An isolator 10 is formed with an isolation transformer 13 that blocks an abnormal voltage entering from a communication line 30 and protects a protection target device 40. A pulse transformer 43 in the device 40 includes a primary winding 43a connected to a secondary winding 13b of the transformer 13 and a secondary winding 43b connected to an inner circuit. A medium tap of the primary winding 43a is grounded through an inner capacitance Ci of the device 40. A parasitic capacitance Cs between the primary winding 13a and the secondary winding 13b of the transformer 13 and the inner capacitance Ci are connected in series, an abnormal voltage is divided by the capacitance Cs and the capacitance Ci, and a capacitance value of the capacitance Cs is set such that the divided voltage of the capacitance Ci is equal to or below a predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication line isolator (which is referred to as, for example, a surge protective device (hereinafter referred to as "SPD") for LAN) arranged so as to intervene in a communication line in order to protect protection target devices corresponding to communication devices including an optical network unit (hereinafter referred to as "ONU"), a home gateway (hereinafter referred to as "HGW"), a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as "PC") and a modem, which are connected to a communication line such as a local area network (hereinafter referred to as "LAN") line. In particular, the present invention relates to an isolation-type communication line isolator having high pressure resistance performance (e.g. isolation-type LAN SPD).
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to protect communication devices corresponding to protection target devices from an abnormal voltage or abnormal current such as a lightning surge which enters from a power wire, communication wire or grounding wire, the SPD is installed in each wire. SPD's are broadly classified into two types (i.e. current release type and isolation type) as described below.
As a current-release-type SPD in the related art, for example, there are known a current-release-type SPD for power disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-206263 and a current-release-type SPD for communication disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-341677. These current-release-type SPD's are formed with an arrester, varistor and so on, and these components are grounded. As an operation, by causing the SPD to accept an abnormal current and release the abnormal current to the ground side, the abnormal current is prevented from entering the communication device side.
Also, as an isolation-type SPD in the related art, for example, there are known an isolation type SPD for power disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-151705 and an isolation type SPD for communication disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-64740. These isolation-type SPD's are formed with an isolation voltage inverter (i.e. isolation transformer), and, although there are many SPD types that are grounded by setting an electrostatic shield to the isolation transformer, there are SPD types that are not grounded. As an operation, by causing the isolation transformer to intervene in a line of a power wire or communication wire, an isolation unit is formed in the line, and therefore an abnormal current does not enter the communication device side as long as the isolation transformer is not destroyed.
When the isolation-type SPD is explained, an isolation transformer used in this isolation-type SPD has a parasitic capacitance between a primary winding and a secondary winding. Therefore, even if the primary side corresponding to the power wire side or the communication wire side and the secondary side corresponding to the power device side or communication device side are isolated using an isolation transformer, part of an abnormal current such as a lightning surge which enters from the primary winding side of the isolation transformer passes to the secondary winding side of the isolation transformer by capacitive coupling by the parasitic capacitance.
To cope with such a pending problem, like the isolation-type SPD's disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-151705 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-64740 of the related art, it is desirable to basically set an electrostatic shield between the primary winding side and the secondary winding side of an isolation transformer and fasten this electrostatic shield to the ground. By this means, it is possible to suppress an abnormal current flowed from the primary winding side to the secondary winding side (i.e. it is possible to extremely lower a so-called surge change ratio) and therefore it is possible to reliably protect a power device or communication device from an abnormal current or abnormal voltage. Also, there is a method of preventing an abnormal current or abnormal voltage from intervening in the power device side or communication device side by setting a release-type SPD before the first winding side of the isolation transformer or after the secondary winding side of the isolation transformer and fastening a ground terminal of this release-type SPD to the ground.
Next, an explanation is given to a LAN SPD which is an "isolation type" and "does not require grounding" in the related art.
In recent years, regarding a communication line corresponding to a communication wire, a LAN line becomes common. Communication devices such as an ONU, an HGW and a PC connected to the LAN line include, for example, a LAN connector connected to the LAN line, a pulse voltage inverter (i.e. pulse transformer) connected to this LAN connector and a LAN controller that is connected to this pulse transformer and transmits and receives pulse signals. To protect such a communication device from an abnormal voltage or abnormal current such as a lightning surge, the LAN SPD as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-10085 of the related art is also installed between the communication device and the LAN line.
For example, in a communication device installed in an average house or building's office, since a ground terminal is often installed in a predetermined limited place, there are many cases where it is difficult to lay a grounding wire from the LAN SPD toward the ground terminal. Therefore, as the LAN SPD used in an average house or building's office, there are many cases where an SPD which is an "isolation type" and "does not require grounding" is required. This kind of SPD is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-136303 of the related art.
However, the isolation-type LAN SPD which is one of communication line isolators in the related art has following problems (a) and (b).
(a) Regarding Cooperation Problem
A withstand voltage value of an isolation-type LAN SPD using an isolation transformer in the related art is often designed to around 5 kV. This is because of considering the reality that an abnormal voltage of a lightning surge which enters a LAN line is often equal to or below 5 kV. Further, when an excessive voltage of around 5 kV is applied to the primary side of the LAN SPD, although a voltage is caused on the secondary side of the LAN SPD by capacitive coupling of an isolation transformer, the voltage caused on the secondary side is around 1 kV at a maximum. A communication device connected to the secondary side of the LAN SPD normally has a structure to withstand a voltage of around 1 kV.
Meanwhile, according to the latest studies and field investigation report in recent years, a case is reported where a lightning surge of around 13 kV with an impulse waveform of 10/700 μs (i.e. a lightning surge with a waveform which: reaches the maximum voltage of 13 kV at the timing a time of 10 μs passes from the rising start timing; after that, gradually attenuates; and, at the timing a time of 700 μs passes from the rising start timing, attenuates up to 7.5 kV, which is a half voltage of the maximum voltage of 13 kV) occurs. Therefore, there is a need to improve a withstand voltage of the LAN SPD up to around 13 kV.
To improve the withstand voltage of the LAN SPD itself, the design of an isolation transformer system (e.g. shape) has to be changed.
However, simply, in a case where the withstand voltage performance of the LAN SPD is improved to around 13 kV, the following harmful effect may occur.
For example, when an excessive voltage of around 10 kV is applied to the primary side of the LAN SPD, although a voltage is caused on the secondary side of the LAN SPD by capacitive coupling of an isolation transformer, the voltage caused on the secondary side is several kV (this voltage is larger than 1 kV, the withstand voltage of the communication device on the secondary side) and therefore a communication device on the secondary side may be damaged. In other words, when an excessive voltage of 10 kV which the LAN SPD can withstand is caused, the LAN SPD itself may not be damaged but the communication device on the secondary side may be damaged.
Therefore, it is requested to develop an LAN SPD that not only improves the withstand voltage of the LAN SPD simply but also does not damage the communication device on the secondary side even if the withstand voltage of the LAN SPD is improved.
(b) Regarding Chassis of LAN SPD
In a case where the withstand voltage performance of a LAN SPD is improved up to around 13 kV and a lightning surge of around 20 kV over the withstand voltage performance of the LAN SPD is applied to the LAN SPD, an isolation transformer inside the LAN SPD is subjected to breakdown (i.e. aerial discharge between the primary wire side and the secondary wire side of the isolation transformer), thereby flowing out an excessive abnormal current from the primary wire side to the secondary wire side of the isolation transformer. At this time, in a chassis housing the LAN SPD, an inner pressure is rapidly increased by thermal expansion of air due to an abnormal current.
Here, for example, if the chassis of the LAN SPD having high pressure resistance performance is formed with an isolation member such as a synthetic resin as disclosed in the related art, it is not possible to withstand a rapid increase of chassis inner pressure at the time an abnormal current occurs, and the chassis may burst swiftly. Further, when the chassis bursts, fragments of the chassis fly off and therefore a risk to users is concerned.
Therefore, it can be considered to form the chassis with metal members so as not to burst the chassis of the LAN SPD in a case where a lightning surge over the withstand voltage performance of the LAN SPD is applied to the LAN SPD. However, in the case of the chassis made of metal members, since the chassis is a conductor, it is necessary to make an isolation distance between the chassis and the SPD inner circuit larger than that of the chassis made of isolation members, and thereby the LAN SPD itself becomes large and its cost increases.
Therefore, it is requested to develop a small LAN SPD that not only improves the withstand voltage of the LAN SPD simply but also does not burst a chassis made of isolation members even if the withstand voltage of the LAN SPD is improved.


A control device for an air-conditioning system of a vehicle comprises an evaporator, a compressor with externally controlled variable displacement, and an expansion valve. The control device comprises a control block that receives a reference temperature indicating a desired temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator, and an effective temperature of the air present downstream of the evaporator. The control device-supplies a control signal for the compressor to bring the effective temperature substantially equal to the reference temperature. An observer module receives the control signal and supplies a temperature disturbance indicating an estimate of the oscillatory effect generated by an expansion valve on the temperature of air downstream of the evaporator when a compressor is driven by the control signal. An adder block removes from the effective temperature the temperature disturbance so as to eliminate the oscillatory effect on the effective temperature downstream of the evaporator.

The present invention relates to a device and to a method for the control of the air-conditioning system of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle such as an automobile, a bus, etc.
As is known, the air-conditioning systems of motor vehicles are typically provided with a closed-loop cooling circuit equipped with an evaporator and a control system capable of regulating the temperature of the air introduced into the passenger compartment.
FIG. 1 shows a control system 1 of a cooling circuit 2, which is traversed by the coolant and comprises in succession: an evaporator 3; a compressor 4, which is designed to take in, at a certain intake pressure, the coolant in the vapour phase from the evaporator 3 so as to obtain a control of the temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator 3 itself; a condenser 5, designed to receive the coolant in the vapour phase from the compressor 4; and an expansion valve 6 designed to receive the coolant in the liquid phase from the condenser 5 to supply it in dual-phase (i.e., vapour phase and liquid phase) to the evaporator 4 itself.
In particular, the compressor 4 is constituted by a compressor with externally controlled variable displacement, on which it is possible to operate by causing the displacement (defined as the working volume, where the coolant is compressed) to vary as the thermal load acting on the air-conditioning system varies.
The possibility of varying the displacement of the compressor is obtained via the electromagnetic regulation valves (not illustrated), which are driven via an external control signal SC and are designed to control the device that enables modulation of the displacement of the compressor 4.
The control system 1 moreover comprises a control device 7, which is able to generate the control signal SC of the compressor 4 in such a way as to control the temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator 3 as a function of the deviation between a reference temperature TREF set by the user by means of an externally controlled selector device 9 and an effective temperature TMIS indicating the temperature of the air present downstream of the evaporator 3. The effective temperature TMIS can be measured using a temperature sensor 10, set downstream of the evaporator 3.
The control device 7 comprises an adder block 11 having a first input designed to receive the reference temperature TREF from the selector device 9, a second input designed to receive the effective temperature TMIS from the temperature sensor 10, and an output supplying a temperature error er, given by the difference between the reference temperature TREF and the effective temperature TMIS.
The control device 7 moreover comprises a control block 12, which is designed to receive at input the temperature error er and a set of measurement parameters, such as for example Te (external temperature), RPM (engine r.p.m.), and RH (relative humidity) correlated to the exogenous disturbance, and supplies at output, according to the latter, the control signal SC.
In detail, the control block 12 comprises a compensating network of a proportional-integral (PI) type (not illustrated) and generates a control signal SC corresponding to a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal, which drives the electromagnetic valves for regulating the stroke of the pistons, thus determining control of the displacement of the compressor 4. In the case in point, the regulation of the displacement determines a control of the intake pressure of the compressor 4 and, consequently, an indirect control of the temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator 3.
It is moreover known that, in the air-conditioning systems described above, the expansion valve 6 for supplying the coolant to the evaporator 3 is an internally controlled device, operation of which is completely independent of the control implemented on the compressor 4 by the control device 7.
The complete independence existing between the two controls determines, in certain limit conditions of operation of the compressor 4, a discordance in the control of some parameters that characterize operation of the cooling circuit 2, such as for example the intake pressure of the compressor 4 and the temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator 3, in this way causing a condition of instability of the air-conditioning system. In the case in point, during its operation, the expansion valve 6 generates a temperature disturbance ΔTEVAP of an oscillatory type, which alters the temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator 3, and leads, in certain conditions, to instability of the control.
In fact, said temperature disturbance ΔTEVAP determines an increase of the intake pressure of the compressor 4, which in certain limit conditions exceeds a threshold delimiting the condition of stability of the air-conditioning system, consequently causing a series of oscillations of the flow rate of the coolant, and of the temperature of the air downstream of the evaporator 3. The generation of said oscillations, generally referred to with the term "hunting phenomenon", represents a major drawback in the air-conditioning systems described above in so far as it has a negative effect both on the capacity of minimizing the consumption of the air-conditioning system, and on the thermal comfort of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Device and method for controlling the air-conditioning system of a vehicle


Disclosed is a method for determining an eye parameter of a user of a display device, the eye parameter relating to a dioptric parameter of an ophthalmic lens to be provided to the user, the method including: a display device providing step, during which a binocular display device is provided to the user,—an image display step, during which an image is displayed to the user when using the display device; a display parameter modifying step, during which at least one parameter of the display device is modified so as to modify the virtual display distance of the perceived image, wherein the display parameter modifying step is repeated until image subjective quality of the perceived image is perceived by the user as optimal; and an eye parameter determining step during which an eye parameter is determined based on the parameter of the display device.

Usually, a person wishing to have an optical equipment goes to see an eye care practitioner.
The eye care practitioner orders the eyewear equipment at an optical lab by sending an order request to the optical lab. The order request may comprise wearer data, for example the wearer's prescription, fitting data, spectacle frame data, for example the type of spectacle frame the wearer has selected, and lens data, for example the type of optical lens the wearer has selected.
The determination of the wearer's prescription and fitting data may require carrying out complex and time consuming measurements. Such measurements usually require complex and costing material and qualified personnel to be carried out.
The usual methods for determining the eye parameters of the user are usually considered long and complex to implement.
For example, a person wanting to determine his or her Inter-Pupillary distance without the help of a third party may implement a method known as the mirror method.
The person needs a ruler with millimeter units and a mirror. To increase the measuring accuracy, the person is to be in a well-lit area so that he or she can line up the ruler and see the ruler markings. In order to get a good reading, the person needs to stand approximately 20 centimeters from the mirror. A person having viewing issues may need to adapt the distance or may need to use his or her ophthalmic lenses that may affect the measurement.
The person is to hold the ruler right above her or his eyes, straight across his or her eyebrows.
The person should keep her or his head straight and upright to ensure a proper measurement.
It's easier for the person to measure one eye at a time by closing the other eye. For example, the person may start by closing his or her right eye and hold the zero millimeter mark right above the exact center of his or her left pupil.
If the zero mark is not perfectly aligned with the center of the left pupil the whole measurement may be altered.
Without moving his or her head or the ruler at all, the person is to open his or her right eye and find the exact millimeter mark that falls on his or her right pupil.
To ensure an accurate reading the person need to look straight ahead at the mirror.
The millimeters that lines up with the exact center of his or her right pupil corresponds to the Inter-Pupillary distance of the person.
To assure an accurate determination of the Inter-Pupillary distance, the person is to repeat the measurements at least three or four times.
Other Inter-Pupillary distance determining methods exists but are usually as complex to implement or require the presence of an eye care professional.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for determining eye parameters of a person that would not be as complex and long to implement as the prior art methods.
One object of the present invention is to provide such method.

Method of determining an eye parameter of a user of a display device


In one embodiment, a method includes establishing a control channel across a wide area network (WAN) from a first gateway that has a first public internetwork layer (L3) address to a second gateway that has a second public L3 address. Each gateway connects a local area network (LAN) to the WAN. Negotiations over the control channel establish a first set of private L3 addresses for the first LAN and a non-overlapping second set for the second LAN. A different address from the first set is provided for each different node in the first LAN. A discovery packet is received from the first LAN. The discovery packet is encapsulated in a tunnel packet directed to the second public L3 address. The tunnel packet is sent over the WAN to the second gateway which extracts the discovery packet. The second gateway sends the discovery packet over the second LAN.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a virtual private network within a larger area network, and in particular to a virtual private network that is simple to establish and maintain so that it is suitable for residential and small office use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Networks of general purpose computer systems and other devices connected by external communication links are well known and widely used in commerce. The networks often include one or more network devices that facilitate the passage of information between the computer systems. A network node is a network device or computer system connected by the communication links. As used herein, an end node is a network node that is configured to originate or terminate communications over the network. In contrast, an intermediate network node facilitates the passage of data between end nodes
Small office and residential home networks are made up of an increasing number of networked devices. These include computers, printers, facsimile machines, Internet telephones, cameras, players for audio and video digital data, and digital data storage devices, among others. These devices may be used to connect to the Internet, or to communicate with one another on a given home or small office local area network (LAN).
It is often cumbersome for a user to share device-to-device connectivity when the devices are not physically located on the same LAN.

Simple virtual private network for small local area networks


A power connector includes an insulative housing, a power contact retained in the insulative housing and a key member. The insulative housing defines a receiving chamber recessed from a mating face and a rear portion located at the rear of the receiving chamber. The rear portion defines a mounting hole in communication with the receiving chamber and a first locking arm having a first hook protruding into the mounting hole. The first hook is lockable with the key member in order to prevent the key member from withdrawing from the mounting hole. The key member further defines a slit through which the first hook is forwardly exposed to an exterior. As a result, a tool can be inserted into the slit to push the first hook so as to unlock the first locking arm with the key member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power connector, and more particularly to a power connector with an improved locking member exposed to the exterior for easy separation.
2. Description of Related Art
Power connectors are usually required to have characteristics of enduring heavy electric current and high voltage. However, when the power connectors are mounted to a system device, it is sometimes difficult for single parts of the power connectors to identify multiple voltages and electric current, because the system device works under different input/output voltage and different electric current. In order to resolve this problem, key members are developed by designers and used in power connectors for ensuring right mating with complementary power connectors.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0087100A1 published to De Blieck et al. on Apr. 8, 2010 discloses such a power connector including an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts fixed in the insulative housing and a key member. Referring to FIG. 2 of this patent publication, the key member includes a middle portion, a pair of locking arms extending backwardly from the middle portion, and a protrusion extending forwardly from the middle portion. The insulative housing defines a mounting hole for assembly of the key member. However, once the locking arms are assembled to the insulative housing, it is difficult to separate them from the mounting hole, because the locking arms are hidden in the insulative housing. As a result, it is difficult to replace the key member when it is damaged or need to be changed.
Hence, a power connector with improved locking member is desired.

Power connector with improved locking member exposed to the exterior


The invention is a method for the treatment of mammalian articular cartilage disorders, inflammatory joint disease, trauma-related cartilage injuries, and degenerative disc disease. The method involves treating the affected area with a composition containing a therapeutically effective dose of Centella extract. The composition is delivered locally by parenteral administration to the affected site.

Articular cartilage plays an essential role in the movement of mammalian joints. It provides a superior smooth surface between adjacent bones, allowing for near-frictionless motion of joints. Synovial fluid within the joint cavity serves as a lubricant. It is the articular cartilage that spreads compressive stresses over the articular plate surfaces of the joint, thus protecting weight-bearing bones from shattering or deteriorating.
Articular cartilage is composed of chondrocytes embedded in an extracellular matrix of proteoglycans, collagen, and small molecular weight glycoproteins. Chondrocytes are cartilage cells embedded in lacunae within the cartilage matrix. Proteoglycans are essential in maintaining strength of the cartilage tissue so that it can withstand compression. Collagen provides the tissue with tensile strength and resistance to shear. In a healthy joint, the extracellular matrix is maintained by a balance between the synthesis and secretion of these macromolecules by chondrocytes and their subsequent degradation by proteolytic enzymes such as proteoglycanases and metalloproteinases, which are also synthesized and secreted by chondrocytes. Damage to the cartilage of the articular surface can disrupt this equilibrium, such that degradation exceeds the ability of chondrocytes to synthesize macromolecules necessary for repair of the cartilage tissues. Chronic disruption of the equilibrium between synthesis and degradation of cartilage matrix macromolecules is associated with the development of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis and results from the gradual breakdown of cartilage that accompanies aging. Typically, OA follows trauma or chronic joint injury due to some other type of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis. Alternatively, OA can result from overuse of a particular joint. OA may be classified as: primary, in which no underlying cause is apparent; secondary, which is associated with a predisposing factor such as trauma, repetitive stress (occupation, sports), congenital abnormality, metabolic disorder, or other bone/joint disease; and erosive, a syndrome characterized by periods of acute inflammation and progressive destruction of the joints occurring most often in middle-aged women. OA most is most commonly prevalent in the joints of the fingers, hips, knees, spine, base of the thumb, and big toe. Clinically, OA is characterized by joint pain, tenderness, and limitation of movement, crepitus, and inexorably progressive disability. It can be present in just one of these joints or in all of them. Although most body tissues can make repairs following an injury, cartilage self-repair is hampered by a limited blood supply and the lack of an effective mechanism for cartilage re-growth.
In osteoarthritis, the first alteration in the joint, which takes place over decades, is a roughening of articular cartilage followed by pitting, ulceration, and progressive loss of cartilage surface. Proinflammatory cytokines accelerate degradation of the cartilage matrix. Persistent inflammation produces symptoms and damages tissue resulting in loss of cartilage, erosion of bone matter, and subluxation of the joint. There is compelling evidence that soluble inflammatory mediators (i.e., molecules that are released by immune cells during times when harmful agents invade our body) such as cytokines, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), are involved in the osteoarthritis process. By inducing the synthesis of proteolytic enzymes, cytokines interfere with the action of growth factors such as the insulin growth factor-I (IGF-1) binding proteins. Moreover, the inflammatory cytokines have the ability to suppress the synthesis of type II collagen, characteristic of hyaline cartilage, while augmenting the synthesis of type I collagen, characteristic of fibroblast cells. In addition, IL-1 reduces aggrecan synthesis, the macromolecule largely responsible for the mechanical properties of articular cartilage.
Historically, treatment of osteoarthritis and articular cartilage injuries has been limited to pain relief, reduction of joint loading, physical therapy, and orthopedic surgery, all of which are aimed at symptomatic relief rather than treatment of the underlying pathologic disorder. More recently, osteoarthritis research has concentrated on development of chondroprotective methods. Such methods involve long-term therapeutic treatment aimed at preserving or stimulating cartilage formation. Present treatment of arthritis includes first line drugs for control of pain and inflammation classified as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and methotrexate. Secondary treatments include corticosteroids, slow acting anti-rheumatic drugs (SAARDs) or disease modifying drugs (DMs), such as, pencillinamine, cyclophosphamide, gold salts, azothipprine, and levamisole. Although NSAIDS are one of the major groups of drugs in terms of sales and use for the management of OA among the general population, their side effects have become an issue in the risk/benefit determination, particularly in the elderly. Depending upon individual circumstances, NSAIDS may cause gastrointestinal hemorrhage, ulceration, or perforation, while some are associated with bone marrow depression, several cause fluid retention, and may contribute to renal failure. These effects are particularly important because such treatments are often long-term. While the previously mentioned drugs have met with some degree of success in the preventative treatment of osteoarthritis, new and improved methods and pharmaceutical compositions are constantly being sought which may effectively reduce the progression of lesion and cartilage degradation in a mammal suffering from osteoarthritis. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a methodology for effectively treating arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and cartilage diseases.
Herbal medicines for treatment of a variety of ailments in mammals are known. Typically, such herbal medicines are obtained as the active compound(s) by extraction from plant tissues. For example, it is known to treat degenerative musculoskeletal diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in an animal, typically a human, by enteric administration of a therapeutically effective amount of the beneficiated extracts of the plants Withania somnifera, Boswellia serrata, Curcuma longa, and Zingiber officinale in a predetermined proportion to each other. It is also known to treat inflammation in a patient by oral administration of an effective dose of a pharmaceutical composition containing essential oils extracted from tissues of Curcuma domestica, or Curcuma xanthorrhiza, or both oils and curcuminoid substantially free of bis-desmethoxycurcumin. Edible herbal compositions containing a mixture of at least three, and as many as seven, herbs selected from Tanacetum parthenium, Zingibar officinale, Curcuma longa, Coriandrum sativum, Centella asiatica, Oenothera biennis, Valeriana officinalis, have been used as anti-inflammatory agents for alleviation of arthritis and gout is also known
It is also known that acetylglucosamine and the individual compound glucuronic acid can be combined with plant extracts selected from the group consisting of Vaccinum Myrtillus, Sylibum Marianum, Echinacea Angustifolia, Aesculus Hippocastanum, Calendula Officinalis, Centella Asiatica, Hamamelis Virginiana, Citrus Aurantium Amara, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis, Citrus Limonium, Equisetum Arvense, Glycyrritia Glabbra, Aloe Vera, Ruta Graveolans, Vitis Vinifera and Terminalia Sericea for cosmetic, pharmaceutic and dietic use. Also, it is known that COX-2 can be inhibited using an organic extract isolated from edible plants.
Although the use of various herbs has been described in related areas, the use of a parenteral composition of Centella extract for the treatment of osteoarthritis, cartilage injury, and degenerative disc disease has never previously been described.
The plant Centella Asiatica can be found throughout Asia and is commonly employed in skin disease. Reports to support these properties have been published as early as in 1971. The three active components of Centella extract, asiaticoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid, were also identified and tested. The specific role that each of these component compounds plays in the biological activity of Centella however, is unknown. The crude extract as well as the active components were claimed to be effective not only in the treatment of leprosy, but also in slow-healing wounds, surgical lesions, phlebitis, and leg ulcers (Lille Med, 1971, 17:Suppl 3:574-9). The active components as well as the crude extracts have been reported to increase collagen synthesis and cellular proliferation (Contact Dermatitis, 1993, 39(4): 175-9; Eur J Dermatol, 1999, 9(4): 289-96; Ital J Biochem, 1988, 37(2), 69-77). They also enhanced the rate of dermal wound healing in rats (Indian J. Exp. Boil, 1996, 34(12): 1208-11). In clinical studies, extracts from Centella have been claimed to be beneficial in preventing as well as reducing scarring (Bossee J P, et al: Clinical Study of a new anti-keloid agent). One important feature that could make Centella extracts attractive for use in wound healing treatment is that repeated applications on damaged skin did not lead to development of contact sensitivity (Lille Med, 1971, 17:Suppl 3:574-9). Numerous studies have elucidated the wound healing and anti-scarring properties of Centella. Isolated extracts of this plant have been used orally to treat migraines, arthritis, and bronchial complaints. There are no reports discussing the use of a parenteral composition of Centella extract for treatment of arthritis and other cartilage and disc related disease.
There is a constant need in this art for new compositions for treating arthritis and cartilage degeneration, as well as new methods of treating such conditions.

Method for treatment of cartilage disorders with centella extract

Advanced Technologies and Regenerative Medicine, LLC


According to one embodiment of the invention, a co-cured vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding manufacturing method includes providing a tool base, disposing a prepreg skin panel outwardly from the tool base, disposing one or more tooling details outwardly from the prepreg skin panel, and disposing one or more preforms proximate the one or more tooling details. The one or more preforms are either dry or binderized. The method further includes disposing a high permeability medium between the one or more tooling details and the one or more preforms, enclosing the prepreg skin panel, the one or more tooling details, the one or more preforms, and the high permeability medium with at least one vacuum bag, pulling a vacuum on the vacuum bag, infusing the one or more preforms with a resin, and curing the one or more preforms and the prepreg skin panel.

Composite structures are desirable in many industries for many applications. For example, aircraft, space, and land/sea vehicles employ a variety of curved and multiple-contoured surface structures in their fabrication. Composite materials are commonly used for these structures because, among other desirable attributes, composite materials have high strength-to-weight ratios and allow the design and fabrication of large integrated composite structures. Even so, structures formed from composite materials oftentimes need to be stiffened or joined to adjacent structures. Therefore, manufacturers of composite structures are continually searching for better and more economical ways of stiffening and/or assembling composite structures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Co-cured vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding manufacturing method


A cutting tool of the specified type is to be miniaturized and configured in such a manner that it is suitable for working bores having a diameter of 6 mm and more and for high-speed work with revolving tools.. The solution according to the invention provides that the adjustment screws for radially adjusting the cutting plate simultaneously form a clamping means for the form-locking clamping of the cutting plate to the supporting shoulder of the basic tool body.. A preferred field of use are precision drills and grinding tools equipped with inserted cutting strips made of a highly wear resistant cutting material.

The invention is based on a cutting tool for working interior and exterior contours of workpieces, with the tool including at least one cutting plate exchangeably fastened to a basic tool body and being adjustable radially to the tool axis by means of at least one adjustment screw while being clampable by clamping means to a supporting shoulder of the basic tool body that absorbs the working pressure. In a prior art cutting tool of this type (German Patent 3,201,508), a separate screw element is provided to adjust the cutting plate and to clamp it tightly into the supporting shoulder of the basic tool body. The cutting plate is disposed at a clamping shoe which is supported in the basic tool body so as to be rotatable about an axis that is axially and radially offset relative to the cutting plate. The radial adjustment of the cutting plate relative to the tool axis is effected by rotating the clamping shoe relative to the basic tool body, with this inevitably also changing the angular position of the cutting plate relative to the tool axis. To clamp the cutting plate or cutting edge to the supporting shoulder of the basic tool body, the clamping shoe is pulled at a right angle against the supporting shoulder, whereupon the cutting plate is held at the basic tool body by a friction lock. This configuration requires a relatively large amount of space and is therefore unsuitable for tools with which very small bores are to be worked. Moreover, the prior art arrangement is also unsuitable for high-speed work because the cutting plate is not held in a form lock at the basic tool body to prevent it from radially escaping from the revolving tool.

Cutting tool for working the interior and exterior contours of workpieces

MAPAL Fabrik fur Prazisionswerkzeuge Dr. Kress KG


An apparatus (9) for testing the efficiency of a thermal oxidizer (200) is described. The apparatus provides for a test chemical to be directed into a thermal oxidizer so that the entry and exit flow rates of test chemical through the termal oxidizer may be accurately measured. In a portable version, the apparatus is formed of a platform (10), a tank (26) for holding liquid test chemical to test chemical vapor, and a device (94) to measure the flow rate that liquid test chemical enters the vaporizer from the tank. Methodology employing the apparatus, which provides numerical data useful in determining the efficiency of a thermal oxidizer, is described.

In many manufacturing settings there is a need to dispose of waste gas streams. While the simplest and least expensive disposal method is to exhaust the gas stream into the ambient atmosphere, such a disposal method may cause harm to the environment, and may violate federal, state or local pollution control laws in those instances where the waste gas stream contains organic chemicals. It has therefore become common practice to pass waste gas streams through a scrubber, in order to remove certain organic components from the gas stream and allow the gas stream to be safely exhausted into the atmosphere.
One device commonly used for removal of organic chemicals from a waste gas stream is a thermal oxidizer. In a typical thermal oxidizer, the waste gas stream is combined with an oxygen-containing gas stream, e.g., air, and then passed through a flame produced by burning a combustible substance, e.g., natural gas. This process oxidizes the organic chemicals and converts them into carbon dioxide and water. The thermal oxidizer thus converts certain organic chemicals into environmentally harmless chemicals that may be safely exhausted into the atmosphere. In many modern manufacturing plants, thermal oxidizers are permanently installed in gas exhaust ducts.
While in theory and preferred practice, a thermal oxidizer can oxidize all or substantially all of the undesirable organic chemicals in a waste gas stream, in actual practice the thermal oxidizer may not be working as expected or desired. For example, the incoming waste gas stream may be flowing too quickly to allow complete oxidation of all the component organic chemicals, or there may be inadequate contact between the waste gas stream and the flame. It is therefore desirable, and often required under pollution control laws, to periodically test the efficiency of a thermal oxidizer.
To calculate the efficiency of a thermal oxidizer, one needs to determine the extent to which incoming organic chemicals are oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. Thus, one needs to know the mass flow rate of the organic chemicals entering the thermal oxidizer. Commonly, and according to procedures set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a test chemical is introduced into a waste gas stream at a point prior to the waste gas stream being subjected to oxidization in the thermal oxidizer, i.e., upstream of the thermal oxidizer. The test chemical should be introduced to the gas stream at a known and controllable mass flow rate, which is assumed to be the mass flow rate at which the test chemical enters the thermal oxidizer.
When the test chemical is a gas, one can reasonably assume that the measured rate at which the test chemical enters the gas stream, on the inlet side of a thermal oxidizer, is equal to the actual rate at which the test chemical enters the thermal oxidizer. However, when the test chemical is a liquid, the same assumption may not hold true. For example, according to the prior art, a liquid test chemical may be injected into the inlet waste gas stream by way of an atomizer placed inside the duct that directs a waste gas stream into the thermal oxidizer. This is known as the aspirator technique of introducing liquid test chemical into a waste gas stream. While it is easy to monitor the rate at which the liquid test chemical is sent through the atomizer, one may find, after the efficiency test is completed, that the duct(s) between the atomizer and the thermal oxidizer is covered by droplets, if not pools, of the liquid test chemical. In this situation, one cannot use the measured rate that liquid test chemical is sent into the duct as a basis for determining the efficiency of the oxidizer, because that measured rate is clearly not equal to, and has no known correlation with, the rate that test chemical actually enters the oxidizer.
Based on the foregoing, it can be seen that there is a pressing need in the art for an apparatus and method for reliably introducing a known and controlled rate of liquid test chemical into a thermal oxidizer, so that the efficiency of the thermal oxidizer can be accurately determined.

System to test thermal oxidizer efficiency


Conditioning apparatuses and methods for conditioning polishing pads used for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization of micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for conditioning a polishing pad used for polishing a micro-device workpiece includes monitoring surface condition in a first region of the polishing pad and adjusting at least one of a rotational velocity of the polishing pad, a downforce on the polishing pad, and a sweep velocity of the end effector in response to the monitored surface condition to provide a desired texture in the first region. In another embodiment, an apparatus for conditioning the polishing pad includes an end effector, a monitoring device, and a controller operatively coupled to the end effector and the monitoring device. The controller has a computer-readable medium containing instructions to perform a conditioning method, such as the above-mentioned method.

Mechanical and chemical-mechanical planarization processes (collectively "CMP") remove material from the surface of micro-device workpieces in the production of microelectronic devices and other products. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a rotary CMP machine 10 with a platen 20, a carrier head 30, and a planarizing pad 40. The CMP machine 10 may also have an under-pad 25 between an upper surface 22 of the platen 20 and a lower surface of the planarizing pad 40. A drive assembly 26 rotates the platen 20 (indicated by arrow F) and/or reciprocates the platen 20 back and forth (indicated by arrow G). Since the planarizing pad 40 is attached to the under-pad 25, the planarizing pad 40 moves with the platen 20 during planarization.
The carrier head 30 has a lower surface 32 to which a micro-device workpiece 12 may be attached, or the workpiece 12 may be attached to a resilient pad 34 under the lower surface 32. The carrier head 30 may be a weighted, free-floating wafer carrier, or an actuator assembly 36 may be attached to the carrier head 30 to impart rotational motion to the micro-device workpiece 12 (indicated by arrow J) and/or reciprocate the workpiece 12 back and forth (indicated by arrow 1).
The planarizing pad 40 and a planarizing solution 44 define a planarizing medium that mechanically and/or chemically-mechanically removes material from the surface of the micro-device workpiece 12. The planarizing solution 44 may be a conventional CMP slurry with abrasive particles and chemicals that etch and/or oxidize the surface of the micro-device workpiece 12, or the planarizing solution 44 may be a "clean" nonabrasive planarizing solution without abrasive particles. In most CMP applications, abrasive slurries with abrasive particles are used on nonabrasive polishing pads, and clean nonabrasive solutions without abrasive particles are used on fixed-abrasive polishing pads.
To planarize the micro-device workpiece 12 with the CMP machine 10, the carrier head 30 presses the workpiece 12 face-down against the planarizing pad 40. More specifically, the carrier head 30 generally presses the micro-device workpiece 12 against the planarizing solution 44 on a planarizing surface 42 of the planarizing pad 40, and the platen 20 and/or the carrier head 30 moves to rub the workpiece 12 against the planarizing surface 42. As the micro-device workpiece 12 rubs against the planarizing surface 42, the planarizing medium removes material from the face of the workpiece 12.
The CMP process must consistently and accurately produce a uniformly planar surface on the micro-device workpiece 12 to enable precise fabrication of circuits and photo-patterns. One problem with conventional CMP methods is that the planarizing surface 42 of the planarizing pad 40 can wear unevenly or become glazed with accumulations of planarizing solution 44 and/or material removed from the micro-device workpiece 12 and/or planarizing pad 40. To restore the planarizing characteristics of the planarizing pad 40, the pad 40 is typically conditioned by removing the accumulations of waste matter with an abrasive conditioning disk 50. The conventional abrasive conditioning disk 50 is generally embedded with diamond particles and mounted to a separate actuator 55 that moves the conditioning disk 50 rotationally, laterally, and/or axially, as indicated by arrows A, B, and C, respectively. The typical conditioning disk 50 removes a thin layer of the planarizing pad material in addition to the waste matter to form a new, clean planarizing surface 42 on the planarizing pad 40.
During the conditioning process, the conditioning disk 50 imparts texture to the planarizing pad 40. One problem with conventional conditioning methods is that even if the conditioning disk 50 uniformly removes the planarizing pad material, different textures are formed across the planarizing pad 40. Differences in texture across the planarizing pad 40 can cause the pad 40 to remove material at different rates across the micro-device workpiece 12 during the CMP process. Differences in texture can also produce defects on the micro-device workpiece 12. Consequently, the CMP process may not produce a uniformly planar surface on the micro-device workpiece 12.

Apparatus and method for conditioning a polishing pad used for mechanical and/or chemical-mechanical planarization


An inspection system allows scanning an entire vessel and its contents in a water-filled passage. A radiation source emits a beam of radiation across a radiation path between the radiation source and a radiation detector. An imaging subsystem creates an image of the entire vessel and its contents from the radiation detector, displaying the image for an inspector. If suspect areas are detected, the inspector can flag the vessel for manual inspection. A water exclusion system excludes most of the water from the radiation path, allowing imaging of underwater portions of the vessel in addition to above-water portions of the vessel. A transport system moves the vessel through the passage at a predetermined distance from one side of the passage. Rollers prevent damage to the vessel and the side of the passage in transit, while also positioning the vessel at the predetermined distance from the side of the passage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of inspection systems and, in particular, to a system for scanning boats and other small sea-going vessels.
2. Description of the Related Art
All countries desire to control who or what items cross their borders. Governments consider border control necessary for economic, political, and security reasons. Economic reasons may include payment of customs duties and other tariffs. Political concerns may include immigration and other national policy issues. Security concerns may include drugs and weapons trafficking. However, smugglers have presented problems for border control for centuries.
International trade plays a major role in the national economy of almost every country in the world. The magnitude and growth of the import and export trade is a good measure of the strength of an economy. International trade facilitates countries to achieve optimum levels of economic growth by allowing export of surplus domestic production while providing the means to import goods, which is often considered essential to achieving a high level of living standard for the population.
Maintaining an effective control over the goods entering through the various ports of entry has long been a major challenge for the customs officials. The presence of such a control not only allows correct collection of customs duties and other governmental revenues, but also limits smuggling of contraband items such as arms, explosives and drugs. Moreover, large volumes of imported goods generally make it impossible for customs officials to maintain a program of full inspection with 100% coverage by using the traditional methods of physical inspection.
Customs agencies have installed stringent controls backed by sophisticated inspection devices at airports and land border crossings. However, smuggling by sea remains a significant problem for customs agencies.
Customs agencies have recognized this need and have endeavored to equip themselves with inspection technologies that provide high degree of automation in the customs inspection process. Among such technologies are cargo X-ray systems, which would provide a fast, efficient, safe and cost-effective method of inspecting large volumes of containerized cargo. However, these systems have heretofore been unavailable for inspecting sailing vessels.
Cargo X-ray systems are an invaluable tool to uncover banned goods and items such as weapons, ammunition, explosives, drugs and many others. By utilizing state of the art imaging and image processing technologies, customs inspectors can easily identify smuggled goods even if hidden in dense cargo or concealed compartments.
In many areas of the world, a substantial proportion of trade uses small boats (known in some areas as "dhows") for cargo transport. These vessels have traditionally been used to transport all types of goods including grain, spices, fruits, vegetables, handcrafts, and other merchandise.
The vast majority of these vessels are owned and operated by individuals who sometimes fall into the alluring trap of making quick financial gains by smuggling contraband. Such contraband may take different forms including manifest fraud, drugs, illegal immigrants and sometimes weapons or explosives.
Shipwrights typically build dhows to order, with no standard design. Such custom designs give rise to the opportunity for creating hidden or concealed compartments in the design, particularly in hard to reach areas. Although these compartments may have legitimate uses, smugglers may also use these compartments for smuggling contraband. Experienced customs inspectors may know the likely places for hiding contraband, but due to the large variation in design, customs inspectors may not locate all the hidden compartments and thus cannot guarantee 100% inspection. In addition, inspectors may have to offload the cargo to carry out inspection of the cargo. This is time consuming and has the potential of damaging the cargo.
Despite such problems with manual inspection of vessels, to Applicant's best knowledge, a sailing vessel scanning system has never been designed and put into commercial use anywhere in the world


A metal laminate gasket includes a first metal substrate having a base portion and a folded portion, a second metal substrate laminated with the first metal plate, an intermediate plate disposed between the base portion and the second metal substrate, and a bead plate situated under the base portion. The bead plate includes a first full bead disposed around the first hole to project toward the base portion, and an outside portion disposed above the intermediate plate. The bead plate, first and second metal substrates and intermediate plate have first and second holes. The bead plate is formed to surround the first and second holes without extending to an entire area of the gasket. The total plate thickness of the first and second metal substrates, bead plate and intermediate plate at the full bead position is substantially same as that around the second hole.

The present invention relates to a laminate-type gasket such as a cylinder head gasket which is held between a cylinder head and a cylinder block of an engine and seals therebetween, or an exhaust manifold gasket which is held between an exhaust manifold and an exhaust pipe and seals therebetween.
In an automobile engine, the laminate-type gasket such as the cylinder head gasket or the exhaust manifold gasket is used. The cylinder head gasket is held between engine members such as the cylinder head and the cylinder block (cylinder body) and the like, tightened by head belts, and seals fluid such as combustion gas, oil, coolant water and the like. The exhaust manifold gasket is held between the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe, and seals the combustion gas.
On the other hand, the laminate-type gasket includes secondary sealing-target holes such as bolt holes and the like for attaching the laminate-type gasket to an engine member besides main sealing-target holes such as cylinder bores and the like. In a conventional technology, the engine member was made of cast iron, so that a fastening force could increase without deforming the sealing-target holes. Also, pressure of the combustion gas of the engine was relatively low, and required sealing performance was low, so that even sealing performance around the bolt holes did not have any special problem.
However, due to a lightweight and high power engine, recently, the engine member is made of aluminum alloy, so that rigidity has declined and an indentation due to tightening can easily occur. Accordingly, high sealing performance is required. However, it is difficult to increase the fastening force. Moreover, when an unequal force is applied to a contact surface of the gasket, the sealing-target holes such as the cylinder bores and the like on an engine member side may be deformed.
Among the above-mentioned laminate-type gaskets, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, there is a laminate-type gasket 1X wherein a first metal substrate 10 provides a folded portion 12 on a peripheral border portion of a main sealing-target hole 2, and wherein bead plates 30X with full beads 31 for the main sealing-target holes 2 are placed inside the folded portions 12. In the laminate-type gasket 1X including the bead plates 30X, the bead plates 30X are placed only around the main sealing-target holes 2, so that, as shown in FIG. 7, the bead plates 30X are formed only on the peripheral border portions of the main sealing-target holes 2 in a circular shape. Incidentally, a cylinder head gasket, which includes the circular bead plates and is provided with full beads surrounding beads of the bead plates in the first metal substrate, is proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2003-139247).
In the above-described laminate-type gasket 1X, by applying a large pressing force near a bolt hole 3 by fastening a fastening bolt, the sealing performance of the bolt hole 3 which is the secondary sealing-target hole could be assured sufficiently. However, in a recent aluminum alloy engine, due to declined rigidity of the engine member, a large bolt fastening force cannot be applied. As a result, the sealing performance around the bolt hole 3 is difficult to be obtained. Moreover, the number of the metal structural plates on a sealing-target hole 2 side is greater than that around the bolt hole 3, so that a seal surface pressure on the sealing-target hole 2 side becomes larger than that around the bolt hole 3. As a result, the sealing-target hole 2 may be easily deformed.
The present invention is made in order to solve the problems described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a laminate-type gasket such as the cylinder head gasket or the manifold gasket and the like, which are used for the engine, can improve the sealing performance of each sealing target hole, and can reduce deformation of members which hold the laminate-type gasket, such as the deformation of the cylinder bores.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


A vehicle occupant restraint assembly comprises a vehicle occupant restraint (20), a housing (14), gas generating material (16) within the housing, an igniter (18) for the gas generating material, and gas flow means (22) for directing gas from the housing to the vehicle occupant restraint. The gas generating material comprises ammonium dinitramide having the formula: ##STR1##

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a gas generator for a vehicle occupant restraint, such as an air bag, and to the gas generating material used in the gas generator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large number of gas generating materials have been proposed for generating gas to operate a vehicle occupant restraint such as an air bag or a pretensioner for a seat belt. For air bags, in particular, materials which produce an inert gas, such as a nitrogen, have been preferred.
There are practical constraints, however, which limit the effectiveness of many nitrogen gas generating materials which have been proposed. The products of reaction other than nitrogen gas, which are produced during combustion of the gas generating materials, should be non-toxic, present in non-toxic amounts or capable of being kept out of or removed from the nitrogen gas. The gas generating material should also be capable of a near instantaneous production of gas, without explosive force or too high a temperature. The gas generating material also has to be safe to handle, and non-combustible, under normal circumstances, except when purposely ignited.
The nitrogen gas generating materials which are currently used contain a metal or an alkali metal component, such as a metal oxidant and/or metal azide. These compounds, on combustion, produce molten or solid reaction products which have to be filtered from the nitrogen gas. Filters for this purpose are expensive, as well as heavy, and add considerably to the cost and weight of the vehicle occupant restraint assembly.

Gas generator for vehicle occupant restraint


A drive circuit that is an example of the present invention is a drive circuit of a display device for outputting in parallel the analog picture signals generated based on the digital picture signals inputted in serial. This circuit comprises a level shift circuit for converting the voltage level of the digital picture signals that were inputted in serial, a D/A conversion circuit for generating analog picture signals based on the digital picture signals that were subjected to level conversion with the level shift circuit, and an expansion circuit connected to the output side of the D/A conversion circuit or between the level shift circuit and the D/A conversion circuit and serving to expand and hold the inputted serial picture signals in parallel and output the picture signals in parallel. The level shift circuit is thus formed in the front stage of the picture signal register circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive circuit of a display device and to a display device, and more particularly to a drive circuit suitable for liquid crystal display devices with a dot inversion drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays are employed as displays for various lightweight and thin electronic devices with low power consumption, such as cellular phones. As liquid crystal displays, a simple matrix type and an active matrix type (AMLCD: Active Matrix Liquid crystal display) using active elements such as TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) in a pixel circuit are known.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a well-known liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display comprises a scanning line drive circuit 2, a liquid-crystal panel 3, a control circuit 7, a data line drive circuit 51, a power source circuit 58, and a common voltage generation circuit 59. Picture signals, vertical synchronization signal Vsync, horizontal synchronization signal Hsync, and dot clock signal dCLK are inputted into the control circuit 7. Power source voltages of VDC and GND are supplied to the power source circuit 58. Gate electrodes of all TFT are connected to the scan lines 5 extending in the row direction, and drain (source) electrodes are connected to the data lines 4 extending in the column direction. Display signals from the data line drive circuit 51 that is controlled by the control circuit 7 are provided to each data lines 4. In such a liquid crystal display, the scanning line drive circuit 2 scans the scanning lines 5 in turn according to the control signals from the control circuit 7, thereby displaying one image on the display (line consecutive method). This one image is called a frame (field).
In the conventional liquid crystal display, the polarity of the voltage applied from the data lines 4 to the pixels via TFT (referred to hereinbelow as "pixel voltage") is inverted at prescribed periods. In other words, the pixels are AC driven. The term "polarity" used herein indicates whether the pixel voltage is positive or negative with respect to a voltage of a common electrode (com voltage) as a reference. Such a drive method is employed to inhibit the degradation of liquid-crystal material. For example, a dot inversion drive method in which the polarity of pixel voltage is inverted every adjacent data line and scanning line so that the polarity is different for the adjacent pixels, as shown in FIG. 2, and a two-line-dot inversion drive method in which the polarity is inverted for each adjacent data line and every two scanning lines, as shown in FIG. 3, are known. With such drive methods, flickering and other defects are decreased and image quality is improved. The configuration shown in FIG. 4 and described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-62744 has been suggested as a data line drive circuit 51 for realizing the dot inversion drive method. A data line drive circuit 51 comprises a shift register circuit 61, a data register circuit 62, a data latch circuit 63, a switching circuit A 64, a level shift circuit P 65, a level shift circuit N 66, a D/A conversion circuit P 67, a D/A conversion circuit N 68, a switching circuit B 69, a signal processing circuit 70, a positive gradation voltage generation circuit 71, and a negative gradation voltage generation circuit 72. A latch signal STB and a polarity signal POL are inputted into the signal processing circuit 70. A horizontal start signal STH and clock signal CLK are inputted into the shift register circuit 61. The switching circuit A 64 selects the picture signal so as to input it either into the positive polarity drive circuit or negative polarity drive circuit. Further, the switching circuit B 69 switches the outputs from the positive polarity drive circuit and negative polarity drive circuit so that the selected output corresponds to the picture signal.
The positive polarity drive circuit comprises a level shift circuit P 65 for level shifting the picture signal to the positive side with respect to the com voltage and the positive polarity D/A conversion circuit 67. The negative polarity drive circuit comprises a level shift circuit N 66 for level shifting the picture signal to the negative side with respect to the con voltage and the negative polarity D/A conversion circuit 68. A con voltage of 5 V, a positive polarity voltage of from 5V to 10V, and a negative polarity voltage of from 0V to 5V are disclosed as examples of each voltage setting. In this case, the con voltage, the voltage of the data line drive circuit, and the voltage of the scanning line drive are generated by the power source circuit 58.
FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing the relationship between the STB signal, POL signal, and outputs of adjacent data lines 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the polarity of adjacent data lines is inverted and the output of data lines for each frame is inverted. FIG. 6 is a detailed diagram of the switching circuit A 64 and switching circuit B69. It shows the switch state at each timing shown in FIG. 5. As can be understood from FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the switching circuit A 64 and switching circuit B 69 conduct switching operation so that the output is inverted every line and frame to realize the dot inversion drive.
It has now been discovered that, however, this conventional drive circuit has several drawbacks. The first of them is the increase of circuitry scale. A level shift circuit is provided in each drive circuit corresponding to each data line. If the difference between the voltage inputted into the level shift circuit and the voltage to which the level is shifted is large, the circuitry scale is increased. Furthermore, in the level shift circuit, if the power source voltage is high, it is necessary to increase the breakdown voltage of the elements constituting the circuit. Accordingly, the gate oxide film Tox is made thick, the gate length L and gate width W are increased, and the distance between the elements is increased. As a result, the circuit surface area is increased.
Further, in the conventional drive circuit (FIG. 4), the picture signal of one scanning line is level shifted to a positive or negative side for every two adjacent signals after it has been latched in parallel in the data latch circuit 63. Therefore, if the picture signal is an n-bit signal and the number of data lines is m, then the number of required level shift circuits of each drive circuit is n×m.
Further, in the conventional drive circuit, the signals for every two adjacent signals is switched to a positive or negative level shift circuit 65, 66 after the digital picture signal of one scanning line has been latched in parallel in the data latch circuit 63. Therefore, the number of required switching circuits 64 for switching the digital picture signals is also n.times.m.
The second drawback is the large power consumption. If the com voltage is 5V, the high level voltage of about 10 V of positive polarity is generated in the power source circuit, as a result, the efficiency of the power source circuit decreases and power consumption increases. A charge pump structure composed of a plurality of capacitors and switches is employed in the power source circuit, and if a voltage of 10V is generated from 2.5V, the power source efficiency is from about 60% to 70%. The switches have a parasitic capacitor, and the power is consumed by this parasitic capacitor, thereby decreasing the efficiency. For example, when the voltage is increased from 2.5V to 5V, the efficiency is 80%, and when the voltage is increased from 5 V to 10V, the efficiency is similarly 80%, however, for the increase from 2.5 V to 10 V, the efficiency is 80%.times.80%=64%. If the power source voltage used for drive is high, then the number of voltage increase steps is increased, the efficiency of the power source circuit is decreased, and power consumption is increased.

Drive circuit for display apparatus and display apparatus


The plasma processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a chamber, a radio-frequency power supply, and a correction signal generator. The radio-frequency power supply outputs a pulsed radio-frequency power in a first period. The radio-frequency power supply outputs a pulsed radio-frequency power in one or more second periods after the first period. The correction signal generator generates a correction signal that oscillates in a reverse phase with respect to a reflected wave monitor signal in the first period. The radio-frequency power supply generates a combined radio-frequency power using the correction signal. The power supply is configured to alternately repeat output of the pulsed radio-frequency power in the first period and output of the combined radio-frequency power in the one or more second periods.

A plasma processing is performed for manufacturing electronic devices. In the plasma processing, a plasma processing apparatus is used. The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber and a radio-frequency power supply. The radio-frequency power supply is configured to output a radio-frequency power in order to generate plasma from gas in the chamber.
In the plasma processing apparatus, a matching unit is provided between the radio-frequency power supply and a load in order to reduce reflected waves of the radio-frequency power. The matching unit is described in Patent Documents 1 to 3.

Plasma processing apparatus and method for generating plasma


An improved rotating spout lock joint sleeve comprised of a spout and a mounting sleeve at its bottom section, which is first inserted into a water supply base, with a lock joint sleeve pre-fitted onto the body of the spout utilized to form a continuum between its bottom section internal threads and the external threads at the top section of the water supply base, the features of which include the following. The opening of the lock joint sleeve is sufficiently enlarged to accommodate the insertion of the mouth at the anterior extremity of the spout, thereby enabling continuity between the bottom section of the spout and the mounting sleeve top edge. A stepped neck is crimped onto the lower section of the mounting sleeve such that when a mounting ring is placed against its lower extent, the mounting ring is at the same time against the bottom edge of the stepped section at the middle section inside the lock joint sleeve, enabling the initial coupling of the lock joint sleeve to the mounting sleeve outer circumference as well as the convenient and rapid fastening to the external threads at the top section of the water supply base. As such, the structure of the present invention provides for the secure assembly of the spout to the mounting sleeve, thereby achieving convenient fabrication, assembly, and installation that averts dislodging and prevents the abrasion of the spout surface.

1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to an improved rotating spout lock joint sleeve that addresses the fixed installation of the spout to the bottom section mounting sleeve and in which the opening of the lock joint sleeve is sufficiently enlarged to accommodate the insertion of the mouth at the front end of the spout and a stepped neck is crimped onto the lower section of the mounting sleeve. When a mounting ring is placed against its lower extent of the stepped neck, the mounting ring is at the same time against the bottom edge of the stepped section along the middle section inside the lock joint sleeve, thereby coupling the lock joint sleeve to the mounting sleeve outer circumference such that dislodging and sliding are prevented.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional water faucets that provide for moving the water output position typically utilize a rotatable spout, the structure (as indicated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 1-A) comprised of a spout 2 and a mounting sleeve 3 at its bottom section, which is first inserted into a water supply base 9, with a lock joint sleeve 4 pre-fitted onto the body of the spout 2 utilized to form a continuum between its bottom section internal threads 41 and the external threads 91 at the top section of the water supply base 9, enabling water to flow from the spout 2, which can be adjustably turned to control the water output position in a convenient operation.
However, in the lock joint structure that maintains the spout 2 on the water supply base 9, since the mouth 21 at the anterior extremity of the spout 2 is equipped with a front-end water filter, the interior of the joint lock sleeve 4 mouth 42 must be enlarged by machining; additionally, the spout 2 bottom section mounting sleeve 3 outer circumference is larger than the inner circumference of the joint lock sleeve 4 mouth 42; as such, the joint lock sleeve 4 cannot be fitted on after the mounting sleeve 3 is fastened to the spout 2 bottom section; the mounting sleeve 3 and the spout 2 each require surface treatment (such as electroplating) before the joint lock sleeve 4 is fitted onto the spout 2 body; following which the external threads 22 died along the bottom edge of the spout 2 are fastened to the internal threads 31 of the mounting sleeve 3 top section to complete conjoinment, utilizing an oxygen-free adhesive (welding into position is not possible after electroplating) to reinforce conjoinment strength; however, these assembly and installation tasks, in addition to the respective machining of the mounting sleeve 3 and the spout 2 as well as the inconvenience of time-consuming electroplating, the spout 2 body must be inserted loosely into the joint lock sleeve 4, which easily slides and moves during assembly, installation, or movement, resulting in rubbing and scratching damage to surface of the spout 2 body; furthermore, the bonding durability of the oxygen-free adhesive is adversely affected following a certain period of use and is especially susceptible to heat and moisture which easily lowers adhesion strength such that rotating the spout 2 causes the utilization drawback of mounting sleeve 3 loosening and dislodging.


A display system adapts a display page to a small display area using semantic information indicated by portions of the display page that are designated as cacheable. The display system adapts a display page by identifying leaf fragments, that is, fragments that contain no other fragments. The display system then determines whether each leaf fragment is a block that can be displayed as a unit in the display area or should be subdivided into blocks that each can be displayed as a unit in the display area. The display system then displays the display page on a block-by-block basis.

Mobile devices, such as handheld personal computers and personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), are becoming increasingly popular ways to access the Internet. Unfortunately, the experience of users in accessing web pages using these mobile devices has been less than satisfactory. First, because these mobile devices have small display areas, it is difficult to effectively display in such a small display area a web page that is designed for a large display area. Second, because these mobile devices typically have a relatively slow communications link (e.g., via a cell phone network), it can take an unacceptably long time to download an accessed web page. Third, because the mobile devices have limited computing power, the rendering of a complex web page can also take an unacceptably long time.
To allow for the effective display of web pages on a small display area, some techniques have been developed to dynamically adapt web pages that are too large for a small display area. One such adaptation technique is "page splitting," which attempts to divide a web page into blocks that can fit as a unit into a small display area. One such page splitting technique analyzes the position and shape of HTML elements of a web page to identify blocks. However, it can be difficult to identify blocks from low-level HTML tags in a way that preserves page structure and does not lose information. Moreover, such adaptation techniques can be computationally expensive, especially on a mobile device.
Some techniques have been developed to speed up delivery of dynamic web pages by caching such web pages either at a client or at a server. A dynamic web page is a web page that is generated dynamically when the web page is accessed. The content of such web pages can be tailored to the user or contain up-to-date information (e.g., stock quotes). Such caching techniques, however, typically cache on a page-by-page basis. As a result, when even a small portion of a dynamic web page is changed, the entire web page needs to be retrieved from the web server. Various strategies have been proposed to make the caching of web pages more effective. One such strategy designates fragments within a web page that represent a cacheable portion. Each fragment can have its own expiration time. Thus, only those fragments that have expired need to be retrieved from the web server, and fragments that have not expired can be retrieved from the cache. Although adaptation can be performed on a web page whose fragments have been refreshed, such adaptation is still time-consuming, especially for a mobile device.
It would be desirable to combine adaptation techniques with fragment-based caching techniques to improve the overall performance of accessing web pages via a mobile device. In particular, it would be desirable to avoid having to adapt an entire web page each time a fragment is refreshed and to take advantage of semantic information indicated by fragments when adapting a web page.

Method and system for caching and adapting dynamic display pages for small display devices


The present invention relates to novel EP2 Receptor agonists that are useful for treating glaucoma and other conditions and indications in man. Ocular hypotensive agents are useful in the treatment of a number of various ocular hypertensive conditions, such as post-surgical and post-laser trabeculectomy ocular hypertensive episodes, glaucoma, and as presurgical adjuncts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel EP2 Receptor agonists that are useful for treating glaucoma and other conditions and indications in man.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ocular hypotensive agents are useful in the treatment of a number of various ocular hypertensive conditions, such as post-surgical and post-laser trabeculectomy ocular hypertensive episodes, glaucoma, and as presurgical adjuncts.
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by increased intraocular pressure. On the basis of its etiology, glaucoma has been classified as primary or secondary. For example, primary glaucoma in adults (congenital glaucoma) may be either open-angle or acute or chronic angle-closure. Secondary glaucoma results from pre-existing ocular diseases such as uveitis, intraocular tumor or an enlarged cataract.
The underlying causes of primary glaucoma are not yet known. The increased intraocular tension is due to the obstruction of aqueous humor outflow. In chronic open-angle glaucoma, the anterior chamber and its anatomic structures appear normal, but drainage of the aqueous humor is impeded. In acute or chronic angle-closure glaucoma, the anterior chamber is shallow, the filtration angle is narrowed, and the iris may obstruct the trabecular meshwork at the entrance of the canal of Schlemm. Dilation of the pupil may push the root of the iris forward against the angle, and may produce pupillary block and thus precipitate an acute attack. Eyes with narrow anterior chamber angles are predisposed to acute angle-closure glaucoma attacks of various degrees of severity.
Secondary glaucoma is caused by any interference with the flow of aqueous humor from the posterior chamber into the anterior chamber and subsequently, into the canal of Schlemm. Inflammatory disease of the anterior segment may prevent aqueous escape by causing complete posterior synechia in iris bombe and may plug the drainage channel with exudates. Other common causes are intraocular tumors, enlarged cataracts, central retinal vein occlusion, trauma to the eye, operative procedures and intraocular hemorrhage.
Considering all types together, glaucoma occurs in about 2% of all persons over the age of 40 and may be asymptotic for years before progressing to rapid loss of vision. In cases where surgery is not indicated, topical β-adrenoreceptor antagonists have traditionally been the drugs of choice for treating glaucoma.
It has long been known that one of the sequelae of glaucoma is damage to the optic nerve head. This damage, referred to as "cupping", results in depressions in areas of the nerve fiber of the optic disk. Loss of sight from this cupping is progressive and can lead to blindness if the condition is not treated effectively.
Unfortunately lowering intraocular pressure by administration of drugs or by surgery to facilitate outflow of the aqueous humor is not always effective in obviating damage to the nerves in glaucomatous conditions. This apparent contradiction is addressed by Cioffi and Van Buskirk [Surv. of Ophthalmol., 38, Suppl. p. S107-16, discussion S116-17, May 1994] in the article, "Microvasculature of the Anterior Optic Nerve". The abstract states:                The traditional definition of glaucoma as a disorder of increased intraocular pressure (IOP) oversimplifies the clinical situation. Some glaucoma patients never have higher than normal IOP and others continue to develop optic nerve damage despite maximal lowering of IOP. Another possible factor in the etiology of glaucoma may be regulation of the regional microvasculature of the anterior optic nerve. One reason to believe that microvascular factors are important is that many microvascular diseases are associated with glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Subsequent to Cioffi, et al., Matusi published a paper on the "Ophthalmologic aspects of Systemic Vasculitis" [Nippon Rinsho, 52 (8), p. 2158-63, August 1994] and added further support to the assertion that many microvascular diseases are associated with glaucomatous optic neuropathy. The summary states:                Ocular findings of systemic vasculitis, such as polyarteritis nodosa, giant cell angitis and aortitis syndrome were reviewed. Systemic lupus erythematosus is not categorized as systemic vasculitis, however its ocular findings are microangiopathic. Therefore, review of its ocular findings was included in this paper. The most common fundus finding in these diseases is ischemic optic neuropathy or retinal vascular occlusions. Therefore several points in diagnosis or pathogenesis of optic neuropathy and retinal and choroidal vaso-occlusion were discussed. Choroidal ischemia was able to be diagnosed clinically, since fluorescein angiography was applied in these lesions. When choroidal arteries are occluded, overlying retinal pigment epithelium is damaged. This causes disruption of barrier function of the epithelium and allows fluid from choroidal vasculatures to pass into subsensory retinal spaces. This is a pathogenesis of serous detachment of the retina. The retinal arterial occlusion resulted in non-perfused retina. Such hypoxic retina released angiogenesis factors which stimulate retinal and iris neovascularizations and iris neovascularizations may cause neovascular glaucoma.
B. Schwartz, in "Circulatory Defects of the Optic Disk and Retina in Ocular Hypertension and High Pressure Open-Angle Glaucoma" [Surv. Ophthalmol., 38, Suppl. pp. S23-24, May 1994] discusses the measurement of progressive defects in the optic nerve and retina associated with the progression of glaucoma. He states:                Fluorescein defects are significantly correlated with visual field loss and retinal nerve fiber layer loss. The second circulatory defect is a decrease of flow of fluorescein in the retinal vessels, especially the retinal veins, so that the greater the age, diastolic blood pressure, ocular pressure and visual field loss, the less the flow. Both the optic disk and retinal circulation defects occur in untreated ocular hypertensive eyes. These observations indicate that circulatory defects in the optic disk and retina occur in ocular hypertension and open-angle glaucoma and increase with the progression of the disease.
Thus, it is evident that there is an unmet need for agents that have neuroprotective effects in the eye that can stop or retard the progressive damage that occurs to the nerves as a result of glaucoma or other ocular afflictions.
Prostaglandins were earlier regarded as potent ocular hypertensives; however, evidence accumulated in the last two decades shows that some prostaglandins are highly effective ocular hypotensive agents and are ideally suited for the long-term medical management of glaucoma. (See, for example, Starr, M. S. Exp. Eye Res. 1971, 11, pp. 170-177; Bito, L. Z. Biological Protection with Prostaglandins Cohen, M. M., ed., Boca Raton, Fla., CRC Press Inc., 1985, pp. 231-252; and Bito, L. Z., Applied Pharmacology in the Medical Treatment of Glaucomas Drance, S. M. and Neufeld, A. H. eds., New York, Grune & Stratton, 1984, pp. 477-505). Such prostaglandins include PGF2α, PGF1α, PGE2, and certain lipid-soluble esters, such as C1 to C5 alkyl esters, e.g. 1-isopropyl ester, of such compounds.
Certain EP2-receptor-selective prostaglandin E2 agonists are disclosed in Paralkar V M et al. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. vol 100 pp 6736-6740, 2003.

EP2 receptor agonists for treating glaucoma


When an image formation instruction for created document data is received, image data for a preview image corresponding to the document data is generated, the preview image based on the image data is displayed on a display, and an image is formed using data for image formation based on the image data for the preview image.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming system, a data processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a computer program for displaying a preview image corresponding to created document data, or for an image formation based on the document data.
2. Description of Related Art
A printer driver is installed in a personal computer to enable an image forming apparatus, such as a printer and a multi-function printer, to perform an output (image formation) process for document data, such as text and image, (hereinafter referred to as the document data) created by a user on an application, which is activated on the personal computer.
When the user gives an instruction to output the document data created on the application, the printer driver is activated, converts the document data and output conditions into a form (PCL) capable of being processed and outputted by the image forming apparatus, and sends them to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus receives the PCL type data and executes an image formation process for the document data according to the output conditions.
Further, before sending the document data to the image forming apparatus, the printer driver displays on a display section a setting screen for receiving settings of output conditions (such as the number of pages to be outputted, a paper specification, and post-processing settings) from the user, converts the output conditions received through the setting screen into the PCL form recognizable by the image forming apparatus, and sends them together with the document data.
However, in such a state, although the user can imagine what an output to be outputted from the image forming apparatus will look like, the user cannot visually recognize the output before being outputted.
Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-40045 (1998) discloses a print preview method that uses a printer driver to display the form of an output to be outputted from a printer on a display section of a personal computer so that the user is able to confirm the output in advance on the screen of the display section.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H7-325693 (1995) discloses an information processing system including a printer driver that converts document data to be outputted into data for a preview compatible with a corresponding image forming apparatus and displays an image based on the converted data on a display section.

Image forming system, data processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, recording medium and display method


A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly including a first and second electrode, and a separator interposed between the first and second electrode; a case receiving the electrode assembly and having a top end opening; a cap assembly sealing the top end opening of the case, the cap assembly including a first terminal part and a second terminal part outwardly protruding; and a first collector plate received inside the case and electrically connecting the first electrode and the first terminal part, wherein the first collector plate includes a first lead part including a first electrode connection part connected to the first electrode, a first terminal connection part connected to the first terminal part, and a first connecting part electrically connecting the first electrode connection part and the first terminal connection part; and a first resin part on the first lead part, the first resin part covering the first connecting part.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike a primary battery that is incapable of being recharged, a rechargeable battery is a battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. A low-capacity rechargeable battery (having a single cell) may be used in small portable electronic apparatuses, such as mobile phones, laptop computers, and camcorders. A large-capacity rechargeable battery (that includes a plurality of rechargeable cells connected in a pack shape) may be used as a power source for driving a motor of a hybrid electric vehicle and the like. Rechargeable batteries may be manufactured in various shapes, for example a cylindrical shape and a prismatic shape.