A sheet feeding device includes: a conveying member of a conveying unit which conveys a sheet; and a cleaning member which is in sliding contact with a circumferential surface of the conveying member to clean the circumferential surface. The conveying member and the cleaning member rotate in the same tangential direction at a sliding contact position thereof, and drives of the conveyance member and the cleaning member are controlled so that the following expression is satisfied:V1>V2where V1 represents a line speed of the circumferential surface of the conveying member during a rotation thereof, and V2 represents a line speed of a sliding contact portion of the cleaning member during a rotation thereof.

The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device used for an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, and a multi-functional machine having the functions thereof and more particularly to a sheet feeding device having a cleaning member for removing foreign substances such as paper dust adhered to the outer peripheral surface of a conveying member and an image forming apparatus having the sheet feeding device.
Conventionally, a foreign substance removing device of the image forming apparatus makes a fixing type cleaning member (a flexible member such as a brush, felt, or a PET sheet) touch a roller member for conveying recording sheets, thereby removes foreign substances such as paper dust. Further, it makes a cleaning roller (a brush, felt, etc.) touch conveyed recording sheets, thereby removes foreign substances such as paper dust.
For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-52641 discloses a foreign substance removing device for making a fixed type cleaning member such as felt touch a conveying roller, thereby cleaning the surface of each recording sheet by the conveying roller.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-208918 makes a brush touch a cleaning roller for cleaning conveyed recording sheets, thereby cleans the cleaning roller.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-314344 is of a type of making a cleaning roller touch conveyed recording sheets.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-224451 makes a rotating brush roller touch a conveying roller, thereby cleans the conveying roller, makes a rotary roller touch the brush roller, thereby cleans the brush roller, and furthermore makes a flexible sheet touch the brush roller, thereby cleans the rotary roller.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-137076 (paragraph 0101, FIG. 9(a)), in a case that a conveying roller and a foreign substance removing member are rotated in the opposite direction and a case that they are rotated in the same direction, provides a speed difference between the moving speed of the tip of the foreign substance removing member and the moving speed of the peripheral surface of the conveying roller.
When feeding recorded sheets, particularly offset-printed sheets to the sheet feeding device arranged in the image forming apparatus or finisher, dusting powder or ink sludge adhered to a sheet and a coating agent on the sheet surface are adhered to the outer peripheral surfaces of the feed roller and conveying roller, thus the conveying force of the feed roller and conveying roller is lowered, and the sheet conveying performance becomes unstable. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the conveying roller.
However, in the foreign substance removing device for making a fixing type cleaning member touch the aforementioned feed roller and conveying roller, thereby removing foreign substances or making a cleaning roller such as a rotating brush touch a conveyed transfer material, thereby removing foreign substances and in the image forming apparatus using it, foreign substances such as paper dust cannot be stably removed over a long period of time, thus a problem arises that entering of foreign substances into the transfer area cannot be reduced for a long time.
Further, in the feed roller system of a reverse roller type, foreign substance stains such as paper dust adhered to the rotary rollers such as the pickup roller and feed roller are cleaned by pressing a flexible member such as a raising member like moquette, foamed polyurethane, or a PET sheet to the rollers. However, the raising member and flexible member cannot separate scraped foreign substances from the rollers, so that the cleaning effect is not continued, and it is necessary to periodically clean or exchange the cleaning member and rollers.
In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-52641, foreign substances such as paper dust are collected immediately in the cleaning member, and unremovable foreign substances such as paper dust are conveyed into the transfer area, thus there is a problem imposed in the durability.
In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-208918, a speed difference is provided between the cleaning roller and the transfer material, so that a problem arises that an unstable element is given to conveyance of the transfer material.
In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-314344, at the point of time when foreign substances such as paper dust are collected on the surface of the cleaning roller, the effect is lost and there is a problem imposed in the durability.
In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-224451, unless the rubber of the conveying roller and the material of the cleaning member are set appropriately, stable sheet conveyability and a high effect cannot be obtained.
In the foreign substance removing apparatus disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-137076, when the conveying roller and brush of the foreign substance removing member are rotated in the opposite direction, it is described to make the brush touch the peripheral surface of the conveying roller so as to move relatively. However, the relationship between the moving speed of the sliding section of the front end of the brush and the moving speed of the outer peripheral surface of the conveying roller is not described.
Further, the pickup roller of the sheet feeding device must send surely sheets to the feed roller and the pressurizing force of the pickup roller to sheets must be set to an appropriate load. To give a stable and appropriate load, a system of applying pressurizing force by the own weights of the pickup roller and holder is effective. However, in this case, when the cleaning mechanism for cleaning the pickup roller is made larger, a problem arises that an appropriate load cannot be given.

Sheet feeding device and a cleaning member in sliding contact with a conveying unit

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A parameter setting apparatus is provided in an electronic music instrument for editing a configure of parameters in accordance with a manipulation amount to set a tone generator which creates a desired timbre of musical tones upon setting. In the apparatus, a first memory device stores a first subset of parameters containing a Boolean parameter having a first Boolean value and a numerical parameter having a first numerical value. A second memory device stores a second subset of parameters containing the Boolean parameter having a second Boolean value and the numerical parameter having a second numerical value. An operating device provides a manipulation amount for editing parameters. An interpolating device interpolates the first numerical value and the second numerical value in accordance with the manipulation amount to determine an edited numerical value of the numerical parameter. A selecting device selects one of the first Boolean value and the second Boolean value in accordance with the manipulation amount to determine an edited Boolean value of the Boolean parameter. A setting device configure the tone generator with the set of parameters containing the numerical parameter having the edited numerical value and the Boolean parameter having the edited Boolean value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a music tone parameter setting apparatus and a music tone synthesizing apparatus, suitable for an electronic musical instrument or the like. For example, the present invention is applicable to amusement apparatuses such as a game machine and a karaoke machine, household electrical appliances such as a television receiver, computers such as a personal computer, and a system in which these machines and appliances are integrated.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional electronic musical instrument allows a user to select timbres of piano, cembalo and so on by operating a timbre select switch and the like provided in the electronic musical instrument. Generally, the electronic musical instrument stores the timbre parameters for these timbres. When the user selects a desired timbre, corresponding timbre parameters are set in the electronic musical instrument.
An electronic musical instrument is disclosed in Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-129167, in which a plurality of subsets (one subset is hereafter referred to as a scene or situation) of the above-mentioned timbre parameters are stored. Each scene may contain operation states of timbre setting keys operated by the user in place of the timbre parameters. The electronic musical instrument switches the scenes to change the timbre. Further, the electronic musical instrument can create timbre parameters for an intermediate state between the scenes. Namely, in the electronic musical instrument of this type, a timbre to be set with a timbre setting switch or the like is determined by a set of plural scenes and states between these scenes. Therefore, the timbres to be set with the timbre setting switch or the like are hereafter referred to as a timbre set.
In the above-mentioned conventional electronic musical instrument, control for outputting a continuous operational quantity or manipulation amount is arranged. By interpolating timbre parameters associated with plural scenes according to the operational quantity of the control, a desired timbre between the scenes can be obtained. Also, an automatic or programmed interpolation value varying with time may be used instead of the control operational quantity, such that a timbre can be made gradually transient automatically from one scene to another scene.
While some timbre parameters can be expressed in continuous numerical data within a predetermined range, for example, 0 to 127 (the parameters of this type are hereafter referred to as numerical parameters), other timbre parameters are expressed only in several discrete states (the parameters of this type are hereafter referred to as Boolean parameters). The Boolean parameters include those for designating turning on/off of various capabilities, filters LPF, BPF and HPF, monotony and polyphony, and waveforms including sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square.
However, it is impossible for the conventional electronic musical instrument to make a smooth scene-to-scene transition involving such Boolean parameters. To be more specific, changing Boolean parameters during a scene-to-scene transition causes a noise or alters a timbre abruptly, thereby giving a listener unnatural or uneasy impression. Overcoming this problem requires setting of a common Boolean parameter to plural scenes or subsets included in one timbre set. However, this adds constraints to musical expression.

Music apparatus using boolean and numerical parameters settable by manipulator


A number of resonant tunneling diodes are connected in series with a resistor, a current source or a load device. A bit line is connected to every joint between any two devices through a switch. When properly biased, there can be (N+1).sup.m number of stable quantized operating points which are represented by a combination of m variables (of either voltage or current, where N is the number of peaks of the folding I-V characteristic and m is the number of bit lines. The m bit lines can write in (N+1).sup.m different combinations of inputs. During reading, the quantized voltage (or current) at each bit line is sensed. The number of stable states can be doubled by changing the polarity of the power supply.

A typical digital system requires a large number of memory cells. Since the introduction of semiconductor memory, the number of storage states in an integrated circuit has been increasing at an exponential rate. In a conventional binary digital system, a memory cell can only store two states, "0" and "1", and a large number of memory cells are integrated to obtain large memory capacity. A resonant tunneling diode (RTD) has a folding current-voltage (I-V) characteristic. When the RTD is connected in series with a resistor or a current source as a load, there can be (N+1) stable operating points or storage states, where N is the number of current peaks of the RTD. When such multiple-valued storage states instead of binary states are used in a memory cell, the number of memory cells can be reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,894 discloses that the number of stored states of N-peaked RTD memory cell can be increased to 2N+1 when a resistor is connected in series with the RTD to skew the I-V characteristic to a saw-tooth shape. The devices as taught were limited to a single node input-output line. In the continuation-in-part (CIP) application (Ser. No. 07/871806) and a negative power supply are used in a device as taught by the U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,894 that allows for the number of stored states to be doubled to 2(2N+1). Both of these teachings are restricted to using only a single node line input-output means for the memory cell.
Although a two-fold to four-fold increase in memory states represents is an improvement, it does not keep pace with the exponential increase in memory requirement of the present-day digital system. Furthermore, the power dissipation becomes a limiting factor when a very large number of 2(2N+1) type memory cells are connected in parallel. It is desirable to achieve a quantum increase in the number of storage states to accommodate the ever increasingly complex modern digital systems at minimum power dissipation. To accomplish this objective, a memory cell with a multiple node input-output from the device is disclosed below.

Multi-dimensional memory cell using resonant tunneling diodes


Problems of dot pattern technology include latitude/longitude information not being able to be acquired from a curvilinear solid. To read coordinate and/or code information from the vicinity of a line segment to acquire information associated with the line segment, it is necessary to define manually an area including the line segment to form the dot-pattern associated with the information in the area. In the case where line segments are adjacent, a sufficient area cannot be secured and information cannot be defined accurately for the line segment. Stream dot-patterns which are formed based on a prescribed rule, and which have few moires that are streaky periodic patterns are connected and formed in a belt-like shape. It becomes possible to create an information inputting medium that accurately defines the latitude/longitude and coordinate information on various line segments on the curvilinear solid, the map, the drawing, or the like.

Conventionally, a technology where when any places on a terrestrial globe with a map printed on as visible information are pointed by a directing means, invisible information printed on the visible information in an overlapped manner are read, and based on the read invisible information, information with respect to the part pointed at is made to be output in a voice, has been proposed (refer to Patent document 1).
In addition, a technology where in a medium where visible information and a dot-pattern are printed on a map in a superimposed manner, the dot-pattern where code information and coordinate information are combined has been printed within the dot-pattern, and from the code information of a symbol on the map, a descriptive text, an image or the like of the symbol are outputted through a display device or a loudspeaker, and from the coordinate information on the map and said symbol, a map image corresponding thereto is made to be outputted from the display device, has been proposed (refer to Patent document 2).

Curvilinear solid for information input, map for information input, drawing for information input


The disclosure relates to a plate driver head and more specifically to a plate driver head for use with a power impact tool. The plate driver head includes a steel head portion and a shank portion which can be received in most commercially available power impact tools. The drive head is provided with supporting gussets on opposite sides of the shank which extend to the upper surface of the head to provide uniform pressure distribution over the entire head work surface. The head is magnetized to hold the workpiece steady while being inserted into a surface. Several embodiments are disclosed, one of which is a flat uninterrupted work driving surface while another embodiment includes a recess in the driving surface to accommodate different configured workpieces without damaging them during the insertion procedure.

There is presently considerable interest in the commercial building industry in demountable wall systems wherein after a wall system has been installed it may, after a given period of time, be desired to relocate or completely remove the wall system which has been installed without destroying the materials used in the wall system. There is also considerable interest in a gypsum-fiber wallboard which is made of ground, shredded, waste paper with a gypsum binder and produced into the usual four foot by eight foot or four foot by twelve foot sheets.
The related above-identified co-pending application is directed to such a demountable wall system using either traditional wallboard material or the gypsum fiber wallboard just described. Additionally, instead of the typical metal "C - studs" frequently used, a specialized stud shape in the general configuration of two hollow isosceles triangles joined by a web member is utilized in this type of wall system. This "hourglass" shaped stud member includes slots to receive clips which are required in this type of construction.
In order to securely attach these clips to the wallboard members, pronged nail plates are required to be securely fastened at predetermined locations to the back sides of the wallboard sections which make up the wall system. It is this particular use for which the instant invention has been developed. However, it may find use in many other areas of the construction industry as well.


A surface mounted slide bolt including a base, a strike, a bolt and a plug for locking the bolt in either extended or retracted positions and for disposing the bolt in position relative to the base for assembly and disassembly. The bolt includes tongues receivable in notches of L-shaped flanges of the base.

This invention relates to a surface mounted slide bolt and, more particularly, to a bolt mountable on a door, window, drawer, etc.
Slide bolts have been known and used for a long time but notwithstanding this, improvements are being made continually. Among the features which have been utilized for the last quarter-century or so are the use of key-equipped locks and also the arrangement whereby the fastening screws are covered both in the extended and retracted positions of the slide bolt. Exemplary or such is Pat. No. 3,606,775.
Notwithstanding such developments, there are advantages that have not been fully realized such as fewer part design, simplicity of assembly, avoidance of load on the lock elements and versatility of the construction to afford operation without the lock. These and other advantages are achieved according to the invention wherein we provide four basic elements, viz., a relatively elongated base and a strike, both of which are adapted to be mounted on door means such as the door and frame of a doorway, window and window frame, drawer and case and the like. The other two members include a relatively elongated bolt slidably and removably mounted on the base and having a passage means intermediate the ends and plug means mounted in the passage of the bolt.
The plug means and the base have cooperating portions for placing the bolt in three positions relative to the base. The fully retracted position permits disassembly, the fully extended position has the bolt lockingly engaging the strike and a third is an intermediate position where the bolt is not disassembable from the base but is retracted from the strike so as to position the door, etc. in openable condition.
The invention, in the specific embodiment includes as the plug means a lock or turn knob which is a generally elongated cylindrical member having a boss at the interior end. The boss or projection has a generally rectangular cross-section featuring opposed arcuate sides and opposed planar sides. The planar sides are closer together than the arcuate sides so as to make the boss narrower therebetween than it is 90.degree. therefrom. A turn knob or lock engages tab means upset from the base. When the lock is in its locked position, the lock engages the tab means in the base and prevents the bolt from sliding away from either fully extended or partially retracted positions. By rotating the lock 90.degree., the boss can pass beyond the tab means allowing the bolt to slide to its opposite position. The base further has a second upset or tab means that acts as a stop limiting the travel of the bolt in its open position. However, the boss has a slot arranged at about 45.degree. so that the bolt can slide further than the unlocked, retracted position by receiving the second tab means. This permits the disassembly of the lock from the bolt and the bolt from the base.
Other objects, advantages and details of construction may be seen in the ensuing specification.


An envelope is detected from each of a plurality of reproduced video FM signals successively read out from a magnetic tape, and a shape change of the envelope in one vertical scanning period is detected in a control microcomputer. In cases where the shape of the envelope is flattened, the flatness indicates that an inclination angle of a rotational drum is appropriately set and a scanning locus of a magnetic head attached on the rotational drum agrees with a track formed on the magnetic tape. In this case, a reproduced image having no noise is obtained. Therefore, the number of increase/decrease changes in the shape of the envelope is detected as a shape value. In cases where the shape value is high, the inclination angle of the rotational drum is largely and repeatedly changed until the shape value becomes low. In contrast, in cases where the shape value is low, the inclination angle of the rotational drum is slightly and repeatedly changed until the envelope shape is flattened. Accordingly, any noise does not occur in the reproduced image regardless of whether a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus is used in interchangeable reproduction or self-recording/reproduction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus for reproducing recorded data at a variable speed through a rotational head helically scanned and a method for controlling an inclination angle of a rotational drum on which the rotational head of the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus is attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a helical scan type magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus represented by a household video tape recorder (VTR), recorded data is generally reproduced at a variable reproducing speed differing from a recording speed in a so-called variable speed reproducing mode. In this case, because the reproducing speed differs from the recording speed in a variable speed reproduction, a locus of a rotational magnetic head attached on a rotational drum on a magnetic tape does not accurately agree with a truck formed on the magnetic tape in a recording operation. Therefore, the track cannot be accurately traced by the magnetic head, and a quality of a reproduced signal is degraded. In particular, as the reproducing speed is heightened, the number of tracks crossed by the magnetic head is increased. As a result, a signal/noise (S/N) ratio is degraded, and noises formed in horizontal stripes occur in a reproduced image.
Also, in a VTR for business use used in a broadcasting station or the like (For example, No. BR-S525 in a VTR for business use manufactured by Vitor Company of Japan, Ltd.), an actuator embodied by a movable coil is attached to a rotational head to displace the rotational head for the purpose of solving the above drawbacks. However, because it is required that the actuator is placed inside a rotated drum, the configuration of the VTR is complicated, and the manufacturing of the VTR is not easy. In addition, the connection of an electric source for the actuator is not easy, a control circuit for controlling the actuator is required. Therefore, the VTR becomes expensive, the VTR is not used for a household apparatus.
2.1. Previously Proposed Art
Also, a method for inclining the whole rotational drum to displace the rotational head attached on the rotational drum is disclosed. However, an apparatus operated according to the method is not manufactured. The reason is that the technique for inclining the rotational drum is not sufficiently advanced and a signal processing technique in a feed-back system is not sufficiently advanced to accurately trace a track on a magnetic tape. In the Victor company of Japan, Ltd. relevant to the present inventor, a technique for accurately controlling an inclination of a rotational drum at a desired angle at a high responsibility has been developed, and two Japanese patent applications have been filed (the name of invention common for the applications: magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, the filing date: Feb. 22, 1995, and Feb. 28, 1995). The applications have not been laid open, and the technique is not an opened prior art. A rotational drum operated according to the technique is called a dynamic drum. In detail, the dynamic drum is inclined by a rotational power generated by an inclination angle changing motor, and a rotational angle provided by the motor is controlled by a microcomputer. An inclination angle of the dynamic drum is detected by a counter in which a FG pulse signal generated in synchronization with the change of the rotational angle is counted. In addition, a sensor for generating a reset signal is provided to reset the counter when the dynamic drum is inclined at a predetermined inclination angle.
2.2. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In cases where a variable speed reproduction in a VTR is performed according to the method for inclining the whole rotational drum or in cases where a variable speed reproduction in a VTR is performed by using the dynamic drum, a drum inclination angle corresponding to each of the recording tape speeds and each of the reproducing tape speeds is predetermined, and one of the drum inclination angles is selected. In this case, when a so-called self-recording/reproduction in which the recording and reproduction are performed in the same VTR is performed, one drum inclination angle can be properly selected, and the reproduction can be favorably performed. However, when a so-called interchangeable reproduction in which data recorded in a first VTR are reproduced in a second VTR differing from the first VTR is performed, because mechanical characteristics of a tape running system in the first VTR differ from those in the second VTR, a track pattern formed on a magnetic tape in the recording operation does not perfectly agree with a trace pattern formed on the magnetic tape in the reproducing operation. Therefore, there is a drawback that noises occur in a reproduced image.
Also, there is a case that an actual inclination angle of a rotational drum fluctuates from a predetermined inclination angle because of friction and/or abrasion occurring in a mechanical system for inclining the rotational drum. In cases where the actual inclination angle fluctuates, even though the self-recording/reproduction is performed, there is another drawback that the trace pattern does not agree with the track pattern unless the predetermined inclination angle is changed to compensate the fluctuation of the actual inclination angle.

Magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus and method for controlling an inclination angle of a rotational drum in the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus


A fastening device for mounting an electrical fixture suspended from an electrical junction box in a ceiling. When a mounting bracket assembly suspends the electrical junction box between two joists, the fastening device is an overlay positioned adjacent to each end-plate of the support bar. When the electrical junction box attaches directly to a joist, the fastening device is an overlay positioned inside a cavity of the electrical junction box. The overlay includes fastener openings that position a preset fastener to attach the end-plates to the spaced joists, or openings in the top wall of the cavity to attach the electrical junction box to a joist in the ceiling. The overlay also includes radial incisions, cut in a star pattern, that surround each fastener opening. When an installer tightens all of the fasteners, the star patterns open and allow the installer to easily pull-out and remove the overlay.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fastening device for mounting an electrical fixture. In particular, the invention is a fastening device for mounting an electrical fixture in a ceiling area.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electrical junction box provides a safe enclosure for the electrical wiring that powers an electrical fixture. For an electrical fixture hanging from a ceiling, such as a ceiling fan or light fixture, the electrical junction box typically spans between two spaced beams, joists, studs, or the like. A mounting bracket assembly provides the support necessary to suspend the electrical junction box between the two spaced beams, joists, studs, or the like. Alternatively, the electrical junction box attaches directly to a beam, joist, stud, cross-member, or the like. In this case, the electrical junction box alone provides the support necessary to suspend the electrical fixture from the ceiling.
The installation of the mounting bracket assembly to the two spaced beams, joists, studs, or the like and the installation of the electrical junction box directly to the beam, joist, stud, cross-member, or the like can be an awkward and cumbersome task, especially when performed by a single individual. Often, the installer must work atop a ladder and may not have both hands free to perform the installation task. A fastening device can improve the installation task by making the process easier, more convenient, and save time and expense.
Thus, there is a demand for a fastening device for a mounting bracket assembly and an electrical junction box that is capable of suspending an electrical fixture from a ceiling. The fastening device eases the installation task and allows a single individual to perform the installation on their own. The presently disclosed fastening device for mounting an electrical fixture satisfies these demands.

Fastening device for mounting an electrical fixture


A tobacco smoke filter material comprises a fibrillated cellulose ester fiber with an average fiber diameter of 15 to 250 .mu.m and a BET specific surface area of 0.5 to 4.5 m.sup.2 /g. The fibrous cellulose ester content of the material may for example be not less than 20 weight %. The cellulose ester fiber is provided by, for example, extruding a cellulose ester solution from a nozzle into a precipitating agent for the particular cellulose ester and subjecting the extrudate to a shear force. This filter material can be used in the form of, for example, a filament, web or sheet to provide a tobacco smoke filter which assures good smoking qualities and excellent wet disintegratability.

As the tobacco smoke filter designed to remove the tar component of tobacco smokes and yet offer a satisfactory smoking quality, a filter plug fabricated by molding a cellulose acetate fiber bundle with the aid of a plasticizer such as triacetin is in broad use. However, because the monofilaments in the bundle are partially fused to one another by the plasticizer, it takes a long time for this filter plug to disintegrate itself in the environment after being discarded after use and, thus, add to the pollution problem.
Meanwhile, a paper-based tobacco smoke filter made from a creped wood pulp sheet and a tobacco smoke filter comprising a regenerated cellulose fiber bundle are also known. Compared with the filter plug comprising a cellulose acetate tow (fiber bundle), these filters are somewhat greater in wet disintegratability so that the pollution problem can be mitigated to some extent. However, these filters are not only inferior in terms of smoking qualities but, compared with a cellulose acetate filter, significantly low in the selective elimination for phenols which is essential to any tobacco filter. Moreover, with a given pressure loss, the above filters are lower in hardness.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 96208/1977 (JP-A-52-96208) discloses a sheet comprising a cellulose acetate pulp prepared by a specified technology and short staples of a thermoplastic resin. Because this sheet is prepared by mix-webbing the pulp and short staples into a paper form and pressing the web under heating, it is large in tensile strength and elongation after immersion in water, high in water resistance, and extremely poor in disintegratability.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 38720/1975 (JP-B50-38720 discloses a tobacco smoke filter comprising a fibrous artifact with a surface area of not less than 3 m.sup.2 /g, which fibrous artifact is composed of fibrillated cellulose acetate microfibers with a diameter of 0.1 to 10 .mu.m. However, since this fibrous artifact has been highly fibrillated, the inter-filament adhesion is great enough to provide for high strength but is hardly disintegratable. Moreover, since the filter has a large surface area, the efficiency of elimination of harmful components from the tobacco smoke is high but as the aromatic component is also removed, the smoking quality is rather sacrificed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 45468/1978 (JP-A-53-45468) discloses a filter material comprising a nonwoven fiber sheet containing 5 to 35% by weight of cellulose ester fibril with a diameter of 0.5 to 50 .mu.m and a surface area of not less than 5 m.sup.2 /g and 65 to 95% by weight of cellulose ester short staples. However, since the cellulose ester fibril has been highly fibrillated, the disintegratability of this filter material is also insufficient to alleviate the pollution problem and, moreover, the filter tends to detract from the smoking quality (aroma, taste and palatability) of tobacco.

Tobacco smoke filter materials, fibrous cellulose esters, and production processes


The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising spicamycin derivatives that vary in their fatty acid side chain moieties and are useful in the treatment of pain. The invention further provides a method of using the pharmaceutical composition to treat pain, including neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain that results from nerve damage, is characterized by an abnormal hypersensitivity to innocuous as well as noxious stimuli, and often persists after the tissue damage and inflammation that initially caused the pain have healed. Eleven million patients worldwide are afflicted by neuropathic pain (Olsen, WWMR, Inc. Consulting and Marketing Report (2002)). Clinically, neuropathic pain is difficult to manage, fails to respond to standard analgesic treatments, and often worsens over time (Amer et al., Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 29:32 (1985); Cherny et al., Neurology 44:857 (1994)).
Spicamycin is an anti-tumor antibiotic produced by the bacterium Streptomyces alansinicus 879-MT3 (Hayakawa et al. Agric. Biol. Chem. 49:2685 (1985)). The naturally occurring compound has the following general structure of Formula I, varying solely in the fatty acid moiety.

Synthetic spicamycin derivatives and their use as anti-tumor agents are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,461,036 and 5,631,238 to Otake et al. The use of spicamycin or derivatives thereof, including KRN5500, to reduce and/or prevent pain is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,905,069, 7,196,071, and 7,375,094 to Borsook et al. KRN5500 has been demonstrated to be effective in rat models of neuropathic pain (Abdi et al., Anesth. Analg. 91:955 (2000); Kobierski et al., Anesth. Analg. 97:174 2003).
The present invention provides improved compositions and methods for treating or preventing pain, e.g., neuropathic pain using spicamycin derivatives.

Treating or preventing pain using spicamycin derivatives


The hair styling stick contains from 30 to 55 percent by weight of one or more polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of from 2500 to 5000 g/mol; and from 40 to 70 percent by weight of at least one other polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of from 570 to 800 g/mol together with cosmetic ingredients. In preferred embodiments the hair styling stick contains from 30 to 55 percent by weight of one or more polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of from 2500 to 5000 g/mol; from 15 to 35 percent by weight of one or more polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of from 850 to 1600 g/mol, from 15 to 35 percent by weight of one or more liquid polyethylene glycols with a molecular weight of from 570 to 800 g/mol and additional cosmetic ingredients, as needed. The additional cosmetic ingredients can include an aqueous or organic solvent, emulsifier, perfume or fragrance, dye, preservative and/or pearlescence-imparting agent.

The subject matter of the present invention is a hair styling stick having a composition of fixed wax-like consistency and comprising a combination of at least one high molecular weight polyethylene glycol with at least one low molecular weight polyethylene glycol, and especially a combination of three different polyethylene glycols with three different molecular weights.
Styling wax compositions are known products for hair treatment. They are especially used for bringing short to middle length hair into a stylish shape. For example, hairstyles in the form of high-bang hairstyles, combed forehead hairstyles and the so-called "dirty-look" or "spiky-look" hairstyles are possible. Various different shapes and textures may also be produced for each hairstyle. Conventional styling wax products are usually available in pans. Portions of these products may be taken out of the pans with fingers. The wax is then spread on the surface of the hand where it softens because of the body heat transmitted from the hand. The otherwise too solid wax may then be distributed in the hair because of this softening. After working the wax into the hair, it hardens again and the formed hairstyle is stable and has a wet look.
The disadvantage of this type of wax composition is that the hands of the user come into extensive contact with the wax and subsequently must be cleaned. There is therefore a need to be fulfilled by the present invention for a product, which has the product properties of a pan wax, i.e. imparts luster, care and hold to the hair, but is in the form of another type of composition, in which the fingers and/or hand surfaces do not need to be wet. A suitable form for this new composition would be a hair styling stick. This new composition has a series of requirements. The composition need not be too hard and must be spread easily on the hair in direct application without softening it by heating. At the same time it should not be too soft, since otherwise the desired set and hold of the hairstyle is not attained. The portions that can be rubbed off of the stick must not be too small and the consistency of the stick must not be too brittle.
Besides the composition must not be too sticky, since otherwise hair may adhere to the styling stick, when the stick is stroked over the hair.
Conventional styling sticks are usually based on hydrophobic waxes, fats and oils. They contain a large proportion of hydrophobic materials, such as fat or animal waxes, fatty acid esters, fatty alcohols, etc. This sort of product has the disadvantage that it is only poorly washable from the hair and causes a comparatively high load or stress on the hair.
European Patent Document EP 0 301 197 A 1 discloses a hair wax containing a combination of conventional high molecular weight polyethylene glycols (MW=3000 to 5000), ethoxylated and hydrogenated castor oil and low molecular weight polyethylene glycols (MW=100 to 300). This reference only describes pan products, but no styling sticks. The manufacture of hair styling sticks with completely satisfactory product properties is not possible with the combination of two polyethylene glycols of such very different molecular weights as described in EP 0 301 197 A 1, The resulting sticks have a too great and too brittle consistency because of the very different molecular weights. Also inhomogeneities are formed in the wax mass after cooling, which make the stick noticeably softer in its interior than on the outside.
Known pomade rods or bars for treating hair comprising 60 percent by weight polyethylene glycol 4000 and 40 percent by weight ethyl hexanediol are described in Janistyn, "Handbuch der Kosmetika und Riechstoff [Handbook of Cosmetics and Fragrances]", Vol. 3, p. 325 (1973). Hair treated with the pomade rods however has neither a satisfactory luster nor sufficient shape stability nor a satisfactory permanence. Also ethyl hexanediol is an irritating substance, which should not be included in cosmetic products.

Hair styling stick containing polyethylene glycols of different molecular weights


The present invention provides a system and method of workstation configuration that includes a multi-level hierarchy management of preferences which are essentially managed and stored with a file server, rather than with each individual workstation. The invention comprises a computer network that includes workstations that have configurable hardware devices and software applications; a workstation server connected to the workstations that includes hierarchical preference files containing configuration information; and a preference manager for providing a coalesced, or merged, set of configuration parameters to the workstations based on the information in the hierarchical preference files.

In today's highly computerized society, it is well established that computers must provide a comfortable environment for the end users. Such environments are typically created by providing user-friendly hardware devices (e.g., a mouse) and software systems (e.g., graphical user interfaces). The efficacy of these systems is often further enhanced by their ability to be configured to meet the specific preferences of a user. Thus, users can personalize such things as the background color on their computer screen, mouse click rates, options within a specific software application, start-up screens, etc. This ability to personalize, or set preferences, allows computer systems to be tailored to meet the specific needs of the end-user to thereby provide a consistent and comfortable environment.
Concurrent with the goal of providing a user-friendly environment in order to advance computers in today's society is the proliferation of computer networks. Computer networks, such as the Internet, the World Wide Web, intranets, local area networks (LANS), etc., allow remote computers to exploit the resources of other, often more powerful, computer systems. The combination of a user-friendly environment with a computer network is therefore seen to be of particular importance as new computer systems are developed. For example, new systems such as IBM's Network Stations, seek to provide inexpensive, yet powerful, computer workstations by exploiting the power of a computer network while maintaining an advanced work environment.
Of particular importance in this invention is the recognition of the need to provide networked workstations which can not only be configured to the specific hardware characteristics of a terminal, but also to the preferences of a particular user, group of users, system administrator, owner, or manufacturer. Prior art solutions for configuring workstations in a network are unfortunately limited in various respects, including the fact that workstation preferences do not change based upon the end user, but rather exist for each individual workstation. Thus, under the prior art, individual preferences are unable to follow the user to any workstation in the network. Moreover, there is no way to save and meaningfully use appropriate sets of preferences for the individual currently using the workstation. That is, there is no known way to make the administration of preferences a manageable task. For example, there is no known way to provide for ad hoc groups of user preferences for local administrator defined levels of support.
While it is known to use preference files for configuring workstations in applications in a network, prior solutions only allow preference files to be managed at two levels, at the installation level (where default parameters are incorporated for each workstation) and at the user level (where the user alters the default parameters for a specific workstation). Thus, under the prior art only two "entities" or factors influence the final configuration of each workstation. This invention recognizes this as a serious limitation because there are many additional factors that should influence how a workstation is configured. For example, user groups, system administrator preferences, specific terminal hardware, time/date of logon, etc. are all factors that could potentially be used to influence the configuration of a particular workstation. The prior art fails to provide a comprehensive solution for utilizing preference files to incorporate such factors into workstation configuration.
In summary, the prior art does not allow the preferences of a user to follow him or her around to any workstation in a network, nor does it provide a comprehensive means for incorporating additional factors into each workstation configuration. Thus, without a more comprehensive approach to configuring workstations in a network, the overall flexibility of the network will be limited. All of the aforementioned art and technology references are herein incorporated by reference.

Hierarchy of preferences and preference groups

International Business Machines Corporation


Computerization has allowed branching and other logic to be integrated into questionnaire administration. The primary purpose of this invention is to allow the functionality and power of these processes to be easily created, and more importantly, customized by users of data collection systems. Rather than one set of logic applying to all users, this invention can be integrated into any computerized questionnaire application and generates a plurality of individualized questionnaires. The system allows and limits each user's customization of logic rules while providing transparent integration that allows different users to select the same questionnaire or battery of questionnaires, but receive overlapping, yet different questions and logic.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to questionnaires, question sets, surveys, tests, assessments, or other methods of presenting questions sequentially.
2. Background of Invention
In the known art, computerization of questionnaires (e.g. question sets, surveys, tests, assessments, or other methods of presenting questions sequentially) has allowed for the integration of branching logic into the sequencing of data items. For example, based on one or more data elements already collected, one or more data items might be skipped or pre-filled. However, the logic systems seen in the prior art produce one set of branching logic that must be used by all users of the same system. Systems that allow customization of the logic, simply override the standard logic and force all users (of the same computer) through the same "customized" logic. All systems seen in the known art represent one set of rules for all users within the application. Users may experience different questions based on logic rules, but the logic rules are typically "one size fits all."
In order to afford each user personalized logic, a separate computer and software system would need to be deployed for each user. This has presented serious limitations within fields like medicine where, for example, each doctor may have the need to add or revise questions for their specific patient populations in order to feel comfortable adopting a screening or clinical outcome questionnaire. The prior art affords two unreasonable solutions: 1) use a "one-size-fits-all" system, or 2) have a different computer in an emergency room for each ER physician. Obviously neither is a good solution and highlights the limitations of the prior art. Furthermore, a doctor may well wish to customize a questionnaire for each patient rather than requiring a fixed questionnaire for the entire practice. Similarly, in other fields like mortgage lending and human resource departments, there is a need for individual institutions or departments to have the ability to customize questionnaires and forms for their unique purposes, yet allow the public to access what appears to be a single questionnaire from a common point of entry. The prior art does not allow for this level of seamless customization and integration.
Illustrating the prior art, FIG. 1 provides a diagram of a conventional data collection system 106 for controlling the theoretical collection of data in a questionnaire 102 or another standard sequence of questions. In this system, there are a plurality of data elements or questions (104-1 through 104-N) called the standard sequence that may be presented through a data collection interface 101 (e.g. a web form, medical record screen, or an interactive voice recognition system). Each system 106 will conventionally incorporate one standard sequence controller 103 or its functional equivalent to control the sequencing and other branching logic (105-1 thorugh 105-N). After a data element 104-1 has been collected, a set of one or more standardized logic analyses 105-1A are performed. Based on this analysis an action 105-1B is made which impacts on the standard sequence 102, by, for example, skipping over question 104-2 to 104-N. Some known systems allow the logic of the standard sequence controller to be modified or customized. However, this does not afford personalization of the logic for each user, for which the present invention provides a powerful and easy-to-use solution.
The invention of Bair, et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,665 (2000) is an advanced example of the prior art. Standard questionnaires are available for use over a network with built-in standard logic. Client-side applications are able to create new questionnaires and add questions with rudimentary logic based solely on the answer to one question. But, as with all other known art, a new questionnaire or system would need to be created for each user that needs even minor changes in the branching logic. This leads to a substantial increase in cost, time for deployment, and data and application storage requirements, even for simple changes to the advanced logic. For many applications of the system illustrated in FIG. 1, custom modifications are therefore practically impossible. This is especially true for all fields where time and cost are critical.
In some cases, the professionals within the field where the known art is used may not need to customize the logic within a questionnaire, but between questionnaires, providing a customized battery for each research group or other set of users. For example, if the score of a screening questionnaire is positive, some users may want to branch to a more detailed diagnostic questionnaire while others are satisfied with the simple screening results. Again, this is not possible in the prior art and is easily accommodated within the present invention.
Therefore, the primary object of the present invention is to augment the functionality and usefulness of the branching and other logical analyses that computers have introduced into questionnaire administration through means that:                a) permit multiple users interfacing with the same system (either a stand-alone computer or through a server over a network like the Internet) to access questionnaires that may be customized for their specific needs and administer them through a user interface (e.g. a JAVA applet). For example, an oncology physician's assistant may select a specific oncology relapse prevention questionnaire for administration to a patient wherein the questionnaire has had no user-defined modifications. However a second physician's assistant may choose the same questionnaire from the same web site, but this user has defined additional logic that branches at the end of the questionnaire to a pain severity questionnaire if answers to the relapse questionnaire have clinically significant pain scores. In both cases, the same questionnaire has been selected, but in the second case it has been modified to meet the additional needs of the second physician. For the patients, they both have selected the same questionnaire with no awareness that other patients may be receiving different questions from different "behind the scene" rules.        b) allows advanced logic that can be applied to questionnaires and batteries of questionnaires beyond the traditional sequencing changes seen in the prior art. Beyond skipping data elements or changing the sequence order, the current invention allows for a plurality of other advanced logic. For example, a web site may wish to provide customized site content based on user needs and preferences. An on-line questionnaire may assist users in selecting the preferences and settings that tailor the site to their needs. Rather than having various questionnaires for different combinations of age, language, and reading levels, the customized advanced logic controller of the present invention could change the wording of one standard set of questions without altering the meaning of the question but alter the reading level or change the language of presentation to match a user's education. Or more fundamentally, the customized logic could delete, add to, or modify the advanced logic analysis 105-1A or advanced logic decisions 105-1B of the standard sequence controller 103 shown in FIG. 1.        c) provides "policing" of logic within a user hierarchy, where a superior (e.g. the chair of a medical department in a hospital as compared to attending physicians within the department) can set customized logic that limits the customizable options of subordinates (e.g. the attending physicians or medical students). If a superior changes his/her logic, the system must police itself and ensure that obsolete or overridden logic is removed from the system for each of the subordinates.
These primary objectives of the present invention produces many advantages, including wider applicability of a data collection system, greater functionality and utility for users, lower costs and time for customization, and more useful branching logic options. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

Advanced logic controller that deploys user customized logic in the administration of questionnaires


Employed within an LED driver operating from the AC power line, the invention controls both input current and output power. With this regulation circuit, input current appears purely resistive, precisely tracking the input voltage waveshape. At the same time, it provides good line regulation and inherent phase dimmer compatibility, requiring no special circuitry to detect and handle a dimmer.

Ideally, when a lamp is powered from a sine wave source, such as the electrical grid, it is desirable for the lamp to appear to the source as purely resistive. That is, it should draw current from the source in phase with, and closely matching, the voltage waveform. This minimizes stress on the electricity generating and transmission infrastructure. However, as input voltage amplitude varies, the light output from the lamp should remain fairly constant. This requires line regulation circuitry.
While line regulation seeks to maintain constant light output as the voltage applied to the lamp decreases, dimmers are intended to reduce lamp brightness by effectively reducing voltage supplied to the lamp. When an external dimmer reduces supply voltage, line regulation circuitry in the lamp responds by increasing input current in order to maintain relatively constant power and lamp brightness, thus rendering the dimmer ineffective.
Of greater concern is that at low dimming levels, line regulation circuitry can increase input current to destructive levels, which is a safety issue.
Complex circuitry is often required to detect the presence of a dimmer and even more circuitry to respond appropriately.
Driving LEDs from the AC line requires unique qualities. While the AC line is a constant-voltage sine wave, LEDs require constant DC current to operate. There exists many ways to drive a matrix of LEDs from an AC source. Conventionally, an inductive approach is taken, using an inductive element to store and release energy at different input and output voltages. This is the traditional switching power supply approach. This has the disadvantages of utilizing bulky, expensive magnetics, generating EMI due to the high switching frequencies involved, a difficulty in achieving good power factor, the use of limited-lifetime electrolytic capacitors, requiring high current devices, and difficulties with dimmer compatibility.
To address these problems and to simplify circuitry, multi-stage, sequentially-operated linear regulators have been used to drive a segmented string of LEDs. Instantaneous input current roughly follows input voltage, providing low distortion and good power factor. And they are inherently compatible with most dimmers.
As depicted in FIG. 1, in a prior art, multi-stage, sequentially-operated linear regulator, a long string of LEDs is tapped at multiple locations, each tap having a linear current regulator that controls the LED current of upstream string segments. As instantaneous rectified input voltage rises, downstream segments get enough voltage to begin conducting. Once a segment starts conducting, the downstream regulator takes over from the upstream regulator. This limits the voltage across the regulators when they are conducting, minimizing power loss.
Typically, each regulator operates at a fixed current level. Thus the input current waveshape is a stairstep rather than a smooth sine wave, causing input current harmonics.
Line regulation has also been a problem in the prior art. That is, output power, and thus brightness, varies as time-averaged input voltage varies.
What is needed is an improved current control circuit for an LED driver that overcomes these problems and shortcomings in the prior art.

Current control circuit for linear LED driver


The invention concerns a radiation entry window (10) for a radiation detector (2), in particular for a semiconductor drift detector (2), with a flat window element (11), which is at least partially permeable for the radiation to be detected by the radiation detector (2), as well as with a window frame (12), which laterally frames the window element (11), wherein the window frame (12) consists of a semiconductor material and is considerably thicker than the window element (11). (FIG. 1)

The invention concerns a radiation entry window for a radiation detector, in particular for a semiconductor detector, such as a semiconductor drift detector, a semiconductor pixel detector or a CCD detector (CCD: Charge-coupled device).
Detector modules are known from the art which are used for radiation measurement and can, for example, be used for X-ray spectroscopy or X-ray fluorescence analysis. Such conventional detector modules contain a semiconductor drift detector that is arranged hermetically sealed in a housing so that the detector module can also be operated in a protective gas atmosphere or under vacuum conditions. Here, the radiation to be detected enters the housing through a radiation entry window and then hits the semiconductor drift detector arranged within the housing. For the known detector modules of the type as described above, the radiation entry window is made of beryllium or a silicon lattice with a polymer film.
Such conventional radiation entry windows have various disadvantages, however. On the one hand, such conventional radiation entry windows are very elaborate in their production. They are individually manufactured manually piece by piece, and thus not open to the modern process methods of series production. On the other hand, there are occasional problems with such radiation entry windows with regard to gas tightness, which may lead to damages or a deterioration of the detector properties particularly when operating in bad environmental conditions (e.g. humidity).
From JP 09 021 700 AA a radiation window for an infrared sensor is known, with the radiation entry window showing a window frame made of a resin.
Reference is also made to DE 203 21 061 U1, DE 10 2005 046 164 A1 and JP 2002 36 5370 AA concerning the prior art.
Finally, the prior art also comprises JP 06.289.145 AA. This patent application discloses a radiation entry window for X-ray radiation with a window frame made of metal.
The object of the invention is therefore to create a correspondingly improved radiation entry window. Within the scope of the invention, it is particularly desirable that the radiation entry window may be manufactured as professionally as possible with modern process methods and is as thin and gas-tight as possible.
This object is achieved by means of a radiation entry window according to the invention.

Radiation entry window for a radiation detector

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften E.V.


An electron gun for a color cathode ray tube includes a cathode structure having three electron emitting portions in a field emission array cell. A focus electrode and a final acceleration electrode are sequentially arranged with respect to the cathode structure and form a main lens for focusing electron beams emitted from the three electron emitting portions. The eccentric distance of the electron emitting portions is shorter than the eccentric distance of the electron beam emitting holes in the focus electrode opposite the electron emitting portions. Focus characteristics and convergence characteristics are improved.

The present invention relates to an electron gun for a color cathode ray tube and, more particularly, to an electron gun for a color cathode ray tube in which a field emission array cell is employed as an electron emitting source.
A general color cathode ray tube includes a panel 10 on the inner surface of which a fluorescent film (not shown) is located, a funnel 20 sealingly coupled with the panel 10, an electron gun 30 installed in the neck portion 21 of the funnel 20, and a deflection yoke 23 around the cone portion 22.
In the cathode ray tube of the above construction, an electron beam emitted from the electron gun 30 is deflected by the deflection yoke 23, collides with the fluorescent film, and excites a fluorescent material, thus forming a picture.
FIG. 2 shows an example of an electron gun in the neck portion of the funnel for thermionic emission.
The electron gun 30 includes a cathode structure 31 including a field emission array cell having electron emitting portions 31R, 31G, and 31B spaced from each other by a predetermined distance on a substrate 31a for emitting electrons for making red, green, and blue fluorescent materials radiate light, and a focus and a final acceleration electrode 32 and 33 for forming an electron lens for focusing and accelerating the electron beam.
Electron beam transmitting holes 32R, 32G, and 32B and 33R, 33G, and 33B corresponding to the electron emitting portions 31R, 31G, and 31B are respectively formed in the focus electrode 32 and the final acceleration electrode 33.
In the operation of a conventional electron gun for a color cathode ray tube having the described construction, the electron beam is emitted from the electron emitting portions 31R, 31G, and 31B when a predetermined voltage is applied. The emitted electron beam is focused and accelerated by a main lens located between the focus electrode 32 and the final acceleration electrode 33 and lands on fluorescent material of the fluorescent film.
However, the conventional electron gun for a cathode ray tube has the following problems.
First, since the electron beam is emitted from the electron emitting portion including the field emission array cell at an angle of more than 20 degrees, spherical aberration is generated in a main electron lens that is larger than the aberration of an electron gun having a hot cathode in which the incidence angle is less than 5 degrees.
Second, according to the prior art, in order to focus the electron beam emitted from the electron emitting portions 31R, 31G, and 31B into a pixel, an "eccentric distance" S1, which is hereinafter defined as the distance between the electron trasmitting hole or the electron emitting portion positioned in the center of an axial direction of the electron gun and the electron beam transmitting holes or the electron emitting portions positioned on both sides thereof. The electron beam transmitting holes 32R, 32G, and 32B in the facing surfaces of the focus electrode 32 differs from "eccentric distance" S2 between the electron beam transmitting holes 33R, 33G, and 33B in the facing surface of the final acceleration electrode 33. Thus the electron beams on both sides converge on the electron beam of the central portion. At this time, since the above-mentioned convergence is performed in a state in which the electron beam is accelerated, the effect thereof is negligible.
Third, the section of the electron beam landing on the fluorescent film is distorted. Specifically, since the electron emitting portions 31R, 31G, and 31B of the cathode structure 31 are circular, the section of the electron beam focused, accelerated and passing through the main lens becomes circular. The electron beam passes through a non-uniform magnetic field formed by vertical and horizontal deflection coils and the section of the electron beam deflected toward the peripheral portion of the fluorescent film becomes elongated in the horizontal direction. When the elongated electron beam lands on the fluorescent film, a core section and a hazy section are generated in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, respectively, thus deteriorating the sharpness of the picture.


A power winch equipment crane system to be used with a tractor roll bar, the system including a winch support bar configured to be generally U-shaped having two side portions and a middle portion connecting the two side portions, a power winch attached to the winch support bar proximate a midpoint of the middle portion of the winch support bar, and hinge members provided respectively proximate each end of the winch support bar and configured to couple the winch support bar to the tractor roll bar in a pivoting arrangement, the hinge members configured such that the winch support bar is pivotable between a substantially vertical position when not in use, and a substantially horizontal position in which the power winch is positioned at a point spaced back from the tractor so as to be located over an implement that is attachable to the tractor.

Farm vehicles such as tractors are used for a variety of heavy work applications. A host of different work apparatuses may be attached to, and powered by, the tractor. For example, a tractor may be provided with a backhoe attachment, a rototiller, a plow, a hay baler, or any number of other such devices/systems. However, being designed for heavy duty, most of all of these attachments are themselves very heavy, and being able to lift them into place for all the necessary couplings to the tractor can be very difficult, especially for a lone user. For example, some large tillers need to be lifted into position for hookup to a 3-point hitch. Additionally, a complicated series of maneuvers is often required, for which a relatively long time in which the implements must be lifted. Attempting such a procedure by hand creates a situation in which the user could be seriously injured. Some approaches to this problem involve attaching a hoist to a beam of a structure such as a barn to mechanically lift the implements into place, or installing a quick hitch to the back of the tractor. However, these approaches are problematic. Arranging and relying on a barn hoist is both complicated and limiting as far as having to position the implements to be attached to the tractor, leading to some of the same problems for a single user. The use of quick hitches changes the arrangement of the implement arms, and can be cumbersome, obtrusive, and lacking in aesthetics. Therefore, an easier and more convenient way to maneuver heavy equipment into place for connection to the tractor would be desirable.

Power winch equipment crane with hinge members


An automated library is disclosed for storing and retrieving data storage cartridges having a plurality of rotatable stacks, all rotatable about parallel axes, each stack being multi-faced and preferably rectangular. A column of cells for storing data cartridges is provided in each of at least two of the faces of the rectangular stacks, and the columns of cells are aligned parallel to the axis of the associated stack. At least one read/write drive is provided for reading and/or writing the data storage cartridges, and preferably a read/write drive is provided at the base of each rotatable stack. A picker is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axes of the rotatable stacks, for accessing the data storage cartridges stored in the cells, and for transporting the cartridges between the cells and a read/write drive. Servo systems rotate the rotatable stacks and the rotatable picker into mutually facing positions for accessing the cells of columns of the stacks with the rotatable picker.

Automated data storage libraries typically store cartridges of tape or of optical disks and are secondary to disk storage for the storage of data for data processing systems. Disk storage is relatively high in cost and therefore limited in capacity. The function of data storage libraries is to store data which is not constantly required, but is on line and available quickly when needed. Data storage libraries therefore must be efficient in maximizing capacity in limited space while accessing the stored data quickly.
Typical automated data storage libraries have stationary columns of cells for storing data cartridges. Pickers either move linearly or rotate to access the columns. Some libraries have been contemplated which rotate a cylinder of columns of cells while maintaining the picker stationary. The configurations typically have a single row of columns of cells, or, in a few instances, a row on either side of the picker. Capacity may be increased by increasing the length of the rows of cells. However, the length of the rows is limited by the designed maximum length of time allowed for accessing the data cartridges.
Thus, it is desirable to maximize storage capacity and yet be as compact as possible to avoid excessive data access times.

Data cartridge library with rotating storage stacks


Among other things, the present disclosure provides compounds, compositions thereof, and methods of using the same. In some embodiments, compounds of the present disclosure bind to Fc receptors, e.g., CD16a. In some embodiments, compounds of the present disclosure are useful for treating various conditions, disorders or diseases including cancer.

The search for new therapeutic agents has been greatly aided in recent years by the discovery and development of monoclonal antibody therapeutic agents. Several of such agents elicit their therapeutic effect through the concomitant engagement of extracellular receptors of a targeted diseased cell with immune effector cells. Strategies for improving the therapeutic efficacy of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have involved engineering antibodies (i.e. mutated amino acids, altered glycosylation) to enhance the binding to Fc receptors.


A portable travel guitar comprises a removable neck and a tapered removable panel attached to an opening in the body of the guitar by an airtight joint. Pre-tensioned strings attached to the removable panel bias it towards the closed position. Items can be stored inside the body of the guitar for ease of storage inside luggage. An auxiliary panel is provided permitting using the body of the guitar as separate luggage.

Limitations on the size and number of carry-on luggage, as well as security requirements, make air travel by commercial aircraft while carrying a full size acoustic guitar difficult. There are numerous designs for a portable guitar. To one extent or another, these designs involve collapsing and nesting various components of the guitar to allow packing into a luggage suitable to carry onboard an aircraft. However, all such designs require complicated re-assembly and re-tuning. More importantly, such designs have inferior sound quality compared to a conventional (i.e. non-portable) acoustic guitar.
A conventional acoustic guitar produces sound by way of the strings vibrating and transmitting their vibrations to the body of the guitar. The body amplifies the sound and the sound comes out of the sound hole. The back, top, and sides of the instrument are carefully constructed and braced to accept the considerable string tension, and yet still produce pleasing music and tone. Structural integrity is of utmost importance for the sound quality, yet it is extremely difficult to achieve with collapsible and nesting designs. Additional structural elements, such as extra bracing and connections between parts, which are not present in a conventional acoustic guitar, cause further deterioration of the sound quality.
The collapsible and nesting designs also suffer air leakage between various parts, which is not present in a conventional acoustic guitar, where air can only escape through the sound hole. Air leakage causes additional deterioration of the sound quality.
Simply put, a portable acoustic guitar should be, ideally, as close in its structural integrity to and differ as little as possible from a conventional acoustic guitar.
Finally, the prior art does not utilize the volume inside the guitar body for storage of items, other than parts of the guitar, while traveling. This unutilized real estate can be used for storage and make travel via a commercial aircraft less difficult.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable travel guitar that overcomes the limitations of the prior art.


A mold bushing for injecting plastic material into a mold cavity. The bushing member has a one-piece body member with a central passageway for a shut-off gate pin member and a separate and distinct passageway for the molten plastic material. A tip member is positioned on the end of the body member and has a material discharge chamber. A gate or orifice opened and closed by the pin member is positioned either in the tip member or the mold. A wear bushing member is positioned in the discharge chamber or the end of the body member and acts to support the end of the pin member and prevent the flow of plastic material into the central passageway. The body member is heated by an annular cast heater member or the like. The wear bushing member can be indexed for proper positioning relative to the body member and the plastic flow passageway. The wear bushing member preferably has a body portion which partially fills the discharge chamber in the tip member. In an alternate embodiment, the body member has an extension which partially fills the discharge chamber and the wear bushing is a cylindrical member positioned at the discharge end of the central passageway.

Injection molding bushings are utilized to transfer molten plastic material from an injection molding machine into the cavity of a mold. The bushings are positioned in molds attached to platens of the injection molding machine and are adapted to transfer the molten plastic material from the nozzle of the injection molding machine barrel to the mold cavities.
The mold bushings, often called "sprue bushings, " can be unheated or heated. Unheated bushings leave an elongated sprue on the molded part which normally has to be trimmed or cut off. Heated bushings, which leave little if any sprue on the part, can be centrally heated or externally heated and can also have pins or other shut-off mechanisms for opening and closing the gate or orifice as required.
Internally heated mold bushings can have a heated torpedo-like member positioned in the flow stream. Bushings of this type are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,010,155 and 4,161,386. Mold bushings which are heated externally can have annular heating elements positioned around a central flow passageway. These are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,273,525 and 4,266,723. The heating elements can be coil heaters, cast heaters, or conventional band-type heaters, all of which maintain the plastic material in the bushing in a molten condition.
Many of the mold bushings have gates or orifices which are controlled by a pin-type mechanism or the like to open and close the orifice in accordance with the desired process for filling the mold. The pin members are typically controlled by a motorized or automatic mechanism of some type, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,095,931 or 4,279,582.
In known valve gate-type bushings, all or a substantial portion of the pin member is contained within the molten plastic flow. The pin member partially divides the mass of plastic material in the bushing which often causes undesirable features in the molded parts, such as blemishes and weld lines. With some materials, the pin member prevents satisfactory intermixing of the material. Also, the pin member can result in the formation of shear planes in the molten material which can cause unsightly blemishes or lines in the final part, and may cause areas of weakness in the final part.
Some bushings which have partially solved these problems are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,384 to Manner, and 4,412,807 to York. However, the '384 patent does not adequately separate the material from the moving pin member thus creating unsightly or unwanted defects in the final part. Also, the '807 patent contains several additional machined components creating a more costly and complex device.

Injection molding shut-off bushing with separate material flow path


A system and method for performing client-server transactions includes an application interface, located at a client, which manages connections between the client and a server. The application interface receives a request from an application program, opens a connection with the server, sends a message that includes the request over the connection, and holds the connection open for at least a timeout period. If the application interface receives another request destined for the server during the timeout period, it sends another message with the new request over the open connection. If the application interface receives one or more requests that are part of a transaction, the application interface assigns a transaction identifier to the transaction. The transaction identifier and a sequence indicator are included in each message with each request. At the server, a transaction manager receives the messages, sequences the requests based on the sequence indicators, and processes the requests in the indicated sequence. If the application interface receives a redirect request from the server in response to a message, the application interface sends the message to another server identified in the redirect request without involving the client application.

A typical distributed computer system, as illustrated in FIG. 1, includes multiple client computers 102 which ask one or more generic application servers 104 to provide various services. These requests may ask the server to provide many types of services. For example, a request may ask the server to authenticate a user, provide access to files or data, send or receive email, or provide Web access.
To start the process, a client 102 sends one or more requests to the server 104 over a connection 108 between the client and the server. The server then fulfils the request, which, in some cases, may involve obtaining data over one or more connections 110 to various databases 106.
A client request can be generated, for example, by a Web browser or some other application. The client request is then sent by the client computer to the server using a protocol that is specific to the type of system. Generally, the system supports a protocol that is either a "connection-full" or a "connectionless" protocol.
Using a connection-full protocol, a client makes a connection to the server, and that connection can be maintained throughout multiple message exchanges between the client and server. Even through periods of idleness, when no messages are being exchange, the client and server maintain the connection.
One advantage to using a connection-full protocol is that the client is guaranteed a connection resource when the client has a message to send to the server. In addition, it is easier for the server to keep track of which messages are associated with which client, and the state of the client application. A disadvantage to using a connection-full protocol, however, is that the semi-permanent connections inefficiently consume server resources. Even though the channel may be idle (i.e., the client and server are not exchanging any information), the server must expend resources to maintain the channel and information relating to the client, thus making those resources unavailable to other clients.
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an example of a connectionless protocol that is commonly used in Internet applications. Using a connectionless protocol, each time a message needs to be transferred between the client and the server, a connection is established, the message is transferred, and the connection is terminated.
One advantage to using a connectionless protocol is that the available server resources are more efficiently utilized. Essentially, server resources relating to client-server communications are consumed only when information needs to be transferred between the client and server. One disadvantage to using a connectionless protocol, however, is that the connection establishment and termination process must be performed for each message that needs to be exchanged. In addition, client state information (e.g., authentication information) often needs to be passed to the server again.
Often, a client would like the server to perform multiple, related actions. For example, a client may ask a server to alter multiple records stored in a particular database table. In some systems, these multiple actions are managed using "transaction processing," which is a technique for processing a set of related requests. Specifically, a "transaction" is a way of grouping a set of requests so that all requests are either completed or all requests fail. For example, the requests could be to perform an input/output (I/O) operation, requests to update a screen, or requests to store or retrieve data to memory, tape, or a database. In the context of database transactions, transaction processing enables modifications to a database to be controlled so that system failures do not affect the correctness or integrity of the database.
Using transaction processing, the separate operations that comprise the transaction must be executed atomically, meaning that once the transaction begins to execute, all of its operations must be completed. If a failure interrupts the transaction, the part of the transaction that has been completed must be rolled back. The rollback process returns the system to a previously known and consistent state, as if the transaction had never occurred. If a transaction is completed, the changes are "committed," and if the transaction is interrupted or explicitly cancelled, it is considered to be "aborted."
Transaction processing has several advantages. First, the atomicity characteristic of a transaction means that each transaction is treated as all-or-nothing. If a transaction commits, all of its requested effects remain. If a transaction aborts, no requested changes are made to the system. For example, if a transaction relates to modifying a database, the database will not include partial modifications that make the database records inconsistent.
Some systems enable transactions to be "isolated" from each other, meaning that updates of concurrent, incomplete transactions are separated from each other. Thus, for example, other clients will not see the changes to database records until those changes are committed. This isolation characteristic also means that database manipulation in the context of a transaction enables the client to keep a coherent view of the database. Thus, the database will not appear to change once a client has opened a transaction. Although isolation is not a requirement of a transaction, many systems provide it, often providing multiple levels of isolation.
Using a connectionless protocol, separate messages that comprise a particular transaction could come into the server out of order, in some cases. This may occur, for example, when multiple client threads are issuing requests within the context of a single transaction, or if an unreliable protocol is being used. Generally, prior art transaction managers are unable to handle out of order requests.
In some system architectures, data can be referenced at different server locations. For example, certain data may have been moved, and the server that initially provided access to that data maintained the data's forwarding address. In these circumstances, when the server receives a request for that data, the server can issue a redirect message to the client, indicating that the data is accessible to another server (i.e., at the forwarding address). HTTP is an example of a protocol that offers redirect services.
In prior art systems, these redirect messages are handled by the client application, such as the client's Web browser. After receiving the message, the application must either send a new request to the appropriate server, or must fail the request. Thus each application must include the ability to handle these redirect messages, placing an additional burden on application designers.
A server may need to redirect one or more, but not all, requests that are made in the context of a transaction. These redirect requests in the context of transactions are not well handled by prior art systems.
What is needed is a system and method that has the advantages of both a connectionless and a connection-full protocol, without the accompanying disadvantages. Specifically, what is needed is a system and method that efficiently uses server resources, without requiring a connection to be established and terminated each time a message needs to be transferred. Further needed is a system and method that enables transaction processing to be performed even when the server receives the transaction's requests out of order. Further needed is a system and method for a client computer to handle redirect requests without involving the associated client application, including the ability to handle redirect requests in the context of a transaction.

Client-server communications system and method using a semi-connectionless protocol


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for verifying the integrity of an index or result produced by a content-addressable or associated memory or other device. A pre-computed data protection field is stored, either as part of a returned index of a content-addressable memory or in a separate storage. In one implementation, a data protection operation is performed on all or part of the returned index and a comparison is made with a pre-computed data protection field. In one implementation, a copy of the masks employed by a ternary content-addressable memory and a set of pre-computed data protection fields are stored. A particular mask and pre-computed data protection field are selected based on the generated index. The original input value is then masked by the selected mask and provided to a data protection function. The result of this function is then compared to the selected pre-computed data protection field.

The communications industry is rapidly changing to adjust to emerging technologies and ever increasing customer demand. This customer demand for new applications and increased performance of existing applications is driving communications network and system providers to employ networks and systems having greater speed and capacity (e.g., greater bandwidth). In trying to achieve these goals, a common approach taken by many communications providers is to use packet switching technology. Increasingly, public and private communications networks are being built and expanded using various packet technologies, such as Internet Protocol (IP).
A network device, such as a switch or router, typically receives, processes, and forwards or discards a packet based on one or more criteria, including the type of protocol used by the packet, addresses of the packet (e.g., source, destination, group), and type or quality of service requested. Additionally, one or more security operations are typically performed on each packet. But before these operations can be performed, a packet classification operation must typically be performed on the packet.
Packet classification as required for access control lists (ACLs) and forwarding decisions is a demanding part of switch and router design. This packet classification of a received packet is increasingly becoming more difficult due to ever increasing packet rates and number of packet classifications. For example, ACLs require matching packets on a subset of fields of the packet flow label, with the semantics of a sequential search through the ACL rules. IP forwarding requires a longest prefix match.
One known approach uses binary and/or ternary content-addressable memories to perform packet classification. Ternary content-addressable memories allow the use of wildcards in performing their matching, and thus are more flexible than binary content-addressable memories.
However, content-addressable memories are made of storage elements that are subject to data errors. A corrupted bit or bits in an entry in a content-addressable memory ("CAM") can lead to an incorrect CAM result, and thus an error in routing, forwarding, quality of service or other characterization or application. Needed are mechanisms for verifying the integrity of a CAM result.

Method and apparatus for verifying the integrity of a content-addressable memory result


A method of facilitating a telephonic response to an electronic message is described. The method includes determining at least one telephone number from a received electronic message, and assigning the determined telephone number dynamically to a button on the telephone to provide a speed dial button on the telephone. Determining the telephone number may include comparing an electronic mail address in an address field of the electronic message with a telephone directory to determine a telephone number associated with the address. If the electronic message is a text or a voice message, determining the telephone number may include parsing a body of the message to determine a telephone number, if present, which has been included into the body of the text message.

Current telephones e.g., mobile telephones, VoIP phones or the like) can have telephone numbers pre-assigned to single telephone buttons to provide a speed dial function. In response to a speed dial button being pressed, the telephone number pre-assigned to that button is dialed. The association of the telephone number with the button typically is by manual pre-programming of the telephone, the telephone numbers therefore being statically assigned to respective buttons.
Also, current voicemail systems can provide an option to initiate a telephone call to a sender of a voicemail message. This option is only available during the telephone call in which the voicemail message is retrieved, and as soon as the telephone call is terminated, so too is the option to initiate a telephone call to a sender of a voicemail message.


A system for determining an indication of animal joint mobility includes a mounting apparatus configured to hold a first condyle of the joint stationary in a position such that a second condyle of the joint can pivot about the joint, a pendulum configured to be coupled to the second condyle and configured such that a portion of a weight of the pendulum is disposed below a pivot axis of the joint such that the pendulum and second condyle can oscillate about the pivot axis, an angular displacement indicator associated with the pendulum, an angular displacement recorder configured to store indicia of the angular displacement, as indicated by the angular displacement indicator; of the pendulum over time, and a processor coupled to the angular displacement recorder and configured to use the angular displacement indicia to determine a first value associated with momentum decay of oscillations of the pendulum and to use the at least one value to determine a second value associated with a coefficient of friction of the joint.

Friction reduction of animal joints is mediated by the superficial zone of the articular cartilage and by the lubricating ability of synovial fluid. Up until recently, no human diseases were clearly associated with a lack of chondroprotection by lubrication. Camptodactyly-arthroapthy-coxa vara-pericarditis (CACP) syndrome is an autosomal recessive pre-pubertal form of osteoarthrosis. The arthropathy is non-inflammatory in nature and appears histologically similar to osteoarthritis. This disease has been linked to a locus on chromosome 1q25 which expresses megakaryocyte stimulating factor (MSF; GenBank U70136). Expression of this gene also leads to both superficial zone protein expressed by chondrocytes and lubricin by synovial fibroblasts. Lubricin is a classical mucinous glycoprotein (5) providing boundary lubrication of apposed cartilaginous surfaces in the absence of viscosity. Lubricin is 50% (w/w) glycosylated with multiple residues of O-linked β(1-3)Gal-GalNAc which provides for lubricating activity (6). A CACP/lubricin knockout mouse was created that lacked the orthologous gene PRG4 for producing lubricin.
Presently, new investigational devices and drugs designed to improve or prevent arthritis are tested in animals with histological measures and in people with visual analog pain scales. There is presently no comprehensive joint function model with which to test molecules with a posited therapeutic benefit.

Rhode Island Hospital, A LifeSpan Partner


A semiconductor memory device such as a ROM is provided with a word line test circuit and a word line drive circuit. The word line test circuit outputs a high level signal when a test signal is applied and a low level signal when the test signal is not applied. The word line drive circuit drives the respective word lines in the memory cell array, and is connected to the output of the word line test circuit, so that when driving one group of word lines (either the odd-numbered word lines or the even-numbered word lines), a high level signal is applied to the one group of word lines, and when not driving the one group of word lines, a low level signal is applied to the one group of word lines. On the other hand, when driving the other group of word lines, a high level signal is applied to the other group of word lines, and when not driving the other group of word lines, the output signal from the word line test circuit is applied to the other group of word lines, thereby enabling short circuits between adjacent word lines to be identified quickly. A bit line test switch circuit is provided which is connected to the bit lines in the memory cell array. In response to a test signal, the bit line test switch circuit applies signals of different levels to the odd-numbered and even-numbered bit lines respectively, and short circuits between adjacent bit lines can be identified quickly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor memory device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, semiconductor memory devices are tested by checking whether the intended data can be obtained for input of a particular address signal, thereby distinguishing between good and bad ones. In recent years, with advances in miniaturization techniques, the memory cell area has been further reduced, which in turn has led to an increase in the failure rate attributed to short circuits between adjacent word lines or between adjacent bit lines within the memory array because of processing effects. In the prior art, verification of such failure has been accomplished by sequentially reading every address location and thus determining the result.
However, such verification methods has the disadvantage of requiring a prolonged test period, which even further increases with the increase of the memory capacity being expanded.

Semiconductor memory device having word line and bit line test circuits