mammalian cell line useful for retroviral packaging comprising two plasmids, the first such plasmid comprising in 5' to 3' order: a DNA sequence comprising a 5' long terminal repeat (LTR); a mutated .psi. packaging sequence; a DNA sequence comprising the encoding portion of the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MULV) env gene; and the second such plasmid comprising in 5' to 3' order: a DNA sequence comprising a 5' long terminal repeat (LTR); a mutated .psi. packaging sequence; a DNA sequence comprising the encoding portion of the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MULV) gag and pol genes; a selectable marker; and an origin of replication.. The invention also relates to processes for preparing a producer cell line useful for transferring a gene of interest into recipient mammalian cells in vitro.

Throughout this application, various publications are referenced in parentheses and citations provided for them. The disclosure of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
Retroviruses appear to be the method of choice as vectors for the transfer of exogenous genes into humans. In particular, the cloning, transfer, and expression of human globin genes into erythroid cells in culture has raised the possibility of autotransplantation of bone marrow cells with normal .beta.-globin genes as an approach to the therapy of .beta.-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia in humans (1). Retroviral vectors are the most efficient means of transferring genes into cells. This high efficiency is a requirement for experiments whose goal is human globin gene therapy because only a limited number of bone marrow stem cells can be obtained, and as many as possible must acquire and express the transferred genes to ensure repopulation of sufficient marrow elements to produce normal amounts of hemaglobin.
A major prerequisite for the use of retroviruses is to insure the safety of their use (2). The major danger of the use of retroviruses for gene therapy is the possibility of the spread of wild-type retrovirus in the cell population. The proliferation of wild-type virus can lead to multiple integrations of the retrovirus into the genome which may result in the activation of potentially harmful genes such as oncogenes (3, 4). The development of packaging cell lines that produce only replication-defective retroviruse:; has increased the utility of retroviruses for gene therapy (5-9). In these cell lines, the sequence required for packaging of the viral RNA (.psi. sequence) bias been deleted, therefore the packaging cell produces viral proteins but is unable to package the viral RNA genome into infectious virions. When these packaging lines are transfected with a replication-defective retroviral vector containing an intact .psi. sequence required for its own packaging, wild-type retrovirus has been shown to arise (6, 10, 11) presumably due to recombination events between the helper virus genome and the vector virus. For example, high titer amphotropic retroviral stocks generated by transfer of a defective neomycin-containing retrovirus into the amphotropic packaging cell line PA12 (containing the .psi. deletion) have been shown to produce infectious amphotropic helper virus (10, 11). To circumvent this problem, additional mutations have been made in the defective virus of newer helper cell lines (11). These have included deletions in the 3' LTR of the helper virus component, and additional deletions of portions of the 5' LTR as well. One of these defective amphotropic constructs has been used to produce a retroviral packaging line, PA317, that has recently been reported to eliminate wild type retrovirus production after retroviral transfection. However, using this packaging line, two recombinational events could still produce intact retrovirus. Cell lines containing both 3' and 5' LTR deletions as well as the packaging mutation were also constructed but were not useful because of the relatively low titers obtained with these constructs.
We have created novel ecotropic and amphotropic retrovirus packaging cell lines which should virtually eliminate the possibility of recombination between the helper virus and the vector virus leading to wild-type retrovirus. In our cell lines, the helper virus DNA has been separated onto two plasmids; the gag and the pol genes are on one plasmid and the env gene is on another plasmid. In addition, the packaging sequence and the 3' LTR have been deleted in both plasmids. With this type of strategy at least three recombination events between the two helper plasmids and the vector virus are necessary to generate a wild-type virus. We will describe the development of both a stable ecotropic and a stable amphotropic packaging line that are both efficient and safe for use in gene transfer experiments. An ecotropic packaging line concerns a virus which can only infect or transfect cells of the same species. In an amphotropic packaging line, the virus can infect or transfect a wide range of host cell species.

Retroviral packaging cell lines and process of using same

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


Manufacturing methods related to anodizing of metal parts are described. In particular, pre-anodizing and post-anodizing methods for forming a consistent and defect-free interface between metal and non-metal sections of a part are described. Methods involve preventing residues from various manufacturing processes from entering a gap or space at the interface between the metal and non-metal section of the part and that can disrupt subsequent anodizing and anodic film dyeing processes. In particular embodiments, methods involve forming a barrier layer or filler layer between the metal and non-metal sections. Portions of the barrier layer or filler layer can be removed prior to anodizing. The resultant part has a well-defined and uniform space between the metal and non-metal sections that is free from visual defects.

Anodizing is a process used in many manufacturing product lines to provide protective and cosmetically appealing surfaces to metal portions of a part. During an anodizing process, a part is exposed to an electrolytic process whereby the part acts as an anode. The process forms a metal oxide layer or anodic film on surfaces of a part. The metal oxide layer can enhance the durability and corrosion resistance of the part. In addition, the metal oxide layer has a porous structure that can accept any of a number of dyes. These dyes can be infused within the porous structures of the metal oxide to give the part a particular color.
In addition to anodizing, products typically undergo a number of other manufacturing processes. For instance, the part can undergo any of a number of metal shaping processes such as machining (e.g., cutting, milling, etc.), forging, extruding. In addition, the part typically undergoes any of number of surface treatment processes, such as polishing, etching and blasting procedures. Many times, consumer products are composite parts that include metal and non-metal sections, such as plastic or glass sections. Residues from the various manufacturing processes, such as chemical residues, can get trapped within gaps and crevices between the metal and non-metal sections, which can detrimentally affect a subsequent anodizing process and cause defects in the resultant metal oxide film. In some cases, these defects can be visible, especially if the metal oxide film is dyed.

Methods for forming defect-free anodized parts


A system for rotationally biasing a fiber optic gyroscope includes a fiber optic gyroscope assembly comprising a light source that emits an optical signal, an optical coupler in optical communication with the light source, and a fiber optic coil in optical communication with the light source. The fiber optic coil receives the optical signal through the optical coupler and imparts a phase shift proportional to rotation. A rate sensing detector in optical communication with the fiber optic coil receives the optical signal from the fiber optic coil through the optical coupler. A motor coupled to the fiber optic coil applies a periodic rotation to the fiber optic coil to impart a biasing phase modulation to the optical signal. A signal processing unit is coupled to the fiber optic gyroscope assembly and the motor. The signal processing unit converts a measured intensity of the optical signal to rotation rate data.

The standard interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG) requires some mechanism for phase modulating in order to move the operating point of the interferometer onto the more sensitive points of the intensity versus phase curve, at which there is also sign differentiation. The standard method of imparting a biasing phase modulation to counter propagating light waves in an IFOG is to use an optical phase modulator, such as a lithium niobate electro-optic modulator or a fiber-stretching piezo modulator. Since both of these technologies are direct optical phase modulators, they operate in the optical path and can have unwanted side effects, such as residual intensity modulation, optical attenuation, wavelength dependent loss, and the like.

Rotationally biased fiber optic gyroscope


A service platform provides automated speech based services over a telephone network. It includes a speech processor with associated memory, to provide services such as speech recognition, speaker recognition, speaker verification and speech synthesis. A line interface terminates a number of telephony channels of the network while a speech bus carries speech signals between the line interface and the speech processor. A control processor controls routing of speech signals over the speech bus and a control bus connects the control processor with the speech processor and the line interface. A separate memory holds speech processing software and a data link connects the memory with the speech processor to load programs into the speech processor during run time in the event that appropriate software does not exist on the speech processor in a free state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a service platform, in particular to a platform for the provision of voice services which use speech technology. Typically such services will be interactive services, such as home banking, but the invention also finds application with non-interactive services.
2. Related Art
There is increasing pressure on the telecommunications industry to provide enhanced telephone services, to adapt more quickly to changing demands, and to provide increased value for money. One of the areas of technology which is key to achieving these goals is "speech technology", that is the technology of speech recognition, speaker recognition, speaker verification, speech synthesis, text-to-speech conversion, speech compression, etc. This technology can be used to provide improved customer service, replacing or assisting human operators, and or providing completely new services to customers. Typically, the various aspects of this technology are provided separately, often by different items of equipment. For some applications the equipment to provide the speech recognition, etc., will be associated with a main exchange in a telephone network (PSTN), while other applications equipment will be provided in, or in association with, customer's premises. Particularly for network-based equipment, there exists a need for equipment which can handle many calls simultaneously, preferably with the ability to provide multiple services simultaneously.
To some extent, this need has been met by equipment which provides interactive voice services and in which processors, typically digital signal processors (DSP)s are programmed to provide a particular service, the recognition or synthesis algorithms necessary for the provision of the particular service also being stored on or in close association with the programmed DSP. Such known apparatus is typically dedicated to the provision of one service, with the DSP or DSPs needed to provide the service being allocated as a whole to each incoming call as and when it is answered. This dedicated arrangement is simple and convenient, but it does mean that if any part of the service offering is very processor hungry, for example using a complex, speaker-independent recognition algorithm with a large vocabulary, the level of processor provisioning required to run that part of the service needs to be provided throughout the entire length of each call to that service, and this is clearly inefficient. While this inefficiency is supportable in small systems, systems which need to handle many calls are handicapped by the need to over provide processing resource. It would be desirable, therefore, if some means could be found to provide processing resource on an "as-needed" basis, while at the same time providing a reliable, quick and user-friendly service platform.

British Telecommunications public limited company


Controlled release pharmaceutical beads are provided having a multi-layered core and a multi-layered periphery. The core contains at least (A) an inner portion having a suitable organic acid and (B) a sustainably-acid-releasing coating thereover. The periphery contains at least (A) an inner portion having a mixture of at least (i) a pharmaceutical compound and (ii) a surface-active agent, and (B) a sustainably-drug-releasing exterior coating.

This invention concerns multi-layered, controlled releasing drug beads, their preparation, and pharmaceutical use.
It is desirable to formulate orally delivered drugs in a manner which permits administration on a once or twice per day schedule to facilitate patient compliance and to reduce swings in blood plasma levels. However, it is difficult to achieve the desired therapeutic blood levels of many drugs, such as those which are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream or those which are readily metabolized, without a more frequent dosing schedule. Desired blood levels of some of these drugs, however, can be obtained by formulating the drugs in a manner which delays or sustains the release of the drug.
Sustained release pharmaceutical preparations utilized to delay the release of a drug in the digestive tract include those in which the active substance is embedded within a polymeric matrix which dissolves extremely slowly. The drug is bound within the polymeric matrix and is gradually released as the matrix dissolves. In another type of delayed-release formulation, the active substance is shaped into beads or tablets and a sustained release coating is applied to slow the release of the active substance. The sustained release coating may be one which is soluble or it may be insoluble but permeable to an aqueous medium.
These conventional types of sustained release formulations can be effective to provide the desired release rates for some types of drugs, including those which are readily absorbed and/or metabolized. The human digestive tract, however, has pH values ranging from 1.0 to 7.5 and adequate blood levels of many types of drugs are difficult to achieve, even with such sustained release formulations. For example, drugs which are weak bases are solubilized and absorbed only if the solid pharmaceutical preparation remains in the acidic range for a sufficient time period. Absorption of such drugs thus depends greatly upon the retention time and the pH in the patient's stomach and upper intestine.
In order to obtain a pH independent release for drugs having pH dependent solubility characteristics, it has been suggested that the sustained release drug pellets or tablets include an acid buffer to provide the desired pH within the pellets regardless of the pH of the surrounding aqueous medium. It has proven difficult, however, to maintain the acid buffer for the time period necessary to achieve complete release of the drug from the pellets or tablet.
What is lacking and needed in the art is a controlled and pH independent release formulation which can be used for oral delivery of pharmaceuticals, particularly those pharmaceuticals which are generally soluble only in acidic mediums, and which is suitable for administration at infrequent intervals such as once or twice a day.

Controlled release formulation for pharmaceutical compounds


A photocoupler comprises an input side lead frame; an output side lead frame disposed facing the input side lead frame with a gap therebetween; a light emitting device mounted on a face of the input side lead frame facing the output side lead frame side; a light receiving device mounted on a face of the output side lead frame facing the input side lead frame side, opposite to and having a gap with the light emitting device; and a protrusion disposed on at least a part of an area around the light receiving device on the output side lead frame and being formed of conductive bonding wire or a bump, protruding to the input side lead frame side.

A general photocoupler has a configuration in which two lead frames are disposed facing each other with a gap therebetween, a light emitting device (for example, a light emitting diode) is mounted and bonded to a lead frame on an input side, a light receiving device (for example, a light receiving IC) is mounted and bonded to a lead frame on an output side, and the light emitting device and the light receiving device are disposed facing each other and with a gap therebetween (for example, refer to FIG. 5 of Patent Document 2). In this type of photocoupler, since parasitic capacitance (floating capacitance) exists equivalently between input and output (between the light emitting device and the light receiving device), when voltage that changes suddenly due to a noise signal or a high speed switching operation is added to the parasitic capacitance, a current (displacement current) flows from the input side (the light emitting device and lead frame) to the light receiving device even when the light emitting device is not on, and an output malfunction may occur.
With regard to this malfunction, there is what is called CMR (Common Mode Rejection) as an index representing how hard it is to have a malfunction. The CMR relates to through rate of a maximum common mode voltage VCM that can be maintained with an output state of the photocoupler in a correct state, and is represented as a voltage change value per 1 μs (refer to Non-Patent Document 1).
In the general photocoupler as described above, a displacement current that flows, through parasitic capacitance between input and output, due to the voltage suddenly changing by a noise signal or a high speed switching operation, can be represented as in Formula 1.
                                          i            d                    =                                                                        ∫                S                                                                                ∂                      D                                                              ∂                      t                                                        ·                  n                                                                  ⅆ                  S                                                      =                                                                                ⅆ                                                                                ⅆ                    t                                                                                ∫                    S                                                                                D                      ·                      n                                                                                ⅆ                      S                                                                                =                                                                                ⅆ                                                                                ⅆ                      t                                                                                ∫                      V                                                                                divD                                                                    ⅆ                        V                                                                                =                                                                                ⅆ                                                                                ⅆ                        t                                                                                (                                              ∫                                                  ρ                                                                                ⅆ                            V                                                                                )                                                        =                                                                                ⅆ                                                                                ⅆ                          t                                                                                (                        Q                        )                                                              =                                                                                ⅆ                                                                                ⅆ                            t                                                                                (                          CV                          )                                                                    =                                                                                C                                                                                ⅆ                              V                                                                                ⅆ                              t                                                                                =                                                                                C                                                                                Δ                                                                                V                                CM                                                                                t                              r                                                                                [                  Formula                                                              1                ]            D: electric flux densityt: timen: unit normal vectorS: conductor areaρ: charge density on input sideQ: value of integral of charge density ρC: capacitance between input and outputV: voltage between input and outputVCM: common mode voltagetr: rising time
Since the through rate of the common mode voltage VCM is "ΔVCm/tr", if the through rate is high, a large displacement current id flows from the input side (light emitting device side) to the output side (light receiving device side). A malfunction not occurring even if a large displacement current flows (possible to maintain an output state of the photocoupler as a correct state) means that the displacement current that is flowing does not easily enter the light receiving device.
As one method of improving the CMR characteristic, Patent Document 1 for example, discloses that a conductive polysilicon layer with translucency is formed in a light receiving part, as in the light receiving IC, and the potential of the polysilicon layer is grounded. With this method, an output malfunction is prevented by the displacement current being received by the polysilicon layer and being released to ground.
[Patent Document 1]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP04-354379A
[Patent Document 2]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP07-122779A
[Non-Patent Document 1]
Foundations and Applications of Optical Devices: Kiyoshi Ebina, (author and editor), (in Japanese) CQ Publishing, June 2005, pp. 253 and 270.


A method of forming a fluid quick connect includes steps forming a housing having a split end retainer slidably mounted in a recess in at least one end of the housing. A first angular recess is formed in the housing adjacent the first end. The first recess communicates with a bore extending from the first end of the housing. The retainer is captured in the recess by deforming an extension of the first end of the housing angularly inward. In one aspect, a conical surface is formed inward of the extension to form the recess in conjunction with the deformed extension. The retainer and recess may be used at one end of the housing for connection with one endform or at both ends of the housing to fluidically couple two endforms.

The present invention relates, in general, to fluid quick connectors which couple fluid components.
Snap-fit or quick connectors are employed in a wide range of applications, particularly, for joining fluid carrying conduits in automotive and industrial applications. Such quick connectors utilize retainers or locking elements for securing a male connector component, such as a tubular conduit, within a complimentary bore of a female connector component or housing. Such retainers are typically of either the axially-displaceable or radially-displaceable type. The terms "axially-displaceable" or "radially-displaceable" are taken relative to the axial bore through the female component.
In a typical quick connector with an axially displaceable, retainer, the retainer is mounted within a bore in a housing of the female connector component of housing. The retainer has a plurality of radially and angularly extending legs which extend inwardly toward the axial center line of the bore in the housing. A tube or male component to be sealingly mounted in the bore in the female component includes a radially upset portion or flange which abuts an inner peripheral surface of the retainer legs. Seal and spacer members as well as a bearing or top hat are typically mounted in the bore ahead of the retainer to form a seal between the housing and the male fitting when the male fitting is lockingly engaged with the retainer legs in the housing.
Radially displaceable retainers are also known in which the retainer is radially displaceable through aligned bores or apertures formed transversely to the main throughbore in the female component housing. The radially displaceable retainer is typically provided with a pair of depending legs which are sized and positioned to slip behind the radially upset portion or flange on the male conduit only when the male connector or conduit is fully seated in the bore in the female component. This ensures a positive locking engagement of the conduit with the female component as well as providing an indication that the conduit is fully seated since the radially displaceable retainer can be fully inserted into the female component only when the conduit has been fully inserted into the bore in the female component.
In brake fluid connections, the high pressure brake lines typically employ threaded connections for connecting two high pressure lines together. A male and female threaded connection must be properly aligned and tightened to the specified torque. This involves care in assembly which adds to the overall assembly time.
It would be desirable to provide a fluid quick connect for use in high pressure applications which eliminates the need for assembly tools to complete the connection.
It would still be desirable to provide a fluid quick connect which is useful in high pressure applications to provide an easy and convenient fluid connection to interconnected fluid elements, such as an interconnection between a brake line and a mating housing, caliper or fluid or reservoir.

Method of manufacturing a high pressure fluid quick connect


In a method of verifying patient identity, an image of an individual who is to receive radiotherapy is obtained and compared with a reference image of a patient to whom the radiotherapy is intended. Confirmation or negation of the individual to be the patient intended can be made based on the comparison of the image of the individual with the reference image of the patient.

This disclosure relates in general to radiation systems and methods and in particular to methods and systems for patient identification using medical images.
Patient identification confirms or negates the identity of a patient to whom radiotherapy is intended or planned. It is an important process to prevent accidental mistreatment, especially in fractionated radiotherapy where the total treatment dose is delivered in multiple sessions over time. To prevent patient mismatches, radiotherapy centers usually implement workflow processes and guidelines for patient identification. These processes can be as simple as asking control questions such as the patient's name and date of birth etc. Some more sophisticated processes use barcode or fingerprint recognition systems. These and other conventional patient identification processes are implemented as a step separate from the treatment and are more or less prone to errors. For instance, patients may have the same or similar names and the illness or anxiety may hinder them to respond to their own names. The control questions may be easily omitted, especially in situations where the daily treatment plan is delayed and multiple patients are waiting or patients need to be rescheduled to other treatment systems. The barcode or fingerprint recognition systems may lead to residual errors as the patient barcode or fingerprint may be checked too early before the patient is actually positioned in the treatment room for treatment.
There is therefore a need for a patient identification system with improved accuracy and robustness in general. There is a need for a method that can be integrated with existing patient identification systems to verify the correctness of the identification process. There is a need for a patient identification system which can be implemented as an integral part of the treatment process and automatically performed to reduce the risks of exchanging patients by mistakes between activities.

Method and system for automatic patient identification


A damping mechanism for an opening and closing member that opens and closes an opening while changing a center of rotation has an arm with damped rotational speed to support a shaft part of the opening and closing member. A position of the shaft part with respect to the arm is changed along with the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing member by a guide member. The arm is urged toward an opening direction of the opening and closing member by a forcing member, and the opening and closing member is maintained in a closed state against the force of the forcing member by a locking member.

The present invention relates to a damping mechanism of an opening and closing member, such as a door or a lid body, that opens and closes, i.e. covers, an opening while changing the center of rotation, as well as a container holder and an automobile door provided with the same.
As an example of an opening and closing member that opens and closes an opening, such as a door or a lid body, the present applicant has previously proposed a container holder provided in a center console of an automobile, which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000374564. As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the container holder is constituted by a main body 100 and a lid body 102, and a holding part (not illustrated) for holding a container provided on the main body 100 can be opened and closed by the lid body 102.
A pair of shaft support parts 102A is provided on both sides of the lid body 102. Also, shafts 108, 110 are respectively fixed to the shaft support parts 102A with a specific interval. The shafts are inserted into an arc-shaped guide hole 106 formed on the side of the main body 100, and they are capable of moving along the guide hole 106.
Also, a small sector gear 112 is coupled around the shaft 108, and a damping gear 114 is engaged with the small sector gear 112. Meanwhile, a sector gear 116 is coupled around the shaft 110, and a damping gear 120 is engaged with the sector gear 116.
Therefore, when the shaft 108 moves along an arc-shaped branch path 106A that branches upward from the guide hole 106, a force of an opening spring 118 is damped by the engagement between the small sector gear 112 and the damping gear 114. When the shafts 108, 110 move inside the guide hole 106, the force of the opening spring 118 is damped by the engagement between the sector gear 116 and the damping gear 120.
By this configuration, it is possible to damp the force of the opening spring 118 continuously from the start of opening to the completion of opening, even if the lid body 102 changes a movement track in the middle of the course. However, with a construction such as the above, two damping gears are provided and the mechanism becomes complex, thereby increasing a cost.
In consideration of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a damping mechanism of an opening and closing member that is capable of damping from the start of opening to the completion of opening of an opening and closing member, as well as a container holder and an automobile door that include the same, the damping mechanism being inexpensive with a simple construction.

Damping mechanism of opening and closing member, and container holder and automobile door including the same


A compact jumper for an infant or young child. The compact jumper includes a support frame, at least one resilient member, and a child-receiving apparatus. The support frame is configured for resting on a support surface and the at least one resilient member is coupled to a portion of the support frame. The child-receiving apparatus is supported by the at least one resilient member and is guided by a portion of the support frame. The child-receiving apparatus is movable with respect to the support surface as the child moves and jumps.

Swings, jumpers, bouncers and other similar devices are typically utilized to entertain and stimulate an infant or child in a safe location, which additionally provides an environment that promotes the development of a child's gross motor skills. Known jumpers, however, can be inconvenient to use, large and bulky in size, difficult to store, and not readily adjustable to accommodate children of different sizes.
Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for an improved jumper. It is to the provision of an improved jumper meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.


A composite laminate structure, and a method for its fabrication. The structure includes a syntactic core layer (10) including an epoxy system catalyzed by a Lewis acid, and two face skin layers (12), each of which has multiple graphite fibers laid up in a polycyanate matrix resin catalyzed by cobalt. After thermal curing, the laminate structure has the unusual, but highly desirable property that it is compliant enough to be conformed at room temperature to a different shape, without damage to the structure. The structure may be later conformed to other shapes or conformed to its original shape, again without damage. Structures of unusual shapes can, therefore, be easily fabricated from sheets of the laminate material formed in one (1) convenient initial shape, such as a flat panel.

This invention relates generally to thermoset composite structural materials and, more particularly, to thermoset sandwich structures for thermal management and passive damping applications. Thermoset composite sandwich structures are common. They typically have a relatively thick core material surrounded by face skins of much thinner material. The core material generally provides a rigid matrix. The face skins provide structural reinforcement and typically include high modulus fibers or graphite or similar materials in a resin base, to provide rigidity in selected directions, and high thermal conductivity. Thermoset composite panels may be used as thermally conductive panels on spacecraft, or as structural materials in a variety of applications.
Unfortunately, although structures of this type have desirable strength and lightness of weight, they are almost completely non-compliant once they have been processed at elevated temperatures and "cured." The rigid matrix locks the structures in a final shape that is typically determined by a mold in which they are fabricated. Complex shapes have to be fabricated using appropriately shaped molds or tools, the use of which, of course, increases the cost of the structures. Applying heat and pressure to a cured thermoset sandwich structure to adjust its shape has only a limited effect, at best, and may result in damage to the structure caused by mechanical failure of the matrix. Moreover, non-compliant structural members may need active and passive damping for use on spacecraft.
There is a need for thermoset sandwich structures that have high thermal conductivity, but still exhibit compliant behavior that permits modification of the structural profile after curing, and avoids or reduces the need for active or passive damping. The present invention satisfies this need.

Compliant thermoset matrix, fiber reinforced, syntactic foam sandwich panel


A vehicle interior component includes a base member fixed to a structural member, and a panel member attached to a vehicle compartment inner side of the base member so that its outer peripheral portion is pressed to a lining member from the vehicle compartment inner side. The panel member includes a panel protrusion protruding on a vehicle compartment outer side in the peripheral part of its outer peripheral edge, and the panel protrusion has an insertion hole into which a lock portion formed in the base member or a base fixing member fixed to the base member is inserted, and an auxiliary claw protruding on an outer peripheral edge side. The auxiliary claw engages with the base member to prevent the displacement of the panel protrusion to the vehicle compartment inner side when the outer peripheral portion of the panel member receives a load from the lining member.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle interior component attached to a structural member of a vehicle.
Related Art
Heretofore, an overhead console has been provided as a vehicle interior component on the ceiling side of a vehicle compartment of a vehicle. The overhead console is attached to a ceiling structural member of the automobile, and generally has an operation unit for electric component operation. An overhead console described in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2008-1318 includes a base member, and units that are attached to the base member, such as an illumination unit, an operation unit for switching the illumination unit on and off, and a storage unit for small articles. The base member is attached to a member on the side of the ceiling.
According to the conventional art, in the vehicle interior component, a panel member which is pressed to a lining member may come away, and the lining member may be detached. For example, in the overhead console described in Japanese Patent Publication Laid-open No. 2008-1318, the base member attached to the ceiling structural member and the panel member inside the vehicle compartment may be configured to be set together. A lock portion formed in the base member may be inserted into and locked to an insertion hole of the panel member to set the panel member to the base member. However, in this structure, the outer peripheral edge of the panel member receives a load as reaction force from the ceiling lining member, and the panel member may be deformed and partly come away from the base member. As a result, the ceiling lining member may not be held by the panel member, and the ceiling lining member may be detached and, for example, may hang down.


The present invention provides an in-line type multi-chamber substrate processing apparatus which, with a simple configuration, can decrease influence of particles due to film peeling and enables installation of a number of processing chambers. In one embodiment of the present invention, a jointless arm of a transfer robot that has a substrate holding part 4a and performs rotational movement while maintaining a predetermined length of the arm is disposed inside a first process chamber capable of being evacuated. The first process chamber is configured to be able to transfer substrates from an adjacent second process chamber through an opening by the arm of the transfer robot. A holder as an arm retreating position and a substrate mounting position is positioned so as to overlap with a trajectory of the substrate holding part when the arm of the transfer robot rotates about a rotation axis.

A substrate processing apparatus for performing predetermined processing on a substrate is known as thin film deposition apparatus such as sputtering apparatus and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus, etching apparatus, surface oxidation apparatus, surface nitridation apparatus, and the like. These substrate processing apparatus comprising an airtight processing chamber in order to process substrates in a predetermined atmosphere. Further, the substrate processing apparatus has often a plurality of processing chambers from the purpose of continuously performing different processing, and increasing productivity. In this description, these substrate processing apparatus having a plurality of processing chambers (process rooms) are collectively referred to as multi-chamber substrate processing apparatus.
One typical type of multi-chamber apparatus is a cluster tool type shown in FIG. 14. This type is configured to circumferentially couple a plurality of vacuum processing chambers 13a, 13b, 13c and a load lock chamber 10 in an airtight condition to a transfer chamber 11 including a robot for transferring substrates (hereinafter refer to as a transfer robot).
After the load lock chamber 10 is evacuated from atmosphere to vacuum, a substrate (not shown) is transferred to the vacuum processing chamber 13a by a transfer robot 12 in the transfer chamber 11. After being processed in the vacuum processing chamber 13a, substrates (not shown) are transferred to a vacuum processing chamber 13b by the transfer robot 12 in the transfer chamber 11. After being processed in the vacuum processing chamber 13b, substrates (not shown) are transferred to the vacuum processing chamber 13c by the transfer robot 12 in the transfer chamber 11. After being processed in the vacuum processing chamber 13c, substrates (not shown) are carried out and return to the load lock chamber 10.
A cluster tool type multi-chamber substrate processing apparatus may have merits of providing a relatively large number of processing chambers with relatively small occupied area. In the above described substrate processing apparatus, a need has arisen for providing more processing chambers with increased complexity and integration in entire processing, request for improvement of productivity and the like as a background.
For example, as processes to be continuously performed under vacuum increase, a number of processing chambers may also be required to be increased accordingly. As the same processes are performed in parallel for improving productivity, more chambers may also be required.
To increase the number of processing chambers in the cluster tool type apparatus, a circumferential length of a central transfer chamber (reference numeral 11 shown in FIG. 14) increases. This increases the size of the transfer chamber, and results in a large operating range of the transfer robot. The large size of the transfer chamber makes an evacuating time longer. Meanwhile, the large operating range of the transfer chamber requires a larger size transfer robot, which causes a problem that the apparatus becomes mechanically complex.
As disclosed in the patent document 1, a mechanism for transferring substrates by an in-line system is considered for avoiding above described problem.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-289556


In one embodiment a computer system comprises a housing, a backplane coupled to the housing, and at least one floor plate comprising an engagement assembly to connect a printed circuit board assembly to the backplane, wherein the engagement assembly utilizes a single mechanical force lever to secure the printed circuit board assembly to the backplane.

Some electronic devices such as computer systems typically include one or more printed circuit boards. Large computer systems such as, for example, servers and the like may comprise transverse loading printed circuit board assemblies, which are coupled to a communication bus such as, for example, a backplane. Systems and methods to accurately position transverse loading printed circuit board assemblies may therefore find utility.

Printed circuit board engagement assembly

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Disclosed is a distress signal lamp assembly including a mounting base, which has a clamping frame and vacuum mounts for mounting on either door window or any smooth surface of an automobile alternatively, a cylindrical casing fastened to a top socket on the mounting base, a retractable tube made to slide in and out of the cylindrical casing, and a lamp head fastened to the retractable tube by a toggle joint.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to distress signals, and more particularly the present invention relates to a distress signal lamp assembly which can be conveniently mounted on an automobile and adjusted to the desired elevation.
2. Description of Prior Art
When a car is in distress, the driver of the car may place a distress sign 50 to 100 meters behind the car to give a warning signal to the cars coming behind. It is inconvenient to put a distress sign far behind the car in distress, more particularly to a disabled person. It is also dangerous to a woman to put a distress sign far behind the car when the car breaks down during the night. It is still not very safe when a distress sign is used, because a distress sign reflects light only within a limited distance. A collision may still happen when a behind car is suddenly stopped during its high speed running. Further, a distress sign will become less effective during a raining or foggy day.


Techniques are described for storing and accessing data on heterogeneous types of data repositories, such as by a distributed software system that uses multiple data repositories on multiple computing nodes, including to transfer groups of data between multiple heterogeneous types of data repositories. In some situations, the techniques may be used by a system that stores various types of data regarding users or other entities that are modeled by the system, such as to transfer a group of data that represents an entity. The transfer of data may be facilitated by use of an abstraction interface that provides a uniform interface for accessing the multiple data repository types, such as an abstraction interface provided by one or more storage management components that further provide functionality to translate data between various data formats used by the multiple data repository types, such as via use of a common data format.

As the use of the Internet and the World Wide Web ("Web") has become widespread, it is increasingly common for users to access and use various types of capabilities provided by remote computing systems over the Web, including to search for, shop for and order items (such as products, services and/or information) that are for purchase, rent, lease, license, trade, evaluation, sampling, subscription to, etc. In addition to such user-initiated interactions, software programs on remote computing systems may also interact for various purposes and in various ways. For example, there is growing use of the Web to provide so-called "Web services," which typically involve the programmatic interaction of remote applications to exchange information via defined APIs ("application program interfaces"). Web services allow heterogeneous applications and computers to interact, and may be defined and implemented using a variety of underlying protocols and techniques. For example, some Web service implementations return data in XML ("eXtensible Markup Language") format using HTTP ("HyperText Transport Protocol") in response to a Web service invocation request specified as a URI ("Uniform Resource Identifier"), such as a URL ("Uniform Resource Locator") that includes a specified operation and one or more query parameters. Such URI-based invocation requests may, for example, be based on the use of XML over HTTP (e.g., as part of the REpresentational State Transfer, or "REST", distributed interaction model that focuses on resources). In other implementations, additional underlying protocols are used for various purposes, such as SOAP ("Simple Object Access Protocol") for standard message exchange, WSDL ("Web Services Description Language") for description of service invocations, and UDDI ("Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration service") for discovery of available services.
While the use of services to provide various capabilities to remote users and other clients may result in various benefits, various problems also exist. For example, as the scale of such offerings increases (e.g., to support large numbers of clients), large numbers of computing devices may be needed to store data related to interactions with the clients. However, among other potential issues, it can be difficult to manage the storage of data in such situations. For example, if only a single type of data storage system is used by all of the computing devices that support a system, it may restrict the ability to scale the system, as well as inhibit the ability to modify the system over time. Conversely, if a system attempts to support the use of multiple types of data storage systems, it can greatly enhance the complexity of the system, since each distinct type of data storage system will typically store data in a distinct internal format and will provide a distinct interface for accessing stored data.

Providing entity-related data storage on heterogeneous data repositories


A weight adjusting device (1) for a muscle training machine, which includes a hanger bar (30); weight plates (31) having a vertical central aperture for receiving the hanger bar; latch levers (32) attached to the weight plates for rotation in a horizontal plane between a release position and a latch position; lock levers (35) attached to the weight plates for rotation in a vertical plane between a lock position and an unlock position; spring means (3) placed between the latch lever and the weight plate so as to urge the latch lever toward the release position; interlocking arms (37) extending upwardly from a rear potion of the latch lever so as to contact another latch lever above the latch lever at right angles; latch notches (2) formed on a circumference of the hanger bar; and latch recesses (7) formed on the latch levers so as to engage the latch notches on opposite sides thereof when the latch lever is moved towards the latch position against the spring means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to muscle training machines and, more particularly, to weight adjusting devices for a muscle training machine.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 11 shows a conventional muscle training machine. In use, the user stands in front of the muscle training machine 30 and pulls the handle 31 to lift the weight plates 33 through a string 32. The bottom weight plate 33 is fastened to a hanger bar 38 with a removable pin 41 which is inserted through horizontal aperture 40 into a latch hole 42 of the hanger bar 38.
The "weight reduction training method" is one of the most effective muscle training methods, wherein the weight is reduced stepwise by reducing the number of weight plates 33 in the course of exercise. In this training method, after the muscles are trained to the limit by pulling up and down the weight plates 33, the lowest weight plate 33 is removed by pulling out the pin 41 to reduce the weight, and the muscles are trained again to the limit with the reduced weight. Then, another weight plate 33 is removed for further muscle training. In this way, a weight plate 33 is removed each time the muscles are trained to the limit.
FIG. 9 shows a weight adjusting device 1 useful for such a muscle training machine as disclosed in Japanese patent application Kokai No. 1-308576. The weight adjusting device 1 includes one rectangular base 33 and four rectangular weight plates 31a-31d each having a central aperture for receiving a hanger bar 30 and a pair of apertures for receiving guiding posts 41. The hanger bar 30 is lifted by a hanging means 38.
A latch lever 32 is pivoted to the bottom face of each weight plate 31 for rotation in a horizontal plane. A lock lever 35 is pivoted to the front face of each weight plate 31 for rotation in a vertical plane. The lock levers 35 have a first shoulder 39 and a second shoulder 40 from which a release portion 36 extending downwardly. When it is in a lock position, the lock lever 35 locks the latch lever 32 in the latch position where the latch lever 32 engages the latch notch 34 of the hanger bar 30. When the release portion 36a abuts on the latch lever 32a, the latch lever 32b is released from the first shoulder 39 under the influence of a spring means (not shown) and hits the tip of the release portion 36b of the lock lever 35b.
In FIG. 10, an L-shaped interlocking arm 37 extends upwardly from the rear end portion of a latch lever 32 such that the upper portion contacts the lower portion of an interlocking arm 37 of the upper latch lever 32. When the lower latch lever 32 is turned counterclockwise toward the hanger bar 30, the interlocking arm 37 pushes the upper latch lever 32 for rotation. As a result, the upper latch lever 32 engages the latch notch 34 of the hanger bar 30 to fasten the weight plate 31 to the hanger bar. Thus, both the latch lever 32 are engaged with the hanger bar 30 by only a single manipulation of the lowest latch lever 32.
However, the amount of engagement between the latch lever 32 and the latch notch 34 is so small that the interlocking arm 37 is not sufficiently brought into contact with the interlocking arm 37 of the upper latch lever 32. Consequently, the rotation of the lower latch lever 32 is not fully transmitted to the upper latch lever 32. Thus, it is difficult to set two or more weight plates 31 on the hanger bar 30 by a single operation of the lowest latch lever 32.
Since the engagement of the latch lever 32 with the latch notch 34 is made on only one side of the hanger bar 30, the weight is offset from the center of gravity of the hanger bar 30. Consequently, the hanger bar 30 is inclined to one side, and the weight plates 31 make frictional contact with the guiding posts 41.
When the lower end of the release portion 36a hits the latch lever 32a by reducing the pulling force on the hanger string 38, the lock lever 35a is turned clockwise so that the latch lever 32b is released from the first shoulder 39 of the lock lever 35a. When the latch lever 32b hits the tip of the release portion 36b of the lock lever 35b, the lock lever 35b is turned clockwise to release the latch lever 32c from the latch notch 34. As a result, the two weight plates 31a and 31b are released simultaneously, making it difficult to practice the weight reduction training method.
Moreover, the bending angle of the L-shaped interlocking arms 37 depends on the length and thickness of the interlocking arms 37, making it complex to set the appropriate bending angle. When the surface of contact with the latch lever 32 varies, it is necessary to make fine adjustments to the bending angle during the manufacturing process, resulting in the increased manufacturing costs.

Weight adjusting device for muscle training machine


It is characterized in that the image signal selecting the light-emission/no light-emission of the first to third light-emitting elements 112 to 114 formed by lamination is input through only the transistor for switching 107, and the specific light-emission is selectively emitted by controlling the potential of the first to third current supply lines 103 to 105.

In recent years, the research and development of display devices using self-emitting elements represented by electroluminescence (EL) elements and the like instead of liquid crystal displays (LCD), which include pixels using liquid crystal elements, has advanced. These light-emitting devices utilize advantages such as high-resolution due to the fact that they are self-emitting, they have a wide viewing angle, and they are thin and lightweight because they do not require a backlight, and therefore they are expected to have a wide use as display screens for mobile telephones and as display devices.
Also, increasing sophistication is demanded in display devices themselves due to the diversification of the purposes of use of such as mobile telephones, and color display devices that conduct multicolor display are already being widely used.
FIG. 5(A) shows an example of a common color display device. A pixel portion 501, a source signal line drive circuit 502 and a gate signal line drive circuit 503 are formed on a substrate 500. The input of signals to the drive circuits and the supply of an electrical current to the pixel portion 501 are conducted from the outside via a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 504.
In FIG. 5(A), the portion represented by the dotted line frame 510 is one pixel. FIG. 5(B) shows an enlarged view of part of the pixel portion 501. Each pixel respectively includes a source signal line 511 for inputting an image signal, a gate signal line 512 for conducting line selection, a current supply line 513 for supplying an electrical current to an EL element 516, a transistor 514 for switching, a transistor 515 for driving, a power line 517 and a retention volume 518. There is description in Patent Document 1 in relation to a circuit configuration where one pixel is configured using two transistors and which drives a load (here, the EL element is used as an example).
As one method that conducts multi-gradation display in such a display device using EL elements, there is a driving method where digital gradation and time gradation are combined (see Patent Document 2). According to this method, there is the advantage that it is difficult for fluctuations in the characteristics of the elements to influence image quality because it suffices as long as two states, the light-emitting state and the non-light-emitting state, of the EL elements can be controlled.
(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-147569
(Patent Document 2) Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-343933
In the case of conducting color display, the respective emissions of R, G and B are controlled using, for example, three adjacent pixels represented by the dotted frame 520 in FIG. 5(B), and multicolor display is conducted by mixing these colors. In other words, three pixels are required for a 1-bit display.
In comparison to pixels in the case of conducting a monochrome display, the pixels of a color display device with which multicolor display is possible have many constituent elements, and the area occupying the display region is also large. Thus, the aperture ratio drops. In order to obtain a desired luminance, it is necessary to raise the emission luminance by the amount that the aperture ratio has dropped. In order to raise the emission luminance, it is necessary to raise the current density per pixel, but this leads to a reduction in the life of the EL elements.

Display device, driving method thereof, and electronic apparatus

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A method of performing maintenance on a printhead of an imaging device includes the detection of at least one contaminated ink jet in a printhead. A first pressure is applied to ink in the printhead in response to the detection of the at least one contaminated ink jet. The first pressure is configured to prevent ink from entering a plurality of apertures in an aperture plate of the printhead and to prevent ink from drooling from the plurality of apertures unless the apertures are wiped by a wiper blade. A first portion of apertures in the plurality of apertures in the aperture plate is wiped with a wiper blade while leaving a second portion of the apertures untouched by the wiper blade while the first pressure is applied to the ink in the printhead. The wiping of the first portion of apertures enables ink to drool from the first portion of apertures. The first portion of apertures includes the at least one detected contaminated ink jet.

Solid ink or phase change ink printers conventionally receive ink in a solid form, sometimes referred to as solid ink sticks. The solid ink sticks are typically inserted through an insertion opening of an ink loader for the printer, and are moved by a feed mechanism and/or gravity toward a heater plate. The heater plate melts the solid ink impinging on the plate into a liquid that is delivered to a printhead assembly for jetting onto a recording medium. In the direct printing architecture, the recording medium is typically paper, while for an offset printing architecture, the ink is printed onto a liquid layer supported by an intermediate imaging member, such as a metal drum or belt.
A printhead assembly of a phase change ink printer typically includes one or more printheads each having a plurality of ink jets from which drops of melted solid ink are ejected towards the recording medium. The ink jets of a printhead receive the melted ink from an ink supply chamber, or manifold, in the printhead which, in turn, receives ink from a source, such as a melted ink reservoir or an ink cartridge. Each ink jet includes a channel having one end connected to the ink supply manifold. The other end of the ink channel has an orifice, or nozzle, for ejecting drops of ink. The nozzles of the ink jets may be formed in an aperture, or nozzle plate that has openings corresponding to the nozzles of the ink jets. During operation, drop ejecting signals activate actuators in the ink jets to expel drops of fluid from the ink jet nozzles onto the recording medium. By selectively activating the actuators of the ink jets to eject drops as the recording medium and/or printhead assembly are moved relative to each other, the deposited drops can be precisely patterned to form particular text and graphic images on the recording medium.
One difficulty faced by fluid ink jet systems is partially or completely blocked ink jets. Partially or completely blocked ink jets may be caused by a number of factors including contamination from dust or paper fibers, dried ink, etc. In addition, when the solid ink printer is turned off, the ink that remains in the print head can freeze. When the printer is turned back on and warms up, the ink thaws in the print head. Air that was once in solution in the ink can come out of solution to form air bubbles or air pockets that can become lodged in the ink pathways of the print head. Partially or completely blocked ink jets can lead to ink jet malfunctions or failures resulting in missing, undersized or misdirected drops on the recording media that degrade the print quality.
Some partially or completely blocked ink jets may be recovered by performing a printhead maintenance action. Print head maintenance generally includes purging ink through the ink pathways and nozzles of a print head assembly in order to clear contaminants, air bubbles, dried ink, etc. from the print head assembly and/or wiping the nozzle plate of the print head assembly. Previously known purging methods required that ink be purged through each ink jet in the printhead regardless of the number or location of non-functional jets in the printhead. If a printhead is purged to recover a single jet, ink is currently moved through all of the jets which requires a larger amount of ink, most of which does not contribute to the recovery of the weak or missing jets. There are currently no means to limit the purging of ink jets to a particular location or number of jets.

Selective purging of ink jets to limit purge mass