A method for preparing a mixture of a powder of an electrode active compound and of a powder of an electron conducting compound is disclosed. According to some aspects, the method includes preparing a liquid medium containing the powder of the electrode active compound and the powder of the electron conducting compound, subjecting the liquid medium containing the powder of the electrode active compound and the powder of the electron conducting compound to the action of high energy ultrasonic waves, removing the liquid medium, and collecting the mixture of the powder of the electrode active compound and of the powder of the electron conducting compound. According to some aspects, an electrode including the mixture as an electrochemically active material, a cell including the electrode, and an accumulator or battery including one or more of these cells are disclosed.

In order to meet increasing needs in the field of self-contained power supplies in fields as diverse as computers, video appliances, telephony, the space industry, the medical industry, microelectronics, stationary applications, hybrid vehicles . . . , several systems for storing energy are used today, including Li-ion, Ni-MH, Ni—Cd, and acid-lead accumulators.
These accumulators have different performances in terms of energy density and power density.
Whereas energy density corresponds to self-sufficiency of the storage system, power density indicates the capacity of the system of releasing a more or less significant amount of energy within a short time interval. This criterion is particularly important for new applications such as hybrid automobiles and power electronics.
Therefore Li-ion accumulators are increasingly used today as self-contained energy sources, in particular in portable equipment, where they progressively replace nickel-cadmium (Ni—Cd) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) accumulators.
For several years now, the sales of Li-ion accumulators widely have exceeded those of Ni-MH and Ni—Cd accumulators and they mainly relate to the fields of telephony and of portable computers for which self-sufficiency is a primordial criterion.
This development is explained by the continuous improvement in the performances of Li-ion accumulators in terms of energy density, thereby giving these accumulators mass and bulk energy densities much larger than those proposed by the Ni—Cd and Ni-MH technologies. Thus, the mass energy density is of more than 180 Wh/kg for Li-ion accumulators, versus 50 and 100 Wh/kg for Ni—Cd and Ni-MH accumulators respectively; while acid-lead accumulators with which automobiles are equipped, for example have an energy density of only 30 to 35 Wh/kg.
Like energy-intensive mobile applications requiring great self-sufficiency, power electronics now forms a field of application, with a future, for Li-ion accumulators capable of performing rapid charging/discharging cycles.
For this, the power performances of Li-ion accumulators may be strongly improved by the use of innovative materials of electrodes adapted to power applications.
In particular, Li4Ti5O12 titanium oxide is an alternative to the negative graphite electrode for this type of application. Due to a higher potential than that of carbon (1.55V vs. Li+/Li against 0.1V vs. Li+/Li for graphite), this oxide with a spinel structure allows rapid recharging of the accumulator without the risk of formation of lithium dendrites and therefore of short circuits and explosion. Other titanium oxides are also under study. This for example concerns titanium dioxide TiO2, with the anatase and bronze forms for example being favorable to insertion/extraction of the lithium.
Innovations are also in progress concerning the positive electrode. Various compounds may be used according to the desired voltage and capacity. Lithiated iron phosphate LiFePO4, with an olivine structure (170 mAh/g to 3.4V vs. Li+/Li), has been considered for several years as a positive electrode material of choice for certain new applications such as hybrid automobiles or portable cooling. At a less advanced stage, high voltage spinel oxides with great energy of the LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 type are also under study with view to future replacement of commercial lamellar oxides. The latter are still widely used in commercial Li-ion accumulators.
In every case, improvements in the power performances are reckoned with in order to meet the new needs.
Unlike the performances of accumulators in terms of energy density, which mainly depend on the selection of the electrochemical pair used, since the nature of the materials of the positive and negative electrodes imposes the voltage and the capacity of the cell, the performances in terms of power of Li-ion accumulators are strongly related to the method for preparing the electrode materials which influences their aspect, their size and their morphology.
Improvements are further required in this respect in order to durably implant Li-ion accumulators in high power applications.
In other words, the emergence of new generations of Li-ion accumulators requires the use of more performing electrode materials.
In particular, it is necessary to improve the specific capacity of the electrode materials at higher (charging/discharging) rates.
The solution which is presently used the most for meeting this need consists of adding to the electrode active compound, carbon or another chemical agent with which electron conductivity may be improved.
Thus, in documents WO-A1-02/27823 [1] and WO-A2-2005/076390 [2], it has been demonstrated that the electron conducting compound such as carbon may be directly incorporated into the electrode active compound during the synthesis of the latter which thus gives the possibility of having a mixture of electrode active material and of electron conducting compound such as carbon, homogeneous and of good electrochemical quality.
In these documents, the carbon is formed by thermal decomposition under a controlled, inert or reducing atmosphere, from an organic source such as saccharose, cellulose or citric acid.
This organic source is added beforehand to the precursors for the synthesis of the electrode active material. The formation of the electrode active compound, material, and the decomposition of the organic carbon source generally take place during the same heat treatment step. This heat treatment is generally carried out at a temperature comprised between 600 and 800° C.
It should be noted that for some electrode active materials sensitive to the effect of heat, such a temperature is too high. For example, TiO2—B (bronze form), which is one of the structure varieties of TiO2, is gradually transformed into TiO2 of the anatase form from 500° C. and into TiO2 of the rutile form above 800° C., while the TiO2—B, as for it, is generally obtained between 300 and 400° C.
It is therefore not possible with such heat-sensitive electrode active materials to use the method for incorporating carbon described in the aforementioned documents [1] and [2].
Many other materials, the preparation of which takes place at a low temperature with a mild chemistry method, under hydrothermal conditions, have the same type of thermal limitation. Further, the presence of carbon, associated with a high synthesis temperature, notably above 500° C., entails the presence of a reducing atmosphere in the vicinity of the electrode active material.
This type of reaction set into play for preparing materials with the methods of documents [1] and [2] is therefore also incompatible with the synthesis of materials sensitive to reduction.
Further, a high temperature often has the consequence of increasing the size of the particles, caused by an agglomeration phenomenon, unfavorable to obtaining materials dedicated to high power applications.
In addition to the methods described in documents [1] and [2], in which the thermal decomposition of an organic source is carried out in situ simultaneously with the synthesis of the active material, a method in which carbon is used during the synthesis for reducing the degree of oxidation of the transition elements, is described in the document of J. Barker, M. Y. Saidi, J. L. Swoyer, J. Electrochem. Soc., 150 (6) (2003) A684-A688 [3]. More specifically, this document describes a carbothermal reduction (CTR) process in which carbon with high specific surface area is intimately mixed with precursor compounds of the compounds γ-LiV2O5 and Li3V2(PO4)3 and the mixture is heated in an inert atmosphere. The method of this document substantially has the same drawbacks as the methods described in documents [1] and [2].
Therefore considering the foregoing, there exists a need for a method for preparing an electrochemically active electrode material, and notably an electrochemically active electrode material comprising a mixture of an electrode active compound and of an electron conducting compound which may be applied with any kinds of electrode active compounds and of electron conducting compounds and in particular even with electrode active compounds which are heat-sensitive and/or sensitive to reduction for example by carbon.
Further there exists a need for such a method which does not cause any structural modification of the active compound, or any degradation of the latter.
There still exists a need for such a preparation method which allows preparation of an electrochemically active electrode material which has improved electrochemical performances, in particular for high (charging/discharging) rates and high powers, notably as compared with similar electrochemically active materials presently used such as those prepared in documents [1], [2] and [3].
Finally there exists a need for such a method which is simple, reliable, easy to apply and which includes a limited number of steps.
The goal of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing a mixture of an electrode active compound and of an electron conducting compound which meets the whole of the needs listed above.
The goal of the present invention is still to provide such a method which does not have the drawbacks, limitations, defects and disadvantages of the methods of the prior art and which solves the problems of the methods of the prior art.

Method for preparing a mixture of an electrode active compound powder and an electronic conductor compound powder, resulting mixture, electrode, cell and battery

Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux energies alternatives


The invention provides a method for manufacturing an alkoxy radical-containing silicone resin wherein the molecular weight, viscosity, thermal transition point, and alkoxy radical content can be easily controlled. The method of the instant invention comprises combining under anhydrous conditions, (A) an alkoxysilane represented by the formula R.sup.4.sub.a Si(OR.sup.5).sub.4-a or its partial hydrolysis product wherein R.sup.4 is selected consisting of a monovalent hydrocarbon radical and a monovalent halogenated hydrocarbon radical, R.sup.5 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl radical containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and a has a value of 0 to 3; and (B) an organopolysiloxane or a mixture of organopolysiloxanes selected from the group consisting of organopolysiloxanes that are made of siloxane units selected from the group consisting of R.sup.1 SiO3.sub./2 and R.sup.2 R.sup.3 SiO and mixtures thereof wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are independently selected from the group consisting of monovalent hydrocarbon radicals and monovalent halogenated hydrocarbon radicals; followed by heating the mixture of (A) and (B) in the presence of a basic catalyst to perform a reequilibration reaction for said components (A) and (B).

It is well known that alkoxy radical-containing silicone resins can be used widely as the feed material in making electrical insulating materials, heat-resistant paints, protective coating materials, and copolymers with organic polymers. In the conventional scheme, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,114, the alkoxy radical-containing silicone resins are manufactured by hydrolysis of an alkoxy radical-containing organosilane. However, this method has three serious problems. First of all, in this method, as an alkoxy radical is hydrolyzed and polycondensation is performed, the molecular weight always increases in the reaction. Consequently, it is very difficult to achieve control of the molecular weight. Second, as the molecular weight distribution of the manufactured silicone resin is wide, the softening point and other responses to thermal variation become slow. Third, as all of the feed materials used depend on alkoxysilanes, the inexpensive chlorosilanes and cyclic siloxanes cannot be used resulting in increased costs.
Although there is another method for the manufacture alkoxy radical-containing silicone resins, described in Japanese Kokai Patent Application No. Sho 50[1975]-77500, which comprises the hydrolysis/polycondensation of a chlorosilane in water and alcohol it can only solve the aforementioned third problem, while it has no effect in solving the aforementioned first and second problems.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method for manufacturing alkoxy radical-containing silicone resins wherein the molecular weight, viscosity, thermal transition point, and alkoxy radical content can be easily controlled.

Manufactured method of alkoxy radical-containing silicone resin


A method and apparatus for grouping video tracks in a video editing timeline comprises displaying a plurality of video tracks in a video editing timeline; receiving a selection of video tracks to be grouped from the plurality of video tracks that are displayed; displaying the video tracks selected for grouping as a single video track in the video editing timeline; and applying an indicator identifying the video tracks as grouped in the video editing timeline.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to digital media editing and related techniques, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for grouping video tracks in a video editing timeline.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video editing is a common task for many camera users. In order to edit video, audio clips and video clips are arranged in tracks in a video editing timeline. Music and graphics may be added and special effects may be created. These music and graphics clips are displayed in tracks on the timeline. When creating a video project, multiple clips are edited together in tracks on the timeline to play in a user specified sequence with transitions between clips and other added effects.
One conventional approach to video editing involves inputting multiple audio and video clips into the video editor and previewing them by scrolling up and down in the video editor to selectively view a specific track containing a particular clip. When there are multiple audio and video clips being incorporated into a sequence, video editing becomes difficult to manage. As a result, the conventional techniques are unable to provide user-friendly video editing solutions.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for grouping video tracks in a video editing timeline.

Method and apparatus for grouping video tracks in a video editing timeline


A new and distinct variety of Anthurium plant named ‘ANTHDUXH’ particularly characterized by having bright, shiny, cordate spathes, a light pink spadix with reddish tip, a compact plant habit and outstanding long cordate leaves, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Anthurium, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum L., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'ANTHDUXH'. The new variety originated from a hybridization made in December 2006 in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The female parent is a red Anthurium pot plant designated '4110-04' (unpatented), and the male parent was a red Anthurium plant designated '5442-01' (unpatented).
A single plant was selected in November 2008 and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by meristem tissue culture in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands over a five-year period. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in the European Union on Jul. 5, 2013, in China on Jan. 29, 2015 and in Taiwan on Feb. 5, 2015. 'ANTHDUXH' has not been made publicly available or sold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to the filing of this application.


A fuse including a fuse housing having first and second electrical terminals, a movable partition made from an electrically conductive material movably disposed within the fuse housing, a fusible structure connected between the first electrical terminal and the movable partition, a conductor connected between the movable partition and the second electrical terminal, a biasing element acting on the movable partition to maintain the fusible structure in tension and for moving the movable partition upon melting of the fusible structure and an indicator connected between the movable partition and the second electrical terminal. The conductor, the movable partition and the fusible structure define an electrical path between the first and second electrical terminals and the indicator protrudes out of the second electrical terminal of the fuse housing upon melting of the fusible structure for providing visual indication of an interrupted condition of the fuse when subjected to a threshold current flowing therethrough.

A fuse is a protective device for electrical circuits which has a fusible element that melts and opens to interrupt the circuit when subjected to excessive currents. The melting occurs, in large part, due to I2R heating of the fusible element. For many types of fuses, melting at relatively high currents (i.e., currents that produce melting in less than about 1 second) typically occurs at one or more reduced cross-sectional areas of the fusible element, so designed as to control the melting time versus current characteristic of the fuse (melting time-current characteristic or TCC). The TCC is an important characteristic of the fuse that enables it to provide appropriate system protection and coordination with other devices. Favorable ratios of rated continuous current to short time melting current frequently require the use of relatively high melting point materials for the fusible element, such as silver and copper. At longer melting times, a common practice is to employ an additional means to initiate melting and arcing, using a lower melting point material. This is done in order to prevent excessive fuse component temperatures before circuit interruption, and to provide suitable graphical curves of TCC for typical applications.
The low melting point material is typically implemented in one of three ways. The first, termed the "M" effect (after its discoverer, Metcalf), attaches the low melting point material to the high melting point element in such a way as to cause the high melting point material to dissolve into the lower melting point material when the latter becomes molten. Thus, after a period of time, the element is severed and an arc is initiated at the melted open point.
A second method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,474 to Leach and Bennett, employs a tin low melting point material as a "bridge" between high melting point elements, wherein an arc is initiated when the tin melts. This method does not suffer from the potential deterioration problems inherent in the first method, but is harder to manufacture.
A third method known in the art employs a spring loaded joint, termed a "mouse trap," made between high melting point components using a low melting point solder. When the melting point of the solder is reached, the spring causes separation of the contacts thereby producing an arc. This method allows considerable flexibility in the design of the fuse's TCC, since the mass of the components and melting point of the solder can be used to control the melting characteristics, frequently allowing superior surge withstand for the fuse. However, in order to allow the physical movement that initiates circuit interruption, the joint has to be surrounded by a fluid (usually air) rather than by sand, which is the preferred medium to surround a fuse element because it gives improved interrupting capability to the fuse.
Whatever method is used to initiate arcing at longer melting times, a common requirement for such fuses is the provision of some form of indication that the fuse has indeed operated. This makes finding the "blown" fuse much easier.
The most common method of indication is to run a small conductive wire in parallel with the main element(s). When the main element melts, system voltage causes current to flow through the indicator wire and to melt it. The current quickly switches back to the main elements, which then arc and interrupt the overcurrent. The melting of the indicator wire provides indication through a variety of means. Most commonly, the indicator wire is arranged to release a spring loaded pin, or ignite a small explosive charge to move a striker, when the indicator wire melts. Obviously a minimum voltage, sufficient to drive enough current through the indicator wire to cause it to melt, is necessary for this indication method to work. Typically this requires at least 5-10 volts.
Another means of indication has been to connect, in parallel with the fuse, a circuit containing a light emitting device, such as a neon, LED or lamp. Again, system voltage across the indication circuit after the fuse has operated is necessary for this method to work.
For most conventional low voltage fuse applications, the techniques described above are sufficient to successfully interrupt fault currents, provide indication and then withstand system voltage for very long periods of time. However, there are some applications for which these conventional low voltage fuses are not suitable. For example, in some applications, where step-down transformers are used to supply a low voltage distribution network consisting of many parallel conductors fed from many transformers at different points in the system, it is common practice to fuse individual cables to prevent them from being overloaded. These cables typically use conventional current-limiting fuses or fusible limiters, designed to open when excessive current flows. However, it is possible in such applications for little or no voltage to appear across the limiter after the circuit is opened (only the IR drop in the parallel cables will appear across the open point), because an overloaded cable can often have other cables connected in parallel.
This leads to two potential problems. The first is that with little voltage across the limiter when melting occurs, there is little arcing. This can lead to a relatively high resistance open point, sufficient to prevent current flow in the overloaded cable, but which is not high enough to enable conventional fault finding equipment to be effective at finding the open point, as compared with a fuse which arcs and which would normally have a resistance of many millions of ohms. This delays the finding and replacing of the operated device.
Visual indication of the operated limiter would obviously be desirable to speed up the process. However, the second problem is that the lack of recovery voltage also prevents conventional indicators from working.
Accordingly, there is a need for a fuse capable of interrupting current effectively for conditions where the voltage can vary from rated voltage, down to very low values (possibly as low as 1 V) whilst providing indication of its operation in a manner that allows visual indication at the fuse, together with remote indication if desired. Such indication is needed with whatever current causes the fuse to melt open, and with what ever degree of arcing that occurs.

Fuse providing circuit isolation and visual interruption indication


A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material includes a support and at least one hydrophilic colloid layer formed on the support. The hydrophilic layer contains a coupler compound which is represented by formula (I) below and has a high dye formation rate and a high color forming density. This silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material can achieve an improved sharpness and a high sensitivity: EQU A--(SO.sub.2 NHCONR.sup.1 R.sup.2).sub.n Formula (I). (wherein A represents a coupler moiety, each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group, and n represents an integer of 1 or more, if n being an integer of 2 or more, respective R.sup.1 's and R.sup.2 's being able to be the same or different, and A and R.sup.1, A and R.sup.2, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 being able to combine to form a ring.)

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material containing a novel coupler and, more particularly, to a color photographic light-sensitive material which can achieve an improved sharpness and a high sensitivity when image formation is performed in the presence of a novel coupler having a high reactivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a color photographic light-sensitive material, when color development is performed after the material is exposed, an oxidized aromatic primary amine developing agent and a coupler react with each other to form an image. This method adopts a color reproduction technique according to subtractive color processes. In order to reproduce blue, green, and red, color images of their complementary colors, i.e., yellow, magenta, and cyan are formed.
Each coupler is required not only to form a dye but also to have various characteristics such as good spectral absorption characteristics of the formed dye, a high dye formation rate, a high color forming density, and a high fastness of the formed dye against light, heat, and humidity. In particular, since a higher sensitivity and a higher image quality have been required for light-sensitive materials in recent years, a strong demand has arisen for development of a coupler having a high dye formation rate and a high color forming density. In addition, in designing a DIR coupler (a coupler which releases a development inhibitor when reacting with an oxidized form of an aromatic primary amine developing agent and is used to improve the sharpness and the color reproducibility of an image), the above properties are very important factors.
One effective means of increasing the dye formation rate is a method of introducing an acid dissociation group or a high polar group to a coupler molecule. Examples are a method described in JP-A-58-42045 ("JP-A" means Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application) in which a p-hydroxybenzenesulfonyl group or a p-hydroxybenzenesulfinyl group is introduced, and methods described in British Patent 909,318, JP-B-62-61251 ("JP-B" means Published Examined Japanese Patent Application), and JP-A-61-121054 in which an N-acylsulfamoyl group is introduced. However, these methods are still unsatisfactory and required to be further improved.

Silver halide photographic light-sensitive material


A solid state imaging device includes an array of photosensitive elements for storing signal charges, a plurality of vertical shift registers for storing the signal charges transferred from the photosensitive elements, charge storage sections for storing one field of signal charges transferred from the respective vertical shift registers, a horizontal shift register for storing one line of signal charges transferred thereto successively at time intervals from the charge storage sections, a timing generator for producing clock pulses for driving the vertical shift registers to transfer the signal charges from the vertical shift registers to the charge storage sections and to sweep residual charges from the vertical shift registers, and a driver for amplifying the clock pulses fed thereto from the timing generator. The driver has a variable amplification factor. The amplification factor of the driver is controlled to provide a smaller amplitude for the clock pulses used to sweep the residual charges than for the clock pulses used to transfer the signal charges.

This invention relates to a solid state imaging device of the type having an array of photosensitive elements for storing signal charges.
Solid state imaging devices employs an M.times.N array of photosensitive elements for storing signal charges induced when exposed to light. The signal charges are transferred from the photosensitive elements to vertical shift registers provided for the photosensitive elements arranged in the respective vertical lines of the array. Clock pulses are applied in one direction to transfer the signal charges from the vertical shift registers for conversion into a video signal. Similar clock pulses are applied in the opposite direction to sweep the residual charges from the vertical shift registers before the next cycle of the signal charge transferring operation. In order to complete the residual charge sweeping operation as well as the signal charge transferring operation in a shorter time, it is required to set the clock pulses at a higher frequency. However, this will cause much power consumption and much heat generation having an adverse effect on the characteristics of the stolid state imaging device.


A ski binding, in particular for cross-country skiing, having a sliding element displaceable in the running direction, as well as at least two spring-loaded latching pins movable transversely to the running direction for latching engagement in corresponding fittings in the tip region of the ski boot. Each of the two latching pins is carried by a spring-loaded molded part, the molded parts being oppositely arranged relative to one another and guided in links of the sliding element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cross-country ski binding having a step-in mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
From DE 27 06 111 A, a ski binding of the initially mentioned type is known, in which two transversely movable, spring-loaded pins are provided which are carried by a spring steel wire, which consists of two levers each rotatably held on a rotation axis fixed on a carrier and directed perpendicularly to the ski upper side, which levers comprise pins acting like tongs for a respective engagement in a bearing arranged at the side of the toe-cap. This binding harbors the risk of an unintentional opening of the binding when travelling over uneven ground.

Ski binding, in particular for cross-country skiing


Provided is a hot isostatic pressing device (HIP) (1) that enables prompt cooling in a processing chamber. The HIP device (1) is provided with the following: gas impermeable casings (3, 4); a heating unit (7); a high-pressure container (2); a heat accumulator (43) provided below a processing chamber; and a cooling promotion flow path (44). The casings (3, 4) are disposed so as to form the following: a first circulation flow (41) in which a pressure medium gas passes through an inner flow path (22) and an outer flow path (12) and then returns to the inner flow path (22); and a second circulation flow (42) in which the pressure medium gas which has branched off from the first circulation flow (41) performs heat exchange with an object-of-processing (W) in the processing chamber and then is fed back to the first circulation flow (41). In the cooling promotion flow path (44), the pressure medium gas that is in the second circulation flow (42) and that has performed heat exchange with the object-of-processing (W) is guided to the heat accumulator (43) and cooled by the heat accumulator (43) before the pressure medium gas merges with the first circulation flow (41).

Conventionally, HIP processing which is a pressing method using a hot isostatic pressing device has been known. In this HIP processing, a workpiece such as a sintered product (ceramics, etc.) or a cast product is processed under an atmosphere of pressure medium gas set at high pressure of several tens to several hundreds MPa, in such a way that a temperature of the workpiece is increased to be equal to or higher than its recrystallization temperature. The HIP processing is characterized in that residual pores in the workpiece can be extinguished. Therefore, this HIP processing has today come to be widely used for industrial purposes in order to improve mechanical characteristics, reduce variations of characteristics, and improve yields.
Incidentally, in an actual production side, speeding-up of the HIP processing is strongly desired. In order to do so, a cooling step which takes time among steps of the HIP processing essentially has to be performed in a short time. Thus, in conventional hot isostatic pressing devices (hereinafter each referred to as an HIP device), an improvement of the coiling speed in a state where the inside of a furnace is maintained in a thermally uniform condition has been considered.
For example, Patent document 1 discloses a hot isostatic pressing device in which a portion of pressure medium gas forming a first circulation flow is allowed by using a fan or an ejector to pass from the lower side of a hot zone to join a second circulation flow and the joined pressure medium gas is cooled and circulated in the hot zone to eliminate a temperature difference generated between upper and lower portions of a furnace in a cooling step, whereby the inside of the furnace is effectively cooled.
In a container of Patent document 1, the low-temperature pressure medium gas is not directly guided into the furnace; therefore, an inner circumferential surface of the container is not excessively cooled. Further, a forcible circulation by means of the ejector can realize a high cooling speed. Furthermore, compared with a case where the fan is provided in the hot zone, the ejector not having the limitation of heat-resisting properties or the like to materials is used; therefore, the furnace structure is not complicated and a cost increase of the HIP device is inhibited.
Patent document 2 discloses a technique in which pressure medium gas in a high-pressure container is removed therefrom and is cooled to be thereafter returned into the container and a cooling step is thereby performed in a short time.
The conventional HIP device provides a quick cooling technique for the purpose of an improvement of productivity, and it can remarkably reduce a cooling time required for cooling from a high-temperature range of from 1000 degrees C. to 1400 degrees C., which is a processing temperature of the HIP processing to a low-temperature range of equal to or lower than 300 degrees C. in which a workpiece can be removed. Specifically, an average cooling speed is generally no more than a few degrees C. per minute in natural cooling; however, a cooling speed of several tens of degrees C. per minute can be attained in the conventional HIP device.
Meanwhile, a solution heat treatment or the like is performed to aluminum alloy casting products or precision casting products of alloys based on nickel. However, these days quickly cooling is performed after the HIP processing; thereby, these heat treatments have been required to be performed successively to the HIP processing. Quick cooling required in such solution heat treatment cannot be performed by a general HIP device, the cooling speed of which is lower; therefore, previously, reheating processing and quick cooling are performed in a different furnace from the furnace for the HIP processing.
Here, the cooling speed required for quickly cooling targeted to aluminum alloy casting products or precision casting products of alloys based on nickel is very high, at least several tens of degrees C. per minute or higher, and a cooling speed of 100 degrees C. per minute or higher may be required depending on thicknesses or materials of workpieces. Such high cooling speed is difficult to be achieved by the conventional HIP device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Alpine ski boot comprising an outer shell, in which an inner slipper is placed, the shell being constituted by a shell base incorporating at least one rear cover which pivots on the shell base around a transverse axis to a pivoted open position and vice-versa, while the inner slipper comprises a rear tongue extending upward. The upper part of the rear tongue is held attached to the upper part of the rear cover by at least one connecting slide device.

The prior discloses a number of ski boots of the aforementioned type. However, in general the inner slipper is merely placed in the corresponding shell, without being truly held in place. Some manufacturers have tried to introduce improvements in these boots by designing a device for connecting the inner slipper; this is the case, for example, in the boot corresponding to European Patent Application No. EP 0351 396, which discloses an inner slipper connected to the rear cover of the upper by means of a position-retention strap arranged in the lower part of the rear tongue of the slipper. However, this type of connection is not satisfactory. In fact, when the rear cover pivots, the slipper opens only very slightly, thus making it troublesome to put on the boot; furthermore, the rear space between the tongue and the rear cover can fill with snow. Nothing restricts the rearward pivoting of the rear cover, and, when the boot is put on, insertion of the foot may cause the rear tongue belonging to the slipper to descend into the boot, a phenomenon which, of course, makes it even more difficult, and even impossible, to put on the boot.

Connecting device for a slipper inside the shell of a ski boot


A method for making a photovoltaic device includes the steps of: (a) forming a transparent conductive layer on a substrate, (b) putting the surface of the transparent conductive layer into contact with an ionized inert gas, and (c) forming a semiconductor layer thereon. The transparent conductive layer is formed such that in the cross-section of the transparent conductive layer, a mean distance between relative minimum points is 2,000 nm or less and a mean tilt angle between a surface line originated from a measuring point and a base line connecting to the nearest two adjacent relative minimum points over the entire measured region is 5.degree. or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device having high photovoltaic efficiency, that is one in which, the incident light is effectively converted into electrical energy and the generated electrical energy is conducted to the external device with reduced loss. The present invention also relates to a method for making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of photovoltaic devices have been used as isolated power sources for electrical equipment and alternative energy sources for systematic electric power supply, and there has been continued research and development.
Photovoltaic elements themselves, for example, crystalline photovoltaic devices composed of single-crystal or polycrystalline silicon and thin film photovoltaic devices using compound semiconductors, have been intensively studied and developed. Relevant technologies other than the photovoltaic elements also have been studied and developed. Examples of such technologies include technologies regarding effective conversion of the incident light to electrical energy and effective extraction of the generated electrical energy to the exterior.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,533 discloses a technology for effectively converting the incident light to electrical energy, in which a metal reflection layer has unevenness and a barrier layer composed of zinc oxide, etc., is provided to prevent diffusion of the constituent elements of the reflection layer to the photovoltaic element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,055 discloses another technology for trapping the incident light in the device, in which a smooth reflection layer is provided, and the surface of the barrier layer is etched by an aqueous solution to form unevenness on the surface.
A technology for effectively extracting the generated electrical energy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,372, wherein a transparent conductive layer is provided to prevent self-consumption of the generated electrical energy caused by short-circuiting due to photovoltaic device defects.
Fabrication processes are also disclosed. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-54921 discloses a process for achieving an increased photovoltaic current flow, in which a substrate is exposed to hydrogen plasma before fabricating an amorphous-silicon semiconductor device. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-217443, zinc oxide is produced from an aqueous solution containing a nitrate and zinc by electrodeposition.
The present inventors have reviewed the configuration of the transparent conductive layer disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,419,533 and 5,500,055. In such a configuration, a reflection layer is formed and a transparent conductive layer is provided thereon. The transparent conductive layer functions as a barrier layer for preventing diffusion of the constituent material of the reflection layer to the photovoltaic element, scatters the incident light to effectively use it, and prevents short-circuiting by defects in the semiconductor layer.
Therefore, optimized sputtering and electrodeposition conditions enable the reliable formation of an uneven transparent conductive layer. Further, etching of the uneven surface with an aqueous solution further enhances the surface roughness. In the operation under a load, however, the voltage sometimes drops. In such a case, the photovoltaic device has a fill factor far from 100%; hence, there is room for improvement of the device in this regard.
The present inventors have further studied the surface treatment with hydrogen plasma and then oxygen plasma as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-54192. When an oxide transparent conductive layer is subjected to such treatment, short-circuiting often occurs and thus a photovoltaic device having stable characteristics is not obtainable. According to electron microscopy of the transparent conductive layer, some cracks and sharp ridges are observed on the surface of the deposited film. It is presumed that reduction by hydrogen and oxidation by oxygen cause changes in the composition in the film, and a stress is applied onto the surface.


Examples of golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads are generally described herein. In one example, a body portion of a golf club head may have a front portion with a face portion for impacting a golf ball, a rear portion, a toe portion, a heel portion, a top portion, and a sole portion. A cavity may be located at the top portion and extends downward into the body portion. A through-hole may be located at the front portion and feeds into the cavity. A hosel portion may have an insert portion with a fastener port. The insert portion may be received inside the cavity such that the fastener port interfaces with the through-hole. A fastener may be received in the through-hole and engaged to the fastener port, thereby securing the hosel portion to the body portion. Other examples may be described and claimed.

Golf club heads may be manufactured using various materials and processes. For example, putter heads typically include an integrated hosel. Accordingly, an individual in possession of a putter having an undesirable body type and/or hosel type is forced to acquire a second putter having the desired characteristics. By assembling golf club heads using removable interchangeable parts, some relief may be provided to an individual facing the problem outlined above.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures may not be depicted to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of examples of the present disclosure.

Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads


A wine decanter including a vessel having a bottom wall and a circumferential sidewall with a top rim including a pouring lip, a bottom wall and a circumferential sidewall surrounding an inner chamber, a sealing top fitting within the top rim of the vessel, the sealing top having at least one circumferential sealing ring, the inner chamber having a diameter which is approximately the same diameter of a standard 750 ml bottle of wine, the inner chamber having a bottom portion which retains an amount of wine. A floating sealing disc with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner chamber of the sel floats on top of the wine in the inner chamber, thereby preventing oxygen from coming into contact with a top portion of the wine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of red wine and to apparatus which retains a portion of the red wine which has not been consumed at the time the original bottle for the wine was opened.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wine has been a popular beverage for centuries. Wine is typically made in casks and subsequently poured into bottles that typically are of a size capacity to retain 750 ml of red wine. Most wine bottles are closed with a cork or a screw-on cap. The typical wine bottle capacity of 750 ml is approximately 25 ounces which provides four (4) glasses of wine. When entertaining, in most situations the entire bottle of wine is consumed at the time the bottle of wine is opened.
A bottle of wine can cost from a few dollars up to hundreds of dollars. If a bottle of wine is opened and for whatever reason some of the contents remain unconsumed, the unconsumed portion may represent a significant investment.
There is a new class of commerce in the wine industry called "wine preserve". If a bottle of red wine is opened, the oxygen in the bottle will end up destroying the flavor of the wine. Oxygen reacts with the wine and noticeably ruins the wine. This process of oxygen ruining the wine can happen in only one or two days,
Wine preserve systems known in the prior art are typically comprised of a special pump to eliminate the oxygen. The other typical solution is to add nitrogen. Nitrogen will end up laying on the surface of the wine, which will prevent the oxidation of the wine. These devices are expensive and a bit inconvenient, but they are the only currently available solution to preserve wine.
There is a significant need for an apparatus to retain and preserve unconsumed wine so that the flavor is not ruined by oxidation and the wine can be consumed several days or weeks later without losing its flavor.

Wine decanter to retain and preserve unconsumed wine


A two-spool bypass turbojet includes a low-pressure spool having a rear portion carrying a low-pressure turbine provided with a low-pressure rotor. The turbojet includes a support structure connected to a casing and to a rear bearing in which the rotor is mounted. The bearing can be situated in an enclosure including a liquid lubricant feed. The enclosure can be put to atmospheric pressure via an air feed pipe connected to the enclosure via a link. The turbojet further includes an electricity generator connected to the rear end of the low-pressure rotor that extends downstream from the link, which link is secured to the rotor and includes a device for guiding the liquid lubricant from the feed to the bearing.

In a conventional engine, the accessory box containing fuel pumps, bearing lubrication pumps, hydraulic pumps for controlling various members, electricity generators, and the starter, is placed outside the engine and receives power taken from the engine by means of a vertical shaft and angle takeoff, in particular connected to the rotor and in particular the low-pressure rotor.
Over the years, the increase in the compression ratios and the temperatures at the inlet to the turbine, and the improvements in materials and efficiency have led to a constant reduction in the size of engines so as to obtain a thrust/weight ratio that is ever greater, whether for civilian applications and for military applications.
The system for taking off power and the accessory box have had difficulty in following this progress correspondingly, and they thus represent a large fraction of the volume and the weight of an engine, particularly of a low thrust engine, i.e. an engine of small size, and particularly when the accessory box, which is generally placed under or on the engine, and sometimes to one side of it, carries an air starter and an electricity generator that are separate.
The use of small engines that are ever simpler and less expensive for the purpose of propelling training airplanes, observation or attack drones, and cruise missiles, is requiring engine manufacturers to make such engines more furtive. This can be attempted by greatly reducing their frontal surface area, thus also achieving a significant reduction in drag, thereby very significantly increasing the flying time or the range of aircraft or remote-controlled vehicles fitted with such engines. In order to reduce the weight and the frontal surface area of engines, it therefore appears desirable to envisage integrating an electric generator-starter in the engine and to eliminate the use of mechanical connections, so that the interface between the engine and the accessories then relies on electrical transmission.
In wide-bodied aircraft, having ever more numerous electrical or electrohydraulic flight controls, and also in radar, advanced warning, and electronic surveillance airplanes, electrical power requirements are large. The engines of such aircraft are fitted with booster or auxiliary generators, thereby increasing the size of the accessory boxes and also their weight for supporting them. In an engine having a large bypass ratio, it is therefore advantageous to integrate an auxiliary generator, and more generally a generator-starter in the engine, in order to reduce the size and the weight of angle takeoffs, or indeed to eliminate them, and to obtain a thinner cowl, with some of the electrically-driven accessories being housed in the pylon.

Two-spool bypass turbojet with a rear electricity generator, and an air flow connection device and system


A chair member includes first and second arms, with the first arm pivotally mounted to the chair to permit ease of access to individuals of diminished physical capacity permitting ease of access and exit relative to the chair. The swing arm includes a latch mechanism to permit ease of latching of the swing arm relative to the chair structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to adjustable chair structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved swing arm chair apparatus wherein the same is arranged to permit pivotal displacement of an arm member relative to the chair structure for ease of access in entry and exit relative to the chair structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chairs of various types have been utilized throughout the prior art to accommodate adjusting for height, back support, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,159 to Leffler sets forth a chair structure having pivotally mounted side arms to permit ease of access to the chair in use as a treatment chair structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,604 sets forth chair structure having arm rest members pivotally mounted to permit displacement of the arm rest relative to the chair structure.
As such, it may be appreciated there continues to be a need for a new and improved swing arm chair apparatus as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as effectiveness in construction permitting ease of entry and exit relative to the chair structure and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A bactericidal ultraviolet light radiating device for treatment of mucosal or dermal tissues, having an ultraviolet light source, an optical light-directing lens optically coupled to the ultraviolet light source for directing the ultraviolet light to the mucosal or dermal tissues, an electric power supply connected to the ultraviolet light source for supplying electric power for the ultraviolet light source and a medication dispensor coupled to the ultraviolet light source for applying a medication to the mucosal or dermal tissues. The device is primarily intended for oral (pharynx, gums, etc.) therapeutic radiation application as well as for all body cavities (nasal, ear, etc.) and for dermal pathology (ulcers, cellulitis, etc.).

It is well known that ultra-violet light has bactericidal effect. Earlier inventions have disclosed forms of ultraviolet light generators that can be used to direct ultraviolet ("UV") light to certain infected body areas. U.S. Pat. No. 2,439,787 shows an example of such an ultraviolet ray generator. U.S. Pat. No. 1,735,215 shows a curative ray generator that operates to irradiate body parts with ultraviolet light generated by a carbon arc.
Ultraviolet radiation alone is often not adequate to treat deeper seated bacterial infections, and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light can be detrimental to human tissues. It is therefore of great advantage to combine ultraviolet radiation therapy with complementary bactericidal therapy, e.g. in the form of topical treatment with suitable medications such as antibiotic, antiseptic, anesthetic and/or soothing liquids.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a bactericidal device which provides simultaneous treatment with ultraviolet radiation and liquid medications for even more effective therapy.


The invention provides liquid formulation compositions and medicament delivery devices, and methods for preparing and using the same. For example, the liquid formulation composition is an emulsion including a solvent and liquid particles, which includes surfactants and are dispersed in the solvent. The volume average particle size of the liquid particles is less than about 100 μm; the surface tension of the liquid formulation composition is less than about 60 mN/m; and the absolute value of zeta potential is greater than about 15 mV. The containment vessel may be a sprayer or a dropping device. The invention also provides methods for preparation of the liquid formulation compositions and medicament delivery devices as well as methods for using the same in treatment of various diseases and condition, for example, otitis media, otitis externa, rhinitis, sinusitis, lower respiratory tract inflammation, xerostomia (dry mouth), xerophthalmia (dry eyes) and xeromycteria (dry nose).

Otitis media, otitis externa, rhinitis and sinusitis are the most commonly occurred otorhinolaryngologic diseases.
Otitis media is an inflammatory lesion involving all or part of the structure of middle ear (including Eustachian tube, tympanic cavity, tympanic sinus and mastoid air cells) and are more common in children, but can occur at any age. There are two major types of otitis media, namely acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion. The former is usually symptomatic, especially ear pain, whereas the latter is most commonly without acute symptoms. Chronic suppurative otitis media, incorrectly called "chronic otitis media," is less common and is a complication of acute otitis media, and is associated with perforation of the ear drum, with or without drainage. All these conditions are most frequently associated with hearing loss. Barotitis media, or airplane ear, diver's ear, is caused by pressure change during aircraft takeoff and landing, water pressure increase during diving and the like. During a sudden increase in ambient pressure, gas must move from the nasopharynx into the middle ear to maintain equal pressure on both sides of the tympanic membrane. If the Eustachian tube is not functioning properly, the pressure in the middle ear is lower than the ambient pressure. The relative negative pressure in the middle ear results in retraction of the tympanic membrane and pain.
Otitis externa is an inflammation due to infection of external ear canal, and is often caused by injuries made during ear picking, ear scratching and/or contaminated water entering the external ear canal. Otitis externa can induce swelling of local skin of the external ear canal, accompanied by pain or tenderness, external ear itching and external ear secretion increase. There are two types of otitis externa, namely diffuse otitis externa and partial otitis externa. Because otitis externa commonly affects swimmers, it is sometimes known as swimmer's ear.
Rhinitis is the common name for symptoms caused by irritation or inflammation of nasal mucosa and includes allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, acute rhinitis and the like. The symptoms of rhinitis include nasal obstruction, runny nose, itching and sneezing, and severe rhinitis can cause headache, dizziness and decreased sense of smell. The causes and the symptoms of the above diseases are briefly described as follows:
Otitis media is generally caused by periodic open function disorders of the Eustachian tube. Eustachian tube (ET) is the only channel for air draining of the middle ear. The main function of Eustachian tube is to lead air in nasopharynx to the tympanic cavity to keep the pressure balanced on the two sides of tympanic membrane and further ensure normal vibration of the tympanic membrane. Mucosa of the Eustachian tube is connected with the mucosa of the tympanic cavity in nasopharynx, which is comprised with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelial cells and considerable number of secretory cells. Thin liquid (mucus) secreted by these cells can not only prevent the Eustachian tube from being opened completely, but also enable the Eustachian tube to be opened occasionally at appropriate opportunities, such as opening mouth, swallowing, yawning or chewing, thereby regulating the pressure in the tympanic cavity and keeping the balance of the pressures inside and outside the tympanic cavity. When the Eustachian tube has a dysfunction, the pressure imbalance on the two sides of the tympanum occurs while effusion in a cavity canal cannot be discharged timely, which can bring extreme agony to a patient. Earache is an early clinical symptom, and deafness, tinnitus, dizziness and other symptoms are easy to be ignored when being masked by earache. Systemic symptoms are different due to patient resistance and virulence of infecting bacteria and often comprise aversion to cold, fever, body discomfort, loss of appetite and the like. The characteristics of headache are represented as follows: the severe earache firstly occurs in the initial stage of the disease and then radiates to temporal occipitoparietal part on the same side as the affected ear, thereby causing unbearable hemi-headache. If the Eustachian tube is blocked, the pressure in the tympanic cavity may be reduced, and the external pressure is relatively increased, thereby enabling the tympanic membrane to sink inwards and affecting hearing.
Studies report that in samples of patients with secretory otitis media, the content of phospholipid representing a surfactant is discernibly reduced in comparison with that of a normal (healthy) control group. The difference has statistical significance (p<0.01), which confirms that the reduction of the surfactant in the patients with secretory otitis media is mainly shown in the nasopharynx, the middle ear and part of the Eustachian tube. The leads to an increase in the open pressure of the Eustachian tube and enables the compliance to be possible, causing the effusion in middle ear cavity and the retention of the effusion, resulting in secretory otitis media. (Qiu, et al, 1999 Journal of West China University of Medical Sciences. 30(3): 310-311.) The reduction of the content of the phospholipid is also reported in the patients with the rhinitis. (Sayed, et al. 2000 J Laryngol Otol. April; 114(4): 254-9; Schlosser, 2006 Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl. September 196: 40-4.)
There are many reasons that give rise to otitis externa, most of which are bacterial infection-related and some are fungal infection-related or due to non-infectious skin diseases. When suffering from otitis externa, the patient usually has the following major symptoms: severe itching, swelling and pain of the external ear canal, as well as thick, white or yellow exudate. If the ear canal is blocked by the exudate, partial hearing loss will occur.
Under normal physiological conditions, mucus produced by the mucosa of nasal cavity can attract substances, such as dust, pollen and powder, as well as microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, and the like. The mucus can flow out from the front part of the nose or flow down from the rear part of the throat. When the nasal mucosa is subject to irritation or inflammation, excess mucus is produced which cannot be removed timely, so that nasal obstruction, runny nose, itching and/or sneezing are caused.
Normal paranasal sinuses are air cavities in craniofacial bones around the nasal cavity and comprise four pairs in total, namely maxillary sinuses, frontal sinuses, ethmoidal sinuses and sphenoidal sinuses. The mucosa is on the inner wall of each sinus and the sinuses respectively have certain parts, shapes and outlets. When suffering from sinusitis, the patient has mucosal congestion and swelling and a lot of mucopurulent or purulent nasal in the nasal cavity, resulting in severe nasal obstruction, purulent nasal, headache, dizziness and decreased sense of smell.
Lower respiratory tract inflammation mainly includes bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis and the like. The main symptoms include cough, expectoration, asthma, chest pain, fever and the like. At present, antibiotics and antitussive and expectorant medicines are commonly used in clinical treatment.
Xeromycteria is a nasal disease that is mainly characterized by dryness in the nasal cavity. Rhinitis sicca in modern medicine is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal cavity, which is mainly represented as dryness of the nasal mucosa and reduction in nasal secretions. The symptoms include intranasal dryness, reduction in nasal secretions and prickling sensation or foreign body sensation in the nose, which often result in sneezing and burning sensations. The patient is often induced to pick the nose which can further cause a small amount of nasal bleeding, while the sense of smell is not generally impaired. The mucosa in the front bottom area of nasal septum is often erosive, small-piece thin scabs can be attached on the mucosa and bleeding often occurs after the small-piece thin scabs are removed. While the causes are not clear till now, it is generally believed that the disease is related to a indoor environment and external climate, and vitamin deficiency, anemia, heavy smoking and drinking can cause the change of the nasal mucosa and further cause the disease. As for the treatment of the disease, a lubricating liquid medicine can be partially dropped in the nose and the patient can be supplemented with vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin C, vitamin E and the like to enhance nutrition intake and balance.
Xerophthalmia is a general name of a variety of diseases, which cause abnormalities or dynamic abnormalities of quality or quantity of tears due to any reasons, reduce the stability of tear films and are accompanied by ocular discomfort and/or ocular surface tissue lesion characteristics. Xerophthalmia is also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca. The common symptoms include dry eyes, fatigue, eye itching, foreign body sensations, burning heat sensations, thick secretions, fear of wind, photophobia and sensitivity to external stimuli. Sometimes, the eyes are too dry and lack basic tears, but the secretion of reflex tears is stimulated, thereby often causing tearing. In more severe cases, the eyes turn red, swollen, congested and keratinized, and corneal epithelium is broken and adhered with filaments. Such injuries can cause corneal and conjunctival lesions over time, which can further affect vision.
The tear film is mainly composed with phospholipid, protein, mucin, electrolyte and water. The ingredients of a lipid layer are mainly from meibomian gland, when in blinking (winking), lipids are compressed by eyelid, aggregated on a lower corneal water layer and dispersed like a horizontal belt. At the end of blinking (winking), the lipids are rapidly spread on the water liquid layer at a speed greater than the speed of eyelid open. The water layer is not directly exposed in air, and the evaporation of the tears is reduced. At present, literatures report that the most common reason causing dry eyes is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which can affect the functions of the tear films and cause dry eyes. (Foulks, 2007 Surv Ophthalmol. July-August (4): 369-74; Xiao, et al. 2012 Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. March, 48(3): 282-5.)
At present, treatment methods for xerophthalmia mainly are artificial tears, inflammation inhibition, promotion of tears secretion and the like. Treatment with artificial tears is the most common treatment approach, which is easiest to be accepted by patients. Commercially artificial tears are available, for example, Liposic (Bausch & Lomb), which contains the main ingredients of 1% medium chain triglyceride, 0.2% carbomer 980, sorbitol, sodium hydroxide and the like, as well as a preservative, namely 0.01% cetrimide; and Refresh Dry Eye Therapy (formerly known as Refresh Endura, Allergan), which contains the main ingredients of 1% polysorbate 80, 1% glycerol, carbomer, castor oil, mannitol, sodium hydroxide and the like.
Xerostomia is a symptom caused by saliva deficiency in mouth. The production and secretion of saliva are affected by various systemic, local, external and personal factors. As the secretion of saliva is reduced, the patient can feel xerostomia, foreign body sensations and burning sensations. When the patient chews food, especially relatively dry food, alimentary bolus cannot be formed, and swallowing is affected. Saliva secretion is insufficient, the washing effect to teeth and oral mucosa is also decreased, and the self-cleaning effect of the oral cavity becomes poor. As a result, a patient with xerostomia also has relatively high dental caries rate. Since xerostomia also affects the sense of taste, the appetite cannot be effectively stimulated, and the functions of a whole digestive system can also be affected.
At present, the treatment for xerostomia includes treatment against the causes of the disease and the symptoms. The treatment against the causes of the disease is most effective when the causes of the disease are clear. Taking medicine-induced dry mouth as an example, the dry mouth can be relieved by adjusting the medicines and the dosage thereof. As for dry mouth caused by increased consumption of saliva, reducing or eliminating mouth breathing can help. If dry mouth is caused by substantial destruction of salivary glands, such as radiotherapy of a malignant tumor at head and neck and Sjogren's syndrome, the dry mouth is currently mainly relieved by symptomatic treatment, and complications are further reduced.
Through the above description, it is clear that common characteristics of these diseases are that liquid secreted by the mucosa of the cavity canal is either increased and cannot be discharged timely due to infections or inflammation of the cavity canal (ears or nose), the cavity canal is blocked, and ear congestion, nasal congestion, pain, cough and other discomfortable symptoms are further caused. Or, dry eyes, dry mouth, dry nose, asthma and other discomfortable symptoms are caused by reduction of the secretions (nasal secretions, tear films and saliva) at the corresponding parts or decreased stability due to changes in the compositions of normal secretions.
At present, in clinical treatment, antibiotics, steroids and surgical treatment are commonly used. These treatment methods with the exception of surgery, however, cannot rapidly relieve ear congestion, nasal congestion, pain, cough, asthma, dry eyes, dry mouth, dry nose and other discomfortable symptoms of the patient in a short time (minutes-hours).
Therefore, an urgent unmet need exists for a product that can effectively relieve ear congestion, nasal congestion, pain, cough, asthma, dry eyes, dry mouth, dry nose and other discomfortable symptoms of the patients in a short time.

Liquid formulation compositions, medicament delivery devices, and methods of preparation and use thereof

Shenzhen HighTide Biopharmaceutical, Ltd.


The present invention relates to an optical fiber containing a glass fiber and a resinous coating layer that covers a periphery of the glass fiber, in which the resinous coating layer contains an ethanol of 10 mg or less or a methanol of 2 mg or less per gram of the resinous coating layer.

Patent Document 1 discloses an optical fiber containing an optical glass fiber having a core and a cladding and a resinous coating layer covering the periphery of the optical glass fiber, in which the resinous coating layer is formed so as to have a three-layer structure composed of a primary layer of a two-layer structure and a secondary layer disposed on the periphery of the primary layer in order to improve tensile strength of the optical fiber.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2012-136401


A speed control apparatus in which for sampling features of a speed fluctuation and generating a speed fluctuation correcting signal, an arithmetic operation can be simplified and can be performed by an inexpensive arithmetic and operation unit, thus requiring no expensive arithmetic operation unit. The speed control apparatus is also capable of reducing torque ripples and speed fluctuations quickly even when the load of an object to be controlled is changed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for controlling the speed of a moving object, and more particularly to an apparatus for controlling the speed of a control unit, such as a servo motor, in which there must not be any speed change or position change while the control unit is operating. Here in this specification, the term "moving object" means not only an object which moves by itself or varies in speed, but also an object which moves a load or varies in speed in association with a load.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attempts have been made to keep constant the rotating speed of a drive motor for a videotape recorder (hereinafter called VTR). If there is any speed fluctuation (i.e., irregular rotation, speed ripple or torque ripple), an image would be disordered, thus markedly deteriorating the reliability and quality of VTR.
To this end, in many of the conventional apparatuses, a d.c. motor has been used, and recently incorporating a brushless motor, which can change the speed freely and simply, has become commonplace.
A brushless motor has no mechanical brush and can hence eliminate various kinds of problems due to the wear of a brush and a commutator or the metal dust resulting from such wear. However, in a 120.degree.-conducting brushless motor, the number of crossovers of magnetic bundles varies, depending on the position of a rotor, so that a torque ripple would occur, thus causing an irregular rotation (speed fluctuation) during operation.
Now assuming that the number of crossovers of magnetic bundles of a drive-phase coil is K (.theta.) (.theta. is the position of a moving object), a torque K(.theta.)i (i is a current flowing in the coil) will be produced. If the current is constant, a torque ripple will be produced in proportion to K(.theta.).
This torque ripple leads to disturbance, causing a speed fluctuation.
Consequently, the speed fluctuation has a periodicity with respect to the rotational position of the motor. A technique of correcting the speed fluctuation, utilizing this characteristic, has been proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 218380/1989. According to this technique, the feature of the speed fluctuation is sampled by Fourier progress expansion, and a proportional and integrating control operation is made in such a manner that this sampled value will be zero, whereupon the current which flows in the coil is varied upon receipt of a signal obtained from Fourier reverse transformation of this operation output, thus correcting the speed fluctuation.
In the technique of the Japanese publication, an expensive arithmetic and operation unit is necessary in which very many multiplications and additions are executed at high speed, when performing Fourier progress expansion and Fourier reverse transformation, thus a lot of time is taken to perform such mathematical operations.
Further, in the method of the Japanese publication, assuming that the average load fluctuation is small, an optimum operation can always be achieved if a correcting value is determined only once. In the absence of a drastic load fluctuation such as in a servo motor, production of a correcting torque cannot catch up with the fluctuation so that a smooth operation cannot be realized.

Apparatus for controlling the speed of a moving object


A semiconductor device test apparatus for improving a loss rate of a test signal in testing a device under test is provided. The semiconductor device test apparatus includes a probe interface board, a pogo block disposed on the probe interface board and electrically connected to a device under test, an equipment board disposed under the probe interface board, an alternating current (AC) controller, transferring and receiving an AC signal for performing an AC test on at least one of the device under test and the pogo block, being mounted on the equipment board, and a physical layer equalizing (PLE) board disposed between the probe interface board and the equipment board, a first equalizing circuit, decreasing loss of the AC signal, being mounted on the PLE board.

As semiconductor devices advance, an important issue for accurately and quickly testing semiconductor devices is progressively increasing. Recently, the use of a System on Chip (hereinafter referred to as an SoC), into which a system and a product capable of complete driving are embedded, increases, and thus, semiconductor device test apparatuses for more quickly and accurately testing SoCs are needed.
In terms of securing reliability, semiconductor device test apparatuses for testing an SoC perform various kinds of performance tests so as to verify an electrical characteristic and a physical characteristic of the SoC before the SoC is released. In detail, the semiconductor device test apparatuses may connect an input/output terminal of an SoC to a test signal generating circuit to perform various performance tests such as an electrical characteristic test, a function test, and a reliability evaluation of the SoC.
The semiconductor device test apparatuses described above may apply various test signals to an SoC, receive a response signal fed back from the SoC on the basis of a test signal being applied thereto, and compare an expectation value with the response signal, thereby testing the occurrence or not of a defect in the SoC. As described above, the semiconductor device test apparatuses may perform a test on an SoC before being released, and thus, may detect and remove an SoC where a defect thereof has been detected, thereby enhancing the reliability of a product.
However, in general semiconductor device test apparatuses, noise or jitter may occur in a test signal, which is transmitted to an SoC so as to test the SoC, or a response signal which is fed back from the SoC, and thus, a signal loss rate may increase, causing a problem where the accuracy of an SoC test result is reduced.

Apparatus for testing semiconductor device


The present invention is directed to a security element for electronic article surveillance in an electromagnetic surveillance system, comprising a soft magnetic, magnetostrictive strip and a premagnetization element fabricated from a semi-hard or hard magnetic material that is associated with the strip, and to a method of manufacturing such security elements.. With regard to the security element the premagnetization element is configured such that, by application of an essentially constant external field (H), it produces a stray field that optimizes the magneto-elastic properties of the stripe.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a security element for electronic article surveillance in an electromagnetic surveillance system, comprising a soft magnetic, magnetostrictive strip and a premagnetization element fabricated from a semi-hard or hard magnetic material (for example, SEMIVAC by the firm Vacuumschmelze) that is associated with the strip, and to a method of manufacturing such a security element.
2. Background Art
From EP 0 093 281 B1, a security element and a surveillance apparatus for a corresponding security element attached to the article subject to surveillance are already known. The security element is comprised of an elongated strip of a preferably amorphous magnetic material of high permeability and magnetostriction. The strip is designed to be incited to mechanical vibrations at the frequency of the incident alternating magnetic field of the surveillance apparatus. The elastic postoscillatory response and the change in the magnetization of the strip coupled thereto on account of the magnetostrictive phenomenon induce a voltage change in the receiver device.
By suitable alloy compositions it is possible to vary the strip's magnetostrictive properties in wide ranges. A feature common to all these alloys is that a more or less distinct preferred direction transverse to the strip's longitudinal axis can be impressed upon them by an appropriate heat treatment.
This transversal anisotropy is necessary to incite mechanical vibrations in the material with fields along the longitudinal axis of the strip. Because the length variation is a square function of the cosine of the change in the magnetization, the maximum length variation and thus the maximum magneto-elastic effect are obtained when the direction of the magnetization is adjusted to an approximately 45.degree. angle to the strip's longitudinal axis. This is accomplished by suitably premagnetizing the strip in an external field of sufficient intensity. In the absence of demagnetizing effects, an amount 0.7 times the intensity of the anisotropic field of the induced anisotropy would be required. Generally, however, lower field strengths are sufficient.
The intensity of premagnetization thus determines both the amplitude of the oscillation and the natural resonant frequency of the strip. Proper adjustment of the premagnetization is the absolute prerequisite for the obtainment of an optimum resonant response of the strip at the emitted interrogation frequency of the transmitter device. The term optimum as used herein means that the characteristic signal has a sufficiently high oscillation amplitude, in addition to dying out optimally.
For technical implementation of the premagnetization, it is proposed in EP 0 093 281 B1 to produce a stray field of sufficient intensity along the strip by means of one or several magnetic elements which are magnetized and arranged in close proximity to the strip. Deactivation of the security element is then accomplished simply by demagnetizing the security element or magnetizing the premagnetization element in antiparallel areas, causing the stray field to disappear. However, this method is not absolutely reliable. As a result of the still relatively high permeability of the not premagnetized strip, an alarm may be produced although deactivation has taken place in surveillance apparatus operating on the basis of a harmonic principle (=detection of harmonic waves), in particular where the hysteresis curve of the strip proceeds along a non-linear course.
In addition, the inhomogeneities in both the strip and the premagnetization elements may cause relatively severe fluctuations in the magneto-elastic properties, particularly the resonant frequency. As a result of the spread of the magnetic parameters (resonant frequency, decay) thereby produced, the risk then exists that the security element fails to be reliably detected by the surveillance apparatus.
To reduce the material-induced spread of the resonance properties, it is proposed in EP 0 690 425 A1 to cut the strip to the appropriate length during manufacture. This is a relatively complicated approach involving high manufacturing cost.
EP 0 696 784 A1 proposes circumventing this problem. As in EP 0 093 281 B1, a premagnetization element is used whose stray field is dimensioned such as to enable the magneto-elastic strip to be magnetized to a higher degree. For one purpose, this makes it possible to deactivate the security element such as to prevent it from being detected also in other surveillance systems; for another purpose, the resonant frequency can be tuned to the respective frequency of the interrogation field within specified limits by selected magnetization of the premagnetization element, thereby enabling inhomogeneities in the materials employed to be compensated for.
The disadvantage of this method is that for the purpose of optimizing the strip's magneto-elastic response it is necessary to adjust the magnetization of the premagnetization element individually by suitable selection of an external field.

Security element for electronic article surveillance and method of manufacturing a security element


A navigation system is provided to direct control of a user interface work-flow during a procedure. Such a need can arise in sterile environments were touchless interaction is preferable over physical contact. The system includes a wand and receiver for controlling a pagination and parameter entry of the work-flow, a processor to compare wand movement profiles, a clock for limiting a time window between the comparison, and a controller for activating a user interface control in the workflow when a wand movement profile or gesture is recognized. The comparison can be based on the wand's direction, orientation and movement to and from various locations. Other embodiments are disclosed.

1. Field
The present embodiments of the invention generally relate to the field of user interfaces, and more particularly to input pointing devices.
2. Introduction
Navigation systems and other sensing technologies generally include a display. Interaction with the display can occur via mouse, keyboard or touch screen. There are cases however when the display or its control devices are not directly accessible and a touchless interaction is preferable.

Navigation system and user interface for directing a control action


A tape cassette that includes a box-shaped cassette case whose outline being defined by a bottom wall, a top wall, and a side wall and including a plurality of corner portions, at least one tape contained within a tape containment area defined within the outline, a pair of cavities extending from the bottom wall and being provided between the tape containment area and the outline at opposite ends of a diagonal line connecting one of the corner portions to another of the corner portions, and a side face indicator portion provided in the side wall, indicating a type of the tape, and including a plurality of indicator portions disposed in a pattern in accordance with the type of the tape, each of the indicator portions being one of a switch hole and a surface portion.

The present invention relates to a tape cassette that can be mounted in and removed from a tape printer.
A tape cassette in which a tape is contained within a cassette case may be mounted in a cassette mounting portion of a tape printer. A tape cassette is known that, when mounted in the cassette mounting portion, allows the tape printer to detect a type of the tape that is contained within the cassette case (for example, refer to Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
Specifically, a cassette detection portion, in which one or more switch holes are formed in a pattern that corresponds to the type of the tape, is provided in a part of a bottom face of the tape cassette. A plurality of detection switches that project upward are provided in the cassette mounting portion. When the tape cassette is mounted in the cassette mounting portion, the cassette detection portion selectively depresses the plurality of detection switches according to the pattern of the switch holes. The tape printer detects the type of the tape according to a combination of the plurality of detection switches that are depressed and not depressed.


Retrofit light fixtures suitable for installation without tools. One or more spring bands deform as the fixture is forced through a ceiling opening and resume their preloaded shape to hold the fixture in place. Some embodiments may be installed in round ceiling openings and may utilize LED light sources.

Known methods and apparatuses for installing downlight fixtures into ceiling openings and the like traditionally require an assortment of tools and hardware, in addition to a certain amount of corresponding dexterity. These necessities are especially troublesome given that an installer performing such an installation is typically also preoccupied with holding the light fixture(s) to be installed and maintaining his or her balance on a height support, such as a ladder, lift, or chair, during the installation process. Thus, it may be desirable to provide a downlight fixture that can be installed easily with without tools or hardware. This is especially true now as many consumers are upgrading their downlight fixtures from a conventional light source fixture to an LED light source fixture.


A lens adapter ring is provided for connecting a lens barrel to a lens holder whose thread specification is different from that of the lens barrel. The ring includes a first hollow cylinder. The cylinder includes a first inner surface and a first outer surface opposite to the first inner surface. The first outer surface includes a first outer thread portion adapted for the lens holder, and the first inner surface includes a first inner thread portion adapted for the lens barrel. The thread specification of the first outer thread portion is different from that of the inner thread portion. A lens module using the lens adapter ring is also provided.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to lens modules and, particularly, to a lens module using a lens adaptor ring.
2. Description of Related Art
Normally, one kind of lens holder can only receive those lens barrels whose thread specifications are the same as that of the lens holder. For example, the thread specification of the lens holder is M7×P0.35 mm (the number following the M is the major diameter of the thread in millimeter, and the number following the P is the pitch of the thread in millimeter) can only receive the lens barrel having the same thread specification.


A plant for preparing over-run ice-cream includes a freezing apparatus for freezing mix supplied to the freezing apparatus via a feeding pump, an air supply apparatus for adding air to the mix before the mix is fed to the freezing apparatus, a mix mass flow meter for determining the mass flow rate of mix prior to addition of air, a computer which controls the air supply apparatus dependent upon the mix mass flow measured. The air is intimately mixed with the mix by means of a mixing apparatus arranged immediately before the freezing apparatus. The product in completely or partly melted condition has a cream-like thick consistency and an increased percent over-run.

The present invention relates to a plant for preparing over-run edible ice-cream, the plant comprising a completely or partly freezing apparatus for freezing an ice-cream mixture (mix), the freezing apparatus being fed with mix via a feeding conduit by means of a feeding pump, an air mass flow from a source of pressure air being added to the mix between the feeding pump and the freezing apparatus by means of an air supply apparatus, the air supply apparatus being controlled by means of a signal from a computer in such a way that the rate of the air mass flow depends upon the mix flow flowing through the feeding conduit, the mix flow being measured by means of a mix flow meter provided in the feeding conduit and connected with the computer.
A plant of the kind referred to above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,272. According to this patent the mix flow through the feeding pump is measured by means of a volume flow meter, which delivers a signal directly proportional to the volume flow to the computer, which issues a signal that is directly proportional to the volume flow to the air supply apparatus in such a way that the air supply apparatus delivers an air mass flow to the mix in the feeding conduit that is directly proportional to the mix volume flow through the volume flow meter of the pump.
It should be mentioned that the ice-cream mixture to be used in the production of edible ice-cream, and which is here termed "mix", is mixed with air which is termed "over-run" in order to achieve a porous character of the final ice-cream. In order to freeze the air mixed (over-run) ice-cream mixture (mix) correctly, it is important that the percent over-run is correct, i.e., adjusted in the right way with respect to the composition of the mix and to the conditions prevailing during the freezing. The percent over-run is here defined as the the ratio between the weight of one volume mix (without air) multiplied by 100 and the weight of the same volume ice-cream from which ratio 100 is substracted.
Accordingly, it will be understood that if the mix after the over-run e.g. contains 50 volume percent mix and 50 volume percent air, the over-run is 100 percent and that the percent over-run will increase by increasing air addition and decrease by decreasing air addition.
A mix is prepared by mixing different ingredients known per se, and during such mixing also air will often be introduced into the mix. If the mix fed to the plant contains air and the volume flow rate of the mix is used in order to produce a signal directly proportional thereto for controlling the air supply as the case is according to the prior art referred to above, such air supply will be wrong because the air content in the mix will add to the control signal as if the air in question were mix.
This is unfortunate because a percent over-run which varies with respect to the one requested has a harmful influence upon the final product. This is due to the fact that the freezing apparatus is to be controlled in such a way that a requested viscosity of the product treated in the freezing apparatus is obtained and the parameters to be observed in this connection are in particular the pressure and the exit temperature. These parameters are adjusted according to the viscosity requested and a wrong percent over-run will not give the requested result by using operation parameters adjusted to another predetermined percent over-run. The result such wrong treatment is that the product, when it later on partly or completely melts displays a thin consistency.
It has been tried to improve the consistency of the final product when partly or completely melted partly or completely in connection with a freezing apparatus wherein the operating parameters thereof inclusive the percent over-run is controlled manually, viz. by mixing the mix and the air intimately with each other before the mixture is fed into the freezing apparatus. Thereby it has sometimes been possible to obtain a product having a cream-like consistency when completely or partly melted, but it has not been possible in this way to obtain good results in a reproduceable way. For instance, it has not been possible to achieve a product which always obtains the desired advantageous qualities. Presumably, this is due to the fact that previously it has not been realized that an exact observance of the percent over-run plays an important part for the final result. Moreover, it should in this connection be noticed that the factor used for controlling a manually controlled freezing apparatus is the viscosity of the material leaving the freezing apparatus and a previously determined viscosity may be achieved within a broad range of control both as regards the operating temperature and the pressure in the freezing apparatus, the exit temperature of the product, and the percent over-run, but such parameters must of course be mutually co-ordinated.

Plant for preparing over-run edible ice-cream