The present invention relates to a skin care composition comprising at least two oil phases dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase comprising a thickening agent, wherein a first oil phase of the oil phases has different composition from the other oil phase, and wherein the composition contains an emulsifier no more than 1.0%. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a skin care composition comprising dispersing a first oil phase in a continuous aqueous phase comprising a thickening agent; and dispersing a second oil phase in the continuous aqueous phase; wherein composition of said first oil phase differs from composition of said second oil phase, and wherein the composition contains an emulsifier no more than 1.0%.

Many skin care products currently available to consumers are directed primarily to improving the health and/or physical appearance of the skin and/or hair. To provide such benefits, skin care products contains various oily compounds such as emollients and oil-soluble skin actives which usually accompany unpleasant oily or a tacky feel.
Many consumers dislike heavy, oily or greasy feeling compositions and prefer compositions that can provide smooth spreadability and fresh in-use sensory, with smooth silky after-feel. Therefore, while delivery of specific skin actives and compounds that can regulate skin conditions is of course important, consumer acceptance of the sensory aspects such, both prior to and after application, are also important.
Volatile oils such as low viscosity cyclic silicone oils are commonly used in cosmetic compositions for their good cosmetic properties, such as their pleasant feel on contact with the skin due to quick evaporation after they have been applied to skin. However, since skin care compositions contain various non-volatile oils and oil-soluble ingredients, volatility of the volatile oil in final products decreases and the volatile oil does not evaporate quick enough to provide fresh and cool feel on contact with the skin. For example, non-volatile silicones are widely used in skin care products because of their pleasant skin feel qualities as well as their stable oil film formation on the skin which can prevent moisture evaporation from the skin. As the level of non-volatile silicones increases, however, volatility of an oil phase decreases and the product can not provide fresh in-use feeling.
In the meantime, to be most effective, some products must be applied regularly and over an extended period of time. To encourage frequent usage, it is important that the product have a pleasant appearance. For example, a translucent appearance can deliver to consumers pure and light image and still provide rich image.
Based on the foregoing, there is a continuing need to formulate skin care compositions that can provide sensory and aesthetic benefits, especially as related to smooth spreadability and fresh in-use sensory feeling and smooth silky after-feel, optionally being translucent. None of the existing art provides all of the advantages and benefits of the present invention.


According to some examples, a method comprises measuring, using a detector, a temperature of at least a portion of a layer of build material formed on a print bed associated with an additive manufacturing apparatus. The additive manufacturing apparatus may include a heating module to direct heat towards successive layers of build material during a series of successive passes over the build material. The method may further comprise determining, using a processor, based at least in part on the measured temperature, a duration that the heating module is to wait before performing a pass over the build material, and a speed at which the heating module is to travel over the build material.

Additive manufacturing techniques may generate a three-dimensional object on a layer-by-layer basis through the solidification of a build material. In examples of such techniques, build material is supplied in a layer-wise manner and a solidification method may include heating the layers of build material to cause melting in selected regions. In some examples, the temperature of the build material is increased prior to the melting process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Controlling heating in additive manufacturing

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The hydraulic linear actuator system of the present invention includes a pump that is configured to rotate in a single direction at a substantially constant velocity. Both the direction and flow rate of fluid through the system is controlled by adjusting the positional relationship between the stator and the rotor of the pump. This positional relationship is adjustable between a forward flow state, a non-flow state and a reverse flow state. The hydraulic linear actuator is responsive to the flow of fluid through the system so as to be displaced in a first direction by the forward flow state of the pump and in a second direction by the reverse flow state of the pump.

The present invention relates to self-contained actuator systems and, in particular, it concerns a self-contained hydraulic linear actuator system having a pump, the pumping assembly of which is adjustable so as to control the speed and direction of the fluid flow through the system and a linear actuator responsive to the fluid flow.
Self-contained hydraulic actuator systems having closed hydraulic systems incorporating bi-directional pumps are known in the art. Heretofore, these systems required bi-directional motors to drive the pump. Therefore, the speed and direction of pump rotation, and thus fluid flow through the system, is the direct result of the movement of the motor driving the pump. The motors best suited for this purpose are electrical servomotors, which provide the ability to change speed and direction quickly as required. This is particularly relevant in the field of motion simulation.
There are a number of drawbacks associated with the use of servomotors to drive bi-directional pumps. One major drawback is that bi-directional servomotors are expensive since they must be built to perform, and withstand the rigors of, substantially instantaneous changes of speed and/or direction numerous times during the performance of a task.
There is therefore a need for a self-contained hydraulic linear actuator system having a pump, the pumping assembly of which is adjustable so as to control the speed and direction of the fluid flow through the system and a linear actuator responsive to the fluid flow. It would be advantageous if the system included a closed hydraulic system.


In a signal processing apparatus for processing an image signal, a hue difference between adjoining pixels is detected by a color image edge detector, and an aperture control main gain circuit amplifies a luminance signal using a gain determined on the basis of the hue difference detected by the color image edge detector to enhance an edge pixel of an image.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a signal processing unit of a conventional single-CCD digital camera.
A signal from a CCD image sensing element 501 is adjusted in white gain by a white balance (WB) circuit 502, and sent to a luminance notch circuit 510. The luminance notch circuit 510 reduces the gain of color signal components near the Nyquist frequency in the vertical direction by using a vertical low-pass filter (VLPF), and also reduces the gain in the horizontal direction by using a horizontal low-pass filter (HLPF). These filters are called luminance notch filters. Then, a horizontal bandpass filter (HBPF) circuit 511 and vertical bandpass filter (VBPF) circuit 514 shift up frequency components slightly lower than the Nyquist frequency decreased by the notch filters.
Aperture peak (PP) gain circuits 512 and 515 adjust the amplitude in both the horizontal and vertical directions, and base clip (BC) circuits 513 and 516 clip small-amplitude components and remove noise. An adder 517 adds the horizontal and vertical components, an aperture control (APC) main gain circuit 518 applies a main gain to the resultant signal, and an adder 519 adds a baseband signal to the signal. A γ conversion circuit 520 γ-converts the signal, and a luminance correction (YCOMP) circuit 521 corrects the luminance signal level by color.
Further, a color interpolation circuit 503 interpolates a chroma signal so as to give color pixel values to all pixels. A color conversion matrix (MTX) circuit 504 converts the complementary color signals to luminance (Y) signals and color difference (Cr, Cb) signals. Thereafter, a chroma suppress (CSUP) circuit 505 suppresses the color-difference gain in low and high luminance regions, and a chroma low-pass filter (CLPF) circuit 506 limits the band of the chroma signals. A γ conversion circuit 507 converts the band-limited chroma signal into R, G, and B signals and at the same time γ-converts the R, G, and B signals. The γ-converted R, G, and B signals are converted into Y, Cr, and Cb signals again. A chroma gain knee circuit 508 adjusts the chroma gain of the luminance and color difference signals, and a linear clip matrix (LCMTX) circuit 509 finely adjusts the hue as well as corrects shift in hue due to variation in quality of image sensing elements.
Assume that an output from an image sensing element having filters of a checkered Bayer layout as shown in FIG. 4 is processed by the luminance notch circuit 510. In particular, primary color filters achieve good color separation. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12A, the conventional notch filter method, which is a filtering method using signals from all pixels, cannot absorb gain differences between different color filters by using LPFs at the edge of an image having opposite hues, e.g., red and blue in left and right halves. The edge staircases or becomes jagged, which degrades the image quality of a playback image. This will be explained with reference to FIG. 12B.
FIG. 12B is a view for explaining an output level from each pixel of the image sensing element. In FIG. 12B, a pixel outputting a relatively large value is blank, and a pixel having an output of almost 0 is hatched for descriptive convenience. Signal level differences between different color filters are large at an edge between colors of opposite hues (referred to as "opposite hue edge", hereinafter), and appear jagged. Further, the jaggedness is enhanced by edge enhancement which is performed to increase the resolution (MTF: Modulation Transfer Function) which has been decreased by LPFs.

Signal processing apparatus and method for reducing jaggedness on color image edge and image sensing apparatus having same


A signal processing device for processing an information signal, comprises a frequency modulator arranged to receive the information signal, to frequency-modulate the received information signal and to output a frequency-modulated information signal, a feedback signal generator arranged to receive the frequency-modulated information signal output from the frequency modulator means and to generate a feedback signal therefrom at a phase which is variable to be either in-phase or out-of-phase relative to the received frequency-modulated information signal in accordance with a duty in a high-level period of the received frequency-modulated information signal and at an amplitude which is variable within a range from a zero level to the same level as the received frequency-modulated information signal, and addition circuitry arranged to add the feedback signal output from the feedback signal generator to the information signal received by the frequency modulator.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a signal processing device for processing an information signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known information signal processing devices include an image signal recording and reproducing system, which is arranged, for example, to frequency-modulate an image signal, to record the frequency-modulated image signal on a recording medium, to reproduce the recorded image signal from the recording medium, and to frequency-demodulate the reproduced image signal to bring it back to its original state.
FIG. 1 shows in outline the arrangement of a frequency modulator employed for the image signal recording and reproducing system mentioned above.
Referring to FIG. 1, the illustration includes an astable multivibrator 1 which is arranged to vary its oscillation frequency in proportion to an input current signal "is"; a comparator 2 which is arranged to shape the waveform of a signal outputted from the astable multivibrator 1; and an output buffer amplifier 3.
Referring further to FIG. 1, a luminance signal which has been subjected to a preemphasizing process through a preemphasis circuit (not shown) is inputted to an input terminal S1. To another input terminal V1 is inputted a DC voltage signal which is at the same potential as that of a sync tip part of the luminance signal inputted to the input terminal S1. The oscillation frequency of the astable multivibrator 1 at the sync tip part of the luminance signal is set by means of a resistor R2. An amount of frequency deviation in the oscillation frequency is arranged to be set by means of another resistor R1.
FIG. 2 shows in detail the circuit arrangement of the astable multivibrator 1 shown in FIG. 1. The operation of the circuit of FIG. 2 is described below with reference to timing charts which are shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c) and 4(a) to 4(c).
In FIG. 3(a), a signal waveform shown with a full line represents a waveform obtained at the collector of a transistor Q9, while another signal waveform shown with a broken line represents a waveform obtained at the collector of a transistor Q10. In FIG. 3(b), a signal waveform shown with a full line represents a waveform obtained at the emitter of a transistor Q7, while a signal waveform shown with a broken line represents a waveform obtained at the emitter of a transistor Q8.
Let us assume that the characteristic of the transistor Q9 coincides with that of the transistor Q10. The characteristic of a transistor Q5 coincides with that of a transistor Q6. The characteristic of the transistor Q7 coincides with that of the transistor Q8. The characteristic of a transistor Q11 coincides with that of a transistor Q12. The characteristic of a transistor Q13 coincides with that of a transistor Q14. The characteristic of a resistor r1 coincides with that of a resistor r2. Let us further assume that the beta (.beta.) of each of these transistors which is IC/IB (wherein IC represents a collector current and IB a base current) is sufficiently large. Then, there are obtained the following relations: ##EQU1##
Further, when signals outputed from the emitters of transistors Q15 and Q16 are supplied to the comparator 2 of FIG. 1, with the charactersitics of the transistors Q15 and Q16 assumed to coincide with each other, the periods T1 and T2 of waveform-shaped signals outputted to the output buffer amplifier 3 of FIG. 1 become equal to each other. As a result, a frequency-modulated luminance signal is outputted with a stable duty.
However, an error .DELTA.VBE of about .+-.2 mV arises between paired transistors in a voltage VBE between the base and the emitter in general. Further, an error of about .+-.2% arises between the paired resistors. As a result, the waveform of the frequency-modulated luminance signal changes in a manner as shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c).
FIG. 4(b) shows the waveform of the frequency-modulated luminance signal obtained in the event of a discrepancy between the transistors Q5 and Q6 in the characteristic of the voltage VBE between the base and the emitter. In this instance, the period TA is not equal to the period TB because iSA is not equal to iSB. However, the signal periods T1 and T2 remain equal to each other.
Meanwhile, FIG. 4(c) shows the waveform of the frequency-modulated luminance signal obtained in the event of a discrepancy in the characteristic of the base-emitter voltage between the transistors Q9 and Q10 and also a discrepancy in the characteristic of the resistance valve between the resistors r1 and r2. In that instance, TA.noteq.TB because .DELTA.VA.noteq..DELTA.VB. However, the relation of T1=T2 remains unchanged.
Meanwhile, a system like a video tape recorder or an electronic still video system is arranged to frequency-multiplex a chrominance component signal in a lower frequency band than the frequency band of the frequency-modulated luminance signal in recording and reproducing an image signal. In reproducing the signal with the system of this kind, the secondary distortion component of the frequency-modulated luminance signal causes a cross modulation component FY+FC (wherein FY represents the carrier frequency of the luminance signal and FC represents the carrier frequency of the chrominance component signal) to appear within the reproduced signal. To avoid the generation of the cross modulation component, the secondary distortion component of the frequency-modulated luminance signal must be minimized, for example, by suppressing it to such a value as -45 dB. Therefore, the signals outputted from the emitters of the transistors Q15 and Q16 of the astable multivibrator shown in FIG. 2 are arranged to be supplied to the comparator 2 shown in FIG. 1.
However, if the voltage VBE between the base and the emitter of each of the paired transistors deviates from that of the other between the transistors Q13 and Q14, between transistors Q7 and Q8 or between transistors Q15 and Q16 and if an error .DELTA.VBE is generated between the transistors paired for the inputs of the comparator 2, a DC level obtained at a level comparison point varies to cause the state of T1.noteq.T2 as shown in FIG. 3(c).
For example, if the voltages .DELTA.VA and .DELTA.VB are 500 mV and the error .DELTA.VBE between the paired transistors is .+-.2 mV, ##EQU2##
In this instance, the relation of the duty to the secondary distortion component of the frequency-modulated luminance signal is as follows: the secondary distortion is about -26 dB when the duty is 50.+-.1.6%; about -30 dB when the duty is 50.+-.1.0%; and about -35 dB when the duty is 50.+-.0.55%. Then, it is impossible to reduce the secondary distortion component of the frequency-modulated luminance signal, even if the error .DELTA.VBE is lessened by increasing the size of the transistor.
In a conceivable method for solving the problem, a capacitor is attached to the outside of the output buffer amplifier 3 and the slew rate between the capacitor and a power supply is utilized. However, the effect of this method is attainable only when the duty is below 50% if the transistor to be used is of the NPN type and only when the duty is above 50% if the transistor is of the PNP type. Therefore, this method is hardly acceptable.
In another conceivable method, a frequency band of the frequency-modulated luminance signal of the secondary harmonic system is lessened by means of a trap, a low-pass filter or the like. However, that method deprives the system of interchangeability between recording and reproduction in respect to the frequency characteristic and room for inversion.


A mobile satellite antenna system has a first portion that includes an elevation mechanism, and a second portion that includes a dish with a dish back support structure. These portions can be readily connected or disconnected by a set of quick-connect fasteners that selectively fasten the elevation mechanism of the first portion to the dish back support structure of the second portion. Both portions of the satellite antenna system can be separately stored and transported in containers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high bandwidth uplink/downlink mobile satellite antenna system that can be quickly disassembled, stowed, and transported to another location.
2. Background of the Invention
The mobile satellite antenna market is growing due to the increased demand for high bandwidth communication between a remote location and a satellite (e.g., commercial users such as those found in the oil and gas industry where use locations are far apart). Some users of mobile satellite antennas require high speed deployment of the satellite antenna such as those, for example, in the law enforcement community with tactical communications vehicles. Military and homeland security units have the same requirement. In some geographical areas, the mobile satellite antenna is required to move through heavy snow loads in its deployment.
A number of conventional satellite antenna systems are available that fold down when not in operation. Conventionally, either gear boxes are used in such conventional systems to elevate the dish through a rotary drive motion, or a linear actuator attached to the back of the satellite dish is used to raise the dish by pivoting on a cardanic joint. Examples of such commercially available devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,337,062, 5,418,542 and 5,528,250. In addition, such conventional satellite antenna systems are available from MotoSat and C-Com Satellite Systems, Inc.
A need exists to move the satellite antenna system from a stowed position to a usable deployed position as quickly as possible and to overcome any lethargic mechanical performance. Conventional drive gear box designs are slower in operation and suffer from an undesirable condition called gear backlash that may adversely affect data transmission and use of the dish. A conventional linear actuator, at the attachment point on the satellite dish, provides a limited range of elevation motion and cannot be used in every region of the world.
A need exists for a stowable/deployable satellite antenna system that does not encounter excessive backlash as found in gear box designs and does not limit the range of elevation as found in cardanic joint-based actuators. A further need exists to rapidly deploy the satellite antenna system. Another need exists to deploy the satellite antenna system under heavy loads such as found when heavy snow accumulates on the stowed antenna and the antenna must be deployed through the heavy snow load.
A still further need exists to be able to quickly disassemble, stow and transport the satellite antenna of the present invention so that it can be used in various remote locations. This is especially required when the antenna is used by the military or on scientific expeditions. The ability to rapidly move and deploy the antenna to a new location becomes of critical importance.

Quick release stowage system for transporting mobile satellite antennas


A paper feeder includes a document loading tray 2, a pickup roller 5 and an actuator. The actuator protrudes on a stacking face of the paper sheet stacking tray 2 and senses a paper sheet when touched, pushed and moved by a front edge thereof that is set. The actuator includes a first actuator 21 and a second actuator 22 that are fixed on a common swing shaft. The first actuator 21 is an actuator adapted for paper sheets of first sizes in width direction. The second actuator 22, disposed within business card width at an inner position than the first actuator 21 in width direction, is an actuator adapted for paper sheets of small sizes under normal paper sizes. An end on sensing side 221 of the second actuator 22 is located upstream in paper feed direction from an end on sensing side 211 of the first actuator 21.

The present invention relates to a paper feeder that is incorporated in an image forming apparatus such as copier, multifunctional apparatus, facsimile equipment and/or the like, and to an image forming apparatus including the same.
In an automatic document feeder, there is provided a sensing member (actuator) that senses, when a paper sheet (document) is set at a predetermined position on a paper sheet stacking tray, that the paper sheet is set. That the paper sheet is set is sensed when a front edge of the paper sheet that comes into contact with the actuator causes the actuator to be swung toward a paper feed direction.
In order to adjust a timing of sensing properly depending on sizes in width of paper sheets of documents, a paper feeder that is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2004-51253 bulletin, for example, is provided with a first actuator that is adapted for paper sheets of relatively large sizes including normal paper sizes, and a second actuator that is disposed at an inner position than the first actuator in width direction and adapted for paper sheets of relatively small sizes.
Edges of ends on sensing sides (upstream sides in the paper feed direction) of the first actuator and the second actuator are parallel with each other, and incline at a same angle, while the end on the sensing side of the second actuator that is adapted for the paper sheets of small sizes is located on a downstream side, in the paper feed direction, from the end on the sensing side of the first actuator that is adapted for the paper sheets of large sizes including normal paper sizes. The first actuator and the second actuator are supported by a same swing shaft in such a manner that when either one of the actuators is swung, then operating together therewith, the other is also swung.
Also, it is disclosed that with the second actuator that is adapted for the paper sheets of small sizes being disposed within widths of business cards the above-mentioned paper feeder can deal with documents of sizes of business cards.
However, with the second actuator being disposed within the widths of business cards, although it can easily sense the business cards that are made of thick paper, there has been a problem that sensing mistakes occur in such cases as when a document of a normal paper size that is to be sensed by the first actuator is set but a front edge of the paper sheet is curled then the first actuator is not swung because the paper sheet curls up along the end on the sensing side of the first actuator nor does the front edge of the paper sheet come into contact with the second actuator of which end on the sensing side is located on the downstream side from the first actuator in the paper feed direction.
The present invention is directed to providing a paper feeder and an image forming apparatus including the same that is capable of surely sensing even a paper sheet of a normal paper size that is curled by using a first actuator that is adapted for paper sheets of large sizes including normal paper sizes and a second actuator that is disposed within widths of business cards.

Paper feeder and image forming apparatus


An elongated rubber ejector is mounted to a die board that forms a part of a cutting die and the ejector functions to engage cut corrugated board and eject the same from the cutting die. The rubber ejector includes upper and lower faces or surfaces with each face including a series of spaced apart raised lugs with a series of spaced apart voids or relief areas disposed between the lugs. Lugs and relief areas formed on one face are staggered with respect to the lugs and relief areas formed on the other face. In practice, the lugs are compressed during a die cutting operation. Once the corrugated board has been cut and the die board and an opposed anvil have been moved apart, the lugs and the ejector expand and in the process the rubber ejector engages the cut corrugated board and ejects the same from the cutting die.

Corrugated board is typically cut by a cutting die including a die board having one or more cutting rules secured thereon and some means to eject cut corrugated board from the die board after cutting. Typically, it has been common to mount a relatively hard block shaped rubber ejector at certain points along the cutting rule for the purpose of ejecting cut corrugated board. In the cutting and ejection process, the cutting die and an opposed support or anvil are moved together, causing the cutting rules to cut the sandwiched corrugated board. During this process, the block shaped rubber ejectors are compressed as they partly lie above the surface of the cutting rules. Once the corrugated board has been cut, the cutting die is separated from the opposed support or anvil and in this process the hard block shaped rubber ejectors expand to their original shape. As the ejectors expand and move back past the cutting edge of the cutting rules, they eject or push the cut corrugated product from the cutting die.
There are a number of drawbacks and disadvantages to these hard block shaped rubber ejectors. First and most importantly, because of the hardness and overall design of the ejectors, they tend to crush certain flutes of the cut corrugated product during the cutting operation. Since the cut corrugated board is to be utilized to form corrugated boxes and interpack panels, the crushing of the flutes seriously effects and reduces the compression strength of the resulting corrugated container or interpack panel. Consequently, the stacking strength of a box or interpack panel is seriously impaired. Besides actually reducing the structural strength of the corrugated board, the crushing of flutes results in damage to the appearance and aesthetics of the cut corrugated board.
In addition, because of the hardness and overall design of these block shaped rubber ejectors, a relatively large force or tonnage is required to operate cutting dies containing such ejectors.
Finally, because of the nature of the hard block shaped rubber ejectors and the difficulty of properly mounting and adjusting the same on the die board, it is well-known and appreciated that the make-ready or setup time for cutting dies having these rubber ejectors mounted thereon is substantial. This obviously cuts into production time and in the end results in substantial costs.

Apparatus for ejecting cut corrugated board from a cutting die


The present invention relates to a composition including melittin as an active ingredient for removing an M2-type tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), and more specifically, the present invention relates to a composition exhibiting an effect of selectively suppressing only M2-type tumor-associated macrophages among tumor-associated macrophages. The composition according to the present invention only suppresses M2-type tumor-associated macrophages without affecting M1-type tumor-associated macrophages or cancer cells, thus exhibiting anti-cancer and metastasis suppressing effects by blocking angiogenesis through control of the microenvironment of cancer cells, while reducing the side-effects of existing anti-cancer effects.

Conventional anti-cancer therapies have been studied to enhance the activity of immune cells in the body that attack cancer cells or to attack directly cancer cells. However, these anti-cancer drugs also attack other normal cells other than cancer cells, resulting in many side-effects such as hair loss, nausea, and vomiting, and cause additional reactions due to an excessive increase of immune cells. Therefore, it has been accelerated to develop a therapeutic agent having an anti-cancer effect by controlling only the surrounding microenvironment of the tumor cells without directly affecting tumor cells and immune cells to block nutrient supply to tumor cells and angiogenesis around the tumor cells.
The tumor microenvironment is greatly considered as a therapeutic target by contributing to the proliferation and survival of malignant cells, angiogenesis, metastasis, abnormally adaptive immunity, and reduced responses to hormones and chemotherapeutic agents. In many studies, it was demonstrated that the tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) is a major factor in the tumor microenvironment and an important regulator of angiogenesis, which is essential for tumor progression by supplying oxygen and nutrients to hypoxic tumor sites. Therefore, when a large number of tumor-associated macrophages exist around tumors in cancer patients, it has been reported that the prognosis and survival rate of patients are poor. The role of tumor-associated macrophages in the tumor microenvironment is still very controversial.
The tumor-associated macrophages are classified into two phenotypes of tumor suppressor M1 or tumor support M2 macrophages. The M1-type tumor-associated macrophage has a strong ability to present an antigen and generally presents CD86 and TNF-α. In contrast, the M2-type tumor-associated macrophage has a low antigen-presentation ability and high phagocytosis.
The M2-type macrophages are known to promote immunosuppression, tumorigenesis, and vasculogenesis by releasing various extracellular matrix components, angiogenesis and chemotaxis factors. The M2-type tumor-associated macrophages are distinguished from the M1-type tumor-associated macrophages by expressing some markers such as CD163, CD204, CD206, and IL-10. In most tumors, such as breast, ovarian, prostate, lung cancer and skin melanoma, the tumor microenvironment includes IL-10 capable of inducing the introduction of CSF-1, VEGF, CCL2, IL-4, IL-13, TGF-β and monocytes and inducing differentiation with a similar phenotype to M2. Previous studies have shown that depletion of macrophages by encapsulated clodronates may reduce angiogenesis in tumor tissues. In addition, since the infiltration of the macrophages is prevented through CSF-1R and CCR2 antibodies, it is possible to reduce tumor-initiating properties and increase the activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Therefore, when a large amount of M2-type tumor-associated macrophages are present in the tumor microenvironment, the growth, differentiation, and metastasis of the tumor are activated, and thus the M2-type tumor-associated macrophages are targeted to lead to potential therapies to prevent tumor growth and metastasis.
Melittin is a major ingredient of the bee venom of Apis mellifera L. and an amphipathic peptide with 26 amino acid residues. The melittin has membrane-perturbing effects such as pore formation, fusion, and vesicle formation. The melittin has been used in tumor-bearing rat studies because of the ability of suppressing cytotoxicity and cell growth for tumor cells or inducing apoptosis and necrosis (Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2004; 53:411-421). However, the melittin is a very nonspecific cytolytic peptide and may cause an off-target effect that attacks all lipid membranes and destroys the membranes of normal cells. Meanwhile, there is a research that low-dose melittin may prevent pore formation. It has been reported that the melittin has the ability to neutralize the inflammatory activity of macrophages by regulating intracellular factors such as p50 and IκB kinase-α. In addition, it has also been found that the melittin interacts with LPS to inhibit the activation of LPS-induced macrophages and the production of inflammatory cytokine (Biochim Biophys Acta. 2007; 1768:3282-3291.).
In addition, as conventional techniques using melittin, a composition for treating arteriosclerosis containing melittin (Application No.: 10-2011-0117789), a composition for inhibiting the activity of fibroblast-like synoviocytes containing melittin (Application No.: 10-2011-0117788), etc. have been known.
In addition, as a technique related to immune cells of the bee venom containing melittin, a pharmaceutical composition (Registration No. 10-149167) for treating or preventing diseases associated with degradation of dysregulatory T cell activity containing bee venom-PLA2 is known, but just described for the association between a PLA2 ingredient other than melittin among main ingredients of the bee venom and immune cells. In addition, a composition (Registration No. 10-1146718) for preventing or treating angiogenesis-related diseases, lung cancer or pain containing a bee venom extract as an active ingredient is known and it is known that the bee venom may be used for the treatment of diseases such as cancer, but the detailed mechanism is unknown.
Thus, the role of melittin in the regulation of macrophage activity in the tumor microenvironment is not yet known. Therefore, the present inventors found that melittin suppressed only CD206+ tumor-associated macrophages as M2-type tumor-associated macrophages without affecting CD86+ tumor-associated macrophages as M1-type tumor-associated macrophages and cancer cells in a Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) mouse model and completed the present invention which significantly reduced side-effects due to existing anti-cancer agents.

Composition including melittin for removing M2-type tumor-associated macrophage


Compositions for reducing wear and friction of rubbing surfaces including mixtures of a cyclic amide and a monoester formed by reacting a dicarboxylic acid and a polyol in substantially equimolar amounts where the dicarboxylic acid is a dimer of an unsaturated fatty acid. The invention also relates to methods of use of such compositions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is generally related to compositions for reducing wear of rubbing surfaces, wherein the compositions include a combination of a cyclic amide and a monoester formed by reacting a dimer acid with a polyol.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wear has been defined as the progressive loss of a substance from the operating surface of a body as a result of relative motion at the surface of the body (see, Furey, "Tribology", Encyclopedia of Materials Science & Engineering, Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp. 5145-5157, 1986). When elements rub together, whether made of the same or different materials, wear can occur. The rate of wear tends to increase under harsh temperature and pressure conditions which, for example, exist inside ceramic or metal engines, propulsion engines, and the like. In addition to limiting the useful life of the part in which the ceramic or metal is used, wear of ceramics or metal can be costly because the ceramic or metals materials themselves are expensive to produce. Other significant problems associated with wear include, e.g., down time for equipment, reduced safety, and diminished reliability.
Therefore, lubrication, particularly under boundary friction conditions, is extremely important for rubbing materials. Lubrication is a process that reduces friction and/or wear (or other forms of surface damage) between relatively moving surfaces by the application of a solid, liquid, or gaseous substance (i.e., a lubricant). Therefore, the primary function of a lubricant is to reduce friction or wear or both between moving surfaces in contact. However, lubricants can also serve other ancillary functions, such as acting as a hydraulic fluid, coolant, gas seal and carrier for adhesives; they may also protect metal surfaces from corrosion and aid in the removal of debris and deposits. Examples of conventional lubricants are widespread and diverse. They include automotive engine oils, wheel bearing greases, transmission fluids, electrical contact lubricants, rolling oils, cutting fluids, preservative oils, gear oils, jet fuels, instrument oils, turbine oils, textile lubricants, machine oils, jet engine lubricants, air, water, molten glass, liquid metals, oxide films, talcum powder, graphite, molybdenum disulfide, waxes, soaps, polymers, and even the synovial fluid in human joints.
For instance, in the manufacture of small 4-stroke engines, such as used in lawn care equipment, it is customary to precoat certain parts (e.g., piston rings, cylinder, crankshaft bearings, cams) with special oils or greases prior to assembly, and then to carry out a short-time "hot test" of the engine using a normal charge of oil added to the crankcase. After the test, the normal charge of oil is then drained out using a suction device. However, some residual oil tends to remain in the engine. This represents not only an economic loss in terms of material and labor costs since large numbers of engines are involved, but also poses a possible leakage problem during shipping or upon first use in a particular application.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,285 to Randles teaches a nonthickening oil concentrate in which mineral oil additives containing an oil soluble ester copolymer are inhibited from increasing in viscosity or gelling by addition of a minor amount of a non-polymerizable nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound having the ##STR1## unit in the molecule.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,832 to Furey teaches lubricity and antiwear additives involving ester reaction products of substantially equimolar quantities of oil-soluble dimer acids with diols or polyols.
More recently, the environments where lubrication needs arise continue to evolve. For instance, in machinery, the classical lubricants and additives more typically have addressed applications involving rubbing parts made of metal, in particular, steel or its alloys. However, more recently there also has been increased interest in using ceramic materials and fiber-reinforced plastics (i.e., composites) in a wide variety of applications which traditionally have utilized metals. Ceramic and composite materials have several advantageous engineering properties. For example, ceramics generally can be used at much higher temperatures than metals, are relatively inert and resist corrosion, and are resistant to abrasive wear owing to their hardness. Additionally, some ceramics are lighter in weight than conventional steel-based materials. Alumina, silicon nitride, partially stabilized zirconia, and silicon carbide, for example, are ceramic materials being used in high temperature wear environments.
Ceramics thus have attracted increased interest for uses along side, in combination with, and/or in lieu of metals, such as in automotive engines, gas turbines, turbomachinery, cutting tools for super alloys, and aerospace bearings, which are driven by a need for industrial materials that can tolerate high temperature, corrosive environments and/or result in greater efficiency. However, the surface characteristics of ceramics are very different from those of metals. For these and other reasons, conventional metal lubricants generally have lacked the versatility for successful use in the lubrication of ceramics.

Wear reducing compositions and methods for their use

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A retraction arrangement for moving a piston in a bore of a caliper to a position of rest after each brake application. The retraction arrangement includes a cylindrical body with a plurality of inward projecting fingers that engage and apply a radial spring force on the piston. Each finger is defined by a cylindrical section that transitions into a first arcuate section that transitions into a radial section that transition into a second arcuate section that engages the piston. The second arcuate section moves with the piston during a brake application causing the fingers to pivots with respect to the cylindrical body resulting in a decrease in the radial spring force while creating an increasing axial spring force in each finger. On termination of the brake application, the axial spring force returns the piston to the position of rest to establish a running clearance between a friction member and the rotor.

In disc brakes, it is common for a caliper to straddle a rotor that is fixed to an axle of a vehicle with the caliper being located on a stationary member that is secured to the housing of the vehicle. The caliper has a housing with a bore therein which holds an actuation piston and a square seal is located in a groove in the housing that engages the piston to seal the bore and define an actuation chamber. A first friction member is connected to the actuation piston and a second friction member is connected to an arm extending from the caliper. The first and second friction members are located on opposite sides of the rotor and when pressurized fluid is supplied to the actuation chamber, the piston and caliper move in such a manner that the first and second friction members engage the rotor to effect a brake application. The following U.S. patents are illustrative of disc brake and their corresponding functional operation: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,113,643; 3,421,604; 4,530,423; 4,809,821; 5,713,435; and 5,826,681. All of the disc brakes disclosed by these patents while possessing different structural components operate in a similar manner to effect a brake application in a manner as describe above and in returning the piston to a position of rest through a square seal. The square seal functions in an adequate manner, however, the square seal is in direct contact with the pressurizing fluid, maybe effected by extreme changes in temperature and may lose some internal resiliency after a period of time and as result may change or alter the time required to return the piston to a position of rest.


The present invention relates to a near field communication, NFC, arrangement (100) which comprises an antenna (10) and a controller (20), wherein the controller (20) is connected to the antenna (10) for receiving and/or transmitting data and controlling the operation of the NFC arrangement (100). The NFC arrangement (100) further comprises a booster (30) operatively connected to the antenna (10), and an activation circuit (40) connected to the NFC arrangement (100), wherein the activation circuit (40) is configured to detect an electromagnetic field and in response thereto power up and activate the NFC arrangement (100). In one embodiment, the activation circuit (40) is configured to generate said enabling signal by converting said electromagnetic field into said enabling signal.

In 1983 the first patent to be associated with the abbreviation "RFID", radio-frequency identification, was granted and in 1997 an early form of near field communication, NFC, was patented where a device allowed data communication between two units in close proximity. In 2002 the term Near Field Communication was coined and in 2003 NFC was approved as an ISO/IEC standard, and later as an ECMA standard.
In the 1970s the first digital watch was launched. Since then, the development of wristwatches has continued. From, at the beginning, including a simple digital display and maybe also a calculator, up to smartwatches that were first launched in the late 1990s. A smartwatch is a computerized wristwatch with functionality that goes beyond timekeeping. As the development moves on, it has been realized that the smartwatches could be used for almost anything.
Despite the fact that both NFC technology and smartwatches have been around for a while, there are still a lot of technical difficulties for bringing the use of the two together.


An electromagnetic wave shielding device 1 comprises a transparent substrate 11, an adhesive layer 13 which is provided as needed, an electromagnetic wave shielding layer 15, and a transparent resin layer 17. The electromagnetic wave shielding layer 15 includes a mesh portion 103 facing a screen portion 100 of an image displaying device, a transparent resin layer anchoring portion 105 surrounding a periphery of the mesh portion 103, and including openings 105a having the same opening ratio as that of the openings 103a of the mesh portion 103, and a frame portion 107 surrounding an outer periphery of the transparent resin layer anchoring portion 105, and not having openings. The transparent resin layer 17 is provided such that it covers the surfaces of the mesh portion 103, and the transparent resin layer anchoring portion 105, and fills the openings 103a, 105a.

(Background Art) Electromagnetic interference (EMI) has increased in recent years with the advances in the performance of electrical and electronic equipment and the growing use of such equipment. A variety of displays are the cause of EMI as well. For example, a PDP is an assembly composed of a glass plate having a data electrode and a fluorescent layer and a glass plate having a transparent electrode, and generates a large amount of electromagnetic waves when it is in operation, so that it is necessary to shield these electromagnetic waves. The required efficiency in shielding electromagnetic waves with frequencies of 30 MHz to 1 GHz that are emitted from the front of a PDP is 30 dB or more. Electromagnetic wave noises are roughly classified into conductive noise and emissive noise. To reduce conductive noise, a noise filter or the like is commonly used. On the other hand, since electromagnetic insulation of space is needed to cut emissive noise, a metal is used to produce the body of the display, a metal plate is placed between the circuit bases, or the cables are wrapped in metal foil. These measures are effective in shielding electromagnetic waves emitted from the circuits or power blocks, but not effective in cutting electromagnetic waves emitted from the screens of such displays as CRTs and PDPs. Moreover, to cover the screens with metal plates is not appropriate because metal plates are not transparent.
Accordingly, for shielding of electromagnetic waves emitted from display screens, there have been proposed a variety of electromagnetic wave shielding materials (electromagnetic wave shielding devices) that can shield electromagnetic waves with frequencies in the range of megahertz to gigahertz, and, at the same time, are transparent to electromagnetic waves with frequencies in the visible light range. Such electromagnetic wave shielding materials are now commercially available. Of these electromagnetic wave shielding materials, the most typical one is an electromagnetic wave shielding material composed of a transparent substrate made of a resin sheet and a mesh (network or grating) made from a metallic electrical conductor, laminated to the transparent substrate. In electromagnetic wave shielding materials of this type, recently demanded is an electromagnetic wave shielding material having such a structure as is shown in FIG. 4, in which irregularities in the metal mesh surface are smoothed by further applying a transparent resin to the metal mesh and filling the openings of the metal mesh with the resin.
The recent displays, especially PDPs, are characterized by having large-sized screens. The sizes (external dimensions) of electromagnetic wave shielding materials for use as front panels for such displays are as large as 621×831 mm for 37-inch displays and 983×583 mm for 42-inch displays, for example, and there exist electromagnetic wave shielding materials larger in size than these ones. It has been found that, in the whole process ranging from the production of an electromagnetic wave shielding sheet comprising a metal mesh and a transparent resin layer formed on the metal mesh, to the incorporation of the electromagnetic wave shielding material in a display, and also for a long duration of service, the transparent resin layer can lift from or can be separated from the metal mesh because of the large size of the electromagnetic wave shielding sheet.
As shown in FIG. 4, a transparent resin layer 17 has to fully cover a mesh portion 103 that will be faced to a display screen 100. It is necessary to make the area of coating of the transparent resin layer 17 greater than the area of the mesh portion 103 so that the mesh portion 103 is fully covered with the transparent resin layer 17 even if the position of application of a transparent resin varies (positional errors are caused). Further, the transparent resin applied flows and spreads towards the periphery before it is solidified. Practically, therefore, the transparent resin layer is formed so that it covers the entire mesh portion 103 and a 2-3-mm wide, mesh portion-surrounding portion (portion B) of a frame area (a metal layer having no openings) 101 to be used for grounding. In the mesh portion 103, it is easy for the transparent resin layer 17 and the metal mesh 103 to firmly adhere to each other because of the anchor effect taking place between the transparent resin layer 17 and the metal mesh 103 and of the chemical adhesion of the transparent resin layer 17 to an adhesive layer 13. However, in the frame area 101, the transparent resin layer 17 is in contact only with the metal layer that is smooth, so that neither the anchor effect nor the chemical adhesion to the adhesive layer 13 can be anticipated. Moreover, the portion B is the end of an interface between the transparent resin layer 17 and the electromagnetic wave shielding layer (metal layer) 15, so that stress concentrates in this portion. It is therefore considered that the separation of the transparent resin layer 17 from the metal mesh 103 easily occurs in this portion.
Accordingly, in addition to excellent electromagnetic wave shielding properties and moderate transparency (visible light transmittance), a requirement that constituent layers do not cause lifting or separation in the course of production and for the duration of service has come to be newly imposed to those electromagnetic wave shielding materials for displays that use metal meshes.
(Prior Art) Heretofore, there has been known an electromagnetic wave shielding material comprising a transparent plastic substrate and a mesh portion formed on the transparent plastic substrate by the use of an electrically conductive material such as a metal, in which irregularities of the mesh surface are smoothed by partly or entirely covering the mesh portion with a transparent resin layer (see Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example).
The above inventions are aimed at preventing, by filling the openings of the mesh with the transparent resin to smooth the mesh surface, irregular reflection of light that is caused by air bubbles remaining after such a layer as an antireflection filter has been laminated to the mesh surface with an adhesive layer, and also enhancing transparency by smoothing the roughened surface of the adhesive layer exposed at the openings. However, in an attempt to carry out these inventions to make the electromagnetic wave shielding material, we encountered another problem that should be solved. An electromagnetic wave shielding material for a display screen usually has, around a mesh portion, a metallic frame area 101 for grounding, having no openings. A transparent resin layer 17 with which the entire surface of the mesh portion 103 should be coated is formed on an area larger than the mesh portion 103 in order to ensure that the mesh portion 103 is fully covered with the transparent resin layer 17 even if the position of application of a transparent resin varies, and, in addition, the transparent resin applied flows and spreads, so that the end portion B of the transparent resin layer 17 comes in the frame area 101. In the frame area 101, the transparent resin layer 17 is in contact with a flat, smooth metal surface, so that the adhesion between the transparent resin layer 17 and the frame area 101 is inherently weaker than the adhesion between the transparent resin layer and the mesh portion. Moreover, external forces are exerted on the end portion B of the transparent resin layer, and peel stress thus concentrates in this portion. The newly raised problem is that the separation of the transparent resin layer 17 from the frame area 101 frequently occurs in the end portion B for the above-described reason. The above-described patent documents neither describe nor suggest this problem, that is, the lifting or separation of constituent layers of an electromagnetic wave shielding material, and a means of solving the problem.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3570420.
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 311843/2002.


A method of routing backhaul link communications in a wireless communication network including communicatively coupling an apparatus to each of a plurality of peers in the wireless communication network with each of a respective backhaul link of a plurality of backhaul links. The method includes collecting metrics associated with each backhaul link of the plurality of backhaul links and calculating backhaul link parameters based upon the collected metrics. The method includes determining a link quality for each of the plurality of backhaul links based upon the calculated backhaul link parameters, and determining a best backhaul link available based on the determined link qualities, and routing communications between the apparatus and one of the peers of the wireless communication system via the determined best backhaul link available. The collected metrics include metrics besides a transmission success rate of Hello packets.

Conventional telecommunication systems designed to route across nodes, such as a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), determine routes using proactive link-state routing protocols, such as Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol, which is a layer 3 IP routing protocol optimized for mobile ad hoc networks. OLSR uses Hello and topology control messages to discover peers and exchange information of topology to peers so that routes for communications are immediately provided when needed.
OLSR does not advertise all links between nodes, but advertises only the links to neighbors designated as multipoint relays (MPRs). Nodes select MPRs such that there exists a path to each of its 2-hop neighbors via a node selected as an MPR. OLSR updates information of links states by continuously exchanging topology data often enough to make sure that the database does not remain unsynchronized for extended periods of time.
Links are determined up or down depending upon whether a number of Hello packets have been received recently. In determining link quality the OLSR routing daemon uses the packet loss rate as the only metric to evaluate quality of a backhaul link.
In wireless networks, where links often exhibit intermediate rates of packet loss, conventional link quality assessments do not work well. Additionally, conventional link quality assessments do not provide an adequate solution for mobile telecommunication systems, including mobile base stations. Conventional proactive link-state routing protocols do not provide an adequate solution to assessing quality of a backhaul link or finding a best backhaul link for communications across a mobile ad hoc network topology.


An assembly process for a vehicle of substantial height, process in which at least one pit is implemented that is able to accommodate the vehicle, the latter being positioned on at least one removable floor platform able to raise the vehicle with respect to the bottom of the pit, the floor platform being positioned at the required height by means of positioning means.

1. Field of Invention
The technical scope of the invention is that of vehicle assembly processes and in particular processes to assemble large-sized vehicles such as armored vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to assemble vehicles, and in particular automobiles, by setting up an assembly line formed of several successive assembly stations. Known assembly lines comprise a traffic lane for vehicles on either side of which tooling is positioned that is more or less automated (welding robots, gantry cranes, . . . ).
Known assembly lines are well adapted to the assembly on an industrial scale of light vehicles but are not adapted to the assembly of large-sized vehicles and in particularly to armored vehicles.
The specificity of such vehicles lies in that they are often of considerable size (height of more than 2 meters) and their mass is also considerable being of over 5 tons.
Furthermore, these vehicles require the mounting of numerous pieces of often heavy equipment that is positioned at different heights.
The classical solution implemented in workshops is to set up removable walkways around the vehicle. These walkways provide access to the raised parts and they incorporate access steps.
In addition to the time required to set them up, these walkways present the disadvantage of generating a difference in level between the storage area for the parts and the assembly zone.
Furthermore, the risks are all the greater in that the operators are working at height and are obliged to frequently travel to and fro on the steps, often carrying heavy loads.

Assembly process for a vehicle and assembly equipment that implements such a process


An apparatus includes a SerDes circuit and a link control block (LCB). The SerDes circuit is a first end of a SerDes circuit pair of a SerDes lane. A SerDes lane includes the SerDes circuit pair coupled by a communications medium. The LCB includes an error tracking circuit and a controller. The controller includes an error recovery module configured to retry a data communication when an error is detected and deactivate the SerDes lane when a rate of errors on the SerDes lane exceeds a threshold error rate value. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) circuits communicate data over point-to-point connections. This is in contrast to bus connections in which multiple points are attached to a bus and the multiple points share time communicating over the bus. SerDes circuits transmit parallel data over a serial link between two points by converting parallel data into serial data for transmission and converting the received serial data to parallel data. This allows fewer physical interconnections to be necessary between the two points.
However, in large electronic systems, such as a large computer system for example, the number of point-to-point connections may become large and complicate an interconnection scheme. Additionally, a large number of point-to-point connections may negatively impact system reliability.

Inter-asic data transport using link control block manager


The present invention is a criss-cross flow hopper which provides even fluid distribution. The flow hopper includes the first and second hopper half each having a planar surface and a cavity which cooperate to form an inner chamber and an exit slot. A first and second insert are securable to each hopper half in the cavity. These non-contacting inserts form within the chamber first and second half flow slots which direct fluid away from the exit slot but then the fluid combines in a damping chamber bounded by the inserts. The fluid is then directed to the exit slot to the substrate to be coated.

In conventional coating hoppers, including those used for supplying photographic emulsions, material flow into the hopper is either center fed or end fed. In both flow patterns, achieving adequate widthwise flow distribution is a problem. To accomplish adequate widthwise flow distribution, contouring of the manifold and lips is often provided. The contouring is needed to offset the pressure loss which occurs between the inlet in the far end of the manifold. Properly done, the method is adequate for a specific set of fluids and flow conditions. However, a change in flow conditions or fluids will typically alter the pressure relationship in the manifold and create unacceptable flow distribution.
Rather than contouring the manifold, a different flow path or flow circuit has been shown to evenly distribute the pressure of the fluid. One such flow circuit is a criss-cross circuit. However, the added complexity of the passages needed in the hopper body requires special methods of hopper construction which include maintaining the mechanical stability of the delivery slot.
Prior art attempts to solve the above problem are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,344,907; 4,552,521; 4,619,802 and 4,789,513. Each of the aforementioned references disclose the use of inserts for a dye for the purpose of combining two or more materials. However, none of these patents teach improvements in total flow uniformity. Other patents, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,240; 4,411,614 and 4,826,422 each use some sort of insert to achieve flow uniformity of a single stream. However, the '240 and '614 references do not show appreciation for the specific problem faced by the applicant because they teach branching the flow into various channels which all empty into a final damping cavity. The '422 patent achieves its results by branching the flow into layers that overlap when they recombine in the damping cavity.
Furthermore, U.S. Ser. No. 08/098,179 filed Jul. 28, 1993 teaches the use of inserts to achieve uniform flow in a criss-cross hopper. However, the inserts used in this hopper can affect the gauging of the delivery slot.
Accordingly, the present invention presents an apparatus for achieving uniform flow distribution in a criss-cross hopper while providing a final slot dimension that is very accurate, even after repeated disassembly and reassembly.

Criss-cross hopper including non-contacting inserts


Disclosed herein is an apparatus for vulcanizing rubber, particularly for vulcanizing the ends of endless rubber belts. The apparatus disclosed herein is a lightweight and portable steam heated vulcanization apparatus which comprises upper and lower platens comprising hollow bodies having a rigid outer wall and a flexible inner wall and adapted to receive steam therein and transmit heat and pressure to a rubber belt placed between the flexible inner walls of the platens. A steam source is connected to the platens for delivery of steam and a plurality of connecting bolts pass through apertures in the platens and the belt material therebetween to align the platens and secure them together so as to apply pressure to the belt in combination with heat for optimal vulcanization.

In order to join the two ends of a rubber belt together and in the process provide a strong joint therebetween, it is necessary to provide the proper heat and pressure simultaneously at the region of the joint which heat and pressure, when properly applied, act to vulcanize the rubber and thereby bond the belt ends together to form a joint. Often, in order to strengthen the joint, rubber cement is used as well as the addition of splice rubber so as to ensure that sufficient rubber is present at the region of the joint so as to provide a strong joint.
In the prior art, various methods have been utilized in order to provide heat as well as pressure at the area of the proposed joint. For example, screw jacks, hydraulic cylinders, air cylinders, etc. have been utilized in the prior art to provide the appropriate pressure for vulcanization. Further, in order to provide the proper temperature for vulcanization, electrical heating as well as steam heating have been used. Thus, in known systems, there has always been a problem with coordinating the source of pressurization with the source of heating so as to properly vulcanize the belt ends to form a proper joint.
It is desirable in pressurizing the location where the joint is to be produced to be able to uniformly pressurize the area at a pressure of between 60 and 125 psi. As noted above, one method for pressurizing the region of the splice comprises the use of screw clamps. In order to produce the required surface pressure at the area of the splice using screw clamping, it is necessary to tighten the clamp to a predetermined torque which requires expensive torque-measuring devices with the further expense incurred for paying the operator of such devices. In such an operation, a large number of screw clamps may be necessary so as to properly pressurize the entire surface area, and accordingly, it is a time consuming operation to ensure that each clamp carries its correct load. During the time that the curing of the splice takes place, it is necessary to repeatedly check each clamp so as to ensure that no relaxation of the pressure has occurred. A further problem arises from the fact that the screw clamps may only be placed along the outer edges of the belt, thus necessitating the use of transverse beams of great rigidity so as to evenly spread the pressure created by the torquing-down of the screw clamps across the surface of the splice. In order to provide sufficient rigidity in the beam so as to perform its required function, such a beam must be made quite heavy and accordingly such a beam is quite difficult to handle.
A further means known in the prior art for clamping splices comprises the use of either hydraulic or pneumatic clamps. When such systems are properly used, even surface pressure applied to the belt surfaces at the region of the splice is possible, but in order to utilize this type of clamping procedure, a large variety of additional equipment is required such as pumps, compressors, hydraulic or air cylinders and the necessary hoses and other connections. In one form of air clamping, a pressurized rubber bag is used so as to evenly distribute clamping pressure over the entire surface of the splice area and so as to enable the absorption of any undulations in the surfaces thereof. The major drawback to the use of a rubber bag is that, due to the fact that the region wherein the rubber bag is utilized is also heated to high temperatures, the lifespan of such a rubber bag is extremely limited. Further, replacing such a rubber bag is extremely expensive.
In order to vulcanize the area of the splice within a reasonable time, temperatures on the order of 300° to 360° Fahrenheit must be applied to the splice. The most commonly utilized source of heat in the splicing of rubber belts comprises radiation heating with electrical power. The main drawback to the use of electricity as a source of heat is that the site where the splicing is to take place must be within close proximity of a suitable power supply for the electricity or otherwise a large, expensive mobile electrical generator must be provided. Also, the heaters required to generate the temperatures required for vulcanization require significant voltage and, in most instances, the use of extremely long extension cables are necessary which results in large losses in voltage which thereby lowers the temperatures which may be provided through an electrical source. Thus, the time period for vulcanization may be significantly longer than what is preferred.
As stated hereinabove, a further source of heat utilized in the vulcanization of rubber comprises the use of steam. The main limitation to the use of steam appears to be the requirement for a separate boiler arrangement so as to provide the steam. However, even steam heat requires the application of pressure evenly across the area being vulcanized.
In his previous patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,140, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, Applicant provided an apparatus and method for vulcanizing rubber belt splices which includes the following features:
(1) A pair of opposed steam sacks are provided, each of which is made of an extremely thin metal skin which metal may preferably be stainless steel. The thickness of the metal skin is on the order of 0.030 inches.
(2) Each steam sack is mounted on a frame device with the frame devices being reciprocable with respect to one another so as to enable adjustment of the spacing between the facing surfaces of the respective steam sacks. Thus, after the two ends of belt which are to be spliced together are placed between the steam sacks, the respective frames may be reciprocated so as to enable the engagement on opposite sides thereof by the opposed steam sacks.
(3) A boiler is provided in conjunction with the present invention which enables water to be boiled to create sufficient steam so as to pressurize the steam sacks to the desired pressure while heating them to the desired temperature simultaneously.
(4) A shut-off valve is provided in the system so that at the completion of the necessary vulcanizing time the pressurized steam may be retained within the steam sacks. The gradual cooling and condensation of the steam causes concurrent reduction in the pressure and temperature at the area of the splice to thereby allow the splice to come to a normal temperature and pressure while avoiding blistering at the region of the splice.
(5) The system includes means for adjusting the pressure of the steam within the steam sacks so as to vary the temperature to which the belt splice is exposed which thereby controls the time of vulcanization. Accordingly, the system may be adjusted to accommodate to differing widths and thicknesses of belts as well as being adjustable to provide differing vulcanization times for belts of similar characteristics.
However, even this apparatus requires the use of a heavy frame confining the steam sacks and belt ends being vulcanized together in order to obtain and maintain the necessary pressure on the relatively thin skin of the steam sacks across the area of the belt being vulcanized.
Since belt structures often require repair on site, it would be advantageous to have a vulcanizing press which is readily portable and easy to use. Thus, there is a need for a lightweight, portable, steam vulcanizing apparatus.
Various prior art devices for vulcanizing belts and similar structures are known. However, they invariably employ electrical heating together with some form of clamping apparatus which, for small applications, may be practical. For example, Serbin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,930, discloses an apparatus for connecting overlapped ends of a strip in which pins on an electric heating iron pass through holes in the jaws of a clamp and pierce two layers of material being joined. The pins do not perform any clamping function and are heated by the iron to melt the surrounding areas of the material being joined. The platens of the clamp structure are held closed by a spring and are indirectly heated by the iron.
Ginter, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,668, discloses an apparatus and method of making v-belts in which an electrically heated iron is clamped around the ends of a belt material in which layers of splice material have been inserted. In one embodiment, nails are inserted through the ends of the belt and splice material to hold the ends together during vulcanization, but the nails provide no clamping function.
German patent DE 2351047 discloses a vulcanizing press having rods between platen uprights which pierce a belt being joined. Electrically heated platens are positioned with the belt member between them. The patent discloses the lower platen as stationary and the upper platen as movable by pressure spindles or hydraulic cylinders. In addition to two uprights at the ends of the platens, the patent discloses several tie rods arranged between them. However, the disclosure of pressure spindles or hydraulic cylinders being used to move the upper platen raises a question as to the purpose of the tie rods. In any event, there is no means disclosed in this patent to permit the use of steam to provide heat or pressure for vulcanization in a portable apparatus. Furthermore, it appears that the pressure spindles or hydraulic cylinders provide the pressure while the tie rods appear to be for purposes of aligning the pieces being vulcanized.
For larger applications where repairs must be completed in the field, it would be preferable to have a steam vulcanizing press which does not require a heavy clamping mechanism.
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a lightweight portable steam vulcanizing apparatus which is simple to operate while being simple in design and assembly.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight portable steam vulcanizing device which enables the use of steam so as to provide both pressure and heat for the vulcanization process.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight portable steam vulcanizing device which enables the cooling of the vulcanized area without the use of additional equipment and while avoiding blistering of the splice.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight portable steam vulcanizing device which enables a smooth transition between the original material and newly vulcanized material for esthetic purposes. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a lightweight portable steam vulcanizing device which enables the operator thereof to vulcanize a spliced area of a rubber belt with great efficiency and economy.
The foregoing objects are realized by the steam heated vulcanization apparatus of the present invention which comprises upper and lower platens comprising hollow bodies adapted to receive steam therein and transmit heat and pressure to a rubber object placed between the platens. A steam source is connected to the platens for delivery of steam and a plurality of connecting bolts pass through apertures in the platens to align the platens and secure them together so as to apply pressure to the rubber object in combination with heat.
The platens of the steam heated vulcanization apparatus comprise a rigid metal outer plate, a flexible metal inner sheet, spacers between the outer plate and the inner sheet defining a steam chamber, an inlet port releasably connectable to a steam source, and a plurality of apertures through the outer plate and the inner sheet to receive connecting bolts therethrough, the apertures having seal means whereby steam is prevented from escaping from the steam chamber.
These and other objects, aspects and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.


An electrical connector includes a dielectric housing and a number of contacts. One side of the dielectric housing defines a number of passageways for receiving the contacts. The contact includes a retention portion to secure the contact in the dielectric housing. The retention portion defines at least one through hole in the center. The housing is stamped and a corresponding number of projecting portions are extruded into the through holes after the contacts are inserted into the housing, thereby securing the contacts in the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an art of electrical connectors, more specifically, to an electrical connector for electrically connecting a memory module or the like to a printed circuit board (PCB).
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of electronic industry, performance of an electrical connector is increasingly required. As a result, the structure of the connector turns to be increasingly complex and manufacturing of the electrical connector becomes increasingly difficult. For example, in order to prevent terminals from loosening in a housing of the electrical connector, a conventional technology is provided to stamp one side of the housing where the terminal is secured nearby. Therefore, an interference between the terminal and the housing is gained by proper deformation of the housing by stamping, which provide a firm securing of the terminal in the housing.
Referring to FIGS. 8–14, a conventional electrical connector for connecting a memory module to a PCB is shown. The electrical connector includes a longitudinal dielectric housing 60 and a number of terminals 70 received in the housing 60. The housing 60 defines a lengthwise inserting face 61, an bottom face 62 opposite to the inserting face 61, and two opposite side walls 63 perpendicular to both the inserting face 61 and bottom face 62. A number of receiving holes 65 cut through housing 60 from inserting face 61 to bottom face 62. Each receiving hole 65 is defined with a first mating surface 651 and a second mating surface 652, both parallel to the side face 63, and the first mating surface 651 closer to the side face 63. The terminal 70 includes a sheet-like retention portion 72, an arcuate contacting portion 74 extending upwardly from an upper end of the retention portion 72 and an inserting portion 76 extending downwardly from a lower end of the retention portion 72. The retention portion 72 protrudes a pair of stoppers 78 along two opposite lateral sides of the retention portion 72. The stoppers 78 are used to control the depth of the terminal 70 inserted into the housing 60. Furthermore, the retention portion 72 has a first and a second retention faces 721, 722 for interferentially mating with the first and second mating surfaces 651, 652, respectively. The contacting portion 74 is used for contacting a golden finger of a memory module or the like. The inserting portion 76 is soldered to a PCB.
In assembling the electrical connector, insert the terminals 70 through the inserting face 61 into the receiving holes 65 until the stoppers 78 are blocked against the housing 60, mount the connector onto the PCB, the inserting portion 76 of the terminal 70 being inserted into a hole (not shown) defined beforehand in a PCB corresponding to the terminal 70, solder the inserting portion 76 to the PCB, so electrical connection between the electrical connector and the PCB is defined.
However, in said assembling, all the terminals 70 of the connector need to be inserted into corresponding holes in the PCB at the same time, and it is impossible to align all the terminals 70 to corresponding holes synchronously, so some of the terminals 70, which are deflected from corresponding holes in the PCB, tend to draw back and even release from the housing 60 during the insertion, which will negatively effect the electrical connection between the electrical connector and the PCB. In order to insure the quality of the electrical connection between the electrical connector and the PCB, the retention forces of the terminals 70 need to be increased.
To increase the retention forces of the terminals 70 in the receiving holes 65, a conventional technology is to dimple a line of dents 69 equidistantly arranged on the side face 63 of the housing 60. With the dents deflecting the side face 63, the first mating surfaces 651 displace inwardly partly. So the amount of an interference between the terminals 70 and the first mating surface 651 increases and the force of the housing 60 gripping the contact 70 increases accordingly. In order to further improve the retention forces of the terminals 70 in the receiving holes 65, conventionally, a number of protrusions 7211 are stamped out on the first retention face 721 of the retention portion 72 to increase the amount of the interference between the terminal 70 and the housing 60.
However, when the retention portion 72 is stamped out the protrusion 7211 on the first retention face 721, there is always a recess 7222 defined on the second retention face 722. So when the first mating surface 651 is stamped towards the first retention face 721 of the terminal 70, the protrusions 7211 are usually pressed down, and thus, the retention force of the terminal 70 in the housing 60 is impaired.

Electrical connector and method of making the same


During the production of crude oil, naturally occurring paraffin can be deposited on the inside surfaces of production tubing. These wax deposits reduce the cross sectional area of the tubing and can reduce or completely halt the flow of oil from the well.

In the upstream Oil and Gas Industry, paraffin, wax and asphaltene deposits on the inside surface of production tubing in oil and gas wells reduce the cross sectional area of the pipe. The reduction in the cross sectional area increases the flowing friction pressures which can reduce or completely halt production from the producing well.
Currently there are many existing methods, procedures and chemicals employed by Operators to combat paraffin in oil fields around the world where paraffin problems occur. Some of these practices include: Circulating the well with Hot Oil or Hot Water; Wireline wax cutting with various diameter gauge ring cutters or wax knives; The injection of various chemicals, paraffin inhibitors, crystal modifiers, and solvents via capillary tube, surface applications and "squeezes"; There are anti-wax sticks available which are dropped down the annulus of the well, and magnetic devices claimed to alter or prevent the formation of paraffin crystals; and there are downhole electric heaters, with a surface supplied electrical power source to raise the temperature of produced fluids above the melting point of paraffin.
However, many of these methods have limited effect or application in controlling paraffin, some even cause additional operational problems, and the battle against paraffin continues to hamper oil production operations everywhere.
Without effective treatment or removal of paraffin, oil wells can quickly stop producing due to the lack of a continuous flow conduit to the surface, and in most cases requires that the tubing be pulled and replaced in order to resume production. The loss in oil productivity due to the reduction in flow rate caused by paraffin deposition, and the costs associated with Well Service work to replace tubing are two of the constant operational costs that Operators face while producing oil from paraffin prone oil and gas fields.
The hot anti-wax knife tool provides a new and previously unavailable method of cutting and melting a hole though the wax deposited in the production tubing in order to resume the flow of produced fluids. The tool is an invention borne of necessity.
Normally occurring paraffin wax has a melting temperature of about 90 degrees Celsius. With fully charged batteries, the tool can generate cutting edge temperatures well over 90 degrees Celsius for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, long enough for the tool to be assembled, and run down into the production tubing on Wireline, where it will melt and cut a hole through the paraffin deposits and restore production from the well.
Only since the advent of the Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable battery, is it possible for size AA or AAA batteries to be arranged together in a direct current connection that is both series and parallel. Rechargeable batteries arranged in this manner can provide sufficient power to a heating element over a reasonable period of time, to elevate the temperature of the Cutting Head above the melting point of paraffin inside the tubing. The Ni-MH batteries arranged in this configuration provide a self contained source of electrical energy, augmenting the wax cutting effect of the tool with a heated edge to melt the wax that it contacts.
I have relied extensively on my own experience, education, knowledge of physics and skills to create and realize this idea and design, and the materials used to build the functional prototype were obtained locally. The reference data contained in the "Handbook of Physics" Walter Benenson, John W. Harris, Horst Stocker and Holger Lutz Editors, published in 2002 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc. also greatly aided in the design and creation of this invention.

Abstract: Currently there are many different methods employed in oil fields around the world to combat paraffin problems, but none are one hundred percent effective. When the available methods fail completely, costly removal and replacement of the tubing must be performed in order to resume oil production.

Abstract: The hot anti-wax knife tool provides a previously unavailable method of melting a hole through the paraffin deposits in the production tubing in order to restore production. The tool utilizes rechargeable batteries in a novel arrangement which provides sufficient power to melt through paraffin using a uniquely designed heating element and cutting head.


Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for optimizing a neighboring cell, a base station, and a system. The method includes: detecting, by the base station corresponding to the second cell, that a terminal in the second cell reports an unidentified physical identifier PCI; and obtaining a global cell identity GCI corresponding to the unidentified PCI, and determining that a cell corresponding to the GCI is an un-configured neighboring cell of the first cell; and sending, by the base station corresponding to the second cell, information about the un-configured neighboring cell to a base station BSS or an operations support system OSS, which is corresponding to the first cell, so that the BSS or OSS obtains the un-configured neighboring cell of the first cell according to the information of the un-configured neighboring cell, and adds the un-configured neighboring cell to a neighboring cell list of the first cell.

In a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access, Code Division Multiple Access) system, in order to ensure normal communication, when a mobile phone terminal moves from a coverage area of one cell to a coverage area of another cell, a handoff between the cells needs to be performed. During the handoff, a search scope and a handoff direction of the mobile phone are determined by neighboring cell lists of the cells. If a neighboring cell is not configured or is configured with an improper priority, network performance will be affected. In addition, redundant neighboring cell configuration may affect time for a mobile station to search for a pilot frequency. Therefore, proper neighboring cell optimization is an important issue that needs to be solved for CDMA. At present, large-scale neighboring cell optimization for CDMA is mostly completed by manually operating a background neighboring cell optimization tool. Specifically, a CDMA base station subsystem, after detecting an unidentified CDMA PN (Pseudo Noise, mobile short code), sends the PN to a neighboring cell optimization tool; and with manual operations, the neighboring cell optimization tool analyzes the PN, determines whether a cell where the PN is located is an un-configured neighboring cell, and if the cell is an un-configured neighboring cell, notifies the CDMA base station subsystem of the un-configured neighboring cell, so that the CDMA base station subsystem updates a neighboring cell optimization list according to the un-configured neighboring cell.
After analyzing the prior art, the inventor finds that the prior art has at least the following disadvantage: after being detected by a CDMA base station subsystem, an unidentified PN can be processed only by manually operating a background neighboring cell optimization tool, and as a result, large-scale neighboring cell optimization is always completed by using a background neighboring cell optimization tool, where a data source for processing is large-sized and an efficiency of the tool is low.

Method for optimizing neighboring cell, base station and system