A method, system, and computer program product are provided for processing a text search query in a collection of documents. A full posting index is generated. The full posting index comprises one or more first index terms and a full posting list for each first index term, enumerating occurrences of the first index term in the documents of the collection. A text search query comprises search conditions on search terms. These search conditions are translated into conditions on the search terms to provide translated conditions. At least one short posting index is generated. The short posting index comprises one or more second index terms and a short posting list for each second index term, enumerating the documents in which the second index term occurs. Filter conditions and complementary conditions to represent the full content of the translated conditions are generated, wherein the filter conditions approximate the translated conditions. The filter conditions are processed using the short posting index and the complementary conditions are processed using the full posting index to provide a query result.

1.0 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, system and computer program product implementing the method, for processing text search queries in a collection of documents.
2.0 Description of the Related Art
The purpose of a text search query is typically to find those documents in a collection of documents that fulfill certain criteria, called search conditions, such as those documents which contain certain words. In many cases, the "relevance" of documents fulfilling the given search conditions has to be calculated as well. Most often, users are only interested in seeing the "best" documents that result from a text search query. As the size of document collections to be searched is constantly increasing, the efficiency of text search query processing becomes an ever more important issue.
Text search query processing for a fulltext search is typically based on "inverted indexes". To generate inverted indexes for a collection of documents, all documents are analyzed to identify the occurring words or search terms as index terms together with their positions in the documents. In an "inversion step" this information is basically sorted so that the index term becomes the first order criteria. The result is stored in a full posting index comprising the set of index terms and a full posting list for each index term of the set. The posting list of an index term enumerates all occurrences of the index term in all documents of the collection.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a collection of documents 100 and a corresponding full posting index 200. The collection of documents 100 comprises three text documents doc1, doc2 and doc3. For simplicity, FIG. 1 does not show the fulltext of each document but only sequences of index terms a, b, c and d representing the occurrences of the index terms a, b, c and d in the fulltext of the corresponding document.
The index terms a, b, c and d form the set of index terms which the full posting index 200 is based on. It comprises a full posting list for each index term a, b, c and d, enumerating all occurrences of the corresponding index term in all documents doc1, doc2 and doc3 of the collection. In the example described herein, the occurrences of an index term are grouped by document. Typically, the posting lists are coded and compressed for storing.
The full posting index 200 can be used to process a query, for example, the query "find all documents containing the phrase 'a'". Therefore, the search engine looks up all positions for "a" and all positions for "b". Then, the conditions whether "a" and "b" occur in the same document and whether "b" occurs in the position immediately after "a" are checked.
One issue associated with full posting indexes is that they tend to become very large. Even by applying appropriate compression techniques, a full posting index can easily be about 50 to 100% of the size of the original text document collection that has been indexed.
The overall runtime of text search query processing is mainly dominated by two factors, namely reading the corresponding index posting lists from disk and finding the next possible match in a posting list. For example, if "a" was found in document 2576, then the search engine should skip in the posting list of "b" to this document. Then a match is indicated if document 2576 is mentioned in the posting list of "b". Otherwise if that position does not exist, no match was found. In some text search query processing techniques, necessary for processing this next( ) operation is the decompression and decoding of the posting lists.
The generation of additional access structures to posting lists, which allow relevant parts of long posting lists to be quickly addressed, is well-known. Therefore, the posting lists are no longer considered pure sequential data streams, but a sequence of indexed blocks. Thus, the irrelevant parts of a posting list can easily be skipped by addressing only blocks comprising the relevant parts of the posting list. In some cases, this selective addressing of pre-determined parts of a posting list can enhance the query performance dramatically. For example, the text search query "find all documents containing 'A' and 'B'" will be processed. 'A' is a very rare term in the collection of documents, while 'B' is a frequent term. 'A' occurs only in documents 57, 23456 and 123456, while 'B' occurs in every 10th document on average. In this case it is advantageous to look up the occurrences of 'A', first. By using the additional access structure to the posting list of 'B', it is then possible to address directly those blocks of the posting list for 'B' that cover a range containing one of the occurrences of 'A'. This processing saves I/O and decoding/matching expense for most of the occurrences in the posting list of 'B'.
As exemplified, the use of additional access structures to long posting lists can improve query performance dramatically for those queries comprising at least some pretty restrictive condition. However, in cases in which all participating terms have a relatively high frequency, the approach does not help, since virtually any block in any posting list related to the search terms contains a hit candidate and needs to be examined.

Methods for processing a text search query in a collection of documents


A cascade type fan jet engine thrust reverser system. A radially arranged opening is provided along the aft edge the of fan cowl of a fan jet engine. Cascade sets each including a plurality of turning vanes are fixedly positioned in each opening. A blocking door and an actuating linkage system are positioned flush with the inner wall of the fan cowl adjacent to the openings, with the linkage system substantially out of the air flow path during normal engine operation. A sleeve like member covers the outer surface of the cascade sets and at least partially covers the stowed linkage system. When reverse thrust is desired, the sleeve is caused to translate aft, uncovering the cascade set and linkage. The linkage system is caused to move the blocking doors to positions where air flow through the fan cowl is substantially blocked and diverted out through the cascade sets in an outward and reverse direction. Upon completion of thrust reversal operation, these components are returned to the stowed position.

This invention relates in general to a cascade type thrust reverser for aircraft turbine engines and, more particularly, to a thrust reverser having blocker doors adapted to partially block fan flow and having cascade sets to reverse flow.
Modern aircraft fan jet engines have a fan cowl or shroud surrounding the fan portion of the engine and spaced outwardly from the core engine cowl to define an annular passage or duct for flow of fan air rearwardly from the outer portion of an enlarged axial flow fan. In this type of engine, a large proportion of the total thrust is developed by the reaction to the air driven rearwardly by the fan and the balance results from ejection of the exhaust gas stream from the engine.
Aircraft using gas turbine engines tend to have high landing speeds, placing great stress on wheel braking systems and requiring very long runways. To reduce this braking requirement and permit use of shorter runways, means are now provided in such engines for reversing a major portion of engine thrust during the landing roll. Many different types of thrust reversers have been designed, of varying effectiveness.
With fan-jet engines, it is possible to block and reverse substantially all of the fan flow without excessive stress on the system, since a large part of the core flow continues through the engine. In some cases, sufficient reverse flow can be obtained by blocking only a substantial portion of the fan flow.
One type of thrust reverser often used in non-fan type turbine engines, uses a pair of large sturdy clam-shell like blocker doors which swing directly behind the jet exit nozzle and diverge forwardly to reverse thrust. This system must be very heavy and strong. Very complex and sturdy actuators are required for this system.
Another design uses pivotable doors lying in opening in the sidewall of the shroud or fan cowl which pivot outwardly while a second set of doors pivot inwardly to block flow of air through the duct and direct it to the outwardly extending doors which direct air flow rearwardly. Typical of these is the system disclosed by Ellis in U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,401. These systems, while useful in fan-jet engines, tend to be heavy and mechanically complex.
Yet another design uses a plurality of pivotable doors located in openings arranged radially around the fan shroud. Each door pivots so that one inner end nearly contacts the engine cowl to block air flow through the annular duct while the other end extends outside the fan cowl in a direction to direct air forwardly. Typical of these the systems disclosed by Maison et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,411 and Fournier et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,970.
Still another type of thrust reverser uses cascade sets positioned in the sidewalls of the fan cowl with a translating system for uncovering the cascades to direct air flow through the guide vanes of the cascades, which turn the airflow in a forward direction. Typical cascade type reversers include those disclosed by Montgomery in U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,877 and Hom et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,646. These systems are often mechanically simpler than others, since only a small internal blocker door set is needed and the cascade set can be rigidly secured to the fan cowl, thereby resulting in fewer separate moving parts. However, it is generally necessary that at least a portion of the actuating devices for uncovering the cascades and for moving the blocker doors extend into the air stream to the engine cowl during normal engine operation. This increases drag and is wasteful of fuel.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved thrust reverser systems for fan-jet engines which are mechanically sturdy while being light in weight and avoiding added drag within the fan air flow.

Cascade type thrust reverser for fan jet engines


The joint between the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft is made with a banded flange that combines an interference joint between the horizontal surface of the rotor shaft (4) and the internal surface of the flange (5), with a bolted joint between the vertical surface of the flange (5) and the front surface of the body of the gearbox (4) corresponding to the low speed shaft. The interference joint adds a keyway between both surfaces with their corresponding key (9). Likewise included is an assembly method with a surface treatment at temperature T1, flange heating (5) in an oven at a temperature T2, a banding of the flange (5) on the rotor rotation shaft (4) having the keyway line up with the key (9), a subsequent cooling and finally a bolted joint between the flange (5) and the gearbox (3).

The standard design of the drive train consists in positioning the gearbox and the electrical generator behind the wind turbine rotor and within the nacelle. This is the most compact configuration. Within this configuration, the rotor rotation shaft design and its integration with the drive train is one of the most fundamental points in the mechanical design of a wind turbine.
Normally, the joint between the rotor rotation shaft and the gearbox is made at the plant and, once assembled, it is mounted inside the nacelle and then transported to the site for installation.
The rotor rotation shaft is mounted on separate bearings and is joined to the gearbox rotation shaft by a friction-type (choke) or bolted joint. This joint in certain machines employs a collar mounted on the outside of the union forming the rotor shaft and the gearbox shaft. The rotor shaft is inserted into the hole in the gearbox shaft. The hydraulic (or mechanical) collar compresses the hollow shaft with the rotor shaft and transmits the moments of torsion by friction.
For machines with an integrated compact train, the joint is bolted and an additive is employed to have a more effective friction surface, as indicated in European patent EP2075466.
Nonetheless, these types of joints could result in the following problems:
The bolted joint and the additives used in the joint for machines with an integrated compact train show little modularity and its maintenance requires maneuvering room in the nacelle. The joint made with a collar demands a delicate adjustment during the axial movement of the elements, not to mention the elevated prices of the materials constituting the collar.
Bolted joints in the field use a combination of bolts and pins to secure flanges smaller than the ones corresponding to transmit solely torsion by friction. This is done to keep from penalizing the size of the gearbox shaft bearing, of the shaft itself, and of the flange. Nevertheless, friction-type joints are more versatile for assembly and disassembly and distribute work and tensions better.
Drive train assembly and subsequent upkeep/maintenance is highly substantial and directly affects the costs of wind turbines. The rotor shaft transfers large amounts of stress and its joint with the gearbox shaft must be calculated in great detail. These elements are rotating shafts and are often covered with their corresponding covers. Their interchangeability and accessibility must be kept in mind.

Joint between the gearbox input shaft and the rotor rotation shaft


Methods for synthesizing single-wall carbon nanotubes by extracting metals from a carbide by halogen treatment at a temperature ranging between 700 to 1700° C. at ambient or low pressure are provided.

Research on single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was put forth by Iijima (MRS Bull 1994 19:43-49). The structure of a SWNT consists of an enrolled graphene that forms a seamless cylinder. Several potential applications of SWNTs require large amounts of material. For these to be practical, a low-cost, scalable continuous manufacturing process is required.
SWNTs can be produced by the methods similar to the ones used in multi-wall nanotubes (MWNT) synthesis, but in much smaller quantities and with lower yields.
Traditionally, carbon arc synthesis (Journet. et al. 1997 Nature 756) or pulsed laser vaporization of carbon (Thess et al. Science 1996 273:483-487) in the presence of a metal catalyst (which is always required for SWNT synthesis) has been used. More recently, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of benzene with a Fe catalyst was used to produce small amounts of SWNTs on substrates. Ni, Co and Fe work well as catalysts, but catalysts containing more than one element (e.g., Co—Pt or Ni—Y) increase the yield of SWNTs (Yumura, M. Synthesis and Purification of Multi-Walled and Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. in The Science and Technology of Carbon Nanotubes (eds. Tanaka, K., Yamabe, T. & Fukui, K.) 2-13 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1999)). Homogeneous catalytic decomposition of CO or HiPco (high pressure carbon monoxide) process was introduced in attempt to provide a continuous production method with a higher yield (Hafner et al. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1998 296). However, all of these techniques suffer from very low yields and lack of control over the tube size and chirality (Harris, P. J. F. Carbon Nanotubes and Related Structures (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1999, 20-55). Large amounts of the catalyst trapped in the material and the presence of non-tubular carbon create additional difficulties, thus requiring the purification of nanotubes prior to use. Furthermore, the structure of individual tubes varies widely. Zigzag, armchair and chiral forms of various diameters coexist in the material.
Thus, there is a need for techniques for producing SWNTs in the amount and quality required for their industrial use.
Carbide-derived carbon (CDC) is produced in accordance with methods described by Gogotsi et al. (Nature 2001 411:283-287; Nature 1994 367:628-630; and J. Mater. Chem. 1997 7:1841-1848). In this method metals are extracted from carbides using reactive gases at elevated temperatures. For example, the formation of carbide-derived carbon (CDC) resulting from the extraction of silicon from SiC at 300-800° C. by supercritical water has been disclosed (Gogotsi, Y. G. and Yoshimura, M. Nature 1994 367:628-630). Extraction of metals from carbides by halogens (Cl2) or their compounds (HCl) has also been shown to lead to the formation of free carbon (Gogotsi et al. J. Mater. Chem. 1997 7:1841-1848). This method can be used to obtain carbon from SiC and other carbides that form volatile halides (SiCl4 is a typical example). SiCl4 is more thermodynamically stable than CCl4 at elevated temperatures. Thus, chlorine reacts selectively with the Si at SiC surfaces leaving carbon behind:SiC+2Cl2=SiCl4+C  (1)SiC+⅔Cl2=SiCl3+C  (2)Similar carbon formation occurs upon chlorination of other carbides or high-temperature dissociation of SiC (Motzfeldt, K. and Steinmo, M. Transport Processes in the Thermal Decomposition of Silicon Carbide. in Proceedings of The Ninth International Conference on High Temperature Materials Chemistry (ed. Spear, K. E.) 523-528 (The Electrochemical Society, Inc., Pennington, N.J., USA, 1997)). This is a versatile technology because a variety of carbon structures can be obtained (Gogotsi, Y. Nanostructured Carbon Coatings. in Proc. NATO ARW on Nanostructured Films and Coatings (eds. Chow, G.-M., Ovid'ko, I. A. & Tsakalakos, T.) 25-40 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1999). Not only simple shapes, but also fibers, powders and components with complex shapes and surface morphologies can be coated with carbon, and bulk carbon materials or powders can be produced by a reaction through the whole thickness of the powder or a monolithic component. This technology allows for control of the coating growth on the atomic level, monolayer by monolayer, with high accuracy and controlled structures.
The structure and morphology of CDC depends on the temperature and composition of the chlorinating gas mixture. Carbon films have been produced on β-SiC powders (Gogotsi et al. J. Mater. Chem. 1997 7:1841-1848), as well as on SiC based fibers (Gogotsi, Y. G. Formation of Carbon Coatings on Carbide Fibers and Particles by Disproportionation Reactions. in NATO ARW: Advanced Multilayered and Fiber-Reinforced Composites (ed. Haddad, Y. M.) 217-230 (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1997)), monolithic CVD, and sintered ceramics (Gogotsi et al. Nanostructured Carbon Coatings on Silicon Carbide: Experimental and Theoretical Study. in Proc. NATO ASI on Functional Gradient Materials and Surface Layers Prepared by Fine Particles Technology (eds. Baraton, M. I. & Uvarova, I. V.) (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 2000)) exposed to Ar—H2—Cl2 gas mixtures at atmospheric pressure and temperatures between 600° C. and 1000° C. Carbon films with a thickness up to 200 μm have been formed as well on the surfaces of commercially available monolithic SiC specimens by high temperature chlorination at atmospheric pressure in Ar—Cl2 and Ar—H2—Cl2 gas mixtures (Ersoy et al. STLE Tribology Transactions 2000 43:809-815). The complete transformation of carbide powders to carbon has also been demonstrated (Gogotsi et al. J. Mater. Chem. 1997 7:1841-1848; Fedorov, N. F. and Samonin, V. V. Russ. J. Appl. Chem. 1998 71:584-588; Fedorov, N. F. and Samonin, V. V. Russ. J. Appl. Chem. 1998 71:795-798; Fedorov, N. F. Russian Chemical Journal 1995 39:73-83; Gordeev, S. K. and Vartanova, A. V. Zh. Prikl. Khimii 1994 67:1375-1377). TiC, B4C, Al4C3, TaC, and other carbides can also be transformed to carbon (Jacobson et al. J. Mater. Chem. 1995 5:595-601).
Closed-shell carbon structures such as multiwall nanotubes and carbon onions have been identified on the surface of CDC coatings produced by chlorination of SiC at about 1000° C. (Gogotsi et al. Nanostructured Carbon Coatings on Silicon Carbide: Experimental and Theoretical Study. in Proc. NATO ASI on Functional Gradient Materials and Surface Layers Prepared by Fine Particles Technology (eds. Baraton, M. I. & Uvarova, I. V.) (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 2000); Zheng et al. J. Mater. Chem. 2000 10:1039-1041; Jacob et al. In Amorphous and Nanoporous Carbon. Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. edited by Sullivan et al. Materials Research Society, Warrendale, Pa. (2000), Vol. 593, p 87). Nanotube-like and onion-like materials consisting of close-shell structures have been commercialized by Skeleton Technologies, Sweden, under the trade name Skeleton-C®. Production of these materials is performed at or below 1000° C. and no tube alignment occurs.
Aligned MWNTs have been produced at Japan Fine Ceramics Center by the thermal decomposition of SiC crystals in a vacuum (Kusunoki et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1997 71:2620-2622; Kusunoki et al. Phil. Mag. Lett. 1999 79:153-161). Similar experiments conducted at higher temperatures ranging from 1600 to 1750° C. on different SiC substrates produced very thin (2-5 nm in diameter) nanotubes including double-wall nanotubes and SWNTs, which had hemispherical fullerene-like caps (Kusunoki et al. Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 1998 37:L605-L606). In these experiments, nanotube coatings on single crystals and powders, as well as free-standing nanotube films were produced. Further, reproducible synthesis of nanotubes using SiC28,29 or TiC30 as a precursor and carbon source was shown.
WO 01/16023 discloses a method for production of nanoporous nanotube-like carbon in large quantities involving halogenation of aluminum carbide at a temperature above 450° C. and preferably from about 500 to 850° C.

Methods for bulk synthesis of carbon nanotubes


A method of treating focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with a compound of Formula I is provided. FSGS may be primary (no known cause) or secondary. The secondary FSGS may be associated with infections or viruses such as HIV, diseases such as sickle cell disease or lupus, toxins or drugs such as anabolic steroids, heroin or pamidronate, nephron loss and hyperfiltration, such as with chronic pyelonephritis and reflux, morbid obesity, or diabetes mellitus.

FSGS is used to describe both a disease characterized by primary podocyte injury, and a lesion that occurs secondarily in any type of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is defined by the presence of sclerosis in parts (segmental) or some glomeruli (focal) by light microscopy. FSGS can be found without an identifiable cause ("primary" or "idiopathic" FSGS represents 80% of cases) or in response to previous glomeruli injury, such as hypertension or obesity ("secondary" FSGS represents 20% of cases).
The most common manifestation of FSGS is proteinuria ranging from subnephrotic to nephrotic levels (heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and hyperlipidemia). Heavy proteinuria leads to progressive loss of kidney function (glomerulosclerosis) and kidney failure. It accounts for ˜15% of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Massive proteinuria (>10-15 g/day) leads to rapid deterioration of renal function and progression to ESRD within 2-3 years. The survival rate of FSGS patients with massive proteinuria is only 45%.
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and there is no current approved drug for FSGS. About 5400 patients are diagnosed with FSGS every year in the United States, but the number of cases is rising more than any other cause of Nephrotic Syndrome. Approximately 1,000 FSGS patients receive kidney transplants every year. Within hours to weeks after a kidney transplant, however, FSGS returns in approximately 30-40% of patients. The current standard of care includes the use of steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, ACE inhibitors or ARBs, immunosuppressive drugs, diuretics, plasmapheresis, diet change and statins. Only 20% of patients, however, achieve complete remission after 5 years of treatment, and 40% of patients show no remission (Focal and Segmental Glomerulosclerosis: Definition and Relevance of a Partial Remission. Troyanov et al, J Am Soc Nephrol 16: 1061-1068, 2005). There remains, therefore, a need to develop new efficacious drugs to treat the disease.

Method of treating focal segmental glomerulosclerosis


A combined fuel cell and combustion tool including a combustion tool configured for receiving a fuel cell; the fuel cell having a housing defining an open end enclosed by a closure; a main valve stem having an outlet, disposed in operational relationship to the open end and reciprocating relative to the housing at least between a closed position wherein the stem is relatively extended, and an open position wherein the stem is relatively retracted; a fuel metering valve located within the housing, associated with the main valve stem, including a fuel metering chamber defined in part by a metering chamber seal and configured so that when the stem is in the open position, only a measured amount of fuel is dispensed through the outlet, the stem having a radially variable exterior contour periodically sealingly engaging the seal such that in the closed position a non-sealing relationship is defined between the stem and the seal, and in the open position a sealing relationship is defined between the stem and the seal; and the housing includes a separate fuel container, and the fuel metering valve includes a valve body that has a second end opposite the fuel metering chamber and located within the container, wherein the flow of fluid out the outlet of the fuel cell is solely from the separate fuel container.

This invention relates generally to improvements in fuel cell fuel delivery arrangements for use in combustion tools, and more specifically to metering valves used with such fuel cells for delivering the appropriate amount of fuel for use by a combustion tool during the driving of fasteners. While the present application is focused on the use of fuel cells in combustion tools, it is contemplated that other applications in which fuel cells or other pressurized containers using stem valves are employed, such as, but not limited to cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.
As exemplified in Nikolich U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,403,722, 4,483,474, 4,522,162, and 5,115,944, all of which are incorporated by reference, it is known to use a dispenser such as a fuel cell to dispense a hydrocarbon fuel to a combustion tool, also known as a combustion gas-powered tool, such as, for example, a combustion gas-powered fastener-driving tool. Such fastener-driving tools and such fuel cells are available commercially from ITW-Paslode (a division of Illinois Tool Works, Inc.) of Vernon Hills, Ill., under its IMPULSE trademark. In particular, a fuel cell of this type is described in Nikolich U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,944, listed above.
One design criterion associated with the use of such fuel cells, which contain separate compartments of pressurized fuel and propellant, is the prevention of leakage of one or both of the above constituents. The objective is to prevent or minimize leakage after production and before use, also known as shelf life, and also during periods when the fuel cell is installed in the tool but the tool is stored or otherwise not in use. As with other aerosol containers, a certain amount of leakage occurs over time. However, in the environment of combustion powered fastener driving tools, there is a concern that gradual leakage over a prolonged shelf life may result in reduced performance of the fuel cell due to insufficient propellant and/or fuel. Accordingly, present manufacturer recommendations call for a 12-18 month maximum shelf life of such fuel cells to ensure that sufficient propellant and/or fuel remains for expected performance needs.
Another design criterion of such fuel cells is that only a desired amount of fuel should be emitted by the fuel cell for each combustion event. The amount of fuel should be carefully monitored to provide the desired combustion, yet in a fuel-efficient manner to prolong the working life of the fuel cell. Prior attempts to address this dosage factor have resulted in fuel metering valves located in the tool (U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,439) or attached to the fuel cell (U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,297), both of which are also incorporated by reference.
Regardless of the above-listed locations of such fuel metering valves, fuel leakage has remained a design consideration. In the case of internal tool fuel metering valves, an excessive number of seal locations inherently create multiple opportunities for leaks. In the case of external fuel cell metering valves, to facilitate disposability of the fuel cell and valve, inexpensive materials are used. However, the aggressive nature of the fuel constituents in some cases cause premature failure of the valve seals or the valve housing itself.
Another design consideration of such fuel cells is that when metering valves are attached to the fuel cell, there is some duplication of components, in that a first valve controls the flow of fuel from the cell, and a second valve controls a metered dose of fuel for delivery to the tool for a single combustion event. A related concern is that when such cell-mounted metering valves are shipped with the fuel cell in an inoperative position, the user must activate the cell by moving the valve into position. It is thus difficult for the end user to discover and/or prevent fuel leakage due to improper installation of, or internal defects in, the metering valve.
Yet another design factor of cell-mounted metering valves is that once the metering valve is operationally installed, the main cell stem valve is continually open. Thus, the nature of the seal formed by the main fuel cell valve stem seal changes from a face seal to a radial seal about the valve stem. In this position, the seal is relaxed and provides less effective sealing. As such, there is a greater potential for fuel leakage from the fuel cell.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved combustion tool fuel cell valve arrangement which reduces the number of components, and accordingly the potential for fuel/propellant leaks. There is also a need for an improved combustion tool fuel cell construction which reduces the number of sealing locations and the periodic loading on the main fuel cell valve stem.


An apparatus for controlling a charge state of an electrochromic devices according to the invention, where the electrochromic devices receives a charging current, comprises: a reference impedance, coupled to receive a reference current proportional to the charging current, the reference impedance having a known impedance relationship with the electrochromic device; a comparator, coupled to the reference impedance, for comparing a voltage level of the reference impedance to a threshold voltage level and producing an output signal indicative of the comparison; and control logic, coupled to the comparator, for simultaneously adapting the reference current and the charging current in response to the output signal of the comparator. In one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is included within a pair of eyeglasses.

The optical transmission characteristics of an electrochromic (EC) device are controlled by the amount of charge imparted to the device. Specifically, increasing the amount of charge in an electrochromic device results in a "darkening" or "coloring" of the device, while decreasing the amount of charge in an electrochromic device results in a "lightening" or "bleaching" of the device. Since an electrochromic device may be modeled as a non-linear passive device having an impedance dominated by a capacitive component, the amount of charge imparted to an electrochromic device is typically controlled by utilizing current sources and current sinks.
Electrochromic control arrangements utilizes circuit components having characteristics that tend to drift over time and temperature, thereby imparting more or less charge to the EC device than is otherwise desired. To ensure that an appropriate charge level is imparted to an electrochromic device, some electrochromic control arrangements electrically or optically measure the device directly to determine the present charge level and, if necessary, adjust that charge level. Such measurement is necessary because of the inability to predict with a sufficient degree of certainty the degradation of components within a particular system.
It is seen to be desirable to provide an electrochromic control apparatus that corrects for system and device errors within an electrochromic control system without directly measuring the electrochromic device. Moreover, it is seen to be desirable to provide such electrochromic control apparatus in an energy efficient manner.

Apparatus for controlling an electrochromic device


A communication system has a personal computer (PC) which obtains a communication function by acquiring a modem driver, and a portable communication terminal which can communicate with the PC. The portable communication terminal includes a USB interface section to be connected to the PC, a RAM storing an address of a server that stores the modem driver, and a control section which downloads the modem driver from the server through a wireless communication section, and transmits the downloaded modem driver to the PC through the USB interface section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication terminal, such as a cellular phone, that enables to be connected to an external apparatus such as a personal computer, and a communication system and a communication method. The present invention particularly relates to a communication terminal that enables to be used as a communication modem when the communication terminal is connected to an external apparatus by USB (Universal Serial Bus) which is a bidirectional communication interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A function is presently available that permits a portable communication terminal such as a cellular phone to be connected to a personal computer (hereinafter referred to simply as a PC) via a USB port, and that controls the portable communication terminal to serve as a communication modem (see, for example, JP-A-2003-298762.).
In order to provide this function for a PC, and to prepare for the employment of the portable communication terminal as a communication modem, a modem driver must first be installed in the PC.
A modem driver is provided for a PC using one of the following first, second and third methods.
According to the first method, a modem driver is provided through a recording medium such as a CD-ROM which is packaged with a portable communication terminal.
According to the second method, a PC that can access the Internet using communication means other than a portable communication terminal, e.g., by using a fixed, dial-up telephone line connection, is employed to download a modem driver from a server.
According to the third method, when a portable communication terminal is connected to a PC, the PC automatically accesses an FTP server on the Internet and obtains driver version information. Then, if a compressed file for a driver program has been stored in memory, the driver version information for this file can be read and compared with driver version information obtained from the FTP server, and the newer version of the two can automatically be installed in the memory of the PC.
JP-A-2003-298762 is referred to as a related art.
However, when these methods are employed, the following disadvantages adversely affect their usefulness.
For the first method whereby a recording medium, such as a CD-ROM, is included in a package, there is disadvantage that expense for packaging the recording media is needed and that a user cannot update the modem driver to the latest version.
For the second method whereby a modem driver is obtained through the Web by a PC that accesses the Internet, there is disadvantage that the modem driver can not be downloaded when the PC has no access to the Internet.
For the third method whereby access to the Internet is always required to confirm the driver version when a portable communication terminal is connected to a PC, there is disadvantage that it is wasteful in time and inconvenient to establish a communication link for this purpose, since driver versions are not so frequently updated.
Furthermore, the browser of the portable communication terminal is activated each time a link is established. Thus, there is disadvantage in convenience that even when no updated driver version is available, the activated browser must be closed in order for a user to do other tasks each time the link is established.

Communication terminal, communication system, and communication method


A first media provides an oxygen inducer such as catalase, bound and stabilized in pellet form so as to dissipate slowly into aqueous surroundings. A second media provides an oxygen supplier such as a peroxide, stabilized by combination with a proteinaceous compound such as urea and bound in a matrix that limits oxygen release. The two media are combined in aqueous environment to generate nascent oxygen at a modulated rate such that the oxygen is efficiently absorbed into the surrounding aqueous environment, promoting growth of aerobic species and reducing biological pollution. Specific adaptations demonstrate benefits of use in shrimp or fish ponds, raw milk, fruit juice, fresh food, silage and animal feed, fertilizer, plumbing systems, and grease traps. When used in ponds, further adaptations reduce algae and phytoplankton populations.

Bacterial systems have been used for liquid purification, to consume wastes and reduce pollution. Microbial systems are used to process sludge by anaerobic treatment, followed by aerobic treatment. The microorganisms often receive ancillary growth medium, and it is known to add selected enzymes to benefit microbial action. However, polluted water is found outside the environment of a sludge treatment pond or tank, and the techniques used on sludge are not practical or useful in open waters. It would be desirable to treat many types of polluted waters with the combination of micro-organisms and oxygen yielding substrates, to generate nascent oxygen and thereby inactivate pollution-creating, pathogenic, anaerobic micro-organisms.
Hydrogen peroxide has been used to sterilize fluids or liquids. However, hydrogen peroxide is soluble in water and disburses readily, which has limited its use to situations in which an entire body of water must be treated. The use of hydrogen peroxide has not been practical in large scale situations, since achieving an effective concentration throughout a large body of liquid is cost prohibitive and environmentally unsound. Even when pollution is localized to a limited area or strata of a large body of water, it has not been possible or practical to treat the limited, polluted area without also treating the entire body. It would be desirable to have a stable, sinkable, solid hydrogen peroxide or other oxygen generating substrate based system, such that the oxygen generating system can be locally applied to reduce pollution.
Pollution produces low oxygen levels at the bottom of commercial fish and shrimp ponds, which leads to special problems. One of the major causes of pollution in a shrimp pond is feed and waste. Shrimp tend to stay at the bottom of the pond, where pollution accumulates. Due to low oxygen content at the bottom of ponds, anaerobic micro-organisms grow on the nutrients from the shrimp feed. Anarobes can cause bacteriological and viral diseases. Further, if the oxygen level in shrimp ponds is not maintained at least at 3 to 5 ppm, shrimp will not grow to their full potential. If the concentration goes below 2.0 ppm, they will die within a few hours.
Another problem is the presence of excess algae, micro-flora and organic matter in pools, ponds, septic systems, wetlands and plumbing systems. While filtration and chemicals are effective against these problems, these measures are expensive and may lead to environmental problems. It would be desirable to have an effective, more problem free, biological or biochemical system that could eliminate the growth of pathogenic bacteria and unwanted micro-flora in swimming pools and ponds. Similarly, septic systems and grease traps become clogged with organic wastes. It would be desirable to have an effective biological system to eliminate such septic clogging.
Numerous types of hydrocarbon contamination are a further environmental and public health problem. Aerobic organisms are effective against hydrocarbons, but when the contamination is underground, aerating the ground to supply adequate oxygen to the micro-organisms is not economical. It would be desirable to reduce hydrocarbon pollution through a more effective biological system, without having to remove contaminated ground or mechanically aerate the subsurface areas.
Feed lots, dairy barns, poultry houses, and pig pens produce severe odors, which can prevent the animals from consuming enough ration. It would be desirable to have an effective and efficient biological system for reducing such odors.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the product of this invention may comprise the following.

Biochemical media system for reducing pollution


The invention is directed to a computer system comprising a server and a client and a method for operating a remote procedure call handler in the client and the server. The Method for operating a remote procedure call handler in the client according to the invention comprises the following steps:                a) sending a collected call message comprising a number of call messages to the server,        b) receiving an error message indicating a successful or erroneous transmission of the call messages comprised by the collected call message, wherein the error message indicates an erroneous transmission of at least one call message, wherein said at least one erroneous transmitted call message is retransmitted by the step of        c) sending a further collected call message comprising said erroneous transmitted call message as well as a plurality of further call messages.

It is understood that the terms client and server, frequently used in the following, describe a hardware entity, e.g. a computer, microprocessor, dedicated network chip, network card as well as a software entity, e.g. a process or program running on a suitable hardware. It is further understood that the terms client and server only apply to a particular transaction. Hardware or software entities can operate in both roles at different times. The terms client and server also refer to a classical transmitter and receiver scenario and in turn one or both of the aforementioned entities may be realized by help of hardware and/or software. It is further understood, a remote procedure call handler is a suitable software or hardware entity inside a server or a client that is handling at least the transmission and reception of call and reply messages, preferably by help of an RPC-protocol.
It is further understood, the term computer system, wherein such a computer system comprises a client and a server, is a suitable hardware entity having a client and a server that communicate via a network. The term computer system should not be restricted to a "classical" scenario where a plurality of standard computers is connected via network.
In such classical system, a client performs a remote procedure operation by sending a call message to the server via the network. The server responds by performing an operation and returns resulting data to the client in a reply message via the network. One way of invoking such an operation at the server is to pack all parameters necessary for the respective operation together into a call message and to transmit them to the server for processing. After performing the operation, the server returns the resulting data to the client in a reply message the same way.
A known specification for a remote procedure call (RPC) protocol is given by R. Srinivasan, "RPC: Remote Procedure Call Protocol Specification", Version 2, August 1995 (RFC 1831). This specification gives a definition of the call and reply process. Accordingly, a caller, i.e. the client, first sends a call message including all of the procedure's parameters to the server. Subsequently, the client waits (interrupts) for a reply message including the procedure's results from the server. Once the reply message is received, the results of the procedure are extracted and the client's execution is resumed. On the server side, the RPC process is dormant, awaiting the arrival of new call messages. In case such a call message arrives, the server starts extracting the procedure's parameters, computes the results and again sends a reply message; subsequently awaiting the next call message. According to this mode of operation, only one of the two processes, i.e. the server or the client process is active at any given time. This mode of operation is called a synchronous mode.
A further mode of operation is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,374 B1, it should be referred to as an asynchronous mode. Accordingly, a plurality of call messages is packed together in order to form a collected call message, i.e. a plurality of call messages that is sent together from the client to the server using the RPC protocol. Such a collected call is advantageous for applications that do not require an immediate response. Several call messages are collected at the client until a call message needing an immediate response is generated. At that point, the collection of call messages is packed together and transmitted to the server. According to this technique, a substantial reduction in the number of requests is achieved. Further, the necessary overhead, generated by the network protocol for each data package sent via the network, is reduced due to the fact that several calls are packed together into a single data packet. Since the strict requirement is given up that only one of the two processes, i.e. the server or the client process, is active at any given time, the aforementioned mode of operation is called asynchronous.
However, the synchronous as well as the asynchronous mode apply standard solutions with respect to erroneous transmitted call and reply messages; e.g. known time-out or retransmission methods are used. Erroneous transmitted call and reply messages is understood in this context as messages received with errors at the receiving part, regardless if the error is caused by the sender, the transmission medium or the receiver.

Method for operating a remote procedure call handler in a client and a server and computer system comprising the same


A simulated abdominal wall model that is ideal for practicing laparoscopic first entry surgical techniques is provided. The model includes a simulated abdominal wall portion captured between two frame elements of a support. The support is connectable to a surgical trainer. When connected to the trainer, the model provides a penetrable abdominal tissue portion for accessing an internal cavity of the trainer. The simulated abdominal wall includes a plurality of layers including a skin layer, a fabric posterior rectus sheath layer, a simulated fat layer of low-resilience polyurethane foam and at least two layers that provide distinctive haptic feedback upon penetration of the simulated transversalis fascia and muscle layers. The simulated abdominal wall includes a simulated umbilicus across several layers of simulated tissue.

Laparoscopic surgery requires several small incisions in the abdomen for the insertion of trocars or small cylindrical tubes approximately 5 to 10 millimeters in diameter through which surgical instruments and a laparoscope are placed into the abdominal cavity. The laparoscope illuminates the surgical field and sends a magnified image from inside the body to a video monitor giving the surgeon a close-up view of the organs and tissues. The surgeon watches the live video feed and performs the operation by manipulating the surgical instruments placed through the trocars.
The first step in laparoscopic surgery is to make a small incision to access and create pneumoperitoneum. Pneumoperitoneum is the insufflation of the abdominal cavity with carbon dioxide gas. Insufflation with gas creates a working space in the abdomen necessary for laparoscopy. Once a proper working space has been created, surgical instruments can be inserted for performing a laparoscopic procedure. This process of penetrating the abdomen and creating pneumoperitoneum prior to insertion of other instruments is called first entry. There are many different ways to achieve pneumoperitoneum. One option is using a Veress needle. A Veress needle is approximately 12-15 centimeters long with a diameter of approximately 2 millimeters. The surgeon inserts the spring-loaded needle into the abdomen of the patient after making a small incision. When the needle breaches the inner abdominal space, the spring-loaded inner stylet springs forward to cover the sharp needle in order protect internal organs. The surgeon relies on the tactile feedback of the needle and spring for proper placement. Once proper entry is confirmed, carbon dioxide is introduced through the Veress needle and into the abdominal cavity of the patient expanding the abdomen to creating a working space.
Another option is a Hasson technique or cut down technique in which the surgeon makes an initial incision at the umbilicus and the tissue is bluntly dissected. A suture is placed on either side of the incision into the fascia layer to help hold the device in place. The supraperitoneal tissue is dissected away and the peritoneum is incised to enter the abdominal cavity. At this point, a Hasson trocar is inserted into the incision. The Hasson trocar has a blunt tip with suture ties and/or a balloon to hold it in place. After the trocar is placed into the incision, the device is secured with sutures and/or the balloon and carbon dioxide gas is pumped into the patient through the trocar to achieve pneumoperitoneum.
Another option is direct trocar entry. In this option, the surgeon uses a bladed or non-bladed trocar either optically or non-optically. The trocar is placed through the layers of the abdominal wall after the initial skin incision is made. When used optically, a camera is inserted into the trocar before entry. After the initial incision is made, the trocar is placed through the layers of the abdomen. Since the camera is present, all of the layers of the abdominal wall can be observed during penetration. Once the surgeon sees that he or she has broken through the peritoneum, penetration can halt, the obturator tip of the trocar pulled back slightly or removed entirely and insufflation can commence by pumping carbon dioxide gas in through the cannula to create pneumoperitoneum.
Another option involves a specialized first entry trocar such as the FIOS® first entry trocar made by Applied Medical Resources Corporation in California. Like optical direct trocar entry, a camera is inserted into the FIOS® trocar and the abdominal wall layers are observed during insertion into the abdominal cavity. The specialized FIOS® trocar has a small vent hole in the tip such that instead of requiring that the obturator of the trocar be pulled back or removed completely to introduce carbon dioxide through the cannula, carbon dioxide gas is introduced through the small vent hole in the tip of the obturator with the camera in place. Because carbon dioxide can be introduced through the tip, the FIOS® trocar does not have to penetrate as deeply into the abdominal cavity as a traditional trocar, thereby, affording internal organs greater protection before insufflation can commence. Also, because the obturator does not have to be pulled back or removed, observation via the inserted camera can take place at the point of insufflation.
In addition to the above options for entering the abdominal cavity, generally, there are two common places on the abdomen that a surgeon must know how to enter. The most widely used location for first entry is the umbilicus. The umbilicus is a natural weakening in the abdomen where the umbilical cord was attached in the womb. In this part of the abdomen, there are no rectus muscles, arteries or veins so it is generally easier to reach the abdominal cavity. Additionally, the umbilicus is typically an easy place to hide a scar. When surgeons use the umbilicus as an entry site, particularly for the Hasson technique, clamps are often used to grab the base of the umbilicus and the umbilicus is inverted. At this point, an incision is made and the surgeon cuts down as desired and inserts the trocar or Veress needle. With optical entry, the surgeon is able to see all the layers of the abdominal wall. In this location of penetration, they are able to see the fatty tissue, linea alba, transversalis fascia and, finally, the peritoneum. Additionally, when entering at the umbilicus, the umbilical stalk should also be visible. The stalk is what remains of the umbilical cord and it stretches from the skin making up the umbilicus to the peritoneal layer.
If a patient has had a previous surgery and adhesions are suspected or a hernia is present at the site of the umbilicus, first entry may need to occur at another location. In this case, the surgeon will often enter from the left upper quadrant since there is less chance of damaging a vital organ in this location. The left upper quadrant is different from the umbilicus region in that there are muscle layers. The rectus abdominus muscles run parallel with the patient's abdomen and are found on either side of the patient's midline. Underneath the rectus abdominus muscles run the inferior epigastric veins and arteries which the surgeon must be careful to avoid. When a surgeon is entering the upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity optically, he or she is able to see the skin, fatty tissue, anterior rectus sheath, rectus abdominus, the epigastric vein, which runs through the posterior rectus sheath, and finally, the peritoneum. If the left upper quadrant is not an ideal position for a port, the surgeon may choose to enter at another location such as sub-xiphoid where subcutaneous fat, rectus sheath and peritoneum are present.
Since there are many options for first entry, it is important that surgeons have a way to learn and practice the various techniques. There is a need for an anatomical model of the umbilical region and surrounding abdomen that is anatomically correct and includes all the layers of the abdominal wall as well as the veins and arteries that run through the wall. Not only does the model have to be anatomically correct, but also, the model must provide a realistic aural and tactile sensation. For example, when using a Veress needle, two pops are generally felt as the surgeon pushes the needle through the abdominal wall. For optical entry, the surgeon needs to view all of the appropriate tissue layers in the abdominal wall. For entry through the umbilicus, the surgeon must be able to grasp and invert the umbilicus. Also, the model must be able to be used with all four first entry techniques and at multiple (umbilical and upper left quandrant at minimum) entry sites.


A teeth cleaning element containing threading end portions for cleaning relatively large spaces in the teeth consists of from about 400 to about 800 filaments in an elongated bundle that is from about 1,200 to 2,400 about denier. The filaments at the mid-portion of the length of the bundle are textured with the crimps and crinkles of the texturing of the several filaments being intermingled and in contact at numerous points and being adhered together at the contact points to form a bulky, longitudinal, longitudinally and laterally resilient mass. The filaments at the opposite end portions of the bundle that extend from the bulky mid-portion are adhered together in compact, smooth parallel relation.

The present invention is a string like element for cleaning relatively large spaces is teeth, such as the spaces in teeth which include bridges, implants, braces, orthodontic appliances or other types of conditions which may create unusually large spaces in which particles of food and dental plaque may become trapped and which can not be cleared and cleaned effectively with conventional dental floss.


An apparatus for cleaning a culvert includes a rod pushing and pulling machine, a rod string made from a series of extension rods coupled end to end, which rod string is mounted at a proximal end to the rod pushing and pulling machine. A debris removal tool is mounted on a distal end of the rod string. The debris removal tool may comprises a rod having a center longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end, the rod having a coupling at its proximal end. A bucket is mounted at the distal end of the rod, which bucket has an end opening positioned so that movement of the bucket along the culvert scoops debris into the bucket.

Culverts, pipes, ditches, and other drainage structures are in wide use for such reasons as preventing soil erosion and controlling runoff. Culverts may be installed across or under roadways to prevent flooding of the roadway or to prevent water damage to the surrounding area. In other locations, culverts may be used to prevent alteration of the landscape by erosion, or shifting of the soil, for example. In some areas, controlling runoff from snow melt is another issue that may be addressed, in part, by the use of culverts.
In some cases, a culvert may lose its function because it is clogged with debris. Culverts may become obstructed by soil, rocks, sand, intrusion of plant roots, snow, ice, or other debris. The location of some culverts may make them particularly susceptible to blockage. One way to address these problems is to place a covering or grating over the openings of the culvert. However, these coverings may require extensive and frequent cleaning and may still allow smaller objects such as sand, silt, and gravel to enter the culvert. Additionally, coverings and gratings may not prevent plant roots from clogging the culvert. Culverts can be removed and replaced periodically but this may involve high costs and may involve disturbing existing roadways and other structures.


A method for regulating climate, comprising: 1) allowing the formation of a relatively high temperature zone and a low temperature zone in the air above the ground; 2) allowing the formation of air convection between the high temperature zone and the low temperature zone as the cold air in the low temperature zone has a greater density than the hot air in the high temperature zone. A device for regulating climate is, i.e. an automatic air tower. The automatic air tower comprises a column (1) with an air inlet (12) at the bottom, wherein the column comprises a startup unit (13) and a shutdown unit (14) inside and has an air outlet (15) at the top. The aforesaid method and tower can prevent and eliminate the formation of haze and cool the earth's ground.

Until now, there is still no mature case of clearing haze and preventing the formation of haze by means of changing the state of the atmosphere and increasing the air convection. Haze clearing approaches adopted currently are nothing more than clearing the haze of a limited space by an air purifier, utterly inadequate in dealing with the haze of a greater region. Some haze free towers are locally set up in hazy cities, which require large quantities of energy consumption to realize the clearance effect, and the scope of clearance is restricted.
National policies on restricting polluting activities and implementing traffic control can only mitigate the magnitude or influence of the haze to a certain extent. Such approaches usually take a country several decades' effort and are incapable of eliminating adverse effects of the haze, high temperature, etc. on the country. Besides, the effects of such administrative intervention are limited, which cannot clear the haze of a region once severe haze occurs.
Some existing patents on haze free towers propose to set up the towers in frequently influenced cities. These towers usually need large quantities of energy supply to maintain the purification process, and a large number of towers must be set up to achieve a limited scale of purification. Such design approaches have no other ecological effects such as improving the climate, and there are still pollutants to be treated after the purification process is completed. Most haze free towers adopt water purification. Such approaches are not environmentally friendly or energy-conserving, usually leading to the waste of energy and water as well as water pollution.
Existing purifiers need continual electric energy in operation, while the new device/system of this invention needs no artificial energies (power, heat, etc.) to maintain its operation once started. The tower will automatically and sustainably guarantee the upward movement of air flow in the column.
Daan Roosegaarde, a Dutch designer, has designed a small and compact haze free tower. The tower absorbs the haze and collects particles inside, but it cannot effectively eliminate hazardous gases or clear the haze in a wider region. It is hardly workable for such a regional weather phenomenon as haze.
At present, there are no operational approaches for cooling the earth, promoting the rainfall in drought-hit areas and reducing the formation of super typhoons in the short run.

Method, device and system for regulating climate

NANJING RUIQIHUANG ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A new and distinct strawberry variety, Fragaria ananassa, cv. ‘Amandine’ is characterized by a position of the inflorescence that appears above the foliage, same size of calyx relative to corolla, and abundant production of dark red colored, cordiform shaped, and medium firm fruit, which appears to be characterized by large fruit size, and early time of ripening (50% of plants with ripe fruits).

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry variety. The varietal denomination of the new variety is 'Amandine'. The new variety was designated by the breeder as 'Amadine DA 47'. The new variety of strawberry was created in a breeding program by crossing two parents in 2005 in Le Barp, France; in particular, by crossing as seed parent an undistributed strawberry parent designated '88.09.06' (unpatented) and as pollen parent an strawberry parent designated 'Mara des Bois' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,517). Seed parent is a selection from breeder's program and has not been commercialized.
The resulting seedling of the new variety was grown and asexually propagated by runners in Segovia, Spain, 3° 59′W., 41° 22′N., 2742 feet elevation. Clones of the new variety were further asexually propagated and extensively tested. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The growing period in Gironde, France, where the observations were made, is between about May, 15 and October, 15 of each year, with a maximum production at about beginning July. 'Amandine' is a fully remontant (non flowering runners) variety that benefits from induction to flowering by very low chilling, usually a few hours are sufficient, preferably at temperatures of 7° C. or less.
Among the characteristics which appear to distinguish the new variety from other varieties are a combination of traits which include: inflorescence that appears above relative to the foliage, same size of calyx relative to corolla and abundant production of orange red colored, cordiform shaped, and medium firm fruit, large fruit size, and early time of ripening (50% of plants with ripe fruits).
The new variety 'Amandine' is distinguished there from its Seed parent '88.09.06' (unpatented) in that the new variety is more vigorous and the production of commercial quality fruit of seed parent '88.09.06' (unpatented) is about 478 g/plant compared to that of the new variety 'Amandine' of about 513 g/plant. The Seed parent '88.09.06' (unpatented) shows a red fruit color about Medium Orange-Red 34C to Medium Orange-Red 34B less intense than in the new variety 'Amandine' about Medium Red 45B to Medium Red 45A.
The new variety 'Amandine' is distinguished there from its pollen parent 'Mara des Bois' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,517) in that the new variety has a larger fruit size of approximate 13 to 15 g/fruit compared to approximate 10 to 12 g/fruit of the pollen parent. The Pollen parent 'Mara des Bois' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,517) shows a more intense red fruit color about Medium Red 46B to Dark Red 46A compared to that of the new variety 'Amandine' of about Dark Red 45B to Dark Red 45A.
The new variety 'Amandine' is closest to the variety 'Charlotte' (unpatented) but is distinguished therefrom by having a flat globose habit compared to flat in 'Charlotte' (unpatented). The shape of base of terminal leaflet in 'Charlotte' (unpatented) is obtuse compared to acute in 'Amandine', and the new variety 'Amandine' has a smaller number of stolons than 'Charlotte' (unpatented). Meanwhile, the position relative to the foliage of the inflorescence in 'Charlotte' (unpatented) is level with, while it is above in 'Amandine'. the fruit color of 'Charlotte' (unpatented) is about Medium Red 46C to Medium Red 46B, whereas in 'Amandine' it is a red fruit color Medium Red 45B to Dark Red 45A, while the color of flesh in fruits of 'Charlotte' (unpatented) is about Medium Red 40C to Medium Red 40D, whereas the color of flesh in fruits of 'Amandine' is about Medium Orange-Red 31B to Medium Orange-Red 32B. The Predominant shape of fruit in 'Charlotte' (unpatented) is conical, than the predominant shape of fruit in 'Amandine' is cordiform.
The differences in the position of the inflorescence relative to foliage in 'Amandine' and 'Charlotte' (unpatented) are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 respectively. The differences in the shape of the base of the terminal leaflet of 'Amandine' and 'Charlotte' (unpatented) are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 respectively. The differences in the shape and color of the fruit of 'Amandine' and 'Charlotte' (unpatented) are shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 respectively.


Chain Collision Prevention (CCP) includes systems, devices, apparatus for preventing chain collisions and chain reaction crashes, in vehicle columns. A vehicle-installed deceleration indicator and immediately relays and sequentially transmits Closing Alert signals using radio or other media, down the chain of closely following vehicles when deceleration occurs. Vehicle operators are alerted by alarms and warnings, Cruise Controls can be automatically turned off, and radios silenced. The Closing Alert signals can include a display of rearwardly facing blue vertical Rear Warning Light(s), that are visible to both CCP equipped and non-equipped vehicles. One light indicates a vehicle is CCP equipped and is moving forward. Two lights can indicate a vehicle deceleration in the chain of vehicles ahead. Three lights can indicate a stopped vehicle, and flashing can be vehicle backing or reversing. Cameras provide images of forward and rearward located vehicles.

Chain collisions, also known as "chain reaction crashes," are series of front-to-rear collisions sometimes involving up to several hundred vehicles. Chain reaction crashes are characterized by each vehicle decelerating successively, an independent unit in an accelerating wave of compression which moves rearward down the column of following vehicles, Typically, all such vehicles are so close that it is nearly impossible for them to avoid colliding with the vehicle ahead, in which case we refer to them here as a chain. In the context of this invention, "chain reaction crash" refers to a series of collisions following from this accelerating wave of compression in a chain or column of hazardously close following vehicles.
Preventing rear-end collisions is a necessary concern. This is a simpler problem than preventing the multiple, simultaneous rear-end collision that is the chain reaction crash. Over the years various types of deceleration sensors/detectors have been used in one vehicle to activate rearwardly facing lights in that one vehicle.
Deceleration detection techniques have been proposed in numerous prior art references. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,851 to Blackmer; 3,593,278 to Bower; 3,638,181 to Bryant; 3,665,391 to Bumpous; 5,461,362 to Echt; 3,760,353 to Hassinger; 3,846,748 to Hopwood; 4,920,330 to Plozner, and 5,089,805 to Salsman. These patents generally use deceleration indicators to actuate rear brake lights.
All of the above patent references generally employ mercury switche, with the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,851 to Blackmer. Mercury is undesirable since it is the subject of a U.S. environmental initiative and is recognized worldwide as a dangerous environmental pollutant, and mercury is considered to be toxic even if not ingest. Only U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,278 to Bower allows for the possibility of closing internal electrical contacts with a fluid other than mercury. No information on such a fluid is provided. U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,748 to Hopwood and U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,805 to Salsman use multiple mercury switches which worsen the hazards.
As U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,391 to Bumpous notes, existing brake lights are barely visible in the daytime because of their low candlepower. Nevertheless, all the above U.S. Patents use existing brake lights to provide warnings to other vehicles, illuminating them by brake pedal action as well as by means of deceleration detection. To correct the problem of brake lights being insufficiently visible in daylight, the Bumpous patent employs the vehicle's horn to warn of sudden stops. However, it is doubtful that a following vehicle would hear the horn of a vehicle ahead.
Generally, the deceleration indicators described in the above patent references are complicated and expensive. See for examples U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,851 to Blackmer; 3,638,181 to Bryant; 3,846,748 to Hopwood; 4,920,330 to Plozner; and 5,089,805 to Salsman. Expensive complicated techniques are clearly undesirable.
Several devices in the prior art rely only on deceleration detection to alter standard brake light display. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,461,362 to Echt and 3,760,353 to Hassinger. The Echt's device causes a vehicle's brake lights to flash in response to a pre-set amount of "panic braking." However, flashing brake lights universally indicate that a vehicle is proceeding slowly, not stopping, so this is misleading. Hassinger's device causes brake lights to flash continuously once deceleration reaches a pre-set point. This has the same defect as Echt's patent, namely, the flashing brake lights only indicate that a vehicle is going slowly, not decelerating. Therefore, neither Hassinger's nor Echt's devices would be effective to ward off overtaking vehicles. Hassinger's device also uses an emergency stop light that must be manually reset switch after every deceleration.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,851 to Blackmer and 3,760,353 to Hassinger discuss the problem that brake lights can illuminate at any contact of the brake pedal, no matter how slight. Blackmer also notes that when slowing and stopping are accomplished by manual transmission downshifting, the brake light is not illuminated i.e., the brake light is not displayed when the transmission is used to slow the vehicle. This can be important because manual transmissions are so used in cars and trucks around the world.
Manual transmissions slow vehicles through use of a supposed "engine brake" applied through the transmission gears. Like Hassinger, Blackmer also notes that brake lights do not indicate whether the brake pedal has been applied with sufficient pressure to be effective. Although Blackmer notes automobiles may slow and stop by downshifting, this reference neglects to discuss the problem of trucks, where downshifting is essential, the almost universal means of braking. Large trucks must practically always be slowed by downshifting, double-clutching, or by use of a variant engine brake, the Jacobs Vehicle System, "Jake Brakes."
Large trucks also use air brakes. Air brakes use a compressor on the truck motor to pressurize a tank. Once pressurized, air from the tank forces the trailer's powerful steel spring brakes off the brake drums, allowing the trailer wheels to turn freely. An operator is able to slow and stop by reducing air pressure in the tank, which allows the springs to compress brake shoes around brake drums. But brake shoes wear rapidly and on downward grades they can "fade" and become ineffective. Additionally, frequent adjustment of the brake shoes is required.
Despite warnings posted on the rear of trucks indicating they have air brakes, automobile drivers rarely understand that trucks with air brakes can stop extremely rapidly, sometimes altogether out of the truck operator's control. This occurs when, for one reason or another, the air brake system loses pressure. This allows its spring brakes to lock up tight. Evidence of this can be seen on almost any highway where heavy brake marks, often diagonally crossing traffic lanes, indicate that trucks have suddenly been braked to a stop. Because of the danger that automobiles will collide with the rear ends of trucks, often sliding beneath them in the process, either because of this drastic braking or because of involvement in a conventional chain reaction collision. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (Sect. 393.86) requires truck trailers to have a "rear end protection" bumper, the "ICC bar," and rear-end signs stating, "Warning—Air Brakes."
Another major danger is uncontrolled deceleration from air brakes. Collisions can also result from trucks following other trucks closely in order to save fuel. The vacuum or "draft" behind a truck ahead helps "pull" closely following, "drafting," trucks along.
Another problem is the flicker light effects. Brake lights tend to flicker on and off at the slightest foot-to-pedal contact. The lights are not consistently associated with speed reductions and consequently are largely ignored.
Chair collisions involve additional factors, especially the obscuring presence of other vehicles, perhaps many other vehicles, further ahead. Above prior art patents assume rear brake lights will be seen in time to prevent collisions. But only the operator of the vehicle immediately following can see them, even if displayed in timely fashion, since vehicles further ahead are obscured by those behind them. This is especially the case with large trucks, which entirely obscure vision ahead. Thus, the operators of vehicles forming chains, that is, traveling in dangerously close proximity, are usually ignorant of what is developing ahead of them, even in clear weather.
The exclusive concern of the prior art patents cited above is prevention of a single rear-end collision of a motor vehicles and truck. However, this is a much simpler problem than chain collisions. A rear-end collision involves only two (2) vehicles, one striking the other from the rear, which represents a simple error in judgment on the part of one vehicle operator. On the other hand, a chain collision or "chain reaction crash" refers to the involvement of a multiplicity of vehicles in a multiplicity of collisions, occurring almost simultaneously, and resulting from an accelerating wave of compression moving rearward along a column of vehicles and meeting the vehicles as they move forward. This occurs so swiftly that it cannot be explained in terms of individual error of judgment. It might better be termed a social accident, especially since its consequences can be societal.
Chain collisions are a worldwide problem for vehicles of all types, including taxying or flying aircraft, vessels on, over, or under the water, and solid terrain vehicles. They frequently involve hundreds of vehicles and, world-wide, are extremely costly in lives lost, injuries, and money.
None of the prior art reference singularly or in combination overcome the problems presented above of reducing and preventing plural vehicle chain collisions. Thus, the need exists for solutions to these problems.


A display driver which drives a data line connected to a pixel electrode through a switching element, the pixel electrode facing a common electrode with an electro-optical substance interposed, and a voltage being supplied to the common electrode based on a polarity reversal signal. The display driver includes: a polarity reversal signal generation circuit which generates the polarity reversal signal which specifies the timing at which the polarity of a voltage applied to the electro-optical substance is reversed; and a driver section which supplies a drive voltage based on display data to the data line so that the polarity of the voltage applied to the electro-optical substance is reversed in synchronization with the polarity reversal signal. The polarity reversal signal generation circuit generates the polarity reversal signal by delaying a signal generated based on a horizontal synchronization signal and a vertical synchronization signal, the horizontal synchronization signal specifying a horizontal scan period and the vertical synchronization signal specifying a vertical scan period.

The present invention relates to a display driver, an electro-optical device, and a method of driving an electro-optical device.
In an active matrix liquid crystal device (electro-optical device in a broad sense), the operation of writing data into a liquid crystal (electro-optical substance in a broad sense) layer in each pixel through switching elements connected with one scan line is performed by a dot sequential drive. A scan line of the liquid crystal device is sequentially selected by a scan driver, and a data line of a liquid crystal device is driven by a data driver (display driver) based on display data. The scan driver and the data driver are timing-controlled by a display controller.
There may be a case where display unevenness occurs due to bias of voltage applied to a liquid crystal. The liquid crystal deteriorates if the polarity of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal remains unchanged. In order to prevent occurrence of these problems, a polarity reversal drive is performed in which the polarity of the voltage applied to the liquid crystal is reversed at a given timing. In the polarity reversal drive, voltage is applied to one end of the liquid crystal so that the polarity is reversed with respect to the potential applied to the other end of the liquid crystal. The polarity means the polarity of the voltage applied between both ends of the liquid crystal. In the active matrix liquid crystal device using a thin-film transistor (TFT), potential applied to a common electrode which faces a pixel electrode through a liquid crystal is changed in order to perform the polarity reversal drive.
As the polarity reversal drive, a frame reversal drive in which the polarity is reversed in units of vertical scan periods, a line reversal drive in which the polarity is reversed in units of horizontal scan periods, a polarity reversal drive in which a dot reversal drive in which the polarity is reversed in each dot is combined with the line reversal drive, and the like have been proposed.
The polarity reversal drive is performed in synchronization with a polarity reversal signal. The polarity reversal signal is generated by the display controller. The display controller generates the polarity reversal signal together with a horizontal synchronization signal which specifies the horizontal scan period and a vertical synchronization signal which specifies the vertical scan period in order to control the display timing. The polarity reversal signal is generated by a circuit disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-38149, for example.

Display driver, electro-optical device, and method of driving electro-optical device


A cartridge for use with an advancing pen, comprising: a cartridge body, the cartridge body containing contents, the cartridge; a seal, the seal retaining the contents within the cartridge body; a cartridge tip, the cartridge tip located substantially within the cartridge body and in contact with the contents and penetrating the seal, the cartridge tip withdrawing the contents to apply the contents to a desired surface; a retaining cap, the retaining cap sealing the cartridge tip and the seal, such that the retaining cap must be removed before the cartridge tip can deliver the contents to the desired surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to marking pens and applicators. Specifically, the invention relates to an advancing pen having multiple cartridges containing liquid or semisolid material. More specifically, the present invention relates to an advancing pen having multiple cartridges, each cartridge bearing a seal to protect the contents from contamination and loss of moisture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When medical personnel administer an injection to a patient, draw blood, or perform any intravenous procedure, the area of the skin to be pierced must first be cleansed. The antiseptic used is most often isopropyl alcohol, in part due to its rapid drying characteristic. The rapid drying time can also be a drawback however, as isopropyl alcohol is colorless, and therefore invisible when it has dried, leaving the person performing the procedure in some doubt as to the exact location of the cleansed area. A common procedure among some phlebotomists, for example, is to make a mark on the skin with a pen to identify a desired point of entry after the area is cleansed with isopropyl alcohol. While quick and convenient, this procedure is clearly not optimal, as the pen is very likely to be a source of contamination.
The prior art includes several references for devices that enable the user to either mark or cleanse the site of an intended skin puncture. One such reference for a marking device is the "Hypodermic Syringe and a Method for Marking Injections" by Carswell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,270, issued Mar. 9, 1993. This reference discloses a cover for the syringe that has a marking pigment installed at the closed end of the cover. One drawback to this device is that the exposed pigment will not only mark the injection site, but also the user's pocket. Further, there is no provision for an antiseptic agent. A reference that discloses an antiseptic means integral to the syringe unit is the "Needle Cover Assembly having Self-Contained Drug Applicator" of Chiappetta, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,229, issued Nov. 23, 1999. This device utilizes a drug swab contained in a cover for the needle of the syringe.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,265, issued to the inventor of the present invention, discloses an advancing antiseptic marking pen having individual cartridges. However, the disclosed marking pen suffers two drawbacks. First, the barrel of the marking pen includes a slotted aperture running the length of the pen barrel in order to accommodate an advancing mechanism. For medical applications, this aperture is undesirable as foreign debris and other contaminants can enter the inside of the marking pen through the aperture. Also, the individual marking cartridges disclosed are not individually sealed, also posing a sanitary risk in medical applications, as well as shortening the useful life of the fluids contained in the individual cartridges as they can prematurely lose moisture.
There is no reference in the prior art that discloses a device that enables the user to both cleanse and to mark the intended site of an injection or other sub-dermal procedure. This means that the medical technician must use more than one instrument for each such procedure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device suitable for sterile applications that can both apply an antiseptic while simultaneously marking a site on a patient's skin. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that accomplishes sterile marking. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device that is quick and easy to use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Advancing pen having individually capped cartridges


An improved plasma display panel is provided that may reduce a discharge firing voltage while simultaneously improving discharge efficiency. The plasma display panel may include a first substrate substantially paralleling an opposite second substrate across a predetermined gap, wherein the gap is divided into a discharge cell. A phosphor layer may be formed in the discharge cell. An address electrode may be formed on the first substrate to extend along a first direction. A first electrode and second electrode may be formed on the first substrate, and a degree that a portion of at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode proximate the second substrate protrudes toward a center of the discharge cell may differ from a degree that another portion of the at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode proximate the first substrate protrudes toward the center of the discharge cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plasma display panel, and more particularly, to a plasma display panel that can induce plasma sustain discharge via an opposed electrode discharge.
2. Description of Related Art
A plasma display panel (PDP) displays an image using visible light emitted from phosphor material that is bombarded with vacuum ultraviolet (UV) rays. The UV rays are emitted from a plasma formed when a gas within the PDP is energized via a discharge of electricity. PDPs can be used to manufacture large high resolution screens, and have thus been highlighted as the next generation of display devices.
A conventional plasma display panel incorporates three-electrodes arranged in a predetermined pattern. This structure generally includes a front substrate having two display electrodes formed thereon and a rear substrate that is spaced apart from the front substrate at a predetermined distance and on which address electrodes are formed. The space between both substrates is divided into a plurality of discharge cells by barrier ribs, a phosphor layer formed in the discharge cell faces the rear substrate, and a discharge gas is injected into each discharge cell.
As mentioned above, transparent display electrodes are formed on the same surface of the front substrate, while address electrodes are formed on the rear substrate. Thus, in the conventional plasma display panel, the address discharge occurs using opposing pairs of address and display electrodes, but the sustain discharge occurs using only surface-adjacent display electrodes. Thus, the address discharge used to select a pixel for illumination uses an opposed-electrode discharge, while the sustain discharge used to illuminate the selected pixel to a desired brightness uses a same-surface electrode discharge.
In the conventional PDP, a distance between a display electrode and its corresponding address electrode is generally greater than a distance between two adjacent display electrodes. The discharge firing voltage of the address discharge, however, is less than the discharge firing voltage of the display discharge because the address discharge is induced using an opposed discharge rather than a surface discharge.
On the other hand, the discharge area is divided into a sheath region and a positive column region. The sheath region is a non-emitting region surrounding around a dielectric layer or an electrode and most of the voltage is consumed in the sheath region. The positive column region is a region that can actively generate plasma discharge at a very low voltage. Accordingly, the efficiency of the plasma display panel may be increased by increasing the positive column region. Since the length of the sheath region is not related to the discharge gap, a method of enlarging a discharge length may be used as a method of enlarging the positive column region. Increasing the discharge gap is problematic, however, because increasing the discharge gap also increases the discharge firing voltage.
Accordingly, a conventional plasma display panel cannot simultaneously achieve a low discharge firing voltage and high discharge efficiency.


Certain examples provide systems and methods to determine client compatibility. An example method includes receiving a request at an image viewer from a client browser for display of medical image data. The example method includes providing a temporary view to the client browser in response to the request. The example method includes determining client compatibility with the viewer and an associated server in the background at a client device executing the client browser while the temporary view is displayed at the client browser. The example method includes requesting the image data from the server based on the client compatibility determination. The example method includes rendering the image data and providing to the client browser based on the client compatibility determination, the rendering and presentation of the image data modified to enable or disable capability of at least one of the viewer and the server based on the client compatibility determination.

Prior to the rapid onset of digital imaging, patient images were "printed" to film. The film was "hung" and viewed by radiologists, who would then dictate a report. Reports were transcribed by individuals ranging for administrative staff to medical transcriptionists and sent to ordering physician via mail or fax. Critical results were delivered by phone or pager and business statistics were managed via paper reports and spreadsheets.
As information systems for radiology came to market, the first commercially available solutions addressed the needs of the radiologist and the radiology department. These included Radiology Information Systems (RIS) and dictation transcription systems. RIS systems managed the ordering, scheduling, patient and management reporting processes while radiologists were still reading from film.
As modalities started to support the digital display of images on workstations connected to the acquisition device, Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) came to market. These centrally store images and provide radiologists with the tools to read studies on networked computer monitors, replacing both film and modality workstations.
Over time, the needs of the market have evolved from supporting specialized radiologist workflows to supporting the open and dynamic needs of the enterprise and the community. The vendor community has added systems to manage the need for advanced technologies for better diagnosis; the sharing of images between providers and organizations; to support collaboration between radiologists, physicians and teams providing care for the patient; to close the loop on reporting of critical results and manage the growing storage requirements. Often these are disparate, best-of breed systems that may or may not interoperate, increasing cost and decreasing productivity.

Systems and methods for medical image viewer compatibility determination


A three-dimensional (3-D) memory stack and a method of formation thereof are described. The 3-D memory stack includes a number of vertically stacked memory devices. Each memory device includes one or more memory cells. Each of the memory cells can be formed on a conductive material. Each memory device further includes one or more selector elements each configured to couple a memory cell of the one or more memory cells to a respective bit line. None of the selector elements is configured as a diode or a transistor element.

A stacked carbon nanotube (CNT) memory cube array can be a three dimensional (3-D) version of a nanotube random access memory (NRAM) array, where CNT memory arrays are stacked vertically (e.g., along the z-axis). A conventional method of selecting a CNT memory cell in a two dimensional (2-D) CNT memory array (e.g., in the plane of the substrate, i.e., x-y plane) is to use a transistor switch coupled to each CNT memory cell. When the transistor switch is in a low resistance state (e.g., ON state) the CNT memory cell becomes active and can toggle between logic low and high states. One problem with the transistor switching is that the density of the memory cells is limited by the density of the underlying transistors.
Improvements in density can be obtained if diodes are employed to select the memory cells instead of transistors. Replacing transistors with diodes provides a potential for CNT memory cell sizes of the order of less than 10 f2, where f represents a lowest feature size (e.g., 45 nm) of the applied fabrication technology. Despite the potential density improvements resulting from using diodes to replace switch transistors and/or employing some photolithography tricks (which are not necessarily transferable to real integration), the density of the CNT memory devices are still heavily limited by the 2-D structure of the CNT memory devices and the underlying addressing circuitry. Therefore, high density CNT memory devices are desirable.

High density stacked CNT memory cube arrays with memory selectors


A unit-type strain wave gearing device provided with a cross roller bearing that supports an internally toothed gear and an externally toothed gear in a state in which both gears can rotate relative to each other, and a meshing section of both gears is lubricated with grease. A gap by which the meshing section and the cross roller bearing raceway groove communicate is formed between the inner ring of the cross roller bearing and the external gear. Due to the pump effect caused by deflection of the external gear, grease is pushed from the meshing section to the gap. Some grease is returned to the inner space of the externally toothed gear via a grease-flowing hole that penetrates the diaphragm of the external gear. Thus, leakage of grease from an oil seal of the cross roller bearing to the unit side can be controlled.

As a unit-type strain wave gearing device, there has been known one that is provided with a rigid internally toothed gear, a flexible externally toothed gear, and a bearing such as a cross roller bearing et al., to support both gears in a relative rotatable state. Strain wave gearing devices of this configuration are described in Patent documents 1 and 2.
In a strain wave gearing device described in Patent document 1, a cross roller bearing is arranged in a state of surrounding a circular cylindrical barrel part of a top-hat-shaped externally toothed gear. The cross roller bearing has an outer ring, which is fastened to the annular boss formed in the outer peripheral edge of a diaphragm of an externally toothed gear, and an inner ring which is fixed to an internally toothed gear. A certain gap is formed between the inner ring of the cross roller bearing and the diaphragm and cylindrical barrel part of the externally toothed gear so that both members do not interfere with each other. The gap is communicated with a meshing section between the internally toothed gear and the externally toothed gear and is also communicated with a raceway groove between the inner and outer rings of the cross roller bearing. In a strain wave gearing device described in Patent document 2, a cross roller bearing is arranged in a state of surrounding the circular cylindrical barrel part of a cup-shaped externally toothed gear. There is formed a prescribed gap between the inner ring of the cross roller bearing and the diaphragm and cylindrical barrel part of the externally toothed gear. The gap is communicated with a meshing section between the internally toothed gear and the externally toothed gear and is communicated with the raceway groove of the cross roller bearing.
On the other hand, in Patent document 3, it has been proposed that an oil supply hole is formed in an externally toothed gear in order to allow lubricant oil provided from the outside of the strain wave gearing device to flow into the inside of the strain wave gearing device.