A baseboard management controller (BMC) of an information handling system may generate a signal to cause the information handling system to reload a kernel of an operating system of the information handling system. The BMC may generate a signal for reloading a kernel of an operating system of an information handling system, and the information handling system may reload the operating system kernel.

As the value and use of information increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available for such a purpose is the information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. Variations in information handling system build and capabilities allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Users may reboot information handling systems for a variety of reasons. For example, a user may power down an information handling system to save energy when the system is not in use. As another example, a user may reboot an information handling system in order to install hardware, firmware, and/or software updates. Information handling systems may, from time to time, encounter errors. Such errors may require that the information handling system be rebooted in order to recover from the error and resume operation.
When an information handling system is powered on, the system executes a booting process to initialize hardware and software for use. For example, information handling systems may load and initialize drivers, inventory hardware components, apply hardware, firmware, and software updates, and load and boot an operating system (OS) of the information handling system. Booting and/or rebooting an information handling system may require a substantial amount of time, sometimes reaching or even exceeding 10 minutes, which can negatively impact a user experience. The boot time can be particularly long for information handling systems with large amounts of hardware, such as servers. Often information handling systems include multiple components that must be inventoried, initialized, and allocated resources prior to booting an operating system. Users may find extended booting times or unnecessary system reboots inconvenient.
Shortcomings mentioned here are only representative and are included simply to highlight that a need exists for improved information handling systems. Embodiments described herein address certain shortcomings but not necessarily each and every one described here or known in the art. Furthermore, embodiments described herein may present other benefits than, and be used in other applications than, those of the shortcomings described above.

Kernel reset to recover from operating system errors


The present invention provides a local multi-resolution 3-D face-inherent model generation apparatus, including one or more 3-D facial model generation cameras for photographing a face of an object at various angles in order to obtain one or more 3-D face models, a 3-D face-inherent model generation unit for generating a 3-D face-inherent model by composing the one or more 3-D face models, a local photographing camera for photographing a local part of the face of the object, a control unit for controlling the position of the local photographing camera on the 3-D face-inherent model, and a local multi-resolution 3-D face-inherent model generation unit for generating a local multi-resolution face-inherent model by composing an image captured by the local photographing camera and the 3-D face-inherent model, a local multi-resolution 3-D face-inherent model generation using the local multi-resolution 3-D face-inherent model generation apparatus, and a skin management system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a local multi-resolution 3-D face model generation apparatus and method and a facial skin management system and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for comprehensively measuring and diagnosing pores, oil contents, water, and the state of elasticity for the facial skin of a human being and a facial skin management system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, the type of the skin is classified into an oily skin, a dry skin, and a neutral skin according to the amount of secretion of sebum, and complexity and sensitiveness are added to the type of the skin.
As a method of detecting the type of the skin, first, after facial cleansing is cleanly performed in the evening, after a lapse of 15 to 20 minutes with nothing put on a face, if sebum appears in the entire face, the type of the skin is an oily skin. If there is a feeling of rustling and the face looks like being pulled, the type of the skin is the dry skin. If there is no feeling of pulling in the face and nothing special is found, the type of the skin is the neutral skin.
Furthermore, in the complexity skin, the amount of sebum secretion is a lot in the forehead or a nose, but there is a feeling of rustling in a cheek. That is, the complexity skin has two or more kinds of skin properties, that is, the oily skin and the dry skin owing to imbalance in the amount of sebum secretion.
In the sensitiveness skin, the skin looks read because a capillary vessel is expanded and the circulation of the blood is not good. When a person enter the interior of a warm room from a cold place, the skin may itch and a face may turn read. In this case, a skin is commonly classified as the sensitiveness skin.
Skin information according to the above method is based on an individual's feeling or presumption. Accordingly, the skin information is not scientific and rational and is unsuitable for being used as skin management information.
In order to solve the problem, there is a need for rational skin management according to diagnosis by performing scientifically accurate and comprehensive skin measurement.
For scientific skin measurement, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-0018417 discloses a system for measuring oily contents, water, pores, and wrinkles of a facial skin. In the conventional invention, however, measurement is limited to the oily contents, water, pores, and wrinkles of the skin, and comprehensive skin measurement is not possible. Furthermore, water in the skin must be gathered by an adsorption sheet using additional sample gathering means when water is measured and samples of the gathered water must be photographed using oil and water photographing means in order to obtain image information. This process is complicate and inconvenient.
Furthermore, an operator manually touches a conventional camera, a sensor, etc. for providing comprehensive information about the skin on the skin of the object, photographs the skin, and obtains information about the skin. Furthermore, when the approximate state of a facial skin is sought to be measured, an operator has to obtain a 2-D image using a high resolution camera and analyze the obtain 2-D image. In order to obtain comprehensive information about a facial skin, the facial skin must be photographed again using a contact type local photographing sensor other than the high resolution camera. In this case, after the facial skin is photographed before the high resolution camera is used, the face must be separated from the equipment and the contact type local photographing camera must be then manually adhered to the skin.

Local multi-resolution 3-D face-inherent model generation apparatus and method and facial skin management system

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A method of reducing pattern pitch is provided. A material layer, a hard mask layer and a patterned photoresist layer are sequentially formed over a substrate. Using the patterned photoresist layer as etching mask, the hard mask layer is etched. Due to the trenching effect, a residual hard mask layer remains in an exposed region exposed by the photoresist layer and micro-trenches are formed at the edges of the residual hard mask layer. Thereafter, using the residual hard mask layer as etching mask to pattern the material layer. Finally, the patterned photoresist layer and the hard mask layer are removed. In the invention, the trenching effect is utilized when etching the hard mask layer. A portion of the hard mask layer remains, and the micro-trenches are formed in the hard mask layer. After the micro-trenches are transferred to the material layer, the pattern pitch can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor fabrication process. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of reducing pattern pitch.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the level of integration of integrated circuits continues to increase, the size of each semiconductor device and the distance between the devices in integrated circuits must be reduced. In other words, the minimum pattern pitch, the sum of pattern line-width and the space in an integrated circuit, must be as fine as possible. At present, the minimization of pattern pitch in integrated circuit fabrication is primarily driven by getting a finer photolithographic resolution. However, advances in photographic resolution have become increasingly challenging and costly due to intrinsic optical limitations, increasingly challenging and costly due to intrinsic optical limitations. The 248-nm lithography, coupled with other resolution enhancement techniques, cannot be extended far beyond the 100-nm process technology node. The 193-nm lithography, cannot be extended far beyond the 70-nm technology node. The skyrocketing cost of photo-mask and resist for the 193-nm lithography further limits its wide applications. Further reduction in the minimum pitch in integrated circuits is thus more difficult after reaching certain photographic resolution limit. Without further reduction in pattern pitch, increasing the device packing-density and the level of integration of integrated circuits is virtually impossible. Alternative cost-effective approaches are desired.

Method of reducing pattern pitch in integrated circuits


Coin wrapper opening apparatus that has a surface with a curved or angled cutting edge fixed to it so that the cutting edge faces away from the surface and projects away from it at a height effective to score or cut the wrapper of a wrapped roll of coins, when brought into cutting relationship with the roll. In several embodiments the surface also includes a guidepath to guide wrapped rolls to the cutting edge. In one embodiment, the cutting edge is shielded by a resilient flap that pushes up and away when a wrapped coin roll passes the cutting edge, and the flap then returns to its original shielding position when the roll is removed. In other embodiments, the cutting edge is shielded by a resilient strip fixed over the cutting edge so that the resilient strip stands away from the cutting edge with no pressure on it, and the resilient strip deforms to allow the cutting edge to pass through an aperture when the apparatus is placed against a wrapped coin roll. Alternatively, a combination of shields can be used: a resilient flap fitting over the cutting edge from the edge of the surface and a resilient strip fitting over the cutting edge from another area of the surface, as well. Also alternatively, a pair of wings with a spring mechanism could be used so that they part when a wrapped coin roll is placed in cutting relationship and cover the cutting edge again when the roll is removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of paper and plastic cutting apparatus and devices and more particularly to devices for cutting or opening the wrapper on a roll of coins.
2. Background
People working in institutions such as banks, casinos, and retail stores that handle wrapped coin rolls in large volumes often have problems opening the rolls in an orderly fashion. Some solve the problem by cracking the roll against the edge of a solid object several times until the wrapper breaks or opens. However, this may often cause all the coins inside to spill out. Others may use a knife to attempt to cut the roll open, but this may nick or dull the knife and may also be awkward for some. In addition, if the cutting is done inexpertly, the coins can still spill out when the person attempts to remove them.
Still others may attempt to open the wrapped rolls by tearing at them with fingernails or jagged objects. All of these approaches can lead to spilled coins and wasted time. If the person attempting to open the roll is an employee of the institution, this is ultimately an added burden on payroll expense. If the person attempting to open the coin roll is a customer, such as a casino customer at a slot machine, for example, this can lead to lost revenues, since the time spent opening the roll and picking up any spills could be better spent in using the coins in the machine.
One attempt to solve this problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,196 to Smithline, issued Aug. 15, 1978. There, a cutting device is shown that mounts a razor blade inside a body that permits a coin roll to be inserted inward against movable protective flaps or flanges and placed longitudinally so that the razor blade can be pressed down directly along the longitudinal outside wrapper of the coin roll. Razor blades or other cutting edges used in such a way tend to dull quickly as a result of the pressure ordinarily brought to bear to force the blade to cut. The pressure needed usually means that the sharp edge of the blade will be pushed directly through the wrapper and into the metal coins inside each time the device is used.
Other approaches using razor blades (U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,122 to Black, issued Jun. 6, 1972, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,234 to Smith et al., issued Jun. 8, 1982 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,987 to Gentscheff, issued Jan. 1, 1974)) or straight edge blades (U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,183 to Cassier, issued Aug. 9, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,698 to Sparks, issued May 2, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,537 to Stevenson, Jr. issued May 30, 1978, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,575 to Stunger, issued Jun. 29, 1976) have similar problems. Straight edges aligned parallel to the coin roll, such as those of razor blades or straight edge blades used to cut through the wrapper by the application of force or pressure tend to quickly dull and need replacement. Some of these devices are complicated in structure, such as Gentscheff. Still others may have exposed cutting surfaces, such as Cassier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,746 to Bromley, issued Aug. 2, 1977, discloses a keylike device that has a prong shaped to extend over the rim of a wrapped coin roll, so that the user can twist and rock the keylike device to tear the wrapper open. While this device has no cutting surface or blade, it would appear to require a force that many prospective users may be unable to apply.
It is an object of this invention to provide a coin wrapper opening device that is simple to use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a coin wrapper opening device that is less likely to dull a cutting edge quickly.
Still another object of the present invention is providing a coin wrapper opening device that provides protection for the user's hands and fingers.


A method for improving the lubricating properties of a isomerized distillate base oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100 degrees C. between about 2.5 cSt and about 8 cSt, the method comprising blending with said isomerized distillate base oil a sufficient amount of a pour point depressing base oil blending component to reduce the pour point of the resulting base oil blend at least 3 degrees C. below the pour point of the distillate base oil wherein the pour point depressing base oil blending component is an isomerized petroleum derived base oil containing material having a boiling range above about 1050 degrees F.; also lubricating base oil blends prepared according to the process; and the pour point depressing base oil blending component.

Finished lubricants used for automobiles, diesel engines, axles, transmissions, and industrial applications consist of two general components, a lubricating base oil and additives. Lubricating base oil is the major constituent in these finished lubricants and contributes significantly to the properties of the finished lubricant. In general, a few lubricating base oils are used to manufacture a wide variety of finished lubricants by varying the mixtures of individual lubricating base oils and individual additives.
Numerous governing organizations, including Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM's), the American Petroleum Institute (API), Association des Consructeurs d' Automobiles (ACEA), the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), among others, define the specifications for lubricating base oils and finished lubricants. Increasingly, the specifications for finished lubricants are calling for products with excellent low temperature properties, high oxidation stability, and low volatility. Currently, only a small fraction of the base oils manufactured today are able to meet these demanding specifications.
Lubricating base oils are base oils having a viscosity of about 3 cSt or greater at 100 degrees C., preferably about 4 cSt or greater at 100 degrees C.; a pour point of about 9 degrees C. or less, preferably about −15 degrees C. or less; and a VI (viscosity index) that is usually about 90 or greater, preferably about 100 or greater. In general, lubricating base oils should have a Noack volatility no greater than current conventional Group I or Group II light neutral oils. Group II base oils are defined as having a sulfur content of equal to or less than 300 ppm, saturates equal to 90 percent or greater, and a VI between 80 and 120. A Group II base oil having a VI between about 110 and 120 is referred to in this disclosure as a Group II plus base oil. Group III base oils are defined as having a sulfur content of equal to or less than 300 ppm, saturates equal to 90 percent or greater, and a VI of greater than 120. It would be advantageous to be able to boost the VI of a Group II base oil into the Group II plus and the VI of a Group II plus base oil into the Group III base oil range. The present invention makes it possible to lower pour point and raise VI.
Base oil refers to a hydrocarbon product having the above properties prior to the addition of additives. That is, the term "base oil" generally refers to a petroleum or syncrude fraction recovered from the fractionation operation. "Additives" are chemicals which are added to improve certain properties in the finished lubricant so that it meets relevant specifications. Conventional pour point additives are expensive and add to the cost of the finished lubricant. Some additives also present solubility problems and require their use along with a solvent. Consequently, it is desirable to use the minimum amount of an additive necessary to produce an on-specification lubricant.
Pour point which is an important property of base oils intended for blending into finished lubricants is the lowest temperature at which movement of the base oil is observed. In order to meet the relevant pour point specification for a finished lubricant, it is often necessary to lower the pour point of the base oil by the addition of an additive. Conventional additives which have been used to lower the pour point of base oils are referred to as pour point depressants (PPDs) and typically are polymers with pendant hydrocarbon chains that interact with the paraffins in the base oil by inhibiting the formation of large wax crystal lattices. Examples of pour point depressants known to the art include ethylene-vinyl-acetate copolymers, vinyl-acetate olefin copolymers, alkyl-esters of styrene-maleic-anhydride copolymers, alkyl-esters of unsaturated-carboxylic acids, polyalkylacrylates, polyalklymethacrylates, alkyl phenols, and alpha-olefin copolymers. Many of the known pour point depressants are solid at ambient temperature and must be diluted drastically with solvent prior to use. See Factors Affecting Performance of Crude Oil Wax-Control Additives by J. S. Manka and K. L. Ziegler, World Oil, June 2001, pages 75-81. Pour point depressants taught in the literature have a wax-like paraffinic part, which co-crystallizes with the wax-forming components in the oil, and a polar part which hinders crystal growth. The pour point depressing base oil blending component employed in the present invention differs from pour point depressants known from the prior art in being essentially polar-free. One of the advantages of the present invention is that the pour point depressing base oil blending component of the present invention is not an additive in the conventional sense. The pour point depressing base oil blending component used in the invention is only a high boiling waxy petroleum fraction which has been isomerized. Therefore, it does not lend itself to problems which have been associated with the use of conventional additives.
The pour point depressing base oil blending component used in the present invention is generally prepared from a waxy petroleum bottoms fraction, preferably from a waxy bright stock, such as, for example, bright stock derived from a high paraffinic crude. Bright stock constitutes a bottoms fraction which has been highly refined and dewaxed. Bright stock is a high viscosity base oil which is named for the SUS viscosity at 210 degrees F. Typically petroleum derived bright stock will have a viscosity above 180 cSt at 40 degrees C., preferably above 250 cSt at 40 degrees C., and more preferably ranging from 500 to 1100 cSt at 40 degrees C. Bright stock derived from Daqing crude has been found to be satisfactory for carrying out the present invention.
As used in this disclosure the word "comprises" or "comprising" is intended as an open-ended transition meaning the inclusion of the named elements, but not necessarily excluding other unnamed elements. The phrase "consists essentially of" or "consisting essentially of" is intended to mean the exclusion of other elements of any essential significance to the composition. The phrase "consisting of" or "consists of" is intended as a transition meaning the exclusion of all but the recited elements with the exception of only minor traces of impurities.

Process for improving the lubricating properties of base oils using isomerized petroleum product


The alignment measurement apparatus disclosed is used for measuring an exposure pattern during an exposure operation for forming phosphor layers on a panel surface of a color cathode-ray tube, and includes an image sensor, an image spatial filter, and an image processing equipment. The image sensor photographs the exposure pattern on the panel surface to which an illuminating device is provided, the image spatial filter makes 3-color phosphor dots brighter and clearer, and the image processing equipment calculates and outputs a value of deviation between the exposure pattern of the 3-color phosphors and a reference exposure pattern. Any blurred exposure pattern is made bright and clear by the image spatial filter so that the degree of any deviation between the black matrix hole and the center of the exposure pattern is measured at a high precision.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alignment measurement apparatus and a method for using the same for use during an exposure process for forming a phosphor screen in a color cathode-ray tube, and more particularly to an alignment measurement apparatus and a method for using the same with which it is possible to make a precise measurement of an exposure pattern of 3-color phosphor dots.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Generally, in a color cathode-ray tube of a shadow mask type, a black matrix film composed of a light absorbing material layer is formed on an inside surface of a panel facing a shadow mask disposed inside the panel, and fine dot-like phosphor layers which respectively emit red, green and blue colors are formed at opening portions of the black matrix film. The phosphor layers are generally formed sequentially for one color at a time by a precision photo exposure method utilizing a photosensitive material. During the formation of each of the phosphor layers, it is required to make an advance correction of the location of the panel by measuring in advance the degree of any deviation between the exposure patterns and the black matrix holes caused by an exposure apparatus, and this makes it necessary to use an alignment measurement apparatus.
Conventionally, the alignment measurement has been carried out by using an exposure apparatus as shown in FIG. 1. The exposure apparatus is constituted by a table 2 which is finely adjustable and which carries and positions reference panel 1, a light source 3 disposed under the table 2, and a correcting lens 4 and a light adjusting filter 5 disposed between the table 2 and the light source 3. The table 2 carries the test reference panel 1 coated with a green phosphor having good emission properties with respect to ultraviolet rays from a mercury lamp as the light source 3 for the exposure, whereby the exposure patterns at a peripheral portion of an outside surface of the reference panel 1 are photographed with magnification by a CCD camera 6, the black matrix holes and the exposure pattern images are observed by a picture image monitor 8, the reference panel 1 is moved three dimensionally by the table 2, and the center of each black matrix holes and the center of the emitted light of each exposure pattern are brought into coincidence with each other. From the degree of this movement, the degree of deviation is measured and the alignment measurement is carried out.
Normally, as an apparatus for measuring black matrix holes of a color cathode-ray tube of the above kind, it is arranged such that, for purposes of eliminating a measurement error caused by external light 9, an external light shielding plate 7 is provided to cover a periphery of the light receiving surface of a measuring sensor (CCD camera 6 in FIG. 1) as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Kokai Publication No. Hei 1-165410.
However, since the excitation emission of phosphor by the ultraviolet light, as used for a light source for the exposure, is very weak, and the light transmitted through the phosphor layer is small and is scattered, the image of the exposure pattern is of low luminosity and is blurred as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, where the external light shielding plate as described above covers a portion of the light receiving surface to make the measuring environment dark, the black matrix holes cannot be observed clearly, so that the alignment measurement precision may be at a maximum on the order of 10 .mu.m. However, recently, a high precision color cathode tube has been manufactured with the diameter of the black matrix hole reduced to smaller than 90 .mu.m, which requires the measuring precision to be within 2 .mu.m but this requirement has not been met in the past.
A further problem in the above prior art example is that, since the alignment measurement is done visually and manually, it takes a long time for the measuring operation.

Alignment measurement apparatus and method for using the same in forming phosphor screen in color cathode-ray tube


An antitumor antibiotic designated BMY-41219 is produced by fermentation of Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC 39243. The BMY-41219 antibiotic exhibits antitumor activity.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to the production of an antitumor antibiotic designated herein as BMY-41219 and to a process for the preparation, isolation and purification of BMY-41219.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,487,925 and 4,552,842 disclose the anti-tumor agent designated rebeccamycin, and the 5'-methyl and 5',2',3'', 6''-tetraacetate derivatives thereof, and a process for producing the same agent by cultivating a rebeccamycin-producing strain of Nocardia aerocolonigenes, preferably Nocardia aerocolonigenes ATCC 39243, or a rebeccamycin-producing mutant thereof in an aqueous nutrient medium containing assimilable sources of carbon and nitrogen under submerged aerobic conditions until a substantial amount of rebeccamycin is produced. Recently Nocardia aerocolonigenes ATCC 39243 was reclassified as Saccharothrix aerocolonigenes ATCC 39243 (Bush et. al., J. Antibiotics 40: 668-678, 1987).
It was found that when the rebeccamycin-producing culture was supplemented with L-tryptophan, the production of a minor analog of rebeccamycin was significantly enhanced. This analog of rebeccamycin was subsequently isolated and designated as BMY-41219.


The invention relates to a data transmission unit for high bit-rate optical data signals, in particular, high bit-rate optical data signals with a backplane, which has a line structure connecting several plug-in positions for several receiver or transceiver cards to each other and/or to one or more additional data processing cards, with the cards, each held in one of the plug-in positions and each having at least one input port for a high bit-rate data signal. Each card also has at least one output port, to which the relevant one or more high bit-rate data signals can be fed, and each of these output ports is connected via a serial data line between the plug-in position holding the relevant receiver or transceiver card and an input port of a central selection unit with the relevant input port. The output ports connect serially to the central selection unit.

In electrical and optical data networks, data errors sometimes occur. When such problems are identified, the data transmission unit realizing a network node or terminating a transmission path must be tested. Here, the testing is performed by conventional protocol testers, which must be connected to the relevant data transmission unit, in particular, the receiver or transceiver units, which can be constructed as receiver or transceiver cards.
In known data transmission units, when such a test is performed, the data traffic frequently must be interrupted, because the test device must be connected to a port that is typically connected for further processing of the high bit-rate data signal by means of downstream electronics.
Therefore, a "service time window," in which the relevant data traffic is shut down, must be provided by the operator of a data transmission network or a data transmission path. This usually takes place on the weekend and causes high administrative expense. In this "service time window," the connection of the test device, the measurement, and the disconnection of the test device can then be performed.
In addition, there is the possibility of allowing the test equipment to also be connected during operation after its installation within a "service time window" and to disconnect the test equipment again when the error leading to the negative effect on the data transmission quality is found. For this purpose, a "service time window" must be created and used again.
In the case of an optical transmission path or an optical data transmission network, it is further known to integrate, for example, at the reception location, an optical splitter into the optical transmission path, wherein test equipment can be connected to the free arm of the splitter. This has the disadvantage, however, that an operator of a network or a data transmission path must already have invested in providing such splitters when the system is set up, and these splitters may never be needed. In addition, such a splitter has the disadvantage of corresponding insertion attenuation in the transmission path.
Finally, it is known to perform electrical mirroring of a high bit-rate data signal on a still free terminal of an interface, for example, a receiver or transceiver card, that is, the identical high bit-rate data signal that was received and optionally prepared with respect to the clock and the signal form is fed to this free terminal or output port of an interface.
In this known solution, the test device can be connected at arbitrary times to the relevant free terminal or output port of the appropriate interface. In this case, interrupting the data traffic is not necessary.
Here, however, it is disadvantageous that a data transmission device for realizing a network node or an end point of a transmission path frequently has a backplane, which possesses several plug-in positions for holding interface cards, for example, receiver or transceiver cards. In the way described above, if a "test output part" is provided on each interface, then each input port of the test device must be connected directly to the relevant free terminal of each interface, wherein testing a plurality of high bit-rate data signals on various interface cards is associated with high costs.

Data transmission unit for high bit-rate signals, especially high bit-rate optical data signals greater than 1 Gbit/s


Various embodiments of optimized subsonic projectiles are provided. For example, one exemplary subsonic projectile can include an elliptical nose cone, a cylindrical body and a boattail with various design features that can be used in a subsonic ammunition cartridge where the subsonic projectile is stabile throughout at least a segment of a flight allowing for better accuracy, maintaining low drag, maximizing range and achieving desired performance while ensuring the projectile stays below the speed of sound and lowering a noise profile of projectile and a launcher firing the projectile.

The present invention relates to aerodynamics relative to ballistic objects that are designed to lower noise, improve stability, maximizing maintaining velocity, and adjusting drag characteristics by means of various structural and material aspects as well as methods related thereto. In particular, embodiments include designs and methods associated with ammunition for firearms, and more particularly to subsonic ammunitions, that are capable of lowering a noise profile of a gun while having a consistent minimized drop over a distance the projectile travels. An alternative embodiment can also address designs and methods associated with the projectile and charge combination that facilitates a maximum sub-sonic speed at a given set of temperature ranges as force applied to the projectile can vary based on propellant temperature due to factors such as ambient temperatures.
As some background, ballistics can address four phases. A first phase can be termed "internal ballistics" which can cover behavior of the projectile from a time the projectile's propellant is initiated until the projectile exits a barrel. A second phase can be termed "transitional ballistics" which can cover the projectile's behavior from a time the projectile leaves the barrel's muzzle until pressure behind the projectile equalizes. External ballistics can cover behavior of the projectile after it exits the barrel/propellant pressure equalization until immediately before impact with a target. Terminal ballistics can cover behavior of the projectile when it hits its target.
While in the transitional ballistics phase, the projectile is still being propelled forward. A maximum velocity is reached at the end of the transitional ballistic phase and the beginning of the external ballistic phase. Maximum velocity of the projectile can be a primary constraint and/or concern in determining the characteristics and profile of the projectile at subsonic speeds. Multiple physical properties influence results of each of the four ballistic phases such as, for example, mass, sectional density, and aerodynamic shape.
External ballistics can have a substantial impact when determining characteristics and profile of the projectile. A design for the external ballistic phase can be determined by modifying physical properties and structural aspects that influence a projectile. One main goal when modifying these properties can include maintaining velocity and stability of the projectile as far down range as possible.
Terminal ballistics can refer to behavior and effects of the projectile when it hits a target. In some cases, a high velocity, deeper penetration projectile with a large hole is most desired. The shape, mass, and velocity of the projectile can influence penetration, so the initial kinetic energy when a projectile arrives at the target can provide general terminal ballistic characteristics. For terminal ballistic considerations, a terminal kinetic energy of the subsonic projectile can be calculated, and different aspects of structure/material associated with subsonic attributes are balanced against terminal ballistics considerations. Additionally, penetration of the subsonic projectile and a propellant weight for subsonic ammunition can be calculated to determine if the terminal ballistics of the subsonic projectile are effective.
Exemplary designs and methods associated with this disclosure can produce designs with a consistent trajectory and consistent drop while maintaining control of a projectile as well as ensuring that the projectile stays below the speed of sound in certain ballistics phases. Some exemplary designs of subsonic ammunition can address some or all four ballistic phases: internal, transitional, external, and terminal. By creating methods and designs that address the various ballistic phases, a profile of some embodiments of the exemplary subsonic projectile can be determined which can reduce ballistic drop, balance aerodynamic effects, maintain low drag, and factor in propellant charge considerations at varying temperatures. The present disclosure includes methods to determine optimal characteristics of subsonic ammunition and presents some exemplary embodiments of such a projectile.
One problem statement for an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure or the invention can include designing a projectile that, when fired at subsonic speeds, has improved ballistic characteristic over a supersonic projectile fired at subsonic speeds. Desired performance for some embodiments of the invention can include the following: maximizing an initial velocity as the projectile leaves a barrel, minimizing a reduction of velocity as the projectile travels down range, consistent flight trajectory (e.g., minimize dispersion, maximize precision). A trade-off can be whether precision (i.e. how closely the projectile impact points are grouped together) is more important than accuracy (i.e. how close an impact point is to the aim point). This tradeoff can be determined since aim point (and therefor accuracy) could always be adjusted once the projectile trajectory has been characterized and is known by a user, but precision could not be adjusted by the user in a similar manner.
An illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure can include a subsonic ammunition cartridge assembly comprising a projectile and a casing having a base end and an open end to receive the projectile. An optimized subsonic projectile can be designed having an elliptical nose cone, a body, and boattail section. The projectile can be sized to fit within the open end of the casing and can have structural aspects, e.g., meplat, nose shape/length, body shape/length, boattail shape/length, grooves, rebated or stepped sections, tail shape/length, etc, as well as charge disposed within the casing that collectively exhibit a desired degree of stability at subsonic velocity during, e.g. an external ballistics phase, as well as addressing drop, maximizing velocity at particular stages, etc. Different materials can be used for projectile designs that provide various effects to include external and terminal ballistics phase effects. In some embodiments, desired designs should strive to produce a highest minimum pressure coefficient as possible associated with the projectile during a subsonic external ballistics phase. In some embodiments, a desired design will provide the projectile with a highest maximum subsonic velocity. Pressure coefficient can also be a function of a thickness on a projectile object (e.g., a diameter). Associated methods are also provided to include methods of designing, manufacturing, assembly, and use.
Any additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A corkscrew assembly includes a housing a worm screw assembly, a first gripper, and a second gripper. The housing defines (i) a first opening configured to receive a neck of a bottle, (ii) a second opening, and (iii) an interior space interposed between the first opening and the second opening. The housing includes a sidewall extending from the first opening to the second opening. The sidewall defines a first gripper passage and a second gripper passage. The interior space is interposed between the first gripper passage and the second gripper passage. The worm screw assembly is rotatable in relation to the housing and includes (i) a worm screw member having a pointed first end portion and a second opposite end portion and (ii) a drive member fixed in relation to the second opposite end portion.

A stopper is commonly used to close the opening in a bottle. Typically, the stopper is made of natural cork or a synthetic material having the desirable qualities of natural cork. Each type of stopper (referred to herein simply as a "cork" regardless of the material from which it is formed) is elastically compressible and generally does not absorb water. The cork conforms to the interior shape of the bottle opening and forms an airtight and watertight seal. A common example is the cork used to close the opening in a wine bottle. When the wine bottle is properly cellared, the cork prevents air from entering the bottle through the opening and prevents the wine from escaping through the opening.
There are numerous devices available to remove the cork from the opening in the bottle. A common device for uncorking a bottle is referred to as a corkscrew. The typical corkscrew includes helically wound wire with a handle connected at one end and a pointed tip at an opposite end. The helically wound wire is threaded into the cork by rotating the handle. The bottle is uncorked by grasping the handle and pulling the corkscrew away from the bottle opening. Since the helically wound wire is threaded into the cork, moving the corkscrew away from the bottle pulls the cork out of the opening.
The type of corkscrew described above functions well to uncork a bottle. Some users, however, may lack the manual dexterity or physical strength necessary to pull the cork out of the opening. Additionally, other users, such as those in the restaurant or catering industry, open many bottles of wine in a single service. These commercial users may determine that the type of corkscrew described above is simply too slow to efficiency serve each patron.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a corkscrew assembly that uncorks a bottle easily and quickly.

Corkscrew assembly for use with a power tool


A compound solar water heating and dehumidifying device including an adsorption bed disposed at a lower rim of a plate type heat collector of a solar water heating element for causing a heat collector element to absorb heat in the day-time and the adsorption bed to regenerate and accumulate heat. At night, the heat of adsorption and heat of condensation are released to the heat collector element to retard the drop of temperature of water in water channels that are in contact with the heat collector element. Therefore, dissipation of heat from the hot water in a water tank may be retarded and water moisture may be removed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a solar water heating device, and more particularly to a compound solar water heating and dehumidifying device which may slow down dissipation of heat from a water tank and which has the functions of a dehumidifier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Solar water heating systems generally fall into three main types, namely, the natural circulation type, the forced circulation type, and the storage type. In the natural circulation type, a working fluid, i.e., water, is caused to circulate between a water tank and water channels of a plate type heat collector by utilizing the siphon phenomenon, without requiring a motor to pump the water. In this system, cold water in the water channels on the heat collector absorb the sun's radiant heat on the plate surfaces so that the temperature of the water rises while the density thereof drops. Hence, hot water rises up to the water tank via a water conduit. This is the so-called siphon phenomenon.
At the same time, the water that is originally stored in the water tank and has a lower temperature and density will flow downwardly to the water channels on the heat collector to be subject to the sun's heat and undergo heat transfer. The siphon action is therefore repeated to cause water stored in the water tank to be heated and circulated in natural cycles.
In the above-described natural circulation type of solar water heaters, a certain volume of water continuously absorbs solar energy in the day-time via the heat collector, and the heated water is caused to flow upwardly to the water tank by siphon action. But with the continuous rise of the temperature of water inside the water tank, the siphon effect will slow down. Besides, heat loss will increase due to augmentation of the temperature difference between the heat collector and the ambient air. Therefore, at noon time when sunlight is most intense, the heat collecting efficiency and the rise of water temperature will tend to slow down. In the afternoon when sunlight becomes less intense, it is possible that the heat collecting efficiency will drop rather than rise, and the temperature of water in the water tank will no longer climb. Instead, the water temperature will fall as a result of the drop in heat collecting efficiency. This problem is especially obvious when sunlight is not stable, or on overcast days, or at night.
In view of the above, it can be seen that, with the conventional plate type solar heater, the heat accumulation capacity of the water tank is quite restricted even when the sky is clear and sunlight is normal. In sum, as the temperature of hot water in the water tank will rise to its peak when the sun's light is most intense but will drop when the sun's light becomes less intense, and as the temperature difference between water in the tank and the ambient air leads to heat dissipation, conventional solar water heaters cannot effectively utilize solar energy for at least one third of the day even when sunlight is normal. In particular, at night time when the temperature difference between water in the tank and the ambient air becomes greater and there is the radiant heat effect, the heat collector will become a means for dissipating heat rather than accumulating heat, which will more directly reduce the solar energy collected in the day-time.

Compound solar water heating and dehumidifying device

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The Self-Orienting Imaging Device and Methods of Use sense the orientation of the handheld imaging, and apply the rotational correction by rotating the image to be displayed. When a scanner is used, the scanning element in the scanner is adjusted, such that the eventual scanning direction remains unchanged referencing the subject anatomy. The self-orienting mechanism for the scanner may be implemented in hardware mechanisms.

In otoscopic imaging, a handheld imager is commonly used. Different operators handle and position the handheld imager differently referencing the subject's posture. FIG. 1A illustrates the case where the imager is held along the subject superior-inferior axis on the left, as well as a case when it is along the anterior-posterior axis on the right. The dashed circles illustrate the anatomic structure being imaged, which are identical in both cases. When digital imaging technology is used, the captured image is usually displayed on a standalone display, as shown in FIG. 1B. In the example, since the imager is oriented differently, the actual images have 90° rotational difference, as shown in the FIGS. 1A-1B. The difference in orientation can also be easily understood by holding the imager still but "rotate" the subject. A rotated image may create confusion, because the anatomic inferior direction is pointing to the left in the rotated cases.
Things become more confusing when the operator starts to move the imager to locate a region of interest. In the case where the imager is held upright, moving the imager is intuitive. For example, when the operator finds a region of interest on the bottom part of the display, he or she can simply move the imager towards the subject's inferior direction. The reason is that the inferior direction aligns the downward direction of the display. In the 90° rotated scenario, however, if the operator moves the handheld imager inferior to the subject, the image on the display will move left. The operator must adapt the dissociation between the anatomy and image display, which is counter-intuitive and imposes a steep learning curve.
Such confusion exists when the image display is not fixated to the handheld imager.
Imagers can use scanning mechanism and steer the imaging beam to acquire data. The scanning component is fixated to the handheld scanner. The scanning direction is usually pre-determined along one mechanical oscillation axis. By scanning in this pre-determined direction for a certain distance, one can acquire image information along the scan line. By moving or rotating the handheld scanner, one can move the scan line to sample different tissue. However, under certain circumstances, a scan line fixating to the subject anatomy, rather than fixating to the scanner, is more valuable.
For instance, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) generates one dimensional image data along the direction of the imaging laser beam. By scanning, a cross-sectional 2D image, or a B-scan, is generated. One axis of the B-scan is depth along the optical beam axis, the other is along the scanning direction. B-scans are commonly used for real time monitoring because OCT imaging speed is sufficiently fast. For otoscopic imaging as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B, scanning along the subject's superior-inferior axis is NOT preferred. The reason is that people's eardrum usually tilts at different angles along this direction. The distance from the tissue to the scanner has more variation. When scanning along the orthogonal anterior-posterior axis, the tissue can be positioned more easily within OCT focal range and imaging range.
The former range determines imaging lateral resolution, while the later prevents the aliasing artifact. There is a need to maintain the anterior-posterior scan regardless of the scanner orientation. There exists a need for a self-orienting imager and/or scanner with which the operator can easily correlate the display image to the subject anatomy.
A secondary need that is general to handheld imager or scanner arises from the highly movable nature. The motion of the handheld device carries information, for instance, that the device may be in use. One can make use of this information of device states. The other aspect is that such a device is subject to hand motion and more likely to be dropped. Detecting handheld device motion can be useful for motion artifact correction or even detection of potential drop.
The present invention attempts to solve these problems as well as others.

Self-orienting imaging device and methods of use


The present invention provides a process for optimizing the fragrance of a scented cellulosic.

Various applications that employ plastics (e.g., cellulosics) could be enhanced if the plastics could exude a pleasing or appropriate fragrance based on their end use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,787 discloses a scented card which includes a fragranced thermoplastic material. The process of producing the scented card includes, providing a dry particulate thermoplastic material, blending a chemical flowing agent and at least one fragrance into the thermoplastic material to form a mixture, and heating the mixture in a thermoplastic extruder. The chemical flowing agent creates gas pockets within which the fragrance is trapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,838 discloses a scented plastic composition having a porous, finely divided silica powder having absorbed thereon a liquid scent emitting substance that is contained within the plastic material. The patent states that previous attempts have been made to dissolve a liquid scent-emitting substance into the liquid plasticizer, and a mixture of the scent emitting substance and plasticizer is subsequently added to the resin followed by heating and solidification. According to the patent, the liquid scent emitting substances which are dissolved in the plasticizers under known processes evaporate or decompose due to the processing heat applied during the time of the heat melting process, and do not provide sufficient fragrance intensity.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003/0072733 discloses cellulose acetates as absorbent materials in a process for absorbing moisture and/or malodor in providing a fragrance to the surrounding ambience. The cellulose acetate and cellulose butyrate is not plasticized nor is a process provided for providing a fragrance plastic product.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,703,012 discloses compositions containing fragrances and powdered water-soluble polymers that are processed into toilet blocks. Polyvinyl acetates and mixtures of polyvinyl alcohol in partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate are used. The fragrance is introduced into the extruder and the time of extruding the polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,644 discloses and ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymer used with a perfume. The ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is pre-formed into granules having a diameter of about one to ten millimeters. A perfume and granulated copolymer are mixed at a temperature in a range of about ten degrees Celsius. This patent states that the granulated ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing the perfume may increase in volume according to the amount of the perfume impregnated and absorbed therein, but it will never exhibit a softening effect. The '644 patent is not directed to cellulose acetate esters, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose acetate propionate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,006 discloses a method for impregnating a thermoplastic polymer with a fragrance by dissolving the fragrance in a volatile swelling agent maintained at or near super-critical conditions for the volatile swelling agent, swelling the thermoplastic polymer by contacting it at or near the supercritical conditions of the volatile swelling agent, then reducing the pressure so that the volatile swelling agent diffuses out of the thus impregnated thermo-plastic polymer. The thermoplastic polymer swells upon contact with the fragrance at or near supercritical conditions. The contacting permits rapid diffusion of the impregnation material into the polymer. Swelling agents include carbon dioxide, ethylene and nitrous oxide.
There is a need for imparting fragrance to cellulosics, including cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose acetate propionate, that has sufficient fragrance intensity while minimizing the amount of fragrance used, and also avoids compromising the plastic by the addition of silica materials or the addition of extraneous components to create formation voids within the plastic. There is a further need to optimize the fragrance of a cellulosic either by process improvements or additives so that end-use products that are made of the fragranced cellulosic have an optimal fragrance amount and are appealing to the consumer.

Process for preparing scented cellulosics and products prepared thereby


The disclosure relates to an imaging sonar for detection of objects buried in a reflecting medium, comprising a “vertical” transmit antenna and a horizontal receive antenna forming a “Mills Cross”, said transmission means enabling a vertical radiation angle producing a slightly ensonified area thereby reducing masking of the echo from said buried objects by acoustic backscatter from said reflecting medium. The invention is applicable to sonars and “sonar towfish” used for seafloor imaging and enables detection of sub-bottom objects buried in submarine sediments.

The invention relates to high-definition sonars used for submarine imaging. It concerns in particular sonar means enabling identification of objects buried in sedimentary layers. It also concerns detection systems using such a sonar mounted on a self-propelled submarine vehicle.
In this field there are known techniques consisting in towing a "sonar towfish" equipped with sonar means operating in parametric mode, in other words transmitting at two high frequencies, typically about one hundred kHz, and receiving at the lower beat frequency. This technique is described for example in the French patent no. 2 509 869 filed on 17 Jul. 1981 by the company SINTRA-ALCATEL under the number 81 213 961.
This technique has a major disadvantage associated with the parametric mode, which is a transmission loss of about 30 to 40 dB.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,756 filed on 15 Jun. 1998 by GUIGNE International Ltd and published on 12 Dec. 2000, a system for seafloor imaging is described employing a sonar also operating in parametric mode and designed to move slowly near the seabed ensonifying it vertically. The antenna is notably mounted on a tracked vehicle that moves across the seabed. This technique has the disadvantages of having a small intercept and requiring a large number of transducers, the antenna being flat-mounted (2 dimensional).

Imaging sonar and detection system using such a sonar


A latch system for a watertight bulkhead door for closing a bulkhead opening. A plurality of surrounding shield elements are translated by an articulated mechanism into and out of locking engagement with the bulkhead door. A continuous wedged striker along the periphery of the door surface is engaged by wedged surfaces on the shield elements when the shield elements are translated into locking relationship with the door, causing a gasket in the door to be compressed against a collar surrounding the bulkhead opening. The shield elements abut each other in closed position, forming a continuous frame around the door to shield the gasket from fire and to provide a small radar cross-section. Preferably, the exterior shield elements are mounted to a prior art articulated dogging mechanism disposed on the interior of the bulkhead. A plurality of translatable inner bulkhead shields is also provided to cover the articulated mechanism for safety.

Watertight bulkhead doors are well known on naval vessels. As used herein, "bulkhead door" should be taken to mean a sealable door installed in a vertical surface (bulkhead door), a horizontal surface ("hatch cover"), or a door-within-a-door ("scuttle"). A typical prior art bulkhead door includes a resilient gasket that mates with an edge of a collar surrounding a bulkhead opening and extending from the bulkhead outer surface. A plurality of pivotable latches, known in the art as "dogs", are mounted on the bulkhead and may be pivoted into position against the outer surface of the door where they progressively engage wedged areas, known in the art as "strikers". Such progressive rotational engagement causes the gasket to be compressed against the collar, sealing the bulkhead opening against water and/or gas transmission.
In some prior art embodiments, the dog spindles extend pivotably through the bulkhead and are mechanically linked around the interior of the bulkhead opening such that actuation of a master handle, extending pivotably through the bulkhead and actuable from either side thereof, causes all the dogs to be engaged or disengaged synchronously.
Prior art bulkhead door systems employing exposed metal dogs create an undesirably enhanced radar cross-section, to the benefit of an enemy combatant in naval warfare.
Further, prior art doors typically are formed by stamping from sheet metal and include a stamped relief pattern to enhance flexural rigidity. It has been found that such a pattern is highly undesirable, for two reasons: first, the pattern greatly increases radar reflection from the door; and second, the pattern is difficult to wash down easily and thoroughly as may be required for washdown of a chemical spill or biochemical attack. For these considerations, a smooth surface is preferred.
The gasket of a prior art door system is relatively exposed to damage by fire on the exterior of the bulkhead, resulting in failure of the watertight and gastight seal.
Use of a plurality of spaced-apart dogs results in inconsistent lockdown pressure across the door such that under extreme pressure conditions the door may become distorted and leakage may occur between adjacent dog positions, especially when the door is formed of a non-metal polymeric composite.
What is needed in the art is an improved latching system for a bulkhead door that eliminates exposed metal dogs on the exterior of the door, provides consistent lockdown pressure across the door, permits easy and thorough washdown from a chemical spill or biological attack, and shields the door gasket from attack by fire.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a uniform lockdown pressure at all points of a bulkhead door gasket.
It is a further object of the invention to reduce the radar cross-section of a bulkhead door assembly.
It is a still further object of the invention to protect a bulkhead door gasket from exposure to fire.
It is a still further object of the invention to facilitate easy, rapid, and thorough cleanup of a chemical spill or a biological attack.
It is a still further object of the invention to utilize existing bulkhead openings and door actuation mechanisms.

Latch system for a watertight bulkhead door

Performance by Design International, Inc.


A disk drive apparatus includes a spindle motor which has a rotatable hub. The hub has an annular flange. A magnetic disk is fitted on the hub and urged against the flange by a clamp with a predetermined fixing force. A buffer member is interposed between the magnetic disk and the engagement portion. The buffer member has a thermal expansion coefficient which is substantially a intermediate value between thermal expansion coefficients of the magnetic disk medium and the engagement portion. A difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the magnetic disk and the engagement member is larger than 10.times.10.sup.-6 1/.degree. C!.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive apparatus comprising recording media to be rotated, such as magnetic disks or optical disks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a magnetic disk drive apparatus (to be referred to as an HDD hereinafter) of 2.5 inches, for example, comprises a mechanical section, and a printed circuit board mounted with a control circuit for controlling the operation of a read/write circuit and the mechanical section. The mechanical section includes magnetic disks, a spindle motor, a disk clamp for fixing the magnetic disks to the spindle motor, magnetic heads, a carriage, a carriage drive motor (voice coil motor), and the like. The printed circuit board is electrically connected to the magnetic heads, spindle motor, and voice coil motor of the mechanical section.
Generally, the magnetic disks are fitted on the spindle motor as follows. Specifically, on the spindle motor is provided a cylindrical hub having a flange on one of its ends. The hub is rotated by the spindle motor. A plurality of magnetic disks and ring-shaped spacers are alternately stacked on the flange, and the disk clamp is fixed to the other end of the hub by a screw. The disk clamp has elasticity and therefore generates a biasing force for urging the magnetic disks and the spacers against the flange. By this force, the magnetic disks are fixed to and held by the hub of the spindle motor.
In a HDD having only one magnetic disk, a spacer may be arranged between the disk and the clamp or between the disk and the flange of the hub.
With the HDD having the above-mentioned arrangement, upon reading or writing data with respect to the disk, the disk is rotated by the spindle motor and the magnetic head is positioned over one of data tracks concentrically formed on the disk by the carriage. Then, the magnetic head reads data from or writes data on the data track. As a head positioning control system which determines the data read/write performance, there is known a servo-surface servo system (Dedicated Servo System) wherein one surface of a disk is recorded with servo data and used as a servo surface and a data-surface servo system (e.g. Sector Servo System) wherein servo data written on the data tracks on the data surface of a disk are available.
The servo-surface servo system requires a magnetic head for reading servo data and a magnetic head for reading/writing data and therefore has a problem of misalignment between these two magnetic heads resulting from the difference in thermal expansion between the heads with changes in temperature.
The data-surface servo system requires no servo magnetic head and hence does not cause the above problem. In addition, even if misalignment of the magnetic head with respect to the data tracks on the disk is caused by thermal expansion, this misalignment can be eliminated by performing position control for the magnetic head.
If a sudden vibration occurs in the magnetic disk, however, the tracking properties of the magnetic head with respect to the data track on the disk decrease, reducing the positional precision of the head with respect to the data track and varying the flying amount of the magnetic head from the disk. As a result, the data read/write operation becomes unstable to readily cause errors. Specifically, when a sudden vibration of the disk occurs during writing data on the disk by means of the magnetic head, data is written on an incorrect position on the disk. In this case, the incorrectly written data can not be read out by the head.
In many cases, a cause of the occurrence of such a sudden vibration in the disk is the differences in thermal expansion coefficients between a plurality of members used in the disk fixing section. Specifically, the disk fixing section includes, e.g., the magnetic disks themselves, the hub, the spacers, and the disk clamp, and, if the thermal expansion coefficients of these members differ from one another, the differences occur in the quantity of thermal expansion when an environmental temperature changes. The result is a strain occurring in each member. When the differences between the quantities of thermal deformation of the two adjacent members exceed the allowable thermal strain, relative displacement occurs between the two members so as to release the thermal strain in each member, and consequently the disks vibrate.
The above problem may be eliminated by using members having the same thermal expansion coefficient. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,652 discloses a technique wherein a motor hub and disks are formed of materials having equal thermal expansion coefficients. In practice, however, in order for the individual members to achieve their respective predetermined functions, it is necessary to select materials meeting these functions, and this makes it difficult to select materials with thermal expansion coefficients equal to one another. In particular, it is extremely difficult to form all members that constitute the disk fixing section by using materials having the same thermal expansion coefficient.

B/disk drive apparatus with thermally compensated stacked disk spacers


Serving lines (1) have ends that extend into a kitchen (2). At the sides of the serving lines (1) are seats (12), shelves (11), distribution ports sealed off with flaps (10), and equipment for remote ordering. Orders are transmitted to the kitchen (2), which is equipped with a terminal (8) and a printer (9). An order is prepared and placed, with the bill, on a tray (18) that is deposited at the end of a serving line, which automatically transports the tray to the position of the customer who originated the order. A flap (10) then opens temporarily for the tray to be removed. After eating, the customer goes to a till, presents the bill, pays and leaves. A processor monitors automatic operation of the system; it is linked to the till for the appropriate checks. Special serving lines are also proposed to which customers with prepaid cards have access, offering such customers remote payment services as well.

The invention concerns equipment for the automation of catering, bar or other products or goods sales services, which has been designed to appreciably increase productivity in serving and to meet the following customer requirements for catering or bar services for example to enter the premises and immediately find somewhere to sit, without having to wait and join long queues by the till, such as is the case at present with self-service and fast food restaurants; to find someone to take the order immediately; to receive the items ordered in a relatively short time; to be able to manage the waiting time freely and to the optimum extent; to have a public information and remote service facility, also providing a bar and catering service; and finally, to be able to leave the restaurant avoiding long queues at the till.

Equipment for the automation of catering, bar or other products of goods sales services


This invention relates to novel tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof according to the following formulae, in one embodiment:

Many current medicines suffer from poor absorption, distribution, metabolism and/or excretion (ADME) properties that prevent their wider use or limit their use in certain indications. Poor ADME properties are also a major reason for the failure of drug candidates in clinical trials. While formulation technologies and prodrug strategies can be employed in some cases to improve certain ADME properties, these approaches often fail to address the underlying ADME problems that exist for many drugs and drug candidates. One such problem is rapid metabolism that causes a number of drugs, which otherwise would be highly effective in treating a disease, to be cleared too rapidly from the body. A possible solution to rapid drug clearance is frequent or high dosing to attain a sufficiently high plasma level of drug. This, however, introduces a number of potential treatment problems such as poor patient compliance with the dosing regimen, side effects that become more acute with higher doses, and increased cost of treatment. A rapidly metabolized drug may also expose patients to undesirable toxic or reactive metabolites.
Another ADME limitation that affects many medicines is the formation of toxic or biologically reactive metabolites. As a result, some patients receiving the drug may experience toxicities, or the safe dosing of such drugs may be limited such that patients receive a suboptimal amount of the active agent. In certain cases, modifying dosing intervals or formulation approaches can help to reduce clinical adverse effects, but often the formation of such undesirable metabolites is intrinsic to the metabolism of the compound.
In some select cases, a metabolic inhibitor will be co-administered with a drug that is cleared too rapidly. Such is the case with the protease inhibitor class of drugs that are used to treat HIV infection. The FDA recommends that these drugs be co-dosed with ritonavir, an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 enzyme 3A4 (CYP3A4), the enzyme typically responsible for their metabolism (see Kempf, D. J. et al., Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 1997, 41(3): 654-60). Ritonavir, however, causes adverse effects and adds to the pill burden for HIV patients who must already take a combination of different drugs. Similarly, the CYP2D6 inhibitor quinidine has been added to dextromethorphan for the purpose of reducing rapid CYP2D6 metabolism of dextromethorphan in a treatment of pseudobulbar affect. Quinidine, however, has unwanted side effects that greatly limit its use in potential combination therapy (see Wang, L et al., Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 1994, 56(6 Pt 1): 659-67; and FDA label for quinidine.
In general, combining drugs with cytochrome P450 inhibitors is not a satisfactory strategy for decreasing drug clearance. The inhibition of a CYP enzyme's activity can affect the metabolism and clearance of other drugs metabolized by that same enzyme. CYP inhibition can cause other drugs to accumulate in the body to toxic levels.
A potentially attractive strategy for improving a drug's metabolic properties is deuterium modification. In this approach, one attempts to slow the CYP-mediated metabolism of a drug or to reduce the formation of undesirable metabolites by replacing one or more hydrogen atoms with deuterium atoms. Deuterium is a safe, stable, non-radioactive isotope of hydrogen. Compared to hydrogen, deuterium forms stronger bonds with carbon. In select cases, the increased bond strength imparted by deuterium can positively impact the ADME properties of a drug, creating the potential for improved drug efficacy, safety, and/or tolerability. At the same time, because the size and shape of deuterium are essentially identical to those of hydrogen, replacement of hydrogen by deuterium would not be expected to affect the biochemical potency and selectivity of the drug as compared to the original chemical entity that contains only hydrogen.
Over the past 35 years, the effects of deuterium substitution on the rate of metabolism have been reported for a very small percentage of approved drugs (see, e.g., Blake, M I et al, J Pharm Sci, 1975, 64:367-91; Foster, A B, Adv Drug Res 1985, 14:1-40 ("Foster"); Kushner, D J et al, Can J Physiol Pharmacol 1999, 79-88; Fisher, M B et al, Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel, 2006, 9:101-09 ("Fisher")). The results have been variable and unpredictable. For some compounds deuteration caused decreased metabolic clearance in vivo. For others, there was no change in metabolism. Still others demonstrated increased metabolic clearance. The variability in deuterium effects has also led experts to question or dismiss deuterium modification as a viable drug design strategy for inhibiting adverse metabolism (see Foster at p. 35 and Fisher at p. 101).
The effects of deuterium modification on a drug's metabolic properties are not predictable even when deuterium atoms are incorporated at known sites of metabolism. Only by actually preparing and testing a deuterated drug can one determine if and how the rate of metabolism will differ from that of its non-deuterated counterpart. See, for example, Fukuto et al. (J. Med. Chem. 1991, 34, 2871-76). Many drugs have multiple sites where metabolism is possible. The site(s) where deuterium substitution is required and the extent of deuteration necessary to see an effect on metabolism, if any, will be different for each drug.
This invention relates to novel tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. This invention also provides compositions comprising a compound of this invention and the use of such compositions in methods of treating diseases and conditions that are beneficially treated by administering a selective T-type calcium channel blocker.
Mibefradil also known as (1S,2S)-2-(2-((3-(2-benzimidazolylpropyl) methylamino)ethyl)-6-fluoro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-isopropyl-2-naphthyl methoxyacetate dihydrochloride is a calcium channel blocker that is known to selectively and potently block the T-type calcium channel and, through a de-esterified metabolite, to also block the L-type calcium channel (Massie, B. M., Am J Cardiol., 1997, Nov. 6, 80(9A):23I-32I). The pharmacologic activity of the de-esterified metabolite is approximately 10% that of the parent.
Mibefradil has demonstrated strong blood pressure reducing effects in patients with mild, moderate and severe hypertension, with less peripheral edema effects than other calcium channel blockers (Lacourcière, Y. et al., Am J. Hypertens. 1997 February; 10(2):189-96;) and has proven effective at improving exercise tolerance and reducing ischemic episodes in patients with chronic stable angina (see Massie above). Mibefradil was approved by the FDA in 1997 for treatment of hypertension, angina and cardiac failure, then was voluntarily withdrawn in 1998 due to potent drug-drug interactions with other medications resulting largely from its strong CYP3A4/5 inhibition and potentially also due to PGP inhibition (Wandel, C. et al., Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 2000, 28(8): 895-898). Although the exact mechanism of CYP3A inhibition is not known, it has been suggested that it results from oxidation of the benzimidazole moiety of mibefradil (Fontan, E et al, Curr Drug Metab 2005, 6:413-43).
Mibefradil is known to undergo metabolism through two metabolic pathways: esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the ester side chain (producing an alcohol metabolite known as Ro 40-5966); and cytochrome P450 3A4-catalyzed oxidation. Plasma concentrations of the alcohol metabolite resulting from de-esterification increase during chronic dosing and exceed those of the parent mibefradil at doses of 100 mg. The pharmacologic effect of the metabolite is approximately 10% of that of the parent.
Mibefradil's and Ro-40-5966's CYP 3A4 metabolism occurs predominantly at two molecular sites, most prominently the benzylic site of the tetrahydronaphthalene, and also to a significant extent alpha to the tertiary amine leading to removal of the N-methyl or the propylbenzimidazole groups. CYP 3A4 catalyzed metabolism also occurs to a limited extent on the benzimidazole ring of mibefradil at both the 4- and 5-positions (Wiltshire, H. R. et al., Xenobiotica, 1997, 27(6): 539-556).
When administered intravenously to healthy male volunteers, mibefradil caused a dose-dependent increase in bilirubin in all cases, and a severe decrease in plasma haptoglobin in two cases (Kleinbloesem C. H. et al., Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 1995, 25(6): 855-858).
Despite the beneficial activities of mibefradil, there is a continuing need for new compounds to treat the aforementioned diseases and conditions.

Abstract: as described herein. This invention also provides compositions comprising a compound of this invention and the use of such compositions in methods of treating diseases and conditions that are beneficially treated by administering a selective T-type calcium channel blocker.


Various embodiments of an apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products described herein are directed to a Topic Engine. The Topic Engine captures a plurality of content identifier sequences. Each respective sequence represents an order at which a corresponding user account accessed content. The Topic Engine generates a plurality of clusters. Each cluster is associated with respective content identifiers appearing within a proximity to each other across the plurality of content identifier sequences of different user accounts. The Topic Engine obtains one or more sample content identifiers from at least one cluster via sampling the cluster. The Topic Engine extracts keywords from content represented by the one or more sampled content identifiers. The Topic Engine identifies a topic for the cluster based on the one or more extracted keywords.

In the field of computer science, artificial intelligence ("A.I.") networks, such as neural networks and deep learning networks, are increasingly being employed to solve a variety of tasks and challenging problems. Such A.I. networks can consist of layers of computational graphs with nodes representing computational operations and connections in between those operations and/or computational graphs with filters representing the extraction of features from input data. Each operation computes or extracts something from the input data and/or previous layer in order to produce output data and/or next layer. Within A.I. networks there are fairly predefined operations, and there can be, e.g., hundreds or thousands of these operations. Such operations can represent such computational tasks as matrix multiplication and convolution, often using many pieces of input data from within the network.

Semantic content clustering based on user interactions


This invention is to a method and system for operating a hydrocarbon conversion process. A two stage reactor system is used in which the gas superficial velocity of the second reaction stage is greater than that in the first reaction stage. The first reaction stage operates at more continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) like characteristics, and the second reaction stage operates at more plug flow reactor (PFR) like characteristics.

When converting a feedstock containing a hydrocarbon to a product in an industrial reactor, it is desirable to maximize the production of a desired product or products, and to control, typically to minimize, the production of by-products. One type of reactor useful for conducting hydrocarbon conversion reactions is a fluidized bed reactor, wherein solid catalyst particles are suspended in a fluidized state during contact with the feedstock and other vapor materials. These types of reactors generally have a regular cylindrical geometry, that is, comprise a cylinder of some length having a constant diameter along that length. In general, the reactor cross-sectional area available through which catalyst particles and vapors flow is directly proportional to a characteristic width, and specifically for a cylinder directly proportional to the diameter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,166,282 discloses one type of fluidized bed reactor which is used in converting oxygenates to olefins. The reactor includes a dense phase zone, a transition zone, and a riser section. It is disclosed that by using the dense phase zone and the transition zone in the same reactor, combined with an initial catalyst separation or disengagement step, significant advantages over conventional bubbling or fluidized bed reactors can be obtained. The dense phase zone operates at a superficial velocity of less than 1 meter per second, and the transition zone operates at a superficial velocity of from 1 to 4 meters per second. As a mixture of unreacted feedstock, fluidized catalyst particles, and reaction products enters the transition zone, the reaction continues to essentially complete conversion.
European Patent Application EP 1 046 695 discloses another type of fluidized bed reactor which incorporates the use of multiple zones in a fluidized bed reactor. This patent publication is specifically directed to the utilization of different feedstock and other vapors in each of these zones to control reaction conditions such as temperature in each of these zones, and to increase secondary reactions and byproduct production.
PCT Publication WO01/04079 discloses a fluidized bed reactor having a fluidization section and a riser section. This patent publication is specifically a reaction system involving oxidation of propylene with a vanadium and bismuth catalyst to produce acrylic acid.
An article in the Chinese periodical Petroleum Processing and Petrochemicals, Vol. 31, No. 2, February 2000, by Zheng Maojun, et. al., entitled "Determination Of Particle Velocity Distribution In Two Kinds Of Riser Reactor", discusses an auxiliary bed of a larger diameter in conjunction with a riser of smaller diameter. The article describes the use of the auxiliary bed as a means to provide a better plug flow pattern in the riser.
Additional systems and methods are needed to improve the effectiveness of fluidized bed hydrocarbon conversion reactors. In particular, such systems are needed to improve product selectivity while maintaining a high conversion of feed. Such systems are particularly desirable in maintaining high selectivity to ethylene and propylene products in the emerging field of oxygenate conversion using oxygenate to olefin catalysts.

Two stage hydrocarbon conversion reaction system


A fuel cell electrolyte with an electrochemically inactive matrix, an electrochemically active electrolyte, and a substantially gas impervious metallic foil in the central region of the thickness of the electrolyte extending around its periphery over at least a portion of the fuel cell peripheral seal area and into the electrolyte active area reducing gas crossover between the anode and cathode chambers. The gas impervious metallic foil may extend beyond the periphery of the electrolyte into the fuel cell peripheral seal area and have a resilient gasket on each side forming the fuel cell peripheral seal with seal structures extending from separator plates, thereby eliminating conventional electrolyte wet seals. The seal structures according to this invention are also suitable for sealing internal manifolds in fuel cell stacks.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fuel cells, and in particular, to reduction of gas crossover between anode and cathode compartments and elimination of wet seals in molten alkali metal carbonates electrolyte fuel cells. This invention is applicable to both internal and external manifolded fuel cells and is particularly applicable to molten alkali metal carbonates electrolyte and lower temperature fuel cells.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, fuel cell electrical output units are comprised of a stacked multiplicity of individual cells separated by inert or bi-polar electronically conductive separator plates. Individual cells are sandwiched together and secured into a single stacked unit to achieve desired fuel cell energy output. Each individual cell generally includes an anode and cathode electrode, an electrolyte matrix, and a fuel and oxidant gas source. Both fuel and oxidant gases ar introduced through manifolds to their respective reactant chambers between the separator plate and the electrolyte matrix. The area of contact between the electrolyte and other cell components to maintain separation of the fuel and oxidant gases and prevent and/or minimize gas leakage is known as the wet seal. A major factor attributing to premature fuel cell failure is corrosion and fatigue in the wet seal area. This failure is hastened by corrosive electrolyte contact at high temperatures and high thermal stresses resulting from large temperature variations during thermal cycling of the cell causing weakening of the structure through intracrystalline and transcrystalline cracking. Electrolyte cracking is particularly prone to occur in areas where the electrolyte may not be fully mechanically supported by adjacent structures, such as electrodes, as occurs immediately interior to the peripheral wet seal in many of the present fuel cell configurations. Such failures permit undesired fuel and/or oxidant gas crossover and overboard gas leakage which interrupts the intended oxidation and reduction reactions thereby causing breakdown and eventual stoppage of cell current generation. Under high temperature fuel cell operating conditions, in the range of about 500.degree. to 700.degree. C., molten carbonate electrolytes are very corrosive to ferrous metals which, due to strength requirements, are necessary for fuel cell housings and separator plates. The high temperature operation of stacks of molten carbonate fuel cells increases both the corrosion and thermal stress problems in the wet seal area, especially when the thermal coefficients of expansion of adjacent materials are different.
Commercially viable molten carbonate fuel cell stacks may contain up to about 600 individual cells each having a planar area in the order of ten square feet. In stacking such individual cells, separator plates separate the individual cells with fuel and oxidant each being introduced between a set of separator plates the fuel being introduced between one face of a separator plate and the anode side of an electrolyte matrix and oxidant being introduced between the other face of the separator plate and the cathode side of a second electrolyte matrix.
The problems of manifolding and sealing become more severe when larger number of cells and larger planar areas are used in the cell stack. When greater number of cells are used the electrical potential driving the carbonate in the seal area along the height of the stack increases, and when the planar area of the cell increases, the linear tolerances of each component and the side alignment of each component becomes extremely difficult to maintain in order to maintain the mating surface sealed between the manifold/manifold gasket/and cell stack. Cell stacks containing 600 cells can be approximately 10 feet tall presenting serious problems of required stiffness of external manifolds and the application of a clamping force required to force the manifold onto the cell stack. Due to the thermal gradients between cell assembly and cell operating conditions, differential thermal expansions, and the necessary strength of materials used for the manifolds, close tolerances and very difficult engineering problems are presented.
Conventionally, stacks of individual molten carbonate fuel cells have been constructed with spacer strips around the periphery of a separator plate to form wet seals and to provide intake and exhaust manifolds. Various means of sealing in the environment of the high temperature fuel cell wet seal area are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,788 teaching the wet seal strips are fabricated utilizing powder metallurgy techniques; U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,186 teaching the electrolyte itself is comprised of inert materials in regions around its periphery to establish an inert peripheral seal between the electrolyte and frame or housing; U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,067 teaching deposition of inert materials onto or impregnated into the fuel cell housing or separator in wet seal areas; U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,206 teaching a wet seal between electrolyte-saturated matrix and electrolyte saturated peripheral edge of the electrodes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,348 teaching peripheral rails of gas impermeable material to provide a gas sealing function to isolate the anode and cathode from the oxidant and fuel gases, respectively; U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,595 teaching spring loaded resilient seals around the periphery of the separator plate to form wet seals for gas tightness of molten carbonate fuel cells; U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,364 teaching springs around the active portion of a cell matched to the compression of the wet seal rail structure; U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,403 teaching graded electrolyte composition for more gradual transition in the coefficient of thermal expansion in passing from the electrodes to the inner electrolyte region; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,333 teaching housing of alkali metal carbonate electrolytes in high temperature fuel cells by use of a thin aluminum sealing gasket. U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,073 teaches a thin metal film of material which is poorly wet by the electrolyte sandwiched between ceramic blocks and extending beyond the exterior dimensions of the cell or cell stack to block electrolyte creepage adjacent the anode of an individual cell or at the anode end of a fuel cell stack.
Gas sealing of a phosphoric acid fuel cell, which operates at about 150.degree. to 220.degree. C., by filling the pores of a porous material periphery of the cell constituents with silicon carbide and/or silicon nitride is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,727; and by impregnating interstitial substrate plate edge is taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,786,568 and 4,824,739. The solution of sealing and corrosion problems encountered in low temperature electrolytic cells, such as bonding granular inert material with polytetrafluorethylene as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,389; gaskets of polyethylene as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,086; "0" ring seals taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,941 for internal manifolding of fuel only; and an anode seal frame of Teflon taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,590 are not suitable for high temperature molten carbonate fuel cells.
U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,963,442 and 5,045,413 teach fully internal manifolded fuel cell stacks wherein the electrolytes and separator plates extend to the edge of the fuel cell stack and form a peripheral wet seal by the separator plate having a flattened wet seal structure extending from each face of the separator plate to contact the electrolytes completely around their periphery to form a separator plate/electrolyte wet seal under fuel cell operating conditions The electrolytes and separator plates each have a plurality of aligned perforations, the perforations in the separator plates each being surrounded by a flattened manifold wet seal structure extending from each face of the separator plate to contact the electrolytes to form a separator plate/electrolyte wet seal under fuel cell operating conditions thereby providing a plurality of manifolds extending through the fuel cell stack for fully internal manifolding of fuel and oxidant gases to and from each unit fuel cell in the fuel cell stack. U. S. Pat. No. 5,077,148 teaches a fully internal manifolded and internal reformed fuel cell stack having separator plate/electrolyte seals similar to those taught by U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,963,442 and 5,045,413 and having interspersed along its axis a plurality of reforming chambers formed by adjacent separator plates to provide fully internal manifolding of reactant gas and steam to product ga from each reformer unit in the fuel cell stack.

Fuel cell crossover arrestor and pressure seal